For the Fool’s Day 1 April, there are some exciting news from Russia and Ukraine.

Fool’s Day 1 April

In Russia, the laws about fake news and disrespect to authorities are now officially in action.

Both laws were signed by President Putin on 18 March 2019 and swiftly, as they usually do it in Russia, became official. 29 March marked the day when these widely celebrated laws were added to the list of rules not to break.

Surprisingly, the legislation on fake news makes official news outlets such as major TV channels exempt from penalties. They can post anything they wish, but online bloggers have to ensure they have 100% proof before making any statements.

Penalties for spreading fake news are quite dramatic: An individual could be fined up to 100,000 rubles (USD $1500) and an organization or business may face a fine up to 500,000 RUB ($7.500). These penalties are applicable for the first indiscretion, the next one will attract a larger fine. The largest fine that could be given under this law is 1.5 million RUB (around $23,000).

Disrespect of authorities and state symbols could see an individual placed under arrest or fined for up to 300,000 RUB ($4,500), Echo.msk.ru reported.

For Russians where an average monthly wage is around USD 600, the penalties are substantial.

It’s now rather precarious in Russia to make jokes, what do you think?

Ukrainian elections: Comedian in the lead

31 March marked the day of the first round of the presidential elections in Ukraine. It appears that no candidate gathered over 50% of votes, so the two hopefuls who got the largest share of bulletins have to keep the campaigns going. Ukrainians are voting again on 21 April to elect the president in the second round.

Comedian Volodymir (Vladimir) Zelensky became an unlikely front runner in the election race, waking up on 1 April to news reports around the world showing him as the political surprise of the day. Zelensky scored over 30% of the votes, according to preliminary results.

The incumbent president Petro Poroshenko had only 13% support days before 31 March, according to polls, which was way short of the required 50% to win uncontested. However, the last results of the Ukrainian elections show Poroshenko scored around 20% share of preferences. Over 10 million of Ukrainians voted, Segodnya reported.

There had been 39 candidates on the ballot, so it was hard for anyone to score over 50% in the first round.

2 candidates pulled out days before 31 March, but their names were still on the list.

Zelensky’s notoriety comes in part from his role as the Ukrainian president fighting corruption in a popular TV series. You can see his comedy “Servant of the People” on Netflix. In the series, Zelensky plays a school teacher who unexpectedly becomes the President of Ukraine, after a sudden rise to fame on social media due to his anti-corruption stance.

Top performers in 2019 presidential elections in Ukraine (left to right): Zelensky, Poroshenko, Tymoshenko.

He who laughs the last, has the best laugh

Both leading candidates Poroshenko and Zelensky are expressing pro-European views as opposed to the alliance with the best-friend-come-enemy Russia.

Another strong force that had been viewed as having a chance was Yulia Tymoshenko, also a pro-Europe activist.

That’s why pro-Russian forces in Ukraine announced the elections, “a choice without a choice”, and called for a boycott.

Tymoshenko is a former prime minister of Ukraine, who served a term in jail following her service, under the pro-Russian president Victor Yanukovich, for alleged embezzlement and abuse of power. She was released in 2014, following Yanukovich’s demise, and rehabilitated under the new government as a victim of political oppression. She scored the second highest share of votes in 2014 presidential elections after Poroshenko.

Once the final count of the votes is in, the official announcement of two candidates in the race will be made. Some Ukrainians still haven’t voted, with the Ukrainian consulate in St. Francisco, USA, being the last point collecting votes. The voting ends officially at 6 am on 1 April, by Kiev’s time.

Ukrainians living abroad queued to vote in the presidential elections, with photos of long lines in the USA and Europe shared on social media.

“He who has the last laugh is laughing well”, a Russian proverb states.

Who will have the last laugh on 21 April in Ukraine? It’s only 3 weeks until we find out.

Read also:

• 10 surprising facts about dating Ukrainian women
• Bloomberg: Russia lost 10% of its economy after the takeover of Crimea
• How many Ukrainians live abroad
• 20 tips for dating in Kiev: Ukrainian women vs. western women