(AP) – Ukraine’s fugitive president surfaced on Thursday in Moscow, where he was said to have been seen at an opulent five-star hotel and a Kremlin country retreat once favored by the late Boris Yeltsin.
Viktor Yanukovych reportedly was granted protection in Russia, but he has not received a warm reception. Although Russia still considers him the legitimate president of Ukraine, the Kremlin has treated him cautiously and portrayed him as a coward who betrayed those who stood by him. (more…)
In the annals of historical military research the #1 justification (affirmative/offensive reason) for beginning any war is always the claim of protection needed for a specific citizenry. Watch Putin use the excuse that Russian ethnics in Ukraine need to be protected…..
RUSSIA – President Vladimir Putin ordered an urgent drill to test the combat readiness of the armed forces across western Russia on Wednesday, news agencies reported, flexing Moscow’s military muscle amid tension with the West over Ukraine.
“In accordance with an order from the president of the Russian Federation, forces of the Western Military District were put on alert at 1400 (0500 ET) today,” Interfax quoted Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu as saying. (more…)
Very clever, Sochi 😉 #CBCOlympics #ClosingCeremony #sochi2014 pic.twitter.com/IhwIvpUkcR
— CBC Olympics (@CBCOlympics) February 23, 2014
Article about Closing Olympic Ceremony Humor – HERE
As with all of the political turmoil present within nations, including our own, there are alignments of self-interest which need to be identified. For a close to home reference you might think about the differences between the “establishment class” of Republicans and the “grassroots conservatives” who also situate under the same tent.
We who value “freedom” and cherish “liberty” would no more consider Mitch McConnell a champion of our cause than Barack Obama. Nor would we align with “establishment” principles – yet, from the outside looking in, it would be easy to define us with ideological attachment to Republicans simply by our association.
It would be easy, yet it would be vastly inaccurate. Such is the larger dynamic as we look toward Ukraine and what is taking place.
“Freedom” and “Liberty” are tenuous propositions under the best of circumstances because they ultimately are defined by people. People with a vested interest in controlling the expressions thereof.
With that in mind a thoughtful contributor, with direct attachment to Ukrainian heritage, has provided us with a larger perspective to consider:
People are not hearing anything about the normal ethnic Ukrainians across the country that are being stopped if their cars are too nice by groups of protesters in the roads with baseball bats.
The people get searched, cars searched, and told “it’s the law of the revolution” when asked what give the protesters the right to do take people’s property. We’re not hearing how the protesters and low information supporters have burned out police stations and told the police “we no longer need you”.
They have burned all records in some of the police stations so you can’t tell why people are locked up. The useful idiots are destroying the country’s civilized infrastructure.
It is exactly what occupy wall street wanted/wants to do here. (more…)
#BREAKING Ukraine's Yanukovych blocked from taking plane to Russia: parliament speaker
— AFP News Agency (@AFP) February 22, 2014
(Via XX Committee) Things are moving very fast in Ukraine today. President Yanukovych, after the bloodbath this week on the streets of Kyiv, has been thrown out of office by the parliament. The country is in turmoil, and in the east, centered on Kharkiv, the Moscow-backed Ukrainian Front, that I informed you of three weeks ago, is arming the population and preparing for civil war.
And now the Russian Foreign Ministry has made its position clear in a new press release on its website – the new government in Kyiv is illegitimate and it’s the West’s fault.
This is a remarkably rough diplomatic message.
It cannot be construed as anything less than a threat to an independent Ukraine.
The full text follows … (more…)
Report #1 – Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych on Friday announced early presidential elections and promised to bring opposition members into the government in a bid to defuse a deep crisis in which scores have been killed and hundreds injured. (link)
Report #2 – Ukraine’s president gave in to pressure from European diplomats and offered concessions Friday to defuse a crisis that has divided his country and left scores dead. Shots rang out near Kiev’s protest camp and protesters fought among themselves about what to do next. (more…)
Things have gone from bad to worse…. Some amazing earlier pictures and recap of the events HERE
UKRAINE – A short-lived truce crumbled Thursday as gunfire erupted at Independence Square, the center of anti-government protests and an increasingly violent crisis that threatens catastrophe for this divided nation.
The head of the protesters’ medical service said 100 people died and 500 were injured in clashes on Thursday, just hours after the government declared a truce in fighting that had shocked world leaders with the deaths of 28 people two days before.
The Ukrainian government has not released its own casualty figures, but Interior Minister Vitali Zakharchenko said 25 police officers had been wounded and an unspecified number of them had died. Some others had been taken hostage, he said. (more…)
UPDATE: And then there were four. Canada, The United States, Sweden and Finland have all won today and will play in the semi-finals. (North-America will play each other and then Northern Europe)
#1 Sweden will play #4 Finland and….
Both games will be on Friday with the winner of each playing for the gold medal on Sunday and the loser(s) playing for bronze. The USA women will also face Team Canada in their gold medal matchup.
To say Russia suffered a devastating loss would be to understate the severity of…
There is a national pride to the Russian hockey program. A long-standing expectation of excellence. The Russians are now eliminated from competition. (read about the game HERE)
It appears the Sochi winter Olympic venue is quite a mess. Hotel rooms missing beds and some still under construction as guests arrive. Some of the pictures being shared on twitter are quite funny. You can follow HERE
https://twitter.com/SochiProblems/status/431120611264303105
https://twitter.com/SochiProblems/status/431086821737365504
https://twitter.com/SochiProblems/status/430800007298424833
We’re not too well versed in Ukrainian politics so we enjoy the perspectives of readers with family, friends to help us understand. However, we do know the general modus operandi of the Russian political maneuvering; and Yanukovych going to the hospital for a mystery illness is a commonly used strategy. Generally a hard-line push by the government follows the “illness”. Perhaps use of the Ukrainian Army is about to take place.
[BBC] Protesters in Ukraine have rejected the terms of a new amnesty law aimed at ending the country’s unrest.
Kiev’s parliament backed an amnesty plan for detainees if protesters vacated the government buildings they have occupied and unblocked streets and squares throughout the country.
The opposition has rejected this and protesters remain camped out in central Kiev. (link with video report)