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Like many other people who will be going to Kyiv next May for Eurovision, I've been keeping a close eye for the last two weeks on the Ukrainian election campaign, and was aware of its shortcomings. Even so, the news coming out of Kyiv since Sunday has been amazing and inspiring. I had already made contact in the last few weeks with a handful of gay men in Ukraine, via gaydar, so when the crowds had swelled to an estimated 200,000 people on Monday, I messaged a few of them to let them know that the Ukraine protests were getting extensive coverage here. I was excited and felt it would be good to let them know that we were watching. So, with the smell of revolution in the air, I wrote to a few of them. None of them were online on Monday night, leading me to wonder if they were actually out there protesting. I don't think they were, but I've had a few exchanges of messages since, and one couple were going there this evening;

"Hi. Thanks a lot for your support. it's very tensed here at the moment. Everyone is very concerend. heading to the downtown as well. Thanks again. We believe in our Victory."

It's a powerful thing, this internet. I feel involved with - and concerned about - people I hardly know. Amazing. I've had unsolicited messages from Ukrainians in the last 24 hours too, such as;

"Hello! How are you? do you see what is going on here in Ukraine?"

I told him about the protests being the lead story on the BBC's TV and radio news, and he replied;

"Hope till your visit everything will be OK here. Take care."

One of the people I had already communicated with in Kyiv before all this kicked off, said this yesterday (in German, but I've Babelfished it);

"Hello! I want to also hope that everything is peacefully solved. But that is hardly possible. The criminal Machtklan [gang?] wants to withdraw in no circumstances! And the people does not want to be governed by criminal ones! In the east and in the south, where he [Yanukovych] won, there are hardly demonstrations in his support, and if there are, then nowhere near as large and mainly inevitably!!! I do not want a civil war, but if it comes to it, I go also on the barricades! Greeting...

Strong stuff. I'm inspired by the determination of the Ukrainian people to continue their protests in snow and unbearable cold. I think it shows that if you've only had a sniff of democracy for 12 years or so, you hold it very dear. The people of South Africa have shown us that too. I can't help thinking that the majority of British people, if we'd had the Ukrainian situation here, would just have shrugged their shoulders and said 'oh well, there's not much we can do about it'. It's a shame we don't protest to demand a fair electoral system here too, instead of having demonstrations for such trifling irrelevances as fox-hunting. We can learn a lot from the people of Kyiv, and I look forward immensely to meeting many of them in six months' time. In the meantime, let's all keep our fingers crossed that this impasse can be resolved, either with a concession of defeat or at least a rerun of the election to internationally-recognised standards. The choice of a slave to Russia versus a slave to the West may not be a great one, but the will of the people must prevail.

And then, tonight:

Given recent history in Iraq, I never thought I'd find myself welcoming the intervention of the US in another country's business (especially a disputed election!) This evening though, I was relieved to hear Colin Powell making a forceful speech, denouncing the Ukrainian election result. It lets the 'new' President know that the world is watching and that we can't accept such a corrupt election with a 3% margin of victory. I was worried that the story would just fade away from international coverage and Ukraine would have to accept their lot, but perhaps overseas pressure can help resolve this for once (without sending in American troops).

Going back full circle to where I started with a mention of Eurovision, look who's on the barricades tonight:

Eurovision winner Ruslana, supporting pro-Western candidate Viktor Yushchenko (as she had done before the elections), with boxer Vitali Klitschko. She has now threatened to go on hunger strike if Yanukovych's 'victory' is upheld.
(All pictures (c)BBC.)
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