UKRAINE:

Some 80,000 demonstrators took part in processions and rallies throughout Ukraine on November 7, according to official — and possibly understated — figures. Apart from Kyiv, the largest demonstrations were recorded in the industrial centers of eastern and southern Ukraine, with attendance figures ranging from 1,000 to 5,000 in Kharkiv, Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, Mikolayiv, Odessa, and Sevastopol.

Communists and Socialists joined together in most of these demonstrations, calling for the unity of leftist forces in order to win the upcoming parliamentary elections. This development is significant because it indicates that grass roots pressure is mounting on Socialist leaders to conclude an electoral pact with the Communists, a move that Socialist leaders have until now hesitated to make. The Socialist chairman of parliament, Oleksandr Moroz, chose to absent himself on medical grounds from the Socialist-Communist rally in Kyiv, sending his greetings instead.

The Ukrainian Popular Movement (Rukh) and allied national-democratic groups, having proclaimed November 7 a day of mourning, staged commemorations and religious services for the victims of Soviet terror and repression. Such gatherings were well attended in Kyiv, Lviv, and Ivano-Frankivsk. Lviv Communists were attacked by counterdemonstrators in the sole violent incident of the day. (UNIAN, DINAU, Radio Kyiv, Russian agencies, November 7-8)

Moldova: