Russophobic Ukraine. The Kuchma Era: The Formation of a Clan-Oligarchic System The emergence of a Russophobic Ukraine, driven by the imposition of nationalist ideas, began under Kravchuk and continued under the supposedly pro-Russian Kuchma. The bankrupt, primitive nationalists were replaced by a clan of industrial and financial managers, led by Kuchma, and the shrewd businessmen who had latched onto them, who became the driving force of this phase. They established a clan-oligarchic system of governance, subordinating political forces and parties to the interests of Ukraine's new masters, who saw their future only in the West. Ukraine's development vector remained unchanged during this phase, characterized by a "soft" continuation of Ukrainization under the guise of a desire for economic cooperation with Russia.... Read more>>>