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Ukraine Defense Minister Warns Of "Worst Conflict Since WWII", Shifts Forces To "Combat Full-Scale Russian Invasion"
Unless they are tilting at windmills, the rhetoric this morning from Ukraine's defense minister is the strongest and most actionable yet. Via his Facebook page, Valeriy Galetey accused Russia of "open aggression," and explained that:
- *RUSSIA SHIFTED TO 'FULL-SCALE' INVASION OF DONBAS, GELETEY SAYS
- *UKRAINE HALTS ATTEMPTS TO DISLODGE REBELS: DEFENSE MINISTER
- *UKRAINE SHIFTS FOCUS TO HALTING RUSSIAN INVASION, GELETEY SAYS
Earlier in the morning, US Senator Bob Menendez said he has "no doubt Russia has invaded Ukraine," and following Ukraine requests for assistance from Europe and US, NATO responded by noting a reaction force or 3-5,000 can be ready in 48 hours.
First, Barroso claims Putin 'blackmailed' Europe...
Jose Manuel Barroso, who has just heard Putin. He says that when he asked about the military boundless in Ukraine, the Russian leader went to the threats: "The problem is this," according to Barroso, "if I want to, I can take Kiev in two weeks." As if to say, do not provoke me to anger with new sanctions.
Then the US chimes in...
- *U.S. SENATOR ROBERT MENENDEZ SPEAKS IN KIEV
- *UKRAINE NEEDS ASSISTANCE FROM EU, U.S., MENENDEZ SAYS
- *UKRAINE-NATO ASSOCIATION IS A LONG-TERM PROSPECT, MENENDEZ SAYS
- *UKRAINE-NATO PARTNERSHIP PACT WOULD BE A GOOD STEP: MENENDEZ
- *UKRAINE NEEDS WEAPONS TO DEFEND ITSELF, MENENDEZ SAYS
- *MENENDEZ SAYS HE HAS NO DOUBT RUSSIA HAS INVADED UKRAINE
Then NATO responds...
- *NATO'S REACTION FORCE TO BE DEPLOYABLE IN 48 HOURS: OFFICIAL
- *REACTION FORCE TO BE AGREED BY NATO LEADERS AT SEPT. 4-5 SUMMIT
Free to read: Nato allies at odds over response to Russian aggression http://t.co/Q54sdlBL1l pic.twitter.com/0l6SmE4xKv
— Financial Times (@FT) September 1, 2014
- *NATO FORCE SPEARHEAD MAY BE 3,000 TO 5,000 TROOPS: OFFICIAL
And then Ukraine steps it up...
- *RUSSIA SHIFTED TO `FULL-SCALE' INVASION OF DONBAS, GELETEY SAYS
- *UKRAINE HALTS ATTEMPTS TO DISLODGE REBELS: DEFENSE MINISTER
- *UKRAINE SHIFTS FOCUS TO HALTING RUSSIAN INVASION, GELETEY SAYS
- *UKRAINE WARNS ON BIGGEST CONFLICT IN EUROPE SINCE WORLD WAR II
- *UKRAINE ARMY SAYS REBELS BEING REPLACED BY PROFESSIONAL TROOPS
* * *
Seems like the right time to be buying US stocks..?
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Today is 1 September and "Fall Weiss" started this morning. 3 September Britain will declare war at 11am and France at 5pm. 4 September Japan will declare neutrality and 5th September the USA will declare neutrality.
That is what this is all about - bouncing dimshit politicians into action at NATO conference to save Kiev Oligarchs.
Really pathetic like watching re-runs of Gilligans Island ad nauseam.
http://cluborlov.blogspot.fr/2014/08/how-can-you-tell-whether-russia-has...
How can you tell whether Russia has invaded Ukraine?
Last Thursday the Ukrainian government, echoed by NATO spokesmen, declared that the the Russian military is now operating within Ukraine's borders. Well, maybe it is and maybe it isn't; what do you know? They said the same thing before, most recently on August 13, and then on August 17, each time with either no evidence or fake evidence. But let's give them the benefit of the doubt.
You be the judge. I put together this helpful list of top ten telltale signs that will allow you to determine whether indeed Russia invaded Ukraine last Thursday, or whether Thursday's announcement is yet another confabulation. (Credit to Roman Kretsul).
Because if Russia invaded on Thursday morning, this is what the situation on the ground would look like by Saturday afternoon.
1. Ukrainian artillery fell silent almost immediately. They are no longer shelling residential districts of Donetsk and Lugansk. This is because their locations had been pinpointed prior to the operation, and by Thursday afternoon they were completely wiped out using air attacks, artillery and ground-based rocket fire, as the first order of business. Local residents are overjoyed that their horrible ordeal is finally at an end.
2. The look of military activity on the ground in Donetsk and Lugansk has changed dramatically. Whereas before it involved small groups of resistance fighters, the Russians operate in battalions of 400 men and dozens of armored vehicles, followed by convoys of support vehicles (tanker trucks, communications, field kitchens, field hospitals and so on). The flow of vehicles in and out is non-stop, plainly visible on air reconnaissance and satellite photos. Add to that the relentless radio chatter, all in Russian, which anyone who wants to can intercept, and the operation becomes impossible to hide.
3. The Ukrainian military has promptly vanished. Soldiers and officers alike have taken off their uniforms, abandoned their weapons, and are doing their best to blend in with the locals. Nobody thought the odds of the Ukrainian army against the Russians were any good. Ukraine's only military victory against Russia was at the battle of Konotop in 1659, but at the time Ukraine was allied with the mighty Khanate of Crimea, and, you may have noticed, Crimea is not on Ukraine's side this time around.
4. There are Russian checkpoints everywhere. Local civilians are allowed through, but anyone associated with a government, foreign or domestic, is detained for questioning. A filtration system has been set up to return demobilized Ukrainian army draftees to their native regions, while the volunteers and the officers are shunted to pretrial detention centers, to determine whether they had ordered war crimes to be committed.
5. Most of Ukraine's border crossings are by now under Russian control. Some have been reinforced with air defense and artillery systems and tank battalions, to dissuade NATO forces from attempting to stage an invasion. Civilians and humanitarian goods are allowed through. Businessmen are allowed through once they fill out the required forms (which are in Russian).
6. Russia has imposed a no-fly zone over all of Ukraine. All civilian flights have been cancelled. There is quite a crowd of US State Department staffers, CIA and Mossad agents, and Western NGO people stuck at Borispol airport in Kiev. Some are nervously calling everyone they know on their satellite phones. Western politicians are demanding that they be evacuated immediately, but Russian authorities want to hold onto them until their possible complicity in war crimes has been determined.
7. The usual Ukrainian talking heads, such as president Poroshenko, PM Yatsenyuk and others, are no longer available to be interviewed by Western media. Nobody quite knows where they are. There are rumors that they have already fled the country. Crowds have stormed their abandoned residences, and were amazed to discover that they were all outfitted with solid gold toilets. Nor are the Ukrainian oligarchs anywhere to be found, except for the warlord Igor Kolomoisky, who was found in his residence, abandoned by his henchmen, dead from a heart attack. (Contributed by the Saker.)
8. Some of the over 800,000 Ukrainian refugees are starting to stream back in from Russia. They were living in tent cities, many of them in the nearby Rostov region, but with the winter coming they are eager to get back home, now that the shelling is over. Along with them, construction crews, cement trucks and flatbeds stacked with pipe, cable and rebar are streaming in, to repair the damage from the shelling.
9. There is all sorts of intense diplomatic and military activity around the world, especially in Europe and the US. Military forces are on highest alert, diplomats are jetting around and holding conferences. President Obama just held a press conference to announce that “We don't have a strategy on Ukraine yet.” His military advisers tell him that his usual strategy of “bomb a little and see what happens” is not likely to be helpful in this instance.
10. Kiev has surrendered. There are Russian tanks on the Maidan Square. Russian infantry is mopping up the remains of Ukraine's National Guard. A curfew has been announced. The operation to take Kiev resembled “Shock and Awe” in Baghdad: a few loud bangs and then a whimper.
Armed with this list, you too should be able to determine whether or not Russia has invaded Ukraine last Thursday.
sounds like Fantasy Sports - you should write the software!
Would that be worth Russia forgiving billions of dollars of uke debt?
If they take it, they own it, and they won't be paid back.
You really think there's still some way to get that back? Greek bonds are gold compared to Ukiestan debt.
oBUMMER says "No military response to Russia". Like dropping the gate at Churchill Downs.
Story from Mariupol:
http://slavyangrad.org/
Great link, thanks for posting it!
Obama calling all trannies into action.
YeeeeeeeeeHaaaaaaaaaa.
"The US effort will be led by the 69th "Gay Blades" Division."
What are the prior 68 divisions going to do? Channel stuffing?
It is now about Winter and consolidation of gains by the Separatists or final act of desperation by Kiev - so they need to induce somone to take over the fight without dependency on their "own" military that is finished- kaput!
Iraq Army walked away - Kiev Army walks away
in the breach - the USA in the air in Iraq but in the Ukraine there will be planes shot down by the dozens - not good for US public consumption - sending US or proxy military equipment puts Russia in with free hand to send any equipment it chooses - NATO troops same result
6 weeks left for Winter and gas cut off
I now believe that the critical path planning for the US for multiple eventualities is never done or seriously ignored - its all about catch as catch can - reactive decision making
these guys could never run a corporation and keep short term goals balanced with long term objectives within the confines of a Balance Sheet that has limits
Obama / Bush - all these guys are reckless and dangerous
Well looks like NATO will stage a war and act like they are fighting Russia and since it will make a great Hollywood movie later, NATO wins and Russia runs home with its tail between its legs after trying to attack a poor little baby as Ukraine...
NATO the knight in shinning armor, coming to save the day...
Seriously our world has gone to hell and by-god I have been almost drug through those damn gates of hell before and I won't go yet...
Look for a new movie at the theater; NATO Whips Russia...
When the nukes are let loose, nobody wins. Think of a new movie title just in case...
Hey White Boy. Before you go off to killing each other wholesale, won't you pause to view some previous results; http://chechar.wordpress.com/2012/12/01/the-wests-darkest-hour/
http://kevinmacdonaldespanol.wordpress.com/2013/04/16/americas-unpardonable-crime/
Plan A. Goad Russia into invading Ukraine.
Plan B. If plan A fails, lie and say they invaded anyway.
........guess which plan TPTB have gone with.
"This morning, Polish Forces crossed the border and raided a German Radio Station. As Fuhrer, I have ordered an immediate attack on Poland."
Yawn, snooze, zzzzzzzzzzz....Unfortunately, innocent civilians are being killed and homes and businesses are being destroyed while this badly orchestrated charade plays out.....
poles, french, english ? vlad's ready'n the jv team.
Did Vlad said 2 weeks to Kiev? Or 2 weeks to Lisabon?
Barroso is now little telltale running to Obonzo skirt. Disgusting.
Bullish !
Melendez the ped u.s. spokesman?
Just because he fucked some Dominican children does not make him a bad guy.....sheesh.
I just wish we had the technology to have pictures or videos showing these "invasions". Maybe someone will even invent a way for phones to take pics and video...and have them be connected to some kind of global information system so that you could publish them to the world all by ypurself...and then others could republish them on their own and spread the word...and when they were posted I would be able to use my phone to make comments on the stories at places called "pages" at...I don't know...lets call them "websites" with names likehere "Zerohedge" or something.
If only...you know? Then we could understand why our "leaders" like shithead murdering liar Menendez is so convinced it has all actually happened...and finally the poor Junta in Kiev could find justice and peace.
Oh...wait...
But really...I do wonder why the rebels and Russia doesn't organize a full press of pics and videos by civilians in East Ukie showing what's"not" going on...it would seem like an obvious thing to do...eh? It all makes me wonder...
There are pictures and videos but it's in Russian language and many of them are blocked in west... They are deleting youtube videos so we are saving them in ours PC...
Every day rebels post 100+ photos and 20-30 videos.
Some of them you can find here https://vk.com/soutukraine
and here
http://vineyardsaker.blogspot.com/
http://cassad-eng.livejournal.com/
Gracias to the both of ya!
i can admit now, that if a war will actually started we should go and find this fackers at washington dc, fed.reserv, brussel, etc and kill them first.
The "West" doesn't like it when people fight back, the victims are supposed to lie down and agree to get killed by bombs and artillery. I'm not exactly sure what Russia's involement is, but it appears to be more or less equal to what the West is providing Kiev, probably less. There have been 3 - 5 American advisors already killed in Mariupol, and the Eastern Europeans and Canadians are supplying arms to Kiev. The 10 or so Russian soldiers captured recently were probably lost, and they have already been released as part of a deal with Kiev.
The Donetsk and/or Lugansk armies admit there are about 5K Russians helping them, but they are volunteers, some of them formerly military. As far as direct Russian help, I don't think there is any, otherwise why would the militias agree to let Ukranian soldiers escape in return for their tanks and other armaments ? I assume Russia is providing intelligence help, or else the militias are the most competent fighting force ever, as they are reporting in some instances a kill ratio of 140:1. The militias do have drones however.
They have big balls and they are protecting their land, their family, their history
Press conference - Formation of a State August 24 2014
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yH35raTPVu8
Alexander V. Zakharchenko Chairman of Council of Miinisters Donetsk Peoples Republic
Up until about only 20 years ago, Ukraine and Russia were ONE nation.
There are "Russians" and "Ukrainians" with relatives and friends on both sides of the new recent, and admittedly "porous" border.
It is easy to understand why Russians and others (especially those with military background), may wish to help defend E. Ukrainians against the attacks from the Kiev forces.
Please note: It is the Kiev military forces
(financed, armed, and "advised" by US-NATO-IMF)
that have been waging a military OFFENSIVE against E. Ukraine,
NOT the other way around.
OT but in today's UK debate Cameron just said this:
4.08pm BST
Liam Fox, the Conservative former defence secretary, asks what is being done to stop the sale of Isis oil. And under what circumstances would Britain join air strikes.
Cameron says Isis makes a lot of money selling oil to Assad.
What ???
just business
Is this really gut check time? In reality America has few military options in Russia's backyard unless it has the backing of a full and enthusiastic NATO and that is very unlikely. Europe has reason to be unexcited about a possible long and expensive conflict. While still trying to recover from a recession Europe would face fuel shortages and a massive spike in the price of natural gas.
Putin a great deal of leverage. Don't hold your breath for Putin to back-off or back-down, he has put down his marker and is now playing both Obama and Kerry for fools. If an actual ground attack does occur the Russians will not rollover as other armies have when America approaches. More on this subject in the article below.
http://brucewilds.blogspot.com/2014/07/putin-holds-all-cards.html
The level of propaganda coming out the west is getting disgusting.
An example from today: "Thousands of Russian soldiers sent to Ukraine, reports suggest up to 15,000 soldiers have been sent to assist separatists since July 2014."
You read the article and their source is some grandma in Russia who has a "feeling" about it. And the idiot sheep lap it up.
"And the idiot sheep lap it up." ....they sure do.
all this makes me realize, apparently you can fool some people ALL the time
That's what Abe said.
At this point they could say "7 Billion Russians in East Ukraine Invasion" and if you disagreed you'd be called a Putinbot, with 7 billion upvotes to follow.
jeebus, just how long does it take to completely fabricate the MH17 black box recordings to incriminate Russia?
And the control tower recordings that Kiev security confiscated. http://www.corbettreport.com/episode-294-crashes-of-convenience-mh17/
I wouldn't joke about this. Other comments on this forum have talked about the U.S. "doubling down" in the face of defeat, and MH17 represents a major chance to do that.
I expect fully fabricated flight data and fully fabricated air traffic control that at a minimum allow the headlines to declare "proof" that the Rebels shot it down, and if they go full retard, will "prove" that Russia shot the plane down. The next step is air strikes on East Ukraine in response.
The Dutch may find that the investigation was "inconclusive" and let the bullshit of the West prevail.
Shh, don't embarass Bob by letting people know Ukraine isn't in NATO.
"Jose Manuel Barroso, who has just heard Putin. He says that when he asked about the military boundless in Ukraine, the Russian leader went to the threats: "The problem is this," according to Barroso, "if I want to, I can take Kiev in two weeks." As if to say, do not provoke me to anger with new sanctions."
Hahaha... What a blatant liar. Putin doesn't need to discuss in Brussel or ask for allowance at NATO/UN, so why should it take more than 3-5 days to completely overtake Kiev?
Our government and NATO are so anxious for a big war I wonder what they are trying to distract us from? A Western economic collapse???
A very good question.
Where the militias get their weapons? Here is the answer..this new vid thats on live leaks show the amount of ammo thats just been found by pro-russia troops in a ukrainan field baseafter the battle in Amvrosiivka
totla of 14mins of vid of a amazing amount of ammo,rockets....some very nasty big ex stuff here!!!!
someone going to be on the wrong end of these babys....if you like your weapons see this
http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=947_1409572760
bullish bodybags & brass
Thanks fuckers! Seems as though someone has lost thier will to fight the closer to Russia they got. This happens often form what I can tell.
Remember MH 17, the black boxes, the stolen ATC tapes, NATO threatening war! Could we have the results, please.
Edit: Already asked by other posters. Apologies. Just pisses me off.
Bullet holes in the cockpit didn't fit the MSM narrative.
This really cracked me up. In this video a shepherd screamed "Glory to Ukraine"... actually, it made me think about all other Talmudic crap such as "we're exceptional, chosen...etc" that is always followed by the sheeple's enthusiastic cheers and claps.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DhHZ4MEW2c8
ill join up as soon as i see bloombergs two daughters going to the front lines to lead the fight. until then , meh
Ukie's and EU, going freeze
Ceasefire on the table
Nato hand no better than Kiev
Thousand's dead already, or
Hundred's thousand's dead, or
Million's
Ceasefire on table,
Make the right choice
Before it's to late
When the USA starts drafting people again, only then I'll get concerned. For right now it's business as usual.
US should starting drafting for Libya, Afghanistan and Iraq.....
New rule: When you dissolve your government, your troops desert/surrender/retreat, you're being occupied by a nuclear power, and the occupier isn't committing genocide, then you can't ask for help or a new world war to save your sorry asses.
Since the Ukie government tends to exaggerate things; here is how to tell if the Russians have invaded the Ukraine:
http://cluborlov.blogspot.com/2014/08/how-can-you-tell-whether-russia-ha...
As funny as it is likely to be accurate.
There is a NATO summit this week. That is why Ukraine is crying wolf again.
The fact is, if Russia was invading, Ukraine never would have sent those lost paratroopers they captured back to Russia.
Menendez is a total POS liar with not one shred of actual, documented, unspun proof. He should be hung for trying to involve the US in a war of aggression.
These people define "moron". It will take a nuclear war to remind everyone we never, never want to have a nuclear war.
First, I am an AMERICAN who has lived in Ukraine since 2009.
How about a few FACTS?
1.) After the fall of the Soviet Union, President Bush-1 and other NATO members promised the Russians that NATO would NOT extend itself beyond its then current borders. In 1990 Gorbachev agreed to allow German reunification within NATO after being promised that NATO would not expand "one inch to the east." (To be precise, it was in February 1990 that Bush’s Secretary of State James Baker promised Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev that NATO would move “not one inch” to the East, if Russia pulled its 24 divisions out of East Germany.) Some NATO members were skeptical about Gorbachev’s motives. British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher was the primary the primary NATO leader in favor of giving Russia a chance to “prove herself”. In response Gorbachev withdrew all Soviet military from Afghanistan; then unilaterally withdrew of 500,000 troops and 10,000 tanks from Eastern Europe. It was Presidents Clinton, Bush-2 and Obama who broke that promise, with the addition of 12 NEW countries, plus an aborted attempt by Georgia. Other countries being considered for NATO membership include Cyprus and Macedonia (being blocked by Turkey and Greece, respectively), Bosnia-Herzegovina, Montenegro and (once again) Georgia. It these countries, 17 NEW members will have joined NATO following NATO’s “promise” not to expand eastward. And recently Moldava has expressed interest in joining NATO, which will increase the number of NEW NATO members to 18. Ukraine would make it 19. So, the question to be asked is, “WHO is not keeping their pledges?”
2.) It is now well-known that the U.S. State Department, along with the CIA and numerous Western NGOs (non-governmental organizations) planned, financed (at $5 billion USD) and helped orchestrate the Maidan Square demonstrations in Kiev, leading to the February 22, 2014 coup d’etat in Kiev in which duly-elected President Viktor Yanukovich was overthrown and replaced by the U.S. State Department Assistant Secretary Victoria Nuland’s hand-picked choice for Prime Minister ArseniyYatsenyuk (“Yats”). So, again a question arises:”WHO created the Ukraine crisis?
3.) Does anyone recall the CRIMEAN WAR of 1854? Crimea was under Russian control since the 1700's and Britain was the invader. I have walked and studied this battlefield on a number of occasions – it would NOT have been my choice of a field of battle.
4.) Russia included Crimea until 1954 when a drunken Krushchev "gave it" to Ukraine. But the city of Sevastopol always remained a "Russian city" with special status by treaty, which also allowed up to 25,000 Russian military personnel to be stationed throughout Crimea.
5.) Eastern and southern Ukraine have been considered part of Russia for centuries. In fact, ALL of what is now Ukraine, except for the northwester region, was historically part of Russia. Kiev was once the CAPITAL of Russia. The northwestern region from Lutsk to Ivano-Frankivsk ccmprises the REAL historic Ukraine, whose culture, customs and language resemble those of POLAND, much more than Russia. Indeed, if one speaks Polish, one is more likely to understand the Ukrainian language.
6.) On the southwestern border of Ukraine exists the Transdnestr Republic (adjacent to Moldava). Transdnestr is historically Russian and has held 2 referenda in which the people overwhelmingly vote for independence and union with Russia. It has its own government, currency, passports, etc., plus a HUGE well-armed military. It was a strategic Soviet military outpost blocking the ONLY practical invasion route (about 15 miles wide) into Ukraine from southern Europe - except for a small area near the intersection of Poland, Belarus and Ukraine. All other routes are blocked by impassable MARSHES and MOUNTAINS. The only other possible invasion routes into Russia proper are through Latvia and Estonia (or Belarus, an ally of Russia), where Russia'a strongest defenses are located. Transdnestr also has about 2,000 elite Russian troops acting as “peacekeepers", but they are hardly necessary. When the Soviet Army left Transdnestr, it left behind all its military hardware - including missile systems, heavy artillery, tanks, APCs,, heavy machine guns, small arms, etc - along with a vast amount of ammunition. Further, each time the Russian troops in Transdnestr receive "upgraded: weapons systems, the "old" hardware is handed over to the Transdnestr military..
In brief, if NATO should be INSANE enough to attempt to invade Ukraine, its forces will be CRUSHED as soon as they enter Ukraine, if not beforehand.
7.) It is a standing joke that even the Russians blush at the extent of the corruption within the Ukrainian government! The SAME oligarchs that ruled Ukraine in 1992 still rule Ukraine today. The only difference has been the introduction of NATO and U.S. interests, especially through the neo-NAZI political groups from northwestern Ukraine. The U.S., via these neo-NAZI proxies, exercise the REAL political control in Kiev - which means they control who is appointed to the president cabinet (ministries, including the heads of internal security, the military, the central bank and interior ministry), as well as the governors of each OBLAST (similar to a STATE in the U.S.). One has only to visit the northwestern city of Lvov in the Spring to witness the huge crowds watching the annual parades (complete with NAZI flags, German-style uniforms and other NAZI-like memorabilia) commemorating the Ukrainian pro-NAZI regiments that joined the Germany military during World War 2. It is no exaggeration to describe the Right-Sector, Svoboda and other militant Ukrainian groups as neo-NAZIs.
8.) Approximately fourteen (14) Russian troops got lost and wandered into Ukraine. NOT exactly an "invading army" !!!
9.) Entire battalions of Kiev troops have purposely entered Russia on order to escape from attacking anti-Kiev forces. In each instance, Russian troops have given them safety, food, and free, unmolested passage back into Ukraine.
10.) Most of Kiev's military is composed of "conscripts" with between 2-4 weeks of training, poorly armed and equipped - many Kiev troops were actually offered food by the locals in eastern Ukraine they were supposed to be fighting. (Even the neo-NAZI militia groups, such as the Right-Sector and Svoboda, are better equipped, though also lacking in real combat training.) Ukraine dropped it mandatory military conscription years ago (to save money) knowing that Russia would come to its defense.
11.) On a recent trip to Chisinau, Moldava (adjacent to southwestern Ukraine), we noticed that the highways had roadblocks and ALL bridges across even the smallest of rivers (more like streams) had defensive military positions set up with many troops. WHY? Because, as mentioned above, between Moldava and Ukraine sits the Transdnestr Republic (with Tiraspol as its capital), which has twice voted in referenda to join the Russian Federation, has its own HUGE, well-armed military (as a former strategic Soviet outpost) with artillery, tanks, missile systems, etc - plus approximately 2,000 elite Russian troops as "peacekeepers", armed with the latest Russian artillery, tanks, missile systems and so on.
12.) However, traditionally laws passed in Kiev were frequently ignored by other oblasts and/or large cities, simply because Kiev had no means of enforcing them. The people of Ukraine are truly INDIVIDUALISTS with a strong sense of personal independence. The best analogy I can use is the relation of the states to the U.S. government during the early 1800's - if the people of a state disagreed with a law passed by the federal government, they simply ignored that law. Even on a local level, it is not uncommon to see a citizen of Odessa arguing with a policeman, in effect asking, "Who the Hell are you to tell me what to do?"
13.) If Russia truly wanted to take over Ukraine by military force, it could do so in 2-3 days maximum coming in from the north, east, southeast and Transdnestr in the west. (Invasion into/out of Crimea is much more difficult, since only 2 narrow - 5 miles wide - land bridges connect Crimea with mainland Ukraine. As the Germans discovered during World War 2, these causeways are highly defensible, especially with modern weapons systems.
14.) Putin and Russia do NOT want to take over Ukraine. Ukraine is an economic "basket case" and offers Russia NOTHING (oil, gas, coal, etc.) that it already does not possess in great abundance. Ukraine would be a HUGE economic drain on Russia. Ukraine Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk ("Yats") and President Petrov Poroshenko (the “Chocolate King”) desperately NEED a war between NATO and Russia, in order to obtain military and financial aid from the West. And they are willing to issue the most ridiculous PROPAGANDA to achieve that end.
15.) I have said from November 2013 onward that the ONLY solution to Ukraine's political problems is to hold separate REFERENDA within each OBLAST, asking the people of that oblast whether they want:
a.) Complete independence from the Kiev government;
b.) Independence from the Kiev government, but remaining within a Ukraine Federation (with a Kiev government of very limited powers)
16.) THEN a second round of REFERENDA in each oblast in which the people of each oblast are asked if they wish to:
a.) Maintain their independence as a separate Republic;
b.) Join with other nearby oblasts to form a union of Republics; or
c.) Join the Russian Federation
From my conversations with the people here in Odessa and various cities in eastern Ukraine, my impression is that most people would choose: 1.) Complete independence from the Kiev government; and 2.) Join with other nearby oblasts to form a union of Republics.
John-Henry Hill, M.D.
retired physician
A wonderful post. Factual in every degree. It matches everything I have learned in 40 years of study of Russian History, since I was 15 years old. Indeed, to study Russian History, you must start in Kiev, to study christian Russia, you must start in Kiev.
I will say no more, since you layed it all out in readable form for anyone to see.
Make no mistake, see my post below please, the USA is behind this coming war in every sense. I lay out the reasons in my post below. The EU elites have been coopted by the USA bribes, corporate jobs for family members of EU leaders, and by the black mail threat of American NSA files and CIA files that include each leader's every thought, act and deed.
Snowden, we do not know what information he has. We do not know what he can tell Russia about the US world Wide Spying and blackmail programs. But there is a chance that it is explosive! Even Putin promised not to take some of this stuff public, to the relief of many EU elites.
And lastly. Any EU leader or Elite who does not go along with AMerican demands, that person is subject to CIA action, and they know it. Just look at the reocrds of small plane crashes, car crashes, suicides and others. If you cross the USA, the threat to you is very real.
Outstanding post - many thanks, Dr. Hill.
Thank heavens someone finally took the time o put it down in one well-framed post. Thank you, Dr Hill.
"Piggies" (the beatles)
Have you seen the little piggies
Crawling in the dirt?
And for all the little piggies
Life is getting worse
Always having dirt to play around in
Have you seen the bigger piggies
In their starched white shirts?
You will find the bigger piggies
Stirring up the dirt
Always have clean shirts to play around in
In their styes with all their backing
They don't care what goes on around
In their eyes there's something lacking
What they need's a damn good whacking
Everywhere there's lots of piggies
Living piggy lives
You can see them out for dinner
With their piggy wives
Clutching forks and knives to eat their bacon
(One more time...)
The Ukraine is a radically divided country now.
If Putin invades, one half of the country will fight against Russian invaders.
If NATO invades, Russian rebels will fight even more fiercely against foreign mercenaries.
The Ukrainian government needs foreign soldiers because Ukrainian soldiers don't want to fight against Russian-speaking Ukrainians. They surrender as quickly as possible. Then rebels let them go because they also don't want to kill other Ukrainians.
1. Drop "The" in front of Ukraine.
2. "Ukraine is a radically divided country now". And you know that how?
3. "They surrender as quickly as possible". Majority of soldiers surrender when surrounded, outnumbered and short on ammo. The so-called "rebbels" including. As well as the "non-existent" Russian soldiers.
Not addressed to you specifically, but more to ZH, Putin-cheerleders. I don't know how this Liberetarian, anti-Federal government, anti-Western mass media attitude morhped into love for Putin's dictatorship. Was it bacause he is a "strong leader, who stood up to Obama?" You guys are completely bedazzled by a thug, liar, and a killer of his own people.
This is what will happen in the next couple of years. Putin will be deposed, most likely killed. Probably by one of the internal factions. He is a poor copy of Stalin, the man he aspires to look like so much. He is less clever, and much less powerful than he pretends to be. The "Russian Spring" movement that he is financing, and desperately trying to control, will either result in:
1) the death of thousands of Russian soldiers in Ukraine (continuation of the ongoing invasion), or;
2) will turn on Putin himself (if he gives up and leaves Ukraine alone).
Meanwhile, the sanctions and dead bodies of Russian soldiers will piss off the still complacent segment of Russian population.
Putin is caught in the trap of his own making. All he can do is to posture and threaten the West.
Putin does what a good leader of a country should do: protect and improve his own country, protect and improve lives of his own countrymen and ex-countrymen.
Many (most?) Americans yearn for a leader that will protect the American nation-state and the constitution. Putin stands for the nation-state. In his case it's Russia. So the affinity is not so much with Putin, but his worldview.
An American Putin would sweep the current crew aside in the blink of an eye (augenblick).
Ukrainian MP says:
30.000 Dead and wounded Ua soldiers. (in my opinion 140.000 yet to go)
6000 dead civilians.
http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=ae0_1408364758
Senator Bob - SCUM
?Menendez, who is described as very close to Republicans on foreign policy[22] voted for the failed Kosovo Resolution, authorizing the use of military force against Yugoslavia in the Kosovo War.[23] He was an early advocate of preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear capabilities, sponsoring the Iran Nuclear Proliferation Prevention Act of 1998, which passed the House, but failed to pass in the Senate.[24]
Menendez voted in favor of Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Terrorists, authorizing the President the use of military force in Afghanistan in response to the 9/11 Terrorist Attacks
In 2001, Menendez voted in favor of the PATRIOT Act, and for its reauthorization in 2006.[29][30]
In the 105th Congress, Menendez voted in favor of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, repealing provisions of the Glass-Steagall Act of 1933, repealing provisions that limited Investment banks from acquiring Insurance companies or other Commercial banks, and voted in favor of the Commodity Futures Modernization Act of 2000."
Back in 2008 when the housing bubble blew and revealed the Bank's insolvency to the world, and as the financial crisis swept Wall-Street, Marc Faber was asked what he saw coming down the road next. Here is about what he said, word for word.
"What will they do? They will do what central bankers do, they will print, and print, and print, and print. When that fails, as it will, they will take us to war."
But Marc, who would the US possibly go to war with now?
"It does not matter, the US will always find someone to go to war with."
I ask you, how wrong was he. As to the question "Who would the US possibly go to war with." I think that answer is clear isn't it!
And as proof of this, I offer the evidence of how the Kiev coup happened, what provocations were made in the Donbass to tempt Russia into intervention, who shoot down the Malaysian Aircraft, who is sending tanks, money and modern weapons to Kiev, and who now claims a full scale Russian invasion of a NATO friend.
This is playing out just as Faber said. Notice the ECB and EU both hinted that money printing was failing and would be scaled back. Notice the Federal Reserve is trying to reduce QE with little real luck. We are now just at the point Marc Faber predicted. He said "Money Printing Will Fail" YES, we are there right now! He said "The US will take us to war". YES look at the EU and USA's threats. He said, "The US will always find someone to go to war with". BINGO, Russia is the chosen one.
I am afraid the West will not back down, they want this war, and by god they are going to force the issue, with lies if need be, with an open false flag if the lies fail. Why is war coming? Not because of Ukraine and Russia's age old spat over Ukraine's Easten lands, NO, because money printing has failed and the next financial crisis will be worse than 2008 by an order of magnitude. Central Bankes have set up the US and EU for an epic fail. A major war in Europe allows politicians and bankers to escape any blame from the collapsed economy and financial disaster, they will hide behind an epic military stuggle in Europe in which Europe will be smashed, and the USA will sit safely across the water egging on the sides to kill, kill, kill. When it ends, the USA intendes to be sitting pretty like it was in 1945.
If this sounds crazy, take it as a measure of how fucked the financial system and economies of the EU and US really are. The full scale war and threat of nuclear war seems less of a risk to Washington DC, than allowing the coming fiscal disaster, banking implosion and mass unemployment to sweep the nation.
Militarized police exist for good reason. The spy state exists for a good reason, and the world's largest military empire exists for good reason. The politicians are staking the future on these three elements to save the elties from the giant economic shit storm heading our way.
Good night, and good luck my fellow Ameicans.
Well put.
It ceases to amaze me that this isn't bleeding obvious to everyone on the entire planet. Even if you're not that interested in current events, surely you're thinking "Hang on a second, something is fishy here." It's so transparent it's cling film.
The rebels have used poisonous gas supplied to them by Russia! This confirmed in a u tube vid showing two Ukrainian soldiers fleeing a tent, and screaming GAS! Although a third soldier remained in the tent and was heard laughing. Alas, the vid was edited and the laughter part is gone. Now, to the UN.
Oh, and I'm pretty sure that the rebels are using baby incubators to keep their meals warm in the field, having left the babies on a cold concrete floor.
and, uhm, what else? Right. The rebels are sourcing the components of a nuclear bomb and if you don't believe this, I'm going to draw for you a big bomb cartoon in red.
The Donbass was lubricating.
I assume that by now everyone now sees the equivalence of the tactics of EU/NATO earlier in the Maidan and now in Dombas.
The creation of events by Kiev without any proof of their existence., but taken up by a chorus of EU/NATO chiefs.
The disregarding by EU/NATO of any evidence which discredits Kiev and its behavior, e.g. the Kievan ATC recordings.
The exception to this EU/NATO/KIEVAN tactic in the Maidan and Dombas is the government's use of force.
Prior to the coup in February, the government was very restrained in the use of force. The Berkut's numbers in the Maidan were only double digit and the casualties were around 130, caused by both sides.
When the new government took over in February, they pulled out all the stops, marched to Dombas where they shelled civilian centers, incinerated a building full of their opponents, and used white phosphorus as we saw in night photos.
The support of these animals by EU/NATO governments has a lot more to say about what the future has in store for us than what's happening in the present in East Ukraine.
NATO are never allowed to shoot at anyone, they just stand around trying to look like they matter.
More manure from Kyiv. It just never ends, does it...
We will all know if/when Russian forces move into the Don River basin, it will be unmistakable. You will recognize it because the Ukrainian Army and their Polish friends will be rolled up and brushed aside in a matter of days, possibly even hours.
Cannit be a coincidence - NATO meeting in Wales in a couple of days, and when I was heading east on the M4 on Sunday, more Po-lice than I could count heading west towards south Wales. Literally convoys of them. Also army vehicles. Why would they be so nervous.
I reckon they're going to try to start and end a war before it gets turns cold and half the Ukie army deserts.
obama loves putin as a dance partner. except that aint no banana in putins pocket. its a scud missile
via his Facebook page.
Go fuck yourself you twat.