Kiev Burning

[Cerebus]

WSJ: Map of a Tragedy: How MH17 Came Apart Over Ukraine

Very interesting map, that shows how the plane came apart piece by piece and where those pieces landed. For example:

4. Right Rear Door Frame

A cattle pasture in Hrabove is littered with pieces of the jet's fuselage skin. A part of the right side of the rear passenger cabin at the last set of the jet’s doors sits mangled, its door missing. The skin shows the identity of the Boeing 777, with the Malaysian registration 9M-MRD.

Edited July 30, 2014 by Cerebus

[Cerebus]

Al Jazeera: Ukraine army closes in on Donetsk

Government forces said in a statement on Wednesday that they had seized control of Avdiyivka, a town of about 40,000 about a dozen kilometres north of Donetsk, as Ukraine tightened its grip around the key rebel bastion.

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Elsewhere, clashes continued around the crash site of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17, with government forces saying they were conducting a "mopping up" operation in the town of Ilovaysk, about 40km west of the site.

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The latest advances in Donetsk come as government troops attempt to push on with an offensive that has seen them reclaim several key towns in the past few weeks, and could see them cut alleged supply routes from Russia to rebels camped out in Donetsk.

The military said that they had repulsed tank fire to destroy a convoy of vehicles that crossed the Russian border early on Wednesday morning and that troops at the key Dovzhansky frontier post had been fired at from Russia.

Even with Russia support, the rebels seem to be living on borrowed time. Of course:

#Ukraine conflict enters most dangerous phase, not because "Russian-backed rebels winning, but because they are losing" - Neil Buckley @FT

— Yuri Bender (@YuriBender)

July 30, 2014

What is Putin going to do? Is he going to let the rebels be crushed? Is he going to step up unofficial support? Is he going to go Full Russian and send a couple Motorized Rifle Divisions over the border?

[Army of Dad]

WSJ: Map of a Tragedy: How MH17 Came Apart Over Ukraine

Very interesting map, that shows how the plane came apart piece by piece and where those pieces landed. For example:

http://m.us.wsj.com/articles/after-flight-17-crash-agony-debris-and-heartbreak-in-ukraine-villages-1406335532?mobile=y

The companion article for that piece. Basically a look into the villages that had much of the debris and bodies land on them.

Edited July 30, 2014 by Army of Dad

[Cerebus]

Is he going to go Full Russian and send a couple Motorized Rifle Divisions over the border?

Reuters: Russia increasing troops, moving towards Ukraine border

"We watch the materials move from inside the central military district in Russia to the area of Rostov, where they are assembled, then meet, train, and move towards the border and we see them across the border," he told reporters at Pristina airport after visiting NATO troops in Kosovo.

[Cerebus]

WashPo: This map is why Europe’s new sanctions against Russia took so long

[Cerebus]

FT: Ukraine tries to wrestle Russia over South Stream gas pipeline

Thursday will be a crucial day for Ukraine. Its parliament will attempt to adopt a package of bills needed to secure the next tranche of an IMF bail-out loan. Equally important will be a separate bill to allow the creation of a joint venture between EU and US companies to operate Ukraine’s gas transportation system.

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According to the bill, 51 per cent of the Ukraine’s gas transportation system should be controlled by the state, while 49 per cent could be held by western firms. Yatseniuk said this scheme would help to prevent the construction of Russia’s South Stream gas pipeline under the Black Sea, which bypasses the territory of Ukraine.

This would be exactly the opposite of what Putin wanted out of the whole fiasco.

[Army of Dad]

So what's Putin's plan? The average Russian doesn't take a dump without a plan.

[All About UNT]

Thanks Cerebus for the posts....keep em coming! I check this thread as much as Football and Recruiting

[UNT90]

Guardian: vast majority of Russians believe Ukraine downed plane, poll finds

Do we know how truly "independent" this Russian research company is?

[Cerebus]

Gurdian: Ukraine rebel chief Igor Bezler threatens to execute interviewer

With a walrus moustache, a fiery temper and a reputation for brutality, Igor Bezler is the most feared of all the rebel leaders in eastern Ukraine. Nicknamed Bes, or “the Demon”, he is regarded as something of a loose cannon, even by other rebels, who speak about him in hushed tones.

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According to the recording of a phone call allegedly made two minutes before the disaster, the Demon was told: “A bird is flying towards you.” He asked whether it was small or big, and was told that it was hard to see, as it was flying high above the clouds. In another recording, apparently made 20 minutes later, the Demon reported to his interlocutor, supposedly a Russian intelligence official, that a plane had been shot down.

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Protesting only made things worse. He barked commands at his subordinates: “Burn their notebooks! Seize their electronics! Search everything for compromising material and then destroy it! If you find anything, execute them as spies!”

Working in eastern Ukraine has been difficult for all journalists and anger and threats are commonplace. This was the first time, however, that I felt a very real sense of danger. “Don’t think for one minute I will hesitate to have you shot,” he yelled at the pair of us.

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Deep down, they all expect to die here. One of the Demon’s men, a jovial Muscovite, gave us a number to call so we could tell his relatives where to find his body when he is killed. None of his family knew he had come to Ukraine to fight. “There is nowhere for us to go now. We will fight until the end, until the last drop of our blood is spilled and the last one of us is dead,” he said.

[Cerebus]

AP: Putin Cornered Over Ukraine

For Russian President Vladimir Putin, there are few options left in the Ukraine crisis and they all look bad.

He is caught between a determined West demanding that he disavow the pro-Russian insurgents in Ukraine and increasingly assertive nationalists at home urging him to champion the mutiny and send in the Russian army.

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Bowing to Western demands would potentially spell political suicide for the Russian leader, who has built his popularity on standing up to the West. Under pressure, he may choose instead to escalate the crisis and risk an all-out confrontation.

Putin didn't plan for it to happen this way.

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At the onset of the turmoil, Putin hoped that Ukraine would join a Russia-dominated economic alliance. When such hopes evaporated with the ouster of President Viktor Yanukovych, Moscow began pushing for a "federalization" of Ukraine that would give broad powers to its provinces and allow them to deal directly with Moscow. Rebels later backed those demands by conducting independence referendums that both Ukraine and the West declared a sham.

The Kremlin then softened its rhetoric and started calling vaguely for a "dialogue" between the central government and the regions that would give the provinces a bigger say over local issues.

Now with his hand weakened by the plane disaster, Putin may be eager to accept any vague deal that would allow Moscow to maintain just a symbolic degree of influence. Such a deal, however, would have to involve concessions by both parties, something that is hard to achieve amid continuing fighting and growing distrust.

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Putin is already facing scathing criticism in Russian nationalist publications and online forums for betraying Russian speakers in Ukraine by failing to send in the army.

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Pressed against the wall, Putin may even decide to send troops into Ukraine. They would likely crush the weak and disorganized Ukrainian military within days. The West would be unlikely to intervene militarily, but it would freeze virtually all ties with Moscow, sending the Russian economy into a tailspin. Living standards will plummet quickly, possibly spawning social unrest.

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In a sense, the Russian leader has become hostage to his own propaganda that has cast the West as an enemy of Russia.

Putin's approval ratings so far have remained high, but if the economy starts collapsing under the brunt of Western sanctions his popularity would dwindle quickly

[Cerebus]

NPR: Dutch, Australian Experts Reach MH17 Debris Field In Ukraine

Speaking to CNN, OSCE spokesman Michael Bociurkiw said that for the first time senior experts were at the scene of the tragedy to begin their investigation.

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"The Ukrainian government said on its website that it is stopping fighting in response to an appeal from UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.

"The statement said that Ukrainian soldiers will only shoot back if their positions are attacked. Aviation experts and police from the Netherlands, Australia and Malaysia have been trying to reach the wreckage site for days, but have been turned back by heavy fighting.

"Meanwhile, experts from Russia's aviation agency say they will attempt to join the investigation, if it's safe to reach the wreckage site.

"Dutch and Ukrainian experts declined to comment on the Russian offer."

Experts today detected presence of human remains on crash site, says OSCE spokesperson.

— Simon Kruse (@crusoes)

July 31, 2014

[Cerebus]

Telegraph: 80 bodies 'remain at MH17 crash site’ as investigators move in

A small group of international investigators finally reached the MH17 crash site in eastern Ukraine yesterday, as Australia's foreign minister said she believed up to 80 bodies remained there.

Two Dutch and two Australian specialists visited the debris zone after almost a week of daily attempts to reach the site had been thwarted by continued fighting in the area.

[H-towngreen]

Is the fighting over? Or is someone just slacking?

http://news.yahoo.com/ukrainian-soldiers-cross-border-russia-113023638.html

[Cerebus]

Is the fighting over? Or is someone just slacking?

http://news.yahoo.com/ukrainian-soldiers-cross-border-russia-113023638.html

It's all going to hell. I've already popped the covers off of my pmags.

I am busy with work/school now, but I'll try to update this thread over the weekend.

[Cerebus]

Do you, like UNT90, simply refuse to to let of the 80s, your IROC-Z and that glorious mullet?

Good news! The 80s are back!

ITAR-TASS: NATO Ends Cooperation with Russia

*disclaimer: shaky Russian translation*

Later, at a briefing in Kiev Rasmussen said that NATO will not supply weapons to Ukraine, but NATO countries can do it. "With regard to the supply of military equipment, it is not a question of NATO. Our alliance is engaged in the supply of weapons did not NATO do specific NATO countries. Therefore, this issue should be resolved bilaterally," - said Rasmussen.

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"The Alliance stops cooperation with the Russian Federation, strengthens collective defense for the protection of all NATO members and decided to increase the level of support and cooperation with Ukraine," - said the secretary general.

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According to him, the alliance has stopped cooperation with Russia in all fields. We are talking about Afghanistan, operations against terrorism, the fight against drug trafficking and piracy.

[Cerebus]

Tanks in Kiev:

https://twitter.com/segodnya_online/status/497348707541843968/photo/1

Russians technically abducted these people:

#NSDC says #Russia authorities holding 28 #Ukraine border guards and 18 military personnel - 5 charged with shelling Russian territory

— /r/UkrainianConflict (@UkraineConflict)

August 7, 2014

You get sanctions, and you get sanctions, and YOU get sanctions!

U.S. Treasury Undersecretary Cohen says U.S. prepared to levy additional sanctions on Russia. Reuters

— Breaking News Feed (@PzFeed)

August 7, 2014

[Cerebus]

ABC.net.au: Russia bans food imports from Australia, US, EU over sanctions

Russia has announced a ban on most food imports from a range of Western nations, including Australia, in response to sanctions imposed on Moscow.

Meanwhile, NATO secretary-general Anders Gogh Rasmussen has called on Russia to "step back from the brink" of war by pulling its troops back from the Ukrainian border.

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Russia considers blocking air space

Russia has also warned it could block international flights that cross its territory as they travel between Europe and Asia.

The use of Russian airspace saves Western airlines large amounts in fuel costs. Bank of America Merrill Lynch estimated that using longer routes could add about $32,000 to the cost of each flight.

It also noted that Russia's top airline, Aeroflot, which receives the fees gathered from European airlines for the over-flight rights, would be sent into a financial tailspin by the ban.

[Cerebus]

Human Rights Watch: Russia Must Recognize Ukraine Rebels' Human Rights Abuses

Recently I was present when local authorities started exhuming 14 bodies from a mass grave in Sloviansk. Local authorities appear to have identified at least some of the bodies as having been detained and killed by Moscow-backed insurgent forces when they were in control of the city from mid-April to early July. In fact, after the insurgent forces fled Sloviansk, journalists found execution orders in the secret service building that they used for headquarters and detention facility.

Human Rights Watch documented in detail that these same insurgent forces have been running amok — taking, beating and torturing hostages, as well as wantonly threatening and beating people who are pro-Kiev. We also documented that they are implicated in at least one targeted killing of a prominent local political activist.

Insurgent forces, so strongly supported by Russia, have also committed other violations. In a report released yesterday, Human Rights Watch documented that insurgent forces have endangered medical staff and patients, violating the laws of war. The insurgent forces have threatened medical staff, stolen and destroyed medical equipment and hospital furniture, occupied hospital buildings and wards, and expropriated ambulances for transporting active fighters.

[Cerebus]

Russia had better handle this situation currently unless they want a foreign funded Islamist insurgency erupting in Crimea and possibly other areas of Ukraine and Russia.

BBC: The mystery of a missing Crimean Tatar

The unexplained disappearance of a pro-Ukrainian Crimean Tatar at the end of May - weeks after Russia completed its annexation of Crimea - is contributing to a sense of nervousness among Tatars, now a minority on a peninsula they once dominated.

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Krisko reminds me that Reshat Ametov, a 38-year-old Crimean Tatar and human rights activist, disappeared on 3 March in Simferopol after he had been filmed by a local TV crew standing in silent protest before uniformed men and Crimean self-defence forces surrounding the Cabinet of Ministers building in Simferopol.

Two weeks later his body, bearing signs of torture, was found 50 km away. His hands were tied behind his back.

The police have yet to charge anyone for this murder. Some members of the Crimean Tatar community - which made up about 12% of the population of the peninsula in 2001 - believe it was a racist attack. Others fear it might be part of a plan to ignite a conflict between the ethnic minority and Russian majority on the peninsula.

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But Aksyonov's calm deserts him when I ask why the widely respected leader of the Crimean Tatar community, Mustafa Dzhemilev, has been banned from entering the peninsula.

He snaps that Dzhemilev is an "extremist", who stirs up ethnic divisions and is an "agent for the Western secret services in Crimea".

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Whatever the view of the majority in Crimea, many Tatars would have preferred the peninsula to remain part of Ukraine, because they believe there is a better chance of Ukraine guaranteeing minority rights. They also remember that the deportation in 1944 was ordered from Moscow.

According to Krisko, many Tatars have also rejected Russian citizenship, which he says could affect their right to own land, to travel, or gain access to schools and healthcare. Ten days before Seiran Zinedinov's disappearance, a Crimean deputy prime minister said Tatars would be asked to vacate "illegally occupied land".

[Cerebus]

NYT: To Beat Putin, Support Ukraine

IN response to Russian support for Ukrainian rebels, and in coordination with European leaders, President Obama has instituted the most comprehensive set of economic sanctions ever against Russian officials and companies. Europe is considering alternate energy policies to reduce Russia’s economic leverage. NATO is re-energized.

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So far, Ukrainians have done more to thwart Mr. Putin than any action by outside powers. Before toppling President Viktor F. Yanukovych in February, Ukrainian protests stopped him from joining the Eurasian Economic Union, Mr. Putin’s most important foreign policy project. Ukrainian outrage over Mr. Putin’s annexation of Crimea has consolidated Ukraine’s national identity, and it now looks to the West for prosperity and security. And recent Ukrainian military victories have undermined Mr. Putin’s plans in eastern Ukraine.

[Cerebus]

NATO Secretary General Rasmussen visits Ukraine today for meetings with Pres Poroshenko, PM Yatseniuk, Minister Klimkin, Speaker Turchinov

— US Mission to NATO (@USNATO)

August 7, 2014

[Cerebus]

NYT: Hagel: Growing Threat of Russia Invading Ukraine

"I think it's a reality, of course it is," said Hagel, who was in Stuttgart for meetings with his military leaders in Europe, including the top commander, Air Force Gen. Philip Breedlove. "When you see the build-up of Russian troops and the sophistication of those troops, the training of those troops, the heavy military equipment that's being put along that border, of course it's a reality, it's a threat, it's a possibility - absolutely," Hagel said.

U.S. and NATO officials say there are now about 20,000 Russian troops massed just east of Ukraine's border. The U.S. also says Russia continues to train and equip separatists battling Ukraine's government.

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Among the scenarios that worry some in NATO is Putin potentially sending Russian troops into eastern Ukraine in the guise of a "peacekeeping" force. That concern has deepened as the Russian-supported separatists appear to lose the initiative against Ukrainian government forces.

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U.S. officials have talked about the need to set up a more robust and ready NATO military response force. That is likely to be one of the subjects discussed at the NATO summit in September. Sir Adrian Bradshaw, the British army general who is NATO's No. 2 officer, said last week the alliance needs a more responsive quick-reaction force that could be deployed in the event Moscow makes aggressive military threats against a NATO nation.

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He said he has recommended that NATO consider prepositioning military equipment in the region, but no final decisions have been made yet.

[UNT90]

Do you, like UNT90, simply refuse to to let of the 80s, your IROC-Z and that glorious mullet?

Good news! The 80s are back!

ITAR-TASS: NATO Ends Cooperation with Russia

Ya, baby!!!

Lets get some Ronnie Reagan up in here!

[H-towngreen]

What's the latest in the battle lines? I think I heard that the Ukraines were pushing back and had or were close to cutting off Russian supply lines?