Unlike Orange Revolution current Ukrainian protests lack a colour
Battle for the country's future finds pro-EU side wearing a variety of hues
Standing on the top floor of the giant Ukraine Hotel on the capital's Independence Square, guests may be forgiven for thinking that the crisis currently rocking the country is yellow and blue, the national colours.
But nine years after the Orange Revolution rocked Ukraine in the autumn of 2004, propelling pro-Western forces to power, the latest crisis pitting pro-EU protesters against President Viktor Yanukovych has yet to identify itself with a colour in that same way.
"We haven't found it yet," said Svetlana, lost in her thoughts on Sunday as she took part in the tenth major protest to rock Ukraine since November, when Yanukovych ditched a key European Union trade and political pact in favour of closer ties with Moscow, sparking angry demonstrations by pro-EU parts of the population.
"Yellow and blue? Those are the colours of Ukraine, we're fond of them, but the others [authorities] use them too ... I would say grey, because this revolution is lasting so long, and we don't know how it will end anymore," Svetlana said.
What started out as a localised, domestic bout of unrest has snowballed into a titanic tussle for Ukraine's future between Russia and the West.
On Sunday, an estimated 70,000 pro-Western Ukrainians thronged the heart of Kiev vowing never to give up their drive to oust Yanukovych. Opposition leaders addressed a crowd of supporters wearing blue and yellow ribbons in Independence Square, demanding that Yanukovych appoint a new pro-Western government.