It seems than the Ukrainian Primer Minister is still under foreign influence. If the actual result stand, this will mean for the US-NATO consorcium a big slap in the face. Russia could become the inspiring guide of a huge Union which will include China, India, Mongolia, Kazakhstan and most ex-soviet states. This will mean the end of imperialist America and a very possible association with Russia on a 50-50 basis. American are pragmatic; they take the "old countries" (England, France, Italy etc.) for leeches but have always respected Russian. We will see, then a new man- kind 's governance. Let us think positive !!! Sincerely...Jean-Claude Meslin

The results will continue to fictitious until the "right camp" wins. Must say that the elections must have been free and fair since its usually the ones in government that get the opportunity to rig elections to their own advantage.

Meslin doesn't get it. America as imperialist - Please! Let's look at Putin's attempt to rebuild the former Soviet Union through crackdowns on individual freedoms. Please don't forget his poisonings (and attempted poisonings of former Ukrainian president) of independent journalists, and contol of the press. At least in the U.S. we have an independent and free press, open elections, respect for our electorate, and REAL discourse (versus dictatorship by government fiat). Of course it is the very failure of Putin (and his puppet Medvedev) to enforce and ensure Russia's constitutional freedoms for its people that will eventually lead to the destruction of Russia from within. Just as corruption of power within Rome led to its demise, so too will the empire mentality of the paranoid Putin hasten Russia's decay after his demise.

Jean, You are correct! I live in Yalta, Crimea, which means that the black sea fleet will remain in sevestopol under Victor Yanukovich. It also means that the jobs of those who mantain the fleet will be safe, this is what the people of Crimea want. NO NATO. Good luck to all!!! Steve

Scott. Please, can you tell me why America has over 1000 military and spying installations set-up outside her territory ? Which other nation has the equivalent ? Russia has no base in Cuba, Canada or Mexico. Do you know how many billions $, US taxes-payer have given to the US' MIC ? Do you remember President Eisenhower' speech on January 21th 1961 ? Do you know that your country, free of destruction on her territory, wittingly conceived a climate of fear and insecurity to initiate that huge military power and her hegemony. Your country has been and still is the initiator and first builder of all mankind' s WMD. If my calculations are correct (given originally by ONU) taking inflation in consideration, mankind from 1949 until 2009 has wasted 60 trillions (12 zeros) $ for her self-destruction (65% made in America who represent 5% of Humanity. That waste fully accepted by the US population is equal to 15 financial crisis. I know your country very well. I spent there 21 years mostly employed by Boeing. I have no hard feeling against any US citizen, but your imperialist system is awful (our French system is no better, even more deceitful). I wait for your reply. Sorry Future US Generations. Sincerely. Jean-Claude Meslin

@Scott, Everyone has the right to be prщгd of his or her country, maybe it takes an outsider to see faults with that country. You as an outsider have expressed your view of Russia. Now as an outsider when it comes to the USA and in fact Russia too, I would support Meslin's opinion of the imperialistic ambitions of the USA. First, free and independent press. Sure we have all seen FOX news. Nothing independent about that. USA has bases everywhere it can for the sole purpose to exact influence on these countries. The USA has a master slave attitude with its allies not to talk of others.Take for example USA tries to force the extradition of a Briton who was looking for UFOs in pentagon computers,yet refuses to let the two pilots appear before the coroner's inquest in relations to the friendly fire deaths of British troops during the gulf conflict. How many CIA agents have been sentenced in absentia in Italy? How legal was the invasion of Iraq? According to Inquest currently going on here in UK, not legal at all. Tortures, Gulag in Cuba etc do not paint a good picture of the USA's foreign policy. Russia has its faults too, but they seem to be internal and they pretty much have stayed within their borders. With the exception of the Georgian conflict and that in my opinion is more legitimate then the invasion of Serbia and creation of Kosovo. USA on the other hand tends to force its own will on other nations for its own interests. If that is not Empire building then I do not know what is

People of Ukraine pass their judgment, so therefore game is over. This is basic principle of democracy. @Scott you have your president Obama and you are more than welcome to pass your opinion on him, leave Mr.Putin out, even better talk to some ordinary Russian and you will find out difference Jeljcin vs Putin for them. Whole world know for what kind of democracy USA stand for (couple millions Iraq displaced, 104.000 dead and counting)

To Scott America is a great democratic country at home (at least I hope so), but what about present American policy abroad? During the Cold War I was proud of living in a country member of NATO, which defended the democratic world from communism. But now which is the real aim of this organization? Why did it creat a fake State in Kosovo, a center for drug traffic in the heart of Europe? Which are the ideal struggles that Americans and other western politicians of ‘liberal-democratic’ tendency are fostering all over the world? America usually promotes its interests, not real democracy; perhaps other powers do the same and I can understand it, but you have to blame yourselves if you lose some old ally in Europe, instead of trying to interfere with the internal affairs of sovereign states with Soviet-style methods. Regards

World leaders hail Yanukovych as winner in Ukraine vote, raising pressure on rival to resign. By The Associated Press, 1 hour, 15 minutes ago. KYIV, Ukraine - Congratulations are pouring in from world leaders for Viktor Yanukovych, the presumptive winner of Ukraine's presidential elections, piling pressure on Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko to concede defeat. President Barack Obama called Yanukovych on Thursday to congratulate him on winning Sunday's presidential runoff vote. NATO's Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen and European Union President Herman Van Rompuy sent a note of support Friday to Yanukovych. Tymoshenko, who lost the vote by a margin of 3.5 percentage points according to a preliminary count, is expected to challenge the results Friday in court. Her refusal to concede so far signals that she is preparing for a drawn-out political battle that could stall the transition of power in Ukraine.

If Tymoshenko drags Ukraine into political chaos with her hysterical claims of fraud and court actions, she will have confirmed that Ukraine is not mature enough to be a member of NATO or EU. Perhaps its best for the fate of the Ukrainian people if Russia again ruled the land.

She lost,end of story,ps if according to western broadcasters if he ie the rightful elected person, is more at home with russia,then just send in the tanks,that should keep them quite.ie the west.ps always amazes me we in the west never say our elections are rigged,considering we have have the most devious species on the planet ie the white man at the top,probably ,in the west,they accept the massses are just sheep to be herded ,just feed them them crap to the masses ,which thier do efficievently.