Will Ukraine face the hardest vote in decades?
Deep Dives
Explore related topics with these Wikipedia articles, rewritten for enjoyable reading:
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Orange Revolution
9 min read
The article directly references the 2004 Ukrainian presidential election where Viktor Yushchenko was poisoned and ultimately won after protests against electoral fraud. This was the Orange Revolution - understanding this pivotal moment provides essential context for Ukraine's democratic struggles and its historical resistance to Russian-backed candidates.
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Viktor Yushchenko
12 min read
The article mentions Yushchenko's poisoning during the 2004 election as an example of Russia's ruthless tactics. His story - including the dioxin poisoning that disfigured his face - is a dramatic real-world example of the stakes involved in Ukrainian elections and Russian interference.
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Yulia Tymoshenko
12 min read
The article identifies Tymoshenko as one of Ukraine's most divisive political figures whom the consultant helped craft an image for, including her iconic crown braid. Her complex political career spanning corruption scandals, imprisonment, and multiple bids for presidency illuminates Ukraine's turbulent post-Soviet political landscape.
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“I try not to say the word [elections] at all. It’s evil,” said political consultant Oleksii Kovzhun. “Still, no one is waiting for them more than me.”
When people ask him these days what he does for a living, he says he’s “unemployed.”
For him, elections held during the war have become a taboo subject. Yet, for the past 20 years, he was deeply involved in Ukrainian presidential elections behind the scenes.
The topic of Ukrainian presidential elections has taken center stage again after Donald Trump declared that “it’s time” for Kyiv to select a new president, even though Ukraine’s constitution prohibits legislative elections in times of war.
In response, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for the first time stated that he is prepared to hold presidential elections under martial law and instructed members of parliament to draft proposals to that end. He also appealed to the U.S. and other partners to provide security guarantees for the elections. Once these two conditions are met, he said, elections could be held within the next two or three months.
However, if elections are indeed held under martial law, the vote would demonstrate Washington’s desire to replace the president and pressure Kyiv rather than encouraging Ukrainians to exercise democratic choice. Such pressure on Zelenskyy risks further fueling a crisis.
It’s weighty issues like these that Oleksii is used to.
When you imagine a political consultant, the first image that probably comes to mind is a serious-looking man in a suit.
Forget about that. None of that describes Oleksii, who even at 60 rides a scooter, wears gothic rings and earrings, and constantly reminisces about his wild youth.
Since his early years, Oleksii had been an anti-USSR rebel. He organized rock festivals and concerts, became a hippie, and smoked marijuana. Due to his long hair
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