Interfax: Events in Kyiv are not revolution but plot against premier Azarov – analyst Pavlovsky

MOSCOW. Dec 2 (Interfax) – The protests in Kyiv don’t look like an orange revolution but could constitute the implementation of a scenario of some Ukrainian leadership figures interested in ousting Prime Minister Mykola Azarov and changing the configuration of power in Ukraine, President of the Effective Politics Foundation Gleb Pavlovsky thinks.

“On the one hand, most of the participants in the protest actions are quite peaceful people enraged by the Saturday beating of demonstrators and the behavior of the Ukrainian authorities who lost their influence after their maneuvering last autumn. On the other hand, there are forces trying to fan the situation to a certain degree. But this does not look very much like a revolution,” he said to Interfax on Monday.

In Pavlovsky’s opinion, part of the Ukrainian leadership who are dissatisfied with Azarov may support the actions. “It is hard to tell what the purpose of exacerbating the situation is. But as far as I understand the blockade of the government compound must be secretly supported by part of the Ukrainian leadership, the part that dislikes Azarov. Azarov has many enemies in the country’s leadership,” he said.

In Pavlovsky’s opinion, President Viktor Yanukovych can have his own political interests in the present situation. “Yanukovych has kept Azarov for the very purpose of writing off all the sins to his Cabinet and firing him at any moment. It is possible that it is going to happen now,” he said.

A serious argument in favor of the opinion that the current situation in Ukraine is not an orange revolution is that all protests are concentrated in the capital city, the analyst said.

“I would not say that the president has fully lost control over the developments. One should note support for Yanukovych by regional councils in the east. And the unrest is mainly a process in Kyiv, so far. The answer to the question about what is going to happen next is simple. Everything depends on who succeeds in pacifying Kyiv and who will be held responsible for the Saturday beating. In my opinion, the question should be decided now and after that a new configuration of power will probably be outlined,” Pavlovsky believes.