Normally Supreme Court, Constitution, President, and National Security wouldn’t make you think of an Eastern European country, especially one like Ukraine that has long associations with Russian Communism. But Ukraine’s new independent government is just that. Even though Russia and Ukraine have been in a relationship since the 18th century.

The Soviet Republic was born in 1918 when Ukraine declared their original independence. This was not a lasting freedom. Russia soon regained their dominion over the country. President Leonid Kravchuk lead the country to a most accomplished sovereignty on August 24, 1991. The complete collapse of the Soviet Union also had a little to do with it. Now slowly the country can evolve into what is the Ukraine Republic.

Republic governments hardly ever come as a smooth transition. 1998 brought a financial crisis, and President Leonid Kuchma was forced to retire in 2004 due to violent protests against his government corruption and murder accusations. So naturally his place would have to be filed after holding an election. Ukraine gives you about fifteen political parties to choose from, such as: the Republican, Ukraine People’s Party, Social Democratic, The Communist Party of Ukraine, Progressive Socialist, and It’s Time! Party.

Ukraine puts a new definition to dirty campaign tactics. Candidate Viktor Yanukovich, from the Our Ukraine-Peoples Self Defense Party, was hospitalized after dioxin poisoning that almost ended his political career indefinitely. After accusations of a fraudulent runoff election, protestors began the Orange Revolution. The supporters of Viktor Yushchenko, Yanukovichs opponent from the Party of Regions, covered the streets of the capital, Kiev, and other large cities with orange, Tushchenkos campaign color.

A reelection resulted from this protest, beginning a much needed transformation. Reformed election laws were produced after seeing the havoc of this campaign. Campaign survivor, Viktor Yushchenko won the election as President in 2005 and the Prime Minister became his defeated Viktor Yanukovic. Yushchenko vowed to end corruption within the business and government world of Ukraine, despite the many accusations against him of favoritism.

While looking at the transitions this country has taken over nearly one hundred years is interesting in a political and historical perspective, the people themselves may shed an enlightening view on the effect this is having on Ukraine’s society. Katalin Kovachs, a native to Hungary, Ukraine’s western neighbor, lived in different areas of Ukraine during 1997. As an outsider to the country, Kati had the perspective to see the impact this change is having on the people of Ukraine.

In her time at Kiev, Kati traveled to the historic riverbank, site to the large Orthodox Church. There stands a large statue of a lady with a sword in her hand famously known as Mother Russia, but referred to by locals as, Big Mama or The Found Mother. This structure was intended to be the Ukrainian version of The Statue of Liberty. Although, not many of the people consider it to be a worthwhile attraction. Kati herself said that Ukrainians hate it, because the communists built it up and people say they desecrated the church site.

The Russian influence is still vastly saturated in the country. Kati stated that she spoke mostly Russian during her stay there. The North Eastern region, however, does speak Ukrainian. So the language seems to be split between Ukrainian and Russian. The Southern coast of Ukraine harbors the Black Sea. Floating in these waters is none other than the largest fleet in the Russian Navy. So, it’s not exactly an ideal scene for swimming.

The government has earned only distrust from its people here. Among Kati’s many acquaintances with the people she found them all in agreement that the people were being wronged. In Kati’s words because they first believe in communism, they felt they were tricked. Then they were promised that life after communism would be better, but they feel tricked again. Without money, without jobs, without any opportunity to improve their life, they were also without hope.

The economic crisis has hardly helped with the despairing population. Even those with jobs experience intense hardship. Kati observed these conditions first hand. She said she saw so many people who went to work each day and never get their payment until the end of the year, and their payment was a sack of potatoes.

The people survive off of each other with raising their own animals, like cows, and growing gardens to trade and help feed each other to stay alive. Kati spent much time inside these people’s homes, and only saw a reflection of hopelessness. She saw many of these people have just become burnt out.

The future of Ukraine depends on the building of hope to a country that has passed through many flags and false promises. Independence is never an easy price to pay. While freedom has only been theirs for 16 years, perhaps time will build this nation into the vision the leaders have sought after for Ukraine.