The election in Ukraine is getting more attention as Kuchma’s hand-picked successor, Victor Yanukovych, is rejected by the populace. Putin was quick to embrace Yanukovych, who is considered pro-Russian (Ukraine has a large Russian ethnic minority in its eastern region). The opposition candidate, Victor Yushenko, was apparently denied a victory by widespread fraud. With no expertise but a great deal of sympathy, let us refer you to others with more insight.
On the scene:
Tulipgirl
Le sabot post-moderne
Maidan
Orange Ukraine
On the Case:
The Argus specializes in Central Asia and the Causasus.
A Fistful of Euros is a general interest group blog on Europe, center-left politically (by US standards), that has been following events in Ukraine.
SCSU Scholars has been devoting most of its space to the election in Ukraine. Comprehensive and well-presented.
Thanks, Mitch. (My brother-in-law just returned from a no-till conference in the Ukraine; they were far from Kiev, the translators weren’t too willing to talk about the election & they didn’t know what was going on until they saw CNN at the Frankfurt airport.)