Final Rallies: Victory Party (He) v. Candle Vigil (She)

Just a block away from each other, the two final rallies differed significantly, much to my surprise.

They differed both in style and substance.

Tymoshenko played underdog. She prayed and asked for forgiveness.

Venue: Sofiyivska Ploshcha (Square)
Summary: candle vigil, smaller-scale
Who came: intelligentsia+a few hundred paid rally-goers/political tourists

Yanukovych played winner. He eulogized the end of the Orange era and waved his hands.

Venue: Mykhailivska Ploshcha (Square)
Summary: victory party, larger-scale
Who came: thousands of paid rally-goers/political tourists mostly




Gone with the wind...


Singer Jamala warms up the crowd


Paid rally-goers (college students mostly) here, there and everywhere


Off to the Tymoshenko rally...


True-blue mobile toilets and Yanukovych rally-goers


As it turned out, the Tymoshenko rally was drawing to a close


A Tymoshenko supporter carrying a sign that prays for Yulia and a better future


Downtrodden: Tymoshenko supporters on their way to the Yanukovych rally


Yanukovych mounts the stage as we re-enter his rally


Live feed from Dnipropetrovsk: “5 years of Orange ruin and chaos”


Taisia Povaliy does a patriotic election song