Rival camps braced for Ukraine poll

By Yaroslav Lukov
BBC News, Kiev

Orange revolution, circus or just sheer madness - that's how locals here refer to what has been the longest - and possibly the dirtiest - presidential campaign in Ukraine.

On Friday, the two presidential rivals, Viktor Yanukovych and Viktor Yushchenko, made their last appeals to voters ahead of the decisive repeat run-off on Sunday.

Our people have finally expressed themselves - that's the most important thing this for me during all this campaigning Oksana, Yushchenko supporter

Call the campaigning - which has been on and off since early July - what you will, but many Ukrainians seem to be still enjoying living out these historic events.

Yes, there is a feeling of poll fatigue even on the main square in Kiev - the epicentre of all major recent upheavals.

But this polarised nation - the orange army of Mr Yushchenko and the blue and white camp of Mr Yanukovych - is at least united in its determination to see this process through.

'Determined as ever'

Many still feel highly emotional about the election saga which has proved to be so controversial.

"Our people have finally expressed themselves - that's the most important thing for me during all this campaigning," says Oksana, who comes from the western Ukrainian town of Drohobych.

"We're not tired at all and determined as ever."

Another Yushchenko supporter, Oleskandr Rovtsev, who has been staying in the tent city on Kiev's Independence Square, echoes her words:

"Here, everything has been happening so fast, time flies by... All these events have united us."

Some people on the square, though, confide that they will be relieved when the election is over.

"All these events can be described as sheer madness," says a young man, dressed in a Teletubby costume to woo customers to a local photo kiosk.

Against divisions

Move away from "orange" Independence Square and you soon spot groups of Yanukovych supporters.

My blue and white colours are to show that I'm not so much a Yanukovych supporter but first of all a protester against this plan to divide us Tatiana Stepanishchenko, Yanukovych supporter

They are as determined as their rivals to see their candidate become Ukraine's next president.

Tatiana Stepanishchenko, from Kiev, says she still feels bitter about what she describes as "a crime, not an orange revolution".

"Some people suddenly put on orange because someone wanted to show that we are divided," she says.

"My blue and white colours are to show that I'm not so much a Yanukovych supporter but first of all a protester against this plan to divide us... I don't like this circus by former people in power."

Campaigning is nearly over as Ukraine's laws ban it on the day preceding an election.

The country is now gearing up for Sunday's poll amid hopes of finding a way out of the electoral deadlock, but there are also fears of further splits and the polarisation of the country.