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Tit For Tat: Ukraine Blocks Crimea Water Supply With Russia Set To Halt Ukraine Gas
With a diplomatic solution to the Ukraine crisis now officially out of the window as an option to de-escalate the second Cold War, and yet with both sides still leery of engaging in an overt military campaign, there is one last trump card both sides can play - natural resources. Specifically, gas for Russia, and water for Ukraine. Not surprisingly both are in play now.
Moments ago, Russia casually hinted that Ukraine should use part of the IMF aid (which has been promised in virtually all increments between $1 billion up to $18 billion, but at last check not one penny has been wired) to repay Gazprom's debt, which is anywhere between the $2.2 billion Gazprom has said Ukraine is delinquent on for 2014 gas supplies, and an additional $11.4 billion which is what Gazprom said Ukraine's state-owned energy firm Naftogaz owes for unused take-or-pay arrangements in 2013.
And here Russia has laid a rather unpleasant, for the interim Kiev government, covenant-trapping Easter egg. As the WSJ explained previously, the additional cash demand adds pressure on Ukraine's already battered economy and finances, "because its ballooning debt gives Moscow the right to demand an early repayment of a loan. That could theoretically cause a domino effect on about $20 billion of Ukraine sovereign and quasi-sovereign debt."
Specifically, Moscow provided Ukraine with a $3 billion loan in late December when it bought the country's Eurobonds. The bond prospectus stated that the volume of total state debt and state-guaranteed debt should not at any time exceed 60% of Ukraine's annual nominal gross domestic product.
If Ukraine fails to meet this condition, Moscow may demand an early redemption. So far the ratio is below the 60% threshold, but Russia's finance ministry said it is monitoring the figures closely. The latest figures from Ukraine put state debt at 804 billion hryvnia ($70 billion), or 52.7% of the GDP. However, if Gazprom's demand is met, the ratio would rise above the 60% threshold.
At that point Russia will clearly demand early payment or else hold Ukraine in default, which in turn will force the IMF to scramble to provide even more funding (more than just promises - actual wire transfers), pushing public opinion in IMF countries which certainly have expansive needs for domestic use of taxpayer funding (think Detroit) away from Ukraine and in Russia's corner.
In keeping with this vein, Russia’s energy minister Alexander Novak, Gazprom CEO Alexei Miller held talks in Moscow on gas transit via Ukraine with officials from Moldova, Bosnia- Herzegovina, Macedonia, Russian ministry’s spokeswoman Olga Golant says via text message. Golant said that participants “expressed concern” over Ukraine’s growing debt to Gazprom for natgas supplies, possible problems with filling Ukrainian underground gas storage facilities before heating season, which may lead to disruptions of gas shipments to Europe.
Which as we reported previously, is a very loud hint to Europe, that if Ukraine doesn't pay its debt to Russia, and if the IMF doesn provide enough funding to allow the broke country to pay its debt, then Europe gas will, so very sorry, be shut off.
Sure enough, Bloomberg reported that Russia 'hopes' EU will soon take measures to extend financial assistance to Ukraine, including for Russian gas payments to avoid “unsanctioned gas pumping from transit volumes to Ukraine and assist in further enhancing the European energy security."
Again - hint, hint.
So what does a desperate Ukraine do, realizing that all of its leverage is gone, and that its western "allies" are about to let it hang? It used the nuclear option (not very nuclear but it really doesn't have much if any leverage), and stopped the flow of the bulk of water to now Russian Crimea.
Ukraine had closed sluices of the North Crimean Canal, halting water supply from the Dnieper River to the peninsula, Ukraine's UNIAN news agency reported on Saturday.
Crimea received 85% of fresh water through the canal, which was built in 1961-1971. It streches from the Khakhovka Reservoir to Kerch.
Alas, this plan to put Russians in Crimea in an untenable position, may have already failed. Voice of Russia reports that "Crimea will be supplied with water according to a fallback plan, there is currently no lack of fresh water in the region, the interim head of the Republic of Crimea Sergei Aksyonov wrote in his Twitter account Saturday. "Crimea will not be left without water! We have fallback plans. There are no problems with fresh water. Agricultural producers will receive compensations for the losses," Aksyonov wrote.
Earlier the Chairman of Crimean Standing Commission of the State Council in the economic, fiscal and investment policies Vitaly Nahlupin said that republic's authorities had offered payment in advance for the water from Dnepr, but Kiev sabotaged negotiations and only five per cent of the necessary amount of water currently comes through the North-Crimean channel. Crimea, formerly a part of Ukraine, held a referendum on reunification with Russia on March 16 in reaction to dangerous nationalist rhetoric from the new leadership in Kiev.
The Crimean authorities transfer rivers of the peninsula to the North Crimean Canal bed after Ukraine ceased completely Dnieper water supplies to Crimea, Crimean First Deputy Prime Minister Rustam Temirgaliyev said. Water supplies to Crimea via the North Crimean Canal have been stopped completely, Ukrainian mass media outlets reported on Saturday. In the past weeks the volume of water coming to Crimea via the canal was decreased significantly.
If Ukraine is hoping this move will soften Russia's stance on gas, it is wrong - all it will do is force Russia to accelerate the implementation of infrastructure improvements in Crimea which will make it even less dependent on Ukraine. It will, however, assure that Russian exports of gas to Kiev are finished.
The only question is how much "collateral damage" Europe proper, such as Germany, suffers as a result. Ironically, such "damage" may just be the exogenous deflationary factor the ECB needs to unleash the much talked about, if very much unwanted contrary to all the jawboning, QE. After all it will be "Putin's fault" Draghi is forced to monetize debt, in order to offset a deflationary recession that would "surely result" if and when Putin pulls the plug on European gas deliveries.
Yes - in yet another New Normal paradox, Gazpromia halting gas to Europe may be one of the most "bullish" developments (only for stocks, of course) to hit Europe in a long time.
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Yes, but can they defend the sluce gates? This will prompt escalation.
"This will prompt escalation."
Understatement of the year though absolutely true.
I would be crossing that bridge sparingly
fools......WE DON'T NEED NO STINKIN' WATER......we need WODKA!....now THAT would hurt
In Russia...water dams you!
C'mon Boris, where are you? You are much missed on these threads.
The central bankers and their owners need a war.
The house of cards is coming down and they need a story other than their own actions to explain what took us over the edge.
.........will receive compensations for the losses.
Isn't that a promise from darth vader to the bounty hunter in Empire Strikes Back?
Like playing chess with 4 pieces each...your move Q4 K7
with 4 pieces each and a Kalashnikoff at your head. The Ukraine is fucked and so is the EU... Putin holds the cards, either Gazprom gets paid or 30% of the EU's gas stops flowing. The good people of the EU will not be looking favorably at EU leadership, NATO ineptitude and US interference. This is round one of the push to preserve the petro-dollar and the USD.
nuclear option: russia, ukraine and all iron curtain countries ban their women from the western and eastern worlds.
I would caution those tats to be wary of those tits.
Ya know what.. I'm Putin's age and I look better than that!
But I'll admit he's got a LOT more money than I'll ever have, is better at martial arts..
However.. I'll out shoot and out drink that KGB puke any day with his own guns and own booze!
Game on Vlad! Invite me over!!
<sarcasm>Yeah, but what you don't have is your very own Steven Seagal... Putin does - top that... </sarcasm>
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2014/03/29/steven-seagal-favors-putin-over-ob...
The water in the Sea of Azov has very low salinity, it would be super easy and very low energy requirement to make it into drinkable water.
http://azov-capital.info/page9.php?post=3ed
ead more at http://www.redorbit.com/education/reference_library/earth/geography/1112826188/sea-of-azov/#4ZZPLfcEkiXxYIGc.99The Sea of Azov, known is Classical Antiquity as Lake Maeotis, is a sea towards the south of Eastern Europe. It’s linked by the narrow Strait of Kerch to the Black Sea towards the south and is bordered in the north by mainland Ukraine, in the east by Russia, and in the west by the Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula. The Kuban and Don are the major rivers that flow into the Sea of Azov. This sea is the shallowest in the world with the depth varying between 2 ft 11 inch and 46 ft. There’s a constant outflow of water into the Black Sea from this Sea of Azov.
This sea is essentially affected by the inflow of a number of rivers, which bring sand, shells, and silt, creating numerous bays, limans, and narrow sandbanks called spits. Due to these deposits, the sea bottom is comparatively smooth and flat with the depth gradually increasing towards the center of the sea. Also, because of the river inflow, water in the sea has a low salinity rate and high content of biological matter.
Read more at http://www.redorbit.com/education/reference_library/earth/geography/1112826188/sea-of-azov/#4ZZPLfcEkiXxYIGc.99
So Seagal is a Soviet loving homo.
Let Vlad have em betwen the sheets!
I'l still out drink and out shoot both those fuck tards!
Shit.. Where's my passport? And do I have to bring my own ammo too!?
ALSO!!
I DON'T NEED A SCOPE THAT FUCKING BIG TO SMACK A TARGET AT 500 METERS (YARDS, WHATEVER)!!
I'LL DO IT WITH MY FUCKING MOSIN 91-30 OR MAUSER GEW WITH IRON FUCKING SIGHTS!
Oh yeah? Well I will dive 5000 FEET into a block of CEMENT! With my HEAD!!!
You are so American.
HB is a child of long term programing, it is Hollywood!
death to nation from within
who owns hollywood!
"Yes - in yet another New Normal paradox, Gazpromia halting gas to Europe may be one of the most "bullish" developments (only for stocks, of course) to hit Europe in a long time."
possible ... got to keep the lights straight into deer's eyes ....otherwise he might run away .... not that he has a chance anyway .... i am sure someone else waiting with the gun down the road just in case the deer tries to escape ...
Martin armstrong was talking about people trying "to get off the grid" ... he talks about millioners ... well not enough real stuff to accomodate these kind of millions .... we might be close to the end game
WHAT?!?!?! No more raunchy smoking hot Russian chicks doing porn! Holy crap! That is just ....I mean.... this shit needs to stop here and now! Dammit!
"The good people of the EU will not be looking favorably at EU leadership, NATO ineptitude and US interference."
I suspect that some of the slow-brew going on was for buying time to get together a propaganda campaign to dsitract from this (looking internally). People will look at their gas bills and blame the suppliers, seems always to be the case...
Boris is in Slavyansk right now. Did you hear 'bout a blown-up Ukrainian chopper? Yep, twas Boris! I think? ;-)
Looney
Lol...Amazing that he can fit all that in with the obligations of his copper plumbing mining operations...
Boris can kick quite a few asses with his HEAVY Russian accent alone. ;-)
Looney
Very true. Why?
Isn't there a UN treaty that says people have a right to water?
No, if you look closely it doesn't apply to Palestinians. (water is one thing that Israel and the West will NOT talk about)
Honestly, I´m surprised that the new Ukrainian head bean counter, whoever that may be, hasn´t called a press conference and pubicly presented a bill for all the assets lost to the Russians. It is probably the only thing the Ukrainian government could do to counteract the Gazprom debt without having to go into more debt with the IMF. Ships, buildings, equipment, land...that could easily add up to tens of billions if not much more. Of course, the Russians would file 13 that bill in no time flat and denounce the measure as a desperate stunt to avoid payment, but the media would have something to blab about.
exactly. i'm pretty sure the value of just the natural gas deposits off the coast of the crimea far exceed what was owed to gazprom.
if i were the ukrainians i would be threatening to turn the water back on and begin sending pieces of the old chernobyl plant down the canal. now THAT would be a way to say go fuck yourselves that could not be ignored nor planned for.
If they really wanted escalation, the tw oof them would stop this tango and get down to it. Neither side wants to fight, yet both want to win. We'll see how this all shakes out, but I'm betting on Putin. Nobody else seems to have the cajones that this man has...
he has two little eggs that why he is acting like this, Stop being impressed by a little man who wants to feel important. You are embarrassing yourself. grow up.
Great move, Ukraine. Trade gas deprivation for water deprivation. We all know how expensive water is compared to gas, that'll teach those insolent four flushing crimeans right? lol! This has to be out of obozo's own 'economic sanctions' manual. Will someone tell him gas costs much more than water? and that crimea is now a part of russia?
if Crimea is part of Russia, Ukraine isn't obligated to provide water services to it... maybe Putin can hand out Russian passports to Ukrainian fresh water resources then attempt to "protect" them lol
I agree there. The Crimeans had to have expected this.
The Russians certainly did. Notice the date below.
.
Construction of desalination plant being developed for fresh water in Crimea - Russian PM
31 March 2014
"Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said on Monday that a desalination plant could be built to provide Crimea with fresh water. "A variant of building a desalination plant is being investigated," Medvedev said during a meeting in Crimea. He said that all of the different possibilities would be anaylzed and the optimal one would be chosen..."
Yeah Russia is running things so well.
Have you read the NYT story on Crimea?
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/22/world/europe/under-russia-life-in-crim...
Russians can't run a fucking post office in Crimea correctly. Food imports have stopped and nothing works right now. EVen the courts have stopped working because there is nobody to administrate Russian law
I wonder if the "majority" who voted to join Russia in "fair elections" are having second thoughts?
Thanks for the link. Problem I have with the NYT is they've shown in the past they are not always "fair and balanced", to put it mildly, and the media in general can paint whatever picture they want in an article of that type.
.
New York Times Admits It Pushed Fabricated Evidence about Iraq, Syria and Ukraine
"The New York Times pushed fabricated evidence in the run up to the Iraq war. A year later, the newspaper apologized for its inaccurate, one-sided coverage.
The U.S. and the New York Times pretended that Syria’s government was responsible for the chemical weapons attack … but that claim was debunked, and even the New York Times was forced to retract it several months later. (The alternative media, including Pulitzer prize winning reporter Seymour Hersh, has also pointed out that it was the Syrians rebels – with the help of the Turkish government – did it).
Then the U.S. and the New York Times pretended that they had proof that Russian soldiers were the mysterious “masked men” seizing government buildings in Ukraine. But a couple of days later, they were forced ..."
Gas costs more than water? Not where I come from. Bottled water is way over gas.
And try living without water.
Sounds like he has two eggs more than you.
When you have expansionism in sight, you have to have chutpah or bravado or cajones. Whatever you want to call it, Putin has what it takes.
So you downvoted me. I have great shame. What about the many more downvotes you have? Wait...are you from the OCSE? We around here are all grown. When you get your bunny jammies off and come upstairs from your mom's basement, then we can sit at the big kids' table and explain all this to you.
I don't know whether Putin and Russia is being driven by expansionism more than say defense from the constant pressures/intrusions that the West has been engaging in. To me it's a push-back more than a "take." But, like any negotiated deal, Crimeria had to offer something for becoming an additional drain on exportable/revenue-producing gas/oil exports, and that's access to sea ports.
You're "politely" describing a Turf War . I'd hate to see you when you're mad Seer
Putin has pea balls. He acts the way he does because quite simply he and everyone else know that Barry has LESS than zero balls and will do nothing to stop him so in comparison his balls are huge. Putin and everyone else know that Barry and Co. are much too busy here at home trampling on the rights of Americans to be bothered with confronting anyone else. Quite frankly I'm surprised that NK and China have not moved on their plans yet. Anything that a liberal manages turns to shit. It's been proven over and over again yet a liberal will fight that truth until they are blue in the face.
Amen.
17-andcounting down arrows? Hmm. Trolls out in force today.
Come for the Bundy, stay for the Ukraine!
Our Russian "comrades" are busy on these posts.
1 mysterious car bomb tonight will do it.
Problem solved.
About 100 pissed off Crimean farmers should be all it takes.
there's no problem with water, but we'll compensate you for losses...
wait I thought there was no problem lol
That was for the farmers. Like in California where the drought mainly affected the farmers.
And turtles, looks to me like that turtle was napping when the water levels went down LOL. Either that or its SLOW in more ways than one hhahahha
Iskander bait. Blow the gates and the water flows. And it's a lot cheaper to make a ballistic missile than a dam.
Pour cement and pour lots of it fast.
Definitely a good reason to BTFD! /s
He means "BOMB THE FUCKING DAM"....we get you Yen....we get you.
Apparently my sarc tag was too small IR. If this doesn't push usd/jpy through 102.00 then I don't know what will.
Here's the realtime interbank f/x rates while the markets are closed.
Foreign Exchange Rate - Current Forex Rates, Cross Rates, Charts
cry me a river
For some time now it has been clear the southeast part of the Ukraine mainland will have to become Russian aligned, if for no other reason than to maintain water, electricity and gas flow to Crimea.
Also, I don't think there has been any threat by GAZPROM to cut off gas to Kiev, provided they simply pay the money they owe.
Only because they would also be cutting off gas to Europe, thier biggest customer
That is actually a war crime.
http://www.crimesofwar.org/a-z-guide/water-supplies-and-works-destructio...
As a general principle, in both internal and international armed conflict it is lawful to attack only military objectives. From this derives the rule stated in Article 54 of the first of the two 1977 Additional Protocols to the Geneva Conventions that “starvation of civilians as a method of warfare is prohibited.” Denying the civilian population water is just as illegal as denying them food. Article 54 states that “it is prohibited to attack, destroy, remove or render useless objects indispensable to the survival of the civilian population,” and includes not only foodstuffs, livestock, and the like, but “drinking water installations and supplies and irrigation works.”
You beat me to it.
...but you brought it to light. Excellent point sir.
this world is full of laws, most of whom were written by non-well intentioned folks. The GCs are an exception. I take them at face value, well-intended, well thought out, by people who had seen enough war.
not that they are applied by anyone anymore.
sorry.
not that putinczar would ever want it or anything else he's done to go to that court.
just as, for example, the u.s. of a. doesn't want the killing of innocent people in countries via remote controlled devices to be reviewed there.
too much blood on their hands already to seek the exception of applying the GCs to any of their 'causes' now.
:)
Geneva Convention. What's that ?
A wish list for the nieve...
The Geneva Convention defines the Rules of War which Gentlemen are expected to follow.
For example, high-caliber bullets should not be aimed at personnel.
But one may aim high-caliber bullets at equipment to destroy it.
A belt buckle is one example of "equipment".
You may not aim high-caliber weapons at a soldier; however, you may aim for his belt buckle.
That's the Geneva Convention.
"it is lawful to attack only military objectives."
Well then what does that make Dresden (or ... well fuck ... take your pick ... so many choices ... Gulf War comes to mind)?
Another peak for CHS to blog about: peak belief in the relevance and usefullness and value of international law and rules of war (truly supreme examples of documents not worth the paper they're printed on).
Dresden.....Stalin demanded a second front in '43, Dresden etc was a compromise to keep him onside.
Maybe, maybe not. Dresden was leveled in '45.
US & NATO have been engaged in war crimes for the past two decades, and the intensity of war crimes is increasing.
No need to pick on any side in particular. War crimes have been de rigeur since 1914.
Where is the part allowing countries to bomb wedding parties and the like?
Civilians have been targeted from the air since WW1. Shit has been fucked up for a full century now.
No war has formally been declared so you have NO legal standing, This is a trade dispute since Russia annexed the territory and Ukraine is under NO OBLIGATION to provide services it is not being compensated for. It will likely be used by Russia as provocation but no war crime is being commited.
And yet the US targeted (and did in fact destroy) Iraqi water treatment plants during Saddam's day. So much for fucking laws...
Eventually everything evens out.
But geez, John Bolton hasn't talked about it yet on Fox so it must be okay, right? I mean, c'mon...it's only water. Unless there's a shortage of it at Abu Ghraib or Gitmo to conduct, um, "horizontal platform and H2O stress inducing interviews" with detainees then it isn't really a problem.
So when NATO bombed electrical, water and sanitation plants in the Bosnian conflict they were commiting war crimes as well? Same goes for Americans when they bombed Iraq? So then saying Bush and Cheney are war criminals isn't hyperbole but actual fact.
Well, you see its NOT a war, just an annexation so no worries, right Putin?
So who reads and obeys the Constitution or the Geneva Convention?
That can't be correct. Why, that's just the sort of thing we do...which would mean the US is a bunch of war criminals. /s.
http://deoxy.org/wc/wc-myth.htm
Under Article 54 of Protocol 1 of the Geneva Conventions (the real ones, not the other crap from a couple of weeks ago),
"It is prohibited to attack, destroy, remove, or render useless objects indispensable to the survival of the civilian population, such as foodstuffs, agricultural areas for the production of foodstuffs, crops, livestock, drinking water installations and supplies, and irrigation works, for the specific purpose of denying them for their sustenance value to the civilian population or to the adverse Party, whatever the motive, whether in order to starve out civilians, to cause them to move away, or for any other motive."
Article 54, Exception 1: Unless it's Iraq under Anglo-American Assault
See Madeline Albright for clarification
(Note: At last count there are 96 exceptions)
EXACTLY!
Meanwhile, as the Anglo-Americans were responsible for killing hundreds of thousands of brown-skinned children they were all up in arms about a handful of fetuses (destined to be be "cared" for by crack addicts and such). Junk me, hypocrites!
If Crimea is still part of the Ukraine, the Geneva Conventions don't apply as it is a civil conflict.
If Crimea is part of Russia, Ukraine has no obligation to provide it with water.
Also, under those same Generva conventions you don't invade a country with armies with un-marked uniforms.
Puting himself has now admitted they were indeed Russian soldiers.
They were? Say it wasn't so Vlad!!
The particular clause that I quoted from the Geneva Conventions was written specifically to prevent the future use of Joseph Stalin's scorched earth policy. The clause is intended to prevent a nation's leadership from starving regions within its own borders of essential supplies which is exactly what Ukraine is doing to Crimea (assuming the reports are true regarding the water supply).
The main takeaway being that if Crimea is part of Ukraine (as western powers assert) and Russia is an invading force, then it is technically illegal to starve both the civilian population and the invading Russian troops at the same time. That's the purpose behind this clause.
Not that any of that matters. No one adheres to those laws anyway. They are essentially in place to crucify the losing army in the aftermath of a conflict.
In other words:
If you are going to kill and maim people please do it only with the weapons the military industrial complex provides. All other killing and maiming is unethical
Thank you,
George Orwell
Excellent point - they just gave Putin indisputable legal reason to invade the Ukraine to stop 'war crimes'.
or, ukraine can just charge enough to cover their energy bill from gaz-putkin.
fair enough?
:)
But that truth will never be broadcast. Instead, the spin will be how Russia under Meglomaniac Putin is invading all of Ukraine to reconstitute the Soviet Union, one soverign state at a time. This just shows how the West is completely devoid of any type of response to undo the clusterfuck the West created in Ukraine. The West is again forced to commit war crimes in their version of "Democracy". The West must be terrified at the prospect of over 1/2 of Ukraine voting against the coup at the end of May, and essentially voting to rejoin Russia. All the West has left is to goad Russia into making the first move to invade SE Ukraine ASAP and then suspend Ukraine elections so their coup can continue. Putin will not fall for it. Expect more false flags, dire warnings, Ukraine provocations, etc. up until the elections. The West is truly desperate because their bluff was called, and everyone knows all they have is a deuce in the hole.
Then what exactly is he doing?
So Crimea is either part of Ukraine (the position of the West) and Ukraine is cutting off water to its own people, or Ukraine is acknowledging that the Crimea is part of Russia and is now committing war crimes.
A bunch of geniuses we have here in the West.
Flase dichotomy there skippy.
What's your third option, Mr. Smith?
Am I required to acknowledge every conceivable possibility in order to point out the irony of cutting off water supplies to what you purport to be your own people (occupied or otherwise?)
Californias rise up and take back your water. Those Colorado River jet skiers have no right to the water we need in the Central Valley to feed the illegal aliens. War crime War Crime
It's not a war crime to refuse to give your own water a hostile country. The GC text was referring to efforts to destroy a country's access to its own water.
are we claiming there's war currently taking place in Crimea? show me where that's been formally declared, please
The governments of the world declared war on common sense decades ago. This is just the latest battle
That's not just a War Crime. It's an Act of War to deny water to a population.
Clearly this is the "last straw" that the US and its neo-feudal NATO puppets can play, to literally FORCE Putin to act militarily.
But, just to cover his MSM/PR butt, Putin HAS to make this a... "Big, international humanitarian crisis, that requires immediate international action and aid. All parties and countries -- including the EU -- able and willing to act and help now, must do so now -- or forever keep their peace."
Bottom line: As an earlier blogger noted today (4698908 ), the US Propaganda machine must be "outed" in the social and cyber media. E.g. http://www.voltairenet.org/article183337.html
As opposed to Russian propaganda from a country lead by a former KGB guy?
http://www.marketoracle.co.uk/Article39198.html
Supply is not the only issue. There's also potability. Right now, 40% of the global population has little to no access to clean water, and despite somewhat tepid modernization efforts, that figure is actually expected to jump to 50% by 2025. When there's no clean water, people will drink dirty water – water contaminated with human and animal waste. And that breeds illness. It's estimated that fully half of the world's hospital beds today are occupied by people with water-borne diseases. Food production is also a major contributor to water pollution.
Russia has the largest reserves of fresh water in the world.
This is a temporary inconvenience.
Is the Obama administration aware of this? Somehow, it must be blamed on the USA, and quickly!
Ukraine needs to calculate the Rent they should charge for the Occupation of Crimea...and then collect from Russian assets abroad.
Real estate ownership chain of possession legally recognizes right of conquest, so your plan doesn't work.
Don't get mad if I ask whose armed forces Ukraine would use to seize those assets. [BTW, I don't down arrow]
if the u.s. didnt meddle? if asshats bozo, biden and the big nosed irishman kerry kept their asses home to address our serious domestic problems instead of finding new foreign countries to turn upside down, none of this would be happening
none of this would be happening???? you mean he would not have killed those people in georgia and checnhya during busyboy's reign?
Comparing russian vs us atrocities over the last two decades is like comparing a fighting fish to a piranha. Many more deaths have occured in the promotion of western interests than russian ones dont you think?
A better comparison would be comparing the US to Hitler and Stalin combined aand Russia to Angela Merkel.
Ask a Chechen...
Turning countries upside down IS them dealing with the domestic issues.
Lets see, if they won't give them the water, ya think Putin might help himself?? I do!
Nothing a few well aimed bombs cannot solve.
That's a fairly stupid move, wonder who is egging them on.
Russia has the largest reserves of fresh water in the world.
This is a temporary inconvenience.
Except most of those reserves are thousands of miles from Crimea.
When it comes to water the big problem is distributing it. The existence of the Great Lakes within US borders doesn't help farmers in drought ridden California.
Tulpa,
there are oil pipelines across continents, even from Asia to Europe.
Why the hell should we not be able to build such a pipeline from the Great lakes to California. Five pipes parallel 30 feet dia each.
I heard some guys even managed to fly to the moon. What is a water pipeline compared to that.
We had that when I lived in Australia. Droughts in the South East, and in the North so much water it destroys everything. Plans were there, but they could not even build the short 300 mile water pipeline over the dividing range. Gravity would have done the rest.
Even the Romans got more things done than we do nowadays.
"Why the hell should we not be able to build such a pipeline from the Great lakes to California. Five pipes parallel 30 feet dia each."
Ever consider what that removal woudl do to the existing ground-based water flows? I have no idea whether this would detract from the Ogallala aquifer, do you? And, if growth is never checked then eventually even That water won't be enough- then what?
With the magic of EU accounting practices, I seriously doubt Ukraine will reach the 60% debt to GDP ratio. If The Russians think they' will be given a fair shake in the realm of Western finance, they are mistaken. Just ask Greek bond holders. They'll have to get their pound of flesh militarily.
In the broader picture, the 60% debt to GDP ratio of the Ukraine is down on the list of things the Russians have an eye on. That doens't mean there isn't a 16-penny nail with "60% debt to GDP ratio" written on it aimed at Ukraine's nutsack.
kill them all let god sort em' out
God will recognize his own. God has chosen sides:
"Good god" said God, "I've got my work cut out for me!" Trying to recall, I think this was from Bertrand Russell.
One has to stetch one's mind in oder to come to grips with killing others. Belief in a god(s) helps one swallow...
Amazing how Crimea became a fait accompli so quickly.
Not really. Huge Russian naval port that, by agreement, continued to operate in the Ukraine. They had a massive military presence already there.
No matter how much Draghi prints if the gas is turned off it will be a very cold winter for Europe.
He he he the banksters may do all the magics but they can't just "print" the gas to keep warm in freezing winter!!
Well with these trade sanctions, if the Russians cant use the Euros to buy anything they may well decide to demand payment with gold and then I am sure the Chinese would love some of that gold in return for selling the Russians clothing, shoes, network equipment, laptops, etc
Oh, it's trickier than that.
You see, nat gas is required to refine oil into gasoline and diesel and jet fuel.
Oh, it's trickier than that.
You see, nat gas is required to refine oil into gasoline and diesel and jet fuel.
We use electricity to do that like a civilized people.
"We blend most of the products from the FCC and the Isomaxes directly into transportation fuels, i.e., gasoline, diesel and jet fuel. We burn the lightest molecules as fuel for the refinery's furnaces, thus conserving natural gas and minimizing waste."
http://pascagoula.chevron.com
here are the numbers for US natgas used in refineries:
http://www.eia.gov/dnav/pet/hist/LeafHandler.ashx?n=PET&s=8_NA_8FN0_NUS_...
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This data is much easier to find than extracting one's foot from one's mouth.
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Here's an exercise for you. How many refineries are there in Ukraine, who owns them, and where do they get their crude oil?
Recall that most motor vehicles run on gasoline or diesel which has to be imported if you can't make it yourself.
So, how much does Ukraine import vs domestic production?
https://media.argusmedia.com/~/media/Files/PDFs/Meth/argus_ukrainian_mot...
so what did the ukraine gaz co do with the payments they received from customers in the ukraine... or it this the obama retirement slush fund...
diplomacy failed... when did any half assed attempt at diplomacy take place... horseface and biden open their flappingjaws and tell the media stuff they think makes them look tough... that's diplomacy? the russian dod counterpart wont even answer the hagel phonecall...
if elections were held and voters vote it woudl be quite easy to shh where the russians live in majority and where the remaining area is. so it seems putin will make a move before the elections.. if he intends to at all..
"so what did the ukraine gaz co do with the payments they received from customers in the ukraine"
An even better question:
How much gas designated for domestic use (at the Russian discount price) ended up on the international market, and who profited from that?
Yulia Tymenshenko is top of list so far...
yats gonna go splats very soon.
Cutting gas to Ukraine is essentially cutting gas to Crimea. But like Gasparov said, once you are on russian territory, Putin will no longer worry about you. Besides, Crimean have to re-learn, what is like to be Russian again.
Cutting water supply is stupid, presenting water bill to Russia is smarter, either way, both are recognition that Crimea belongs to Russia.
You do raise an compelling argument my friend.
eastern ukraine crimea gas lines - Google Search
You do raise an compelling argument...
I found it interesting Mr. Obama sided with a republican governor in Nebraska regarding Canada's desire to pipe their oil to the Gulf States that had already spent frn25B in refinery upgrades to process oil sand material. The claim of possibly putting at risk an aquifer already crisscrossed with numerous pipelines filled with toxic substances was suddenly a State Department issue as our Dear Leader politicized a US energy no brainer decision to favor oil from our Middle East "friends".
This theme of fresh water vs. political / monetary clout continues in CA as well. So what if fiat cypherage can be added to monthly fiscal accounting reports, the reality of calories per mass of human tissue will and should ultimately take precedence imho. The CA Central Valley can make far better use of fresh water than the vaca lands surrounding Eisner’s make believe world and the back lots of Universal studios.
Jmo.
"I found it interesting Mr. Obama sided with a republican governor in Nebraska"
Really? I mean, like this is a surprise? EVERY simgle issue has fallen squarely in favor of Big Industry.
Got to have jobs, it's "for the children" don't ya know!
EVERY simgle issue has fallen squarely in favor of Big Industry...
The article I read re: Canada's prime minister's relationship with Dear Leader offered a perspective we're often not treated to. Dear Leader is seen by "conservative" leaders as aloof at best and loathe to make decisions. While we can see that is the case, I can also see the task of governing other nations with this adolescent in the mind trust as exceptionally frustrating. The US leadership currently does not seem able to grasp the fact we are seen as sunsetting by the rest of the world is precisely because these folks are in positions of authority.
As far as Big Industry goes, the 25B in refinery upgrades doesn't appear to have been well spent at this time, and the biggest beneficiary would be the leaches of WS, again.
jmo.
Cutting off the water supply is a clear, internationally recognized act of war. Russia will respond accordingly.
Ukraine has no obligation to supply Russia with water. You seem to WANT a war so I guess you have never seen what it will do. You sound like a German before the last war, foolish foolish sentiment.
RE: the legalisms
IF Kiev-Ukraine first recognizes that Crimea is now part of Russia,
your premise mighty then be arguable.
But otherwise, and according to the USA and the EU, Kiev is cutting off water to its own citizens, certainly an immoral act if not a violation of international law.
Will the US, folllowing its own logic, condemn Kiev's action?
We had to destroy the village in order to save it! If it all appears insane it's because it is...
I really do agree that many people on this site want this war almost as much as some of the politicians do, perhaps for different reasons. It's part of collapse porn.
Regarding Article 54 and the Geneva Convention and "rules for war"...
It's all bullshit. What Article 54 and other such lunacy actually does is give parties an excuse to start a war. Party A says to Party B, "You broke the rules, we're declaring war."...and it may happen over the water issue in Crimea.
There's only one rule once one goes to war--WIN
General Sherman had it right. War is hell. It's supposed to be hell. When the death, suffering and misery on one side becomes unbearable, they quit.