What is Maidan in Ukraine? Ukraine after the Maidan

One and a half years have passed since the beginning of the revolutionary events in Kiev. They caused great resonance in the world. Kiev, Maidan, Ukraine - these words filled the newspaper pages of all the central publications. Now we can evaluate the consequences of those events. To begin with, we'll remember how it all began. What is the Maidan? In Ukraine, so called any market square. After the Orange Revolution, this name became a symbol of popular protest.

Background of EuroMaidan

In 2004, the first Maidan was held. Ukraine, it would seem, was supposed to learn from it, but history was repeated again, and in an even more ominous version.

The fuse was the summit in Vilnius, at which Ukraine was to sign an association agreement with the EU.

The Ukrainian president actively expressed his commitment to the European choice, the desire to integrate with Europe, while flirting with Moscow, seeking from her cheap gas, loans and other benefits.

V. Yanukovych faced a difficult choice. Signing the treaty would hurt the economy, which was already experiencing difficulties. The refusal of the association would cause a massive protest of the population, which in recent years has linked its hopes to Europe. As a result, it was decided to postpone the signing of the agreement.

Peaceful stage

In the evening of November 21, social networks received calls to gather in Independence Square in Kiev, in protest against the president's decision. People gathered little - no more than 2 thousand people, nevertheless on the square tents and tents for constant watch were installed. The protesters demanded from the President the resignation of the government of N. Azarov and the resumption of preparations for signing the agreement.

All the next week Protestants languidly rallied. From time to time, there were skirmishes with the Berkut, a special unit of the Ukrainian police, some radicals threw explosives at police officers, and blocked the passage to the Cabinet of Ministers. In general, what was happening did not bode ill. Peaceful protest of citizens against the president's decision - such would be the response of an outside observer to the question of what the Maidan is. In Ukraine, so far everything is calm.

Escalation of the conflict

A new outburst of protest sentiments occurred after the dispersal of the Protestants, on the night of November 30. A total of about 200 people remained on the square. In all media there were videos and footage, where the Berkut beat up protesters. As a result, a lot of people went to the Maidan. Ukraine was on the verge of great upheavals, all was overwhelmed by the euphoria of spontaneous protest.

Since Maydan, the demand for the resignation of the president has sounded. Radicals seize the buildings of the Kyiv administration and the city council. There is formation of "hundreds of self defense of the Maidan". Element overflowed the center of Kiev. In general, in the city and the country, everyday life is normal. On the square, the confrontation between the Berkut and Maidan activists continued - the servicemen of the special forces did not allow the protesters to break through to the Cabinet of Ministers and the Presidential Administration, the radicals in response threw the militia "Molotov cocktails", burned tires and erected barricades.

What is Maidan in Ukraine, it became clear to all through numerous broadcasts, which on-line illuminated the situation 24 hours a day.

On December 11, the police tried to oust the protesters from the Maidan - a number of streets adjacent to the square were liberated. But the House of Trade Unions, which became the headquarters of the opposition, was not released. Permanent results did not give results. The president retreated and accepted the resignation of the head of the Cabinet of Ministers N. Azarov, but the protest did not stop this.

Decoupling

In February, the confrontation escalated - in the course of the protesters went firearms, the account of the captured buildings went to dozens. On November 20, a significant event took place, which nullified Yanukovych's chances of remaining president. Dozens of demonstrators and fighters of "Berkut" were shot by unknown snipers. But only the episodes of the shooting of the protesters came to the camera. The blame for their death was laid on Yanukovych, although neither the perpetrators of this crime nor their customers have been found so far.

February 21 can be considered the end of the Revolution of Virtue. V. Yanukovych signed a decision to hold early elections before the end of the year and the formation of a new government, the withdrawal of special forces to places of permanent deployment. In response, the activists were supposed to dispose of the captured buildings and stop the violence. As a result, the president fulfilled his part of the agreement, and the radicals unimpededly seized the entire government quarter.

The Ukrainian president was forced to flee to avoid the violence of the furious crowd. Asylum was granted to him by Russia. Ukraine, the Maidan in which once again overthrew the president, froze in anticipation.

Reaction in the regions

The victory of the Revolution of Virtue did not unite Ukraine. The last time Ukrainians showed unanimity 24 years ago, during a referendum on the republic's withdrawal from the USSR. Since then, in all elections, voters' sympathies were determined by the territorial factor - the east voted for some, the west - for others.

In this respect, the reaction of residents to the returning fighters from Kiev "Berkut" is indicative. If in Lviv they were put on their knees and forced to repent, then they were welcomed in Kharkov and Sevastopol as heroes. It's time for the southeast of Ukraine to stand on its hind legs. The essence of the Maidan in Ukraine for residents of the eastern regions was understood as the coming to power of nationalists and Russophobes. Numerous rallies in Donetsk, Kharkov, Odessa, Dnepropetrovsk were accompanied by the blocking of administrative buildings. In the end, Crimea voted to join Russia, and a bloody civil war began in the Donbas.

Advances in the Revolution Advantages

Perhaps the only requirement of the Maidan, which the new authorities fulfilled, was the decision to sign an association with the EU. But a small list of what it all turned out to be:

• The loss of the Crimea.
• Civil war in the Donbass. According to independent estimates, the losses on both sides are 30-50 thousand people.
• The drop in the purchasing power of Ukrainians is 4 times.
• Reducing the production of cars by 97 percent.
• Growth of tariffs for housing and communal services 4 times.
• Freezing of salaries and pensions at the current level.

Of course, this is not a complete list, but it gives a good idea of the pit in which Ukraine appeared after the Maidan.

Lessons for Russia

The experience of revolutions in Egypt, Libya, and Ukraine showed that neither economic successes nor other achievements guarantee power from violent overthrow.

The main role was played by coverage of events in the media. A state that does not control the flow of information within the country is doomed. Also, the authorities should not forget that if society does not have levers of influence on power, or even an illusion of those, then protest moods will gradually radicalize and follow the destructive scenario.

I want to believe that the Kremlin has found the right answer to the question, what is Maidan in Ukraine, and will not allow its repetition in Russia.

A simple person can be advised not to be tempted by easy solutions to complex problems. A sharp change of power always leads to a drop in the standard of living, and often to a great deal of blood.