WE’RE NOT THE ONLY ONES HAVING ELECTIONS: Ukraine has just finished a poll which may transform it into that rarest of creatures: a former soviet republic with a functioning democracy. Of course, the campaign has not exactly been unmarred. Both candidates are now claiming that they’ve won (but both are agreeing to a runoff). And someone seems to have poisoned the challenger (Putin supports his opponent), with some pretty horrifying results. But if the election works, and the transition proceeds smoothly, we’ll be seeing democracy bloom in another most unlikely place.