Ukraine mega thread

Thanks for explaining to me what Putin was saying about the election.

I really think Putin is going to try to take Odessa and other productive regions of Ukraine, the same way he sliced off parts of Georgia and Crimea. I think Ukraine has to worry more about Russians inside it's territory leading groups shooting down helicopters and separatist "federalization" mob attacks, than the Russian troops on the border.

Well, I think you had described it earlier, but they are using pretty much the Crimea strategy. Now that they held the referendums, they are asking to join Russia, and Russia said they were going to seek recognition of the states from the UN (like that is going to happen) and then I imagine they will annex and send in troops. Have to wonder how the Kiev group will respond to that.

Paula Slier is a correspondent for the Russian Times Newspaper that is covering the Ukraine war from the Russian view. Denis Pushilin is the leader of the pro russian forces (interesting - but not surprising -that they wanted to be called pro-federalization, but now that the referendum has occurred they are seeking integration into Russia)


PaulaSlier_RT ‏@PaulaSlier_RT 2h
#DenisPushilin: we, the people of the Donetsk Republic, declare that from now on the Republic is a sovereign state.

PaulaSlier_RT ‏@PaulaSlier_RT 2h
We ask the Russian Federation to examine the possibility of the Republic to become part of the Russian Federation.

Well, I think you had described it earlier, but they are using pretty much the Crimea strategy. Now that they held the referendums, they are asking to join Russia, and Russia said they were going to seek recognition of the states from the UN (like that is going to happen) and then I imagine they will annex and send in troops. Have to wonder how the Kiev group will respond to that.Depends on whether the referendum vote was free and not tampered with. The pro russian group caught with ballots already marked seem to indicate otherwise.

I think it's fair to say that any vote with a 90% yes vote is probably rigged. Honestly you would think dictators would learn to make their vote outcomes something like 63/36, because that more closely reflects human tendencies in contested votes. If 90% are voting one way in a critical/divisive election, you can pretty much assume intimidation and fraud.

This is for NC_Skins

Balkanist Magazine ‏@Balkanist
VP Joe Biden's son has been appointed director of #Ukraine’s largest private gas

Hunter Biden joins the team of Burisma Holdings | Burisma (http://burisma.com/hunter-biden-joins-the-team-of-burisma-holdings/)

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BniCJlsIQAA4GZf.jpg

and for all you wikileaks guys out there:

https://wikileaks.org/plusd/cables/08MOSCOW265_a.html#efmAB5ACs

a cable from 2008 that basically says if Ukraine goes towards NATO, Russia will respond like it has. Interesting read actually.

Really could be a big turning point in the crisis:

Ukraine: Pro-Russian insurgents retreat from buildings in Mariupol - World - CBC News (http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/ukraine-pro-russian-insurgents-retreat-from-buildings-in-mariupol-1.2644943)

Basically one of the largest employers in the region said that going toward Russia was going to be bad for everyone.

The story seems like a real positive change in the city of Mariopul (sp?). The more areas that can vote in the upcoming election (which hopefully is fully monitored and sanctioned as legitimate by appropriate international observers) the more the crisis will diminish.

What have we told them about leaving their Tanks in the middle of the streets with the keys in them:

Random Dude Fires Tank Abandoned On Ukraine Street (http://jalopnik.com/random-dude-fires-tank-abandoned-on-ukraine-street-1577379277)
sNEhkSyvhyA
Kids these days Geez.

What have we told them about leaving their Tanks in the middle of the streets with the keys in them:

Random Dude Fires Tank Abandoned On Ukraine Street (http://jalopnik.com/random-dude-fires-tank-abandoned-on-ukraine-street-1577379277)
sNEhkSyvhyA
Kids these days Geez.wow. I'm guessing the Ukrainian army abandoned that bmp?

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/23/world/europe/tapes-said-to-reveal-polish-minister-disparaging-us-ties.html?_r=0

In a new excerpt from secretly recorded conversations involving some of Poland’s highest officials, Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski is quoted as describing his country’s security relationship with the United States as “worth nothing.”

Mr. Sikorski goes on to say in the recording released on Sunday, “It’s even harmful, as it gives Poland a false sense of security.” He also describes the relationship in more vulgar terms.

The deepening scandal over the conversations — apparently recorded in the back rooms of restaurants frequented by Poland’s political elite and leaked to a weekly Warsaw newspaper — has threatened the survival of Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s center-right government.
The scandal erupted last weekend, when Wprost released the first of the transcripts, declining to say where it had gotten them or who it believed had recorded them.



Here is Russia secretly recording and releasing taped conversations between high ranking Polish officials. We remember when this happened around this time last year between our Ukraine Diplomat and the State dept?

Folks pretty easy to see that Russia is doing everything possible to continue to destablize that region. Russia see we've got a weak guy in office.