Blue and Yellow Flags, Orange Presidents, Oh My! Quiz

Answer: Revolution on Granite

The Revolution on Granite was a 1990 phenomenon. This means that the Soviet Union was still in existence. It was organized chiefly via means of hunger strikes and student protests. It was the largest expression of Ukrainian patriotism within the confines of the USSR and played a substantial part in causing the ultimate collapse of the "Last Empire".

Answer: Revolution on Granite

The Revolution on Granite was centered in the areas that had been least affected by Sovietization and Russification, especially in Western Ukraine. On the contrary, many people in the Eastern parts of the country were pessimistic regarding the possibilities of change.

Answer: Revolution on Granite

The one-party system that existed in the USSR was deeply unsatisfactory to Ukrainian youth, so it was a persistent demand that no party should monopolize political power. This explains the plurality of political parties within the Ukrainian political spectrum and the fact that most governments have relied on the support of more than one party.

Answer: Revolution on Granite

That's true! Leonid Kravchuk, who at that time was still a high-ranking Communist Party apparatchik, was actually opposed to the Revolution and attempted to negotiate on behalf of the government. Later, Kravchuk supported democratic movements and opposed Russian encroachment and invasion.

Answer: Orange Revolution

Arguably the most significant of all "color revolutions", the Orange Revolution occurred in 2004, at a time when the country was still undecided over its alignments and outlook. Pitting democratic versus authoritarian ideals, pro-western versus pro-Russian camps, corrupt people and institutions versus anti-corruption activism, it was widely discussed and observed by the international community.

Answer: Orange Revolution

The 2004 Ukrainian Presidential Election had two major candidates: Viktor Yushchenko and Viktor Yanukovych. Yushchenko was in favor of a pro-western and democratic policy, while Yanukovych was a member of the "Donetsk Clan", had connections with organized crime, and was in favour of deeper ties with Russia.

Although exit polls were showing clearly that Yushchenko would win, the official results were tweaked in favour of Yanukovych, prompting much ire at the falsification and giving the impetus for the protests.

Answer: Orange Revolution

While its predecessor had been a largely western Ukrainian affair, the Orange Revolution was centered in the capital and had a much wider stratum of support in most regions. The shift from west to center to center-east as the clashing ground of pro-democracy against pro-authoritarianism forces in Ukraine has been a constant in all three of the revolutions discussed.

Answer: Orange Revolution

The Sievierodonetsk Congress was organized by people with important positions in the Party of Regions (led by Viktor Yanukovych) and active in local administration in various parts of the country, but mostly in the east and south. The mayor of Moscow was also in attendance and the Congress' statements were in tune with the Russian rhetoric of "Orthodoxy, Autocracy, Nationality".

In the end, the positions of the Congress for secession of virtually half of Ukraine if the repetition of the election resulted in a Yushchenko victory did not curry favour even with Yanukovych.

Answer: Revolution of Dignity

The most dramatic of the three revolutions, The Revolution of Dignity began in November 2013. It occurred after Viktor Yanukovych (who fianlly succeeded in becoming President in 2010) reneged on his promises and, contrary to the wishes of the people, refused to sign an Association and Free Trade Agreement with the European Union.

Answer: Revolution of Dignity

Although initially there was much hesitation in using armed violence against the nonviolent protesters, under Russian backing, Yanukovych's government ordered the notorious Berkut (riot police) to open fire on the crowd, ultimately killing 108 people, who became known as the Heavenly Hundred. Yet, this did not break he resolve of the protesters, who refused to abandon their positions.

Answer: Revolution of Dignity

After it was clear that the attempts to suppress the Revolution had failed, Yanukovych abandoned Ukraine, ultimately escaping to Russia, after emptying his Crimean villa of all the wealth stored there. He was subsequently removed from office on account of his absence in times of need and his abuses of power.

Answer: Revolution of Dignity

The victory of the Revolution of Dignity was something that Russia wasn't prepared to accept, for reasons ranging from geopolitical to ideological and pseudo-historical. Bands of unmarked Russian servicemen (the "little green men") landed in Crimea at the ending days of February 2014, and, after the illegal annexation of the peninsula, other bands flocked to Donetsk and Luhansk Oblast, inaugurating the Russo-Ukrainian War.