2014 Ukrainian Maidan Revolt: News, Views, Photos & Videos

kwaigonegin said:

Ruh OH!!! I bet Putin is shakin in his boots! Obama just threaten he may not attend the G8 meeting in Sochi come June!

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Putin and his people laughed out loud when Obama said this I am sure...as Putin ordered another regiment of self-propelled howitzers and tanks into the Crimea.

equation said:

It's not so much President Obama himself that's been dragging his boots in the mud, it's his foreign policy advisers that are failing him. Remember most Presidents gets their professional opinions and possibles actions from them and these guys were supposed to be top notch thinkers graduated in Ivy League schools and work experience credentials and such.

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They are reflection of him. He appointed them...and he certainly has put people in position there who think and feel exactly as he does. Which is a terrible mistake and weakness for any leader...but he is a narcissist and that's what they do.

He showed how it really is about him when in the meeting with Medvedev in 2012, he went off the cuff when he thought he was off microphone and told Medvedev to tell Putin that he would be able to be more flexible with Russia once the elections were over.

It was amazing to me, 1st to see or even imagine any American President doing that. Being revealed to all the world for the snarky, two faced weakling that he was...and even more amazing that the American people elected him in spite of it.

Putin never forgot it...and is now exacting those words out of Obama painfully (as he also did in Syria) and making him look the fool while he does so.

A sad day for America and all of Europe unless this American President or several leaders in Europe stand up and show a spine.

If they do, Putin may stop. He has already achieved his most important goal of securing the Crimea and his access to the Black Sea and the Med. If there is a real cost to him in terms of military and economic and international relations...he may pause. But, if completely unopposed at all, he may decide that he can go to Kiev and reinstall his friend there. I believe the Ukrainian people would give him a hell of a fight if he tried...but they could not stop him militarily.

They might make too expensive to sustain after the fact though.

Jeff Head said:

A sad day for America and all of Europe unless this American President or several leaders in Europe stand up and show a spine.

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Unfortunately I don't think they will now. Obama set a troubling precedent with Libya when he almost sabotaged military intervention. It was only continued pressure from David Cameron that led to him realise it was both possible and necessary to do something about Gaddafi. I don't think that's a trick he can repeat a second time.

Broccoli said:

Finland. Though our country has done various military purchases in past few months...

- 100 Leopard 2 A6's from Netherlands.

- 40-60 Spike ATGM launchers from Netherlands. These will be modernized to same standard as our current Spike ER launchers.

- Stringer MANPADS from US.

- Yesterday they announced that FDF will buy GPS guided 155mm "Bonus" artillery shells.

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I'm from Finland, too. Luckily the Finno-Russian relations are friendly, even though even we are sometimes "teased" by Russia, like during general Makarov's visit.

The Crimean leader has asked Russia for help and protection.



R2P it is going to be then.

Still not 100% convinced that the armed men are Russian Servicemen, although clearly this is where the kit comes from. I suspect they are indeed Crimean Russians (I still suspect ex Berkut esp with yesterdays announcement to them from Putin in the media, saying get your backside to the Crimea) but all dressed up to look like Russians to bait the very trap Jeff has talked about.

I also suspect that their is a secondary current to this whole Ukraine business which goes below the basic Geopolitics. I strongly suspect, based on the timing of the events etc, that there is a lot of personnel vendetta between certain Western Leaders (or their senior backers) and Mr Putin, on account of Putin spoiling their party plans too often last year.
Based on this, I think it highly likely that not only will Putin wish to present them with their hind quarters on fine porcelain, but to do so using the very devices and mechanisms which have been used by the West against the Russian interest in the previous few years.

I've read re-reports from Reuters that the Ukrainian military is on high alert, but I can't find the original article. I really hope this doesn't escalate into a full-blown war.

Edit: And even if war is avoided, if Russia occupies the Crimea I agree with some suggestions on the web that the Tartars may take up arms and turn the region into another Chechnya.

Breaking news from RT



Russian accusation that Kiev backed gunman tried to storm the Crimean Interior Ministry last night.

Russian helicopters videoed from roadside in the Crimea.

Certainly fits the bill for noise and thunder Jeff, but that is probably all it is.

Despite the high profile, when we have seen unambitiously Russian forces in the Crimea, they have been doing little more than rolling around the countryside and being seen. They may be guarding some installations, but these appear to more military in nature and close to their own Base in Sevastapol. The other armed men, guarding civic and other civil Crimean buildings are less obvious in their identity and could indeed be being deliberately dressed in Russian gear to provoke an error from Kiev.

It is difficult to level the accusation of aggression at Russia. Putin denies the armed men guarding the public buildings are Russian and that he is simply reinforcing the Black Sea HQ and rotating forces in accordance with the standing agreement. On top of this he does not recognise the new national government, but is working with the local Crimean Government which also does not recognise the new Kiev Regime.

In addition Putin also has the Yanukovych, who still claims to be the legitimate President of the Ukraine and has credibility in that claim,given that he was not removed in an election, as agreed between the Ukrainian parties last week and supported by all external sponsors. Russia and Crimea must by extension agree that Yanukovych is still the legitimate President as they do not recognise the new regime and cannot therefore recognise his overthrow.

If provoking Kiev into making a rash action is one strand of Putin strategy, I suspect that using Yanukovych is another. With Yanokovych alive and well under Russian protection and the Crimea openly in revolt against Kiev under Russian protection, the door opens to the local governments of other Russian speaking areas in the East and South to also declare for Yanokovych and seek Russian protection.

If this is the case, expect noises from other strongholds to start in the next few days.

A moment ago I found this: "Interfax quoted the Ukrainian border guard as saying its vessels had been put on combat alert in the Crimea." in so I used google to find out what naval bases Ukraine has in the Crimea but I quit as: "The headquarters and Main Naval Base of the Ukrainian Navy are located in Sevastopol." says while everybody knows the home port of the Russian Black Sea Fleet is: Sevastopol ... can anybody please tell me where the two groups are moored right now? I could only find this quickly: "The two navies now co-use some of the city's harbours and piers, while others were demilitarised or used by either country." at

It just hit the servers; Putin: "In connection with the extraordinary situation in Ukraine, the threat to the lives of citizens of the Russian Federation, our compatriots, and the personnel of the armed forces of the Russian Federation on Ukrainian territory (in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea) ... I submit a proposal on using the armed forces of the Russian Federation on the territory of Ukraine until the normalization of the socio-political situation in the that country," the statement said."