By Jon Barrow

As expected, we’ve seen an upturn in violence in the east. We can expect even more today and tomorrow. The more people vote, the greater the credibility of the elections.

Good news that Akhmetov seems to have come aboard, at last; though his support seems Soviet-style – automatic or paid – rather than genuine. The old faces can be both dangerous enemies and dangerous friends – able to corrupt from the inside. One hope is that a rule-of-law and free competition environment (which western structures will insist on) might suit the oligarchs, now that they have their wealth; but they will be wary of ending up in Firtash’s position – under extradition to the US.

For the third time, Russia claims to be ‘withdrawing forces’ from the border – but ‘in a few days’ (after the elections). Russia has also stated that it ‘provisionally supports’ the elections…