Ukraine: the closer election day, the higher level of absurdity

President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko lashed out at Russia once again. It turns out, to top it all off Moscow is responsible for the difficult situation in...Kiev Metro. This announcement was made by Poroshenko during the presentation of the new metro station in the Ukrainian capital.

The Ukrainian president blamed Russia for the slow pace of Kiev metro's development. Speaking about the underground railway's important role, Poroshenko recalled that Kiev's metro system had only failed once in its entire history - the traffic stopped, and the capital plunged in transport chaos. "We remember the date very well - February 18-20, 2014. Just when ... Russia began the aggression against Ukraine," Poroshenko said. This war, according to the president, dealt very serious blows to the state, its people and economy, as well as suspended the metro system development projects. Poroshenko made it clear that Russia is also aware of the importance of the metro system, and therefore in 2014 various Ukrainian authorities received two hundred reports and alerts about metro bomb threats, but the "Russians have not been able to wreak another" havoc.

Shortly before that, Petro Poroshenko lashed out at Russia on another issue - cooperation in the energy sector. "We finally got rid of dependence on Russia in nuclear energy and gas supply. We have overcome Russia's gas blackmail," he said during a trip to Kherson, stressing that all the years of independence, "Moscow used Ukraine’s dependence on Russian technologies, equipment, and fuel," blackmailed Kiev, eventually tighten the noose around the neck, forcing it to sign gas agreements 10 years ago. But now the situation is different. Ukraine, by developing nuclear energy and refusing Russian nuclear fuel step by step, made the atomic energy a guarantor of economic recovery and energy security..

Each thesis from Petro Poroshenko's last speeches needs to be clarified. Each statement raises a counter question - how? The election campaign, and Ukraine's presidential election will be held on March 31, has finally become an anti-Russian one. Poroshenko made his bet - playing the Russophobia card and prolonging his power thanks to those who, not really understanding the situation, look for the root of all evil somewhere else. Hence the controversial conclusions, paradoxical judgments, irrational promises. And the closer the election day, the higher the level of absurdity. It still can be understood when the current president says that bright future requires breaking all ties with Russia and joining the EU and NATO, even if Ukraine is not welcomed in both alliances. But when he advocates the abandonment of modern technology during the war with Russia, it makes no sense at all. Of course, one may not believe in this, but the government appealed to the Ukrainian parliament with a demand to revise the legislation under martial law and prohibit the use of radio electronic means - phones, computers, tablets and other gadgets. In, just think of it, the country with 50 million people! And imposing martial law in Ukraine is like breathing: the war is in Donbass, and the external enemy of Russia is fighting - that’s martial law.

The opposition has its own explanation regarding the amendments adopted by the Verkhovna Rada. Presidential elections obviously will not be limited to just one round. In this case, the probability of protests is high. In Ukraine, they are usually organized and coordinated through social networks and mobile communications. Thinking about how to deprive the Ukrainians of modern means of communication, Poroshenko actually plans to hinder the organization of the protest movement.

It seems logical. But at the same time, the opposition's statements are not inferior in the degree of absurdity to its political opponent's statements. Analysts who monitor the election campaign in Ukraine are convinced that this is just the beginning, when it's closer to election day, election participants will shock their fellow citizens and the whole world with worse statements and conclusions. They note that the election campaigns of all the participants in the marathon, with the exception of openly pro-Russian ones, are built on a thick mix of Russophobia and nationalism, including domestic one. According to numerous polls conducted in Ukraine these days, one thing is clear - this line, taken by the majority of campaign participants, does not guarantee any distinct advantage over rivals, if we proceed from the principle of maximum rigidity, which is natural in such cases (dissociation from Russia, hatred of Moscow etc).

According to analysts, the situation in Ukraine will not change much by March 31 - the election day. Probably, one should not expect some deafening dirt on someone. Everything that could be used has already been used, no more skeletons in the closet, and it's hard to surprise Ukrainians. None of the candidates will adjust his program so as to encourage the population in the time remaining. But the card of Russia's military threat will continue to be played. Therefore, the overall intensity of anti-Russian rhetoric is doomed to increase.

In the meantime, according to most polls, the leader of the campaign is still showman Vladimir Zelensky, about 20% of voters are ready to vote for him. He is followed by Yulia Tymoshenko (18.3%) and Petro Poroshenko (16.8%). Other election participants are noticeably behind and unlikely to be able to interfere in the course of events. In the remaining weeks and a half, these three politicians will find out which of them will end the election campaign in the first round, and who will continue the presidential race in the second round of Ukraine's elections. No one doubts that there will be a second round.