From Orange to Red: Why the Security Services of Ukraine Changed the Approach to Handling Protests from 2004 to 2014
From Orange to Red: Why the Security Services of Ukraine Changed the Approach to Handling Protests from 2004 to 2014

Summary/Abstract: This article looks at the structural and institutional changes that occur within the Security Services of Ukraine (SBU) between the Orange Revolution and Euromaidan. Why did a security service that was hailed as a protector of democracy when it stood against the national police, under the command of the Interior Ministry (MVS) who were attempting to quash the Orange Revolution protests in 2004 become a leading suspect in the anti-democratic shootings that occurred in the Euromaidan protests in 2014? One potential explanation is the pervasive patronage political shifts that result in personnel changes atop the hierarchy of the SBU. Another is that the bifurcated political structure (presidential powers vs. those of the legislature) of Ukraine shifted creating a realignment of political loyalties. A third potential explanation is institutional change that altered the entire Ukrainian political system between 2004 and 2014. This article uses archival data, content analysis of media publications, and semistructured interviews with experts in the field of Ukrainian security to examine the changes occurring within the SBU that lead to a violent reaction towards protesters in 2014.

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