By Jake Cohen ’14, Commentary Editor

If one were to check the front page of CNN.com on January 23, 2014, one would think that Justin Bieber’s arrest was the headline of the day. If one checked MSNBC’s website, the top ten headlines of the day would not include a single mention of the massive political and social upheaval in a large country in the Baltic region. Indeed, Justin Bieber’s arrest for a slew of felony charges got more media attention than arguably the most revolutionary action in Eastern Europe since the fall of the Soviet Union. For those who do not know to what country I am referring, you are urged to read on.

At the end of the 20th century, the introduction of the European Union, the fall of the Soviet Union, and the creation of the Eurozone seemed to guarantee a peaceful and stable Europe. Decades of war had finally ceased in Europe, as ostensibly, a permanent resolution had been reached. The current uprisings in Ukraine, however, are a stark notice of just how tenuous the current balance of power truly is.

In November 2013, Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych rejected a trade pact between his country and the European Union. This proposed plan would have opened up trade between Ukraine and most Western European nations, and decreased the Ukraine’s crippling dependency on Russian goods and natural gas. Natural gas is one of the most important issues in the nation, as the Ukraine uses large quantities that are controlled and sourced solely by Russia. This Russian monopoly on gas has major negative impacts on Ukrainian citizens, and represents the Russian chokehold on the Ukrainian government. Yanukovych’s actions have had severe repercussions within his country, as hundreds of thousands of protesters began to occupy Kiev in outrage, bringing the capital and most of the nation to a standstill. On January 22, 2014, these protests degraded into bloodshed.

On the 23^rd of January, following the death of two protesters, the opposition gave Yanukovych an ultimatum: concede to our demands (which include your resignation and the signing of the trade pact with the EU), or we will launch an attack and attempt to overthrow the government. This offer prompted immediate actions by Yanukovych, as he took meetings with opposition leaders. While the outcome of these talks is not certain, what is certain is that the Ukraine is on the cusp of a major change—and that Justin Bieber just posted bail. Days such as the 23^rd of January  represent a fundamentally flawed system of news in this country, and show the importance of reading beyond the headlines to understand the world situation.

The Ukrainian protests are also a chilling reminder of the grip Russia still has on the former Soviet states and the major role it plays in international affairs. While there are some who would go as far as to say the Cold War never truly ended, one thing is clear: Ukraine has failed to escape the shadow of the Soviet Union’s legacy. Ukrainian citizens are most outraged at the idea that their president is abandoning all progress made to attempt to evade that shadow. Yanukovych is yielding to Russian pressures, and ensuring the nation’s perpetual dependence on Russia. These protests and the pending changes represent an immense power shift occurring within Eastern Europe.

If the Ukrainian opposition is successful in overthrowing Yanukovych, whether that is by forcing his resignation or taking his position by force, there will still be a long road towards stabilization. The entire government and governmental structure will need to be reworked, and the outcome of this new Ukrainian government may very well decide the future of Europe. If the Ukraine does decide to side with the European Union and tie its economy closely with the Eurozone, not only will Russia lose one of its major trading partners, but it may well lose its grip on Eastern Europe altogether. Russia is already having major problems with the outlandish and outrageous Sochi Olympic games, and to make matters worse, Armenian terrorists have set off bombings in Volgograd over the past month and are threatening the Olympics as well.

Perhaps it is these distractions that are preoccupying Putin’s regime and preventing them from defending the pro-Russian Yanukovych, and perhaps Russia does not understand the gravity of the situation. But it appears that a major shift in the balance of power may very well soon occur in Eastern Europe, and it is possible that other former Soviet states could follow in the footsteps of the Ukraine, opting for the Eurozone. If this occurs, there is no telling just how detrimental this could be to the Russian economy, and it will clearly have lasting implications well into the future.  Hopefully, the American media will grasp the importance of these current events and get back to reporting real news. While we all know the name Bieber, perhaps we should be a little more focused on getting to know Yanukovych too.