5 Shocking Ukraine Before And After GIFs

It’s a lot easier to destroy than it is to build. And in the face of ruin, Ukraine has a lot of hard work ahead of it. Now wanted in Kiev for mass murder, Prime Minister Yanukovych fled the country this past weekend, leaving an already conflict ridden Ukraine without a leader–no matter how nominal of one Yanukovych may have been.

Before mounting debt crises, currency devaluation and political turmoil, old and new faces, interests and agenda are entering the fray. After Russia’s $15 billion bailout package has been suspended, the International Monetary Fund has stepped up as the lender of last resort, offering its aid–but likely for an austerity-filled price. Meanwhile, as three main opposition parties clash regarding the face and shape of Ukraine’s future, former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko and her characteristic braid have emerged from prison and are beginning to steal the press spotlight. Tymoshenko, whose stint in prison followed accusations of abuse of power, embezzlement and brokering an ethically questionable natural gas deal with Russia, is an incredibly polarizing figure in Ukraine’s recent memory. Conveniently, the interim president, Oleksandr Turchynov, is an ally of Tymoshenko.

It remains to be seen how Tymoshenko and Turchynov will seize this critical moment in Ukraine’s history, but as the following images show, abject chaos will surround the country in transition for the foreseeable future.