In small-town Ukraine, prospect of break with Russia viewed with dismay

[longknife]

A most interesting article from Stars & Stripes about a small border town in Ukraine that shows many of the emotional and ethnic conflicts facing the common people. It can be read @ In small-town Ukraine, prospect of break with Russia viewed with dismay - Europe - Stripes

But he also thinks his transition is common among his neighbors. Seeing the Ukrainian people stand up to a corrupt government and demand more from their leaders changed him. A week ago, when Russian troops conducted military exercises just across the border — a move that many in his town are certain was an attempt to intimidate — he became convinced Ukraine is worth fighting for.

“The Russians, I believe they do intend bad things for us,” he said. “I never would have thought this before, but now I am ready to take a bullet for my country.”

Just how far will things go and how many will change sides? And, I've already read some articles about the Crimean Muslim Tartars planning to oppose merging with Russia. A long way to go on this.

 

[waltky]

Putin tryin' to re-assemble the USSR...

Putin approves draft bill for annexation of Crimea
March 18, 2014 ~ Russia's President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday approved a draft bill for the annexation of Crimea, a key move in a flurry of steps to formally take over the Black Sea peninsula.

Russia's President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday approved a draft bill for the annexation of Crimea, a key move in a flurry of steps to formally take over the Black Sea peninsula. Russia's Constitutional Court and the Kremlin-controlled parliament are expected to quickly endorse the move. Some lawmakers said that Crimea could be made part of Russia by the end of the week. Crimea on Sunday voted overwhelmingly to secede from Ukraine and seek to join Russia. The hastily called vote was held two weeks after Russian troops had overtaken the Black Sea peninsula. The West and Ukraine described the referendum, which was announced two weeks ago, as illegitimate.

The United States and the European Union on Monday announced asset freezes and other sanctions against Russian and Ukrainian officials involved in the Crimean crisis. President Barack Obama warned that more would come if Russia didn't stop interfering in Ukraine. France's Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said on Europe-1 radio Tuesday that leaders of the Group of Eight world powers "decided to suspend Russia's participation, and it is envisaged that all the other countries, the seven leading countries, will unite without Russia." The other seven members of the group had already suspended preparations for a G-8 summit that Russia is scheduled to host in June in Sochi.

Former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev, however, hailed Crimea's vote to join Russia as a "happy event." Gorbachev, in remarks carried Tuesday by online newspaper Slon.ru, said Crimea's vote offered residents the freedom of choice and showed that "people really wanted to return to Russia." Gorbachev added that the referendum set an example for people in Russian-speaking eastern Ukraine, who also should decide their fate. The decree signed by Putin and posted on the official government website Tuesday morning is one of the steps to formalize the annexation of Crimea. Putin was set to address both houses of the parliament at 3 p.m. Moscow time in a nationally televised speech where he was widely expected to stake Russia's claim on Crimea and spell out his further policy in the Ukrainian crisis.

Putin has warned that he would be ready to use "all means" to protect Russian speakers in eastern Ukraine, and Russia has built up its forces alongside the border between the two countries, raising fears of an invasion. Ukraine's Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk said in a televised statement that Ukrainian law-enforcement agencies have gathered "convincing evidence of the participation of Russian special services in organizing unrest in the east of our country." Many in the ethnic Tatar minority in Crimea were wary of the referendum, fearing that Crimea's break-off from Ukraine would set off violence against them. Crimean Deputy Prime Minister Rustam Temirgaliyev seemed to confirm those fears, saying in remarks carried by the RIA Novosti news agency that the government would ask Tatars to "vacate" some of the lands they "illegally" occupy so authorities can use them for "social needs."

The Russian State Duma, the lower chamber of parliament, on Tuesday unanimously passed a resolution condemning U.S. sanctions targeting Russian officials including members of the chamber. The chamber challenged President Barack Obama to extend the sanctions to all the 353 deputies who voted for Tuesday's resolution, suggesting that being targeted was a badge of honor. Eighty-eight deputies left the house before the vote. Crimea had been part of Russia since the 18th century until Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev transferred it to Ukraine in 1954. Both Russians and Crimea's majority ethnic Russian population see annexation as correcting a historic insult. Ukraine's turmoil, which began in November with a wave of protests against President Viktor Yanukovych and accelerated after he fled to Russia in late February, has become Europe's most severe security crisis in years.

Putin approves draft bill for annexation of Crimea - News - Stripes

 

[waltky]

Granny says divide the country along the Dneiper River, an' give the east side to Russia an' the west side to the EU...

U.S. eyes military supplies for Ukraine, seeks to avoid escalation
WASHINGTON Thu Mar 20, 2014 - The Pentagon said on Thursday it was focusing for now on Ukrainian requests for non-lethal support, as opposed to any weaponry, as a senior U.S. official said Washington wanted to avoid further militarizing the standoff with Russia.

Ukraine's government has put its heavily outnumbered and outgunned forces on alert for an invasion from Russia in the east following Moscow's seizure of Crimea. Kiev has asked for military support from the United States, which U.S. officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, say includes small arms, as well as non-lethal assistance, such as medical supplies.

So far, the U.S. government has only approved providing military food rations, officials say, as President Barack Obama's government instead focused on financial support for Ukraine and pressuring Russia diplomatically. "I think it's safe to say that right now, the focus of that review (of Ukraine's military requests) is on the non-lethal side of things," Pentagon spokesman Rear Admiral John Kirby told a news briefing. "But it is very much still an active issue under consideration." Obama's critics, including Senator John McCain, a Republican from Arizona, have lambasted the hesitancy, saying last week the United States should not be "imposing an arms embargo on a victim of aggression."

Still, a senior administration official, defended Obama's approach on Thursday, as Washington unveiled new sanctions against Russian President Vladimir Putin's closest long-time political and business allies. "It's our view that the best course here is to lay down strong costs through these sanctions ... We don't want to take steps to add to a momentum of further militarizing the situation," the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. Kirby did not offer a timeline for the review of Ukrainian requests. He noted the food rations have not been delivered yet. "There are other non-lethal items which are being considered. I don't want to go into them by detail and give you a shopping list, but, in general, it's on the order of medical supplies and uniform equipment and that kind of thing," he said.

U.S. eyes military supplies for Ukraine, seeks to avoid escalation | Reuters

See also:

Russian troop movements raise concern of Ukraine invasion
March 20, 2014, WASHINGTON -- The buildup of Russian troops along the Ukrainian border is large and getting larger, and it is raising serious concerns that Russia could invade Ukraine proper.

Right now, there are as many as 20,000 Russian troops, complete with tanks and artillery, positioned just to the east of Ukraine. But other units deeper inside Russia appear to be on the move and could soon double the number of troops at the border. On Thursday, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel called Moscow to ask Russia's defense minister directly about the troop movements.

Pentagon spokesman Adm. John Kirby said the Russian promised there would be no invasion. "It's an exercise only, no intention of crossing the border into Ukraine, not going to take any aggressive action," Kirby said. "That was Minister Shoigu's words, and Secretary Hagel's expectation is that he will live up to those words."

The obvious next question is: How long will the exercise last? When Hagel asked that of the Russian defense minister, the answer was that there is no firm timetable.

Russian troop movements raise concern of Ukraine invasion - CBS News