Kiev's Maydan — the winner takes it all…

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There are fresh flowers, Ukraine flags and photos of fallen heroes near every tree and step on the Alley of Glory leading to Kiev’s Maydan Nezalezhnosti from Khreschatiki metro station. Ukraine remembers those who died in Maydan fighting for their political beliefs, and yet, Kiev looks like it is tired of politics.
Less then a hundred people stood by as a speaker blasted the authorities and called on the people to stand up and protect Donetsk from Russian invaders. Someone clapped and sounded a muted ‘yeah!’ Faces of others were red and frozen. It was that cold again. I remembered it in my bones from last December, when with the head of RFE/RL’s Armenian service Harry Tamrazian I was here to cover the protests.
Instead of the ocean of exalted people, there was a black UAZ gathering assistance for the “Donbas” batallion.
Kiev’s definitely tired of the protests, I thought.
And yet, when leaving the Maydan, my glance fell on the fresh flowers again. Ukraine remembers those who died.
One would say, they died for nothing. Ukraine is a mess these days, there seems no hope for the country. But at least it remembers the people who tried.
PS: 10 people died in post election violence that erupted in Yerevan on March 1-2, 2008. There were flowers and photos and candles on the 1 year anniversary. But there were no constant displays of affection and glory that one can see in Kiev’s Maydan. I guess I was a little jealous today…