Russian Parliament Approves Putin's Request

[ChillDoubt]

..to deploy Russian troops in the Ukraine.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-26400035

Putin is certainly ramping it up.......

[ichkeria]

"this is just the sort of ploy used by some in high office, who create a fake enemy, it gives them the excuse they need to roll over them "

100% correct. This is a crisis purely of Russia's making. Not about protecting Russians at all, but protecting Putin and the Kremlin's "sphere of influence" not to mention their criminal occupations. It must have spooked them to see Yanukovich and his cronies chased from power and their criminality exposed.

[LazyGun]

@ichkeria I may have asked you this before, but if you answered, I have forgotten ;)

Do you have connections with Chechyna? Because Ichkeria is a region of Chechyna isn't it?

[ichkeria]

Ichkeria was the name given to the Chechen Republic after it defeated the Russians in the first war. Akhmed Zakayev, a former resistance fighter and viliified by Moscow as a "terrorist", is a political exile in London and regards himself as a representative of the government of the Chechen Republic.
So yes, it is after that.

I smiled when I heard that the Russian "prime minister" in Crimea had called a referendum on Crimea's status. It reminded me of the referendum held in Chechnya a few years ago to decide the country's future. Then Russian armed forces stationed there were given the vote!
And be in no doubt that the same thing will happen again on March 30 in Crimea. A result barely less predictable than a vote in the duma :-)

[LazyGun]

@ichkeria Thanks for the clarification ;) I had thought your comments regarding Russia and it's neighbours on this and other threads seemed to be informed by a degree of personal knowledge/expertise.

[emmie]

totally agree, Putin is not going to let them go,

[ChillDoubt]

Just flashed on Sky ticker, acting Ukraine president has put the country's forces on standby.

Dust off the Mig's!

[ChillDoubt]

Correction, on combat alert.

This is getting very serious.......

[emmie]

i was watching the rolling news, channel 80, it is very serious. Its amazing how quickly things escalate, so what now,

[ichkeria]

It would be amazing if President Turchynov didn't do that. What is he expected to do?
Send them all invites to Kyiv? :-)

[humbersloop]

quite, ichkeria, but let's hope they don't get walked into a rerun of what happened in Georgia, which may be what Putin's playing for?

meanwhile, the UN security council seem to be having a procedural faff while a couple of Russian warships park up off Sevastopol

[ichkeria]

What next - well the Paralympics start next week, and that risks being a fiasco if Putin doesn't back off.
The optimist in me says that the vote in the upper house (actually) was a rubber-stamping exercise for anaction already taken bad enough as that is but that Putin is hoping that the ambiguous wording will foment further ethnic tensions or - somehow - cause the new government miraculously to invite Yanukovich back,
I am still not sure if Putin is clever or out of touch with reality. He is certainly a gangster

[ichkeria]

The UN Security Council is a waste of time: Russia is a member and has a veto.

Comparison with Georgia goes so far: in that case you had aggression - albeit blatantly and shamelessly provoked by Russia - by the Georgians. But also in that case the world wasn't watching. The stakes are much higher here.

[ichkeria]

There is a demo planned in Moscow tomorrow by thousands of brave souls declaring solidarity with Ukraine and "no" to war

[ChillDoubt]

As ever, the UN will be about as much use as a catflap on a submarine.
It's gonna take some hard yards and strong condemnation from everyone bar the Chinese to make Putin have a re-think about his strategy.

[humbersloop]

I wish them well in Moscow tomorrow then, though it'll be another excuse for a fearsome internal crackdown

It would be good if condemnation translated into trade sanctions - the key to the gas meter isn't as threatening as it was and the economy's wobbling

[ChillDoubt]

Ukraine have apparently asked for 'all possible help' from NATO, the EU and US. The next 48 hours are critical and I'm wondering just how Obama et al will respond to such a request?

[sunny-dave]

Obama is a busted flush - the feeblest US President for decades - which may not be bad thing if it prevents US Imperialism, but is bloody worrying when the Russian Bear is raging about the place :+(((

[tonyav]

Obama is a busted flush - the feeblest US President for decades -


I have a feeling that Putin knows this, Dave !.

[ichkeria]

http://www.nybooks.com/blogs/nyrblog/2014/mar/01/ukraine-haze-propaganda/?insrc=hpss

This article is essntial reading for anyone interested in what has been happening in Ukraine and presents the context for current events

(And yes, there WERE anarchists!)

[sunny-dave]

Thanks ichkeria - a fascinating (if worrying) read.

dave