The latest drama out of Kiev is that Boris Kolesnikov, a prominent supporter of Yanukovich has been arrested.

KIEV, Ukraine — The arrest of a top politician and businessman closely linked to Ukraine’s richest man has sharpened the conflict between President Viktor Yushchenko and the embattled power brokers of Leonid Kuchma, his predecessor.

Boris Kolesnikov, a close friend and partner of Rinat Akhmetov, Ukraine’s wealthiest industrialist, was arrested last week for alleged racketeering in a case that Mr Yushchenko’s government says was reported to police in 2002 but ignored until this year.

Yuri Lutsenko, interior minister, said at the weekend he would issue arrest warrants for Mr Akhmetov’s brother and five businessmen close to him if they failed to appear for questioning. Mr Kolesnikov has not been charged, but a Kiev court has permitted prosecutors to keep him in prison for up to two months while they investigate allegations he used a campaign of threats and violence, including two bombings and a spray of machine-gun fire, to scare a department store owner in Donetsk into selling his shares at a discount.
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The arrest has galvanised Mr Yushchenko’s opponents in parliament, many of whom are themselves businessmen who prospered during Mr Kuchma’s rule.

Viktor Yanukovich, the former prime minister who lost to Mr Yushchenko in last winter’s presidential elections, has threatened to lead a national strike and civil disobedience campaign.

Yesterday Mr Yanukovich published an open letter to Javier Solana, EU foreign policy chief, and other foreign leaders complaining that “a campaign of terror has been unleashed against the political opponents of the current authorities”.

Mr Akhmetov owns a television channel and a popular tabloid newspaper which have strongly defended Mr Kolesnikov. However, protests in Kiev and Donetsk have drawn only a few hundred people.

Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko shrugged it off and blasted Yanukovich for politicizing a criminal case.

KIEV, Ukraine — Ukraine ‘s prime minister criticized opposition leaders Monday for trying to rally protests in support of a jailed regional official from eastern Ukraine , saying they were trying to politicize a criminal case. Yulia Tymoshenko also pledged the government wouldn’t interfere in criminal proceedings against Boris Kolesnikov, whose arrest prompted protesters to erect a small tent city in downtown Kiev in hopes of starting anti-government demonstrations.
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On Sunday, Yanukovych tried to rally his backers for more protests, warning of transportation blockades and strikes if the authorities continued “repression against our allies.” Tymoshenko shrugged off Yanukovych’s demands Monday. “If they want to be collectively responsible for someone’s crimes, that’s up to them,” she told a news conference in Kiev. “The days when the (former) government was ordering who to arrest and who to release are now gone … only the courts can decide about Kolesnikov.”

Mike Connor from Blog de Connard took it upon himself to go see the events for himself, and showed up just as Yanukovich reared his head on the scene.

Like I said, Kolesnikov’s arrest has been getting big local coverage. Every night on the news you can tune in and see which member of the old regime/new opposition is showing up to visit these new protestors. There’s typically someone there from the SDPU(U) or some underling from the Ukrainian Regions Party. I got lucky today when I was checking out the whole scene near the Rada. My visit happened to conicide with that of Victor Fyodorvich Yanukovich himself. Look at the guy there, quite confident and forward looking; especially with that “Election 2004” flag flapping behind him.

In the long run, I have no idea how this will play out. During the election controversy, Kolesnikov was one of the Eastern politicians that was calling for autonomy/indepence for east. There’s a fair amount of people camping there…but if the Orange revolution was the major leagues, this stuff barely passes as single A ball. Support for the protestors that I saw was limited to guys that obviously work for the new opposition parties showing up in their Lada station wagons to bring campers bread and such.
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It’ll be worth keeping an eye on this though, the way it shakes out for Kolesnikov could be indicative of how it’s going to shake out for a lot of other members of the old government…especially the ones that have it coming.

There have even been suggestions that this arrest will create a new leader and vision for the anti-Orange crowd. But when looking at this, these protests are incredibly small and, as Mike notes, only amount to single A ball. It looks to amount to nothing more than a good show and a place for Yanukovich to get his picture taken for his cool new website.

There is always talk of large discontent within the eastern Russian population and the possibility of separation. In reality, however, the new government seems to be facing an all-time popularity surge unprecedented since independence.

The sociologists have registered a miracle. For the first time during the past 10 years Ukrainian president and premier are supported by more than half of the population. Yushchenko????????s work satisfies 54% of the interviewed, Tymoshenko????????s ???????? 54,2%. The Gallup Poll was carried out by the Fund Democratic Initiatives. Even the rate of Verkhovna Rada????????s popularity constitutes 49,2%.

Also, according to the new constitutional reforms shoved through by Kuchma before stepping down, voting in the next parliamentary elections will be all proportional, as opposed to half proportional and half single-mandate. Kuchma’s party generally won those. If Yushchenko and Tymoshenko keep their popularity up, they’ll be facing an even friendlier government in 2006 than they already do.

Here’s more on the charges brought against Kolesnykov. Here are picture from the protest. Also, don’t miss Daniel’s last Ukraine roundup.