"It is obvious today that further development of Ukraine will be closely linked with Russia. This cannot but influence current processes-national elections, I mean," Mr. Igrunov told a press conference on the RIA Novosti premises today. According to him, there are two frontrunners in the current election campaign-Viktor Yanukovich and Viktor Yushchenko, leader of the opposition bloc Nasha Ukraina [Our Ukraine].
"Viktor Yushchenko is associated with [the prospect of Ukraine's] estrangement with Russia and [its] reorientation toward the West. But Mr. Yushchenko has only a slim chance of winning," Mr. Igrunov said.
In the Russian analyst's view, none of the candidates is likely to win the first round of the polls, so a runoff will have to be held. "A runoff is inevitable. In the runoff, voting is... very much a struggle of dislikes," Vyacheslav Igrunov said. A majority of the Ukrainian voters prefer Viktor Yanukovich as an openly pro-Russian candidate, he said, pointing out that cooperation with Russia is an indispensable condition for Ukraine's further economic growth. "In recent time, Ukraine has been demonstrating miracles of economic growth. But the pace of economic growth arises not just from development of processing industries, but from cooperation with Russia, as well," Mr. Igrunov said. He does not rule out the possibility of the Opposition appealing against the election's official results and instigating voters to take to the streets. But those who speculate that the events in Ukraine may follow the Georgian pattern are blowing the situation out of proportion, he argues. "Ukraine is not the same as Georgia. This is a country with robust independent forces, economic and political alike. Eastern Ukraine won't have an illegitimate coup."
