Meanwhile, the crowds in Kiev’s Independence Square, or Maidan, have thinned as fatigue and futility set in and the double blow of Catholic and Orthodox Christmas (which fall 13 days apart) has drawn away all but the most ardent protesters. A feisty revolution derailed by Santa Claus lamented Vijai Maheshwari in The Daily Beast.

While the fickle media may have abandoned any hope of a quick and spectacular media-friendly revolution, recent events will have long-lasting effects on the country. The “Eurolution,” as the huge protests across Ukraine over the past weeks have become known, have marked the lives of hundreds of thousands of ordinary Ukrainians and acted as a catalyst for a dynamic grassroots movement that will have a profound effect on Ukrainian democracy and the future orientation of a country historically torn between East and West.

Whether or not opposition organizers will be able to regain the momentum of pre-holiday protests is doubtful. Only several hundred dedicated protesters remain huddled in tents or guarding hastily-constructed barricades. Nearby, city hall and various other municipal buildings remain occupied by protesters and are abuzz with volunteers signing up for various duties and even providing free medical care. Maidan itself is strewn with simple but festive Christmas decorations, perhaps in an attempt to convince onlookers, or even themselves, that the lull is only seasonal.

Even if the protest movement dies a slow death during the cold weeks of January, the psychological impact of the protests on Ukrainians is indelible. The explosive energy and creativity of a truly grassroots movement was a refreshing change for Ukrainian politics that took both the government and the opposition by surprise. Читати далі Euromaidan will live on in Ukraine →