Kiev Burning

[greenminer]

Has anyone seen and read Ron Paul's takes on the assassination/Ukraine invasion?

[Cerebus]

DefenseNews: US Soldiers Readying for Ukraine Deployment

The US Army is preparing to send approximately 300 troops at a time to train Ukrainian forces in western Ukraine, according to documents posted on a government contracting site.

A solicitation posted in late February said that the US government is looking for a contractor to provide seven 50-passenger buses from March 5 through Oct. 31 for the purpose of ferrying up to 300 US troops from the L'viv International airport to the International Peace Keeping and Security Center at the Yavoriv training range in the far west of Ukraine.

[FirefightnRick]

There's much to be appreciated in part of the cemetary scene.

Just saying!

Rick

[Mean Green 93-98]

Anybody have any good conspiracy theories on the disappearing Putin?

Rumours are swirling in Moscow over the health of Vladimir Putin after the Russian president disappeared from view and put off a foreign visit.

Mr Putin has not been seen in public for a week and an official in Kazakhstan told reporters that he postponed a visit to the central Asian country on Wednesday because he had fallen ill. He will also not appear at an annual meeting of high-ranking officers from the Federal Security Service on Thursday, which he has attended in past years.

Reporters last saw the president when he met Matteo Renzi, the Italian prime minister, on March 5.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/vladimir-putin/11466318/Vladimir-Putin-delays-Kazakh-visit-but-no-health-problems-insists-Kremlin.html

The Kremlin’s attempts to assure the public that Vladimir Putin is alive and well and still running Russia’s government did not go particularly well on Friday. Media outlets were presented with a tape of President Putin meeting with a senior government official – with no evidence of the date of the meeting. The Kremlin had previously issued photographs found to be several days old – causing more suspicion.

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/putin-still-missing-things-weird-191500081.html

[TheTastyGreek]

Anybody have any good conspiracy theories on the disappearing Putin?

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/vladimir-putin/11466318/Vladimir-Putin-delays-Kazakh-visit-but-no-health-problems-insists-Kremlin.html

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/putin-still-missing-things-weird-191500081.html

Conspiracy therories? Brace yourselves, sheeple...

Putin probably just depressurized, lost consciousness, and wound up somewhere in the Indian Ocean.

[UNT90]

Maybe he got a dose of his own poison... uh, medicine?

[Stix]

Back in the bad old days of the cold war, if Pravda said a Soviet leader had a cold, it was a sign that either he was dead, or was arrested.

But Pravda isn't the official propaganda tool of the Russian government anymore, so... who knows?

[UNT90]

Back in the bad old days of the cold war, if Pravda said a Soviet leader had a cold, it was a sign that either he was dead, or was arrested.

But Pravda isn't the official propaganda tool of the Russian government anymore, so... who knows?

Putin has control over pretty much every single media outlet in Russia, so..

[FirefightnRick]

Putin is at the same place Nancy Pelosi goes when she dissapears for three weeks, ....The Plastic Surgeon.

Rick

[UNT90]

Maybe he is getting a penis enlargement.

If anyone ever needed one...

[JesseMartin]

Maybe he is getting a penis enlargement.

If anyone ever needed one...

Why would you even know or think about that? Gross. Or are you talking about him having a "Little Napoleon" complex?

[Cerebus]

Holy crap so much stuff has happened and I feel bad for not updating. I'll try to later today. I don't even think the "holy crap is a coup occurring? Why did all the lights go out in central Moscow? Why are there tanks on the streets" even made the international news.

[UNT90]

Holy crap so much stuff has happened and I feel bad for not updating. I'll try to later today. I don't even think the "holy crap is a coup occurring? Why did all the lights go out in central Moscow? Why are there tanks on the streets" even made the international news.

Seriously? Tanks on the street in Moscow?

Yes, you NEED to do an update.

[UNT90]

Or are you talking about him having a "Little Napoleon" complex?

...

[adman]

Seriously? Tanks on the street in Moscow?

Yes, you NEED to do an update.

Lots of chatter on twitter about it although some sources are saying it has to do with celebrating the year anniversary of Crimea. Did see one tweet that spoke of tanks and that the cathedral was burning. Also not sure why you'd dim the lights at the Kremlin in honor of Crimea. And still no sightings of Putin.

[Mean Green 93-98]

And still no sightings of Putin.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has laughed off speculation about his health after making his first appearance in public since 5 March.

Life "would be boring without gossip", he told Kyrgyz President Almazbek Atambayev at talks in St Petersburg.

The 62-year-old appeared relaxed and smiled before the television cameras.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-31904882

[UNT90]

So, this is... Good news??

[All About UNT]

Thought you guys might enjoy some modern-day propaganda

and more recently distributed (and retweeted by a Deputy PM of Russia)

[Cerebus]

IBT: Pro-Russian Separatists In Donetsk And Luhansk Now Willing To Remain Part Of Ukraine

Pro-Russian separatist leaders in the contested regions of Donetsk and Luhansk are now prepared to remain part of Ukraine under a specially recognized status, according to Ukrainian media, a move which has full support from Russian President Vladimir Putin.  The status, which would be codified in amendments to the new Ukrainian constitution, would mark the end of efforts to make the self-proclaimed "people's republics" independent states, or have them annexed by Russia. The likely scenario is that they would become semiautonomous regions, but still part of the sovereign state of Ukraine. 

---

 Some analysts say Putin's chief reason for supporting autonomy rather than independence is that he is keen to avoid taking on the economic burden of rebuilding the war-torn region and being financially responsible for its people. Eastern Ukraine is among the poorest parts of a nation that is among the poorest in Europe; Ukraine's gross domestic product per capita is around $3,900 -- just one-ninth of the European Union's average. 

[Cerebus]

Independent: Vladimir Putin says he has never made a mistake because God wanted him to be perfect

In a rare newspaper interview ahead of his state visit to Italy, Vladimir Putin has claimed he never makes mistakes because God “built his life so he’d have nothing to regret”.

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He rejected any criticism of Russia’s conduct over the Ukraine crisis, and said the deterioration of relations with the West was “not our choice”. “It was not we who introduced restrictions on trade and economic activities. Rather, we were the target and we had to respond with retaliatory, protective measures.”

---

And for the final question of the interview, Mr Putin was asked by Fontana: “Is there an action that you most regret in your life, something that you consider a mistake and wouldn't want to repeat ever again?”

According to the paper’s report, Mr Putin pondered the question for a short while before his eyes lit up and he replied softly: “I'll be totally frank with you. I cannot recollect anything of the kind. It appears that the Lord built my life in a way that I have nothing to regret.”

[Cerebus]

SKY: Russian Soldiers' Deaths Raise Ukraine Questions

The recent deaths of three Russian servicemen raise serious questions about the Kremlin's claim that its military is not operating in Ukraine.

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A lady who knows the family ‎said Anton Savelyev "died heroically" but asked us not to give her name for fear of the consequences of speaking out.

"They were sent to Rostov and in Ukraine. In Ukraine everything is done quietly," she said.

"We don't know where exactly, but somewhere there.

"It's Ukraine's fault that he died of course. It's a shame that we die for not our motherland."

---

Photos uploaded to Russian social media sites show Timur posing with the Spetsnaz flag, along with a service medal for the Russian military operation in Crimea last year, which was denied by Russian authorities at the time.

Other photos show Timur with the flag of the separatists' Luhansk People's Republic, and in front of a distinctive armoured personnel carrier (APC) known to have been used by the rebels in East Ukraine.

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He said Ivan's brother told him that at the funeral there were Federal Security Service officers who had asked mourners to remove their parade uniforms.

But they had refused and paid their last respects in military dress.

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A man who gave his name as Dmitry said: "His niece was told that he was in Ukraine, that's where he died.

"The notice of death came, the military recruitment officer brought it personally."

Another man said Ivan died "in Donbas", a region claimed by pro-Russian rebels in Ukraine.

He said there had been paratroopers at the funeral, but that Ivan himself "was Spetsnaz".

---

And if these men had left the army and were not on active duty at the time, why is the ministry of defence sending flowers to their funerals?

[Cerebus]

AP: European Parliament: EU must do more to counter Russia

European Parliament members say Russia is no longer acting like a strategic partner of the European Union, and the EU must do more to oppose Russia's "aggressive and divisive policies."

By a 494-to-135 vote, the parliament called Wednesday on the EU's executive arm to spend more to counter what it called Russian misinformation and propaganda, and to help independent citizens' groups inside Russia.

[Cerebus]

AP: European Parliament: EU must do more to counter Russia

European Parliament members say Russia is no longer acting like a strategic partner of the European Union, and the EU must do more to oppose Russia's "aggressive and divisive policies."

By a 494-to-135 vote, the parliament called Wednesday on the EU's executive arm to spend more to counter what it called Russian misinformation and propaganda, and to help independent citizens' groups inside Russia.

[Cerebus]

EOM: Survey: Russia to blame for Ukraine crisis, but no stomach for fight

 People in NATO member countries blame Moscow for the Ukraine crisis and see it as a threat to its neighbours, but few are willing to send arms to Ukraine or fight to defend an ally, a survey by the Pew Research Center published Wednesday showed.

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A half of those surveyed said Russia was a threat to its neighbours, and 57 per cent support Ukraine becoming a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

While 70 per cent support sending economic aid to Ukraine, only 41 per cent support sending arms to the war-torn country.

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A total of 48 per cent across NATO countries, however, did favour military action against Russia in the event of a serious attack on a NATO member.

More than half of the people surveyed in the United States and Canada approved this course of action, while Germans were most opposed, with 58 per cent rejecting any military action against Russia.

[Cerebus]

AFP: NATO launches 'spearhead' drill on eastern flank

NATO on Tuesday launched the first full drill of its new spearhead force in northern Poland, a structure designed to boost security on its eastern flank in the wake of Russia's 2014 annexation of Crimea from Ukraine.

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NATO allies decided last year to create the VJTF. It has also mounted a series of military exercises on its eastern flank to counter Russia's increased military presence in the Baltic Sea and regional airspace, an area which lay behind the Iron Curtain 25 years ago.