JRL NEWSWATCH: “Ukraine election turns ugly as president and comic reach run-off” – Financial Times/ Roman Olearchyk, Ben Hall
“Poroshenko expected to launch onslaught on Zelensky in bid to make up ground”
“… exit polls indicated [that Volodymyr Zelensky] … convincingly won the first round of Ukraine’s presidential election …. The 41-year-old actor and comic[‘s] political experience is limited to playing an honest teacher elected president in a popular TV series …. [T]here was already anxiety … that the campaign would … enter a more brutal phase ….
Poroshenko went on the attack … Monday morning … suggesting [Zelensky] was supported by Moscow … [and was] a ‘puppet’ of [Ukrainian oligarch] Igor Kolomoisky … whose TV channel has given vast airtime to the comedian …. Many observers predict the second-round campaign will take an ugly turn. … Poroshenko’s failure to do more to raise living standards and combat corruption [could impact his chances.] … Poroshenko[] … is expected to … Zelensky’s readiness for high office … how he would stand up to negotiations with western backers … [or] Putin. … [and possibly] challeng[ing] … Zelensky’s allegiance to Ukraine, pointing to past comments the Russian-speaking Jewish actor made questioning his … Ukrainian identity. …
[Zelenskiy photos embedded from facebook
page; not part of original article]… Poroshenko[‘s] … chances of re-election were written off nine months ago. … [He c]ampaigns as a patriot … defender … against Russian aggression and … champion of … Ukrainian language and national identity ….”
Click here for: “Ukraine election turns ugly as president and comic reach run-off; Poroshenko expected to launch onslaught on Zelensky in bid to make up ground” – Financial Times/ Roman Olearchyk, Ben Hall
