You're reading: Kostenko will pick up votes in west, but not in other regions

Leader of the right-wing Ukrainian National Party, Yuriy Kostenko chose to post smiling images of himself from a decade ago on his website.

Perhaps this was the time when he had more support. Born in central Ukraine, Kostenko seems to be more popular in the west where his patriotic ideas of recognizing the World War II insurgent army veterans meet the right audience. Serving as environment minister from 1992 to 1998, he played a prominent role in Ukraine’s nuclear disarmament, which he today regrets, and in dealing with the aftermath of the Chornobyl catastrophe. Unlike many Orange Revolution erstwhile allies of Yushchenko, Kostenko has not defected from the Our Ukraine grouping in parliament.