事实上，早在1991年80%乌克兰东部的俄化领土就曾投票选择独立，但1999年的议会和总统选举对国家造成的恶劣影响远远赶不上2004年的总统大选。
Indeed, more than 80% of Ukraine's Russified eastern districts voted for independence in 1991, and the 1999 parliamentary and presidential elections did not split the country nearly as much as the 2004 presidential elections did.