Some good analysis

Excellent analysis from RFE/RL on why this time the Kremlin kept its nose out out of Ukraine's parliamentary election campaign here.

And on whether Kyiv will stay on its westward[ish] track - or turn back toward Russia here

[*From 'A step at a time']

p.s. The head of the Donetsk NSNU, Anton Klimenko had a face-to-face meeting recently with Donetsk Regional Council supremo Boris Kolesnikov, according to the Novosti, Donbass internet site. The meeting with Kolesnikov, who is #10 on the PR election list, was apparently arranged to come to an agreement on how the election is to proceed in the oblast.

The article quotes a source saying, "Kolesnikov promised to give NSNU 5% of the votes across the Donetsk oblast." Each side had recently accused the other of planning to cheat the elections.

The Yanukovych, Kolesnikov, Akhmetov triumvirate are widely considered to be the undisputed rulers of the Donbas region. The meeting was probably just a reminder as to who really runs this neck of the woods.