As Ukraine prepares for the revolution's anniversary on Tuesday, its leaders are divided in a welter of allegations of corruption and influence-peddling. Those who hoped for a clean break from Russia and acceptance in the West feel let down, while in the Russian-speaking east, many feel their country has been hijacked.
The magic may have faded and the media may speculate that the anniversary celebrations will be less exuberant than might be expected, but Grigoryeva, a journalist, says the reactions to her scarf tell her that orange is still a potent symbol, and that enough unity is left to ensure that come Tuesday, ''all of Kiev will be orange."
With opinion polls showing a majority thinks the country is headed in the wrong direction, there's a natural inclination to fall back on the heady days of last November.
The Orange Revolution began hours after the polls closed on the Nov. 21 presidential election. As the Central Election Commission began churning out fraudulent vote counts in favor of Russia's man, Viktor Yanukovych, reformist candidate Viktor Yushchenko summoned his own partisans to Independence Square. They poured in, pitching hundreds of tents and vowing to stay until justice prevailed. Disciplined, cheerful, even picking up their cigarette butts, they demanded freedom and democracy.
Outgoing president Leonid Kuchma appeared on television and called for an end to ''this so-called revolution." European envoys scrambled to mediate. Politicians in the Russian-speaking provinces talked secession.
Twelve days later, the Supreme Court declared the vote count fraudulent and ordered the election rerun. On Dec. 26, Yushchenko won the rerun. Yanukovych fought on in the courts, but to no avail. But the good will didn't last.
