The protests in Ukraine have changed drastically from their humble beginnings. The rumblings of discontent in a lone Eastern European country have metamorphosed into a continent-wide political firestorm. The riots in Independence Square in Kiev have drawn admiration of Western politicians and the fear and incredulity of the dictators of Eastern Bloc. The first signs of political malcontent occurred in November 2013, as Viktor Yanukovych, Ukraine’s questionably democratic ruler, reneged on long-agreed trade accords with the European Union.

Yanukovych has spent the last decade in a careful, and potentially deadly, balancing act between the superpowers that flank his hefty swath of the Eastern steppes. To the west lies the European Union, a collective economy unrivaled on the Continent. Many Ukrainians see closer ties with the E.U. as the only hope for Ukraine’s faltering economy. To the east, Yanukovych’s situation has been no less precarious: the Russian Federation is the successor state to the U.S.S.R., Ukraine’s erstwhile suzerain. Russian president Vladimir Putin would like nothing better than to bring Ukraine’s economically valuable territory back under Moscow’s iron fist. For ten years, Yanukovych has attempted to survive the political machinations of these two great powers. This winter, he failed.

Yanukovych’s rejection of Ukrainian demands for closer ties with the E.U. immediately ignited a conflagration of popular unrest, specifically in the western, pro-European side of the country. Protests have grown progressively more violent, plunging the country closer and closer to civil war.

Even in the more stable Western world, opinions are mixed on the outcome and effects of these far-flung protests.

“Personally, I’m skeptical that the protests in Ukraine will lead to anything good. Civil unrest is never good for a country, even when the rising faction is American-aligned,” said junior Macon Sheppard. However, not all opinions are so coolheaded.

“Ukraine has long been under the thumb of Russia,” says Terrence Dai ’15. “In the past, Russia was Mother China’s communist brother. Naturally, I would love to see Comrade Putin regain control of his rightful territory.” Surprisingly, there are even more sanguine opinions being bounced around the school’s hallways. In fact, some are not even opposed to the riots in principle, but to government itself.

“We live in wonderful times!” junior John Napoli said gleefully. “This is what is called a ‘rager,’ in the rioting community,” he added. However, his bloodlust was not without some optimism: “Maybe after the dust clears, Ukraine will be left with no government at all,” he said hopefully.

Even in this crucible of conflicting, contrasting opinions, nothing is certain. Will Ukraine remain in the territory of the post-Soviet states? Or will Ukraine transform itself into a more open, prosperous economy? With any luck, Ukraine will find a peaceful solution while remaining a valuable member of the European community– one step closer on its long march to euphoria and enlightenment.