Kiev Burning

[Cerebus]

Ukraine says Donetsk 'anti-terror operation' under way

Ukraine's acting President Olexander Turchynov has announced the start of an "anti-terrorist operation" against pro-Russian separatists.
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Pro-Russian rebels have seized buildings in about 10 towns and cities across Ukraine's eastern provinces, which form the heartland of Ukraine's heavy industry.

Thousands of Russian troops are reported to be deployed along the border, kindling fears that any crackdown on the rebels could trigger an invasion.
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Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov said the country's economy faced "the most difficult conditions since the 2008 crisis", with capital flight in the first quarter of this year of $63bn (£38bn; 46bn euros), because of "risks seen by the population and by investors"

German utility company RWE AG said in a statement it had started supplying gas to Ukraine, which faces Russian cuts over unpaid bills.
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But German Economy Minister Sigmar Gabriel, speaking in Berlin, said Moscow had to show it was serious about a de-escalation by pledging specific steps to ease tensions.

"If Russia is not ready to make sure the escalation finally ends, it must expect that Europe and Germany will be ready to start the third phase of sanctions," he added.

And, the balls on this guy:

(Note RT is a Russian government owned and funded media outlet)
RT:Putin demands international condemnation of Kiev actions in eastern Ukraine

Edited April 15, 2014 by Cerebus

[Cerebus]

U.N. Finds Fear-Mongering by Russian Speakers in Ukraine

GENEVA — Ethnic Russians in eastern Ukraine have falsely claimed to be under assault to justify Russian intervention, the U.N. human rights office said on Tuesday as it warned that such propaganda could affect Ukraine's presidential election next month.
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Moscow declared Ukraine on the brink of civil war on Tuesday as Kiev said an "anti-terrorist operation" against pro-Russia separatists was under way.
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"We do not have any credible evidence of issues that would justify concerns on the part of the Russian-speaking population of Ukraine," Magazzeni said.

[UNT90]

Ukraine says Donetsk 'anti-terror operation' under way

And, the balls on this guy:

(Note RT is a Russian government owned and funded media outlet)

RT:Putin demands international condemnation of Kiev actions in eastern Ukraine

Message to the Russian people, not the international community. Which you obviously know. Edited April 15, 2014 by UNT90

[Cerebus]

FP: Russia Is an Arsonist, Pretending to Be a Fire Safety Inspector

The Moscow playbook: predict chaos in Ukraine, then unleash it.

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For Yuriy Sergeyev, the Ukrainian ambassador to the United Nations, the last 72 hours of Russia's stage-managed separatist ferment in Ukraine's eastern and southern regions don't remind him of Moscow's invasion and annexation of Crimea in March. That's because the diplomat's memory goes back much further than that. "The Soviet Union organized separatist movements, and these movements organized pseudo-referenda and immediately demanded military support," Sergeyev said. "It happened in all three Baltic states in the 1930s. The Soviets also tried to do the same in Finland. They failed. It's why they launched a war and tried to occupy all of Finland."

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"Russia is pressuring us, involving external partners, to demand from the Ukrainian government constitutional reforms and to have a federalized state," Sergeyev said. "Well, Russia has a federalized state, but the problems in Russia itself demonstrate that this solves nothing. You like such a federal status as Chechnya has? You want the federal status of any of the Caucasian republics?"

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Whatever does happen in Ukraine, nobody is pretending that any of what's going on is a grassroots or spontaneous expression of civic discontent. Acting Ukrainian President Oleksandr Turchynov blamed the mayhem on "separatist groups coordinated by Russian special services." White House press secretary Jay Carney said, "There is strong evidence suggesting some of these demonstrators were paid and were not local residents." And Secretary of State John Kerry pretty much confirmed Russia's infiltration of Ukraine as a prelude to a possible invasion of the mainland: "It is clear that Russian special forces and agents have been the catalyst behind the chaos of the last 24 hours," Kerry said on April 8. Ukrainian Interior Minister Arsen Avakov has given pro-Russian crowds occupying government buildings 48 hours to disperse or face "a forceful answer" from state authorities. That deadline expired April 10.

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New poll data does tend to agree with the ambassador's assessment of popular will. The Institute for Social Research and Policy Analysis, acting as a consortium of a host of Donetsk-based NGOs, found that 65.7 percent of residents in that region want to remain a part of Ukraine, while only 18.2 percent want to join Russia. But even among the separatists, there's by no means agreement as to what should follow, an autonomous republic or wholesale incorporation into the Russian Federation.

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Putin is once again marshaling the same semitransparent tradecraft of provokatsiya (which is exactly what it sounds like) that the KGB and Communist Party used to justify their domination of half of Europe in the 20th century. All the markers of forthcoming "fraternal" assistance to the supposedly embattled ethnic Russian population of Ukraine are on display now.

In case you are wondering what provokatsiya is:

BBC: Russian media and the art of ‘provokatsiya’

The Russian language has a number of special terms to describe some of the shenanigans that go on in the country's media. I have already discussed ‘pokazukha’, which means something like a staged stunt, and ‘zakazukha’, which refers to the widespread practice of planting puff pieces or hatchet jobs, often for money.

Another is ‘provokatsiya’, which literally means ‘act of provocation’, but in a media context often refers to a hoax designed to embarrass or discredit someone.

Government manipulation of the message from the media is so common in Russian culture that there are a myriad of words to describe it's many subtle shades.

[Cerebus]

HUFFPO: More Than 10,000 Protest In Moscow To Denounce Russian State Media Coverage Of Ukraine Crisis

In promoting the Kremlin line, state television has portrayed the new pro-Western government in Ukraine as a "fascist junta" under the control of the U.S. government and determined to oppress Russian speakers in eastern Ukraine. The broadcasts have taken on a harsh anti-American tone.

[Cerebus]

I could sit here and post 50 images of the "local ethnic Russians" and how they all coincidentally went out and bought the matching camouflage patterns of Russian special forces, but a video is worth a thousand pictures:

This "local ethnic Russian" says a lot of interesting things, but the main being referring to himself as Russian Army Lt. Col. Shulzhenko.

You would think this is the type of thing you would want kept quite, but instead it's published in Russia over at Pravda: Police capture in Gorlivka directed Lieutenant Colonel of the Russian Army.

[Cerebus]

Ok, I'll share one picture. When I think of "grassroots, local ethnic Russians" in the Ukraine, the main thing I think about is them wearing the brand new "future warrior" night vision mount equipped helmet that only the most elite Russian special forces groups have gotten there hands on yet. I bet you can find barely declassified equipment like that all over Ukraine Army-Navy surplus stores.

[Cerebus]

The latest tweet from Crimea's "new Prime Minister."

https://twitter.com/aksenovcrimea/status/456057951997149184

Translation:

It has been suggested that, after Russia annexes USA, Obama should be sent to the Moscow Zoo. Let him sit among the monkeys. [The suggestion has been] approved.

And a screen shot before Putin screams at him to take it down.

[H-towngreen]

So much anti-America talk even though we've been sitting on our hands on this.

[Cerebus]

So much anti-America talk even though we've been sitting on our hands on this.

It's classic us vs them psychology. We don't need to actually be an active enemy to Russia. Putin needs an enemy, we fit the role well in the Russia psyche, he is going to make us the enemy.

EDIT:

CWT:TR-MAD has now reached 56 days and 35 pages.

Edited April 15, 2014 by Cerebus

[Army of Dad]

So much anti-America talk even though we've been sitting on our hands on this.

Well, most commies blame capitalism, fascism, and sometimes Jews (often combined with capitalism, but not always) so we have to be one of the boogie men in the crap they try to feed their people. They talk sh!t about us supporting the new fascists in Kiev because it's their playbook.

[UNT Five&Dime]

I CAN'T BELIEVE THE PEOPLE I TALK POOP ABOUT ARE TALKING POOP ABOUT ME!

[All About UNT]

I CAN'T BELIEVE THE PEOPLE I TALK POOP ABOUT ARE TALKING POOP ABOUT ME!

[Rudy]

I CAN'T BELIEVE THE PEOPLE I TALK POOP ABOUT ARE TALKING POOP ABOUT ME!

Triumph the Comic Insult Dog approves of this post.

[Cerebus]

Russian paramilitary leaders in eastern Ukraine caught on tape communicating with Moscow

A recording proving that Russia is backing separatists in eastern Ukraine has surfaced online. The SBU (Security Service of Ukraine) taped the operatives, whose code names are "Nose," "Adler," "Shooter" and "Agath," discussing strategy, weapon stockpiles, and requests for reinforcements.

[Cerebus]

NATO ups military presence amid Russian threat

Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said NATO will immediately deploy forces to the region. He says there will be "more planes in the air, mores ships on the water, more readiness on the land."

[Cerebus]

TIME: Ukraine Is Not Ready for the Consequences of Taking Russia’s Military Bait

By sending its military to quell the pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine, the government in Kiev may be setting itself up for a spectacular defeat, as neither its army nor its intelligence services are prepared for a confrontation with Russia

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On Tuesday afternoon, a few hours before the clashes near the airport, the Russian Defense Ministry announced that it was suspending all military supplies to Ukraine. “May I remind you that Russia has committed not to provide, or to show restraint in providing, weapons to conflict zones,” Russia’s Deputy Minister of Defense Anatoly Antonov said in a statement explaining the decision. (His caveat about “restraint” was apparently meant to make room for Russia’s ongoing sale of weapons to Syria during its civil war.)

In those conditions, Ukraine would be unable to repair much of its military hardware even if it had help from NATO; none of the members of that alliance use or produce the kind of kit that Ukraine needs. “The spare parts all come from Russia,” says Mekhed. “So we have to find new markets to find similar equipment to arm our troops, and not only weapons, but also training of the servicemen before we can put those weapons on the battlefield.”

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Much like the weakness of its military, Ukraine’s failures in the field espionage have a lot to do with its fraternal ties to Russia. “We even have an agreement on the books that forbids our [military intelligence] agencies from working against each other,” says Igor Smeshko, who served as head of Ukraine’s State Security Service from 2003 to 2005. “We could never have imagined that our Russian brothers would ever fight a war against us,” he says. “We could never have thought that just when we’d been bloodied from fighting our own tyranny here at home, that we would get a knife in the back from the Russians.”

In retrospect, that abundance of trust looks painfully naive, but it goes far in explaining why Ukraine let its intelligence work lapse in recent years, particularly near the border with Russia. That mistake has left it particularly ill equipped to deal with the current phase of the conflict with Russia. Over the past few days, the troops who have been seizing police stations and other government buildings have borne all the hallmarks of Russian special forces who have removed the insignia from their uniforms — the same tactic Russia used during its conquest of Crimea.

[Cerebus]

AP: COMBAT VEHICLES IN EAST UKRAINE FLY RUSSIAN FLAG

SLOVYANSK, Ukraine (AP) — A column of armored vehicles flying Russian flags drove into a Ukrainian city controlled by pro-Russian insurgents Wednesday, dampening the central government's hopes of re-establishing control over restive eastern Ukraine.

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Breaking hours of silence, the Ukrainian Defense Ministry issued a statement saying Ukrainian troops had entered Kramatorsk, south of Slovyansk, on Wednesday morning. There residents and "members of Russian sabotage groups" seized six armored personnel vehicles and drove them to Slovyansk.

[Cerebus]

AP: Russian Economy Hit by Ukraine Turmoil

Russia's economy slowed sharply at the start of the year as the crisis in Ukraine spooked investors into pulling money out of the country. But with Russian President Vladimir Putin still enjoying high popularity ratings, the economic damage is not yet likely to soften his politics in the region, analysts say.

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Russian markets have been rattled by the tensions with neighboring Ukraine, where Russia annexed the Black Sea region of Crimea last month. The main stock index tanked 10 percent in March, wiping out billions in market capitalization. In the first three months of 2014, the ruble lost 9 percent against the dollar, making imports more expensive, while spooked investors pulled about $70 billion out of the country — more than in all of 2013.

Unless the EU wants to end up with a shooting war on it's hands, they need to agree to higher sanctions, and to try and import American gas ASAP.

[H-towngreen]

Do you see this ending up in a shooting war? It seems as though Ukraine is no longer willing to let Russia take it's lands while Russia appears ready to keep doing what it's doing.

[UNT90]

A very very very short one.

[Cerebus]

Do you see this ending up in a shooting war? It seems as though Ukraine is no longer willing to let Russia take it's lands while Russia appears ready to keep doing what it's doing.

Without real biting sanctions imposed soon, I see direct military conflict between Ukrainian and Russian forces as all but inevitable.

At that point, I think the EU will wake up, but why waste the lives of those who would be killed in the war?

[Cerebus]

Ok, I'll share one picture. When I think of "grassroots, local ethnic Russians" in the Ukraine, the main thing I think about is them wearing the brand new "future warrior" night vision mount equipped helmet that only the most elite Russian special forces groups have gotten there hands on yet. I bet you can find barely declassified equipment like that all over Ukraine Army-Navy surplus stores.

Some more "local ethnic Russians" with highest order Russian special forces gear:

[Army of Dad]

Is that an air defense missile launcher or are you happy to see Ukraine?

[Cerebus]

Is that an air defense missile launcher or are you happy to see Ukraine?

Thank you for playing in today's game: MANPAD or ERECTION?

All joking aside, the Ukrainians are moving in, and I don't think it will be long before they shoot up some "local ethnic russians" and Putin has his excuse to invade.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ppACacZAO94

I watched that video and let out a "holy shit" when that NCO pulled the pin on that grenade just to make a point.

Life Lesson: If you ever hear a bunch of angry yelling, in any language, and then the familiar click-clack of a charging handle moving a bolt carrier. Run. Don't bother finding out what the hell is going on. Just run.

Edited April 16, 2014 by Cerebus