Putin Battles Europe for Ex-Soviet States Amid Kiev Protests
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Vladimir Putin’s dream of recreating the Soviet empire is being tested on the streets of Kiev.
Hundreds of thousands of demonstrators facing off against riot police in the Ukrainian capital are protesting civil rights infringements and a government decision to back off signing free-trade accord with the European Union. The battle is really about whether Russian President Putin can extend his economic influence over its ex-Soviet neighbor, said Tim Ash, chief economist for emerging markets at Standard Bank Group.