Tensions Surround Ukrainian Parliamentary Elections: Russian Roulette (Dispatch 82)

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On October 26, parliamentary elections were held in much of Ukraine - including long-embattled areas in the east. Wary of interference from separatists, armed guards manned polling stations and escorted completed ballots to ensure their safety. Turnout in the region was low, however, as residents appeared reluctant to vote. And in the rebel-held Donetsk People's Republic, elections weren't held at all - on November 2, pro-Russia separatists there will hold their own elections in hopes of legitimizing their self-proclaimed republic.
VICE News correspondent Simon Ostrovsky spent Election Day visiting candidates, polling stations, and an electoral commission to find out how the political process was progressing amid the heightened levels of tension.
Follow @simonostrovsky on Twitter here: / simonostrovsky
Follow @Henry_Langston on Twitter here: / henry_langston
Check out "Crimea: A Look Inside the New Russian Territory" - bit.ly/1mjdFuH
Click to watch "The Donetsk People's Republic" - bit.ly/1wLO6vN
Click to watch "Greater Autonomy for Separatists Might Signal War's End: Russian Roulette (Dispatch 81)" - bit.ly/10yUjOn
Check out the VICE News beta for more: vicenews.com
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[@100vasiliy]

RT be like, it was illegal and fake.

[@TheBatteking]

cia agents planted fake votes

[@100vasiliy]

Simon Doge anything and everything in the world is because CIA. wow just wow, dumbasses like you make all humans look bad.

[@IHateYoutubeHandlesVeryMuch]

Shape shifting grass people are the problem.

[@TheBatteking]

100vasiliy ...it was a joke

[@blackhornet111]

don't you mean "fake and gay"?

[@BoilingJD]

Wow this guy speaks both Russian and English almost completely without accent, impressive !

[@lol-zi1ym]

He has a noticeable english accent when speaking Russian,and his Russian accent occassionally appears when speaking English.

[@t0ny1189]

@@lol-zi1ym meh most people wouldn't hear any russian accent in his English and his Russian is better than 99.9 percent of native English speakers

[@lol-zi1ym]

@@t0ny1189 lmao i made that comment 7 years ago that’s crazy

[@TacticalVanguard]

@@lol-zi1ym yeah and its still avaliable so watch out what you say it is a dangerous time we live in right now

[@lol-zi1ym]

@@TacticalVanguard damn it’s been 7 years since i made that comment lol

[@josebatista388]

thank god russian Roullette is back !!! .......unmasking Russian cynicism for over the last year !

[@alexnickolaev]

and not unmasking Ukrainian cynism as well

[@mrAussiefella]

Such a shame how stupid and uneducated you're on the cause

[@symbolxchannel]

alexnickolaev Says a Russian?

[@MrClone655]

You western fools think your all good and you never do cynicism, when the fact is you do more killing and violence than Russia ever had done in the past 75 years. Your words are very hypocritical and are totally facts not opinion (sarcasm).

[@alexnickolaev]

SymbolX so what, is this automaticly makes me wrong?

[@tim01263]

So glad Simon's back.

[@TheTunao]

men might fight in wars, but women they stand their ground. That building might be blown up, they may get executed later by sepratist. I find those women of the electral comite much braver than any fighting man.

[@nigelwestdickens6947]

so standing your ground is more courageous than fighting? What? those women are braver than any fighting man? what the fuck are you thinking?

[@TheTunao]

well think about it, they sit there and anything can happen, then they walk home alone, where anything can happen, since they are resisting the sepratists,and oligarck candidates. A soldier is all smug in his base all bored, then he fights a little, then he gets bored. All geared up in a band of brothers. These ladies have their pen.

[@nigelwestdickens6947]

TheTunao that is a direct insult to soldiers everywhere. anything can happen to them? even more can happen in a fucking warzone oh no! they have to walk home alone in a scary area soldiers have to patrol areas where most people there dont just want to see them out of power but FUCKING DEAD saying a few women who stood their ground are braver than every soldier is something only an idiot or a femanazi could think.

[@nigelwestdickens6947]

Scott Pilgrim thanks bro

[@afopreacher4903]

No problem bae ;)

[@iSecret2312]

heh. me on 12:50 in the middle)

[@F.Fox714]

Круто 😁

[@cheesenutz3854]

Are you still alive

[@iSecret2312]

@@cheesenutz3854 =*

[@rustyshackleford5058]

@@iSecret2312 Do you support Armenia or Azerbaijan in the current conflict?

[@iSecret2312]

@@rustyshackleford5058 nobody) But if i haven't choise i will support Azerbaijan cause Karabakh it's a part of Azerbaijan.

[@StarCrusher.]

The sexiest chin is back!

[@cheifaut0parts]

I drew simmons sexy chin. (pbs.twimg.com/media/B1JPhNyCAAAgYEE.png:large)

[@StarCrusher.]

cheifaut0parts HAHAAHHAHA!!

[@Iamwolf134]

A cleft to be more like.

[@eugenedowling7380]

I'm missed butt chin

[@ThaPDOGG]

He can blow his nose and wipe his ass at the same time 😂

[@Anthony-fi6bj]

Good work by Simon and his guys! Keep it up!

[@devilhatehumankind66]

FINALLY! FREAKING FINALLY! I have been waiting for this series like... For-Ever!

[@olehlisovy8061]

Кива , спустя 5 лет , смешно слушать!

[@krabz_oem]

Finally dispatch 82! It has been a while.

[@djstorm75]

Holy moly u guys are back!! Thanks for keeping these comming!

[@OnyOner]

respect, Simon Ostrovsky

[@KikiConzales]

Yes! A nothet Dispatch. I hope to see more of them and soon !

[@Psychosisfunny]

I cant wait for dispatch 1875

[@DopeFiend]

Kiev gets surrounded by seperatists and Porky commits a suicide in his bunker.

[@Psychosisfunny]

***** But quickly falls to ISIS and then gets wiped out by ebola.

[@DopeFiend]

Lol ^^

[@ClintEastwood711]

***** lmao, insurgents surrounding Kiev... They can't even take a ruined airport with big effort. xD

[@ClintEastwood711]

***** Interesting.

[@valerie1]

Best line from Simon in this video "All these heavy set guys...they're members of the campaign team"......I had to laugh out loud at that one!

[@ukraina91]

I thought the day of this episode coming out would never come :)

[@ArcticSlicer]

Nice to see more videos about Ukraine. It had been such a long time that I had thought that maybe you moved on from your Ukraine coverage .

[@ftffighter]

WE NEED MORE RUSSIAN ROULETTE!!! THANK YOU VICE!!

[@mark8200]

Nice job people of Ukraine , looks like things are starting to get back on track

[@altaimountain]

you have a peculiar sense of humor.

[@Ktaurus26]

Lol. Don't be so nieve One year later Ukraine is just as corrupt as ever.. Political infighting continues. Doesn't matter who's in power their.

[@RamzezRap]

james david manning it takes 1 year and westukraine is nomansland

[@CaneFan423]

@@RamzezRap yo

[@AwesomeRepix]

YES! Thank goodness.. oh wait.

[@markuscone]

A really good report! It's nice that VICE is still covering this conflict...I wish they sent more journalists/filmmakers to the border of the Donetsk People's Republic. From what little intelligence there is on the net it seems that the conflict is continuing despite the ceasefire. In particular the region surrounding the airport in Donetsk. Anyways...great to see Simon back!

[@susangoaway]

Guess what, they won't allow anyone there filming it and nobody will dare to do that, since it is suicide. Also today there is a problem with wearing "Press" vests, since the terrorists use them.

[@lrfd1007]

3:14 not many knew, that 5 years later Kiva will sell his ass completely to Russia

[@TheGraffityman]

I was surprised seeing him there and defending the electorial comission. Pretty much sure he had pro-russian views even at that times.

[@sarcastamusraconteur6881]

[@omgnuub]

Finally a new russian roulette dispatch, thank you vice!

[@BlondeManNoName]

Simon is the best.

[@CMLovejoy]

Great journalism Vice. You won't see coverage like this on NBC.

[@Davisx3m]

No heat in that building?

[@jakatom]

The elections can't be called democratic, if there are armed men by the pooling stations, and what kind of a democratic norm is it to just ban a political party?

[@AVegarov]

they are there for security of voters

[@edwardbernayse6665]

it doesn't seem like there is anything that they can do down there that would convince anybody that the elections aren't rigged. not saying that they weren't rigged but it still isn't going to matter.

[@zombieGI]

100% secured. So secured that i am not sure why the won't hold presidential elections now@@AVegarov

[@O_D988]

It's good to see this guy win and get his seat as MP

[@rafiqkatana]

I loved how they checked the seals on the top of the ballet box but ignore the bottom. This only shows the one but other videos showed the same.

[@christianna1307]

The boxes don’t open from the bottom so seals at the bottom were not necessary

[@NiklasKing87]

oh man looks like it's already freezing over there. sometimes I miss the cozy European weather.

[@Svolo]

finally its back!

[@XavierX212]

2:30 lol, same thing here in my country Moldavia.

[@larsforsgren3839]

I've been watching since dispatch 1

[@NoTeaBaggers]

Poor Russia - losing the game here and a destroyed economy on top of it. Glory to Putler!

[@yugine1000]

Your ignorance hurts me.. Russia is in economic stagnation. And the sanctions wheel will stop in a year. So your pride must be hurt. By the way, I came to conclusion that only stupid ukrainians use 'Putler'. The clever do not. It also must hurt your chauvinism.

[@NoTeaBaggers]

yugine1000 My pride is not hurt (I have no idea why you would make such a statement). As for Putler, I care little how stupid / clever Ukrainians refer to him as I am not Ukrainian. As for you, learn to capitalize the "U" in "Ukrainian". Show a little respect to nation of people as well to the rest of us in the world that you possess at least some understanding of proper use of grammar. Do not confirm the worldwide stereotype image of 90% of Russians illiterate. Thank you.

[@NoTeaBaggers]

***** Poor Russians. Eating Turkish apples now but in two months there is nothing to eat. Remember when the first round of sanctions were announced? All of the paid Russian trolls claiming the Russian stock market is UP. LoL. Propaganda only lasts so long. Now look, second round of sanctions, Russian market destroyed. Russians will likely blame it on Oligarchs due to heavy Putler brainwashing; never accepting the reality for the invasion of the Ukraine. Glory to Putler!

[@NoTeaBaggers]

yugine1000 Putler is responsible. Oil today. $81.00 per barrel. Oil March 2014. $110.00 per barrel. Thank you Putler!

[@NoTeaBaggers]

***** Oil closed today at USD $77.00. Thank you Putler!

[@DisturbedFX_]

13:47 borrowing clothes from the shop?

[@adub4ever]

Long live the People's Republic of Donetsk! Down with the Fascists!

[@ptitjo2920]

Donetsk Terrorist's Republic*

[@reanimationeas342]

Fascists run the DPR and LPR

[@n0yn0y]

Long live Ukraine

[@timer.fit.]

Didn't think Simon smoked 12:06 :)

[@VoidOfDarkness9]

What's different this time except of all this bloody things? wasn't last time Yushinko and Timoshenko ended up fighting each other? Can Yats and Porke work out in Key issues and not ended up as Yush Tim Fate?

[@michonn2]

Wow its been a long time for another dispatch I thought that Simon was killed or something

[@yuseishimura]

Russian roullette videos were why i subscribed, i want more videos about whats happening in Ukraine, focus on RT reporters helping the rebels for a new video

[@DopeFiend]

About fucking time.

[@VICENews]

VICE News correspondent Simon Ostrovsky spent Election Day visiting candidates, polling stations, and an electoral commission to find out how the political process was progressing amid the heightened levels of tension.

[@buffalobison7483]

I LOVE RUSSIAN ROULETTE. Thank you so much for continuing the reports in Ukraine

[@kickinghighify]

Jew - shave your eyebrows!

[@demiurgos11]

***** It's sad that you're an idiot. About 85% of Ukrainians do not want to be part of the 'Russian world'. This is the choice of the Ukrainian people, not anti-Russian project.

[@phileas007]

demiurgos11 Actually he's got a point, although I agree that stupidity is the greatest problem of humanity. Ukrainians, like everyone else in the world, want only one thing: economic stability. No one cares about sentiments towards Russia or EU. People just want to have a normal life without constant political games. Oh, and one more thing: a choice had already been made before, the name was Yanukovych.

[@NoFaithNoPain]

phileas007 Do you think that once a President is elected he can't be impeached for murder? Well, he can and democracies can CHANGE their leader. .. Who knew?

[@FanServiceGod]

Cool

[@zombieGI]

The shot of the seal...gimme a break. Look guys, it's all fair, it still has the seal :))

[@PinkPantherPunk]

shit son i thought this series was over, sweet

[@lardishwithextralard9653]

For once on Vice there has been a great decrease of conflict in the comments, everyone is apparently agreeing that the Russians are wrong with this one.

[@JasonCWaite]

#Vice , any Central or South American news in the pipeline?

[@DeathBringer9000]

nope. cocaine is and guns are as available as ever, mexico still has tacos, the panama canal is still wet, you get the picture.

[@tmann153]

Excellent reporting by the presenter Ostrovsky & Vice News. Ukraine is moving away from corruption and better reflecting the wishes of its good & loyal citizens.

[@WarDogTheAwesome]

The war that never stopped yet stopped being reviewed.

[@XspimaX]

0+ on your backpack means you have blood 0+? thats pretty cool in home-war country.

[@Pauli650]

wait isn't poreshenko an oligarch?

[@isaacnewton9365]

What time does it get dark? That's crazy how long is a day in Ukraine?

[@R.Ratkus]

+Brian Sanchez in winter the day is shorter, in eastern eu december the day ends around 17:00 (5pm) so yea, it couldve been january, it doesnt seem very snowy there because ukraine is around the level of france and some at spain level.

[@isaacnewton9365]

Rokas Ratkevičius not bad right now we get about 10 hours of sun light. So pretty much the same.

[@fallenone5829]

funny... vote without voters.

[@jimpaolo123]

9:48 HOT DAMN.....

[@ironkronik1706]

and the flame wars return!

[@DreamChaser1366]

Forgot that it was a war still going on there, SMH

[@loves2spooge319]

3:51 is simons head really that big compared to the guy hes interviewing or is mr fancy hat standing a bit further away from the camera and reading something over the shoulder? I know all the shooting he has done must be messing with his head and what not, but it doesnt seem like hes speaking his mind... on zapinaetsya ochen mnogo, kakbudto chitaet... I d really like to see full uncut interviews vice have done with these ukrainians. get back at me vice!!!!!

[@FunkSoulBrother7]

Nothing about the commemoration of the Odessa massacre?

[@andreyz2436]

No because Vice does not want to talk about anything that will discredit the pro-Western government in Kiev.

[@p3achFUZZ69]

GOON SQUAD !

[@antronx7]

Hey Simon, don't be disappearing on us like that!

[@shitwardtesticles4840]

Just a reminder, the conflict area is about the size of Maine. The Donbass is fucking gargantuan

[@bangol]

... with weapons?? omg omg omg

[@Bigliever]

Vice, why Azov uses the Wolfsangel as symbol? And the black sun? I am confused...

[@TXC-kr4yq]

Check out Stepan Andrijovyč Bandera. The ukrainians call him a hero

[@Kitaez77476]

You shouldn`t. They did it consciouly. Absolutely.

[@AuntHazel]

this isn't Wolfsangel even if it's looks familiar

[@Bigliever]

@@AuntHazel And Bandera wasn't a nazi.

[@AuntHazel]

@@Bigliever "In January 1942, Bandera was transferred to Sachsenhausen concentration camp's special prison cell building (Zellenbau) for high-profile political prisoners such as Horia Sima, the chancellor of Austria, Kurt von Schuschnigg or Stefan Grot-Rowecki" Educate yourself

[@Foerdi94]

I always thought so: With the seizing of Crimea, Putin has accepted defeat in Kiew. The Ukraine will go to the west but the question is if the eastern parts of it are going with it or not.

[@BGVassil]

What's changed? Oligarchs were replaced with oligarchs.

[@jizunk_in_my_trizunk]

Yeah because there is no way they could have been altered while riding on busses and shit.

[@aagunman]

***** да i wish their waz such a thing. I could keep +sandvich safe from blue scout!!!

[@KingAram99]

could someone tell me the difference between the Ukrainian and Russian language

[@lol-zi1ym]

Ukrainian has more letters in the alphabet.Pronunciation is mostly the same,although a Russian accent when speaking Ukrainian is obvious.And the same goes for the opposite.Also,words for 'things' are either identical,similar,or completely different.The closest comparison I can find is Spanish and Italian(imo).

[@phileas007]

Lisovp Awesomelisovp KingAram99 Not an expert in this, but I would actually place the Ukrainian language sort of right in between Russian and Polish - mash 'em up, and out comes Ukrainian. Other examples might include: (Dutch vs. German, Romanian vs. Italian)

[@amberlampz]

KingAram99 The differences/similarities are like those of Portuguese and Spanish.

[@revisionisthistories]

Ukrainian is a made up language by the Astro-Hungarian Empire that took local old Russian and added polish words and oversimplified others in order to try to separate Ukrainians from the Russian Empire. This Western drive to make Ukrainians un-Russian has been going on for a while. If you can speak Russian you will understand Ukrainian with no issues.

[@Bohaha241]

joh do no one else before could create an artificial language with millions of speakers before. pretty impressive empire actually, it hasn't been ruled by chuck norris by chance?

[@whatsgood8426]

Haha a little cold isn't it? :)

[@beataj3382]

hooray Ukrainian dispatch came.

[@kemurinine4272]

A little bit of a boring episode unfortunately

[@beataj3382]

Charls Cheese Sometimes life is boring but it is life - enjoy it.

[@phileas007]

Bet J just imagine how much more boring life would be without the hordes of politicians out there entertaining us.

[@harrypoosie3035]

This whole conflict is just super funny to me. It’s so...lukewarm?civilized? I don’t even know what to call it. But it’s not your run of the mill urban war or guerrilla warfare.

[@sokolo8]

3:10 чё там делает Кива, лол)))

[@mkhi1830]

It is funny that they still believe voting can make a different Ukrain.

[@kalumm3210]

That bum chin! I have always noticed with this guy when he is interviewing they can't keep their eyes of his chin XD

[@yepsure4202]

I wonder if the presenter finds shaving difficult.

[@SuperSilkyJohnson]

What's the big deal with rebel controlled territory not being able to vote, they dont want to be part of Ukraine anyway.

[@stephlyons9253]

Talk about a butt chin how does one shave something like that , gotta be a pain in the ass.

[@Markyroson]

I take it Dmitry didnt win it?

[@matjaz660]

Boooriing Simon..go ask Graham to hook you up with Givi or Motorola batallion. Now THAT would be an awesome dispatch, mhm..

[@lol-zi1ym]

"Comrades,now we're gonna shell Donetsk and then blame Ukraine for it.Let's take group photo near our mortars.Don't forget to glue flag of ukraine to your arm comrade."

[@user-zg9de1in4e]

На 5:43 и 6:13 один и тот же человек, в военной форме, голосует два раза!!!!!!!

[@AuntHazel]

блять ты шо припизжене?)))

[@anasarcon6992]

Blue means money while color yellow is death.

[@binancehighlights4038]

6:08 btw, zero national tic parties was able to pass 5% requirement to have seats in the parliament. It was even less nationalistic, than during Yanukovich presidency

[@lxndrskv]

Ha. Simon has a balls on his chin.

[@samanthakwait8782]

Good for them. They should support their own country, not Russia

[@germanwarrabbit]

Ukranian politics is so much more interesting than America politics

[@owenthomas5103]

3 years later and we now also have a knowen pupit of Putin and insuretionist running in America

[@DavesView]

11:20 in 2012, the Svoboda Nazi Party received 37 seats in parliament of Ukraine

[@fat4eyes]

The newly voted parliament should be very careful about their policies, particularly those that affect the residents of the East. They should always remember that their mandate is not absolute due to the large numbers of people in the East that have been disenfranchised by the violence. If they want to keep the country whole, their policies must not alienate those people who were not able to vote, even if these policies make them unpopular with their supporters. They have a tightrope to walk, and I hope for the sake of Ukraine and the region in general that they can successfully cross it.

[@bomba1170]

does the world population realizes that true democracy is dead? well except for switzerland i guess but still casting your vote what difference does it truly make>?

[@ihatetheworld90]

Is anyone in Ukraine neutral,and sane? Not pro EU or pro Russia.

[@fffgrehn]

Its not about being pro EU or pro Russia. Either you are pro Ukraine or pro Russia

[@edwardbernayse6665]

i don't know if anyone from ukraine can be neutral in that situation.

[@ihatetheworld90]

Please explain more if you can

[@edwardbernayse6665]

Matthew Sifuentes who are you talking to?

[@ihatetheworld90]

Edward Bernayse666 Whoever I guess I'd really like to see both of y'alls explanations.

[@fallingdead360]

I watch vice news while I shit. It's the only thing I will watch while I shit. No exceptions.

[@huevos808]

Russian Roulette is back!!! :)

[@J.R.Graham]

Great true story,book title-"Cowboy Mafia ".....

[@FsintoRealityHD]

Russia might not like this Time to cut all the gas lines going to ukraine -Putin

[@paulovercash6936]

I feel like Russia, Ukraine, and the other Slavic countries have a lot of old people in them. Like most of the population is old people lol

[@Hookooo]

*"My condolences to Kremlin propaganda machine for loss of Svoboda in Ukraine election. But sure new bogus threats will be invented."*

[@Hookooo]

***** Rofl, having nick is having troll name? I guess you are new to the internet. I hear constantly from the Russian propaganda that Ukrainians are nazi, fascist and Svoboda lovers. When in reality the Kremlin has much more nazis...

[@Hookooo]

***** Continue living in parallel reality than, or wherever you are right now, but please, don't spread your ''opinions'' around here.

[@Hookooo]

***** Think of your own comeback's stupid troll. But I doubt you can do it, since you have an IQ on a level of a bread. Have a nice day.

[@Hookooo]

***** You havent said any meaningful yet, so nothing new...

[@ClintEastwood711]

***** How exactly is having a made up name on KZbin make you a troll? This isn't fucking Facebook...

[@nick_pappagiorgio]

Ukraine requires voter ID? Don't tell La Raza.

[@vitgrin]

Dmitry won.

[@YorickReturns]

Hey, they made him show ID. Racist.

[@deepulak7543]

I'm