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Provisional government as an instrument for Ukraine's debt enslavement

News From EuroMaidan to EuroAnschluss Recommended Links EuroMaidan 101 Acting Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk Acting President Oleksandr Turchinov
 Acting Interior Minister Arsen Avakov  Acting Ukrainian Security Council chief Andriy Parubiy  Acting Head of SBU Valentyn Nalyvaichenko Acting Defense minister Ihor Tenyukh Presidentitial elections of May 25, 2014 Poroshenko presidency
 The Far Right Forces in Ukraine SBU raid on Kiev Batkivshchina office Nulandgate EU-brokered agreement on ending crisis Odessa massacre Mariupol, May 9 events
Accession of Crimea to Russia Suppression of Russian language and culture in Ukraine Ukraine's oligarchs Who Shot down Malaysian flight MH17 ? Killings of civilians in Donetsk area War crimes of provisional government
Resurgence of ideology of neo-fascism Totalitarian Decisionism & Human Rights: The Re-emergence of Nazi Law National Security State Ukraine as a Cleft country: an easy target for color revolution Russian Fifth column Humor Etc

Introduction

Composition of Provisional government


Introduction

The first step inside the tornado destruction in Ukraine was almost classic "the great nationalist revolution" that led to the loss of state control. The second step was the creation of an incompetent and acting in parallel reality "provisional government".  Which in really is a government of compradors intended to sell the country to Atlantic alliance (and move to the West themselves). This is how neoliberalism works. Ukrainian elite, like Greek elite (political and business) completely failed their own country by exploiting the system and people and sucking the whole place dry. They are real traitors of the nation in very precise sense.

As a result of the putsch organized and financed by the USA, corrupt and inept "regime" of Yanukovich (which was also stooge by the Weest,and Nuland kept him by the balls all the time of Euromaydan), "Provisional government" was installed by the USA embassy (which actually determined "who is who in new goverment, see Nulandgate). Formally it lasted till July 24, 2014 with tandem of Oleksandr Turchinov  and Arseniy Yatsenyuk at the top. In reality it is still in power, as Poroshenko integrated it into him command (probably with gental encouragement on the USA). Arseny Yatsenyuk tried to resigned on July 24, 2014 trying to avoid blame for his misdeeds and to prolong his life as a politician.  In a way the first rat tried to jump from sinking ship.  But he was forced to stay. 

With providional goverment in power the economic plunder of Ukraine started in full force. It reminds me simultaniouly event of early 90th in xUSSR and events in Greece.  During events of 90th standard of living in xUSSR republics dropped dramatically (UN Sub-Saharan Africa Living Standards Decline)

The six other countries that have suffered reversals since 1990 belong to the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), parts of the former Soviet Union.  For example, Ms. Ugaz says Tajikistan has dropped 21 places in the rankings, Ukraine 17 and Russia 15.

...Male life expectancy in Russia, now ranked 62 on the Development Index, has fallen to 59 years.

The report is critical of trade policies in the industrialized world that, it says, damage growth prospects in developing countries. It says these policies continue to deny millions of people in the world's poorest countries an escape route from poverty and perpetuate inequalities. It notes tariffs imposed on goods from poor countries are higher than those imposed on rich countries.

In any case Ukraine became a debt slave of the Western powers and the standard of living of population dropped to sub-Saharan level.  During Provisional Goverment rule hrivna, the national currency, dropped almost 3 times in relation to dollar: from around of 8.5 to 24.5. 

The 100+ days they were in power reveal their incompetence, inability to be conduct important negotiations as well as their extremely low qualification as economists. Yatsenuyl proved to be a fraud with no real education at all, the puppet that diligently followed orders from the US embassy.  He only dream is to sell all state assets to the West and run himself to Florida or California (where his sister, a prominent Scientologists, now lives).  In other words he is  a regular neoliberal comprador.

Following Talleyrand we can say that actions of Turchinov-Yatsenyuk duo were actually worse then a crime, it was a huge blunder. The blunder which unleashing civil war.  The people started understand what they got as a result of EuroMaidan, but it was too late. Smoke of war had hidden tthe economic disaster of the country.  Here is one interesting comment to the article of the "Voice of Maidan" semi-official junta internet publication Pravda.ua Will the government follow to recommendations of the IMF ( epravda.com.ua, Jun 27, 2014 )

Sergey Shapovalov
I don't understand  chorus of angry Ukrainians. This is YOUR government, which brought to power themselves via EuroMaidan. That is, sorry, they are actually self-selected junta, but you were not against this variant, were you?  Your fearless "Bullet-in-the-Forehead" leader (nickname of Yatsenyuk -- translator) honestly and frankly said that he is a kamikaze in the cockpit of the plane and he does not care. It was funny that with kamikaze crew who hijacked the airliner Ukraine, passengers happily jumped non-stop and shouted "Moskals on knifes". Those who did not want to jump  and cry and tried to escape with a parachute are declared enemies of the people and some were shot dead.

Net results of one hundred days in power

  1. Committing Odessa massacre, unleashing civil war in Donbass, and completely alienating South East.  Making Ukrainian Far Right essentially the only real power in the country.  Power against which South East is ready to fight till the last man.
  2. Destruction of infrastructure and plummeting standard of living in Ukraine: instead of "European standard of living" junta brought the huge growth of utility payments, payments and prices of the goods; leading to further impoverishing of already impoverished population.  Broken economic ties with Russia and civil war lead to stopping of many factories (especially in heavy manufacturing and military industrial complex, sectors hugely profitable for Ukraine), as well as mass layoffs.
  3. Accelerating economic collapse: Almost 50% devaluation of grivna,  closing operations, reduction in economic activity, rising unemployment; Ukraine was forced to ask the lenders about restructuring the debt. Ukraine is essentially bankrupt.   Gas talks shows that Kyiv has no money and unable to pay for Russian supplies at the price Russia asks (which is lower then average price for other European countries. In the energy sector they introduce the state of emergency, which was not only caused by the switching of Russia to prepayment, but also interruptions in the supply of coal due to Donbass events which are 100% are result of irresponsible actions of Turchinov & Yatsenyuk.

As for the level of economic incompetence, Turchinov & Yatsenyuk  "provisional government" can probably be viewed as "lyubi druzhi" version two, a reincarnation of the "ideologically charged" but absolutely clueless in economics nationalist government of Victor Yushchenko. Who like Turchinov & Yatsenyuk were installed with the help of the US embassy.  But they moved to the right in comparison with government of Yushchenko. Generally due to reckless actions to enforce nationalistic agenda "provisional government" became the government of the divided country were West and South East are at the state of  the "Low intensity Civil War".  Like many nationalist governments who just came to power they committed serious economic blunders and crimes against civil population (Versii.com)

The new leadership of the move had committed the unpardonable mistakes. After easily yielded to Maidan revolt on 21 February, it has completely distanced themselves from the question of its legitimacy. If there was held the legal procedure of impeachment of President Yanukovych, many things today would be different. Not less irresponsible became premature cancellation of the law on regional language. And the military operation in the South-East was absolutely criminal, pushing supporters of federalization from armed resistance to secession.

See

In other words this is a "functionally incompetent" government of the ultra-nationalist alliance between Batkivshchina and Svoboda (with Batkivshchina moving to the right). The government  which broke fragile peace between orthodox Ukrainian South East with its strong Russian ties (and which is a part of Russian culture and as such can't be pushed Westward by force) and two former regions annexed by Stalin from former Austro-Hungarian empire and occupied by Poland before WWII -- Galicia (see Galicia -- Ukrainian Benghazi) + Volin -- catholic regions with strong German ties. See

The latter two provinces (with the addition of Ivano-Frankovsk province) are the base of Ukrainian ultranationalists  (people of those provinces are the only who predominantly use their dialect of Ukrainian language (with strong Polish influence) as their native tongue in Ukraine and are typically slightly dismissively called "zapadentstsi" in Kiev and areas East from Kiev). 

Most members of provisional government are typical "zapadentstsi". Turchinov (Dneptropetrovsk native) is an exception among them in place of birth, but not in his actions.

From their actions it is clear that they are not independent political entity but are essentially vassals and are tightly controlled by Washington Obcom; in other words they are  puppets on a string. They know their policies are destructive for the country  and yet they feverishly pursue then and defend them. And they are far from being fools. The only reasonable answer for that is someone has the goods on them and is using it. In this sense they are not that different from oligarchs all those Timoshenko/Poroshenko/Kolomoiski. Actually all three oligarchs mentioned, especially Poroshenko and Kolomoiski were actually shadow members of junta and supporters of EuroMaidan.

The only difference might be the amount dirt on each but after Odessa massacre that does not matter. It was so to speak a gang members initiation.  Now all of them are pretty suitable for facing Hague tribunal. In other words they are complete marionette, fully depending of US protection for personal survival. So the major question is not what are the policies of Provisional government, but what the puppet master wants ?

The way Provisional Government came to power was an armed revolt and that's why it is legitimately called junta, despite the fact that they do not include representatives on the army, only far right militants groups. This revolt can't be called revolution as they change nothing in the Ukrainian social order (Ukraine was and remains oligarchic republic, Khodorkovsky dream which came true), just one group of oligarchs (Donetsk clan) was ousted by another, more pro-Western, more comprador (Kolomoiski, Pinchuk) clan (Dnepropetrovsk clan).

Illegitimacy of the Provisional government is the topic that now pretty polished now in Guardian discussions. See, for example, the attack and retort here (The Guardian, May 12, 2014)

crystaltips2 -> Andrey Dickson , 12 May 2014 5:21pm

The thing is, Major Idiot, after Yanukovich fled and was denounced by his own party, the previously elected government chose an interim cabinet and scheduled elections for later in May. Actual proper ones with registered voters, legitimate ballots, campaigning parties with declared agendas, things like that. So in comparison to a snap referendum which lacked all of those things, and which returned the 90%+ result that's a hallmark of such pantomimes the world over, it's not actually the same at all. Nice try though.

edwardrice -> crystaltips2 , 12 May 2014 5:49pm

the previously elected government chose an interim cabinet and scheduled elections for later in May.

The MPs fired Yanukovich and appointed a new president which is illegal according to Ukraine's constitution. MPs swear to uphold the constitution.

Yanukovich fled because the police withdrew from Kiev and the Right Sector Neo-Nazis took control. So when MPs were voting Parliament was surrounded by Neo-Nazis holding clubs and axes.

There is nothing legal about the regime in Kiev.

griffinalabama -> crystaltips2 , 12 May 2014 5:59pm

"Proper ones"? I've never seen a proper election where neo-nazi fascists burned who burned people alive and murdered their own citizens give the people they have been repressing two shit choices of candidates. If that's a "proper election"...then I'm Freddy Mercury.

DoyleSaylor -> sjxt , 13 May 2014 2:57pm

I don't see how you can interpret things as being screwed. There is plenty of room for further negotiations and the ability to resolve the governing of Ukraine peacefully. The present government is undeniably fascist. If you are pro-fascist then you might feel anything tarnishes a hopes for return to fascism in Europe.

Otherwise the conflicts in Ukraine seem to me have every possibility of peaceful resolution, especially removing the fascists from the government and finding the murderers in Odessa and bringing them to justice. 

It is much more far right and no less corrupt then previous government of Yanukovich (by-and-large controlled by Timoshenko people and people from Yushchenko famously corrupt comprador regime). This is the second rabidly nationalistic Ukrainian government and in Comparison with Yushchenko regime they look like more far right (includes Svoboda members). I continue to marvel why those generally far from stupid Ukrainian politicians  toil against their own and Ukrainian peoples' interests trying to split the country. We'll probably know the details after the next massive intelligence leak or the memoirs of the survivors be published in ten or twenty years from now.

Despite being staffed by professional politicians with a lot of experience provisional government was amazingly inept (aggravated relations with Russia to the point close to economic blockade). This happened not because persons in Provisional government are sub-par intellectually, but because in order to survive they need to operate within rigid ideological framework which is disastrous to the country and to them personally. It can be called  "nationalist government of no compromises with South East" or as evil tongues call it "Nuandstan".

Along with Washington Obcom, the shadow grey cardinal of this government is Gas Princess Yulia Timoshenko, who is extremely cruel, criminal oligarch, a female psychopath who is not bound by any moral norms. That's why this government is often called "yulki".  Actually she is suspected to be a cocaine addict (vlasti.net).   There were similar accusations about Turchinov (Сатанист Турчинов и Апокалипсис)

We can probably add the word "puppet" -- it is definitely externally controlled. So, in a way it is typical comprador neoliberal ("yes we can" ;-)  government with top figureheads approved by Victoria Nuland (see Victoria Nuland’s ‘Ukraine-gate) and tightly controlled by Washington Obcom (especially via control of SBU where "American's Valic" Valentin Nalivaychenko was installed; he previously was investigated for state treason).  Which also does not help is the ability to be flexible and rational as Washington Obcom is also ideologically driven neocon paradise ready to corporate with Ukrainian far right groups to achieve its goals, country be damned.

Politically Ukraine is a quintessential neoliberal oligarchic republic. Khodorkovsky dream which came true, so to speak.  So any talk about "democracy" in Ukraine is a sick joke. Most oligarchs have close connection with criminal world (and survived numerous skirmishes with competitors which often involved killing the opponent). Some have their own private armies ( Ihor Kolomoyskyi is a notable example).  As one Guardian commenter noted (The Guardian, May 8, 2014):

Ukraine's transit from communism to 'free enterprise', neoliberal-style, made Russia's under Yeltsin look like the John Lewis Partnership. So much of that failed state has stuck to sticky fingers that whoever claims sovereignty will have to bow to whichever tycoon is in the ascendant.

Along with smaller groups of oligarchs, there are two large clans in a bitter fight for political power:

I think provisional government represents more "lyubi drizi" clan and, parcially, Dnepropetrovsk clan (especially Ihor Kolomoysky  and Victor Pinchuk ).

Its political base are compradors (including large comprador population in Kiev), "banking mafia" and nationalists from three or four Western provinces ("zapandentsi"). It is so anti-social that even with all the power of nationalist brainwashing and Western support, in no way these clan can win the national elections legitimately. It can came to power only via backdoor or via manufactured political crisis (as was in Orange Revolution and now via EuroMaidan coupe d'état).

In South East of the country with notable exception of Dnepropetrovsk province (with Ihor Kolomoysky at the helm as appointed  provisional governor -- in best traditions of oligarchic republics ) provisional government is openly or covertly rejected and its decrees are sabotaged. It has essentially very little or no power in those provinces. 

It does not enjoy full support of army although the army like a country itself, is split between unit consisting mainly of Western Ukrainians and Eastern Ukrainians with somewhat different allegiance. Both has deep distrust to Provisional government and its attempts to use it against civil population of South East.  Only units fully manned with ultra-nationalists from Western Ukraine are willing to participate in "pacification" of South East.  The situation somewhat reminiscent to the events in Ukraine in 1917-1918.

It's policies were so inept and divisive that in three month the county is on the brink of civil war. As Ukraine is a "cleft country" it stability is fragile (see Ukraine and Latvia Welcome to The Clash of Civilizations The National Interest  and Is Bangladesh Huntington’s cleft country The identity illusion. Opinion)

Cleft countries: Countries that contain large groups of people identifying with separate civilizations, for examples India (with Hindu majority and large Muslim minority), and Ukraine (with Catholic-dominated western section and its Orthodox-dominated East).

Since independence it was like USSR one part of the county (Western Ukraine) dominated and "occupied" another, politically (but not economically) weaker part. It also pursuers questionable policy of "language apartheid" as for Russian language,  modeled on Baltic countries. It is pretty telling that among its first legal acts were:

Brilliant... If you avoid the question of the legitimacy of Provisional Government as well as the appointment of interim President of Ukraine, then attention should paid to their political program. Which is very simple and even for comprador government is rather radical:

  1. Enforce "language apartheid" and try by any means to force the entire population of Ukraine speak on Galicia sirzhik (the "real" Ukrainian language is the dialect of Poltava province, which is different from the language Galicia speaks; the latter has profound polish influence)
  2. Recognize as national heroes Bandera and his friends from UPA
  3. Make Russia the worst enemy of Ukraine.
  4. Completely subdue Ukraine to Western Financial institutions and first of all IMF
  5. Privatize remains of Ukrainian industry and outsource all energy industry to the USA companies.
  6. Get enough commissions for accomplishing pp. 3-5 to live comfortably in the West.

Moreover, all, without exception, residents must take to cheer completely idiotic fairy tale that is sold as Ukrainian history including but not limited to the role of Ukrainian nationalists in WWII.  Those Ukrainian citizens who are well educated and can't and accept this fantasy should be removed from all official government positions. Which generally should belong only to Galicia Arians, not to Untermensch form South East.

It is not very promising program so say the least. And this program and first laws were just the first robins of disastrous action it undertook. Now the fragile peace between Western Ukraine and Eastern Ukraine is over due actions which  Talleyrand would classify as "This is worse than a crime, it's a blunder". Among them   Odessa Massacre of May 2, 2014 and Mariupol "pacification" attempt on May 9, 2014.

Due to lack of internal support then heavily rely upon and in turn is tightly controlled by the USA, via its Kiev Washington Obcom (this is how the USA embassy is called in Kiev ). In a way it is a puppet government and without external support it would already collapsed both due to huge problems in economics (which partially were at the core of the Maidan protests until they were hijacked by Right Sector militants) and the divisive polities it tried to implement. It is squeezed between Right Sector militants on bayonets of which they came to power and South East revolt against Galicia dominance in political life of Ukraine and suppression of Russian language and culture. 

They came to power on the wave of Western Ukraine nationalist revolt against the rest of Ukraine which took the form of "EuroMaidan " and they can survive in power only by doing Western bidding.  So it is truly can be called comprador government.  The government has distinct ultra-nationalist or even  neo-fascist leanings. The new Secretary of the powerful National Defense and Security Council is Andriy Parubiy. Parubiy was co-founder of the Social National Party in 1991, an neo-fascist party whose symbol was the “Wolfsnagel,” which closely resembles a swastika. The SNP changed its name to Svoboda (“Freedom”) in 2004, and has tried to somewhat moderate its image while retaining its neo-Nazi ideology intact.

Turchinov represents  Dnepropetrovsk clan of Ukrainian oligarchs with  Ihor Kolomoysky  as a grey cardinal.  Yatsenyuk looks like a completely Western NGO controlled figure with little national support -- a place keeper of the Party Secretary while Timoshenko -- the real leader of party -- was in jail.  That's why this duo are often called "yulki" (see the  portrait of Turchinov below, which mocks his dependency on Yulia Timoshenko).  So their political interests and political interests of "Maidan branch" of far right who brought them to power on the tips of their bayonets are different. Both are not nationalists, but compradors although this two species proved to be remarkably compatible in Ukrainian political life. Both have rather usual for mainstream politicians details of biography:

After the sponsored by the USA color revolution which culminated in the coup d'état of February 22, a low intensity civil war between Eastern and Southern Ukraine and Western Ukraine instantly started. South-East of Ukraine had grown tied of Galicia dominance and relegating people in South-East to the second class citizens via "language apartheid" polities.

And while the coup was sponsored externally, the main internal purpose of coup d'état was restoring in power "Yushchenko" clan and policies under which Western Ukraine was a privileged "nation within the empire" and was assigned the task of the formation of "homogeneous Ukrainian nation" from Untermensch  from Eastern and Southern Ukraine in a similar way as it was formed in the "racially homogeneous" city of Lvov. With simple and attractive slogans "Moskalyaku na gillyaku" ("Russians to the gallows") and  "Ukraine uber alles" ("Slava Ukraine, Glory to heroes"). In other word elimination and suppression of everybody who is more of less adherent to the Russian civilization and profitable for them colonization of South East Ukraine (where they agree to serve as "plantation guards" for Western corporations. ). To that extent they are ready to use terror not unlike General Pinochet in Chile. As political analyst Rostislav Ishchenko noted by the outgoing local realities :

"Nobody will kill hundreds of people in the streets, not to give Russia an excuse to send troops . Someone just disappear , someone will be arrested and incarcerated for participation in mass actions someone dies at the hands of the unknown and the offense will be considered quite normal household ... "

In other words, instead of mass terror, a pointed acts of terror are planned. One of them was so called Odessa Massacre of May 2, 2014.  After that event in the eyes of many people of South East Provisional Government became just a gang of war criminals. And this showed directly in the result of Donetsk Republic Referendum. At the same time Provisional government feels squeezed between far right radicals which brought it to power (and can remove as militants never left occupied building in the center of Kiev, keeping pressure on the government)  and demand of South East (as well as position of Russia, which might react militarily if mass murders of pro-federalization protesters in South East similar to Odessa massacre happens again) and as such is completely paralyzed as other then open fascist style terror they have nothing to propose to South East.  

Still despite horrible crimes committed by their goons in Odessa their main task is not physical "sweep under" of Russian-speaking and "nesvidomyh " (lacking nationalistic consciousness ) Ukrainians, but the destruction or submission of any alternative political organizations of the country starting from media and ending with singing politically incorrect songs or reading politically incorrect literature (about watching politically incorrect TV they already took care of).

Now the task of reconciliation looks more and more difficult and Provisional Government actions more and more irresponsible.  As Edward S commented on Both empires will lose from this treacherous tussle - FT.com there are now "irresponsible differences" which might need divorce to be settled. Preferably not in Yugoslav style:

Second, that has arisen from the apparently irreconcilable interests and attitudes between Western- and Russia-oriented Ukraine. Those deep divisions could well thwart efforts to make even a lose federation work, and leave Ukraine open to manipulation by outside powers. Ukraine is not like, say, Belgium, where internal divisions are attenuated by tension-alleviating pressure from the region surrounding it. No, Ukraine's neighbours and allies are adversaries, pulling in opposite directions, so there is a vicious circle of domestic and international conflict feeding on each other. In such a situation, a division of Ukraine into two stable countries could result in more security. And Germany has shown that divided countries can in time be reunited again.

Composition of Provisional government

Acting President Oleksandr Turchynov

A very shady, probably criminal figure (close associate of Timoshenko), former member of Soviet nomenklatura, who belongs to the class of compradors which are called "Komsomol bankers" -- Komsomol functionaries who became businessmen during Gorbachov's perestroika and participated in completely criminal privatization of state assents (Timoshenko, Khodorkovsky, etc)

Turchynov during his studies in Dnepropetrovsk metallurgical Institute graduated from Military Department and became a Lieutenant of army reserve with the training of a commander of a tank platoon of the Red Army.

After graduation in 1996 he work as an engineer only one year and already the next year became high level Communist Party functionary: in 1987 be became the secretary of the Young Communists (Komsomol) organization  of the Dnepropetrovsk region, the head of the Dnepropetrovsk Komsomol Department of Propaganda.  This is a very high (nomenklatura level) position and you need to be devoted (or pretend to be fully indoctrinated) and completely subservient to CPSU bosses to get it. He held this position until 1990 so this not an accident.  

He is an old ally, right hand of oligarch, Gas Princess Yulia Timoshenko. In 2006 the current President of Ukraine Poroshenko tried to arrest and put him in jail, so not much love probably left between two.  As one of telegrams revealed by Wikileak stated ( Vzrlyad, Jun 12, 2014):

"...during the meeting on 28 April with the Ambassador of the insider "Our Ukraine (NU) Petro Poroshenko denied that he was behind the recent decision of the Prosecutor General Oleksandr Medvedko to issue a warrant for the arrest of the Deputy Tymoshenko Oleksandr Turchynov," the telegram reads the US Embassy 

It's really funny that after dissolution of the USSR, when being a former Komsomol ideologue became a disadvantage, if not a liability, Turchynov quickly converted into "politically correct"  Baptist preacher (which, if you think about it, is essentially a very similar, if not identical position ;-). See his sermons

and some known members of junta about them :-)

But what is even more funnier, this "preacher" later became a head of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU, analog of FBI+CIA+NSA) during the priod when Yushchenko was in power, the key position that is of special interest to the US embassy (aka Washington Obcom). Such an appointment during Yushchenko rule implied if not being the agent of the USA, but at least close connections and vetting by the USA. 

This was probably the first time in European history when a a "pastor" became the chief spook.  Which is not bad per se, as balancing between the USA and Russia interests for is better done with good knowledge and understanding of both. And real knowledge of the USA is very difficult to obtain for foreigners without benevolence of Washington Obcom (as locals call the US embassy in Kiev) and/or working for the intelligence services ;-) 

Turchinov was probably one of the key if not the key  organizer of Maidan protests and overthrow of Yanukovich government. It is not accidental that he was under investigation for treason by Yanukovich government after the raid of SBU on Kiev Office of Batkivshchina in December of 2013 (SBU raid on Kiev Batkivshchina office). That raid that revealed a wealth of documents that with a "normal" government would put main opposition figures in jail for a very long terms, but miracle happened and all information was swiped under the carpet. Probably not without pressure from a well known player. In other words he probably was saved from joining Timoshenko in the jail by Washington Obcom.  

After the coup of February 22, 2014 he position himself (much like Timoshenko after release from jail) close to far right nationalists, which probably is very far from his real political views. As a result, now he has shadow of  Odessa Massacre of May 2, 2014 and Mariupol "pacification" of May 9 behind his back. Some now view him as politically expended person. Due to Odessa events he even got the nickname "Trupchinov" (Cadaver-chinov). Looks like he might well serve as a scapegoat for the new government, if one will be formed after Presidential election planned for May 25:  "The Moor has done his duty. The Moor can go." 

Here is one comment from Guardian about him:

PeterBrit , 12 May 2014 4:18pm

Recommend 311

"Ukraine's acting president, Oleksandr Turchynov, said on Monday: "The farce which terrorists call the referendum will have no legal consequences except the criminal responsibility for its organisers."

Ah the incompetent and useless 'president' whose only approach to the crisis seems to be threats and sending occasional raids to really piss all the locals off and kill a few of them. The present Kiev regime has undoubtedly been the separatists' strongest card. They couldn't have dreamed of a Ukrainian government that would serve their purposes as well as this one has done.

Bakaro -> PeterBrit

Completely agree. It is not even clear why are they doing this - out of stupidity and thuggishness or on purpose. And what purpose would that be? Drag Russia into a war? and hope for NATO involvement? Just following US 'advice'? I suspect some of the W. Ukrainian thugs were dreaming of riding into Moscow since WW2.
RCLopez Bakaro , 12 May 2014 10:09pm 

Completely agree. It is not even clear why are they doing this - out of stupidity and thuggishness or on purpose. And what purpose would that be?

Haven't you heard them shouting their "Western Ukraine über Alles" and marching the streets with torches at night?

// __ Ukraine Crisis Today: Democracy caught on camera (this will never be shown on mainstream media)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NKuDzXAgdf4&hd=1

// __ Мариуполь - расстрел мирного населения фашистами 09.05.2014 (translate.google.com/#ru/en: Mariupol - shooting of civilians by the Nazis)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RS-UmmZrXXU&hd=1

This is what happens when you hear God telling you things. You don't actually care about people or anything. You are possessed and you very well know you are right

Wikipedia entry on Turchinov

Wikipedia

Oleksandr Turchynov was born in Dnipropetrovsk. He graduated from the Dnipropetrovsk Metallurgical Institute in 1986, after which he worked at Kryvorizhstal, a large Ukrainian steel producer.[14]

From 1987 to 1990, he served as head of the agitation and propaganda division of the Dnipropetrovsk Oblast Komsomol (Communist Youth League) Committee, which was led by Serhiy Tihipko.[14] Tihipko and Turchynov became political advisers of Leonid Kuchma, then head of Dnipropetrovsk-based Pivdenmash missile manufacturer.[14] Kuchma and his entire team, including Tihipko and Turchynov moved to Kiev in 1992, after Kuchma was appointed Prime Minister.[14] In 1993 Turchynov was formally appointed an advisor on economic issues to Prime Minister Kuchma.[14]

Turchynov is an old ally of Yulia Timoshenko, another prominent Ukrainian political figure from Dnipropetrovsk. They used to have a common business in Dnipropetrovsk. In December 1993, Turchynov co-founded and became Vice President of Ukrainian Union of Industrialist and Entrepreneurs. In 1994 he created the political party Hromada together with Pavlo Lazarenko, a business ally of Timoshenko.[14] Turchynov was also director of the Economic Reforms Institute from January 1994 to March 1998 and was head of the Ukrainian National Academy of Sciences' Laboratory of Shadow Economy Research.[15][16]

In 1998, he was elected to parliament as a member of Hromada but after the scandal around Lazarenko, he left the faction and party (during May 1999) together with Yulia Tymoshenko's All-Ukrainian Union "Fatherland". He was re-elected to parliament in 2002 and 2006 as part of the BYuT.

On 4 February 2005, Turchynov was appointed and served as the first ever civilian head of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU).

In the spring of 2008 he was the Yulia Timoshenko Bloc and the Our Ukraine–People's Self-Defense Bloc candidate[17] for the Mayor of Kiev election he placed second at the election with 218,600 votes (19.13% of total vote).[18]

In December 2009 during the 2010 Ukrainian presidential election-campaign Turchynov accused President Viktor Yushchenko and opposition leader Viktor Yanukovych of coordinating their actions in their attempts to topple the Second Tymoshenko Government.[19]

On 4 March 2010, after the fall of the second Tymoshenko Government, former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko resigned from that post on 4 March 2010[11] and Turchynov was empowered to fulfill the Prime Minister's duties until a new government was formed.[20] On 11 March 2010 the Azarov Government was elected[21] and Mykola Azarov was appointed Prime Minister the same day.[12][13]

In 2012 he was re-elected into parliament on the party list of "Fatherland".[22]

On 22 February 2014 he was elected as speaker of Verkhovna Rada.[3] On 23 February 2014, Turchynov was designated as acting President of Ukraine following the impeachment of Viktor Yanukovych.[1]

... ... ...

In February 2006 state prosecutors opened a criminal case against Turchynov and his SBU deputy Andriy Kozhemyakin for destroying a file about FBI Ten Most Wanted Fugitive, organized crime boss Semyon Mogilevich, from the SBU archive. The case was dismissed four months later.[24] WikiLeaks documents mention Turchynov, then head of Ukraine's SBU, as having destroyed documents implicating Yulia Tymoshenko's alleged connections to Mogilevich.[25]

Acting Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk

Yatsenyuk is "the least photogenic member" of the provisional government although Turchinov is a strong competition ;-) . But in comparison with other members of Ukrainian political Olymp he has one  positive trait: he knows English on, let's say, OK level. So he can speak in the language with strong, but bearable accent and probably understands most English texts without to much jargon of technical terminology. After all his mother is a professor of French... 

Nicknamed Rabbit this Nuland's protégé is just 39 years old. Proved to be incompetent in many positions before current (although for some reason he is considered to be "brilliant economist" by Western press), but magically always stay afloat.  Has strong connection with nationalists from OUN.

He has too long tongue for a diplomat, too abrasive for politician and has too low qualification for an economist. See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ctQzODODEpU. He is also directly guilty in split of Ukraine: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yt5T5dgdvN0

He never held any position for more than a couple of years so his main qualification remains obtained during education at the university the fact that at some point he hold the position of Foreign Minister is a testimony of the level of degradation of Ukrainian state in general and Yushchenko government and personally Victor Yushchenko in particular. Such a person should be kept at lease thousand yards from the Foreign ministry building. He probably has some powerful external forces which ensured his meteoritic rise to Ukrainian political Olymp and that might not necessary be the Church of Scientology ;-).

Practice which he got while being used car salesmen during his university years was probably the best preparation possible for an aspiring Ukrainian politician. ( see Яценюк Арсений. ДОСЬЕ)

Looks like a person without any principles which is not uncommon on Ukrainian political Olymp:

Задний ход Яценюка или обычная проституция - YouTube

He moment of fame was the position of a "placeholder" for Timoshenko while she was jailed. Via this backdoor he became a leader of the second most powerful political party of Ukraine -- Batkivshchina (Fatherland). This party was the central player  during Maidan events with Turchinov doing a lot of undercover work and Yatsenyuk as a public face of opposition along with Tyagibok and Klichko.  So in a way, it was Yanukovich who launched his rise to the political stardom by jailing Timoshenko :-).  

While being at helm of  Batkivshchina party, he proved to be a master of party intrigues and managed somehow to neutralize Turchinov, who judging from his political career was more credentials (and as a former Komsomol functionary,  skills) for the party leadership.  As NYT observed " A former foreign minister, economics minister, speaker of Parliament and acting central bank chief, he is more at home in boardrooms and in the corridors of power than on the barricades."  (NYT, March 12, 2014)  

Many think that he is just a puppet, an artificial Western NGO creation who was groomed for the role of  the leader of neoliberal wing of Ukrainian political spectrum. But his OUN connections somewhat contradict this version, althout his neoliberal leaning at attempt to privatize remants of state holdings is evident from his actions. After all Nuland recommended him for the postiotion of Prime Minister not for his male beauty.  Here is a pretty flattering characterization of this player by State Department (NYT, March 12, 2014)

Mr. Yatsenyuk’s appeal in the West, where he is viewed as an able steward fluent in the language of diplomacy and international finance, is already well known because of a recording of a telephone conversation between Victoria J. Nuland, a United States assistant secretary of state, and the American ambassador in Ukraine, Geoffrey R. Pyatt, in which they discussed the possibility of opposition leaders entering the government in late January. “Yats is the guy who’s got the economic experience, the governing experience,” Ms. Nuland said, referring to Mr. Yatsenyuk, in a call during which she also famously directed an expletive at the European Union.  

From the beginning of his political career he enjoyed lavish financial support from both NGO and Western embassies. For example, Yatsenyuk presidential campaign  in 2010 was estimated to cost about $60–$70 million (Wikipedia).  That's a lot for Ukrainian politician.

While being the most  pro-USA politician among Ukrainian political elite bring its own dividends (including cookies from Victoria Nuland), the problem with him is too long tongue. That means that his statements are no longer taken seriously. He flip-flopped so many times, that he got a reputation that now is shadowing  him.  Which is not a big disadvantage for a Ukrainian politician (for many of them the art of betrayal is like mother milk; see Bismark quote ).  As Fern observed in his March 12 post:

Yatsenyuk is also a member of the ‘hoisted with their own petard’ club. As a minister in Yushchenko government, he also welcomed the moves towards Kosovo’s independence:

“Visiting Pristina, the capital of Kosovo, at the time, Yatsenyuk said: “Officials in Kiev support the granting of independence to Kosovo. The Kosovo problem is very complicated, but, in any case, the final decision is full sovereignty,” he said”.

For example he made statements for which he is just a few months ago cursed Yanukovich. In addition to his tendency of making statements which are completely opposite to his statements of two month before, his performance as a Prime Minister was clumsy and ridden with "Op-s". Like Turchinov he is connected to Odessa Massacre of May 2, 2014 and Mariupol "pacification" of May 9. 

Donetsk operation his hands  are in blood up to armpits and by international norms he might well be a war criminal.

Here is one telling example, were he creates the impression about the Ukrainian regime as a desperate group of white trash fascists.

Ukraine: Echoes Of The Third Reich - Yatsenyuk's "Subhumans"

Wikipedia - Untermensch:

Untermensch (German for under man, sub-man, sub-human; plural: Untermenschen) is a term that became infamous when the Nazis used it to describe "inferior people" often referred to as "the masses from the East," that is Jews, Gypsies, and Slavs; including Poles, Serbs, Belarusians, Russians, and Rusyns. The term was also applied to black people and Mulattos. Jewish people were to be exterminated in the Holocaust, just as Slavs in Generalplan Ost, who were destined to be removed from European territory under German control through murder and ethnic cleansing.

Embassy of Ukraine in the United States of America - Ukraine’s Prime Minister Yatsenyuk: We will commemorate the heroes by cleaning our land from the evil:

“They lost their lives because they defended men and women, children and the elderly who found themselves in a situation facing a threat to be killed by invaders and sponsored by them subhumans. First, we will commemorate the heroes by wiping out those who killed them and then by cleaning our land from the evil”, - he said.

as  Demian  commented at M of A blog:

It's really remarkable that that remark about "them subhumans" was published at the official Ukraine embassy in the US Web site. The ungrammatical "them" sounds exactly like American white trash talk.

Uki diplomatic personnel evidently spend so much time trying to learn the artificial language of official Ukrainian that they don't have time to achieve any level of competency in the English language.

Wikipedia entry: Arseniy Yatsenyuk

Arseniy Petrovych Yatsenyuk was born on May 22, 1974 in Chernivtsi, Ukraine (then part of the Soviet Union). He was born to in a family of professors of the Chernivtsi University. His father, historian Peter Ivanovich Yatsenuk, was a professor at the Faculty of History at Chernivtsi National University while his mother, Maria Grigoriievna Yatsenyuk (nee Bakai), had been a teacher at the French Department of Foreign Languages within the same instititution.[7] Yatsenyuk is partly of Romanian ancestry, with one of his grandparents being an ethnic Romanian from the region around Chernivtsi and citizen of Greater Romania; besides Ukrainian, Russian, and English, He also has some knowledge of Romanian.[8] After Yatsenyuk began studying at the Chernivtsi University in 1992, Yatsenyuk set up a student law firm.[9] Yatsenyuk graduated from the university in 1996, and later attended the Chernivtsi Trade-Economics Institute of the "Kyiv National Trade-Economics Institute" in 2001.[10] In addition to holding a law degree and a master's degree in accounting and auditing, Yatsenyuk also earned a Ph.D. in economics from the Ukrainian Academy of Banking of the National Bank of Ukraine.[11]

From December 1992 to September 1997 he was the president of "Yurek Ltd." law firm, based in Chernivtsi.[10] From January 1998 until September 2001, Yatsenyuk worked in the Aval bank, based in Kiev.[10]

From September until November 2001, Arseniy served as an "acting" Minister of Economy of Crimea, and from November of the same year until January 2003, served as the official Minister of Economy of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea.[10]

From November 2003 to February 2005, Yatsenyuk served as the first vice-president of the head of the National Bank of Ukraine under Serhiy Tyhypko.[9] After Tyhypko left the National Bank, Arseniy Yatsenyuk was put in charge of the National Bank.[9]

After Vasyl Tsushko was appointed as the new Governor of Odessa Oblast, Tsushko asked Yatsenyuk to serve as his vice-governor, which he served from March 9 to September 2005.[9][10] From September 27, 2005 to August 4, 2006, he served as the Minister of Economy of Ukraine in the Yekhanurov Government.[9][12] Arseniy Yatsenyuk then headed talks about Ukrainian membership in the World Trade Organization. Yatsenyuk also heads the Ukraine-European Union commission.

From September 20, 2006, he served as the first vice-president of the Head of Government of the President of Ukraine, and the representative of the president in the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine.[13]

Arseniy Yatsenyuk was proposed for the post of Foreign Minister by the President of Ukraine, Viktor Yushchenko. Yatsenyuk was chosen for the post by the Verkhovna Rada (parliament) on March 21, 2007[14] with 426 votes (from 450 maximum),[15] but only after the Ukrainian parliament twice denied the post to Volodymyr Ohryzko.

In the early parliamentary elections held on September 30, 2007, Yatsenyuk was elected to the parliament from Our Ukraine–People's Self-Defense Bloc (number 3 in the bloc's member list). On December 3, 2007, he was nominated for the position of the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada from the democratic coalition formed from the Yulia Tymoshenko Bloc and Our Ukraine–People's Self-Defense Bloc.[16] On December 4, 2007, Yatsenyuk was elected the Chairman of the Parliament.[17] His candidacy was the only in the ballot, and he obtained 227 votes in favor (from the democratic coalition; opposition abstained from the voting).[18]

During the Ukrainian political crises of September 2008 Yatsenyuk offered his resignation on September 17, 2008. A vote on his dismissal on November 11, 2008, was declared invalid by the counting commission of the Parliament[19][20] (the vote was proposed by opposition party Party of Regions).[21]

On November 12, a total of 233 of 226 required deputies satisfied the resignation statement of Yatsenyuk and thus dismissed him from his post of Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada.[22][23] The voting was carried out through the parliaments voting system and not by means of secret ballots, as stipulated by the parliamentary regulations.[24] After his dismissal Yatsenyuk told journalists that he will form a new political force "for change in the country."[25][26]

On November 21, 2008 Arseniy Yatsenyuk was also dismissed by President Viktor Yushchenko from the National Security and Defense Council.[27]

On January 25, 2014, Arseniy Yatsenyuk was offered a Prime Minister government post by President Viktor Yanukovych but he refused due to the unmet demands. Yatsenyuk said that the people should be making a decision for the future of Ukraine not the present government officials.[28]

On December 16, 2008, Yatsenyuk announced plans to create a political party on basis of the Front of Changes public initiative.[29][30] In an interview with Den of February 4, 2009 he claimed to have no allies among the contemporary politicians.[31] He has often been referred to as a political clone lacking differentiating policies of Ukraine's President, Viktor Yushchenko.[32] According to polls held in the last months of 2008 suggested a political party led by Yatsenyuk would pass the 3 percent election threshold in a Ukrainian parliamentary election.[33][34][35]

On April 5, 2009, Arseniy Yatsenyuk announced his candidacy for President of Ukraine in the next presidential election.[36] During the election campaign fellow candidate Serhiy Ratushniak repeatedly insulted Yatsenyuk because of his alleged Jewish roots, among others Ratushniak called Yatsenyuk an "impudent little Jew" who was "successfully serving the thieves who are in power in Ukraine and is using criminal money to plough ahead towards Ukraine's presidency".[37]

Yatsenyuk's presidential campaign was estimated to cost about $60–$70 million.[38] When Yatsenyuk billboards first appeared around Ukraine at the end of June 2009, Yatseniuk was depicted as a military-style leader, while his previous image was that of a "young liberal". Some analysts think that this did not help the campaign.[38] On January 13, 2010 Yatseniuk stated that his election campaign had cost 80 million Hryvnia and that "The number of my advertising posters is ten times less than that of all of my political opponents"; Yatseniuk claimed that funds from his election budget were mainly spent on his appearances on television.[39]

After the elections Yatsenyuk wanted to dissolve the Verkhovna Rada because in his view the parliament would prevent him from working. He also stated in November 2009 that Bloc Yulia Tymoshenko and Party of Regions were "almost a single whole".[40][41]

In late November 2009, he stated he was not interested in "using his votes as bargaining material" for a high political post.[42]

On February 21, 2010 President Yanukovych offered three candidates for Prime Minister of Ukraine: Sergey Tigipko, Yatsenyuk and Party of Regions lawmaker Mykola Azarov.[43] But Yatsenyuk declined this proposal to hold a high post in the new cabinet after the Ukrainian parliament adopted an amendment on March 9, 2010 which enabled independent lawmakers to take part in forming a majority coalition, instead of only parliamentary factions; Yatsenyuk disapproved of this amendment.[44] Instead he called for early parliamentary elections: "Unconstitutional attempts by parliamentarians to form a coalition and a government would deepen the political crisis and the crisis of statehood as such".[45] To be premier in a coalition with communists was unacceptable for Yatsenyuk.[46] Yatsenyuk formed an oppositional government in March 2010, next to another oppositional government headed by Bloc Yulia Tymoshenko, opposing the Azarov Government.[47] In April 2010 Yatsenyuk was officially chosen as party leader of Front for Change; by that time the public initiative had become a political party also.[48]

During the October 2012 Ukrainian parliamentary election Yatsenyuk competed on a party list based on the party All-Ukrainian Union "Fatherland".[49][50] Yatseniuk stressed in April 2012 "Front of Changes existed and will exist" but also hinted the same month the alliance could lay basis for one single party.[49][51] The party competed on one single party under "umbrella" party "Fatherland", together with several other parties, during the October 2012 parliamentary elections.[52][53][54][55][56][57] During the election this list won 62 seats (25.55% of the votes) under the proportional party-list system and another 39 by winning 39 simple-majority constituencies; a total of 101 seats in Parliament.[58] Yatsenyuk headed this election list; because "Fatherland"-leader Yulia Tymoshenko was imprisoned.[59][60] Yatsenyuk was elected leader of the parliamentary faction of "Fatherland" on 12 December 2012.[5]

On 15 June 2013 his Front for Change (party) merged into "Fatherland".[6]

Acting Interior Minister Arsen Avakov

Arsen Avakov has criminal or semi-criminal past. He was arrested and was in detention in Frosinone (Italy) late March 2012. An Italian court placed Avakov under house arrest as a preventive measure on 12 April 2012. Member of Batkivshchina Party (like Yats and Turchinov). Like many other members of junta, he was a player in the completely criminal wave of first  privatizations. Pathological liar.  Intercepted phone call made him one of suspects in attempt on life on Kharkov major Gennady Kernes WSJ Kharkiv Mayor at death’s door after shooting - Crash Magazine Online

Officials said Kernes had made a public statement that he was being subjected to “political persecution”, adding that Arsen Avakov, Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine, was linked to threats against Kernes and the attack on him.

His career of Interior Minister was marked by series of blunders including disbanding of Berkut.

Elite riot police disbanded

Earlier Wednesday, acting Interior Minister Arsen Avakov announced that a riot police force used against anti-government protesters in Ukraine had been disbanded.

Demonstrators accused the elite Berkut force, deployed by the government of Yanukovych to quell recent protests, of using excessive force.

Avakov said on his Facebook page that he'd signed the order disbanding the force Tuesday.

But the new, pro-Russian mayor of Sevastopol said Tuesday night at a rally in the city that he had secured funding to keep paying Berkut riot police there even after the force was disbanded.

The mayor, Alexej Chaliy, was elected in an unofficial local vote, but the interim authorities in Kiev have said he is not a legitimate leader.

Last week, the bloody street clashes between demonstrators and security forces left more than 80 dead, the deadliest violence in the country since it gained independence when the Soviet Union collapsed 22 years ago.

Russia, which backed Yanukovych, contends that the President was driven out by an "armed mutiny" of extremists and terrorists. A warrant has been issued for his arrest, but his whereabouts remain unknown.

Wikipedia

Arsen Avakov was born on January 2, 1964 in Kirov town (Kirovskiy district which is now Binagadinskiy district) of Baku (Azerbaijan) into a military family and is of Armenian origin.

Since 1966 Avakov has been permanently residing in Ukraine.

From 1981 to 1982 Arsen Avakov worked as a laboratory assistant at the Chair for Automated Control Systems in Kharkiv Polytechnic Institute.

In 1988 he graduated from Kharkiv Polytechnic Institute as a systems engineer with a major in automated control systems.

In 1987—1990 Avakov was employed by All-Union Scientific-Research Institute on Water Protection (Kharkiv) as an engineer.

In 1990 Arsen Avakov founded and headed “Investor” JSC, аnd “Basis” Commercial Bank later in 1992.

In 2002 Avakov was elected a Member of the Executive Committee of Kharkiv City Council.

On February 4, 2005 by the Decree of the President of Ukraine Arsen Avakov was appointed the Head of Kharkiv Regional State Administration [ and resigned from the position of the Head of “Investor” JSC and “Basis” Commercial Bank Supervisory Board.

On March 26, 2006 he was elected a Deputy of Kharkiv Regional Council of the 6th convocation, a member of the Standing Committee on Budgetary Issues.

On October 31, 2010 Arsen Avakov was elected a Deputy of Kharkiv Regional Council of the 6th convocation, a member of the Standing Committee on Science, Education, Culture, Historical Heritage, Intellectual Wealth and National Minorities.

On February 9, 2010 he resigned pursuant to Part 3 of Article 31 of The Law of Ukraine “On Civil Service”: “Principled disagreement with decisions made by the public body or an official thereof, and ethical reasons preventing continuation of civil service”.

On February 1, 2010 Avakov withdrew from “Our Ukraine” political party headed by the President Viktor Yushchenko. At the close of his term of office in Kharkiv Regional State Administration Avakov issued a detailed Summary Report.

On April 21, 2010 Arsen Avakov joined “Batkivshchyna” party and accepted the offer of Yulia Tymoshenko to lead the regional organization of “Batkivshchyna” political party (Bloc Yulia Tymoshenko).

Avakov was charged on 31 January 2012 with illegally transferring land and he was put on the international wanted list of Interpol on 21 March 2012.[1] He was detention in Frosinone (Italy) late March 2012.[1] A Italian court placed Avakov under house arrest as a preventive measure on 12 April 2012.[2] After in October 2012 he was elected into the Ukrainian parliament he return to Ukraine on 11 December 2012.[1] On 10 December 2012, a Court ruling canceled Avakov's restriction measure in the form of detention and a warranty for Avakov'a arrest, as Avakov was elected as a people's deputy.[3] Avakov returned to Ukraine the next day.[3]

Avakov published 12 scientific papers, one monograph and a number of essays on political and social issues. He is married and has a son named Oleksandr.

Arsen Avakov is a member of “Batkivshchyna” political party.

During the presidential electoral campaign in Ukraine in 2004 Arsen Avakov was the Deputy Head of Kharkiv Regional Headquarters of V. А. Yushchenko, a presidential candidate, and the First Deputy Head of “The National Salvation Committee” in Kharkiv Region.

From February 4, 2005 till February 9, 2010 he was the Head of Kharkiv Regional State Administration,[3] Deputy of Kharkiv Regional Council of the 5th and 6th convocations; a member of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine from May 5, 2007 through January 21, 2008, Organizing Committee on the Preparation to Hold Euro 2012 in Ukraine from April 24 till May 8, 2007, National Council on Interaction between Government Authorities and Local Self-Government Bodies. He is Honored Economist of Ukraine.

In March 2005 Arsen Avakov was elected into the Council of “Our Ukraine” People’s Union” Party, a member of the Party Presidium.

On February 1, 2010 he withdrew from “Our Ukraine” political party headed by the President Viktor Yushchenko.

On April 21, 2010 Arsen Avakov joined the “Batkivshchyna” party and accepted the offer of Yulia Tymoshenko to lead the regional organization of “Batkivshchyna” political party.

Avakov ran for mayor of Kharkiv in the 2010 Ukraine local elections on 31 October 2010.[1] He took second place, losing to the winner of the mayoral election, Hennadiy Kernes, by a margin of 0.63%.[1]

In 2012 he was elected into the Ukrainian parliament on the party list of "Fatherland" (number 24 on this list).[1][4][5]

Acting Ukrainian Security Council chief Andriy Parubiy

This is the most sinister figure in provisional government tainted with:

He is also the only 100% pure neo-nazi in the government as he is one of the founders of "National Party of Ukraine (together with Oleh Tyahnybok); the party combined radical nationalism and some neo-Nazi features." (Wikipedia).

"In February 2010 Parubiy had asked the European Parliament to reconsider its negative reaction to former Ukrainian President Victor Yushchenko's decision to award Stepan Bandera, the leader of the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists, the title of Hero of Ukraine" (Wikipedia)

Wikipedia.

Andriy Volodymyrovych Parubiy (Ukrainian: Андрій Володимирович Парубій) is a Ukrainian politician[2] and the Secretary of the National Security and Defence Council of Ukraine, appointed after leading the anti-government riots in the 2014 Ukrainian revolution.[3] His deputy is Right Sector leader Dmytro Yarosh.[4]

In the years leading up to the Ukrainian independence in 1991 Parubiy was an active activist for this independence, being arrested for holding an illegal rally in 1988.[2] In 1991 he founded the Social-National Party of Ukraine together with Oleh Tyahnybok; the party combined radical nationalism and some neo-Nazi features.[5][6][2] Parubiy co-led the Orange Revolution in 2004.[2][7] In the 2007 parliamentary elections he was elected into the Ukrainian parliament on an Our Ukraine–People's Self-Defense Bloc ticket.[2] He then became a member of the deputy group that would later become For Ukraine!.[2] Parubiy stayed with Our Ukraine and became a member of its Political Council.[8]

In February 2010 Parubiy had asked the European Parliament to reconsider its negative reaction to former Ukrainian President Victor Yushchenko's decision to award Stepan Bandera, the leader of the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists, the title of Hero of Ukraine.[9]

Early February 2012 Parubiy left Our Ukraine because their "views diverged".[10]

In 2012 he was re-elected into parliament on the party list of "Fatherland".[11]

In 2013–14 Parubiy was a commandant of the Euromaidan.[12] He was coordinator of the volunteer security corps for the mainstream protesters.[13]

Acting Head of SBU Valentyn Nalyvaichenko

Please note recent Kievpost info about him: Head of Ukraine's SBU provided Ukrainian special service officials' personal files to CIA

Valentyn Nalyvaichenko. aka "American's Valik"

Valentyn Oleksandrovych Nalyvaichenko (Ukrainian: Валенти́н Олекса́ндрович Налива́йченко) (born 8 June 1966; Zaporizhia)[3] is a Ukrainian diplomat, politician and statesman. On 24 February 2014, the Verkhovna Rada (Ukrainian parliament) appointed Nalyvaichenko the Head of the Security Service of Ukraine.[4]

Nalyvaichenko started working for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1994 and was appointed deputy minister in 2004 and ambassador to Belarus in December 2005.[3][5] In May 2006, he left that position to become the first deputy head of the Security Service of Ukraine.[6] In December 2006, Nalyvaichenko became acting head of the SBU following Ihor Drizhchany's dismissal by parliament.[6] He kept this temporary position due to political deadlock but was finally confirmed as head of the SBU in March 2009.[6][7] In March 2010, following the defeat of Viktor Yushchenko in the presidential election, Nalyvaichenko was replaced by Valeriy Khoroshkovsky. In September 2010, Nalyvaichenko was chosen to replace Vira Ulianchenko as the Chairman of the Political Council of Our Ukraine.[8]

Nalyvaichenko was placed at number 3 on the electoral list of UDAR during the 2012 Ukrainian parliamentary election.[9] He was elected into parliament.[10]

Starting from June 2006 Nalyvaichenko worked in the field of national security. In June 2006 he was appointed the First Deputy of the Head of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), and the Head of the Anti-Terrorist Center.

Starting from December 2006 and until March 2010 Nalyvaichenko was appointed Head of the Security Service of Ukraine. He also served on the National Security and Defence Council of Ukraine.

He immediately initiated fundamental reforms to establish state-of-the art European security service, by, first of all, reviewing its key functions and eliminating “the totalitarian legacy” of the Soviet KGB.

De-politization and de-militarization of the Ukrainian security service became key priorities for his reforms, as well as focus on protecting interests of ordinary citizens of Ukraine. He also focused on fighting corruption, combating terrorism, drug and people trafficking, illegal sales of weapons. Nalyvaichenko introduced mechanisms of democratic civil control over activities of the SBU.

The State Secret Service under Nalyvaichenko took leadership in promoting and implementing the Euro-Atlantic strategy of Ukraine. He initiated a joint Working Group “Ukraine-NATO” on military reform.

Nalyvaichenko initiated unprecedented efforts aimed at restoring historical memory that resulted in declassifying and digitalization of archives of the SBU, and making them available to public. He created special research centers to discover, declassify and release documents related to different periods of modern Ukrainian history, including tragic times of Holodomor (Ukrainian Famine) of 1932-33, Stalin repressions, WWII, Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA), repressions against Ukrainian intelligenzia and patriots of the 60-s, 70-s, and 80-s. For the first time in the history of independent Ukraine people could have access to actual cases and files of their prosecuted family members and friends.

Nalyvaichenko transferred some of the former KGB property, i.e. administrative building of the SBU Department in Lviv Oblast, back to the community. It was later opened to public and turned into the National Museum-Memorial of Victims of the Occupation Regimes.

In 2009 Nalyvaichenko officially stated that documents from the SBU archives contained indisputable and conclusive evidence that Holodomor of 1932-33 in Ukraine was organized and orchestrated by the totalitarian Stalinist regime, and therefore was a Genocide against people of Ukraine. On June 22, 2009, the State Security Service of Ukraine opened a criminal case on the grounds of Paragraph 1 of Article 442 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine “in relation to the genocide in Ukraine in 1932-33” that killed millions of innocent people.

In a ruling on 13 January 2010 Kiev’s Court of Appeals found Joseph Stalin and other Bolshevik leaders: Vyacheslav Molotov, Lazar Kaganovich, Pavel Postyshev, Stanislav Kosior, Vlas Chubar and Mendel Khatayevich guilty of "organizing genocide of a Ukrainian ethnic group".[11] According to the UN Convention from November 26, 1968, this crime is not subject to statute of limitations. This decision became effective on January 21, 2010.

In May 2010, he announced the beginning of a public initiative called «Onovlennya Krainy» (Renewal of the Country).

In September 2010 he joined Our Ukraine party and became Chairman of the Political Council of the party. On May 24, 2012 he resigned as Chairman of the Political Council and left the party.

Supporting principles and political platform of UDAR (Ukrainian Democratic Alliance for Reforms) of Vitaliy Klitchko, on August 1, 2012 he joined his political party. Valentyn Nalyvaichenko was elected Member of Parliament of Ukraine in October 2012 from of UDAR; he was # 3 on UDAR party list.[9][10]

On 22 February 2014, just after the "Maidan revolution",[12] the Verkhovna Rada (Ukrainian parliament) appointed Nalyvaichenko (with the support of 333 of the 450 MPs[4]) its Commissioner in charge of supervision over the Security Service of Ukraine.[4]

Acting Defense minister Ihor Tenyukh

Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Ihor Yosypovych Tenyukh (Ukrainian: Ігор Йосипович Тенюх) is a Ukrainian admiral and member of the right wing Svoboda (political party). He was the commander of the Ukrainian Navy from 2006 until 2010 when dismissed by Viktor Yanukovych. Tenyukh fully supported the 2013-2014 uprising, and was appointed Minister of Defense of Ukraine in February 2014.

Tenyukh graduated from the M.V. Frunze Higher Naval School, Leningrad in 1982 and began his career as a torpedo boat officer.[citation needed] From 1983 to 1991, he rose through the ranks of commander of coastal mine-sweeper, executive officer of, then commander of seagoing mine-sweeper, chief of the armament and equipment stores department on a mine and anti-submarine armament base.[citation needed] In 1991 he became a member of the Defense and State Security Commission of the Verkhovna Rada (Ukrainian parliament), and participated in the development of a bill on the creation of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.[citation needed]

From 1991 to 1995, he was a senior officer of maintenance of combat actions Department of the Navy of Ministry of Defence of Ukraine, chief of command of the Navy of the Main Staff of the Armed forces of Ukraine, chief of department of directions of the Main operational agency of General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.[citation needed] In 1994, he graduated from the U.S. Defense Language Institute, and in 1997 he became a faculty member at National Academy of the Armed Forces of Ukraine to prepare officers on an operational-strategic level. From 1997 to 2005, he was a commander of surface ships brigade and commander of combined arms squadron of the Ukrainian Naval Forces. In 2002, he was commander of the annual activation of the Black Sea Force BLACKSEAFOR. From November 2005 – 2006 he was deputy Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Pursuant to decree #252/2006 dated March 23, 2006 the Ukrainian President appointed him from Rear Admiral to Commander-in-Chief of the Navy of Ukraine. On August 22, 2008, Tenyukh was promoted from Vice Admiral to the rank of Admiral.[1] Tenyukh was responsible for ordering Ukrainian naval vessels to block[when?] the entrance of the Russian Navy to the bay of Sevastopol, in response to the 2008 South Ossetia War.[2] No ships were blocked.[citation needed] On March 19, 2010, President Viktor Yanukovich dismissed Tenyukh from his position[why?].[2]

During the Euromaidan rally in Kiev on January 19, 2014 Tenyukh warned of the dangers posed by the "coup d'etat planned by the current authorities" and called for members of the Armed Forces to defy "illegal" orders from those in power.[3] He was quoted as saying "Tomorrow the regime will enslave you too. Therefore we are calling on you to fulfill your military oath of loyalty to the Ukrainian people, and not to the authorities who have gone off the rails".[3] Tenyukh was appointed on 27 February 2014 by the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Minister of Defense.


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[Sep 19, 2018] Shocking New Evidence Mass Murder of Odessans by Ukrainian Nationalists Was Financed by Poroshenko

May 02, 2018 | nowcurrentnews.com

By News Videos on May 2, 2018

The command "Set fire and go" was given to mercenaries who stood behind the tragic events in the House of Trade Unions in Odessa. Israeli journalist Anna Stefan presented these shocking details in her investigation.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/Lgp8MhcuxNM?autoplay=1&modestbranding=1

Subscribe to Vesti News https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCa8MaD6gQscto_Nq1i49iew?sub_confirmation=1 The command "Set fire and go" was given to mercenaries who stood behind the tragic events

[Sep 08, 2015] Yatsenyuk fought in Chechnya - Russia's Investigative Committee

UNIAN news

Ukraine's current Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk used to fight in Chechnya against Russia, according to Aleksandr Bastrykin, head of Russia's Investigative Committee, reports Ukrainska Pravda citing the Russian newspaper Rossiyskaya Gazeta.

The Russian investigators have questions to the Ukrainian citizens Dmytro Korchinsky, Ihor Mazur, Valery Bobrovich of the UNA-UNSO, the leader of the Right Sector Dmytro Yarosh, the leader of the Svoboda Party Oleh Tiahnybok and his brother Andriy in connection with the war in Chechnya in 1994-1995, according to Bastrykin's interview with Rossiyskaya Gazeta, Ukrainska Pravda reported.

"The investigation also found that at the time, Arseniy Yatsenyuk fought by their side against the Russian military as part of Argo punitive group, and later - Viking, led by Oleksandr Muzychko," said Bastrykin.

"According to the investigation, Yatsenyuk took part in at least two of the armed confrontations that took place on December 31, 1994, on the Minutka square in Grozny and in February, 1995, outside the city hospital 9 in Grozny; as well as in torture and executions of prisoners," he said.

In addition, Bastrykin says that Yatsenyuk was conferred Honor of the Nation Dzhohar Dudayev's highest Honor of the Nation title in December, 1995.

"In early 1995, Arseniy Yatsenyuk returned to Ukraine via Georgia with a group of journalists. Later, he was repeatedly seen at conventions and other events of UNA-UNSO in Kyiv," said Bastrykin.

According to the official biography of Arseniy Yatsenyuk, in 1995, he had studied law at the University of Chernivtsi.

UNIAN memo. UNA-UNSO) is a Ukrainian political organisation seen as far-right in Ukraine and abroad. Although the Ukrainian National Assembly (UNA) was the organisation's political wing, on 22 May 2014 it merged with Right Sector; the UNA-UNSO continues to operate independently.

Oleksandr Muzychko was a Ukrainian political activist, a member of UNA-UNSO and coordinator of Right Sector in Western Ukraine. Russian prosecutors accused him of killing "at least 20" captive Russian soldiers during the First Chechen War. The inquiry by the Russian Investigative Committee began in March 2014, years after the alleged killings. Muzychko jumped into media spotlight on February 27, 2014, after attacked the Prosecutor of the Rivne region in his office. On 11 March 2014, Russian State Duma opposition leader Valery Rashkin urged Russian special services to "follow Mossad examples" and assassinate Right Sector leaders Dmytro Yarosh and Muzychko. On 24 March, 2014, Oleksandr Muzychko was shot dead.

[May 01, 2015] There was heroism and cruelty on both sides: the truth behind one of Ukraine's deadliest days by Howard Amos in Odessa

Such an elaborate dance around facts. From comments: "It is so depressing when there is far more information in the comments section than in the article itself. It seems the new editor is keen to continue the traditions of her predecessor." This is one event about which there is quite a lot of information to see how Guardian presstitutes try to bent the truth. See Odessa Massacre of May 2, 2014
The Guardian

The emergency calls became increasingly desperate. "When are you coming? It's already burning and there are people inside," a woman told the fire brigade dispatcher. Minutes later, callers started describing how people were jumping from the upper floors. "Have you lost your minds?" one man asked, his voice breaking. "There are women and children in the building!" another man yelled. In one of the most deadly episodes in Ukraine's turbulent 2014 power transition, 48 people were killed and hundreds injured on 2 May last year in the Black Sea port of Odessa.

Street battles culminated in a fatal fire at Soviet-era building where hundreds of pro-Russia activists were barricaded in.

VengefulRevenant -> AlfredHerring 1 May 2015 17:24

The victims are the ones who were raped, shot or burned to death in the massacre.

The perpetrators are those protected by the NATO-backed regime which has failed to investigate the massacre.

The apologists are the NATO-aligned media who blame the victims or assign blame equally to the killers and the dead along the lines of, 'There was heroism and cruelty on both sides.'


normankirk -> Metronome151 1 May 2015 16:52

Well isn't it wonderful to hear a diversity of views expressed on Russian TV. When all we hear is how all media is controlled by the Kremlin

Kaiama Danram 1 May 2015 16:48

So the dead Ukrainian children and women are Kremlin goons too?
How simple your life must be to allow you to make such simplistic conclusions.

vr13vr 1 May 2015 16:46

Some nice whitewashing. Now it's fault of the victims and the heroism of the perpetrators, there hasn't been and there will be no investigation and the word massacre is no longer used. For those of you who still argue it was not a massacre but some mysterious suicide by 48 people who set themselves afire, here is footage again.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QxcB0PI4ZLg

Take a look at some of the pretty revealing moments:
23 min mark - Ukrainians are entering the building, there was no resistance.
24:20. A group of Ukrainians go upstairs, there is no fire yet.
26:20 Some are coming returning. The stairs are being set on fire.
27:50 A Ukrainian is firing gun at those trying to jump from the building.

While in the building, Ukrainians were slaughtering people. And it wasn't a fight. Half of the victims were middle-aged. At least 10 of them - women.

31min - 33min - the victims who got out have their faces and hands disfigured while the rest of their bodies don't have the same injuries. That's what happens if someone splashes fuel over someone's face and light it up. There are pictures of victims with only their heads and hands burned.

33min - 35min - there were women among those trying to find safety in the building. Some of them are middle-aged. They were not fighters, as the article would imply.

36min- 37min - Ukrainians were inside the building, setting it on fire and killing those whom they could find, a young woman in this specific frame.

46min - a person was bludgeoned to death. The room doesn't have marks of fire but the blood is splattered all over the room.

48min-50min - the same story, Ukrainians were slaughtering their victims.

1h:00min - Ukrainians are entering the building again, this time from the make shift scaffolding.

Any attempt to pretend there was a fight rather than a massacre is crazy. Any suggestion that somehow people inside were setting themselves on fire is ludicrous in light of evidence that the Ukis were inside the building. And the fact that Kiev doesn't even see it as murder makes me just angry.


AbsolutelyFapulous -> PlatonKuzin 1 May 2015 16:43

Odessa as well as the most Ukraine is a Russian soil.

Donno why you are commenting here. You even don't seem to be able to read a map.


BorninUkraine -> RonBuckley 1 May 2015 16:25

In a way, you are right, it was the US (via Vicky "f… the EU" Nuland and mad John McCain) that pushed Ukraine over the cliff. As usual, the EU "leaders" (Merkel, etc) acted as US lackeys.

However, equal blame goes to stupid and thieving Ukrainian elites, under whose "leadership" the country was on the edge of that cliff to begin with.

Current Ukrainian "leaders" keep stealing everything they can, including financial and material aid from the West. What else is new?


MaoChengJi -> Goodthanx 1 May 2015 16:03

Yeah. I'm convinced that they should've sent paratroopers and take Kiev right the next day after the coup d'etat; stop this whole unholy mess right then and there. That really would've saved tens of thousands of lives - if not millions, seeing how this thing seems to escalate, leading us to a nuclear war.

Putin is a pussy, Medvedev got it right in Georgia in 2008. Well, frankly Medvedev is a pussy too. He should've taken Tbilisi, and put Saakashvili on trial.

To teach the bastards a lesson.

Instead, now we hear every day 'Russia will not fight Ukraine', 'Russia will not fight Ukraine', and the murdering Nazi bastards get bolder and bolder. What's the point of having all that military hardware if you're afraid to use it. They Yanks would've taken control of the place months ago, look at Grenada.

RonBuckley -> BorninUkraine 1 May 2015 15:52

Well said, man. Yes, Ukrainian politics have always been divisive, stupid, thievery and corrupt. That said they had neither brains nor money for a coup. So Ukraine should thank certain external powers for the deep shit it is in now.

PlatonKuzin -> puttypants 1 May 2015 15:31

Odessa as well as the most Ukraine is a Russian soil. That's the point. And the state of Ukraine is a temporary occupier of the Russian soil. So people living in Odessa don't have to go to Russian. They are right at their home. This is the state of Ukraine that has stayed on our Russian land for 23 years now. It's time for the quasi-state of Ukraine to leave.

BorninUkraine -> puttypants 1 May 2015 15:16

I was born in Lvov in Western Ukraine, I grew up in Lugansk in the East, I have friends and relatives all over, and I know exactly what is going on in Ukraine.

Ukraine in 1991 was extremely heterogenous. In the area West of Carpatian mountains people speak Hungarian, Romanian, and Rusine (a form of old Russian, spoken in Kievan Rus).

Galichina and Volynia in the West speak several dialects of Ukrainian. Many in Central Ukraine speak what is considered literary Ukrainian. In the South and East (historic Novorossia) and in Kharkov region (historic Slobozhanschina) the majority speaks "surgik", a mix of pidgin-Ukrainian and pidgin-Russian. Finally, in Crimea people speak Russian, Tatar, and very few speak Ukrainian. Crimea voted AGAINST Ukraine in 1991 referendum and got a chance to run away in 2014, when Ukraine committed suicide.

If the leaders of Ukraine had any brains and loved their country, they would have followed the example of Switzerland and Singapore, having many official languages. However, all Ukrainian rulers from day one were thieves and idiots. They made Ukrainian the only official language and pushed it everywhere, so that while you could get school education in several languages, all colleges operated only in Ukrainian, putting people who spoke other languages at a disadvantage.

That idiotic policy started this whole mess, which with a bit of US money, prodding, and now arms became a civil war. Not to mention that Galichina is the place that fought against Russia in WWI (as part of Austro-Hungarian empire, siding with Kaiser) and WWII (siding with Hitler). They supplied the troops that under Hitler's command murdered thousands of civilians in Ukraine, Poland, Belarus, and Slovakia. Bandera, Shuhevich, and veterans of Waffen SS division Galichina, who are considered heroes by current puppets in Kiev, voluntarily served Hitler.

80% of Ukrainian population hates these Bandera worshippers, so when external forces push them to power, it creates trouble. Personally I hate them for giving a bad name to everything Ukrainian.

BorninUkraine -> AbsolutelyFapulous 1 May 2015 15:10

Russia failed to send its troops to Donbass, and Ukrainian army killed thousands of civilians there, including women, children, elderly, and disabled veterans.

Or is saying things explicitly beyond your pay grade?

RonBuckley -> AbsolutelyFapulous 1 May 2015 15:06

To Odessa Kiev sent a few hundred pro-Nazi thugs - 42 died.

To Donetsk and Luhansk Kiev sent a few thousand pro-Nazi thugs plus the entire Ukrainian army - 6000 died.

Get it now?

Goodthanx -> Anette Mor 1 May 2015 15:04

For me it was the silence... You are right! Seeing what i was seeing, with no commentry to convince me either way.. How could the worlds media be so silent?

Then with MH, it was the complete opposite!! Immediately and with no investigation, MSM could not shut up about who they thought was responsible!!

Both fail the logic test miserably. But try explaining common sense to those that haven't any.

Goodthanx -> Chirographer 1 May 2015 14:48

Those protesters were Ukrainian Pro Federalists! Not one Russian amongst them!

Anette Mor -> Goodthanx 1 May 2015 14:46

Good for you. It is impossible to hide truth with current state of technology. Only not showning. Any life reporting give the footage adding facts one by one and crwating a true picture eventually. Even this rather bias article contributes to true story because the lie in it sticks out of logic for anybody we is able to think for themselves.

PlatonKuzin -> ID5868758 1 May 2015 14:42

Western media are not simply mirror images of the fascist governments they support. Acting the way they do, these media prepare the public for a future war.

Anette Mor -> vr13vr 1 May 2015 14:41

It is poinless to try to install fear in these people. Need to look at the history of people's wars in Russia. Since 17 century they were able to resist occupation and unwanted rulers by people war. There wpuld not be a win against Napoleon and Hitler without people rising and forming resistance. Same in Odessa now. Just a matter of time.

BunglyPete -> Chirographer 1 May 2015 14:35

The explanation is very simple. Right Sector had free reign to terrorise pro Russians, so he took action. Kiev choose not to punish Right Sector both then and now. He said this in the same interview you constantly reference.

Now can you explain why you think it is acceptable for Right Sector to terrorise the Donbass? If Strelkov wasnt allowed to defend them, who was?

Anette Mor -> Jeff1000 1 May 2015 14:34

Not sure why you call them pro-Russians. Odessa is multi-national city. These who were massacred are simply local people who disagreed with the violent coup which put to power by the west. Does it make them "pro-russian" and justify thier killing? Surely these who want own country to be coverned by own elected officials could not be pro- another country. If they trust Russian government care for them more then thier own coup, that only says how bad the coup rule is.

Goodthanx -> Chirographer 1 May 2015 14:24

Forget about the Russian government. The idea is justice for the victims and punishment for the perpetrators. Is it the ambition of the UN to be percieved as bias as so called Russuan investigators would be?

Kaiama -> truk10 1 May 2015 14:22

FFS there are enough links and analysis to demonstrate that pro-Kiev forces inflicted a massacre of civilians here. I don't see any pro-Ukraine links to additional information but an overwhelming deluge of links supporting the unvoiced version of events.

ID5868758 1 May 2015 14:18

Our western media have really become mirror images of the fascist governments they support. By publishing such whitewashing attempts as this, they only enable more such behavior in the future, behavior that leads to the deaths of more innocents, more civilians whose only desire is to live in freedom and peace.

Kaiama 1 May 2015 14:13

It is so depressing when there is far more information in the comments section than in the article itself. It seems the new editor is keen to continue the traditions of her predecessor.

Goodthanx -> Chirographer 1 May 2015 14:09

What kind of a teenage girl carries in their backpack petrol, empty bottles, rags and whatever else is required to make Molotov cocktails? What a coincidence... there is a group of them!!
As for Right Sector? Chartered buses transported Right Sector militia which arrived early in the day. These were the people communicating with police from the start.

MaoChengJi -> MaoChengJi 1 May 2015 13:51

Speaking of the media... I've been reading this Odessa news website: http://timer-odessa.net/ , and it has been relatively informative (as much as Ukro-sites can be, these days). And today suddenly it's gone dark: "there is no Web site at this address".

Does anyone know if it's gone for good? I really hope those who were running it are safe...


Jean-François Guilbo -> truk10 1 May 2015 13:51

So you didn't watch the video link in my comment did you?
If you just take this article for granted to know on which side the Odessa police was, you won't learn much on what happened...
Seems like the officier on the picture would have been recognised as a colonel from Odessa police, watch this link:

http://orientalreview.org/2014/05/06/genocide-in-novorossiya-and-swan-song-of-ukrainian-statehood/

And from these two links, these armed guys not afraid to shoot from the crowd, could have been agents provocateur...

BorninUkraine -> IrishFred 1 May 2015 13:47

Are you saying that Bandera, Shuhevich, and veterans of Waffen SS division Galichina never existed? If so, please state it explicitly.

Are you saying all of the above did not serve Hitler voluntarily? If so, please state it explicitly.
Are you saying all of the above are not guilty of mass murder and other crimes against humanity? If so, please state it explicitly.

Are you saying that people who are murdering their opponents, politicians and journalists, are not Nazis? If so, please state it explicitly.

As to Crimea, if you knew any history, you'd know that it was illegally annexed by Ukraine in 1991. Here is history 101, not necessarily for you, but for those who actually want to know the truth.

Crimea voted AGAINST Ukraine in 1991 referendum. Ukraine illegally repealed Crimean 1992 constitution and cancelled Crimean autonomy against the wishes of Crimean population in 1994.
BTW, several Western sources recently confirmed the results of Crimean referendum of 2014.
Forbes magazine
http://www.forbes.com/sites/kenrapoza/2015/03/20/one-year-after-russia-annexed-crimea-locals-prefer-moscow-to-kiev/

German polling company GFK
http://www.gfk.com/ua/Documents/Presentations/GFK_report_FreeCrimea.pdf

Gallup
http://www.bbg.gov/wp-content/media/2014/06/Ukraine-slide-deck.pdf

Russia deployed its troops in Crimea, and nobody was killed there. Russia failed to send its troops to Donbass, and Ukrainian army killed thousands of civilians there, including women, children, elderly, and disabled veterans.

As many Ukrainians joke now, "Crimeans are traitors: they ran away without us".
Your next argument?

Jeff1000 -> Chirographer 1 May 2015 13:45

Don't display callous and willful ignorance and call it even-handedness. The Guardian's "credible" account offers no sources, agrees with none of the available pictorial or video evidence and is rampant apologism.

I posted videos - including raw CCTV footage of the starting of the fire, further up the page.

BunglyPete -> coffeegirl 1 May 2015 13:40

I saw that guy's post it was fantastic, very well sourced and thorough. The comments on here were a different kettle of fish entirely back then.

Jeff1000 1 May 2015 13:39

The attempt to re-package this event as some awful conglomeration of circumstances spurred on by the cruelty of fate is sickening. We reduce the death of at least 50 people down so that calling it a "massacre" becomes needlessly emotive. We casually refer to the pro-Ukrainians as "football fans" to make it seem innocent - when Ukrainian football fans known as "Ultras" are famours for 2 things: Being neo-Nazis, and being violent thugs.

Look at this video especially: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uAEcceedzCU

It's really very simple - candid videos at the time made it clear.

1. Pro-Russian groups were attacked by Ukrainian "ultras". They sought shelter in the Trade Union building.

2. The building was set on fire when the Ultras threw molotovs through the windows. The doors were barred.

3. People attempting to climb out of the windows were shot at, if they jumped they were beaten as they lay on the ground.

4. Ukrainian nationalists deliberately blockaded the streets to inhibit the progress of ambulances and fire engines.

5. The Police pretty much let all this happen.

It's all in the videos - just go to youtube. Helping Kiev cover its backside is despicable.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YKpJ1-ECpPg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4dJRnI-X8Q
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ec0mgpwW6_Y

BunglyPete

At entrance to underpass guys with baseball bats are asking passersby: "are you for Odessa or Moscow?" The right answer is Odessa. - @howardamos

From the Guardian report on May 2 2014, by Howard Amos,

"The aim is to completely clear Odessa [of pro-Russians]," said Dmitry Rogovsky, another activist from Right Sector

According to the lady that setup the May 2 Group most victims had blunt trauma, and 30 had gunshot wounds.

Ah the difference a year makes.

coffeegirl -> coffeegirl 1 May 2015 13:33

And more http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/may/05/ukraine-fatal-clashes-pro-russia-separatists-east#comment-35243539

coffeegirl 1 May 2015 13:30

Only a week after The Odessa Massacre an american CiFer, ex-marine, has gathered links, sieved through hours and hours of video - he, practically, has done what the journos were supposed to do, - to prove the Guardian, BBC and the rest were trying hard to whitewash the atrocity. Check his posts: Additional proof that the BBC and the mainstream Western press lied when they said both sides threw the molotov's.

I looked for 5 hours searching for one video that showed anyone in the building throwing a molotov cocktail as the BBC first reported and the rest of the MSM went along with. I could not find a single one. They claimed a person named Sergei (what are the odds of that) told them a person threw the molotov inside the building and didn't realize the window was closed. This is absolutely ludicrous and an example of the pathetic reporting that passes for "news" these days.

I did find the video of the third floor fire starting. It is at the following link and runs consecutively. You'll notice at exactly the 2 minute mark the camera zooms in on the window where the fire begins. You'll also notice that at the 2:02 mark you see an additional molotov cocktail just miss the window. This is strong evidence that the window was being targeted by individuals on the ground. Prior to this fire starting there is no other fire on the third floor, therefore this is most likely the cause of the third floor fire and lends credence to the fact that the violent youth below burned those people alive.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9AMjLBIliw#t=125

Here's a link to the BBC article that quotes a random guy named Sergei and provides no evidence whatsoever to back up their story .http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-27275383


MaoChengJi -> Jeff1000 1 May 2015 13:24

And not just "Russian state-owned media" - also most of the Russian privately owned media, and most of the world media (and even some of the western media).

I believe I saw a chinadaily calling it Kristallnacht.

Jeff1000 1 May 2015 13:16

Russian state-owned media characterised the day's events as a "massacre" planned by "fascists" in Kiev, a narrative that has gained widespread traction.

Mostly because it's a pretty fitting description of what happened.

John Smith -> truk10 1 May 2015 13:15

No, there are no nazis in Ukraine. All Kremlin lies.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HDqk-uvYn4E

Goodthanx -> truk10 1 May 2015 13:11

Its not hard truk. Those red armbands that the so called pro Russian provocatores wore? Are actually the same red armbands Right sector militia was wearing during the most violent Maidan clashes. You can identify some of the same protagonists wearing the same armband in both Odesaa and Maidan!

vr13vr -> truk10 1 May 2015 13:07

Idiot. Nobody is laughing. Especially when 50 people died. Look at this video and see how Ukrainians entered the supposedly "heavily defended" building. You will see them operating inside, you will see them existing the building after it started burning from inside.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QxcB0PI4ZLg

Look at 23 min mark - they are entering the building with no resistance.
24:20. A group of Ukrainians go upstairs, there is no fire yet.
26:20 Some are coming returning. The stairs are being set on fire.
27:50 A Ukrainian is firing gun at those trying to jump from the building.

Yes, Ukrainians overrun the building, including the roof. The photographs suggest that people in the building where set afire while still alive.

You must be an idiot to say someone is laughing at this.

castorsia -> truk10 1 May 2015 13:02

No. They burned them. Check the photographic evidence.


PlatonKuzin -> vr13vr 1 May 2015 12:58

Armored vehicles and special riot forces were brought today in Odessa to prevent possible unrest there.


WHYNOPASSWORD12 -> Havingalavrov 1 May 2015 12:56

Plenty of witnesses point out that these were pro-ukraine provacateurs sent up to stir up trouble. They are wearing the same red armbands worn by a group who started the skirmishes earlier in the town centre. They were part of the group bussed-in under the guise of football supporters.


MaoChengJi -> truk10 1 May 2015 12:55

Hi turk10,
I understand your confusion. Luckily, Mr. Christof Lehmann investigated it all for you. Seek and ye shall find. Use google.

vr13vr 1 May 2015 12:50

Sure, Kiev views burning alive almost 50 people as a "victory." They even allowed to install fear in the city. Since then the city is totally subdued, people would be afraid to even discuss the events or think of any peaceful opposition as they are aware of the potential response from Kiev's supporters.

Nice job Guardian trying to whitewash the events and justify the cold blooded murder by some street fights elsewhere in the city, events that were taking place all over the country those days.

Jeremn -> oleteo 1 May 2015 12:40

No greater cynics than western politicians, who certainly don't mourn this heavenly half-hundred, or come to lay flowers at the scene of their death.

No greater cynic than the Czech envoy, Bartuska, who said:

"Groups of civilians - including men, women and children - seize government buildings. Within two days they get arms and after that women and children disappear, leaving only the armed men. If they [independence supporters] are quickly resisted, as it was done in Odessa where they were simply burned to death, or Dnepropetrovsk, where they were simply killed and buried by the side of the road, everything will be calm. If this is not done, then there will be war. That's all."

ID5868758 1 May 2015 12:18

Another despicable attempt to paint a false equivalency, to assign blame for this massacre, for their own deaths, on those who perished. Take the Molotov cocktail throwing, for instance. I watched the videos of those Molotov cocktails being made, pretty little pro-Ukrainian girls sitting on the ground with their assembly line all set up, smiling as they made those instruments of death and handed them out, now just where did those supplies come from, who thought to bring bottles and rags and fuel to an event if it was innocent in nature?

And where would those innocent victims chased inside the building get Molotov cocktails to throw from inside the building, when they were interested only in escaping the smoke and flames, saving their own lives? The narrative doesn't match the evidence, but neither does it pass the smell test, pretty SOP for western media reporting on Ukraine.

StillHaveLinkYouHate -> MaoChengJi 1 May 2015 11:56

The difference is that Nazis want to murder people for the accident of how they were born. Extreme natinalists will want to murder anybody who does not behave in the perverted way they feel a patriot should.

That is the difference. Praviy sektor are nazis, incidentally.

MaoChengJi 1 May 2015 11:55

Here's another opinion:
http://darussophile.com/2014/05/massacre-in-odessa/

It makes the point already made below in this comment thread:

I invite people to imagine how the British media would have reported this massacre if roles had been reversed and if it had been Maidan supporters who were burnt alive in the Trade Union building with an anti Maidan crowd filmed throwing Molotov cocktails into the building whilst baying for blood outside.

Indeed.

GreatCthulhu -> Metronome151 1 May 2015 11:45

Many of them not locals.

I thought the article was pretty clear that everyone on both sides were local. I speak, of course s an Irish man who doesn't regard hating Russians/ people who identify with Russia who aren't Russians but live nearby as a default position before beginning any debate.

There are a small minority of Irish people, living in the Republic (I am not referring to the northern Unionist Community here), who identify with Britain often to the point that they express regret that Ireland ever left the UK. I don't agree with them, but I would not set them on fire in a building. For that matter, it is ARGUABLE (I am not saying whether that argument is right or wrong- just that you could put forward the thesis) that the N.I state-let is something of an Irish Donbass. No justification for Ireland shelling the crap out of it though... at all... that sort of stuff is kind of regarded as savagery here these days.


MaoChengJi -> truk10 1 May 2015 11:43

Hi turk10,
what's wrong with calling them 'nazis'? The guardian piece identifies them as "extreme nationalists", and isn't it the same thing as 'neo-nazis' or 'nazis'?

Is there some nuance I'm missing here? What would you call them?

BorninUkraine -> truk10 1 May 2015 11:38

So you object to calling a spade a spade? Typical pro-US position in Ukrainian crisis. What do you call the insignia of, for example, Azov battalion (see here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Azov_Battalion ). If that's not Nazi insignia, I don't know what is.
I am simply saying that those who organized Odessa massacre, then Mariupol massacre, then fueled the war in Donbass, including Poroshenko, Turchinov, Yats, etc, are Nazis.

The simple reason for that conclusion is, as the saying goes, "if it looks like a duck, if it walks like a duck, if it quacks like a duck, it is a duck". If you prefer Christian version of the same thing, see Mathew 7:16 "you will know them by their fruits".

To sum it up, if someone behaves like a Nazi, s/he is a Nazi. Is this clear enough?

EugeneGur 1 May 2015 11:28

A pro-Russia activist aims a pistol at supporters of the Kiev government during clashes in the streets of Odessa, 2 May 2014.

How do we know that the guy is pro-Russian? Does the picture show what he is aiming at? Does he have a sign on his forehead burned in saying "I am pro-Russian and I am going to shoot that pro-Ukrainian bastard"? No, he does not. We are expected to assume that because the caption says so - but captions to pictures aren't evidence. Anybody can put any caption to any picture, and it's been done many a time.

The head of the local pro-Ukraine Maidan self-defence group, Dmitry Gumenyuk, recalled the effect of the homemade grenades. . . they threw a grenade and it exploded under his bullet-proof vest and four nails entered his lungs," he said.

Such peaceful people - going for a nice in the park walk in bullet-proof vests. They were going to destroy that camp and not on the agreement with the activists in that camp, as Guardian states (complete BS) but violently, which they did. Even if they were attacked, what did women in the camp have to do with it?
Come on, people, even in the face of such a tragedy, is it so absolutely necessary to hush up the truth all the time?

BorninUkraine -> caliento 1 May 2015 11:24

There is a Ukrainian joke. Russians ask:
- If you believe that Russia annexed Crimea, why don't you fight for it?
- We aren't that stupid, there are Russian troops there.
- But you say there are Russian troops in Donbass?
- That's what we say, but in Crimea there really are Russian troops.

castorsia 1 May 2015 11:21

The Guardian continues to misrepresent the Odesa massacre by reporting claims by the official Ukrainian investigation and the Odesa governor created May 2 group that the deadly fire started when both sided were throwing Molotov cocktails. The videos and other evidence showing that the fire started after the Molotov cocktails and tires were thrown by the attackers are deliberately omitted.

Open question to you all: What would be in the headlines if scores of "Pro-Ukrainian activists " were being burned, hacked, mauled, shot and raperd to death by Donetsk rebels or their supporters?

BorninUkraine 1 May 2015 11:20

There are lies, there are blatant lies, and then there are reports of Western media. Sad, but true.

In this article Howard Amos pretends that he believes that both sides were to blame for the mass murder of anti-fascists by pro-Maidan thugs in Odessa on May 2, 2014. That's like saying that both the Nazis and the inmates of concentration camps were equally guilty.
This lie is so outrageous, and so far from reality, that it does not even deserve an argument. The readers who want to know the truth can do Google search using "Odessa massacre 2014" and read for themselves.

The lie that the Guardian repeats after Kyiv "government" looks even less plausible now, as Odessa massacre was followed by the massacre of civilians by Nazi thugs in Mariupol a few days later (change Odessa to Mariupol in your Google search), and the murder of thousands of civilians in Donbass, including women, children, elderly, and disabled veterans, by the Ukrainian army and Nazi battalions.

I grew up in the USSR, but I have never read a lie so obvious and outrageous in the Soviet media. Congratulations on a new low!


coffeegirl aussiereader4 1 May 2015 11:11

Sounds like you know little about what happened in Odessa.

The best compilation of any available material was done on May 8, 2014 by our fellow CiFer US ex-marine griffin alabama:

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/may/05/ukraine-fatal-clashes-pro-russia-separatists-east#comment-35243539

EugeneGur Chirographer 1 May 2015 11:10

You like to cite Strelkov, don't you, when it suits your purpose? If he is such an authority for you, why don't you cite everything he says? Among other things, he said that Maidan was not a popular uprising but a pure decoration for the coup organized by the right wing groups and funded by oligarchs together with the foreign agents? You can watch this here
http://vineyardsaker.blogspot.com/2015/02/must-watch-strelkov-vs-starikov-debate.html

greatwhitehunter caliento 1 May 2015 11:08

you would no if you followed events the idea of peace keepers was supported by Russia, the separatists and a good many other countries right from the start of the conflict . It was not however supported by the kiev government or the US. Peace keepers were offered to Ukraine right up until 4 days before the Minsk agreement.

Kiev's solution has always been a military one and still is. There belated cries for peace keepers only came after getting an a*& kicking.

kiev signed the minsk agreement which requires them to deal with the issues peace keepers would be a way out for them. Usa by their actions does not support the Minsk agreement.

Poroshenko,s idea of peace keepers was a few kiev friendly states to send weapons and troups to bolster their ranks.

An offer was made via the UN security council for a peace keeping force that included china and new zealand and poroshenko stated that ukraine didn't needed china and new Zealand's help, as it turned out they did.

EugeneGur 1 May 2015 10:54

Oh Guardian, Guardian. Both are to blame, heroism on both sides - in short, they burned themselves. We've heard that before. But then the article goes on and tells you that the movement they for some reason call "pro-Russian", although its not pro-Russia as much as it's anti-fascist, is essentially eliminated, with all leaders in jail or in exile. In contrast,

None of the pro-Ukraine activists have been put on trial

Kind of tells you what actually happened, doesn't it?

Activists from both sides admit that the port city remains divided into two approximately matched camps

No, they aren't matched. The Odessa residents are mostly anti-Maidan. The city is flooded with newcomers from the western Ukraine, and they the main supporters of Kiev. Otherwise, why would Kiev deploy half of the army to Odessa before the May holidays?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y7firu0g4tU

Recently Poroshenko who had the temerity to visit Odessa on the anniversary of the city' liberation from occupation was met with shouts "Fascism will not pass".

So much for "matched camps". Of course, if you put everybody of the opposing view in jail of kill them, you can sort of achieve a "match".

Elena Hodgson 1 May 2015 10:50

This was a massacre. Period.

Hanwell123 1 May 2015 10:48

Ukraine is a gangster state where if activists aren't arrested then they are shot; 6 prominent figures shot this year alone. No arrests. It's supported to the hilt by the EU who shell out enormous sums to keep it from bankruptcy.


nnedjo 1 May 2015 08:42

This is the news from the Ukraine crisis Media Center:

Odesa, April 27, 2015 – Vitaly Kozhukhar, coordinator of the Self-Defense of Odesa, Varvara Chernoivanenko, a spokesman for the Right Sector of Odesa held a briefing on the topic: "May 2 this year in Odesa. How a single headquarters of the patriotic forces preparing to hold a day of mourning for those killed in the city"...
Varvara Chernoivanenko said that for all patriots of Ukraine is important that May 2 was peaceful day. Patriotic forces create patrols that will keep order in the area of ​​Cathedral Square, which will host a memorial meeting for all those, who died on 2 May. They will make every effort to ensure peace and order. Already, the city has operational headquarters of the patriotic forces. Their representatives will stop all provocations. At the same time, according to Varvara Chernoivanenko, on their part will not be any aggression.

Thus, the "patriotic forces", which I suppose are responsible for burning people alive in the building of Trade Unions in Odessa, will now protect those who survived and who should hold the memorial service for their relatives and friends, victims of Odessa massacre. The only question is, from whom they should protect them?
I mean, this lady from the Right Sector boasts that they organized patrols of its members all over the city. Well, you can bet that in these patrols will be at least some, if not all of those who threw Molotov cocktails at the building of trade unions, and beaten with clubs or even shot at those who tried to escape from the fire. Because, as this article shows, none of them has even been charged, let alone be convicted of that crime.
So, can we then conclude that the executioners of the victims of the Odessa massacre will now provide protection to those who mourn the victims, which is a paradox of its kind.
And how these patrols of "patriotic forces" operating in reality, you can watch in this video, which was filmed during the visit of Poroshenko in Odessa, on the day of the celebration of liberation of the city in WWII, 10 April. At the beginning of the film, the guys from "Patriotic patrol" argue with a group of anti-fascists, demanding that they reject one of their flag. And then at one point (0:31 of the video), one of these guys from patrol says:
"Didn't burn enough of you, eh?"


MaoChengJi 1 May 2015 07:45

Ah, of course: both sides are to blame, because before the massacre an extreme nationalist militant died, under circumstanced unknown (shot in self-defense, perhaps? who knows).

Nice.

a pro-Ukraine member of the extreme nationalist organisation

Even nicer: 'pro-Ukraine extreme nationalist'. Pro-Ukraine? Which kind of Ukraine?

I find that one of the most misleading elements in these west-interpreted stories is "pro-Russian" and "pro-Ukrainian" labels.

The so-called "pro-Russian" side is, in fact, pro-Ukraine and anti-fascist. Here's a photo (from wikipedia) of some of the people (or their comrades) who were massacred in Odessa a year ago:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/90/RussianSpringOdessa20140420_08.JPG


6i9vern 1 May 2015 07:43

Truth? One doesn't look for truth in the Graun - the house journal of European Post-Democracy.

The truth will occasionally slip out of one of the Post-Democrats - the Czech diplomat Vaclav Bartuska, for example:

"Groups of civilians - including men, women and children - seize government buildings. Within two days they get arms and after that women and children disappear, leaving only the armed men. If they are quickly resisted, as it was done in Odessa where they were simply burned to death, or Dnepropetrovsk, where they were simply killed and buried by the side of the road, everything will be calm. If this is not done, then there will be war. That's all."

The journos of the Graun who want to carry on attending their dinner parties and pretend to be liberal and decent folk have better sense than to state matters truthfully.


6i9vern 1 May 2015 07:43

Truth? One doesn't look for truth in the Graun - the house journal of European Post-Democracy.

The truth will occasionally slip out of one of the Post-Democrats - the Czech diplomat Vaclav Bartuska, for example:

"Groups of civilians - including men, women and children - seize government buildings. Within two days they get arms and after that women and children disappear, leaving only the armed men. If they are quickly resisted, as it was done in Odessa where they were simply burned to death, or Dnepropetrovsk, where they were simply killed and buried by the side of the road, everything will be calm. If this is not done, then there will be war. That's all."

The journos of the Graun who want to carry on attending their dinner parties and pretend to be liberal and decent folk have better sense than to state matters truthfully.


Vladimir Makarenko Celtiberico 1 May 2015 06:20

They took it from Odessa being a symbol of Black Sea and a while ago a Russian poet said: Chernoe More - Vor na Vore.
Black Sea - a thief by thief.

normankirk 1 May 2015 06:14

This is a shameless attempt to whitewash a massacre.There is plenty of evidence on you tube Every one has cell phones which can record events as they unfold. This is why the American police can no longer get away with murder. The European parliament held a hearing in Brussels to hear the Odessa survivors. there was a concerted effort from Maidan activists from Kiev to shut down the survivors testimony. A Europarliament deputy from the Czech republic Miroslav said "This is simply shocking. this is an evidence of fascism not being disappeared from European countries.He blamed Parubiy, co founder of far right Svoboda party and Kolomoisky, paymaster of neo nazi militia for the massacre at Odessa. All this is recorded. Ignorance can no longer be a defence


ID075732 1 May 2015 05:53

The US Holocaust Memorial Museum quotes the following, famous text by Pastor Martin Niemoller about the cowardice of intellectuals following the Nazis':

First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out-
Because I was not a Socialist.
Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out-
Because I was not a Trade Unionist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out-
Because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for me-and there was no one left to speak for me.

It's time for the MSM to realise that the same is happening Ukraine - for which the Odessa massacre is a warning. It's time they stopped playing intellectual games to prop up what is a fascist regime in Kiev.


BunglyPete 1 May 2015 05:48

Just in case those involved in the production of this article do read or hear of these comments.. Do you not realise we have Google and Youtube now? You can verify anything within a few keystrokes.

You do not need to rely on the evil Russian media, you can watch the eyewitness videos yourself.

I mean this seriously, if you are going to attempt to prove something then at least realise that you will need to go to more lengths to do so. In the context of the greater 'propaganda war', articles like this are nonsensical, as you merely serve to discredit yourself, and encourage people to move to alternative media sources.

If you want to discredit the Russian narrative then discredit it, don't write things that discredit your own narrative.

You don't need to bill me for this advice it comes for free.


SHappens 1 May 2015 04:30

Many allege that investigators are dragging their feet for political reasons, possibly to cover up high-level complicity.

At the beginning of the unrest, the most virulent reaction came from supporters of Ukrainian football clubs. But they were soon joined by a well-organized gang of self-defense that came in a column of about 100 people dressed in military fatigues and relatively well equipped.
Members of the Ukrainian security forces withdrew from the scene allowing the rightwing radicals to block the exits and firebomb the building forcing many to jump from open windows to the pavement below where they died on impact. The few who survived the fall were savagely beaten with clubs and chains by the nearly 300 extremist thugs who had gathered on the street.

Street fighting thugs don't typically waste their time barricading exits unless it is part of a plan, a plan to create a big-enough incident to change the narrative of what is going on in the country. None of the victims of the tragedy were armed.

This isn't the first time the US has tried to pull something like this off. In 2006, the Bush administration used a similar tactic in Iraq. That's when Samarra's Golden Dome Mosque was blown up in an effort to change the public's perception of the conflict from an armed struggle against foreign occupation into a civil war.

So who authorized the attack on Odessa's Trade Unions House? Could it be that the Ukrainian Security Services were supervised by some external mercenaries just like the Oluja blitzkrieg in Croatia back in 1995 when the Croatian National Guard was then supervised and managed by MPRI, an US SMP based in Virginia? Because in Kiev, dozens of specialists from the US CIA and FBI were advising the Ukrainian government helping Kiev end the rebellion in the east of Ukraine and set up a functioning security structure. (report, AFP).

Whatever and if ever an inquiry succeeds, fact is that the government in Kiev bears direct responsibility, and is complicit in these criminal activities for they allowed extremists and radicals to burn unarmed people alive.

warehouse_guy 1 May 2015 04:30

Tatyana Gerasimova also says the case is getting killed off in court, put that on your headline.

alpykog 1 May 2015 04:30

Nothing unusual about police, army and terrorists working together. I remember the British army in Belfast actually running joint patrols in broad daylight with Loyalist terrorists through Catholic areas and that was the tip of the iceberg. Try not to feel "holier than thou" when you read this stuff.

ID075732 1 May 2015 04:23

Rumours swirl of a higher death toll, the use of poisonous gas and the body of a pregnant woman garrotted by pro-Ukraine fanatics.

Clearly the author has not watched the footage filmed inside the building after the massacre - this was no "swirling rumour". Clearly the footage wasn't faked either. It showed may murdered victims with burns to their heads and arms with bodies and clothes unscorched, not caused by the actual fire.

Also those that have studied the many videos available of the unfolding events saw a much more an orchestrated attack on the Trade Union building with fires breaking out in rooms further away from the seat of the original fire. Also two masked figures on the roof before the fire started in the building.

Reports that the exits were blocked and a number of masked pro-Ukrainians were inside the building not just on the roof, don't figure in this report.

ploughmanlunch 1 May 2015 03:41

'While many pro-Ukraine activists helped the rescue effort, others punched, kicked and beat those who fled the burning building. "There was blood and water all over the courtyard," said Elena, who escaped via a fireman's ladder. "They were shouting 'on your knees, on your knees'."

This sums up, in my opinion, the whole sordid mess that is present Ukraine.

The majority of ordinary Ukrainians living under the authority of Kiev will broadly agree with their Government, but are civilised and are probably horrified by the violence perpetrated by both sides in the war.

Unfortunately, however, there is a significant minority of extremist Ukrainian Nationalists that readily resort to violence and intimidation and revile Russian speaking 'separatists' in the Donbas ( and elsewhere ).

Even more unfortunately, the fanatical far right have a disproportionate influence in the Kiev Parliament and even the Government; a fact conveniently overlooked by the incredibly indulgent Western powers. The present Kiev regime is blatantly anti-democratic and lacks any humanitarian concern for the desperate plight of citizens still living in Donbas, ( unpaid pensions, economic and humanitarian blockade ).

This crisis still has a long way to go, and I believe has not yet reached it's nadir. A brighter future for all the people of Ukraine will require unbiased and honest involvement of the great powers, East and West.

Geo kosmopolitenko 1 May 2015 03:22

Some spin doctors in Washington would sarcastically smile if they ever read this sadly tragic article.

Kiselev 1 May 2015 03:20

Symbol of separated Ukrainian society...
Whatever western Ukrainians told us.

[Jan 09, 2015] What did Ballssniffer really say on German TV?

Moscow Exile , January 8, 2015 at 11:06 pm
What did Ballssniffer really say on German TV?

(reposted from above)

What did Nudelmann's "Yats" actually say in the interview?

"Российская агрессия на Украине – нападение на мировой порядок и на порядок в Европе. Все мы хорошо помним советское вторжение на Украину и в Германию. Этого надо избежать, и ни у кого нет права переписывать итоги Второй мировой войны. Но российский президент, господин Путин, именно это стремится сделать."

That is in Russian, of course: Yatsenyuk was speaking in one of the Ukrainian dialects that he prefers to use.

See: kuzian's Journal

translation

"Call a friend"

Asked a friend to comment on a very important video and post by Putnik. The friend was born in the DDR. His mother tongues are German and Russian. Here is his answer:

"The German translation is not quite correct, because, you see, it was done in a hurry. The translation of what Yatsenyuk said goes word for word like this:

(starting from 01:05) "Die russische Aggression in der Ukraine – das ist der Angriff auf die Weltordnung und auf die Ordnung in Europa. Wir können uns alle sehr gut auf den sowjetischen Anmarsch in die Ukraine und nach Deutschland erinnern. Das muss man vermeiden, und keiner hat das Recht, die Ergebnisse des Zweiten Weltkrieges neu zu schreiben. Und das versucht der russische Präsident, Herr Putin, zu machen. (…)"

The thick print marks some bits that sound clumsy, and which rather point out the haste made in translating or in reading out a translation. These words do not alter the meaning by and large, but they sound wrong. The word "Anmarsch", for example, means "arrival", but in this context it is not appropriate; clearly "Einmarsch" (invasion) was meant. So, making grammatical corrections:

"Die russische Aggression in der Ukraine – das ist der Angriff auf die und Weltordnung auf die Ordnung in Europa. Wir you uns alle sehr gut an den sowjetischen Einmarsch in die Ukraine und nach Deutschland erinnern. Das muss man vermeiden, und any hat das Recht, die Ergebnisse des Zweiten Weltkrieges neu zu schreiben. Und versucht das der russische Präsident, Herr Putin, zu machen. (…)"

Translating this more competent version of the German translation into Russian:

""Российская агрессия на Украине – нападение на мировой порядок и на порядок в Европе. Все мы хорошо помним советское вторжение на Украину и в Германию. Этого надо избежать, и ни у кого нет права переписывать итоги Второй мировой войны. Но российский президент, господин Путин, именно это стремится сделать".

[Translation of above Russian translated from the German translation of what Yatsenyuk said in Ukrainian:

Russian aggression in the Ukraine is an attack on the world order and the order in Europe. We all remember the Soviet invasion of the Ukraine and Germany. This should be avoided. No one has the right to rewrite the outcome of the Second World War, but the Russian President, Mr Putin, intends to do just that. – Moscow Exile]

It is clear that for a literal translation into Russian the translation has to be smartened up.

"Putnik's" translation I consider to be unacceptable. It goes in the right direction, of course but the idea expressed by it is still quite different.

This does not undo the, forgive me, deeply embedded stupidity of what might have been an attempt, broadcast by this character, to awaken a kind of hostility towards Russians, who in the DDR had been really regarded by some as occupiers."

A little later, the friend added some more:

"in one, so to say, satirical piece in the online version of the "Spiegel" there is a comment about what Yatsenyuk said. (And I quote him there, as I have done above, with corrections.)

Link: http://www.spiegel.de/spam/satire-spiegel-online-jazenjuk-sowjetischer-einmarsch-a-1011915.html

[Translation from Russian]

"Democrats talking amongst themselves.

Yatsenyuk exposes Soviet Russia

The Prime Minister of the Ukraine, Arseniy Yatsenyuk, in "Topics of the Day" (Tagesthemen) reminded us about Soviet aggression (sic) more than 60 years ago.

"We all remember", Yatsenyuk told the studio presenter Pinar Atalay, "the Soviet invasion of the Ukraine and Germany".

Indeed, in 1942, Soviet troops ruthlessly moved West. They did not hesitate in pursuing the army of the democratically elected Chancellor, A. Hitler, including across Ukrainian territory. Probably a longer route along the southern coast of the Black Sea, bypassing the Ukraine, seemed too difficult for them.

In the end, the Soviets (sic) broke through the eastern borders of Germany and moved into German territory, as we all, together with Mr. Yatsenyuk, remember. We don't know whether this is true as regards Mrs. Atalay. Anyway, she did not raise any issues concerning this small digression into the history of Russian aggression".

The satire may be a little weak in its criticism of a studio presenter who made no comment about this obvious stupidity and barely concealed aggression.

And der Spiegel, in spite of all its talk of the "system", is still part of it."

The presenter of the show, Pinar Atalay, is, by the way, the daughter of Turkish Gastarbeiter.

Perhaps she really does know fuck all about German/Soviet history?

Поцілунок Азірова та Яценюка - YouTube

Roman Poprozhyk

В інтернеті опублікували відео з дня народження екс-прем'єр-міністра України за часів президентства Януковича Миколи Азарова, на якому нинішній прем'єр, лідер "Народного фронту" Арсеній Яценюк тепло вітає та цілується з Азаровим.

Андрей Самошкин

хороший вброс перед выборами!

Андрей Андреев

вброс ли?! этого не было как и фосфорных бомб, и коктейля молотова?! то есть враки что ли?!
Они же там все бывшие еврейские коммуняки, но виноват как всегда кто?! Правильно - Путин!
Просрали такую страну и нашли виноватого, позор 404!

linsy linsomnie

+Svobodin S Потому что зомбированным адептам не хочется верить, что их пастор обыкновенный продажный г*дон

Translate

[Aug 22, 2014] It might well be that Putin and Poroshenko both acting rationally at the Donbass if we view events from the prism of their real goals.

lj.rossia.org

It might well be that Putin and Poroshenko both acting rationally at the Donbass if we view events from the prism of their real goals. Unless, of course, to assume that they agreed dual-language, confederate status of Donbass within Ukraine. Came to a compromise on the basis of the Putin plan.

A compromise that means: federated neutral Ukraine in the customs Union. With the Russian language as the second state (at least de facto) plus full denazification, including schools and kindergartens.

But only idealists think that President Poroshenko can call the shots. For now he can only maneuver between existing political forces. And one of them passinate-neoNazis from Western Ukraine.

Still it is possible to come to agreement with Putin's plan for Ukraine. But that requires physical elimination of most radical elements within Western Ukrainian nationalists. And it is much better do it better with somebody else hands. Here a limited Donbass space might be a suitable lab, isn't it? Where you can grind them into fertilizers. and there nobody to blame. But as classics used to say no people - no problems.

I think that the war in Novorossia became much clearly understood if we view it from this very angle. And the strange behavior of Ukrainian Army brass, which tries to send into the furnace of war volunteer battalions. If this is true that the real goal is not to win. The real goal is the destruction by the hands of others the most dangerous part of the population of Ukraine.

Therefore, the war will never spread further than Donbass and it will not end until it is destroyed the number of neo-Nazi followers necessary for their complete marginalization. And then they talk about the peace accord.

[Aug 18, 2014] Victoria Shilova, deputy of Ukrainian Rada: "we replaced a thief with a murderer"

August 18, 2014 | The Guardian | Jump to comments (1153)

Ukraine troops claim breakthrough in battle for Luhansk

NikMitev -> Astar1337 , 18 August 2014 8:45am
None needs proof from you.

I do expect however the US to release the "indisputable proof" they have, and I do expect Ukraine to release the flight control data for the MH-17.

I did not expect the US to block a UN motion for a ceasefire to allow MH-17 on-the-scene investigation.

On one side we have means, motive and some evidence that Ukraine has shot that plane down, on the other we have claims that rebels had the means to bring it down, more claims for supporting evidence, and no motive.

Nicknoo, 18 August 2014 2:59am
Victoria Shilova from Ukrainian Rada: "we replaced a thief with a murderer"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5veOECY0tKQ

[Aug 18, 2014] Those dirty Russian separatists

marknesop, August 18, 2014 at 8:16 am

Those dirty Russian separatists are up to their old tricks again, according to Oracle Of Truth Lysenko.

A refugee convoy of buses from Lugansk was hit by rocket fire and dozens killed, including women and children. Probably mostly women and children, if the truth be known.

[Aug 18, 2014] From Breadbasket to Basket Case: A Survey of Ukraine's Economy

Quote: "As Ukraine slides deeper into all-out civil war that began in April 2014, the transformation from bread basket to basket case is almost complete."
Aug 17, 2014 | marknesop.wordpress.com

... ... ...

Other Observations

Most Ukrainians have become poor since 1991 and there are many social problems such as alcoholism and AIDS. The poverty and social stresses are reflected in life expectancy which decreased during the 1990s. Infant mortality rates increased during the same period. Infrastructure such as roads and utilities are in a poor state; the water supply and its quality in the country are a major concern and diseases such as cholera, typhoid, dysentery and hepatitis are present.

Economic Issues and Problems

The fact that a number of major commercial banks (plus other enterprises in other industries) are owned by wealthy politicians either directly or indirectly poses not just a conflict of interest for the country's governing elite but also a threat to good governance, financial transparency and accountability, and ultimately Ukraine's long-term development potential as local and foreign investors will view the country as hopelessly corrupt. This affects all other sectors of the Ukrainian economy: if Ukrainian business practice and government enforcement of laws that regulate business and finance are seen to be compromised because of the extreme concentration of business ownership and wealth in the hands of a few who also happen to dominate the country's politics, much-needed foreign investment will avoid the country altogether and all major sectors of Ukraine's economy will shrink and starve for lack of capital.

In a country that is virtually a plutocracy, the efficient collection of taxes may well be a pipe-dream and the taxation laws a laughing-stock: if the rich who pull the purse-strings as well as the puppet-strings don't pay their share of tax or resort to tax evasion and don't care that others will notice, ordinary people will follow their example. Essential services and infrastructure that rely heavily on taxation revenue for funding end up undeveloped and run-down, and become ripe for privatisation (which may have been the original intention all along). There's the possibility that in some parts of the country, wealthy oligarch-politicians may spend money on services that would normally be funded by government at national, regional or local level but this means that the people who benefit from this are basically bought by their benefactor and eventually owe him (maybe her) protection money or its equivalent.

It's true that manufacturing in Ukraine does suffer from inefficiencies which make it uncompetitive with Western manufactures; in the early 1990s, such inefficiencies could be blamed on the country's inheritance of centralised state planning which by its nature of top-down decision-making was slow to respond to consumer and enterprise demands. However other European countries that were formerly part of the Soviet orbit, and which gained independence only a couple of years before or the same time as Ukraine, have passed through their baptism of fire faster and successfully as well, though they continue to struggle with problems arising from their transition to market economies. The issue is that in adjusting to market economics and in becoming a market economy, Ukraine was compelled to undergo the kind of neoliberal economic shock treatment (yes, I have read the Naomi Klein book "The Shock Doctrine") that other countries like Poland and Russia had to swallow. The kind of steady transition that a Sweden or a France could afford was not an option offered to Ukraine by a West enamoured of Thatcher-Reaganite economic policies. While many eastern European countries were able to transition successfully to market economies thanks to historic links with Germany or Sweden (which meant that German and Swedish companies invested in those countries and passed on aspects of their corporate, managerial and industrial cultures), Ukraine did not have that kind of luck due in part to its peculiar origin as a patchwork nation of peoples with different cultures, religions and histories. Western Ukraine looks to the West because of its historic links to the Poland-Lithuanian Comonwealth and the Austro-Hungarian empire and Eastern Ukraine looks to Russia due to long-standing historical and ethnic links with that country. In addition, the political elites who have governed Ukraine since 1991 have often proven incompetent, corrupt, arrogant and self-serving.

The country has significant environmental issues including industrial pollution and radiation issues that are a legacy of the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear reactor explosion which released a huge cloud of radioactive particles that drifted as far north as Finland in the immediate aftermath and contaminated soils in and around the town of Chernobyl itself.

Conclusion

From the foregoing, we can see there is tremendous potential for Ukraine to regain its role as bread basket for Russia, much of eastern and central Europe, and even beyond; the main thing holding back the country is its political leadership which seems to be in a permanent state of crisis and chaos. This has many deep consequences that affect the country in many ways: lack of clear political and economic goals translates into lack of investor confidence in the country's leadership which itself means desperately needed local and foreign investment is lacking. As a result, several economic sectors, all of which depend on one another, suffer stymied development. An efficient transport network is needed to transport agricultural and industrial output and the machinery and other capital needed by the relevant sectors to produce goods.

It has to be said also that cronyism is rife and is probably Ukraine's biggest political and economic problem. While President Viktor Yanukovych (2010 – 2014) was associated with cronyism in the Western news media, other politicians in Ukraine – former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko and PrivatBank owner Ihor Kolomoisky come to mind – are equally, if not more so, up to their eyeballs and beyond in corruption. Kolomoisky in particular is an unsavoury character who does not hesitate to use armed thugs in launching takeovers of companies he takes a shine to.

Tymoshenko spent time in the slammer for acting without authority from the Ukrainian government as Prime Minister in negotiating a gas deal with Russia in 2009.

With the overthrow of Yanukovych in February 2014 and his government's replacement by one led by Turchynov and Yatseniuk until mid-May of the same, when presidential elections brought Petro Poroshenko, owner of a major confectionery business, to power, the crony capitalist order seems set to continue. As of this time of writing, Poroshenko still has not divested himself of his interests in the confectionery business despite pledging during his election campaign that he would do so. As Ukraine slides deeper into all-out civil war that began in April 2014, the transformation from bread basket to basket case is almost complete.

jimsresearchnotes, August 17, 2014 at 10:08 pm
Reblogged this on EU: Ramshackle Empire and commented:
Thanks for that excellent summary. It is truly a tragic situation.

yalensis, August 18, 2014 at 3:28 am

Jen:

Good job, this is an excellent and well-researched article!

I think the main take-away is that, if Ukraine is to become a viable nation, it needs to have an intelligent tax system. And in order for that to happen, they need to have a legal system which draws a firm line between politics and property ownership.

In other words, you can be a capitalist, or you can be a politician, but you can't be both.
They need to remove or at least marginalize the oligarchs.

Jen, August 18, 2014 at 4:42 am

Why, thanks very much! It was a pleasure to do actually – my biggest problem was bringing the post down to size.

Yes it's not always appreciated in the West, probably because of the way economics might be taught in schools and tertiary institutions now and how it's presented in the media, that you need the rule of law, especially commercial law, and respect for the law and its institutions; a taxation system that's seen to be fair and transparent, and whose burden falls equally on the rich and poor alike (a problem that Greece has incidentally – its taxation system is peculiar and the burden of taxation falls most on ordinary people); a properly run banking and financial industry subject to regulation so that banks and other financial institutions don't exploit borrowers, and a psychopath like Kolomoisky wouldn't be allowed to own and run a bank so as to finance a private army among other things; and investor confidence in the government and public bureaucracy's ability to enact and enforce the laws regarding business conduct, to punish wrong-doers promptly and justly, and to be accountable to the public for its actions. The big problem with Ukraine is that because past governments have been dominated by people looting the country's coffers, local and foreign lenders and investors regard investing in Ukraine as a huge risk and consequently all sectors are starved for private and public funding. Because various sectors depend on one another, the consequences of lack of investment compound each other. No investment in road-building or railway development means raw materials and goods take longer to transport from one place to another, transporting them costs more and the higher costs get passed on through factories, retailers and finally to customers.

[Aug 10, 2014] Pushing Ukraine to the Brink by MIKE WHITNEY

July 09, 2014 | CounterPunch

"The unipolar world model has failed. People everywhere have shown their desire to choose their own destiny, preserve their own cultural identity, and oppose the West's attempts at military, financial, political and ideological domination."

- Vladimir Putin

"While the human politics of the crisis in Ukraine garner all the headlines, it is the gas politics that in many ways lies at the heart of the conflict."

- Eric Draitser, Waging war against Russia, one pipeline at a time, RT

What does a pipeline in Afghanistan have to do with the crisis in Ukraine?

Everything. It reveals the commercial interests that drive US policy. Just as the War in Afghanistan was largely fought to facilitate the transfer of natural gas from Turkmenistan to the Arabian Sea, so too, Washington engineered the bloody coup in Kiev to cut off energy supplies from Russia to Europe to facilitate the US pivot to Asia.

This is why policymakers in Washington are reasonably satisfied with the outcome of the war in Afghanistan despite the fact that none of the stated goals were achieved. Afghanistan is not a functioning democracy with a strong central government, drug trafficking has not been eradicated, women haven't been liberated, and the infrastructure and school systems are worse than they were before the war. By every objective standard the war was a failure. But, of course, the stated goals were just public relations blather anyway. They don't mean anything. What matters is gas, namely the vast untapped reserves in Turkmenistan that could be extracted by privately-owned US corporations who would use their authority to control the growth of US competitors or would-be rivals like China. That's what the war was all about. The gas is going to be transported via a pipeline from Turkmenistan, across Afghanistan, Pakistan and India to the Arabian sea, eschewing Russian and Iranian territory. The completion of the so called TAPI pipeline will undermine the development of an Iranian pipeline, thus sabotaging the efforts of a US adversary.

The TAPI pipeline illustrates how Washington is aggressively securing the assets it needs to maintain its dominance for the foreseeable future. Now, check this out from The Express Tribune, July 5:

"Officials of Pakistan, India, Afghanistan and Turkmenistan are set to meet in Ashgabat next week to push ahead with a planned transnational gas pipeline connecting the four countries and reach a settlement on the award of the multi-billion-dollar project to US companies.

"The US is pushing the four countries to grant the lucrative pipeline contract to its energy giants. Two US firms – Chevron and ExxonMobil – are in the race to become consortium leaders, win the project and finance the laying of the pipeline," a senior government official said while talking to The Express Tribune.

Washington has been lobbying for the gas supply project, called Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan and India (Tapi) pipeline, terming it an ideal scheme to tackle energy shortages in Pakistan. On the other side, it pressed Islamabad to shelve the Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline because of a nuclear standoff with Tehran…

According to officials, Petroleum and Natural Resources Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi will lead a delegation at the meeting of the TAPI pipeline steering committee on July 8 in Ashgabat.

…At present, bid documents are being prepared in consultation with the Asian Development Bank, which is playing the role of transaction adviser. The documents will be given to the two companies only for taking part in the tender.

Chevron is lobbying in India, Pakistan and Afghanistan to clinch a deal, backed by the US State Department. However, other companies could also become part of the consortium that will be led either by Chevron or ExxonMobil." (TAPI pipeline: Officials to finalise contract award in Ashgabat next week, The Express Tribune)

So the pipeline plan is finally moving forward and, as the article notes, "The documents will be given to the two companies only for taking part in the tender."

Nice, eh? So the State Department applies a little muscle and "Voila", Chevron and Exxon clinch the deal. How's that for a free market?

And who do you think is going to protect that 1,000 mile stretch of pipeline through hostile Taliban-controlled Afghanistan?

Why US troops, of course, which is why US military bases are conveniently located up an down the pipeline route. Coincidence?

Not on your life. Operation "Enduring Freedom" is a bigger hoax than the threadbare war on terror.

So let's not kid ourselves. The war had nothing to do with liberating women or bringing democracy to the unwashed masses. It was all about power politics and geostrategic maneuvering; stealing resources, trouncing potential rivals, and beefing up profits for the voracious oil giants. Who doesn't know that already? Here's more background from the Wall Street Journal:

"Earlier this month, President Obama sent a letter to (Turkmenistan) President Berdimuhamedow emphasizing a common interest in helping develop Afghanistan and expressing Mr. Obama's support for TAPI and his desire for a major U.S. firm to construct it.

…Progress on TAPI will also jump-start many of the other trans-Afghan transport projects-including roads and railroads-that are at the heart of America's "New Silk Road Strategy" for the Afghan economy.

The White House should understand that if TAPI isn't built, neither U.S. nor U.N. sanctions will prevent Pakistan from building a pipeline from Iran." (The Pipeline That Could Keep the Peace in Afghanistan, Wall Street Journal)

Can you see what's going on? Afghanistan, which is central to Washington's pivot strategy, is going to be used for military bases, resource extraction and transportation. That's it. There's not going to be any reconstruction or nation building. The US doesn't do that anymore. This is the stripped-down, no-frills, 21st century imperialism. "No nation for you, buddy. Just give us your gas and off we'll go." That's how the system works now. It's alot like Iraq –the biggest hellhole on earth–where "oil production has surged to its highest level in over 30 years". (according to the Wall Street Journal) And who's raking in the profits on that oil windfall?

Why the oil giants, of course. (ExxonMobil, BP and Shell) Maybe that's why you never read about what a terrible mistake the war was. Because for the people who count, it really wasn't a mistake at all. In fact, it all worked out pretty well.

Of course, the US will support the appearance of democracy in Kabul, but the government won't have any real power beyond the capital. It never did anyway. (Locals jokingly called Karzai the "mayor of Kabul") As for the rest of the country; it will be ruled by warlords as it has been since the invasion in 2001. (Remember the Northern Alliance? Hate to break the news, but they're all bloodthirsty, misogynist warlords who were reinstated by Rumsfeld and Co.)

This is the new anarchic "Mad Max" template Washington is applying wherever it intervenes. The intention is to dissolve the nation-state in order to remove any obstacle to resource extraction, which is why failed states are popping up wherever the US sticks its big nose. It's all by design. Chaos is the objective. Simply put: It's easier to steal whatever one wants when there's no center of power to resist.

This is why political leaders in Europe are so worried, because they don't like the idea of sharing a border with Somalia, which is exactly what Ukraine is going to look like when the US is done with it.

In Ukraine, the US is using a divide and conquer strategy to pit the EU against trading partner Moscow. The State Department and CIA helped to topple Ukraine's elected President Viktor Yanukovych and install a US stooge in Kiev who was ordered to cut off the flow of Russian gas to the EU and lure Putin into a protracted guerilla war in Ukraine. The bigwigs in Washington figured that, with some provocation, Putin would react the same way he did when Georgia invaded South Ossetia in 2006. But, so far, Putin has resisted the temptation to get involved which is why new puppet president Petro Poroshenko has gone all "Jackie Chan" and stepped up the provocations by pummeling east Ukraine mercilessly. It's just a way of goading Putin into sending in the tanks.

But here's the odd part: Washington doesn't have a back-up plan. It's obvious by the way Poroshenko keeps doing the same thing over and over again expecting a different result. That demonstrates that there's no Plan B. Either Poroshenko lures Putin across the border and into the conflict, or the neocon plan falls apart, which it will if they can't demonize Putin as a "dangerous aggressor" who can't be trusted as a business partner.

So all Putin has to do is sit-tight and he wins, mainly because the EU needs Moscow's gas. If energy supplies are terminated or drastically reduced, prices will rise, the EU will slide back into recession, and Washington will take the blame. So Washington has a very small window to draw Putin into the fray, which is why we should expect another false flag incident on a much larger scale than the fire in Odessa. Washington is going to have to do something really big and make it look like it was Moscow's doing. Otherwise, their pivot plan is going to hit a brick wall. Here's a tidbit readers might have missed in the Sofia News Agency's novinite site:

"Ukraine's Parliament adopted .. a bill under which up to 49% of the country's gas pipeline network could be sold to foreign investors. This could pave the way for US or EU companies, which have eyed Ukrainian gas transportation system over the last months.

…Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk was earlier quoted as saying that the bill would allow Kiev to "attract European and American partners to the exploitation and modernization of Ukraine's gas transportation," in a situation on Ukraine's energy market he described as "super-critical". Critics of the bill have repeatedly pointed the West has long been interest in Ukraine's pipelines, with some seeing in the Ukrainian revolution a means to get access to the system. (Ukraine allowed to sell up to 49% of gas pipeline system, novinite.com)

Boy, you got to hand it to the Obama throng. They really know how to pick their coup-leaders, don't they? These puppets have only been in office for a couple months and they're already giving away the farm.

And, such a deal! US corporations will be able to buy up nearly half of a pipeline that moves 60 percent of the gas that flows from Russia to Europe. That's what you call a tollbooth, my friend; and US companies will be in just the right spot to gouge Moscow for every drop of natural gas that transits those pipelines. And gouge they will too, you can bet on it.

Is that why the State Department cooked up this loony putsch, so their fatcat, freeloading friends could rake in more dough?

This also explains why the Obama crowd is trying to torpedo Russia's other big pipeline project called Southstream. Southstream is a good deal for Europe and Russia. On the one hand, it would greatly enhance the EU's energy security, and on the other, it will provide needed revenues for Russia so they can continue to modernize, upgrade their dilapidated infrastructure, and improve standards of living. But "the proposed pipeline (which) would snake about 2,400 kilometers, or roughly 1,500 miles, from southern Russia via the Black Sea to Bulgaria, Serbia, Hungary and ultimately Austria. (and) could handle about 60 billion cubic meters of natural gas a year, enough to allow Russian exports to Europe to largely bypass Ukraine" (New York Times) The proposed pipeline further undermines Washington's pivot strategy, so Obama, the State Department and powerful US senators (Ron Johnson, John McCain, and Chris Murphy) are doing everything in their power to torpedo the project.

"What gives Vladimir Putin his power and control is his oil and gas reserves and West and Eastern Europe's dependence on them," Senator Johnson said in an interview. "We need to break up his stranglehold on energy supplies. We need to bust up that monopoly." (New York Times)

What a bunch of baloney. Putin doesn't have a monopoly on gas. Russia only provides 30 percent of the gas the EU uses every year. And Putin isn't blackmailing anyone either. Countries in the EU can either buy Russian gas or not buy it. It's up to them. No one has a gun to their heads. And Gazprom's prices are competitive too, sometimes well-below market rates which has been the case for Ukraine for years, until crackpot politicians started sticking their thumb in Putin's eye at every opportunity; until they decided that that they didn't have to pay their bills anymore because, well, because Washington told them not to pay their bills. That's why.

Ukraine is in the mess it's in today for one reason, because they decided to follow Washington's advice and shoot themselves in both feet. Their leaders thought that was a good idea. So now the country is broken, penniless and riven by social unrest. Regrettably, there's no cure for stupidity.

The neocon geniuses apparently believe that if they sabotage Southstream and nail down 49 percent ownership of Ukraine's pipeline infrastructure, then the vast majority of Russian gas will have to flow through Ukrainian pipelines. They think that this will give them greater control over Moscow. But there's a glitch to this plan which analyst Jeffrey Mankoff pointed out in an article titled "Can Ukraine Use Its Gas Pipelines to Threaten Russia?". Here's what he said:

"The biggest problem with this approach is a cut in gas supplies creates real risks for the European economy… In fact, Kyiv's efforts to siphon off Russian gas destined to Europe to offset the impact of a Russian cutoff in January 2009 provide a window onto why manipulating gas supplies is a risky strategy for Ukraine. Moscow responded to the siphoning by halting all gas sales through Ukraine for a couple of weeks, leaving much of eastern and southern Europe literally out in the cold. European leaders reacted angrily, blaming both Moscow and Kyiv for the disruption and demanding that they sort out their problems. While the EU response would likely be somewhat more sympathetic to Ukraine today, Kyiv's very vulnerability and need for outside financial support makes incurring European anger by manipulating gas supplies very risky." (Can Ukraine Use Its Gas Pipelines to Threaten Russia, two paragraphs)

The funny thing about gas is that, when you stop paying the bills, they turn the heat off. Is that hard to understand?

So, yes, the State Department crystal-gazers and their corporate-racketeer friends might think they have Putin by the shorthairs by buying up Ukraine's pipelines, but the guy who owns the gas (Gazprom) is still in the drivers seat. And he's going to do what's in the best interests of himself and his shareholders. Someone should explain to John Kerry that that's just how capitalism works.

Washington's policy in Ukraine is such a mess, it really makes one wonder about the competence of the people who come up with these wacko ideas. Did the brainiacs who concocted this plan really think they'd be able to set up camp between two major trading partners, turn off the gas, reduce a vital transit country into an Iraq-type basketcase, and start calling the shots for everyone in the region?

It's crazy.

Europe and Russia are a perfect fit. Europe needs gas to heat its homes and run its machinery. Russia has gas to sell and needs the money to strengthen its economy. It's a win-win situation. What Europe and Russia don't need is the United States. In fact, the US is the problem. As long as US meddling persists, there's going to be social unrest, division, and war. It's that simple. So the goal should be to undermine Washington's ability to conduct these destabilizing operations and force US policymakers to mind their own freaking business. That means there should be a concerted effort to abandon the dollar, ditch US Treasuries, jettison the petrodollar system, and force the US to become a responsible citizen that complies with International law.

It won't happen overnight, but it will happen, mainly because everyone is sick and tired of all the troublemaking.

MIKE WHITNEY lives in Washington state. He is a contributor to Hopeless: Barack Obama and the Politics of Illusion (AK Press). Hopeless is also available in a Kindle edition. He can be reached at [email protected].

[Aug 02, 2014] Run, Senya, flee quickly: Yatsenyuk launches syndrome of 2005 by Vitaliy Filippovsky

Jul 30, 2014 | polemika.com.ua

Frightened and disoriented Yatsenyuk provoked a new phase of the Ukrainian political crisis and initiated a political strife between former coalition partners. Traditionally this political wars involved all the forces which call themselves democratic.

On the background of the war in the Donbass and the actual collapse of the economic system his resignation of the government looks like a graphic illustration only the first results after-EuroMaidan era, the real consequences of occurrence of which is yet to come.

Recently I became really frightened of optimists. I'm almost sure that optimism in our country is one of the main features of hopeless provinciality and mediocrity. In combination with political amnesia optimism works wonders. Voters start to feel that it can't be worse, so the road is bright and promising initiatives are not just an open possibility, but that there are no other options and can not be. When in your pocket there are a coupe of crisp banknotes of still paid wages, and the fridge is still filled with food (tell that the residents of the villages of Donbas, for freedom which is so fiercely fighting ATO forces), it's not bad to think about politics and bright future of the country. That's probably why optimism now became the mainstream phenomenon. Among definitely positive things we accomplished are Maidan, lost Crimea, Odessa massacre, civil war in the East.

That's why the resignation of Arseniy Petrovych, on face of whom are written the positive results of all the government's undertakings the last five months was taken by lemmings as a positive event. Well what exactly happened? Well, Senya blue his emotion off, it happens to everyone? We are still for elections, for democracy. And Senya will work till the end, he not going anywhere as his US handlers do not allow that.

And really why we should overload out precious brain with reflections about the current state Ukranian economy, and futile attempts to predict the future development of the situation, at least for the next few months. Or with fruitless efforts to assess the risks of losing all our miserable savings, which due to the old habit are kept under the mattress? Idealistic picture of the world will be shattered, and we can't live without it.

What happened on Friday? Prime Minister Yatsenyuk, frankly stunned by the sudden death of the non-existent coalition, suddenly realized that he will be betrayed and not just put aside carefully and tenderly, as promised, but thrown under the bus mercilessly. Essentially sending him to the political grave.

Voting for the package so-called anti-crisis laws, announced the other day should have been provide safety margin and, consequently, gentle escape from responsibility without huge reputational losses for Arseniy . I mean the package of legislative initiatives to raise taxes and reform of the energy complex.

Yatsenyuk was shocked by the denial of people's deputies to start reforming "Naftogaz". And Arseniy Petrovych so desperately wanted to cut from with pipes Ukrainian oligarchs and bring his European and American partners in! But Svoboda and Udar told him to go to hell and this sad fact inspired our Prime Minister to a very specific thought about his resignation.

The change in the Tax code were also rejected the elected representatives, which makes it impossible for Yatsenyuk to proceed budget sequestration (itemized cost reduction) and to provide future funding to the ATO.

And as usually in Ukrainian politics, declared availability of 30 billion hrivna, which would help the country to last to the elections, turned into a punctured balloon. Without much further thinking, Yatsenyuk desided to escape the sinking ship and announced his resignation.

What we have now? Premature matchmaking of Groisman as the new Prime Minister (how you spell "lyubi druzy" in English?) and complete paralysis of two key authorities, without which, due to the "most democratic" Constitution of 2004, the country cannot function at all.

The same evening Yatsenyuk run to Shuster talk show and pathetically tries to defend his cowardness in the style of USSR motif "while our powerful spacecraft traverse the spaces of the universe..." and then quickly left. Obviously, Senya opened his cards way too much by trying to secure his survival of the politician from Ukrainian public.

But it does not change much became in large scheme of things the demarche of Yatsenyuk does not matter. The main thing is the empty Treasury and the stream of fatalities and destruction coming from civil war. The level of destructions which has already rolled back the development of the affected region for a dozen years. Yatsenyuk just in his attempt to blackmail the public accidentally opened for us the real situation.

And let's ask ourselves, what Yatsenyuk achieved for the last five months? This ardent revolutionary and talented reformer, who came to power on a wave, as it is said, "the unprecedented public expectations"? Let's list his "achievements" point by point. Looks like he did not achieved positive, if at all:

Achieved the signing of the long-suffering and previously delayed Association Agreement. And...we don't want to overload the reader boring reports on dynamics of foreign trade of Ukraine and results of substitution of Russian goods (even cat food, produced in Russia, now the can't be found), stating that the income part of budget for the current year even without amendments will be less for 10-15 billion USD. Other profits of the Association of such investments, expansion and reduction of prices of Chinese goods (and we can't afford to buy European goods in any case) I don't even want to speak. But hamsters now amuse their snobbery by the mere fact of associated membership in the EU. The problem is that you can't wear it and can't eat it. You need real clothing (produced in china) and real food (and money to buy it).

Reached a loan agreement with IMF. Well, the key here is reached. In return he did something that Yanukovych did not dare to do: he is raised tariffs on housing and communal services. By the way, how many of the promised $17 billion is really at the moment will remain in Ukraine? Just 3 billion. Everything else will paid for past loans. And you can easily guess those dollars will be wasted. We all know.

Conducted budget "optimization and savings" at the expense of common people. In this sense he was not just a Prime Minster, but a real "Washington Consensus" dream. Such a lovely English speaking neoliberal stooge. Social payments were completely frozen (with real inflation in tens percents range). Communal tariffs raised. Job market shrink as the result of such actions. Workers on plants which depend on Russian market now work truncated work week.. And he dutifully tries to raise taxes, but damned Parliament did not approved this valuable initiative.

The net result is a stream of worthless anti-social dilettantism all tailored to the winning the civil war at the East, no matter at what cost.

Did Yatsenyuk understood that he should pay the role of hired killer for the economy of country? As a very tricky and rather intelligent politician he knew that his life in the office will last just several months. But he probably did not realize that the outcome of his actions might be much more epic mess, then existed before. That all this can end with another social explosion and Maidan-3.

Of course, in the coming election campaign Yatsenyuk will be the main "traitor of the ideals of the Maidan" who due to his roots "failed to not justify the hopes of the nation." The Outlook is very disappointing, especially as Arseniy Petrovych makes no secret of his ambitions to stay as Prime minister after the elections (Remember his statement of being "the political kamikaze" for the electorate). Obviously, that's about it Yatsenyuk initially and agreed with Poroshenko, when they both got rid of the unnecessary to both Timoshenko. Now Yats realized that Peter had thrown him under the bus.

Udar and Poroshenko are also in a difficult position. They do need elections. They played factor Klitschko expertly, but failed to convert it to Ministerial portfolios. Yatsenyuk should be used as a scapegoat before the election to achieve better deal this time. And to depose the scum who came to power in February without the elections is just impossible, no matter how hard Poroshenko will try. That's why Udar push him toward the election, that's why governing coalition collapsed.

Similarly situation exist for Svoboda which now has a real change not to get to the Parliament. They can't sit still and wait for this happen. They are now losing credibility in the eyes of "true patriots", and to intensify there electoral efforts they need ATO victories. The problem is that they themselves are not eager to die for their ideals.

Himself Poroshenko really wants to reach out to the Rada mythical "Solidarity", and his rating still allow to achieve this trick. Senya him again needed as scapegoat, to whom some fuzzy guarantees were proposed in the form loyalty of Parliament up to elections. But, obviously, Poroshenko himself can't control Rada, which was launched syndrome 2005 year, when the orange forces fight over among themselves about after the same amount of time after Orange revolution.

Yatsenyuk should now stay or the consequences will be very serious. Poroshenko will remain not only without the coalition, but without an effective government. Idea of Groisman replacing him is illegal, so the President will inevitably run into a schizophrenic public figures and other activists, which also promises dubious prospects.

Can Poroshenko to, again illegally, to introduce direct presidential rule in this buffer period? Good question and the answer will depend on the actions of Yatsenyuk and progress of ATO. If Poroshenko will convinced of the need to impose martial law, then, definitely, Yes. But then there will be an even more serious risks. The President, who came on the wave of the pretended democratization, becomes a dictator in war. Then the world community will have to state the fact of Ukrainian authorities conversion into banal Latin-American style junta. And Uncle Vladimir might reasonably state: "I told you so...".

In the current parliamentary week they will try to persuade Senya to stay, but to save face for both sides will be practically impossible. And hardly even in the case of "comeback Yats", the conflict can be considered solved - it is only the beginning.

So Yatsenyuk really provoked serious internal crisis in the Ukrainian government. And the main thing, I repeat, is not in the attempt resignation, but the leaked facts which were known only to a small elite layer of the Ukrainian society. Now, even the most ideological brainwashed start oscillating between criticism of Yatsenyuk and feeling that their information paradise is crumbling. They feel the braking of the political template of a "color revolution" and losing above mentioned level of optimism. This looks like the beginning of process of sobering up for the country.

I would call it "the syndrome of 2005 ". And it can be considered to have commenced. Then all ended in the resignation of the Timoshenko government, the dismissal of Poroshenko and the revenge of the regionals. And while the ideological heir of Timoshenko is now Yatsenyuk, everything remained the same, isn't it?

[Jul 31, 2014] Meeting against Petr Poroshenko!

yalensis, July 31, 2014 at 3:19 am
TRANSLATION FROM THE SCREENSHOT OF THE POSTER:

Copy this picture and post it on your page!
Meeting against Petr Poroshenko!
We elected him, but all this time he has done absolutely nothing!
All the money that you and I collected for the army, disappeared, and he is accountabie for that!
Due to his inactivity, we are losing our Ukraine!
Poroshenko has not spent a single hryvna on the army although his personal wealth consists of 2 billion dollars!
What happened to the 4.5 billions of dollars that the EU allocated for us, and where is that money now?
Poroshenko is responsible for the failure of the war, look how many planes and tanks have been destroyed!
How many of our lads have been killed because of him? Poroshenko is impotent to do anything!
His Channel 5 lies every day about the supposed victories, and it's all a lie!
Enough lying from Poroshenko! He is stealing our money! He has betrayed us all!
For him, money is more important than the lives of our soldiers, who perished.
We are ready to elect a new President! We don't need thieves and oligarchs!
Copy this picture and post it on your page!
We must save our country before it's too late!

God is with us,
Glory to Ukraine!

[Jul 25, 2014] Turchynov fired the military Commissar for sending draft statement to his son

25.07.2014 | dni.ru

the only son of the speaker of the Verkhovna Rada Oleksandr Turchynov almost was drafted under partial mobilization law into the army. The young man received a summons to the military enlistment office, but for this "mistake" commanders were immediately dismissed.

Russian journalist and political scientist Alexander Zhilin said on social networks that the city military registration and enlistment office has lost three of its officers. The Commissar and two employees were fired because they dared to call on duty the son of the speaker of the Verkhovna Rada Oleksandr Turchynov to protect the Motherland.

"Son Turchynov was summoned to the military enlistment office. Dad was so frightened that clicked on all the levers! Sources in Kyiv reports that the military Commissioner and two employees of the military registration and enlistment office has already been dismissed,"

Recall that the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine adopted the decree Poroshenko on partial mobilization. According to the President, such measures are necessary in connection with the events in the East of the country. According to the decree, partial mobilization carried out in all 24 regions of Ukraine and in Kyiv, within 45 days from the date of entry into force of the decree. the law allow to call on military service men up to age of 60 . In the meantime, the potential soldiers on the front are not particularly eager, and their wives and mothers periodically block the roads - staging the protests during which they demand to cancel mobilization.

On July 24, it became known that the military enlistment office sent the agenda of the only son of Alexander Turchinov. "If it is necessary, means - necessary. There is a capture of the Ukrainian territory, and that leaves us with no choice. This is our motherland and someone must protect her" said Turchynov's wife.

"He went to commissariat and answered all the questions", - said Anna Turchynov. However, it is known that the 21-year-old young man is still at home.

Note that Oleksandr Turchynov has personally signed the third law "On partial mobilization." According to the document, the military registration and enlistment offices are calling for duty officers, sergeants and privates with the military service exprience, who have the necessary in the area of ATO specialties, as well as volunteers without military experience.

[Jul 25, 2014] The chance that Yats is suddenly getting a conscience is pretty remote

moonofalabama.org

guest77 | Jul 25, 2014 4:46:45 PM | 22

I think the chance that Yats is suddenly getting a conscience is pretty remote, especially seeing that he declared his willingness to be the suicide Prime Minister of the "Most Unpopular Government" Ukraine has ever had, and was willling to slither into the government over the corpses of 100 Ukrainian citizens.

Now - is he suddenly getting scared knowing that the Maidan Nazi are behind him, ready to turn him into a human Challah bread, Russia is ahead of him preparing the indictment and gallows, and the US is far far far away and known for letting their friends twist in the wind the moment they've achieved whatever selfish objective they sought? Knowing the crimes he'll eventually have to answer for - on top of "premeditated murder of 100 Ukrainian citizens on Kiev" and "Human Rights abuses throughout the South East" now includes the downing of an airliner full of European nationals?

That's far more likely, I think ;)

The decision of the Prime Minister of Ukraine Arseniy Yatsenyuk to resign in connection with the collapse of the coalition in the Parliament "means an escape from the sinking ship"

24 Jul - RIA Novosti

The decision of the Prime Minister of Ukraine Arseniy Yatsenyuk to resign in connection with the collapse of the coalition in the Parliament "means an escape from the sinking ship," said the head of Commission of Federation Council for monitoring the situation in Ukraine, the first Deputy Chairman of the Committee on international Affairs Vladimir Jabbarov.

"Yatsenyuk is a very "wise" man - he understands, where is Ukraine heading: there is a civil war, ahead is autumn, but there is no gas supplies, and no money," said Jabbarov RIA Novosti on Thursday.

According to the Senator, his emotional and clumsy resignation speech is just a way simply to "escape from a sinking ship.

Dzhabarov think that it is difficult to say who instead Yatseniuk could lead the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine. "There is such a mediocre environment, I do not see any strong politician, who could head the government," he said.

However, Jabbarov believes that a new President will be a person from the team of the President Poroshenko. The Senator added that before the head of state are "enormously difficult task, given the situation in the South-East of Ukraine and the economy in crisis. "It's one thing to follow the advice of his Western friends, and another thing - to solve practical problems facing the country", concluded the MP.

Mass anti-government protests began in the South-Eastern regions of Ukraine at the end of February 2014. They was the answer of the locals at the coup d'état in Kiev and the subsequent attempt to cancel by the Verkhovna Rada of the language law, which gave the Russian language regional status. The center of confrontation between Pro-Russian-minded citizens with the government in Kiev has become the Donbass. About the evolution of the conflict in the South-East of Ukraine, read in the chronicle RIA Novosti.

[Jul 24, 2014] Provisional government was government of incompetent extremists. Shoes of Prime Minister proveed to be too big for Yatsenyuk

pravda.ru
The Verkhovna Rada Deputy from the Party of regions Mykola Levchenko specifically for Pravda.Ru commented resignation of Arseniy 'Yatsenuyk.

"After the Maidan coup d'état the group of extremists which came to power people were totally unprepared for it. They are members of opposition by nature. They are good only for destruction and unable to anything constructive. After then got power, they remained members of opposition, they fight in Parliament, criticized everybody and everything, no matter what you did or not did.

They are organically unable to compromise, unable to negotiate which is necessary to do so, for anybody in power. This all led to such full-scale combat operations on South East. Today, they still cannot learn to work, to be responsible for the entire country.

In addition, they proved to be 100% pure Jacobins. After the revolution with their coming to power they rely on terror and started repression and persecution of dissidents. That was during the French bourgeois revolution. Unfortunately, all this happened again here in aggravated form.

As for the resignation of Yatsenyuk I can state that clearly he was not ready for the position he got. Shoes proved to be too big for him. "

[Jul 24, 2014] Bags. Airport. USA.

paulfrobinson, July 24, 2014 at 8:26 am
Yatseniuk resigns!
http://www.trust.org/item/20140724144712-ipkg5
cartman, July 24, 2014 at 8:32 am
That's Veruca Yats.

Bags. Airport. USA.

ThatJ , July 24, 2014 at 8:43 am
Or Tel-Aviv.

marknesop, July 24, 2014 at 11:37 am

Vicky Nuland will be SO disappointed: who is she going to parachute in now to take the reins of U.S.-diplomacy-once-removed? Make a note of that, Geoffrey – when we pick the Prime Minister of a country we're trying to bring under our thumb, always pick a backup, too.

I pick Parubiy. Ukraine is the only place crazy enough to elevate a psychopath like him to Prime Minister.

[Jul 24, 2014] Ukrainian prime minister Arseny Yatseniuk resigns by Shaun Walker

This is an official end of Provisional Goverment. Rats started leaving the sinking ship.
24 July 2014 | theguardian.com

Yatseniuk quits as he berates parliament for failing to pass law to increase army financing and regulate country's energy situation

Arseny Yatseniuk's impassioned speech underlined the frustration of many in Ukraine that change is taking too long. Photograph: Andrew Kravchenko/Government press service/EPA.

Ukraine's prime minister has resigned after the governing coalition collapsed, in a sign that five months after the Maidan protests led to a change of government, the country's political system is still beset by discord.

The government is struggling to defeat an insurgency by pro-Russian separatists in the east of the country, where a Malaysia Airlines jet was downed last Thursday.

Arseniy Yatsenyuk, one of the leaders of the Maidan protests, was seen by many Ukrainians as a safe pair of hands, with his mild manner and intellectual demeanour. But he grew angry during Ukraine's parliamentary session as it failed to pass legislation to increase army financing and regulate the country's energy situation.

"History will not forgive us," he told parliament. "Our government now has no answer to the questions – how are we to pay wages, how are we tomorrow morning going to send fuel for armoured vehicles, how will we pay those families who have lost soldiers, to look after the army?"

The president, Petro Poroshenko, welcomed the move, which will lead to new elections, saying: "Society wants a full reset of state authorities."

Although Ukrainians elected Poroshenko in May, there have yet to be new parliamentary elections since the former president, Viktor Yanukovych, fled. Yatsenyuk is likely to stay on in a caretaker role before a new poll.

Rumours are that Poroshenko wants to end the insurgency in the east before 24 August – Ukrainian independence day. The army has made significant gains in driving the rebels out of a number of towns, including the former stronghold of Slavyansk, but the separatists still control Donetsk, a city of 1 million, and much of the region around it.

[Jul 20, 2014] The CPRF leader Gennady Zyuganov characterized provisional goverment in the broadcast of the radio station "Komsomolskaya Pravda"

Jul 20, 2014 | kp.ru

Under the guidance of their handlers Poroshenko, Turchinov, Yatsenyuk continue disgraceful path that in the past was used by Nazis. Nazis started with the ban of the Communist party, with the Reichstag fire. Then came the massacre of the Communists. Then they sent to a concentration camp socialists, Trade Union leaders. Then they fire on fire the world war II.

Therefore, we all should be quite outraged about this.

Thos who are in power in Ukraine today seized it illegally. Intellectually they are mediocre, incompetent fanatics unable to conduct basic conversation even with their compatriots. They issued orders to shoot their fellow citizens in the South-East, they organized several provocations, organized massacre in the center of Odessa -- Odessa Khatyn -- when they burnt their compatriots in the building, they gave orders that destroyed the plane and are now trying to cover their tracks, trying to silence opponents in Parliament.

[Jul 13, 2014] ATO will take longer than expected, it's time preparing for a winter campaign, - Sergey Kaplin

Looks like some people started to realize that government troops can face defeat. If IMF does not provide the second tranche to Ukraine, economy simply collapse and we can't even talk about winter campaign? There will be no money for it
Jul 13, 2014 | 112.ua
Sergey Kaplin, MP, Secretary of parliamentary Committee on defense and national security told 112.ua that anti-terrorist operation acquired the character of a protracted conflict. It proved to be extremely difficult to take control of the border of Ukraine with Russia - almost 2000 kilometers. He stated:

I said not so long ago that it is not necessary to speculate on this subject - four thousand border guards and five thousand of solders simply can't do it.

[Jul 13, 2014] Yatsenyuk wrote resignation letter which Turchinov did not sign yet

The key problem for Yatsenyuk is that Ukraine started to deviate from junta proposed universal explanation of economic difficulties: "If there is no running water, it's due to evil Muscovites ", and personally Vladimir Putin. The Ukrainian government squeezed salary for state and municipal workers -- Putin is to blame, they stopped paying /reduced social security payment - again, Putin is guilty, shuttles stop to run - again Putin. But Putin-is-guilty scare does not work forever. After some point people start to look at Yatsenyuk and Turchinov. And to feel this look might be very uncomfortable for a Washington rabbit. So "Washington rabbit" probably start to feel that it's time to move to Miami or San Francisco where his sister is living.
iarex.ru

Serg Lipotkin

As I said that Senya behaves inadequately, for a very simple reason. He does nto intent to solve the mess that he created. Now Senya "Bullet in the forehead" Yatsenyuk want to resigns, in order not to get a kick into the sheen later! Or God forbid, a real bullet. And it is easy to be a seer in his case! Well, not so powerful as this old woman Wanga from Bulgaria had been, but still... He simply started feeling with his nose the smell of fried flesh. And that the autumn might well bring "fruits" of EuroMaidan with this particular smell in full force.

thebrain

Is it possible? The resignation of Yatsenyuk might be the sible best event in Ukraine over the last six months. But he might trying to fool people, and this is just a gesture; he will stay.

But on other hand he might decided that to wait until the autumn does not make any sense and that economy collapse is inevitable. Apparently he lost any hope that the situation improves. While Yatsenyuk is definitely is a scum, but he is far from being stupid.

Бывалый фронтовик Аваков рассуждения об очищении войной

Kolomoyski and Avakov are two war criminals that Russia indicted and wants to prosecute.

Polemika.com.ua

"В рамках так называемого "мирного процесса" со стороны ДНР и ЛНР мы имеем за неделю, к сожалению, больше 20 погибших с нашей стороны и огромное количество раненых. А еще мы имеем испитую до дна чашу терпения, которая закончилась. Я думаю, что все, кто адекватен, еще имеют несколько часов, чтобы выполнить условия плана президента Украины. В противном случае мы будем отвечать адекватно и жестко", – жонглировал сегодня наречиями министр внутренних дел Арсен Аваков перед выпускниками Национальной академии внутренних дел.

Как выглядит донецкий аэропорт после боев. ФОТО

Выпускники академии, как люди принявшие присягу и обязанные выполнять приказы, не должны задаваться вопросом, почему напутственное слово на торжественном построении говорит человек, имя которого звучало в связи гей-скандалом; который еще совсем недавно подвергался уголовному преследованию по фактам превышения власти, повлекшим тяжкие последствия и находился в международном розыске; который в Украину приехал только потому, что был избран по спискам от ВО "Батькивщина" в парламент и, соответственно, получил депутатскую неприкосновенность.

Что может сказать важного молодым милиционерам бывший инженер Харьковского НИИ охраны вод?

Арсен Борисович, как человек многогранный и широких взглядов, не только скажет, но и напишет в собственном аккаунте социальной сети. Кстати, если бы в Украине была учреждена награда для высших чинов силовых ведомств, например, "За борьбу с преступностью на просторах интернета", то Арсену Авакову, по примеру северокорейских генералов, ордена пришлось бы вешать даже на брюки, потому как кителя не хватало бы. Посостязаться количеством написанных постов и блогов с министром Аваковым может только народный депутат Александр Бригинец, который, как известно, пишет посты прямо с закрытых заседаний Верховной Рады.

"Война не может порождать светлых чувств. Но может порождать очищение. Фальшивое и наносное сгорает в огне войны очень быстро – будто бы намеренно оставляя место НАСТОЯЩЕМУ.. Через неустроенность и боль, через смерть товарищей и необходимость убивать в ответ, через страх за родных, через наблюдение за горем людей, лишенных своего дома.. Всем не просто на этой войне, и это очищение и искупление для каждого – нужно, как обязательное условие победы", - философствует бывалый фронтовик Арсен Аваков.

На границе с РФ образовалась многокилометровая очередь беженцев. ВИДЕО

О какой войне идет речь, непонятно. Ведь война не объявлена никем и никому, а по заверениям самых демократических властей, впервые в истории Украины на Юго-Востоке идет так называемая антитеррористическая операция, правда, имеющая признаки карательных акций в лучших традициях, например, операции "Волшебная флейта" Третьего Рейха в Минске, в 1943 году.

"Искупление. Оно наступает как неотвратимая плата за совершенное. И у каждого это искупление свое – и у меня, и у Вас и у Донбасса и у Украины. И каждому дано ровно столько, сколько заслужил и сколько выдержит... Украина выдержит, и ты не сдавайся. Стисни зубы и терпи свое искупление. И делай, ДЕЛАЙ то, что должен!" - продолжает лирически изливать душу министр внутренних дел.

Что именно, какую вину искупили 40 детей, погибшие на Юго-Востоке за время проведения АТО? Заслужили ли разорванные на части в результате авианалета украинских ВВС на центр Луганска 2 июня люди такую участь? За что была убита нацгвардейцами юная медсестра из Краматорска Юлия Изотова?

Turchynov: Ukraine Special Services predicted a Russian invasion 10 times a month

moscowexile , June 26, 2014 at 12:57 am
Турчинов: спецслужбы Украины предсказывали вторжение из России по 10 раз в месяц

Turchynov: Ukraine Special Services predicted a Russian invasion 10 times a month

26.06.2014, 11:01 "Газета.Ru"

Speaker of The Supreme Rada, Oleksandr Turchynov, rebuked the Ukrainian special services for their misinforming Kiev on an impending military invasion by Russia.

"About 10 times a month our special services reported that there would definitely be a military attack from Russia – usually it was at about 3-4 in the morning. And we sat in combat readiness at the command post, and what was left of the army prepared for open war with our Eastern neighbour", quotes UNIAN. [The Ukrainian News Agency].

According to the speaker, an invasion of the Ukraine by the Russian army did not take place because "Moscow was waiting for us to make a mistake, a blunder".

In addition, Turchynov has acknowledged the lack of readiness of the Ukrainian army to repel the Russian invasion of the Crimea, which Kiev continues to consider its own.

"Russia declared war and began the occupation of the Crimea. The Russians chose a good time: the Minister of Defence told me that at the time we could have only opposed Russian aggression with up to 5 thousand people – across the whole of the Ukraine", said Turchynov.

Is the pastor's conscience pricking?

Yea, and I say unto thee: Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour!

Hear endeth the lesson – you lying twat!
:-)

yalensis , June 26, 2014 at 2:13 am
Tuchita is well aware that future history books will say something like:

"Then, in the year 2014, under the Presidency of Turchita, who bore a startling resemblance to the blundering villain, Dr. Evil, Ukraine lost the entire Crimean peninsula to Russia,
Ex-President Turchita then went on, a few years later, to die a horrible and painful death, cursed by his countrymen and the entire world, in his passing…."

marknesop , June 26, 2014 at 7:30 am
Oh, I see – the general invasion of all of Ukraine did not take place because Kiev did not make any mistakes. That's a novel view of how events unfolded, I must say. Probably a little preview of how the history of it is going to be written, as well. It's beginning to look like that can join international law as useless and unreliable.

Not to confuse the issue or anything, but every time the Special Services declared a Russian attack was on the way, and it didn't come…wasn't that a mistake? But supposedly the only thing that saved Ukraine from being overrun by the Russians was that Kiev did not make any mistakes.

I'm afraid you lost me there.

ucgsblog , June 26, 2014 at 10:28 am

Those weren't warnings of Russian aggression, those were prank calls from Vovan222 :P

[Jun 25, 2014] Yatsenyuk Windows

kononenkome.livejournal.com

Almost four months have passed since the day that Ukraine had the coup. During this time, the new authorities failed to do anything unless the election, and that with the help of questionable legitimacy of the procedure, a new President. The new President has made a few statements, but has not taken no meaningful action.

The economy continues to be ruined, no gas, now also in the pipeline exploded. Military-technical exports to Russia are closed, and this was the only stable article monetary incomes of the Ukrainian budget. And in the South-East of the country there is a real war, in which Ukraine looks of it spends the few resources that she still remained. Including, of course, and reputational resource - never before the authorities of any country in the modern world not kill and detained many foreign journalists.

And here in this situation happened national disaster, in an atmosphere paralysed and incapable, ogrisauga the last effort of the state and the collapsing of the country, the self-proclaimed Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk finally found the root of evil. Found those who blame. And if you think that Russia and Russians - you are wrong.

No, all was at fault... the citizens of Ukraine! Because, believe it or not, spend too much energy. And energy-that flew into the dead end of its historical development, Ukraine is just not enough.

What is the irrational waste of energy? - you will ask. Perhaps that Ukrainians burned tires on the street instead of burning them in their apartments and, thus, to warm them? Or that they spend so much precious petrol to pour it in bottles and burn with these bottles are so lacking now policemen or those who are against the Maidan?

No. The thing is that Ukrainians are open in the winter window. And this in Ukraine.

"We will never get off the energy of the needle, " said Arseniy Yatsenyuk, speaking in Parliament, - If we are to open in the winter window to the apartments was cooler."

Well, I'm glad it was finally clear. And the main thing - it is clear what to do. One has to give the militants "Right sector" nails and hammers, and may they go on apartments and boarded up in them open. Until the winter there is still time, and, you see, no one in Ukraine will not be able to open the Windows. Even if they want to. And then she could try to get off the energy of the needle.

But it is only in the case, of course, if Ukraine will manage to live till winter.

[Jun 15, 2014] Ukraine: Echoes Of The Third Reich - Yatsenyuk's "Subhumans"

Moon of Alabama

Wikipedia - Untermensch:

Untermensch (German for under man, sub-man, sub-human; plural: Untermenschen) is a term that became infamous when the Nazis used it to describe "inferior people" often referred to as "the masses from the East," that is Jews, Gypsies, and Slavs; including Poles, Serbs, Belarusians, Russians, and Rusyns. The term was also applied to black people and Mulattos. Jewish people were to be exterminated in the Holocaust, just as Slavs in Generalplan Ost, who were destined to be removed from European territory under German control through murder and ethnic cleansing.

Embassy of Ukraine in the United States of America - Ukraine's Prime Minister Yatsenyuk: We will commemorate the heroes by cleaning our land from the evil:

"They lost their lives because they defended men and women, children and the elderly who found themselves in a situation facing a threat to be killed by invaders and sponsored by them subhumans. First, we will commemorate the heroes by wiping out those who killed them and then by cleaning our land from the evil", - he said.
Ronald Thomas West | Jun 15, 2014 2:22:22 PM | 18

The nazi roots in Ukraine's putsch regime are well established and reflect in recent activities tied to Angela Merkel's Christian Democrats in Germany:

http://ronaldthomaswest.com/2014/03/25/germanys-martyrs-of-the-maidan/

That the USA is supportive of these people reflects common origins, also well documented:

http://ronaldthomaswest.com/2014/04/23/sociopaths-democracy/

No suprizes here except for the open use of the nazi terminology

Demian

It's really remarkable that that remark about "them subhumans" was published at the official Ukraine embassy in the US Web site. The ungrammatical "them" sounds exactly like American white trash talk.

Uki diplomatic personnel evidently spend so much time trying to learn the artificial language of official Ukrainian that they don't have time to achieve any level of competency in the English language.

scalawag

Strange, no mention by MoA of the "white trash fascists" who attacked the Russian embassy in Kiev, with open support of the "white trash fascists" running the nazi junta there for their "white trash fascist" masters in the west. This act, and that the "white trash fascists" failed to condemn it in the UN, that is, tacitly gave their official blessing of it, is a rather more important development than some "white trash fascist" disposable puppet of theirs expressing his solidarity with the mentality behind the "white trash fascists", which everybody already knew about anyway.

Going after the "little guys" instead of the "big guys" is typical obfuscation tactics. The "white trash fascists" in the nazi junta use phosphorus - no mention at MoA. The "white trash fascists" of the western establishment tacitly support an attack on the Russian embassy in Kiev (actually, those "white trash fascists" engineered it), and brazenly brag to the world their approval of the action by refusing to condemn this action by their puppet "white trash fascists", again no mention a MoA. These are events that could seriously undercut the propaganda effort of the west by showing the master is made of the same substance as the disposable flunky. If Yatsenyuk bites the dust, it's no big deal to the western establishment, like replacing a newscaster on a TV show. Besides, he's been replaced already by Poroshenko as the western "face" in the Ukraine.

West gives Kiev carte blanche for any actions - lawmaker

"By blocking Russian draft UN Security Council resolution condemning the attack on the Russian embassy in Kiev the Western countries have given Kiev carte blanche for any actions, head of the State Duma Committee on education, political scientist Vyacheslav Nikonov believes. Russia urged members of the UN Security Council to adopt the resolution on Saturday.

According to the text, UN Security Council should strongly condemn the Saturday attack on the Russian Embassy in Kiev that damaged the building and property of the embassy, as well as put the lives of its staff in danger. The attack seriously impeded the work of the embassy. However, a diplomatic source in the United Nations has told RIA Novosti that the Western countries had blocked the Russian resolution.

"This means only one thing - Kiev is allowed to do everything. I can imagine if any embassy of a Western state was attacked in any country of the world, Russia would surely condemn such actions. And all sensible people, all countries would condemn it, because there are rules of diplomatic practices that are not violated even during wars between states," Nikonov told RIA Novosti.

He noted that the West only scolds those who attacked the embassy "at the level of press secretaries."

"But they do not take an official stance on the issue. This means that Kiev has got carte blanche for any actions," the lawmaker believes.

Nikonov also stressed that the West turned a blind eye "to the mass genocide that the Kiev authorities are carrying out in the South-East of Ukraine, to numerous sacrifices, to the humanitarian catastrophe that is taking place there, to flows of refugees, who rushed into Russia."

"It probably makes no sense to be indignant at the double standards once again. The West has demonstrated time and again that for them the alternative of double standards is triple and quadruple standards. So, I'm not surprised at this stance of the Western countries; I am, of course, outraged in connection with this position," said the MP.

In his opinion, the Western states seek to drive the situation into an absolute dead-end, to aggravate the relations between Russia and Ukraine to a maximum and to try to cause a clash between the two neighboring countries."

scalawag The Truthseeker: NATO's 'Gladio' army in Ukraine (E41)
"The openly Nazi core of Kiev's new army; WikiLeaked cables set Ukraine 'nationalists' in NATO 'dirty wars' abroad; and the 'psychopaths' who run CIA special operations.

Seek truth from facts with the world's leading scholar on NATO's Operation Gladio Dr. Daniele Ganser; Editor of new book Flashpoint in Ukraine - Dr. Stephen Lendman; Intelligence specialist William Engdahl; and victims of the Butcher of Lyon."

scalawag
Truth Leaks to People No Matter Information is Filtered through Fine Sieve
"A few days had to pass before it became clear what the Ukrainian President meant talking about the need to cease fire. No, he was not talking about withdrawing chasteners away from Donbass or truce. He meant the use of force to quell the resistance of those who opposed the spread of fascism on Ukrainian soil. The military and the National Guard units predominantly manned by Pravy Sector acting under the orders of Supreme Commander Petro Poroshenko have failed to carry out the mission of putting down the unrest in a week. They had no chance to succeed. No go. So they have started to search for more extraordinary things than just firing conventional weapons…

For instance they used incendiary munitions or phosphorus bombs on June 12 in Slavyansk. It happened right after the vibrant discussions on the possibility of US assistance, including lethal aid. It did not take long for Jen Psaki, State Department spokeswoman, to come up with the conjecture that the bombs were used by "Russians". She is not aware the Russian army does not participate in the conflict. Russia respects its commitments as a party to the Convention on Prohibitions or Restrictions on the Use of Certain Conventional Weapons Which May Be Deemed to Be Excessively Injurious or to Have Indiscriminate Effects. Protocol 3 restricts the use of incendiary weapons. It prohibits the use of incendiary weapons against civilians (effectively a reaffirmation of the general prohibition on attacks against civilians in Additional Protocol Conventions) as well as the use of air-delivered incendiary weapons against military targets located within concentrations of civilians and loosely regulates the use of other types of incendiary weapons in such circumstances. The US is not a party to this Protocol. In 2004 the United States used incendiary weapons in Iraq. Americans used such bombs in Vietnam before. In 2009 the US informed the UN Secretary General that its consent to observe article 2 of the abovementioned protocol was subject to some reservations. This approach to the use of weapons prohibited internationally on humanitarian grounds could have influenced the approach of American advisors who told their Ukrainian dependents to use incendiary bombs. On November 29, 2005, speaking at a press conference General Peter Pace, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, stated that white phosphorus "is a legitimate tool of the military," and can be used for illumination, smoke, and incendiary purposes."

The nazi junta in the Ukraine is operating under direct western control. Their war crimes are western war crimes.

ToivoS | Jun 15, 2014 8:43:05 PM | 40

This seems to be a relevant place to make this comment. Last week the big question was whether or not Poroshenko (and his ally Klitshko) would be able to gain control over the Kiev street and push Right Sector back to Lviv. This demonstration in front of the Russian embassy in Kiev seems to have answered that question. The street remains in the hands of the neo-nazis. I was optimistic a week back that Poroshenko would be able to enter into serious discussions with Russia and the eastern Ukrainians. That optimism was based on two assumptions 1) Poroshenko was genuinely interested in solving the eastern Ukrainian insurrection in way that seriously engaged their demands, and 2) Poroshenko could put together a government that would control the neo-nazis.

Well assumption #2 seems wrong. The war will go on.

[Jun 14, 2014] This fluffy propaganda piece

yalensis , June 14, 2014 at 5:25 am
Meanwhile, American Daily Beast has about the loveable and plucky little Jewish oligarch, Kolomoisky (aka "Bennie") who keeps Dnipropetrovsk in line, using a combination of money, threats, bribes, gangland murders, and his own private army.

"Dnipropetrovsk will become a Second Stalingrad for those who want war here. And the Ukrainians will win," threatened Deputy Governor Gennady Korban on local television.

Above quote of Bennie's henchman is mostly accurate, but proofreader accidentally left out two words, which somewhat change the meaning of the sentence. The quote should read:

"Dnipropetrovsk will become a Second Stalingrad for those who want war here. And THIS TIME the Ukrainians will win," threatened Deputy Governor Gennady Korban on local television.

[Jun 14, 2014] Good Judgment Comes From Experience. Experience Comes From Bad Judgment

patient observer, June 14, 2014 at 8:17 am

And the police stood idly by:

http://rt.com/news/165952-ukraine-russia-embassy-protest/

I wonder if the US is micromanaging this stuff. The Urkaine government seems to be little more than a skin suit for US interests.

karl1haushofer , June 14, 2014 at 2:01 pm

According to this source Kolomoisky organized today's attack to Russian embassy in Kiev: http://ria.ru/world/20140614/1012021360.html
Kolomoisky was also responsible for the Odessa massacre. Why doesn't the FSB just assassinate him? He seems like a totally evil bastard.

Fern, June 14, 2014 at 6:13 pm

The most worrying aspect of the attack on the Russian embassy in Kiev (social media invite – bring tyres) is that Jen Psaki has condemned it. That can't be good. I can't help feeling an Odessa-style atrocity is on the cards – the aim of which is to provoke a Russian overreaction – and the US is out in front condemning the throwing of rocks and what-have-you so if and when it turns deadly, they can say 'hey, our hands are clean – we condemned this from the get-go'.

Southerncross, June 14, 2014 at 6:35 pm

Kiev is getting very desperate. Their ATO chief Seleznyev is bellowing about having killed fifty rebels with an airstrike – the last couple of days must have rattled them badly.

[Jun 14, 2014] Acting foreign Minister of Ukraine Andriy Deshchica sung to obscene song about Vladimir Putin during attack on the Russian Embassy in Kiev

So called "diplomat" Kind of New "F*ck Russia" generation of Ukrainian diplomats
Yandex-News
Acting foreign Minister of Ukraine Andriy Deshchica sung to obscene song about Russian President Vladimir Putin during a meeting with activists that attacked the Russian Embassy in Kiev. He used the song has become popular among Ukrainian football fans.

Video from singing the head of the Ministry publishes "Gromadske TV".

Andriy Deshchica came to the walls of the Russian Embassy together with the head of the Ministry of internal Affairs Arsen Avakov in the evening on Saturday, June 14.

[Jun 12, 2014] War crimes of Kiev regime

A girl killed June 8, at 13:15 in Slavyask

yalensis June 12, 2014 at 3:30 pm

Here is interview with a Ukrainian girl named Ekaterina. She lives in Krasny LIman, a Donetsk town, which has been occupied by Kiev Banderites for past couple of weeks.

Katya claims that Banderite National Guard have killed a couple of dozen inhabitants of town, and also dragged off and raped several girls, one of them had her throat cut too.

She pleads to Moscow to help them, as they are being crushed by these violent Nazi hordes.
Sounds plausible. Banderites do what Banderites do.

yalensis , June 12, 2014 at 3:50 pm
Here is video of phosphorus bombs being dropped on Ukrainian town of Semenovka.
yalensis ,

June 12, 2014 at 3:58 pm

Interview with Igor Strelkov, he says he has never seen the likes of these phosphorus bombs before, not even in the Chechen campaign.
Igor believes these bombs are some kind of "cassette" which is programmed to explode in the air and coat the ground with some kind of incendiary chemical.

Maybe NATO testing some new weapon on the families of Donbass?

[Jun 01, 2014] Turchinov and Yatsenyuk should face the Hague Tribunal

REGNUM
All involved in the death of people in Odessa and in other crimes against civilians in Ukraine must appear before the Hague Tribunal. This was the statement Deputy Secretary of the Public chamber of the Russian Federation Vladislav Grib made may 6 at the press conference in Moscow.

"Russia will insist and Turchynov, and Yatsenyuk, and the Governor of Odessa region were in the dock, " he said. - We remember Tribunal for Yugoslavia, there is more than enough [facts]. Russia should do this, and we're going to demand this from Russian authorities".

The appropriate appeal is being prepared by the lawyers of the Public chamber, said Deputy head of the coordinating headquarters OP the Russian Federation on assistance to the residents of Ukraine Georgiy Fedorov. According to him, at present a list of the sacrament as to Odessa tragedy, and other acts of violence and violations of human rights in Ukraine, and in the list will include not only the leaders of the Kiev junta, but petty officials, implicated in crimes against humanity. Fedorov sure that appeal to international institutions should be regarded as a humiliation to the West. "We should work on other platforms, to use all the tools - diplomatic, legal, humanitarian and other, - he said. - We will break through the information blockade, to use every opportunity to attack this mode".

In the world there are countries that understand what is actually happening in Ukraine, added Vladislav Grib, for example, Serbia and China are among them. Russia could bring the facts about the crimes of the Kyiv to the world community. "We don't want to be in isolation, we are looking for allies, " he said. - We are not referring to the Ukrainian junta, we want people in Europe, all policical organization learned about this. For that all these facts were translated into major European and world languages".

Lawyers of the Public chamber of the Russian Federation are working on request and a list of the perpetrators with the utmost care so hat the documents were not rejected on formal grounds by aligned with NATO European structures.. According to Georgiy Fedorovhim, the appeal will be handed over to the Russian authorities in the coming weeks.

Let's remind, the press conference of the members of the Public chamber of the Russian Federation on the situation in Ukraine was held in Moscow on 6 may. It was also attended by journalists, political scientists, sociologists and civil activists from Odessa and Kharkiv, who told about the situation in the southern and Eastern areas of Ukraine, where, according to them, there is a real war, unleashed a self-proclaimed Kiev authorities against their own people.

[May 24, 2014] http://www.moonofalabama.org/2014/05/ukraine-major-western-think-tank-admits-defeat.html

Jeff Kaye

"Post-WWII Ukraine saw the struggle of anti-Soviet partisans in the West until the early 1950s, but also a large scale economic reconstruction."

What the LSE article fails to mention is that this post-WWII "struggle" was largely financed and run by the CIA. Don't take my word for it. Chapter Five of the recently published National Archives book, "Hitler's Shadow: Nazi War Criminals, U.S. Intelligence and the Cold War," contains some of these details. URL is http://www.archives.gov/iwg/reports/hitlers-shadow.pdf

See also this 1986 Village Voice article by Joe Conason: http://msuweb.montclair.edu/~furrg/essays/conasoncatchnazi86.pdf

Posted by: | May 24, 2014 2:59:21 PM | 20

[May 24, 2014] http://www.moonofalabama.org/2014/05/ukraine-major-western-think-tank-admits-defeat.html

Mark

PoroChoco has also, allegedly, offered a bounty of 1000.00 hryvnyas per day (this is substantially more than army pay) plus a 1000,000.00 hryvnya life insurance policy to "volunteers" who will take up arms against the southeast and crush the rebellion.

http://voiceofrussia.com/news/2014_05_24/Petr-Poroshenko-promises-to-pay-1-000-hryvnyas-per-day-to-Ukrainian-mercenaries-of-punitive-units-6149/

I would point out here that this offer is made as a private citizen, although it would be arguably even worse if he waited for the formality of being inaugurated as President.

Is that legal? Sure isn't. So saith the International Convention Against the Recruitment, Use, Financing and Training of Mercenaries of 1989 to which Ukraine is a party state.

http://www.icrc.org/applic/ihl/ihl.nsf/States.xsp?xp_viewStates=XPages_NORMStatesParties&xp_treatySelected=530

Many will note Article 1 para. 1:(c) states that a mercenary is "neither a national of a party to the conflict nor a resident of territory controlled by a party to the conflict" Of course, these are all locals, Ukrainian nationals being lured by the promise of money to kill other Ukrainians until sufficient numbers have been killed that the remainder see resistance is useless and surrender to the will of the state. However, the law was originally written to curtail the use of mercenaries in Africa, where they were mostly hirelings from other countries. I believe the codicil contained in Article 5:2, to wit; "States Parties shall not recruit, use, finance or train mercenaries for the purpose of opposing the legitimate exercise of the inalienable right of peoples to self-determination, as recognized by international law, and shall take, in conformity with international law, the appropriate measures to prevent the recruitment, use, financing or training of mercenaries for that purpose."

The west will of course argue that this is not a legitimate exercise of the right of self-determination and that it is instead an attempt to "interfere with Ukraine's borders" - although the right to self-determination is described herein as "inalienable", which means "unable to be taken away from or given away by the possessor" - but the west has welcomed many other such exercises of self-determination when they suited its interests. I believe the description in Article 5:2 encompasses activities on the part of well-connected private citizens, especially one who expects to be the national head of state by sundown tomorrow, for the purposes of raising a paid army which is untrained in the laws of armed conflict and has no interest in minimizing casualties among non-combatants.

Флешмоб-обращение к действующему легитимному президенту Украины Виктору Федоровичу Януковичу.

22.03.2014 Янукович приди и порядок наведи!

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Ближайшие и среднесрочные перспективы временной киевской власти

Дмитрий Грасов, специально для Полемики

Нынешнюю украинскую власть половина страны клянет последними словами, именуя ее "хунтой". Но это хлесткое словечко к нынешним господам в Киеве вряд ли подходит – слишком они бессильны и слишком мало влияют на ситуацию в стране. Скорее это "недохунта" или "недовласть". На фоне этого бессилия, ненависть, которую они вызывают, выглядит немного неадекватной, просто потому, что на многие, если не на все, процессы в стране они влиять просто не в состоянии.
Автор далек от мысли оправдать украинских керманычей – они вполне заслужили то, что в конечном итоге получат, если есть справедливость. Но при этом нужно понимать, что они во многом стали жертвой обстоятельств. Стали по доброй воле (за это и подлежат наказанию), но обстоятельства эти были созданы отнюдь не ими.
Жарко, еще жарче: Кто и что сгорит в украинском плавильном котле "общественных трансформаций"?
О том, что майдан был инспирирован извне, писалось уже очень много, и останавливаться на этом не имеет смысла. Отметим лишь, что это было первое обстоятельство, на которое ни Яценюк, ни Турчинов, ни Тягныбок, ни Кличко с Порошенко существенного влияния не оказывали. Просто электричка власти услужливо распахнула свои двери, и группа граждан, до того годами томившаяся на платформе и уставшая от этого ожидания, ломанулась занимать места. Правда, нашлись люди поумнее, типа Порошенко, которые быстро сообразили, что электричка эта далеко не уедет, и решили не спешить. Те же, кто уселся в кресла, тут же поняли, что, кроме как сидеть и выполнять указания, – ничего делать им не позволено.
Кто же на самом деле влияет на ситуацию? Очевидно те, кто привел к власти нынешнюю недохунту.
В Украине сейчас существуют два центра влияния на власть – не равновеликих, однако преследующих одну цель и пугающих украинскую власть, а потому – управляющие ею. Первый центр – праворадикалы. Речь не только о "Правом секторе", который, пусть и виртуален, но, по крайней мере, имеет внятного лидера, с которым можно договариваться. Речь идет от сотнях, если не тысячах вооруженных бойцов, вместо мозга у которых ненависть к москалям. Это порождение майдана - десятки мелких группировок, с криминальными элементами во главе (покойный Сашко Билый был типичным представителем этого племени, но не единственным), промышляющих мелкими грабежами, а главное – ставших неприкасаемыми в силу каких-то "заслуг перед революцией".
Путин: В РФ задержаны украинские радикалы
Загнать это опасное стадо в стойло нацгвардии не получилось – затея объединить бандитов в регулярные войсковые подразделения была изначально обречена на провал. В итоге, они до сих пор бродят по стране, представляя угрозу для власти, в том числе, потому что недохунта, похоже, не контролирует регулярные войска и спецслужбы настолько, чтобы обеспечить хотя бы свою собственную безопасность. А потому вынуждена, сцепив зубы, терпеть эту махновщину, и если не заискивать перед ними, то, по крайней мере, закрывать глаза на их художества.
Второй центр влияния находится на Западе от Украины. Но в данном случае, вряд ли имеет смысл говорить о Западе как о чем-то цельном, потому что в ситуации с Украиной Запад явно разделился на несколько частей, и каждая из этих частей имеет свое собственное видение происходящего в Украине, причем видение это определяется исключительно отношением к России. Европейские национальные правительства явно не склонны ставить под угрозу свои тесные экономические связи с Москвой из-за какой-то там Украины. Локомотивом этого "движения неприсоединения" к конфликту стала Германия, имеющая особенно тесные бизнес контакты с Российской Федерацией.
Вместе с тем ЕС, т.е. брюссельская бюрократия, находящаяся под влиянием США, настроена куда более агрессивно, и брюссельские политики изо всех сил способствуют эскалации конфликта, делая обнадеживающие для нынешней украинской власти заявления и продавливающие (впрочем, без особого успеха) экономические санкции против России.
Арсений Яценюк: рыцарь без страха и упрека
США, безусловно, главный катализатор эскалации конфликта и самый сильный источник давления на украинскую власть. Хотя и в этом случае, говорить о Соединенных Штатах, как о неком цельном субъекте нельзя, потому что отнюдь не все в Конгрессе и президентской администрации занимают агрессивную позицию. Идея "войны до победного конца" принадлежит вашингтонским "ястребам", находящимся преимущественно в стане республиканцев, типичным представителем которых является Джон Маккейн. Эти господа традиционно готовы сжечь весь мир для продолжения гегемонии США, но к счастью, сейчас "ястребы" сдерживаются администрацией Обамы, которому очередная заваруха на краю земли, да еще и с сомнительными последствиями не особо нужна. При этом влиятельность "ястребов" является очень сильной и этого влияния вполне хватает на то, что бы поддерживать воинственность в Вашингтоне, и уж тем более – разводить на конфликт киевских марионеток.
Оба эти центра влияния, радикальные украинские националисты и вашингтонские "ястребы", поддерживаемые брюссельской бюрократией, имеют одну цель – втянуть Россию в вооруженный конфликт с Украиной. Первые готовы утопить часть Украины в крови ради удовлетворения собственных химер, вторые – сделать то же для решения своих геополитических вопросов.
Украинская "хунта" в решении этой сверхзадачи оказалась союзником неважнецким, но не из гуманных соображений, конечно, а просто из-за трусости. За мясорубку на Юго-Востоке, вполне возможно, придется отвечать, тем более, что американцы, при случае, охотно сливают своих бывших союзников. Достаточно, например, вспомнить судьбу Бен Ладена, например.
На Львовщине пройдут первые честные выборы Президента
Кстати, нынешняя украинская власть боится еще и потому, что шансы Тимошенко занять президентской кресло мизерные, а значит – никаких индульгенций не ожидается. Сегодня ты и.о. президента, министр МВД, обороны. СНБО, а завтра, т.е. уже буквально через несколько недель – никто.
Но, кроме страха перед будущем, есть еще и страх перед настоящим, т.е. перед праворадикалами и западными "ястребами", которые могут наказать за непослушание, а потому нынешняя украинская власть делает все для того, чтобы продемонстрировать бурную деятельность – не идет ни на какие переговоры с "террористами", устроила АТО – бессмысленное и безобразное действо, малоэффективное, но шумное, непрерывно нагнетает военную истерию мобилизационными манипуляциями и проводит издевательски бессмысленные "круглые столы", которые, конечно, выглядят как передвижной балаган, а не как реальные шаги к гражданскому согласию. Собственно, именно эти два страха, перед настоящим и будущим, и объясняют злобность, но при этом поразительно низкую эффективность "хунты" в подавлении "сепаратизма".
Разумеется, долго так продолжаться не может, и все это закончится в одночасье, аккурат после выборов Петра Порошенко (сейчас, интрига уже кажется, окончательно исчезла, и это мероприятие можно называть именно так). Конечно, дело не в личных качествах Петра Алексеевича, который является продуктом украинской политики, а потому ничуть не лучше Арсения Петровича или Александра Валентиновича. Дело в том, что у Порошенко будет то, чего нет у нынешней киевской власти – легитимность. Это, естественно, расширит коридор его возможностей, и значимость факторов, которых так опасается "хунта", для него не то что бы исчезнет совсем, но уменьшится в разы.
Порошенко закроет границу с РФ, если станет Президентом
Как Порошенко воспользуется этими возможностями? Надо полагать, так, как любой здравомыслящий человек (а в здравомыслии Порошенко не откажешь) в такой ситуации будет делать все для того, чтобы конфликт в Украине, в котором не заинтересовано ни большинство украинцев, ни Россия, ни даже Европа, исчез. В противном случае, его президентство может продлиться всего несколько месяцев, и его окончание может быть куда более бесславным, чем правление Януковича. Так что для Порошенко вопрос мира в Украине – это вопрос выживания, причем, выживания возможно не только политического, но и буквального.
Каким образом мир в Украине можно восстановить, сейчас сказать сложно. Но общие пути очевидны – уступки Юго-Востоку и децентрализация власти, насколько это возможно в нынешних условиях, с одной стороны, а с другой – жесткое, но аккуратное давление на "сепаратистов", при котором, например, амнистия в отношении людей, взявшихся за оружие и добровольно перешедших к мирной жизни будет сопровождаться физическим устранением лидеров вооруженных формирований. Рецепты эти опробованы во многих странах, и ничего нового тут нет. За исключением одного важного момента – успех эти мероприятия будут иметь только в том случае, если удастся договориться с Россией.
То, что это придется делать, прекрасно понимает Порошенко. Для того чтобы в этом убедиться, достаточно почитать его предвыборную программу. Готова ли к этому Россия? Безусловно. Путин лично уже неоднократно давал понять, что готов к диалогу с законно избранным президентом Украины. Правда, при этом имеют место заявления и сомнительной легитимности выборов в случае, если они будут провалены в Донецкой и Луганской областях, и отказ России присылать наблюдателей. Но воспринимать это как категорический отказ признавать результаты выборов не стоит. Скорее, это похоже на очередной рычаг давления в будущих переговорах, сигнал будущему президенту "Посмотрим на твое поведение, а там уж решим, легитимный ты или нет".
Ночью обстреляли и сожгли дом Царева
В общем, ситуация с майданом, "сепаратизмом" и непризнанными юго-восточными республиками, кажется, близка к разрешению.
Правда, остается вероятность того, что выборы будут сорваны по вине граждан, упорно толкающих нынешнюю "хунту" к войне, или те же самые граждане, преимущественно заокеанские, найдут рычаги давления на Порошенко и будут продолжать эскалацию конфликта. В этом случае, увы, десятки тысяч украинцев станут жертвами имперских амбиций Маккейнов и шизофренических устремлений Ярошей, а Украина просто прекратит свое существование.
Дмитрий Грасов, специально для Полемики

1МарияК

Никаких предпосылок к тому, что Порошенко собирается мирно решать конфликт нет, достаточно послушать его заявления. И Стрелков пишет о нагнетании. В статье начали за здравие, кончили за упокой.

1.1Крым-16-е

Автор считает, что Порошенко - надежда и миротворец, а жители Донбасса - никто. А по мне, так Порошенко - хитрая нечисть, воспользовавшаяся ситуацией.

Граф

Автор еще считает что Порошенко не дурак! Был бы дураком - не был бы олигархом... А это значит, что он будет ВЫНУЖДЕН договариваться с оппозицией, вести нормальный диалог, в отличии от хунты. В противном случае закончит как Янукович, если не хуже!

Крым-16-е

не будет он договариваться с оппозицией, потому как оппозиция слишком слаба и держится только на энтузиазме, тогда как за нынешней властью миллиарды... Он может только сделать вид, что договаривается. А результат будет тот, что и раньше: ЮВ получит шиш с маком!

Граф

Порошенко, как Президенту, не нужна "горячая" страна ибо в нее НИКТО не будет вкладывать деньги... Выжечь ЮВ можно, но ЗАЧЕМ это делать, сеять ненависть и смуту, когда можно договориться!

oxana

Украина нужна на сегодня ,именно как горящая.

Вчера по брюсельскому Jewish News, отдавшего свой эфир на 50% Укр ньюс,были завывания на 2 часа,Украина в огне,немедленно вводить НАТО в Украину.

ДядяВитя

Неужели Вы всерьез считаете, что с порношенком будет договариваться Восток? Посмотрите архив его визита в Крым.

Miron

К тому же в статье не раскрыта тема взаимоотношений Коломойского с Порошенко, в бизнесе и политике, а без этого анализ будущего власти не возможен. Обуздать праворадикалов на самом деле не так сложно - они все из рук Коломойского кормились , во всяком случае лидеры. Лидерам и пр. из верхушки заплатить, а низы, которые не послушаются верхов, просто посадить, дать наконец-то ментам такое право. . И все. Если правосекам запретят носить намордники, перестанут собирать в сетях, раздавать бабки и оружие, и их лидеры не обеспечат прикрытие их спин при задержании ментами - подростковый молодняк рассосется сам по себе.

Брат2

Да будет известно Праворадикалы КОРМЯТЬСЯ с руки госдепа СШП ,а Ярош там на постоянной зарплате (как и наливайченко) и только отчасти укроалигархами!!! Есть неопровержимые улики...(ГУГЛ в помощь).Ну и 5 лярдов СШП ведь пошли не только на покупку печенек и чая для майдауна.

МарияК

Одно другому не мешает. А также не надо противопоставлять Порошенко хунте. Это два лица одной медали.

Престидижитатор

В связи с тем, что украинская демократия вышла на новый качественный уровень, предлагаю хахламонам сменить лозунг "Едина Украина" на "Убивай - и выбирай!"...

3wall-e

Кроме последнего абзаца можно было ничего не писать.

АлександрВасильевич

Прощай,"не вме/рла ще краї/на", Страна без чести, без моз/гов. С твоим ущерб/но - слезным гимном, И вечным поиском врагов. С тупою завистью и злоб/ой, ко всем, кто лучше и умней. Живи с фаш/истами...попробуй, и дай мне жить в Стране Моей! Бери с собой 'ножі', 'гілляку', Майдан, героїв во гробах. Иди в Европу, в схроны, в ср..ку. Уж если лучше тебе так. Когда-то и тебе подарит, Бог счастье вникнуть в смысл слов: Что ненависть не созидает, А созидает лишь Любовь.

Под/пись: Ю/ГО-ВО/СТОК УКРА/ИН/Ы

Крым-16-е

Не в бровь, а в глаз!

oxana

Проблема сходить в Европу,особенно в свете последних выборов в европарломент.Обновленное ЕС не хочет новых соседей.

русскоязычный2

Не треба спивати, шо "не вмерла", бо вмерла.

Masha27

Со статьёй что-то не так, тема не раскрыта, поверхностные суждения, не подкрепленные мало-мальскими фактами (о политике обамы и "ястребов). Начав статью с "недохунты", заканчивает статью, все таки "хунтой" (пока писал статью, поменял собственное мнение?). Особенно впечатляет строка: "В общем, ситуация с майданом, "сепаратизмом" и непризнанными юго-восточными республиками, кажется, близка к разрешению"- автор, таки, оптимист. Исходя из умозаключений автора, Путин, наверное, лично отчитался о своих планах на будущее перед автором.Концовка статьи больше напоминает агитку за поросенка, а последний абзац - полный "абзац" (о гражданской войне говорится так, как-будто о мячике, который упал в лужу и "увы" стал грязным...) Что автор хотел донести до читателя, я так и не поняла, но склонна к мысли , что автор сам не хрена не знает и на пророка, явно, не тянет...

Дилетант

Уж очень много автор возложил надежд на Порошенко. Похоже на заказуху.Не думаю, что новому назначенцу старой системы удастся разрулить ситуацию. Для этого ему надо пойти на такой компромисс, от которого взвоют его сторонники. А плоть от плоти олигарх на это никогда не пойдет. Да и здравомыслия за ним особо не наблюдалось. А вот упрямство, беспринципность и эмоциональность - так это постоянно. Так что скорее всего его ждет судьба Саакашвили. Завести страну в такую же ситуацию, как Грузию в 2008 у Порошенко очень даже может получиться.

ksapp

Вряд ли заказуха. Просто попытка анализа. Спорная. Но все версии имеют право быть. Здравый смысл в статье тоже есть. То, что высказывания Путина стали более мягкими, говорит о том, что он в принципе может признать эти выборы. На каких-то условиях. На каких? Время покажет. Возможно, без Луганская и Донецка. Скоро увидим...

новоросс

Если Порошенко не остановит карателей и не пойдёт на сближение с Россией, он, как президент, долго не протянет - уж очень большие проблемы у страны, которые без России не решить.

Рлоджер

Как по мне я просто не представляю Украину в составе Еврожопы, к нам по глупости и дибилизму ближе всего Россия. Нам никогда не понять Евроценностей, как бы не старались. Выход есть - надо не вступать, а создать свое, прежде всего быть хозяином в доме, а не квартирантом.....

Граф

Давайте рассуждать с той платформы, что Порошенко прежде всего бизнесмен... Итак: Крым нужен Украине исключительно как национальный "фетиш" отжатый москалями, ибо с экономической точки зрения, да и политической, учитывая русскоязычное население, он неудобен и дотационен... Так почему бы не ПРИЗНАТЬ его возврат в Россию, выторговав у последний для Украины ряд преференций?! Это возможная многолетняя и существенная скидка на газ, что позволит подняться экономике, да и России такой исход будет выгоден!

Крым-16-е

торговаться будет, спору нет. Но ЮВ будут гнобить будут как и раньше, а то и больше. Поводов и сил достаточно. И если так, то ЮВ в конечном счёте рано или поздно станет бандеровским. А вот это уже не смешно...

Граф

Сударь, Вы много знаете евреев-воров?! Это УМНАЯ нация, даже небезызвестный О.Бендер знал около 400 "сравнительно честных" способов отъема денег...:-)

oxana

Начать список от Соньки - Золотая Ручка ?

Граф

А чего 19-й век вспомнили? Надо глыбже копать, Моисей аж 30 лет всех евреев по пустыне водил, чем не аферист?:-)

innache

Порошенко - это зло. Опустим его мутное олигархическое прошлое и настоящее, достаточно того, что он - ярый противник православия (с этим не поспоришь) и активный спонсор Муйдана (факты налицо). Это же каким надо быть идиотом (или заинтересованным), чтобы поддерживать этого отморозка.

Alexandr Gorbach

Для того чтобы разрулить Крым с Россией таким образом нужна не только поллитическая воля, ни и соображение. Да ещё плес к этому орущая толпанациков под боком. а у тех товарищей избытка мозгов никогда не наблюдалось. Кроме материальных преференций за уступку Крыма России можно получить и политические. Кроме того потеряв Крым, мы переложили головную боль на Россию. Это вопрос по крымским татарам.А боль эта появится скоро и хорошо что она будет не нашей.

nerazymnica

Про дотационный Крым - при нормальном подходе Крым может сам себя обепечивать, не буду в сотый раз напоминать про разрушенную промышленность (на Феодосийском парашутном заводе кстати выпускались парашюты в том числе и для военно-космических нужд) и убитое сельское хозяйство (рисом, выращенным в Крыму обеспечивалась вся Украина), не буду упоминать имеющийся в достаточно приличных количествах газ и нефть(пусть не высокосортные, но они есть!)и американские фирмы очень неплохо паслись на добыче этих ископаемых, добавьте к этому туризм и курорт.Кстати, хунтеныши уже подсчитали потери от ухода Крыма - цифры немалые, накатывает вопрос - так был ли Крым дотационным? И почему так выгодно было так считать?

Евгения Поташник

Могу добавить. По территории Крыма Путин проложит трубопровод Южного потока-это намного дешевле,чем по дну Черного моря. А газ на шельфе Черного моря плюс вышки купленные Янеком-все готово,сплошная выгода. Но главное - в Крыму не будет НАТО,и только ради этого Путин отжал наш Крым. если б не майдауны и не переворот и не пришедшая на крови недохунта ,еслиб не амбиции и пыха свидомытых щирых украинцив и их вонь по поводу москалив,если б мир и дружба с Россией,то Путин бы Крым не анексировал.Сами украинци виноваты-это наша расплата за пидтримку майдаунов проплаченных США.

lara

Порошенко уже высказался как он будет договариваться с Россией- закроет границы. Постоянные вояжи в ЕС и встречи с представителями госдепа не прибавляют оптимизма. С ЮВ он договариваться не будет - просто будет война на уничтожение. Вчера ВВП четка сказал. что с киевской хунтой, а также с президентом разговаривать не собирается. Статья по теме "Все на выборы - выбираем надежду и опору нации Порошенко""!

Граф

Сейчас, до выборов, он может обещать ЧТО УГОДНО, но это не значит, что он так поступит после, ибо отнюдь не дурак... А как "красиво болтать" перед выборами нам еще Жириновский подсказал, как-то заявив, что изберете меня сегодня, а завтра уже будете жить чуть-чуть лучше!:-)

Крым-16-е

Он не сможет поддержать поддержать ЮВ, даже если на то будут фин. причины (совести у него нет, как мы знаем). Потому как ему этого не дадут сделать на западе. ЮВ - это дойная корова, которая не может иметь право голоса по определению.

Граф

"Дойную корову" надо хорошо кормить, а иначе "молока" от нее не дождаться... Действовать же силой - контрпродуктивно, а Порошенко НЕ ДУРАК, в чем я абсолютно уверен!

AlexUstass

Ваше Сиятельство, неужели Вы думаете, что нынешние хунтяки дураки? А ведь они действуют не то что контрпродуктивно, а воистину на грани шизофрении. Не наталкивает ли Вас это на простой вывод о том, что они действуют не по своей воле? С чего же такая уверенность, что поросёнок будет действовать по своей (точнее, ему дадут действовать по его воле)?

Граф

Сударь, неужели Вы думаете, что во власть идут исключительно за тем, чтоб "служить" кому то?! В свое время, когда Ельцин предложил Путина на пост премьера, в Думе смеялись, а Явлинский призвал голосовать за него, как за "технического премьера", а что вышло и где сейчас Явлинский и где Путин?:-)

AlexUstass

Причем здесь Ельцин и Явлинский? Сразу видно, что Вы еще не убили в себе интеллигента :). Хватит мечтать. Я не просто не думаю, я уже в том возрасте, когда ЗНАЮТ зачем идут во власть вообще и вна укропии в частности. поросёнок никому "служить" сам по себе не хочет, но вынужден. С него вытянули кучу бабла на этот мудайн, часть заграничного денежного потока он прибрал к рукам в темных водах революции, но вряд ли вернул всё, что потерял. Расчет прост (и не только его). Тут уже всё пустили под откос, поэтому надо награбить сколько только позволят обстоятельства, но при этом ЧОТКО придерживаться курса хозяев из ЦРУ (им же потом там прятаться). Что будет со страной им на$рать, у них уже у каждого на своем постаменте пропылесосенный и заправленный ковер-самолет стоит, готовый по первому пуку поднять своего хозяина в небесные дали подальше от этой территории. И именно так с каждым из них и случится, увидите.

nerazymnica

Порошенко не дурак, он идиот, ибо думает, что сможет решить все вопросы и все устаканить.

Янукович тоже на это рассчитывал, хотя было вопиюще очевидно с самого начала, что добром это все не закончится. Далеко не все зависит от Порошенко, и действовать он будет строго в рамках ему отведенных, и далеко не факт, что те, кто сейчас его поддерживают в скором времени его не сольют, если начнет выпендриваться.Вот дальше и видно будет - умный он или кто, благо, ждать не долго (в нынешнее время события разворачиваются очень стремительно).

Крым-16-е

короче, низы не хотят (я имею ввиду весь ЮВ), а, следовательно, низы будут есть то, что дадут верхи с запада в лице зайца

Никанор

Граф мы уже поняли, что Вы будете голосовать за Порошенко, флаг Вам в руки

zadereika

Грасов, как всегда, в своем репертуаре. Столько слов написал и все ради того, чтобы убедить нас, что за упыря Порошенко следует проголосовать. Очень рада, что это всем ясно.

KozakMamaj

В местами вполне неглупой статье нет ответа на ключевой вопрос: какими силами восстановить фактически утраченную украинскую государственность? Напомню: 1. В стране отсутствуют легитимные органы власти, которые и организуют нелигитимные "выборы". 2. В стране погибло реальное правоприменение на основании действующего законодательства. 3. Оставшиеся в живых гос. институты на фоне "уснувшего" закона неподвижно саботируют всё. 4. Порядок поддерживается инерцией системы на фоне анархических настроений особо активных граждан, организованных в сетевые структуры (самооборона, территориальные батальоны, люстрационно-рейдерские отряды). 5. Эксперимент по разделению украинского общества на "надсмотрщиков" и "жертв" привел к серьезным изменениям в психике и тех, и других. И кто будет теперь всё ЭТО обустраивать, налаживать, разоружать и лечить? Поросенок? А ЭТО согласится на разоружение-лечение-наказание за злодейства? И какими средствами ЭТО заставишь? Сила? Так она только у ЮВ (надеюсь). Потому, ЮВ,- только вперед!

ПавелП

Прости меня Боже за кровожадность, но лучше уже довести вещи до логического завершения. Пусть будет уничтожение государства и жертвы, чем затяжная агония в виде президентства Порошенко. В первом случае есть возможность прочистить мозги укро-нацистам шоковой терапией, во втором случае будет всего лишь отсрочка конфликта и консолидация анти-российских сил. Конфеты Порошенко ничуть не лучше печенья Нуланд!

1955

Павел, вы не совсем правы, камень уже покатился с горы. Затяжной агонии не будет, а вот жертв еще можно избежать. Стране настал фактический пиз-здес. Восток и запад уже никогда не будут вместе даже оставаясь формально в одних границах. Так что будет просто мочаливое игнорирование друг-друга. А после экономического коллапса - наша "родина" сдохнет сама собой. и только чудесный разворот в сторону реальной стабилизации может спасти коматозницу. а стабилизацию без прищучивания праворадикалов и реальных изменений в деловой среде не сделать. так что будет либо в лучшую сторону, либо очень скорая кончина.

16Filipppok

Фотка зачетная - главари хунты присматривают себе место в раю. Судя по озабоченному виду обоих, понимают, что свободных мест для них там не зарезервировано, а у ворот в рай дежурит "небесная сотня".

955

ну что вы накинулись. нормально написано. вот только автор упустил важную деталь - през уже назначен. осталась формальность типа "выборов". а это означает либо, что на него есть весомые рычаги влияния на западе, либо что он убедил своим резюме, что на него стоит делать ставку (кстати со стороны РФ на него публичных "наездов" не слышно. а запад ведь вану и клычка уже слили в виду зеркальной неадекватности обоих. если порох начнет выйябываться - потеряет бизнес в РФ (как имущество так и сбыт), разве что гомосяцкая старушка европа прогарантировала ему компенсацию. порох, сука умная, но печалька в том, что беспринципная. посему руководить ним сможет только тот кто его крепко держит за яйца.

Podol

Улыбнуло. Очередной сегодняшний опус т.н. "директора Института трансформации общества" Соскина, извечного рупора пиндосовской пропаганды: "Коммунистический Китай, подписав газовые и другие соглашения с Российской Федерацией. Предал Украину. Это должны понимать все украинцы. Вместо того, чтобы ввести санкции против Российской Федерации, Китай нанес удар по Украине. Поэтому необходимо немедленно выгонять с Украины китайский капитал, закрывать китайские харчевни, должен быть полный отказ от китайских товаров, ширпотреба. "Эпицентр" и другие торговые сети должны отказаться от китайской продукции...

...Украинцы должны понимать: если мы покупаем китайскую продукцию, также как российскую, мы финансируем наших врагов. Коммунистический Китай показал свою сущность: это государство дракона, антипод христианской православной Украины, это экспансивное государство. Следовательно мы должны всячески поддерживать Тайвань, который является законным государством..." :)))

Podol

Бойкотировать китайские товары - это весело. Тогда свидомитам самое время перебираться в леса. Там нет ни российского газа, ни китайского ширпотреба, одежды, стройматериалов, посуды и пр.пр. И не бриться! Бритвы ведь тоже китайские...

Брат2

Леса скоро то же не будет.Греться нада...

Рлоджер

Нищета ведет к революции, революция - к нищете. (В Гюго)

ФигВам

Не знаю почему все считают, что эти "выборы-назначение" будут какой-то знаковой, переломной точкой. Во-первых, никуда не денется навороченный клубок проблем. Во-вторых, один человек ничего не сможет, нужны кадры. А кадры кто ? Все та же засаленная колода карт, как ее не тасуй, все равно попадешь в очко.

В-третьих, не забывайте, что по переворотом воскреснутой из мертвых конституции-2004 полномочия президента весьма ограничены, почти все решается недоразумением, именуемым радой. В-четвертых, легитимность это не только правильно заполненные бумажки, но и признание народа, народный консенсунс, а его-то как раз и нет, кого бы там не "избрали".

Sola

Попытка сохранить объективность автору не засчитывается! На пирожок от "соевого зайца" конечно заработал, но действительная картина происходящего не имеет ничего общего с описанием автора: никакой единой Украины больше нет, рано или поздно, но вслед за Донбассом уйдет и Юг, слишком никакой и зависимый порошенко не способен закопать траншеи, вырытые нынешними временщиками, не без его пособничества. Для удовлетворения своих амбиций порошенко станет президентом, но для большей части все еще Украины он им не будет никогда !

нелли

Если Порошенко будет таким президентом ,как его 5-й канал, то вы меня извините. Слушать 5-й канал невозможно.

Nicola

А почему все решили, что целью Порошенко будет замирение страны? Учитывая, что Украина всецело находиться под внешним управлением, то решения принимаются не как лучше для нее, а как лучше для реализации тех целей, ради которых и затевалась вся эта кровавая смута - затяжная, изнурительная война. Черная дыра, беспристанно вытягивающая из России ресурсы, убивающая репутацию, требующая постоянных действий. Порошенко, на мой взгляд, выбран именно как эффективный и управляемый реализатор поставленных целей. Ни кретин Кличко, ни авнтюристка Тимошенко для этого не подходят. Порошенко - идеальная кандидатура: очень жаден, амбициозен и полностью лишен совести. НИКАКОЙ ПОДДЕРЖКИ ВЫБОРАМ

Vyacheslav

за порошенку согласен... за Россию - нет. Как ни странно РФ выгоден велотекущий хаос в нашей стране. Путину хватит ума не вляпаться в горячую войну, так что насчет "беспристанно вытягивающая из России ресурсы, убивающая репутацию" Вы погорячились...

Он особо тратиться не будет... просто подождет и Украина сама себя угробит... Плохо то, что пиндосы ждать не хотят

Любовь Ященко

Прямо ода Потрашенки!!!! Это с какого перепугу автор решил, что Потрошенко легитимен??!!! Жив президент, который не прошёл процедуру импичмента, в стране война, хунтой приняты не легитимные законы, три месяца идёт грубая подтасовка рейтинга. Потрашенко выбрали в пиндосии, но не народ Украины.Он ещё более не легитимен, чем хунта.

[May 24, 2014] Western Cracks appear on Ukraine and Russian Sanctions by Jim W. Dean

journal-neo.org

... We got the first reports today of Ukrainian soldiers going over to the East, then being recaptured and executed. If Kiev engages in that, or their nationalist killers do, I can tell you that will put a military coup on the front burner. No professional army is going watch a bunch of cheap politicians and their thugs start executing their soldiers.

Resupply problems would be a major deterrent for that, but we don't know if Kiev can resupply them anyway. All the army has to do is make a deal with the Russians to watch the border for them and then redeploy to confront the Kiev and Right Sector troop units, and Kiev's "anti-terrorist" operation will be over.

If the army field grade leaders are smart, they will realize they can stop the killing. And we learned today than their rear area would be protected, as the Kharkov region has bowed out of the Kiev elections and will be holding their own referendum. You can assume they are mobilizing their army for defense at the same time. The three regions are contiguous, with their backs to the Russian border and interior lines of communication between them.

If they reached that point the next trip-wire would be if Kiev would use its attack helicopters and fighter bombers against ground forces in defensive positions. If that happened, then all bets are off, as the Russians might send in air defense units. I can't see them sitting back and watching Russians being bombed while in defense positions.

Lavrov drew that red line, of protecting Russian citizens if attacked as they were in Georgia, and large numbers of people in East Ukraine are. We hope that it does not get worse, before it gets better.

Jim W. Dean, managing editor for Veteran Today, producer/host of Heritage TV Atlanta, specially for the online magazine "New Eastern Outlook".

Distopian future

yalensis says:

May 24, 2014 at 3:33 am

During our previous debates with AP, he did make one good point, namely:

Ukraine looks like the kind of country that Russia would have become if Putin had not curbed the oligarchs and driven them out of power; in other words, in an alternate timeline, in which Putin died at the age of 10, Russia in the year 2014 would be split up into fiefdoms ruled by Berezovsky, Khodorkovsky, and a few others; and these oligarchs would call themselves "Governors", or whatever, and wield political as well as economic power, with absolutely no dividing line between the two. And this is what Ukraine became, and has become now, divided up mostly between two oligarchs (Kolomoisky and Akhmetov), who also wield political power as well as economic power within their fiefdoms. And I am not talking about political "influence", but actual executive power.

There is an interesting sci-fi TV show on a Canadian cable channel, it's called "Continuum". It explores this concept, it presents this dystopian future in which the world is ruled by a single corporation, this corporation also exercises all the political power and runs the police and army. This may be what the world is actually evolving to, even in our lifetime.

Also worth watching because the lead actress is REALLY REALLY REALLY hot looking.

The wiki photo doesn't even do her justice, she has a calm intelligence about her, not just a pretty face, although there is that too…. In the show she plays a cop, a "Protector" working for the Corporation, so she gets to wear sexy cat-suit type outfits and packs a lot of high-tech weapons. But unexpectedly she gets taken back in time, to our era, where she joins the police force in Vancouver and helps to solve crimes, while also trying to fix the future.

Today in Donetsk (Saturday, 24 May), at "Miner's Plaza" 145 delegates and representatives from 8 regions of South-East Ukraine adopted a resolution to create a "People's Front" as political wing of the armed Resistance.

yalensis
May 24, 2014 at 4:29 am

East Ukrainian military resistance is starting to acquire a much-needed political face:
Today in Donetsk (Saturday, 24 May), at "Miner's Plaza", convened 145 delegates and representatives from 8 regions of South-East Ukraine. The delegates adopted a resolution to create a "People's Front" as political wing of the armed Resistance. Delegates consisted of political activists as well as members of the artistic and scientific intelligentsia.

Leadership Committee of this People's Front, representing the 8 main regions, were elected as follows:

Valery Bolotov from Luhansk
Denis Pushilin from Donetsk
Oleg Tsarev from Dnipropetrovsk
Vladimir Rogov from Zaporozhie
Konstantin Dolgov from Kharkiv
Yury Barbashev from Nikolaevsk
Igor Markov from Odessa
Viktor Zolotonuk from Kherson

Southerncross May 24, 2014 at 4:39 am
Was Igor Markov the other one Kolomoisky threatened?
yalensis May 24, 2014 at 5:44 am
Yes! Great catch, I had almost forgotten that bit.
It is near the end of the conversation where Kolomoisky says:
И завтра первыми, блядь, будут искать всех твоих близких, блядь. Ты подскажи, чтобы они уёбывали отсюда лучше. Потому что мы их будем вешать прямо на площади, блядь… Я говорю, знаешь, ты скажи ещё Маркову, чтобы он сюда не ехал. Ну, в Украину. Ни при каких условиях. Алло.

"And tomorrow, you cunt, they'll start hunting down all your friend, you cunt. You better tell them to get the fuck out of here. Because we are going to hang them right here on the (public) square, you cunt. And I'm telling you, you better tell Markov too, he better stay away from here… better not come to Ukraine. Not under any circumstances…. Hello?"

Yes, this is probably Igor Markov that he is talking about.

kirill says:

May 24, 2014 at 6:36 am

This is a quote everyone in the west should be aware of. Kolomoisky is nothing but a mafia thug and it is not surprising his hand was in the Odessa massacre. But he is a key element in the Kiev regime power structure.
yalensis

May 24, 2014 at 5:51 am

And by the way, this political meeting is Tsarev's project. I swear that guys has balls the size of Jupiter's moons, given everything he has gone through, all the beatings, and the threats to his family, and most recently having his house burned down.

Here is another piece about that meeting. The delegates have agreed to unite at least Donetsk and Luhansk plus hopefully the other 6 provinces, into a new autonomous entity called "The Republic of NovoRossiya".

The current self-proclaimed (= unelected) leaders of of the DNR and LNR, Alexander Boroday and Alexei Karakin, respectively, who are basically warlords who stepped up to the plate, have put their signatures to the document, which is a good sign.
They plan to have more referendums, bring in the people, and gain more legitiacy, once the military phase continues over into the political phase.

UTRO reporter Nikolai Fadeev reports that there were political divisions among the delegates, with the more radicals one (such as Gubarev) favoring a complete secession from Ukraine; and the more moderate ones, including Tsarev himself, favoring Donbass remaining within Ukraine as an autonomous republic.

Southerncross May 24, 2014 at 6:00 am
The moderates will come round to the radicals' view as it becomes more and more clear they have no partner in Kiev, and never will as long the Maidan gang is anywhere near power. There is no promise or guarantee Kiev can make that the rebels can trust – anybody who imagines otherwise is blind and doomed.

Gubarev is well-suited for this situation – as a former Nazi he should be able to understand his opponents better than some of his associates do.

[May 23, 2014] Petr Poroshenko as Yushchenko-2

Quote: "The only thing that I would like to point out - it's television commercials. Aren't they really sound familiar? This is 100% Yushchenko advertising with which he went to the 2004 election . The same visuals, the same pop-up titles and even similar background music We can recognized the same "master's hand ." Given that Yushchenko election campaign was organized., financed and conducted by Americans you can draw your own conclusions . Incidentally, several sources indicate Poroshenko as favorite West presidential candidate. And this is known for quite some time. Still, the similarity with Yushchenko campaign is simply breathtaking."
Polemika.com.ua

За два дня до президентских выборов мы завершаем наш цикл публикаций, посвященный самым нелепым президентским выборам, когда-либо происходившим в Украине. Речь сегодня пойдет о том, кого в СМИ принято называть "самым рейтинговым кандидатом" - Петром Порошенко.

Где бы сейчас был Петр Порошенко, если бы не было Майдана? Вопрос, с которого, пожалуй, и стоит начать разговор. Петр Алексеевич в принципе не страдал при всех властях. И при Кучме, и при Ющенко, и при Януковиче он был в почете. Он смог прилепить к себе такие хвалебные прилагательные как "прагматичный", "компромиссный" "европейский" и, что самое смешное, "новый". Поэтому, если бы не Майдан, Петр Порошенко, конечно, вряд ли бы бедствовал. Он бы прекрасно занимался делами кондитерскими, будучи полностью уверенным в прикрытости тылов и безоблачности бытия. Но именно этого Порошенко и боялся. Более 10 лет находиться в тени первых политиков государства ему откровенно надоело, поэтому упустить такой шанс как Майдан Петр Алексеевич себе позволить просто не мог.

Добкин призвал Турчинова обеспечить безопасность на выборах

В 2004-м шоколадный магнат действовал по аналогичной схеме – вложился – добился – отбил. Но помешала Юля, которая таки смогла убедить безвольного Ющенко в том, что именно она - безальтернативный премьер "новой" Украины. Порошенко же тогда достался утешительный приз в виде должности главы СНБО. Юлю в итоге снять все-таки удалось, пожертвовав собственным влиянием, так что история любви Пети и Юли тянется уже добрый десяток лет, о чем, естественно, украинский электорат в большинстве своем забыл.

Майдан-2014 удался на славу. Порошенко и по баррикадам бегал, и с телеэкранов не слазил, и по Европе катался, всячески демонстрируя свою революционность и демократичность. Деньги вернутся, если их правильно вложить – это знает каждый бизнесмен, и Петр Порошенко, естественно, не исключение. К политике винницкий предприниматель всегда относился как к бизнесу, именно поэтому ни одно правительство не формировалось без Петра Алексеевича. В этом отношении они очень близки с Тигипко, правда, второму экс-регионалу еще стоит поучиться у своего визави, тоже бывшего регионала, выходить сухим из воды.

В кратчайшие сроки после майдановских событий Порошенко смог подмять под себя весь революционный лагерь. Даже "Правому сектору" через Коломойского было сказано "ша". Внутренний сговор раскрылся после того, как заднюю включил Кличко, любезно уступив дорогу Порошенко, как "единому кандидату от демократических сил". Хотя для сведущих кругов тот факт, что Порошенко длительное время прикармливал "Удар", уже давно не был секретом. Теперь боксер отрабатывает вложенное, обеспечивая партийную структуру на местах и "правильную работу" избирательных комиссий.

Накануне выборов: Как заправить шубу в трусы?

Юля при таком раскладе вышла из ЦКБ, когда все де-факто было уже решено, именно поэтому какой-либо активной предвыборной борьбы последние месяцы и не наблюдалось. И не потому, что Юля не хочет выиграть, а потому что ее тупо "слили". На этапе предвыборной возни Порошенко принял всех, прекрасно понимая, что в ожидании президентского пряника каждый мелкий иудушка будет рвать за него жилы. А после выборов, кто его знает, как получится… Петр Алексеевич он такой - европейский, а в Европе за профнепригодность быстро утилизируют.

Первой главной технологией Порошенко стали рейтинги. Штаб сразу же словил "фишку" - если народ, разочарованный результатами Майдана, не знает, кому довериться, нужно решить за него. Именно поэтому с самого первого дня лохторат начали кормить эфемерными рейтингами, свидетельствующими о безапелляционном президентском лидерстве Петра Порошенко. Информация была настолько навязчивой и обильной, что не увидел в этом технологической составляющей разве что слепой.

Эффект подобных мероприятий, при условии, что мы берем за основу мышление украинского обывателя, очень даже неплохой. Если человеку сто раз сказать, что он свинья, то на сто первый он захрюкает – это аксиома. Именно поэтому через несколько недель после вброса в информационное поле нужных рейтингов информации, майдановские активисты стали сеять среди себе подобных настоящий вирус: "А может быть, и вправду за Порошенко?" Подкрепление эффекта все новыми и новыми соцопросами позволило добиться нужного результата .

Порошенко рассказал, как собирается возвращать Крым

Когда до выборов осталось всего ничего, эта технология была дополнена другой – технологией первого тура. Аргументация помещается в несколько банальных смысловых конструкций. "Если вырисовывается лидер с колоссальным отрывом от остальных конкурентов, зачем же ждать второго тура? Даешь выборы в один тур?! А зачем? Страна же в кризисе, как можно медлить? Вот посмотрите же, что творится с экономикой. На Востоке же сепаратисты разгуливают… Срочно нужно выбрать Петю в первом туре, и он начнет наводить порядок". Напуганные собственными же действия майдановцы начали призадумываться. А симпатизирующие другим бравым демократам (Тимошенко, Гриценко, Ляшко) – сомневаться в правильности собственного выбора.

Так, легким движением руки, ничем не примечательный Петр Алексеевич за считанные месяцы стал самым популярным политиком в стране. Инстинкт толпы и грамотные технологии, ничего больше. А как же "после Майдана каждый из нас уже не тот, что был раньше", "нам нужны новые лица" и сакральная люстрация? Как же комично и трагично все это выглядит со стороны. Инстинкт толпы – лучшее описание демократического мейнстрима. Порошенко знал это еще в 2004 году, когда кричал бьющейся в экстазе стране "Ю-щен-ко" в мегафон с оранжевой ленточкой. Теперь ленточка жовто-блакитна и лозунг "Слава Украине!" - в сущности же ничего не изменилось.

Теперь о предвыборной риторике. У Порошенко она абсолютно незамысловатая. "Мы за Европу. Нам нужны реформы. Во всем виновата Россия". Вот в принципе ключевые тезисы, от которых уже можно плясать. По сути, то, что говорит Порошенко, мало чем отличается от того, что говорит Тимошенко или Гриценко, разница лишь в том, что Порошенко бизнесмен, поэтому экономика ему ближе, да и слово "инвестор" он употребляет несколько чаще. Других отличий я как-то не заметил.

КИУ сделал прогноз явки на выборы Президента

Петр Порошенко позиционирует себя как ярый борец с коррупцией. Ненавидит продажных чиновников, которые-де мешают работать бизнесу. Он, конечно же, имеет в виду малый и средний бизнес, а не диверсифицированные холдинги с валютными счетами за границей. Он, само собой, евроинтегратор, который мечтает о свободном рынке для маленьких украинских компаний, а не как для корпораций с многомиллионными оборотами, которых уже "попросили" из России.

Единственное, что отличает Порошенко от коллег по демократическому цеху, – это позиция по НАТО. Как ни странно, Петр Алексеевич высказался против. Вы думаете, из альтруизма? Нет. Чтобы насолить главному конкуренту – Юлии Тимошенко, которая недавно выступила с инициативой провести референдум о вступлении Украины в НАТО. Расчетливый Порошенко прекрасно понимает, что говорить о том, насколько тема НАТО "не однозначная" и "требующая времени" - это "лапша", работающая на куда более широкую аудиторию. В том числе, и на Восток страны, где тоже много внушаемой молодежи с атрофированной пассионарностью.

Кстати, о взаимоотношениях с Тимошенко. На дебаты с ЮВТ Порошенко так и не вышел, причем, с весьма странной аргументацией. А значит, Юлю Петр Алексеевич таки продолжает бояться, хотя такую Тимошенко вполне можно было бы опозорить на всю страну правильной аргументацией и грамотно расставленными акцентами. А вы, наивные, думаете, что что-то меняется? Вспомните, как Янукович бегал от той же Тимошенко на прошлых президентских выборах.

Порошенко закроет границу с РФ, если станет Президентом

На местах у Порошенко все тоже интересно. Вместо одного руководителя избирательного штаба в каждом регионе – у него аж целых два. Руководитель избирательного штаба и руководитель избирательной кампании. Спросите, зачем? Все просто. Конкуренция. А вы как думали? Причем, местных бизнесменов в команду Порошенко привлекают под финансовые обязательства. Инвестируйте, ребята. Это приводит к тому, что ради того, чтобы выпендриться перед Петром Алексеевичем местная элита становится готовой на все. А в таких условиях ими очень легко становиться манипулировать.

Во всем остальном все стандартно – те же нагонки "сторонников" за 100 грн., те же пафосные встречи на предприятиях, та же поддержка со стороны перекрашенной номенклатуры в стиле "дорогого Леонида Ильича" и т.д.

Единственное, на что обращу еще внимание – это телевизионные ролики. Ничего не напоминает? Это реклама Ющенко, с которой он шел на выборы в 2004 году. Тот же видеоряд, те же всплывающие заголовки и даже аналогичная фоновая музыка. А это говорит о том, что узнается "рука мастера". Учитывая то, что над предвыборной кампанией Ющенко тогда работали американцы – выводы делайте сами. Кстати, сразу несколько источников указывают Петра Порошенко, как избранного Западом кандидата в президенты, причем, известно это уже довольно давно. Поэтому схожесть с Ющенко просто эталонная.

ВР не смогла ввести уголовную ответственность за продажу голосов избирателей

Очевидно, украинцы снова клюнут на технологический имидж и на труднообъяснимый синдром новизны (Ющенко, успевшего поработать премьером и главой Нацбанка, в 2004-м тоже называли новым политиком), начав новый десятилетний цикл демократического хождения по кругу со всеми вытекающими из этого последствиями – перевыборами парламента, внутренними конфликтами во власти, финансовым коллапсом и т.д. Что ж, порой приходит на ум правильная фраза – мертвым не нужны врачи.

Виталий Филипповский, специально для Полемики

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[May 21, 2014] Ukraine SITREP May 20th, 1628 UTC-Zulu deliberate chaos

May 20, 2014 | The Vineyard of the Saker
I think that we can all agree that the situation in the Ukraine is one of total chaos. So what is really going on?

I think that while it is premature to make grand conclusions and predictions, we can begin by agreeing on a number of basic facts.

First, there is no doubt in my mind whatsoever that the junta in Kiev is clearly provoking Moscow in every possible way. If one could maybe see some marginal and far-fetched military rationale for the kind of random artillery strikes the Ukies are unleashing on Slavianks, Kramatorsk and other cities, the arrest of the LifeNews news-crew makes no sense at all. They were put on their knees, beat up, held with their faces to the ground - all on video which was then "leaked" to Youtube as if the death squads were provoking the Kremlin with a "what are you gonna do about it?" message.

Second, I believe that the appointment of Biden's son to the board of directors of the main Ukie energy company whose concessions are all in the eastern Ukraine is also a way of further provoking the Kremlin.

So why would the junta do all this?

First, I think that it is reasonable to accept as an axiom that the freaks in Kiev don't "decide" anything at all. They just take orders from the USA and execute them. We saw that clearly during Biden's recent trip to Kiev when he had a meeting with the junta's "government" which he - Biden - "chaired" sitting at the head of the table (yet another deliberate in-your-face provocation).

Second, the US knows that the eastern Ukraine is lost, and they are absolutely correct. Even if we fully believe what Strelkov says (more about that later), there is no doubt that the vast majority of the folks in the Donbass hate the neo-Nazi freaks in Kiev and that they do not want a common future with the rabid Galicians from the western Ukraine.

So if plan 'A' was to seize all of the Ukraine, put a pro-US neo-Nazi and hysterically russophobic regime in power, and take over Crimea for the US/NATO, plan 'B' is simpler: provoke Russia into a military intervention in the eastern Ukraine. While the Russian military could easily take under control all of the Donbass and even all the lands to the Dniepr river as the proverbial hot knife through butter, the political benefits for the AngloZionist Empire would be immense:

  1. A new Cold War with Russia justifying the existence of NATO.
  2. Cutting-off Russia from the EU market (including energy).
  3. Blaming Russia for the Ukie economic collapse.
  4. Justifying a major surge in US/EU military budgets to "protect Europe".
  5. Isolating Russia internationally, especially at the UN.
  6. Declare Putin a "new Hitler" (what else?) and allocate billions for regime change in Russia.
  7. Use the crisis to bring Europe to heel to the AngloZionist "master"
  8. Impose Iran-like sanctions on Russia to try to hurt it economically
  9. Justify a US/NATO move into western Ukraine and the creation of a new Korean-style demarcation line along the Dniepr with the free and civilized "West" on one side, and the "freedom hating and imperialist dictatorial Russian Asiatic hordes" on the other.
  10. Blame the EU economic collapse on the 'Russian threat'

I would argue that for the AngloZionists plan 'B' is almost better than plan 'A'. For one thing, plan 'B' makes it possible to blame Russia for anything and everything conceivable on Russia. We have already seen this tendency in the absolutely ludicrous warning that should the Presidential elections next Sunday in the Ukraine fail - Russia would be sanctioned for it. Next I propose to slap some major sanctions on Russia if there is an earthquake in San Fransisco or if there are riots in Paraguay...

Also, while plan 'A' was really a very long shot, plan 'B' is already working. Let me give you an example: the Russian media.

For those who cannot follow the Russian media, especially the Russian TV, it is hard to image the degree of openly expressed *rage* at the developments in the Ukraine. Some folks who are naturally inclined to see the "hand of CIA" in everything are even arguing that the "US-controlled" Russian media has been tasked by Langley to stir up Russian public opinion to such a degree as to force Putin to agree to an intervention in the Ukraine. According to this thesis, if Putin does not order a Russian military intervention, he will face a major crisis and his popularity will crumble under the waves of outrage from the Russian population. This is a neat and elegant theory. It is also wrong (thank God!). The fact is that Putin's popularity has soared over his handling over the Ukrainian crisis as shown by the screenshot of a recent TV report.

Here we are dealing with a huge cultural difference between Russians and western people, especially Anglos: Russians are *very* weary of war. They will accept it and they will even accept to die in a war, but only one in which the moral issue is really clear-cut like during the 2nd Chechen war, 08.08.08 or the Russian intervention in Crimea. In all three of these cases the first and foremost consideration to support or oppose the Russian military intervention was a *moral* one. While public opinion is gradually shifting towards a support for a Russian military intervention in the Ukraine (most public opinion polls suggest that Russian would back one), the military itself and even the Kremlin are weary of falling into the AngloZionist trap of plan 'B'.

Emotions are strong, but emotions should not decide of war and peace issues. In the 2nd Chechen war, in 08.08.08 and in Crimea emotions were sky-high, but the decision to use military force was taken on pragmatic, rational and carefully measured reasons, not just an surge of outrage. As I said it many times, when threatened, Russians to not get angry, they concentrate. This is what is happening now.

Coming back to the media, another very interesting phenomenon is taking place: high visibility Russian Jews are clearly in the lead of the movement to take action (though not necessarily a military one) against the Junta. Very well-known Jewish personalities like Vladimir Soloviev, Alexander Gordon, Roman Ratner (current head of the Alia battalion, an Israeli special forces battalion compose of Russian Jews), Avigdor Eskin and many others. While rabid Jew-haters will dismiss this under the usual list of pretexts having to do with Jewish hypocrisy, playing both sides, etc. I personally believe that this is truly an expression of the loathing that Russian Jews have for Ukrainian neo-Nazis. I would add that it is pretty clear to me that most Russian nationalists also believe in the sincerity of these Jews and welcome them in a struggle against a common enemy. Does that mean that from now on there will be a long and uninterrupted "love fest" between Russian and Jewish patriots? Most definitely not. The list of outstanding issues of very strong disagreement and even opposition is huge, but this is an interesting "temporary cease-fire" if you want, a typically Russian (and Jewish!) way of keeping priorities straight and agreeing to a temporary tactical alliance against a common foe. Furthermore, there are a lot of Russian Jews who have always felt a sincere and strong love for Russia and the Russian people (if only because a lot of them came from mixed marriages) and who welcome the opportunity to not have to chose between both sides and to be both patriotic Jews and patriotic Russians. I know, to some this sill sound extremely naive. But I personally have known many such Russian Jews, in Israel, Europe and Russia, who really did have a double-loyalty, but one which openly *added* two sincerely loyalties. Of course, some felt more Jewish than Russian, but others felt more Russian than Jewish. These matters are subtle and complex, not as black and white as some kneejerk Jew-haters would want them to be. As the Russian expressions goes "the East is a subtle realm" and both Russians and Jews are first and foremost folks of the East, not of the West.

Coming back to what I call the AngoZionist plan 'B', we now can understand the Russian stance: not to be pulled in or, if that is impossible, to be pulled in as last as possible. Why? For a few basic reasons:

  1. To have as clear-cut a moral case as possible.
  2. To give time to world public opinion to realize that it is being lied to by the western corporate media (that already seems to be taking place, if slowly).
  3. To maximize the support for such an intervention in the eastern Ukraine.
  4. Because time is very much on the Russian side, to give every opportunity to the junta freaks to further commit blunders.
  5. Because a victory of the DRP forces is still possible

At this point I want to get the the military balance on the ground in the Donbass. To sum things up.

A very large Ukrainian force is currently deployed in the eastern Ukraine. It is opposed by a very small force of volunteers. There are two reasons why this conflict has not been settled in 24 hours. First, the vast majority of the Ukrainian military personnel does not want to fight. Second, the threat of a Russian military intervention is real and, I would add, has nothing to do with the forces allegedly deployed at the Russian-Ukrainian border. Let me explain this as the corporate media is completely missing this. Let me give you an example of what could happen.

Let's us assume that a few multiple-rocket launcher batteries around, say, Slaviansk suddenly decided to get serious and open up with a sustained artillery barrage similar to the one the Georgians unleashed on Tskhinval in the first hours of the 08.08.08 war. In response to that, Russia would not need to send armor and troops across the border. Putin could order missile and air-strikes which could literally obliterate the offending Ukrainian artillery units in a matter of *minutes* (one single Iskander missile armed with a fragmentation or fuel-air explosive warhead could do the job!). Unlike the western reporters (which is a misnomer, they should be called "parroters" because they parrot the government lies), the Ukrainian military commanders all fully realize that they are all very much within reach of enough Russian firepower to send them all the a better world in minutes. Would you want to obey orders to shell Slaviansk while knowing that there is a bullseye painted on our exact position by many Iskander missile operators and that if the Russians fire it, you will neither see, nor hear it coming (not even on radar)?

All the reports on the ground concur to say that while the various Ukrainian death squads (the "National Guard", the Dniepr and Dniester battalions, the various oligarch-owned death squads, etc.) are extremely hostile and even shoot civilians for fun, the Ukrainian military is mostly shy or even pretty friendly to the locals. Here is what is happening really:

Ukrainian death squads are far more busy dealing with the Ukrainian military than with the Donbass forces. For one thing, this is easier and safer for them (like all death squads, they are staffed with lunatics, perverts and cowards): why risk your life fighting some pretty motivated folks when you can instead bully regular military commanders to do the fighting for you? As for the Ukrainians, they cannot openly defy these orders, but they can make darn sure that they are minimally executed.

Furthermore, by all accounts, the death squads get all the support while the regular military forces are under or not paid at all, they are under fed, under equipped, they have little or not medical support and the logistics are plain horrible.

In fact, Igor Strelkov admits this in his address. His concern is that with the gradual escalation the already small forces of volunteers is having to shoulder am immense effort while hundred of thousands of men, including military trained ones, are sitting at home and sipping beer. Is that really true?

I believe that this is indeed very true. There are many reasons for this state of affairs.

To begin, an entire generation of Ukrainians have been raised in abject passivity. "Work, shut up and mind your business while we fleece you" was the order of the day under the various oligarch-controlled regimes of the "independent Ukraine". Second, there are not one or two but at least THREE local powers in the Donbass right now: the local mobsters, the Kiev junta and the local resistance. This creates a huge confusion were many people are both afraid and do not want to get burned. Third, most people clearly that Russia will solve the problem for them and think "we will vote for sovereignty, and the Russians will come to liberate us sooner or later". And never forget that that there are death squads operating all over the Ukraine right now. The purpose of massacres like the one in Odessa or Mariupol is to terrify the locals by showing how ruthless and murderous you are and it works (death squads are of the most time honored traditions of the Empire!). So it is all well to sit in the safety of my house in sunny Florida and wish that the folks in the Donbass would take up arms, except for my wife and family are not threatened. My house will (probably) not get assaulted at night by man in black, and I am unlikely to be disappeared, tortured and murdered. This also applies to most of the readers of this blog.

Of course, Strelkov clearly sees where all this is heading (escalation) and he is concerned that the currently small resistance will not be able to cope with a constantly growing junta escalation: it all began with baseball bats, the they switched to Molotov cocktails, then handguns, assault-rifles and machine guns. Now they have already used mortar and artillery fire. We have confirmed reports of helicopter-fired unguided missile attacks and this morning I got a report of a Sukhoi attack. Add to this oligarch-paid death squads and you clearly will see what has Strelkov so worried and, let's face it, disgusted with the passivity of the locals.

But keep in mind that even if his appeal is not heeded, and even if the key cities are re-taken, the Donbass is already lost. In fact, the latest report out of Kiev says the Ukie rump-Rada has adopted a memorandum stating that "Ukrainian troops deployed in the country's east should immediately return to their bases". Now, I am not holding my breath (Uncle Sam will never agree), but who knows what might happen (maybe the Germans are getting involved now?). I believe that nobody really knows.

There are simply too many variables to confidently state that this or that will happen. Heck, we are not even sure of what has already happened! This is an extremely chaotic situation in which most unpredictable things could happen (for example, an oligarch could e bought by Moscow or a resistance figure could be bought by the USA - it really could go either way). The fact is that with the notable exception of true believers (on both sides), the vast majority of Ukrainians are still in the "what is in it for me?" mode. Again, this is in no way different form the position of most Russians in 1917, 1991 or 1993. While this kind of apparent passivity has nothing to do with some "lack of democratic culture in the past of these societies which only recently were feudal" and all the rest of the garden variety western racism supremacist, it is a direct result of a profound alienation with, and suspicion of, the elites. These folks just so Yanukovich hand power to neo-Nazis and run abroad! They have been burned over and over again. And, this is crucial, there is no Ukrainian Putin to follow.

When Putin came to power in Russia it took less than a month for the armed forces to feel that "this guy as got our backs". It took the rest of the population a little longer, but now the vast majority of Russians actually trust Putin. Whom should they trust in the Ukraine or even in the Donbass. Figure which appeared just a few weeks ago and which nobody really knows or figures which are known for decades for being thief, crooks and pathological liars?

Whom would you trust if you were living in Donetsk or Lugansk?

Would you risk your life and the life of your family on such a choice?

Exactly.

So while I understand the frustration of Strelkov (and most of us!) with seeing a territory with millions of people defended by only a few hundred courageous men, and while I also catch myself getting enraged in discussed with the news out of the Ukraine and day-dreaming about Polite Armed Men in Green obliterating the Ukie death-squads, I also understand why this has been and will continue to be a slow process: it is simply too fluid and too rapidly shifting to take any premature or rash decisions.

The AngloZionists are desperately trying to trigger an over Russian intervention, and there is a pretty good chance that they might succeed, no doubt, but the good news is that time is running out fast, very fast, soon the economic crisis is going to start really biting and the unrest will spread far beyond the Donbass.

As for the Presidential elections next Sunday, they are going to be such a mega-farce that it serve no other purpose than to maybe give NATO a justification to move forces into the western Ukraine at the "request" of the new President. Will the West recognize this election? You betcha it will! As Vladimir Soloviev put it on Sunday, "even if there will be only one candidate and one person voting, the West will call these elections free and fair". But for the people of the Ukraine this will be a self-evident farce which will only alienate them further, including the neo-Nazis. In fact, Yulia Timoshenko (who, by the way, seems to have gone completely insane) has even declared that if the billionaire oligarch Poroshenko is elected (as all polls seem to suggest) she will launch yet another revolution with Maidan and all.

Following the example of the Ukraine, not it is "Banderastan" which is committing national suicide and that entire house of cards will be coming down soon (unless a last minute effort by Germany helps delay or stop this, but I am not holding my breath). We all need to show some patience now.

Sorry for the very long SITREP, but I have to cover a lot of ground.

Many thanks and kind regards,

The Saker

PS: I am under huge time pressure, so no time to correct typos. I apologize for that and ask for your understanding. And, besides, this is a SITREP not a work of literary art.

Radik said...

Stratfor thinks that Ukraine will become a buffer state, because nobody will send troops and the coup-government is "pathetic". And that basically favors Russia:

http://www.stratfor.com/video/conversation-ukraines-effect-russian-national-security

MS in Kiev said...

I might have found this on Twitter; hell, I might have found it here on this blog. I just wish I had found it sooner. Here's Turchynov and Yats getting an earful from the local in Kiev on Victory Day.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4PMot1YwlTM&feature=youtu.be

Anonymous said...

Dear Mr. Saker:

Calling situations and places by their currect, functional names - I suggest rather than Banderastan - I would use CIA-Ukrainistan, or CIA-ukiestan - clearer than Nulandistan which is also correct. Or some variant. After all, who brought these rabid groups into existence and controls the show?

I suggest also -

1) the Banderites and other assorted bullies and loud-mouths have got to be viewed with skepticism and even revulsion in Western Ukraine - they are not a mass movement by any means
At the very least, the general West Ukrainian population is just about as passive , or more passive than in the east. Otherwise there would be large numbers of volunteers for the army and for the Banderites - there would be no need for Blackwater or CIA prodding or a visit by Biden..

2. If Putin waits for opportunities and mistakes to be made, he may get a chance in watern Ukraine too - suppose there is such economic chaos that there is famine, and he starts sending food in? I don't think the US or NATO will engage in efficient humanitarian aid. Note the signed deals between Russia and China, including one about humanitarian aid.

Moreover, some economic pressure might suddenly be brought to bear on Germany - I'd say, time is on Putin's side.

3. Putin has not forgotten Transdnister either, and I bet that will not fall to NATO.

-- Medea

JohnM said...

Well, Plan B may be "simpler" but it is as delusional. Mainly because Putin will not play into the role that the AngloZionists dream of.

Let's be clear about some of these delusions. The West doesn't have the money. They are printing (counterfeiting) it. Period. Any delusions about increased spending for the military industrial complex are wet dreams. Economic growth in the west is stagnant, increasing budget deficits are the norm, government debt is absolutely out of control AND this is with interest rates suppressed to zero so that their costs of carrying this debt is small (so far). The financial system is corrupt, manipulated and careening toward utter collapse.

All plan B is, is a desperate quest to find somebody, anybody to blame for the AngloZionist's empire collapse. The inherent financial and economic flaws will drive them to ruin. The west is desperate to plunder directly and indirectly (through financial manipulations and counterfeiting) the wealth of ANYBODY they can get their tentacles into. The west needs "Full Spectrum Dominance" on the financial side right NOW. The AngloZionist oligarchs are juggling so many manipulations right now that a monkey's fart in Timbuktu could bring this all down. And then who will be blamed? These turds are determined to have some other whipping boy other than themselves. Otherwise, beware the thundering herd.

As bad as it is in eastern and southern Ukraine (and I feel for every poor SOB caught up in this battle of the mental midgets from Kiev), the likelihood is that this is going to take TIME. And the people on the ground are going to have to stand up (a good chunk of them already are) and push back. Putin will help where he can but there is a bigger game afoot. Its time for "It's not what my country can do for me, It's what I can do for my country". And there is more depth to this phrase than meets the eye.

Yes, the poor bastards in the Ukraine have been lied to, stolen from and generally been fucked without being kissed for decades but expecting Putin to put his pecker in the meat grinder without them putting theirs in first is a nonstarter.

As for the May 25th election, it will very likely make things worse. As I said in another post 'The losers will scream foul, the outside powers will meddle more, the oligarchs will be pushed into more stupid actions and the East and South will follow the separatist route out of desperation and frustration."


20 May, 2014 19:04

Anonymous said...
Crazy Ivan says...

I'll be short I got no time now.

1) I had impression that your piece of "literary art" ;-) is too Slavic aka too sophisticated for the Western readers. I'm not going to offend you, dear readers, I've just gotten such feeling reading Saker's post.

2) Quote - "They will accept it and they will even accept to die in a war, but only one in which the moral issue is really clear-cut (...)"

That's the ethical, moral and humane advantage of Eastern people to those who worship and to follow up according to the (in)famous - "Who is not with us is against us" - also clear-cut division, isn't it?

3) Analyzing passivity you overlooked another clear-cut division, perhaps verbally and not through description of it.

Namely, to fight against one have to be sure in his mind he has back-up (area, machinery, weapons, food stores, etc.) If the Eastern Ukraine was divided by clear-cut front line, believe me, there would be 150 thousand army on Strelkov side. Perhaps DPR authorities should first create clear-cut free zones of any oligarchs' death machinery or robbing gangs the liberation movement had already gained all Novorossiya territory now.

Personal remarks - I appreciate much more blunt and sincere talk - "I do not know nothing and I can't make any predictions at present" - from many "ifs" which would never materialized.


Wayoutwest said...

Saker, do you think there is the possibility for the revolt in the east to spread to the west? Are there enough sane people in the west to overcome the insanity that is destroying them? This could be a real revolution especially with the threats to nationalize the Oligarchs fiefdoms in response to their actions past and present.

Strelkov's call to action is timely and including women is smart, they can fight just as fiercely as men. I think his call was not just for the people of E. Ukraine but subtlety a call for all Ukrainians to rise up and support the revolution and eliminate the freaks.

A_Chinese said...

The move of the US and Kiev's government are just out of desperation. I've been living in the US for more than 20 years, never seen the US government acting this desperate and stupid.

With all the seemingly bad and crazy news out there, I have a hunch that that everything is in favor of Russia on the ground. This is the dark before the dawn. Putin backed off a little bit to give the West some maneuver room so that they can save their face and retreat.

Let's wait and see.

Veritas said...

Dear The Saker,

Thank you for the latest SITREP. It is a patient man's game.

I think what is going on in the Far East today also has played a part. The world is changing.

The timely money from the EU today got the Memo of Peace. However, the journalists from lifenews are still being held and the USG/Junta seem to have used the time to secure the borders - but from what you have said - that his been a waste of time!

Anonymous said...

I know that The Saker is a native French speaker, but I never cease to be amazed at his level of English mastery. Even the most subtlest of things, like the articles (an absolute nightmare for anyone not speaking the language natively) are always used exactly comme il faut.

Yes, there were a few typos in the report but given the publishing speed, volume, and depth of the information published, they are more than excusable. Chapeau bas!

mad1 said...

Isn't the mountain of Ukrainian debt already in the hands of the western "Banksters" really what is behind this sudden move before the Ukraine loses much it's strategic value in the "Great Game" with the completion of SouthStream in 2015? I believe the Banksters see a "now or never" situation to "Cyprusize" and extract all they can from the Ukraine. The biggest surprise of all may be in store for the Ukrainian Oligarchs!

Anonymous said...

The key in the withdrawal legislation just passed by the Ukrainian parliament is the provision that the Ukraine can ally itself with whomever it wants so next step after the "elections" is to schedule a "referendum" on this issue. If the neocons can't get all of the Ukraine, well, the Western part will do well enough. The dance has many steps, pirouttes, sashays,zig and zag jigs etc. In a month, well, things will be much more polarized most likely.

This is a geopolitical move in order to position itself better in the coming resource wars vis a vis Russia and China.

Monroedavid said...

The bottom line is that Ukraine is an economic basket case. The U.S./EU has two choices: (1) Spend tens of billions rescuing Ukraine, most of which will be passed on to Russia to pay for energy. Or (2) spend that money on armaments for a new Cold War in Europe. You know which option the U.S. military-industrial complex wants.

As for Russia, from a very practical point of view, why should it want to rescue Ukraine? The West "broke it," let them now "own it." The crunch will really come when Ukrainians start freezing in the fall. So let the West pay Russia for Ukraine's energy.

The only hope for the West is to make the terror inside Ukraine so terrible that Putin looks weak and starts losing support at home. They have four months in which to try that ploy.

Anonymous said...
http://www.neilclark66.blogspot.ca/
20 May, 2014 22:07

Anonymous said...

The Saker poisits:
So if plan 'A' was to seize all of the Ukraine, put a pro-US neo-Nazi and hysterically russophobic regime in power, and take over Crimea for the US/NATO, plan 'B' is simpler: provoke Russia into a military intervention in the eastern Ukraine. While the Russian military could easily take under control all of the Donbass and even all the lands to the Dniepr river as the proverbial hot knife through butter, the political benefits for the AngloZionist Empire would be immense:


Follow the Oil and Trade $$
Imo @ Plan "A" the US/NATO take over Crimea this loss gotta hurt, bigtime.

Take a read NYTimes Putin's Crimea Bonus – Vast Gas and Oil Reserves http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/18/world/europe/in-taking-crimea-putin-gains-a-sea-of-fuel-reserves.html?smid=tw-share&_r=4

@ Plan "B"

Item 2. Cutting off Russia from the EU market (including energy) is unlikely. Germany will not be on board. Unthinkable. In the non-energy sector, over 6,000 German companies and 300,000 jobs depend on Russia's trade. The US Fed cannot replace Russia's gas by printing; hot air

Item 5. Isolating Russia internationally, especially at the UN is a dream. Russia anchors the BRICS, and is a member of APEC.
Btw, some 80 countries have applied for associate members of BRICS. No longer in planning The BRICS alternative to the IMF and World Bank is funded. Launch date: July 2014 meeting in Brazil. Soon when Iran joins the group known as BRIICS.
Item 8. Iran-like sanctions are unlikely. Iran was kicked out of SWIFT and quickly sold their oil for gold - a distinct threat to the petro-dollar. Imo, this by-pass move by Iran triggered the sudden U.S. U-turn to embrace Iran in talks.


Unintended consequences. It is said, Ukraine is where the petro dollar went to to die.

Anon Mongoose

Anonymous said...

Change in the air.
I observe after the Odessa massacre, the US/NATO cliché are largely silent. Perhaps in shock at murderous events unfolding, some former leaders are now suggesting we need to resolve the Ukraine crisis. In fact, former Canadian PM, Mr. Joe Clark (of current PM, Mr. Harper's Conservative Party) said
" Ottawa needs to tone down rhetoric on Ukraine."

Canada's The Globe And Mail's interview with Mr. Clark, former prime minister

"The Conservative government's rhetoric on Ukraine could compromise Canada's efforts to resolve the protracted crisis, former prime minister Joe Clark says.

In an interview this week with The Globe and Mail, Mr. Clark called the government's comparisons to the Second World War "unhelpful," saying Ottawa should focus instead on the current situation in Ukraine. [.] Mr. Clark said he understands why the government has been outspoken on the matter, but added that he is concerned some of its statements could make it more difficult for Canada to participate in future negotiations.
"I think that the co-operation would have proved more effective without the rhetoric," he said. "I think there was a risk, there may still be a risk, that our rhetoric was so extreme that we will not be called to the influential decision-making meetings."

ALSO

Crunch time approaches as 2014 June 1, is near. Pay the Ukraine gas arrears or else face disruption. Itar-Tass reports European, Ukraine and Russia have agreed to meet on May 26. Russia is willing to help if arrears are settled.

http://en.itar-tass.com/economy/732375

At present, Naftogaz's debt for Russian gas is valued at $3.5 billion.

Both the European Commission and Ukraine have confirmed the size of Ukraine's outstanding debt for April 1, 2014.

"The Russian side continues meeting its gas commitments to Ukraine and European consumers," he said, adding the debt remained unpaid on May 19.

All eyes are looking east. Mr. Putin visit to Beijing, May 20/21 has him looking pleased on his first day:
* China Signs Non Dollar Settlement Deal with Russia's Largest Bank
* China's Great Wall Motor carmaker to build $500 million plant in Russia

IMHO, the financial centers move from west to east is unstoppable. Ukraine serves to hasten the pace.

Anon mongoose

Anonymous said...
This might be of interest to Saker readers. Kim Sengupta of The Independent, who for a long time was seemingly pro-coup, is now starting to sound a little worried about the situation in the east. He just posted this little story about a Ukranian guy wanting to join the "men in black":

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/ukraine-crisis-the-patriotic-volunteers-of-the-black-army-who-want-to-save-their-land-only-make-it-more-dangerous-9399644.html

Shelia Cassidy said...

Great Sitrep, Saker!
May I add one other consequence to all of the Western shenanigans so far: Reports now say that both Sweden and Finland are ready to join NATO now; that their reservations have been silenced as a result of the Ukraine "crises." This will add more NATO troops to the northern borders of Russia.

There are also some very real partnership projects between Europe and Russia that got tanked, including trade agreements that would have benefited Europe and Russia in the near future, establishing a giant trade area from Portugal in the West to China in the East. An agreement and project of this scope would have meant a loss of control for the Anglo forces and even, possibly down the line, a major break in NATO.

The petrodollar is clearly in trouble and those who watch the financial markets are saying that beginning in 2015 things economic will be vastly different, read worse in Anglo-Emiredom. It is even feared that the US could become a third world nation, albeit one armed with nuclear weapons.

Add to this the mega wealth available to Russia to develop in the arctic and in Siberia and you can see that the battle will go on until either one side or the other is vanquished or the citizens of the Anglo-Empire get enough truth to effect a change. While I wish the Americans and their allied peoples would do this, I am not holding my breath. The best we may be able to hope for at this point is the demise of the US as a world power if the planet is to survive. Everyone else seems to want to trade peacefully. It will not happen as long as the US and Britain are in charge and NATO is not disbanded.

dusty said...

The Memorandum of Withdrawal may be important and may have come about as the result of back channel communication with Russia and Germany. I am interested to see what the US does, whether there is an in coming flight with somebody ready to do some back stiffening in Kyiv.

Yes, the paragraph about the choice of alignment puts Russia back into play but it never really wasn't. Weeks ago I noted that the PM in his statements seemed to be leaving the door open in respect of Russia. While there may be no love lost there I find myself wondering whether some people in Kyiv have been playing a pragmatic but long game.

I have also commented that this election will produce a lame duck president. The important election will be the next one, an election for the presidency of a government of national unity.

Russia has been making conciliatory noises about gas pricing that will not have gone unnoticed given that Europe needs full pipes in order to have they gas we need here.

Right now, if I am optimistic, I can hope that as long as the US does not choose to force disruption then there is an opportunity to enable a unified state, albeit with a different structure.

Moscow have made clear that even EU membership is not off the table, not that it will be for at least the next generation, as long as NATO is not. That state of affairs suits many, maybe a majority in Ukraine and the echoes statements from the junta weeks ago rejecting NATO as an option. The nationalists, federalists and Russia are all in agreement on this point.

Russia would likely be happy having the EU stand as guarantor for Ukrainian energy purchases and the establishment of an eastern Free Trade Area might well deal with the tricky issue of having Ukraine integrated into two customs unions.

So, right now I am going to have a night of sleep where I am a little more optimistic about the future and where I do not think about having a sudden drive across Europe heading westward.

Anonymous said...
Crazy Ivan says...

@ Anon Mongoose 20 May, 2014 22:23

> Germany will not be on board. Unthinkable. In the non-energy sector, over 6,000 German companies and 300,000 jobs depend on Russia's trade.

I beg your pardon but you repeat the nonsense I have been reading for few weeks if not months lately.

I mean the numbers - 300 000 more jobless Germans? Turks? Poles? Germans are practical nation they will switch the jobs into another sector. Germany is too strong to be bothered with such trifle numbers. Only politicians cries high as they are payed for such behavior.

BRICS is over propagandized. BRICS has potential but not real power as for now.

> * China's Great Wall Motor carmaker to build $500 million plant in Russia

All car plants based their manufacture powers not on men but robots. Russia does not need assemblies or plants but new technologies, new factories were people could be employed in greater number. Russia needs to increase higher standard of living. It will not achieve that goal through investments in car plants.

Whatever one thinks about current changes in the world I'd recommend to be aware of China.

Anonymous said...

Former US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright will head a team of US observers to supervise Ukraine's upcoming presidential election, scheduled for May 25, the Voice of America radio station said on Friday.! --

Dusting off "Half-Bright", who suffers from a serious ailment CJD (mad-cow disease) to the Ukraine to supervise an illegal election to vote in a neo-Nazi as junta leader of the country is such a blight on human rights and democracy that beggars the imagination.Half-Bright is there to see that the US/CIA candidate wins by a "thumping majority" (110%) and claim legitimacy
20 May, 2014 23:12

Anonymous said...

an informative link to get the big picture: http://www.dw.de/ukraine-crisis-reaches-into-the-arctic/a-17640376


20 May, 2014 23:34

ThatJ said...
http://rt.com/news/160224-ukraine-troops-withdrawal-constitution/

What is happening? Is this act a bluff to legitimize the presidential election in the eyes of the world by making 'peace' with Eastern Ukrainians, asking them to vote, just to resume the operations after the result is out, when, with the votes 'showing the support of the people for the new government', the brutal crackdown on 'separatists' can be more easily justified as they represent an 'anti-democratic, Russia-backed' force? Or are the Germans getting involved, and behind the scenes concessions are being made to satisfy Russia?

Call me cynical, but the Empire has all their guys in place right now, and unless the 'threats' from Germany really exist (the 'threats' are that the US will not help Ukraine (it won't) and without Russia, the EU will also not help it, meaning the shabbos goyim will in time be swept from office by an impoverished population, perhaps by force), this is a bluff being carried on the Empire's orders.
20 May, 2014 23:37

Anonymous said...
Crazy Ivan says... (asks rather)

There is another Strelkov report:

http://rusvesna.su/news/1400621140
Игорь Стрелков: враг начал пристрелку центра города

Igor Strelkov: enemy began shooting town's center

Would someone be kind to translate the text? Using Yandex of course and few corrections.

Strelkov took care of Slavyansk citizens and said sad remarks. I hope Russians know the data well. Well, I'm sure they know but will they use it in the course of decision making?
20 May, 2014 23:42

Anonymous said...
Crazy Ivan says...

@ ThatJ 20 May, 2014 23:37

> What is happening? Is this act a bluff to legitimize the presidential election

Yes, it is. Translate yourself Igor Strelkov report:
http://rusvesna.su/news/1400621140
20 May, 2014 23:49

вот так said...
Anonymous said...20 May, 2014 17:04

"The war is over!

http://rt.com/news/160224-ukraine-troops-withdrawal-constitution/

Ukrainian MPs call for immediate troop withdrawal from country's east."

That is another zionazi scam. RT should have looked a bit deeper before publishing that.

Меморандум без мира (The Memorandum without peace)

http://www.vz.ru/world/2014/5/20/687633.html

(Yandex translation, in 2 parts)

"The Parliament was going to take a Memorandum calling to consolidate Ukraine's neutral status and return the military to the South-East of the Republic in the places of their permanent deployment. However, after today's edits Memorandum does not require withdrawal of all security forces and stop ATO. So, the "special operation" will continue.

Ukraine's Parliament on Tuesday evening adopted the Memorandum of peace and consent". The draft Memorandum on the eve in the Parliament made a Deputy from the former ruling Party of regions Vadim Novinsky. However, compared to the first variant of the project disappeared call for complete cessation of "special operations" in the South-East of Ukraine.

In the initial release stated: "the Verkhovna Rada called for the restoration of law and order by stopping the bloodshed, to stop the anti-terrorist operations in the South and East of Ukraine and the return of servicemen involved in the antiterrorist operation, to their places of permanent deployment".

It is noteworthy that granting the Parliament the powers of the President of Ukraine Oleksandr Turchynov was read out at the meeting of the original, that is an entirely different option than many initially misled. "Parliament calls for an immediate return participating in military places of permanent dislocation", - read Turchynov. These words caused a sensation.

But then intentionally or accidentally - in the Verkhovna Rada substitution occurred. Formally, in writing, adopted a completely different document. The call to stop ATO it already is not present and the return of servicemen furnished with a bunch of important qualifications - only "subject to the release of the hostages and administrative buildings, weapons collection of all illegal groups".

After today's "edits" disappeared norm of non-aligned status of Ukraine.

An item on fixing the Constitution of Ukraine the status of Russian and other languages, after all of the changes adopted in such wording: "Along with the constitutional status of Ukrainian as the state language of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine will ensure the guaranteed status of the Russian language. The state will ensure the maintenance of minority languages in places of their compact residence".

Recall that the original version Novinsky essentially promised the Russian language status in the Constitution. "To achieve peace and the consent of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine will ensure the constitutional recognition of the status of the Russian language", - was said in it. But eventually, the term "constitutional" has disappeared, too, but once again underlined the importance of the Ukrainian language."
21 May, 2014 00:22

вот так said...
P.2

"At voted Memorandum no provisions for direct elections of regional leaders by the residents of the areas, but there is a commitment to adopt a law on local referenda.

Eventually voted 252 MP, in particular, many deputies from the Party of regions, "Batkivshchyna" party and faction KICK. Deputies of the Communist party of the document is not supported in connection with the amendments of the "world" Memorandum in this edition is already not carried. Refused to vote for the Memorandum and deputies of the "Freedom", but obviously other reasons.

"I had never approved, and many deputies, said the newspaper OPINION MP from the ruling party "Batkivshchyna" Oleksandr Briginets. - Memorandum was of formal character, for example, I do not agree with the point that supported the Geneva conventions, they issued vague," said Briginets. Unlike the Communists, to whom the document was too hard, MP from the "Batkivshchyna" found it too moderate and undecided in relation to Russia.

What Briginets agree with the opposition, is the fact that the document was written dull. "Very vague point about the Russian language. It is not clear what it was to ensure the status of the Russian language. What status? The status of the national minority or the status of the state language? Because of this large number of MPs, not knowing the precise wordings, abstained, and these people had a lot of different factions, and not just in "Freedom" and the Communists," said Briginets.

"I heard that Tyagnibok considered it as a capitulation, nobody knows how it will go further," said the newspaper LOOK the head of the Parliament of the Donetsk national Republic Denis Pushilin. According to him, to withdraw the troops from the South-East in any case will not let radical forces that are now aim to control the operation.

"This document, which is loud name "Memorandum", which simply is another act of populism. They are ready to sign anything, but in fact we see them more. Continues to kill our fellow citizens in Slavyansk and Kramatorsk. And what they have signed, we know," said the Chairman of the Parliament.

This Pushilin do not see any sense in the political negotiations. "Dialogue with those who represent Kiev, principally impossible. We can talk only with the participation of mediators and only on the exchange of hostages and the conclusion from our territory occupying forces", - said the Chairman of the Parliament.

"I'd be this Memorandum did not vote, said the newspaper LOOK former MP from the Party of regions, former candidate for President of Ukraine Oleg Tsarev. - There are supported elections 25, we just have not recognize, and many other things, for example, round tables on which there are no representatives of the South-East. This is an attempt to close the eyes of the citizens of the South-East people to come to the elections and about something agreed".

"It is possible that this is one of the political moves, and before the elections, 25 we still can see the different configurations of these political moves, circumstances can radically change," said the newspaper VIEW, one of the leaders of Donetsk resistance, Commissioner of the social-Patriotic movement "Eastern front" Nikolai Solntsev.

Meanwhile in Slavyansk previously continued firing. Ukrainian law-enforcers claimed four injured in a missile attack by the militias in the night of Wednesday roadblock in Slavyansk, Donetsk region."

There is zero chance the zionazi quislings in the junta would ever offer a reasonable compromise, since Israel/USA/EU are only interested in using Ukraine as a tool to bring down Russia and prevent a Russian-Chinese econ block challenging their econ-mil dominance.

Anonymous said...
Crazy Ivan says...

Saker, that map would complete your text supporting your views on complex state of affairs in Ukraine (lack of e.g. clear-cut lines):

http://colonelcassad.livejournal.com/?skip=10

Anonymous said...

Wish I could see a group of American volunteers like the Abraham Lincoln Brigade who served in the Spanish Civil War against the Fascist forces of Franco! Back then thousands joined up to fight.

Would really be a PR blow to the US and the west. I suppose the US would consider such volenteers as traitors...

Anonymous said...

If it is so important to not get drawn into an invasion, why not help the resistance with more weapons or deniable help? At times, it seems that the Russians don't want the rebels to win - they just want to use them as negotiating leverage. That way, Russia can go back to being happy with a new Party of Regions and oligarchs.

Brian_J said...

Something different is in the air this week. Many Western news outlets have dropped to almost no coverage of Ukraine or have actually published op-eds like the recent Forbes item or several recent Guardian pieces which acknowledge Russia's concerns.

The effect of the IMF intervention, then, acting as it does in the interest of western creditors rather than the Ukrainian people, will be only to further impoverish the population of Ukraine.

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/may/20/who-will-benefit-from-imf-ukraine-bailout-not-its-people

And the senseless killing goes on.

Twenty-four Ukrainian servicemen have died during the counter-terrorism operation in the east of Ukraine, Security Service of Ukraine's (SBU) Chief Valentyn Nalyvaichenko reported.

"As of today 24 soldiers from the Interior Ministry of Ukraine, interior troops, and Alfa special forces have died. The losses are serious, the injuries are [also] serious," he said at a press conference in Kyiv on Monday.

http://en.interfax.com.ua/news/general/205491.html

As much as I hate those assholes some are just stupid kids, never been laid or had a good job with a future.

Meanwhile US goes hard after China for cyber war. Pivot doesn't work when both feet are in thick mud.

Yats and Uke FM are telling Germans to get serious about sanctions. Anything undertaken by capable Euro diplomats get twisted out of shape. Steinmeier would rather be talking silk road not hopeless Ukraine political culture.

But in Kiev itself I'm wondering if there is a bit of a crisis going on with the interim government. As far as I understand it, interests of oligarchs is reflected in Rada so if enough of these feel their interests are not being met coup could fall even before election. There seems to be a lot of concerned oligarchs all over Ukraine these days.

With Kuchma's recent appearance a reminder that not so much has changed in Ukraine since this 1995 paper.

Therefore, analysis of the nomenklatura of the 1990s should be based on two points. First, except for the nomenklatura, there was no other social class in Ukraine capable of governing the country. On the other hand, as a cover-up for the nomenklatura, democrats were selected, who, in the view of the nomenklatura, were unable to do their jobs professionally. The only exception were the state administrations in Halychyna, where the nomenklatura often, but not always, gave away its power.

http://www.ucipr.kiev.ua/publications/all-the-presidents-men-in-a-rigid-executive-vertical-structure/lang/en/view_print

Anonymous said...

There's a new documentary on Odessa... Is there really anything new in it?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Wob4k8B3f0

Anonymous said...

The best elements of the historic, revolutionary and religious traditions of the region are now starting to assert themselves in opposition to the worst.

Anti-oligarchy, which was part of the Maidan is now coming around full circle in the East, where the Black Army and the Red Army once prevailed. Strelkov identifies with the Whites. After Odessa and Mariupol there will be no going back, and the US/EU/NATO/Kiev can't administer a police state going forward. Russia will not fire a shot. As the East moves in a better direction, towards social justice, is there a force in the West that will nationalize capital and reject the IMF?

Anonymous said...

The memorandum may cause a split in the military. The national guard, death squads, extreme nationalists won't go back to the barracks. This might be the intention of the memorandum.

Igor Strelkov's plea for help may be intended for the ears of those in the Ukrainian military that are sympathetic to the the east.

Anonymous said...

Putin has not intervened in Eastern Ukraine because he doesn't need to. As more and more atrocities are committed by the psychopathic Ukrainian Oligarchs, in particular, the mass-murderer, Igor Kolomoisky (the guy that arranged for the Odessa massacre), the more and more people will rise-up in the East.

As long as Putin can stall, this will continue to drain resources out of Kiev as well the EU while making the situation on the ground more and more unfavorable for the West (all the while the Ukrainian debt clock keeps ticking).

If he prolongs the situation long enough it will lead to the Ukraine defaulting on their TOTAL debt of $100Billion (as per: Forbes, AP, Bloomberg and owed mainly to Western Banks) and that will rip a deep hole in the EU's economy.

The EU may even start having to pay for Ukraine's gas bill directly to Russia when Russia pulls the plug in June (as per contract). Time is on Putin's side, not on the side of the Bankers and the autocratic euro-facists of Brussels.

And why should he commit the blunder of intervening overtly when he can achieve more intervening covertly. Since the West has made the strategic mistake of already accusing him of covert involvement (before Russia has done so), Putin has already paid the diplomatic and economic price for this fabrication, so there is no disincentive now for him to hold back covert actions.

As a citizen of a NATO country I am shocked by the stunning level of incompetence that has crept into our Foreign Policy Institutions; I am sure that experienced Western foreign policy professionals from an earlier era are shaking their heads in disbelief at the incompetent and emotionally unstable amateurs we have today in the US State Dept. (Nuland,Rice, Powers and the lying Zombie, John Kerry).

Anonymous said...

Here's a post I left on Infowars under the pseudonym "GoReadSakersBlog" ;-)
Below is my take on Ukraine, a view shared by many of my family in the Indian Military:

Many folks don't seem to understand (Saker excepted) that the people of Eastern Ukraine have been pretty apathetic and ambivalent until the Junta started shooting at them. The last thing Putin wants is to annex Eastern Ukraine, for many reasons, among which are the following:

1) If he annexes Eastern Ukraine, it becomes his tar-baby (and he'll have to shoulder half of Ukraine's $100Billion debt),

2) For now, keeping Eastern Ukraine legally part of Ukraine ensures that it remains the EU's & the US's problem; a draining & increasingly uncontrollable tar-baby that'll keep them bogged down trying to deal with an uncontrollable insurgency. Under this scenario, Russia can achieve its objectives with plausible deniability at minimal cost (weapons, covert ops, logistics) while draining their enemy.

3) Eastern Ukrainians have not shown sufficient initiative to merit the costs to Russia to help them; too many of them are sitting on the sidelines, the time is not ripe for an intervention. In war you want the ground conditions to be optimal before you commit your forces (covert or overt).

4) If Eastern Ukraine becomes part of Russia, then Russian laws, institutions and regulations will oblige the Russian State to sink billions of dollars into normalizing Eastern Ukraine to Russian levels and standards; a massive cost that, right now, in the short and medium term, would harm the entire Russian economy; it cost Germany over $700 Billion 1980s dollars to integrate East Germany into West Germany. Eastern Ukraine has 20 million people at 1/3 Russia's economic level. The customs union is a much better way to go, obliging the member states to shoulder their own responsibility to develop their economies without forcing subsidies and entitlements from Russia.

5) Annexation will bring in many ethnic Ukrainians (anti-Putin) into Russia as well as Russian-Speaking Ukrainians (who are luke-warm supporters of Putin). Those demographics would damage his United Russia party's chances in the next election. Putin knows a trap when he sees it.

6) Annexation will hand all of Western Ukraine straight to the EU & NATO, bringing NATO right onto Russia's new border of the Dnieper River. Whereas a unified Ukrainian state will deny the West even Western Ukraine.

It's much more advantageous for Russia to engineer the situation where the East of Ukraine stays part of Ukraine in a Federation or Confederation, thereby permanently denying the EU any possibility of ever acquiring any part of Ukrainian territory (because the East has the majority of the population and electorate and won't allow an EU merger). Plus the Ukraine can act as huge buffer-zone between Russia & NATO. If Putin Annexes Ukraine it will bring the EU and NATO right onto his "new" border. Putin is a very smart man, he's thinking many moves ahead, from many angles, not emotionally like some fools would like him to do.

Have you noticed that it's the State Dept and the CIA that are doing everything in their power to provoke an uprising in Eastern Ukraine (by encouraging Kiev to commit further atrocities)? It's as if the West is trying to force a partition. That's because a partition is to their advantage: the West knows that the bungling idiots in Kerry's State Dept. especially that lighweight, Victoria Nuland have so badly mishandled this coup, that have lost any chance of seizing the whole of Ukraine, so they're trying attain what is attainable: Western Ukraine. A partition will allow them to at least swallow Western Ukraine right away, an unpartitioned Ukraine will result in the West losing the entire gambit; an unpartitioned Ukraine cannot be controlled by the West and denies them ownership/access to all of Ukraine including Western Ukraine.

Anonymous said...

Meeting the Donbass Battalion: Russian Roulette in Ukraine (Dispatch 39)

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=8KFGgKPrWfY

With the Ukrainian army struggling to contain the grab for power by the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) in the Donetsk Oblast, armed pro-Ukrainian militias have been quietly taking matters into their own hands.

One of these groups, the Donbas Battalion, has been attacking DPR checkpoints and occupied buildings. After two weeks of careful negotiations they finally agreed for VICE News to visit their clandestine base in what used to be a children's summer camp in the neighboring Dnipropetrovsk region. They were cautious about revealing their location as their last HQ was discovered and attacked by pro-Russia forces, forcing them to find an alternative.

We watched them train and interviewed their leader, Semyan, before being invited on an operation the following day. In the town of Velyka Novosilka, the Donbas Battalion tore down the DPR flag and replaced it with Ukraine's colors, reinstalled the pro-Ukrainian administrator, and lectured the local police on loyalty and duty - all at gunpoint. We then left Velyka Novosilka quickly, as there were reports of armed pro-Russia groups heading our way.

The Ukrainian army's "anti-terror" operation has so far failed to dislodge separatists from their strongholds in Sloviansk and Donetsk. But the flexibility of the Donbas Battalion, and other groups like it, could help turn the tide in Kiev's favor. Equally, they could help further destabilize an already volatile region. Yet with the Ukrainian presidential elections taking place on May 25, it's likely that Semyan and his men will be busy in the days ahead - and we'll soon find out.

Anonymous said...

Getting by with a little help from my friends.

http://www.globalresearch.ca/russia-dumps-20-of-its-treasury-holdings-as-mystery-belgium-buyer-adds-another-whopping-40-billion/5383030

http://www.globalresearch.ca/the-federal-reserves-opaque-methods-more-on-the-belgium-treasury-purchase/5383032

http://www.globalresearch.ca/vladimir-putin-and-the-de-dollarization-of-russia-china-trade-mutual-payments-in-rubles-and-renminbi/5383064

Only ripples on the surface but indications of longer strategies and additional vectors.
21 May, 2014 08:39

Anonymous said...

Sherlock Holmes would find Ukraine an interesting case.

It rises above the ordinary because Putin, in an unbelievably brilliant stroke, annexed Crimea without firing a shot. Subsequent events prove that was entirely unexpected by his opponents.

His opponents? Don't we know who they are? I don't think so. Not really.

But those opponents, in a paroxysm of rage, have shown cards they, in retrospect, probably would much have preferred to keep concealed.

Card One? Complete control of the mainstream media in the West. What an error to display that card. But they did.

That is why your blog, Saker, is of such enormous importance. Keep it up. I wonder how many hits you have these days?

Anonymous said...

Strange War in South-East: Why So? "Нас хотят замазать в крови!" - interview with officer from Ukr. forces ATO "special operation" here: http://expert.ru/2014/05/13/nas-hotyat-zamazat-v-krovii/?partner=988462

Robert Snefjella said...

The persistent deterioration of many aspects of the domestic situation in the US is part of the backdrop to events in the Ukraine. Alongside the mass murder and destruction and robbery inflicted on much of the planet by the Empire, the people of the United States themselves have also been subject to parasitism and degraded in many ways.

Their country has been turned into a police state/tyranny, constitutional government is repudiated by politicians and the military and the secret police agencies. Debt is incomprehensibly huge, tens of millions are on food stamps and anti-depressants, cancer, obesity, diabetes rates are off the charts. Etc etc.

There is a growing realization in the US that their country has gone badly wrong. Americans are trending away from knee jerk loyalty to their government's policies and fictions, and trying to conceive 'what to do?'

For those abject a-holes leading the US titanic, creating an external boogieman, a suitably dreaded enemy, is the default strategy.

Putin as shown in Russian polls and outside-of-Russia polls, is far from ideal material out of which to construct a new 'Hitler'. The Junta-connected cutthroats foraying into the Eastern Ukraine, are not the stuff of heroic role models.

So to the extent that it is feasible, the internal difficulties that the US faces will be more diffilcult to camoflage if Russia does not offer the Empire easy material to demonize. The more justifiable, subtle and unobtrusive Russian actions and statements are, the more the Empire creates and swings at patently false or unsubstantial chimeras. The Empire's nemesis is all manner of sanity and decency and honesty.

Nora said...

Crazy Ivan,

I'm so sick of the topic I'm not sure I have the patience but hasbara/sayanim are basically Jewish trolls or agents, and they can be quite sophisticated in their methods -- up to and including feigning anti-Semitism. At first some of them can sound kind of reasonable, but it never lasts -- they're warriors, at least in their own minds.

And they can also be exceedingly nasty. Mostly they try to derail blog discussions but they must have keyword algorithms or something bc BOYOBOY do they swarm when someone says something anti-Israel.

Bernhard is German and I think he's got to watch how he permits on MoA; in any case, he banned two excellent commenters a short while back for daring to tell the truth about Israel -- while permitting really nasty ad hominem attacks on them and anyone else who agreed with them. Some say he's hasbara himself, I really don't know. But he's got a couple really good commenters and he writes the occasional excellent piece -- not at all in Saker's league, but still worth looking at once in a while.

Nora said...

1. Mike Whitney begins his latest piece in CounterPunch, http://www.counterpunch.org/2014/05/21/showdown-in-ukraine/, with a quote from Putin, "Comrade Wolf knows who to eat, and he eats without listening to anyone."

2. Demian at MoA found the 2006 speech in which Putin referred to the original joke, which in fact is most appropriate today:

"Wolf, Fox and Hare fell into a trap. They sat there and cannot get out of the pit. After a little while they feel an emptiness. Then Wolf asks: Who shall we eat? Fox answers (looks awry at Hare): "Comrade Wolf knows whom to eat"."

3. The speech itself is excellent and -- please excuse the rotten pun -- good food for thought.

http://archive.kremlin.ru/eng/speeches/2006/05/10/1823_type70029type82912_105566.shtml for the speech

4. But the truly vile Brzezinski quotes in Whitney's piece really beg the following questions: First, who is more Evil, Brzezinski for plotting or Clinton, Obama and Kerry for not giving a damn? Second, have imperial leaders always been insane -- not "just" psychopaths, mind you, but genuine paranoid nutcakes as well? And finally, is this behavior more typical of the West, absolute power a la Lord Acton, late/failing empires, and/or Neoliberal capitalism?

Anonymous said...

Interesting admission by the NYT that many European nationalists -- who cannot all reasonably be called 'fascists' -- have started praising Putin as a way of flipping the bird to D.C. and Brussells (aka the Empire and imperial satrapy):

http://mobile.nytimes.com/2014/05/21/world/europe/europes-far-right-looks-to-russia-as-a-guiding-force.html?hpw&rref=world&_r=0&referrer=

BTW, my understanding is that Le Pen's National Front took something like 20% of the Jewish vote in the recent local votes and that percentage has grown in every election since Marie Le Pen's father shocked France with his second place finish for FN in 2002. The younger Le Pen unlike her father has cultivated contacts with Israel, sending one of her top deputies to the Jewish State. So D.C.'s task of painting all euroskeptic parties as racist or anti-Semitic has become much harder in recent years though they're desperately pushing this 'GRU runs Jobbik' meme as hard as they can.

Anonymous said...

>> Let's be clear about some of these delusions. The West doesn't have the money. They are printing (counterfeiting) it.

This comes up often. The currency of the military industrial complex is NOT MONEY.

It is energy.

Yes, the USD is a rickety joke.

Not relevant. There is plenty of energy to create weapons of war even if the currencies of the world reset, an event that will affect the little people first, that is, the 98%.

Ukraine, Syria, and Cypress were all attacked (as pointed out by Jim Willie) among other reasons for their association with Russian Energy / Gazprom. It is economic warfare.

123abc said...

@Anonymous about Le Pen's Front National

It's not even about flipping the bird to US. Anti-americanism is one of the presstitutes' favourite lines in response to the new conservative parties. It basically goes like this "oh, theirs is just a sort of rebellious gesture of pubescents against what they perceive to be an authority." It's a pathetic attempt to paint and psychologize the new conservatives as infantile, immature and clueless idiots who follow emotion instead of reason.

The presstitutes are also trying everything to force the new conservative movements into a stupid and anachronistic right-left spectrum, where the extreme right are nazis and extreme left are hippies. The presstitutes are picking out all hints of nationalism and blow them completely out of proportion. Why? Because the new conservatives are a grave danger to the EU.

We must understand that parties like Front National are NOT anti-Europe, they are anti-EU. That'a a categorical difference. The EU seizes sovereignity from European states, it imposes ridiculous laws, and destroys cultural norms of the particular states. The people were promised a united Europe of fatherlands. And now the fatherlands are in grave danger of withering away.

I think one of things that the conservatives like about the Russian course is that Russia's doctrine is one of multipolarity, i.e. it is Russia that promises a deep cooperation of fatherlands, Russia doesn't want a new USSR. Under US control a Europe of fatherlands is impossible, it's also impossible under EU control. It's only possible together with Russia. They look over at Russia and what they see is above all a country that sticks to common sense, and more than anything that's what normal and reasonable people find appealing.

Nora said...
Anonymous 20:56

Could you please explain this a little more? I don't understand -- doesn't it take money to make weapons even if we outsource the people who use them? I recognize the importance of energy, but how does our warmongering get more adversely affected by Russia's energy resources than our failing dollar? Because Russia can make more (real) money than we can print? But isn't that still our failing dollar?

Anonymous said...

Nora,

>>>> Could you please explain this a little more? I don't understand -- doesn't it take money to make weapons even if we outsource the people who use them?


No, it doesn't take money.

You need energy to create a tank, a car, a missile, a sheet of aluminum.

Potable energy is first Oil, second Natural Gas, and third electricity (coal, electro dam, solar, wind)

If you have 1 billion dollars and no oil, you cannot create an industrial artifact, you are suddenly limited by horsepower.

So if you have 100 horsepower, fed by grass, you have 100 horses and you are now in the 1700's. Good luck creating a battery for your Tesla S.

Oil and gas have their own inertia. It represents industrial capacity, completely separate from currency.

Currency (USD, Euro, etc) is a convenient and necessary way to settle energy debts quickly. However in the absence of a stable currency, if you have access to oil or gas, you still have industrial capability.

Oil, which is the ultimate in potable energy, is a driver. There is in 2014 more oil sloshing around in the world markets than existed in 1999, when I could fill my Hummer for 99c a gallon. (I don't own a Hummer with a dreamcatcher in the window, but think on that.) Money and Energy are not the same thing. Energy makes stuff.

--jms

[May 21, 2014] День выборов: пять стандартных медиа-сюжетов

Официальная реакция Госдепартамента США на президентские выборы в Украине 25 мая будет примерно такая. Дженнифер Псаки (легендарный эксперт в области каруселей и веселых лошадок): "Несмотря на усилия кучки сепаратистов и террористов, прошедшие в Украине выборы подтвердили единство и территориальную целостность страны. Мы можем с уверенностью констатировать высокую явку избирателей и прекрасную организацию работы на избирательных участках.

Отдельные взрывы и поджоги избиркомов в ряде областей, пропажа трех грузовиков с бюллетенями, исчезновение трех кандидатов в президенты и минометный обстрел Славянска (тут так написано) не оказали существенного влияния на результаты народного волеизъявления. Украинцы продемонстрировали свою приверженность курсу на демократию, толерантность и политкорректность. Госдеп особо отмечает усилия нынешнего украинского руководства по налаживанию внутриполитического диалога, что способствует деэскалации конфликта. Жалкие, ничтожные попытки России сорвать избирательный процесс в Украине полностью провалились. Тем не менее администрация Барака Обамы рассматривает возможность введения в отношении РФ третьей, четвертой и даже пятой волны санкций. Особенно на фоне расистских заявлений одного из лидеров террористов с никнеймом "Баба – ай" (тут так написано), который оскорбил действующего президента США на основе непроверенных фактов и откровенных инсинуаций".

Примерно аналогичная реакция последует из Брюсселя. Отдельное восхищение уровнем подготовки и проведения президентских выборов традиционно выскажут внешнеполитические ведомства Швеции и Литвы. Они всегда бегут впереди паровоза. Не знаю, с чем это связано, поскольку я не эксперт в геополитике. Честно говоря, мне на нее наср...ть. Вместе с Бжезинским, Олбрайт, Керри и прочими "зальценшухерами". Но так уж жизнь сложилась.

Надеюсь, вы все понимаете, что через шесть дней электоральное шоу состоится, несмотря ни на взрывы, ни на пожары, ни на другие "прелести" АТО. Кстати, в преддверии выборов "антитеррористическая операция" будет в очередной раз усилена. Или, как говорят эксперты в касках, войдет в "активную фазу". Все уже понимают, что АТО превратилась в инструмент демонстрации контроля над мятежными регионами. Ведь если бы не было "антитеррористической операции", то не получилась бы нужная телевизионная картинка. Исчезла бы иллюзия влияния Киева на Луганскую и Донецкую республики. А так идут бодрые рапорты с мест: "захватили ПЗРК и двух боевиков, оказавшихся журналистами "Лайфньюз", "силы АТО установили полный контроль над окрестностями Славянска". Интересный факт: после того, как страница Авакова в "Фейсбуке" поломалась, уже никто не "устанавливал контроль" над самим Славянском.Особое внимание будет уделено освещениюдня выборов, экзит-полов и подсчета голосов. Приведем пять наиболее типичных сюжетов, которые выйдут в многочисленных "избирательных марафонах", телешоу "ночь выборов" и прочих программах центральных телеканалов.

"Очереди на избирательных участках". Традиционно перекошенное лицо журналистки вещает на фоне участка о том, как много людей решило продемонстрировать свою гражданскую позицию. Вот типичный избирком во Львове. Жители "миста Лева", предварительно завернутые во флаги, занимают очередь с трех ночи, чтобы выполнить свой гражданский долг и проголосовать за единую, соборную, независимую страну. Все как один заявляют, что Путину не удастся сорвать выборы президента. Внезапно все спонтанно начинают петь гимн.

Очень уместно в данном случае интервью с плачущей женщиной, которая рассказывает о том, как террористы взяли в заложники всю ее семью, включая и собаку, однако она чудом сбежала через окно в туалете и пришла проголосовать.

Репортажи из "проблемных" регионов, к которым в первую очередь относятся Луганск и Донецк, будут строится на основе нехитрого тезиса "они все-таки пришли голосовать, несмотря на запугивание". Журналист в касге, постоянно приседая от предчувствия (или позыва), рассказывает о невероятном организаторском таланте киевской власти, устроившей выборы президента прямо в подвале одного из жилых домов. Текст: "Террористы всю ночь запугивали мирных жителей, грозили им отрезать половой член, если они придут голосовать. Однако, несмотря на угрозы и прямую опасность для жизни, миллионы луганчан, донетчан и крымцив (?!) пришли сюда, под защиту сил антитеррористической коалиции, чтобы подтвердить: они не мыслят себя без Украины и готовы подвергнуть свою жизнь риску, однако пойти и опустить бюллетень в ящик". Очень уместно в данном случае интервью с плачущей женщиной, которая рассказывает о том, как террористы взяли в заложники всю ее семью, включая и собаку, однако она чудом сбежала через окно в туалете и пришла проголосовать. А вот молодой человек с подбитым глазом. Глаз ему подбил Бабай, но это не испугало патриота Украины. "Нас таких в Донецке и Луганске десятки миллионов. Просто многие боятся выходить на улицу, поскольку могут нарваться на террористов или на снайперский выстрел по печени. Но я верю, что выборы будут способствовать кастрали… консовжо… консолидации нации, укреплению территориальной целки и европейской интеграции во все. Слава Украине!".

Избирательные хроники из Одессы, Днепропетровска и Харькова рекомендуется вести в соответствии с базовой установкой: "тут все спокойно". "Несмотря на попытки террористов сорвать выборы, милиция сделала все возможное, чтобы вместе с добровольцами из первого карательного национального отряда имени Кончиты Вурст обеспечить порядок на избирательных участках. Активисты ходили ночью по домам граждан, напуганных происходящими событиями, и в мягкой, тактичной форме убеждали их принять участие в голосовании. Благодаря этому люди стали понимать, что в сумраке появился луч света".

"Международные наблюдатели". Как известно, наблюдатели, особенно европейские, существуют для того, чтобы оправдать выборы, невзирая ни на что. Поэтому сюжет с теткой (дядькой), украшенной (нным) биркой с неразборчивой надписью, должен быть в каждом выпуске новостей. "У нас в Лиллехаммере холодно, а тут я столкнулся с невиданным энтузиазмом туземцев, которые буквально перли и перли голосовать. Особенно запомнился случай в деревне Качановка, где террористы прострелили избирателю руки, ноги, однако он все равно приполз в избирком и проголосовал при помощи… Далее следуют ненужные анатомические подробности. Безусловно, в конце все международные наблюдатели должны выражать восхищение уровнем активности избирателей, высокой организацией выборов и полным отсутствием каруселей. "В отличие от Донецка и Луганска, где во время так называемого референдума 11 мая избирателей катали на аттракционах, ни одного подобного случая в материковой Украине нами не зафиксировано. Да, были случаи взрывов на самих участках, но, поверьте, они не оказали абсолютно никакого влияния на ход свободного волеизъявления".

Особенно запомнился случай в деревне Качановка, где террористы прострелили избирателю руки, ноги, однако он все равно приполз в избирком и проголосовал при помощи… Далее следуют ненужные анатомические подробности.

"Голосование кандидатов". Стандартный сюжет любого голосования – это волеизъявление самих кандидатов. Вот Юлия Владимировна, тяжело опираясь на костыль фаллической формы и бицепс чернявого бодигарда в маечке, уединяется в кабинке, а потом, электорально облегченная, выходит. Вот Петр Алексеевич говорит некие слова о единстве, свободе и унитаризме. Вот Добкина демократично обливают зеленкой и весело посыпают мукой. А это бежит Петр Симоненко, преследуемый толпой демократов с битами. Он, по вполне понятным причинам, не смог ничего сказать. Просто шел мимо, поскольку снял свою кандидатуру.

"Обсуждения икспердов". Специально обученные иксперды в каждом выпуске новостей должны давать умные комментарии о победе добра над сепаратизмом. Смысл их выступлений примерно следующий: "Возможно, все решится уже в первом туре, но, если тренд не изменится, будет второй тур. Давайте подождем результатов экзит-полов, однако мне кажется, что можно с уверенностью констатировать, что выборы состоялись и план Путина по сегментизации Украины не сработал". "Введет ли новый президент военное положение? Думаю, что введет, поскольку кучка террористов вконец обнаглела. Но, как свидетельствуют мои друзья из Донецка, там не все так однозначно. Люди запуганы, однако никто даже и не думает поддерживать самозванцев и сепаратистов. Знаете, они там по ночам поют на кухне гимн Украины и втихаря читают труды Бандеры, укрывшись клетчатым пледом".

"Прямые включения с мест". Это традиционный способ манипуляции. Оборудуются несколько площадок в различных регионах страны, где собирается расово правильная массовка, на фоне которой корр как бы ведет диалог с собравшимися. В Одессе прямое включение будет происходить возле памятника Дюку, где традиционно собираются "правосеки". В результате выяснится, что вся Одесса, как один человек, пришла на выборы, подтвердила свою гражданскую позицию и осталась в составе единой и неделимой Украины. Вот, оказывается, какова реальность

Putin offers Obama a gamit the latter cannot refuse

This is when things get really interesting for a number of reasons. For one thing, the economy is completely dead and nobody, really nobody, has any idea as to what to do about it. Second the degree of hatred between the western Banderastan and the eastern Donbass is at an all-time high and nobody has any idea as to how to make all these people coexist together. Third, and there are a lot of signs in Kiev and elsewhere that this is already beginning to happen, social unrest triggered by the economic collapse is going to go from bad to worse with each passing week. Fourth, now that the neo-Nazi thugs do not have a "patriotic" job to do anymore - what kind of "activities" will keep them busy next?
The Vineyard of the Saker
I have to admit that today's move by Putin caught me completely off-guard. My first impression was that by asking the folks in the Donbass to postpone the referendum, Putin was basically tossing aside a valuable bargaining chip. Even more disturbing was his apparent backing for the upcoming May 25th presidential election.

Let me also say, however, that the notion of Putin "caving in" never even crossed my mind if only because categories such as "caving in" are simply not applicable in the real world of international politics - they are only good for the taking heads on the Idiot Tube and their zombified audience.

But if Putin was not "caving in" - what in the world was he doing? I submit that what Putin did is give us his reply to yesterday's quiz. Remember what I wrote?

Let us assume that Russia does not intervene and that, with time and effort, the nationalists regain control of most of the eastern and southern Ukraine. Let is further assume that the referendum wanted by the Russian-speakers is either not held or ignored, while the Presidential election goes ahead and that Poroshenko or Tymoshenko get's "kind of elected" in a farcical election which, however, the USA and its EU protectorate will immediately recognize as "legitimate".
This is *exactly* the option chosen by Putin today. To see why, we have to look at this not from Moscow's perspective, but from Kiev's perspective. From the point of view of the junta this outcome looks something like this:

"So we have managed to get most of the East and South more or less under control. We have stopped the "terrorist's" referendum and we got our leader Oligarchenko elected President in an election fully backed the US and Europe. What do we do next?"

This is when things get really interesting for a number of reasons. For one thing, the economy is completely dead and nobody, really nobody, has any idea as to what to do about it. Second the degree of hatred between the western Banderastan and the eastern Donbass is at an all-time high and nobody has any idea as to how to make all these people coexist together. Third, and there are a lot of signs in Kiev and elsewhere that this is already beginning to happen, social unrest triggered by the economic collapse is going to go from bad to worse with each passing week. Fourth, now that the neo-Nazi thugs do not have a "patriotic" job to do anymore - what kind of "activities" will keep them busy next?

There is a well-known experiment in psychology: you put two rats into a cage and you start giving them electrical shocks (though a grid in the cage floor). You know what they do? They immediately attack each other. Pain makes them do that - they strike out at the only enemy they see.

So just imagine the utter chaos which will take place this summer all over the Ukraine.

Now add to that the fact that the Ukraine will desperately need Russian energy for which it is both unable and unwilling to pay. To me, this picture does not look only bleak, it look apocalyptic.

Now consider the very same picture from the US and EU's point of view.

First, it is pretty darn obvious that they, the US & EU, "own" the Ukraine (not Russia). They overthrew Yanukovich, they backed the neo-Nazis, they promised wealth and freedom to the Ukrainians if they sign the agreement with the EU and they put their full political weight behind President Oligarchenko and his government. Frankly, their best hope was to blame any and all problems on Russia, its "agents" in the Donbass and Moscow's support for the "terrorists". But now that this pretext is gone - whom shall they blame next?

Maybe each other?

I can already hear the outraged comments about how all this is just a cynical rationalization for the fact that "Russia has betrayed the Russian-speakers in the southeast". So let's talk about them.

I don't know about you - but I am personally unimpressed to say the least about the numbers of men who turned up to fight against the junta. Yes, some did and they are fighting hard but, again, this is not South Ossetia by a long shot. I did see small groups of determined men fighting back, but I did not see large hordes of infuriated miners organizing a mass demonstration or, even less so, attacking the junta's forces. Did you?

So where the hell is everybody? Sitting at home and waiting for the outcome?

Furthermore, and several commentators have pointed this out, it is rather dubious that the resistance leaders have the organizational skills to simultaneously fight the junta and organize a referendum.

Add to this a very real possibility that a non-trivial part of the population is rather lukewarm, undecided or otherwise wishy washy about staying in the Ukraine or not - and you have all the ingredients of an embarrassing PR disaster.

My personal (and highly subjective) feeling is that most folks in the Donbass would prefer to live without a neo-Nazi regime and get their pay in Rubles. But they also want some "Polite Armed Men in Green" to make that happen for them. And that is something Putin has no reason at all to agree to.

When I though about submitting a quiz to you yesterday I had already firmly decided for myself that non-intervention was a much better option for both Russia and the Donbass. But when this evening I heard Putin I was totally caught off-guard and disturbed. It appeared to me that he was giving up important things for nothing and my instinctive knee-jerk reaction was, as always, to suspect the worst. But now that I had time to really think it over, what Putin is doing makes sense. Not only is he choosing the "no intervention" option (which I had expected him to do) - he is pro-actively contributing to that outcome (which I did not expect him to do at all). I had expected Russia to look "firm and stern" and not to yield on anything in order to maximize the uncertainty and anxiety of the US, EU and the freaks in power in Kiev. Also, I had not expected Putin to give the western propaganda machine such an fantastic opportunity to gloat, declare Russia a "paper tiger" and declare victory for Obama. But now that I think about that I find that a very sneaky move: let them gloat today - it will just make their inevitable fall tomorrow even much more painful to cope with.

In chess, this is called a "gambit". You accept the loss of a piece to win a positional advantage. Except that in chess your opponent has the option to decline the gambit whereas in this case the Empire has to accept it.

I should have known better since Putin had already done exactly that when the USA was about to attack Syria: he "gave up" the entire Syrian chemical weapons arsenal in exchange for a disruption in the AngloZionist Empire's momentum towards an attack on Syria. At the time his gambit was also greeted by a chorus of "the Russians caved in! they betrayed Assad!" and yet eight months later nobody can deny that Syria is winning the war.

I will tell you honestly that I hate gambits. In chess and in life. And when offered a gambit in chess I usually decline it. To me this is a profoundly counter-intuitive move.

I suspect that Putin must be a much better chess player then I am.

The Saker

Anonymous said...

I would point out two other things which you yourself brought to our attention on your blog.

  1. Putin said that Russia had somehow gauged the support for Crimea rejoining Russia before they made their move. In other words, they knew that people would vote yes. I think you might have even wondered if the Russians were doing the same thing right now in the Southeast. Maybe here's our answer.
  2. You said a little while ago that Russia had no need to hurry, that unless there were really catastrophic losses in the southeast, Russia was better off waiting and letting the regime fall apart. I think in light of that piece of advice we should keep the current losses in perspective, at least compared to what is possible with military escalation.

Basically, I am surprised that you were surprised by Putin's move at first. It seems to me that he is doing exactly what you had predicted! The other side is trying desperately to provoke a military response. As much as it might feel satisfying to contemplate one from over here, it would be a trap of one kind or another. What Putin has done is the one and only thing that the junta and their backers do not want. Congratulations are in order.

[May 12, 2014] Gang of racketeers attacked miners of amber in Rivne region

May 10, 2014 | ord-ua.com

When watching the news about civil war in Ukraine, it seems that at that time, as while in the South-East there is a war, Western Ukraine is a strong and quiet base of Turchynov's.government

Meanwhile, despite the fact that the West is traditionally the recruitment source of nationalist forces, the war had already came to Western regions too. And the reason is the appetites of the brass of the parties who came to power in February. Unable to cope with the armed opposition in South-East (only with the unarmed, as we have seen on the example of "Odessa massacre"), while suffering one defeat after another, the coalition has already start to splinter into hostile units attacking each other under crackling gunfire.

The reason for this turn not in ideological disputes on the destiny of Ukraine, not in attempts to purge their ranks of the notorious "agents of the Kremlin". Everything is much easier: there is a struggle for redistribution of property.

On 9 may a battle between "Right sector" militants and local residents took place.near the village of Alekseyevka Sarny district of Rivne region. According to local residents in the battle was attended by over 150 people which were actively using automatic rifles and other firarms. At least five militants from both sides were seriously injured, according to others, the loss amounted to dozens of people, including soldiers were killed. Three trucks are burned, which you can see on the photo, in addition to a dozen of jeeps and cars.

About the intensity of the battle can tell the fact that it lasted about two hours. According to the Chairman of Saranskogo district Council Nikolai Draganchuk the collision occurred near the tract Galibin. A state enterprise for amber mining was raided. The attackers attempted "raider" capture of the enterprise. They threatened guards with guns, and proclaim the fact that they are representatives of the nationalist parties, one of the leaders were presented by MP Volodymyr Prodyvus (his business cards were found on the battlefield). However, his name could be just a cover for the "operation". A local source said that among the personal belonging found after the battle were the symbols of the Right sector" and "Social-nationalist party of Ukraine". The reid was repusced when armed locals came to help.

Local law enforcement bodies detained 12 militants, the others disappeared into the surrounding forests. According to Nikolai Draganchuk police determine from the documents that most attackers were from Kyiv and Zhytomyr regions. In addition, they have left formidable arsenal of weapons, including rifles with optic sights. Thus suggest an important conclusions: the Parties that form the government Turchynov currently not so much eager to do battle with the opposition, as much as to exploit the situation of civil war, to simply redistribute important property.

Specifically the Rivne region were they already have skimishes with armed residents.

For reference: in addition to a small state enterprises on extraction of amber, the lion's share of the development are the "plots" of amber poachers. Entire villages are engaged in illegal extraction of precious stone, the price of which on the black market ranges from $200 up to $400 per kilogram. In conditions of a state of instability and helplessness dispersed or demoralized police in the fall of 2013 poaching has increased dramatically.

[Apr 14, 2014] Regime Change in Ukraine and the IMF's Bitter "Economic Medicine" Global Research

Regime Change in Ukraine and the IMF's Bitter "Economic Medicine"

By Prof Michel Chossudovsky

Global Research, March 24, 2014

In the days following the Ukraine coup d'Etat of February 23, leading to the ousting of a duly elected president, Wall Street and the IMF–in liaison with the US Treasury and the European Commission in Brussels– had already set the stage for the outright takeover of Ukraine's monetary system. The EuroMaidan protests leading up to "regime change" and the formation of an interim government were followed by purges within key ministries and government bodies.

The Governor of the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) Ihor Sorkin was fired on February 25th and replaced by a new governor: Stepan Kubiv.[right]

Stepan Kubiv is a member of Parliament of the Rightist Batkivshchyna "Fatherland" faction in the Rada led by the acting Prime Minister Arseny Yatsenyuk (founded by Yulia Tymoshenko in March 1999). He previously headed Kredbank, a Ukrainian financial institution largely owned by EU capital, with some 130 branches throughout Ukraine. Ukraine Central Bank Promises Liquidity To Local Banks, With One Condition, Zero Hedge, February 27, 2014).

Kubic is no ordinary bank executive. He was one of the first field "commandants" of the EuroMaidan riots alongside Andriy Parubiy co-founder of the Neo-Nazi Social-National Party of Ukraine (subsequently renamed Svoboda) and Dimitry Yarosh, leader of the Right Sector Brown Shirts, which now has the status of a political party.

Kubiv was in the Maidan square addressing protesters on February 18, at the very moment when armed Right Sector thugs under the helm of Dmitry Yarosh were raiding the parliament building.

A few days later, upon the establishment of the interim government, Stepan Kubiv was put in charge of negotiations with Wall Street and the IMF.

The new Minister of Finance Aleksandr Shlapak [left] is a political crony of Viktor Yushchenko –a long-time protegé of the IMF who was spearheaded into the presidency following the 2004 "Colored Revolution". Shlapak held key positions in the office of the presidency under Yushchenko as well as at the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU). In 2010, upon Yushchenko's defeat, Aleksandr Shlapak joined a shadowy Bermuda based offshore financial outfit IMG International Ltd (IMG), holding the position of Vice President. Based in Hamilton, Bermuda, IMG specialises in "captive insurance management", reinsurance and "risk transfer."

Minister of Finance Aleksandr Shlapak works in close liaison with Pavlo Sheremeto, the newly appointed Minister of Economic Development and Trade, who upon his appointment called for "deregulation, fully fledged and across the board", requiring –as demanded in previous negotiations by the IMF– the outright elimination of subsidies on fuel, energy and basic food staples.

Another key appointment is that of Ihor Shvaika [right], a member of the Neo-Nazi Svoboda Party, to the position of Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food. Headed by an avowed follower of World War II Nazi collaborator Stepan Bandera [see image below], this ministry not only oversees the agricultural sector, it also decides on issues pertaining to subsidies and the prices of basic food staples.

The new Cabinet has stated that the country is prepared for socially "painful" but necessary reforms. In December 2013, a 20 billion dollar deal with the IMF had already been contemplated alongside the controversial EU-Ukraine Association Agreement. Yanukovych decided to turn it down.

One of the requirements of the IMF was that "household subsidies for gas be reduced once again by 50%".


"Other onerous IMF requirements included cuts to pensions, government employment, and the privatization (read: let western corporations purchase) of government assets and property. It is therefore likely that the most recent IMF deal currently in negotiation, will include once again major reductions in gas subsidies, cuts in pensions, immediate government job cuts, as well as other reductions in social spending programs in the Ukraine." (voice of russia.com March 21, 2014)

Economic Surrender: Unconditional Acceptance of IMF Demands by Western Puppet Government


Shortly after his instatement, the interim (puppet) prime minister Arseny Yatsenyuk casually dismissed the need to negotiate with the IMF. Prior to the conduct of negotiations pertaining to a draft agreement, Yatsenyuk had already called for an unconditional acceptance of the IMF package: "We have no other choice but to accept the IMF offer".

[Neo Nazi Svoboda Party glorify World War II Nazi Collaborator Stepan Bandera]

Yatsenyk intimated that Ukraine will "accept whatever offer the IMF and the EU made" (voice of russia.com March 21, 2014)

In surrendering to the IMF, Yatsenyuk was fully aware that the proposed reforms would brutally impoverish millions of people, including those who protested in Maidan.

The actual timeframe for the implementation of the IMF's "shock therapy" has not yet been firmly established. In all likelihood, the regime will attempt to delay the more ruthless social impacts of the macroeconomic reforms until after the May 25 presidential elections (assuming that these elections will take place).

The text of the IMF agreement is likely to be detailed and specific, particularly with regard to State assets earmarked for privatization.

Henry Kissinger and Condoleeza Rice, according to Bloomberg are among key individuals in the US who are acting (in a non-official capacity) in tandem with the IMF, the Kiev government, in consultation with the White House and the US Congress.

The IMF Mission to Kiev


Immediately upon the instatement of the new Finance Minister and NBU governor, a request was submitted to the IMF's Managing director. An IMF fact finding mission headed by the Director of the IMF's European Department Rez Moghadam was rushed to Kiev:


"I am positively impressed with the authorities' determination, sense of responsibility and commitment to an agenda of economic reform and transparency. The IMF stands ready to help the people of Ukraine and support the authorities' economic program." Press Release: Statement by IMF European Department Director Reza Moghadam on his Visit to Ukraine

A week later, on March 12, Christine Lagarde, met the interim Prime Minister of Ukraine Arseniy Yatsenyuk at IMF headquarters in Washington. Lagarde reaffirmed the IMF's commitment:


"[to putting Ukraine back] on the path of sound economic governance and sustainable growth, while protecting the vulnerable in society. … We are keen to help Ukraine on its path to economic stability and prosperity."(Press Release: Statement by IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde on Ukraine

The above statement is wrought with hypocrisy. In practice, the IMF does not wield "sound economic governance" nor does it protect the vulnerable. It impoverishes entire populations, while providing "prosperity" to a small corrupt and subservient political and economic elite.

IMF "economic medicine" while contributing to the enrichment of a social minority, invariably triggers economic instability and mass poverty, while providing a "social safety net" to the external creditors. To sell its reform package, the IMF relies on media propaganda as well as persistent statements by "economic experts" and financial analysts which provide authority to the IMF's macroeconomic reforms.

The unspoken objective behind IMF interventionism is to destabilize sovereign governments and literally break up entire national economies. This is achieved through the manipulation of key macroeconomic policy instruments as well as the outright rigging of financial markets, including the foreign exchange market.

To reach its unspoken goals, the IMF-World Bank –often in consultation with the US Treasury and the State Department–, will exert control over key appointments including the Minister of Finance, the Central Bank governor as well as senior officials in charge of the country's privatization program. These key appointments will require the (unofficial) approval of the "Washington Consensus" prior to the conduct of negotiations pertaining to a multibillion IMF bailout agreement.

Beneath the rhetoric, in the real World of money and credit, the IMF has several related operational objectives:

1) to facilitate the collection of debt servicing obligations, while ensuring that the country remains indebted and under the control of its external creditors.

2) to exert on behalf of the country's external creditors full control over the country's monetary policy, its fiscal and budgetary structures,

3) to revamp social programs, labor laws, minimum wage legislation, in accordance with the interests of Western capital

4) to deregulate foreign trade and investment policies, including financial services and intellectual property rights,

5) to implement the privatization of key sectors of the economy through the sale of public assets to foreign corporations.

6) to facilitate the takeover by foreign capital (including mergers and acquisitions) of selected privately owned Ukrainian corporations.

7) to ensure the deregulation of the foreign exchange market.

originalWhile the privatization program ensures the transfer of State assets into the hands of foreign investors, the IMF program also includes provisions geared towards the destabilization of the country's privately owned business conglomerates. A concurrent "break up" plan entitled "spin-off" as well as a "bankruptcy program" are often implemented with a view to triggering the liquidation, closing down or restructuring of a large number of nationally owned private and public enterprises.

The "spin off" procedure –which was imposed on South Korea under the December 1997 IMF bailout agreement– required the break up of several of Korea's powerful chaebols (business conglomerates) into smaller corporations, many of which were then taken over by US, EU and Japanese capital.. Sizeable banking interests as well highly profitable components of Korea's high tech industrial base were transferred or sold off at rock bottom prices to Western capital. (Michel Chossudovsky, The Globalization of Poverty and the New World Order, Global Research, Montreal, 2003, Chapter 22).

These staged bankruptcy programs ultimately seek to destroy national capitalism. In the case of Ukraine, they would selectively target the business interests of the oligarchs, opening the door for the takeover of a sizeable portion of Ukraine's private sector by EU and US corporations. The conditionalities contained in the IMF agreement would be coordinated with those contained in the controversial EU-Ukraine Association agreement, which the Yanukovych government refused to sign.

Ukraine's Spiraling External Debt

Ukraine's external debt is of the order of $140 billion.

In consultations with the US Treasury and the EU, the IMF aid package is to be of the order of 15 billion dollars. Ukraine's outstanding short-term debt is of the order of $65 billion, more than four times the amount promised by the IMF.

The Central Bank's foreign currency reserves have literally dried up. In February, according to the NUB, Ukraine's foreign-currency reserves were of the order of a meagre US$13.7 billion, its Special Drawing Rights with the IMF were of the order of US$16.1 million, its gold reserves US$1.81 billion. There were unconfirmed reports that Ukraine's gold had been confiscated and airlifted to New York, for "safe-keeping" under the custody of the New York Federal Reserve Bank.

Under the bailout, the IMF –acting on behalf of Ukraine's US and EU creditors– lends money to Ukraine which is already earmarked for debt repayment. The money is transferred to the creditors. The loan is "fictitious money". Not one dollar of this money will enter Ukraine.

The package is not intended to support economic growth. Quite the opposite: Its main purpose is to collect the outstanding short term debt, while precipitating the destabilization of Ukraine's economy and financial system.

The fundamental principle of usury is that the creditor comes to the rescue of the debtor: "I cannot pay my debts, No problem my son, I will lend you the money and with the money I lend you, you will pay me back".


The rescue rope thrown to Kiev by the IMF and the European Union is in reality a ball and chain. Ukraine's external debt, as documented by the World Bank, increased tenfold in ten years and exceeds 135 billion dollars. In interests alone, Ukraine must pay about 4.5 billion dollars a year. The new loans will only serve to increase the external debt thus obliging Kiev to "liberalize" its economy even more, by selling to corporations what remains to be privatized. Ukraine, IMF "Shock Treatment" and Economic Warfare By Manlio Dinucci, Global Research, March 21, 2014

Under the IMF loan agreement, the money will not enter the country, It will be used to trigger the repayment of outstanding debt servicing obligations to EU and US creditors. In this regard, according to the Bank for International Settlements (BIS)"European banks have more than $23 billion in outstanding loans in Ukraine." Ukraine Facing Financial Instability But IMF May Help Soon – Spiegel Online, February 28, 2014

What are the "benefits" of an IMF package to Ukraine?

According to IMF's managing director Christine Lagarde the bailout is intended to address the issue of poverty and social inequality. In actuality what it does is to increase the levels of indebtedness, while essentially handing over the reins of macro-economic reform and monetary policy to the Bretton Woods Institutions, acting on behalf of Wall Street.

The bailout agreement will include the imposition of drastic austerity measures which in all likelihood will trigger further social chaos and economic dislocation. It's called "policy based lending", namely the granting of money earmarked to reimburse the creditors, in exchange for the IMF's "bitter economic medicine" in the form of a menu of neoliberal policy reforms. "Short-term pain for long term gain" is the motto of the Washington based Bretton Woods institutions.

Loan "conditionalities" will be imposed –including drastic austerity measures– -which will serve to impoverish the Ukrainian population beyond bounds in a country which has been under IMF ministrations for more than 20 years. While the Maidan movement was manipulated, tens of thousands of people protested they wanted a new life, because their standard of living had collapsed as a result of the neoliberal policies applied by successive governments, including that of president Yanukovych. Little did they realize that the protest movement supported by Wall Street, the US State Department and the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) was meant to usher in a new phase of economic and social destruction.

History of IMF Ministrations in Ukraine

In 1994 under the presidency of Leonid Kuchma, an IMF package was imposed on Ukraine. Viktor Yushchenko –who later became president following the 2004 Colored Revolution– had been appointed head of the newly-formed National Bank of Ukraine (NBU). Yushchenko was praised by the Western financial media as a "daring reformer"; he was among the main architects of the IMF's 1994 reforms which served to destabilize Ukraine's national economy. When he ran in the 2004 elections against Yanukovych, he was supported by various foundations including the National Endowment for Democracy (NED). He was Wall Street's preferred candidate.

Ukraines' 1994 IMF package was finalized behind closed doors at the Madrid 50 years anniversary Summit of the Bretton Woods institutions. It required the Ukrainian government to abandon State controls over the exchange rate leading to an massive collapse of the currency. Yushchenko played a key role in negotiating and implementing the 1994 agreement as well as creating a new Ukrainian national currency, which resulted in a dramatic plunge in real wages:.


Yushchenko as Head of the Central Bank was responsible for deregulating the national currency under the October 1994 "shock treatment":
◾The price of bread increased overnight by 300 percent,
◾electricity prices by 600 percent,
◾public transportation by 900 percent.
◾the standard of living tumbled

According to the Ukrainian State Statistics Committee, quoted by the IMF, real wages in 1998 had fallen by more than 75 percent in relation to their 1991 level.(http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft /scr/2003/cr03174.pdf )

Ironically, the IMF sponsored program was intended to alleviate inflationary pressures: it consisted in imposing "dollarised" prices on an impoverished population with earnings below ten dollars a month.

Combined with the abrupt hikes in fuel and energy prices, the lifting of subsidies and the freeze on credit contributed to destroying industry (both public and private) and undermining Ukraine's breadbasket economy.

In November 1994, World Bank negotiators were sent in to examine the overhaul of Ukraine's agriculture. With trade liberalization (which was part of the economic package), US grain surpluses and "food aid" were dumped on the domestic market, contributing to destabilizing one of the World's largest and most productive wheat economies, (e.g. comparable to that of the American Mid West). Michel Chossudovsky IMF Sponsored "Democracy" in The Ukraine, Global Research, November 28, 2004, emphasis added)

The IMF-World Bank had destroyed Ukraine's 'bread basket".

By 1998, the deregulation of the grain market, the hikes in the price of fuel and the liberalisation of trade resulted in a decline in the production of grain by 45 percent in relation to its 1986-90 level. The collapse in livestock production, poultry and dairy products was even more dramatic. (See http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/scr/2003/cr03174.pdf). The cumulative decline in GDP resulting from the IMF sponsored reforms was in excess of 60 percent from 1992 to 1995.

The World Bank: Fake Poverty Alleviation

The World Bank has recently acknowledged that Ukraine is a poor country. (World Bank, Ukraine Overview, Washington DC, updated February 17, 2014):


"Evidence shows Ukraine is facing a health crisis, and the country needs to make urgent and extensive measures to its health system to reverse the progressive deterioration of citizens' health. Crude adult death rates in Ukraine are higher than its immediate neighbors, Moldova and Belarus, and among the highest not only in Europe, but also in the world."

What the report fails to mention is that the Bretton Woods institutions –through a process of economic engineering– played a central role in precipitating the post-Soviet collapse of the Ukrainian economy. The dramatic breakdown of Ukraine's social programs bears the fingerprints of the IMF-World Bank austerity measures which included the deliberate underfunding and dismantling of the Soviet era health care system.

With regard to agriculture, the World Bank points to Ukraine's "tremendous agricultural potential" while failing to acknowledge that the Ukraine bread-basket was destroyed as part of a US-IMF-World Bank package. According to the World Bank: "This potential has not been fully exploited due to depressed farm incomes and a lack of modernization within the sector."

"Depressed farm incomes" are not "the cause" they are the "consequence" of the IMF-World Bank Structural Adjustment Program. In 1994, farm incomes had declined by the order of 80% in relation to 1991, following the October 1994 IMF program engineered by then NUB governor Viktor Yushchenko. Immediately following the 1994 IMF reform package, the World Bank implemented (in 1995) a private sector "seed project" based on "the liberalization of seed pricing, marketing, and trade". The prices of farm inputs increased dramatically leading to a string of agricultural bankruptcies. Projects : Agricultural Seed Development Project | The World Bank, Washington DC, 1995.

The IMF's 2014 "Shock and Awe" Economic Bailout

While the conditions prevailing in Ukraine today are markedly different to those applied in the 1990s, it should be understood that the imposition of a new wave of macro-economic reforms (under strict IMF policy conditionalities) will serve to impoverish a population which has already been impoverished.

In other words, the IMF's 2014 "Shock and Awe" constitutes the "final blow" in a sequence of IMF interventions spreading over a period of more than 20 years, which have contributed to destabilizing the national economy and impoverishing Ukraine's population. We are not dealing with a Greece Model Austerity Package as some analysts have suggested. The reforms slated for Ukraine will be far more devastating.

Preliminary information suggests that IMF bailout will provide an advance of $2-billion in the form of a grant to be followed by a subsequent loan of $11 billion. The European Investment Bank (EIB) will provide another 2 billion, for a total package of around $15 billion. (See Voice of Russia, March 21, 2014)

Drastic Austerity Measures

The Kiev government has announced that the IMF requires a 20% cut in Ukraine`s national budget, implying drastic cuts in social programs, coupled with reductions in the wages of public employees, privatisation and the sale of state assets. The IMF has also called for a "phase out" of energy subsidies, and the deregulation of the foreign exchange markets. With unmanageable debts, the IMF will also impose the sell off and privatisation of major public assets as well as the takeover of the national banking sector.

The new government pressured by the IMF and World Bank have already announced that old aged pensions are to be curtailed by 50 %. In a timely February 21 release, the World Bank had set the guidelines for old age pension reform in the countries of "Emerging Europe and Central Asia" including Ukraine. In an utterly twisted logic, "Protecting the elderly" is carried out by slashing their pension benefits, according to the World Bank. (World Bank, Significant Pension Reforms Urged in Emerging Europe and Central Asia, Washington Dc, February 21, 2014)

Given the absence of a real government in Kiev, Ukraine's political handlers in the Ministry of Finance and the NUB will obey the diktats of Wall Street: The IMF structural adjustment loan agreement for Ukraine will be devastating in its social and economic impacts.

Elimination of Subsidies

Pointing to "market distorted energy subsidies", price deregulation has been a longstanding demand from both IMF-World Bank. The price of energy had been kept relatively low during the Yanukovych government largely as a result of the bilateral agreement with Russia, which provided Ukraine with low cost gas in exchange for Naval base lease in Sebastopol. That agreement is now null and void. It is also worth noting that the government of Crimea has announced that it would take over ownership of all Ukrainian state companies in Crimea, including the Black Sea natural gas fields.

The Kiev interim government has intimated that Ukraine's retail gas prices would have to rise by 40% "as part of economic reforms needed to unlock loans from the International Monetary Fund". This announcement fails to address the mechanics of full fledged deregulation which under present circumstances could lead to increases in energy prices in excess of 100 percent.

It is worth recalling, in this regard, that Peru in August 1991 had set the stage for "shock treatment" increases in energy prices when gasoline prices in Lima shot up overnight by 2978% (a 30 fold increase). In 1994 as part of the agreement between the IMF and Leonid Kuchma, the price of electricity flew up over night by 900 percent.

"Enhanced Exchange Rate Flexibility"

One of the central components of IMF intervention is the deregulation of the foreign exchange market. In addition to massive expenditure cuts, the IMF program requires "enhanced exchange rate flexibility" namely the removal of all foreign exchange controls. Ukraine: Staff Report for the 2012 Article IV Consultation, See also http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/scr/2012/cr12315.pdf.

Since the outset of the Maidan protest movement in December 2013, foreign exchange controls were instated with a view to supporting the hyrvnia and stemming the massive outflow of capital.

The IMF sponsored bailout will literally ransack the foreign currency reserves held by the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU). Enhanced exchange rate flexibility under IMF guidance has been endorsed by the new NBU governor Stepan Kubic. Without virtually no forex reserves, exchange rate flexibility is financial suicide: it opens the door to speculative short-selling transactions (modelled on the 1997 Asian crisis) directed against the Ukraine's currency, the hrynia.

Institutional speculators, which include major Wall Street and European Banks as well as hedge funds have already positioned themselves. Manipulation in the forex markets is undertaken through derivative trade. Major financial institutions will have detailed inside information with regard to Central Bank policies which will enable them to rig the forex market.

Under a flexible exchange rate system, the Central Bank does not impose restrictions on forex transactions. The Central Bank can however decide –under advice from the IMF– to counter the speculative onslaught in the forex market, with a view to maintaining the parity of the Ukrainian hryvnia. Without the use of exchange controls, this line of action requires Ukraine's central bank (in the absence of forex reserves) to prop up an ailing currency with borrowed money, thereby contributing to exacerbating the debt crisis.

[the graph below indicates a decline of the hryvnia against the US $ of more than 20% over a six months period]

USD- UA Hryvnia Exchange Rate (120 days)

Source themoneyconverter.com

It is worth recalling in this regard that Brazil in November 1998 had received a precautionary bailout loan from the IMF of the order of 40 billion dollars. One of the conditions of the loan agreement, however, was the complete deregulation of the forex market. This loan was intended to assist the Central Banking in maintaining the parity of the Brazilian real. In practice it spearheaded Brazil into a financial crash in February 1999.

The Brazilian government had accepted the conditionalities. Marred by capital flight of the order of 400 million dollars a day, the money granted under the IMF loan –which was intended to prop up Brazil's central banks reserves– was plundered in a matter of months. The IMF loan agreement to Brasilia enabled the institutional speculators to buy time. Most of the money under the IMF loan was appropriated in the form of speculative gains accruing to major financial institutions.

With regard to Ukraine, enhanced exchange flexibility spells disaster. Contrary to Brazil, the Central Bank has no forex reserves which would enable it to defend its currency. Where would the NBU get the borrowed forex reserves? Most of the funds under the proposed IMF-EU rescue package are already earmarked and could be used to effectively defend the hrynia against "short-selling" speculative attacks in the currency markets. The most likely scenario is that the hrynia will experience a major decline leading to significant hikes in the prices of essential commodities, including food, fuel and transportation.

Were the Central Bank able to use borrowed reserves to prop up the hrynia, this borrowed money would be swiftly reappropriated, handed over to currency speculators on a silver platter. This scenario of propping up the national currency using borrowed forex reserves (i.e. Brazil in 1998-99) would, however, contribute in the short-term to staving off an immediate collapse of the standard.

This procedure provides "extra time" to the speculators, who are busy plundering the Central Bank's (borrowed) currency reserves. It also enables the interim government to postpone the worst impacts of the IMF's "enhanced exchange rate flexibility" to a later date.

When the borrowed hard currency reserves of the Central Bank run out –i.e. in the immediate aftermath of the May 25 presidential elections– the value of hrynia will plunge on the forex market, which in turn will trigger a dramatic collapse in the standard of living. Coupled with the demise of bilateral economic relations with Russia pertaining to the supply of natural gas to Ukraine, energy prices are also slated to increase dramatically.

Neoliberalism and neo-Nazi ideology join hands: Repressing the Protest Movement against the IMF

With Svoboda and Right Sector political appointees in charge of national security and the armed forces, a real grassroots protest movement directed against the IMF's deadly macroeconomic reforms, will in all likelihood be brutally repressed by the Right Sector's "brown shirts" and the National Guard paramilitary led by Dmitri Yarosh [left image, center with the microphone], on behalf of Wall Street and the Washington consensus. In recent developments, Right Sector Dmitry Yaroch has declared his candidacy in the upcoming presidential elections. (Popular support for the Yaroch is less than 2%).


"Russia put Yarosh on an international wanted list and charged him with inciting terrorism after he urged Chechen terrorist leader Doku Umarov to launch attacks on Russia over the Ukrainian conflict. The ultra-nationalist leader has also threatened to destroy Russian pipelines on Ukrainian territory." (RT, March 22, 2014)

Meanwhile, Ukraine's State prosecutor who also belongs to the Neo-Nazi faction, has implemented procedures which prevent the holding of public rallies and protests directed against the interim government.


originalGlobalization of Poverty and the New World Order
Michel Chossudovsky
In this new and expanded edition of Chossudovsky's international best-seller, the author outlines the contours of a New World Order which feeds on human poverty and the destruction of the environment, generates social apartheid, encourages racism and ethnic strife and undermines the rights of women.

The result as his detailed examples from all parts of the world show so convincingly, is a globalization of poverty.

This book is a skillful combination of lucid explanation and cogently argued critique of the fundamental directions in which our world is moving financially and economically.

In this new enlarged edition – which includes ten new chapters and a new introduction - the author reviews the causes and consequences of famine in Sub-Saharan Africa, the dramatic meltdown of financial markets, the demise of State social programs and the devastation resulting from corporate downsizing and trade liberalisation.

SHOP GLOBAL RESEARCH

Articles by:
Prof Michel Chossudovsky

About the author:
Michel Chossudovsky is an award-winning author, Professor of Economics (emeritus) at the University of Ottawa, Founder and Director of the Centre for Research on Globalization (CRG), Montreal and Editor of the globalresearch.ca website. He is the author of The Globalization of Poverty and The New World Order (2003) and America's "War on Terrorism"(2005). His most recent book is entitled Towards a World War III Scenario: The Dangers of Nuclear War (2011). He is also a contributor to the Encyclopaedia Britannica. His writings have been published in more than twenty languages. He can be reached at [email protected] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Michel Chossudovsky est directeur du Centre de recherche sur la mondialisation et professeur émérite de sciences économiques à l'Université d'Ottawa. Il est l'auteur de "Guerre et mondialisation, La vérité derrière le 11 septembre", "La Mondialisation de la pauvreté et nouvel ordre mondial" (best-seller international publié en plus de 10 langues). Contact : [email protected]

Lawless nothings. Kiev imitation of legitimate goverment from the formal standpoint is not even a goverment by Anatoply Wasserman

С каждым днём мне попадается на глаза всё больше бурных и увлекательных обсуждений того, каковы перспективы чьей-либо победы на предстоящих выборах президента Украины и каковы будут последствия этих выборов для нас. На сей счёт и впрямь можно рассуждать много и увлекательно. Но прежде чем затевать эти рассуждения, надо иметь в виду главное: эти выборы так же юридически ничтожны, как и вся нынешняя деятельность тех, кто провозгласил себя властью на Украине.

Содержательная сторона дела очевидна. Например, ясно: невозможно провести выборы, когда боевиками захвачены Центральная избирательная комиссия и типография, где печатают бюллетени для голосования, да вдобавок те же боевики пообещали присутствовать на каждом избирательном участке, то есть силой пресекать любую попытку голосовать вопреки воле самих боевиков - и таким образом независимо от воли народа победителем на выборах объявят того, кого сочтут нужным объявить боевики. Не может быть пригодна для выборов обстановка в стране, где реальная власть принадлежит незаконным вооружённым формированиям (пусть сейчас и пытаются объявить о разоружении "Правого сектора" - но сам этот сектор составляет лишь малую долю НВФ Украины). Не может отражать волю народа - и вообще быть законной - деятельность парламента, где добрая половина депутатов в одночасье сменила политическую ориентацию, то есть фактически отказалась исполнять свои предвыборные обещания. И уж подавно не может восприниматься всерьёз деятельность парламента, где значительная часть депутатов находится в той или иной форме под вооружённым контролем. Правда, сейчас боевики уже не заходят с автоматами в здание Верховного совета, но известно, что нескольких депутатов избивали сразу после переворота, а сейчас довольно многие родственники депутатов пребывают фактически на положении заложников.

Но это всё - содержательные вещи. Их при большом желании можно не замечать. Как известно, журналисты и политики из стран, всё ещё почему-то именующихся развитыми, очень хорошо научились действовать по принципу трёх обезьянок: не вижу, не слышу, не говорю. Поэтому я остановлюсь на соображениях чисто формальных, ибо их труднее подделать, чем содержательные, а главное - труднее говорить, что их не существует.

Формально картина выглядит так. В первый же день государственного переворота - 2014.02.22 - Верховный совет Украины попытался провести импичмент президента. Но для этого не хватило голосов - даже со всеми мыслимыми натяжками. Тогда паДламентарии нашли вроде бы красивый выход: они объявили, что президент Украины устранился от исполнения своих обязанностей, исчез в неизвестном направлении, а посему отстраняется от дальнейшего исполнения обязанностей и вместо него назначается исполняющим эти обязанности свежеустановленный глава Верховного совета Турчинов.

Но данное основание для отстранения президента от должности не предусмотрено законами Украины. Более того, законы Украины никоим образом не предписывают президенту исполнение обязанностей в каком бы то ни было конкретном месте - он может работать в любом месте, какое сочтёт нужным и удобным для себя. Следовательно, и его отстранение от должности по такому основанию - недействительно. Он остаётся законным главой государства.

Его законность выражается, в частности, в том, что Верховный совет всё ещё обязан представлять на его утверждение все свои решения. Боюсь запутаться в тонкостях регламента, но, кажется, даже решение о смене главы самого парламента должно быть утверждено президентом. В любом случае, все решения, относящиеся к жизни государства в целом, парламент обязан представлять на утверждение всё тому же законному президенту Януковичу.

Закон Украины, как закон практически любой страны, предусматривает возможность отказа главы государства от утверждения решений, принятых парламентом, и указывает законный способ утверждения этих решений даже в таком случае. Например, депутаты могут большинством в 2/3 голосов преодолеть президентское вето. А если президент просто ничего не сделает - ни в плюс, ни в минус - в установленный законом срок - право подписать парламентское решение обретает глава парламента.

Но в данном случае парламент попросту не пытается следовать этой законной процедуре, не пытается предъявлять свои решения на утверждение законному главе государства. Он сам отказывается придать своим решениям законную силу. Таким образом эти решения оказываются юридически ничтожны - то есть не имеют никакого законного смысла и никаких законных последствий.

Причём это относится ко всем решениям парламента, принятым начиная с 2014.02.22. Это относится, в частности, и к решению о назначении досрочных выборов. Это решение тоже юридически ничтожно, ибо парламент даже не сделал попытки утвердить его в законном порядке. Соответственно, кто бы ни был объявлен (хоть по воле боевиков, хоть по действительному раскладу бюллетеней) победителем президентских выборов, законным президентом Украины вплоть до исчерпания срока своих полномочий на рубеже февраля–марта 2015-го года остаётся Виктор Фёдорович Янукович.

Более того, даже если вследствие каких-то хитрых политических соображений президентом Украины будет объявлен Олег Анатольевич Царёв, то при всём моём уважении к нему, к его ярким выступлениям в тот период, когда эти выступления были ещё сравнительно безопасны, я всё равно должен буду вновь и вновь напомнить: законным главой государства останется Виктор Фёдорович Янукович.

Как ни относиться к этой личности, но любой другой претендент на роль главы государства Украины обречён оставаться кандидатом просто потому, что сами выборы, назначенные на 2014.05.25, заведомо юридически ничтожны.

Это, должен заметить, касается не только выборов. Юридически ничтожны все отстранения от должности и назначения на должность, сделанные Верховным советом. Юридически ничтожны все распоряжения лиц, назначенных Верховным советом. Юридически ничтожны все законы, принятые Верховным советом. И так далее.

Единственный способ выйти из этого состояния юридического самоубийства парламента - отменить заявление об отстранении президента Януковича от должности, а затем либо провести его импичмент в порядке, предусмотренном законом Украины, либо представить все решения Верховного совета, принятые начиная с 2014.02.22, на утверждение президенту Януковичу, после чего смиренно ждать его решения.

Если же те, кто сейчас пытается в Киеве изобразить власть, не пойдут ни на одно из этих решений, они так и останутся юридическими ничтожествами (как и все, кто пытается делать вид, что действия этих узурпаторов значимы). А то, что они фактические ничтожества, они доказали столь давно и столь многими способами, что, я думаю, нет даже смысла отдельно останавливаться на этом.

Former Journalist Spearheads Ukraine's Lustration Effort

The Lustration Commission was formed in the hopeful aftermath of the Euromaidan protests and is tasked with preparing laws to purge Ukraine's bureaucracy of officials from the ousted Yanukovych regime as well as those tied to the country's Soviet-era elite.

From Journalist To Activist

Affable, cocksure, and militantly optimistic, Sobolev reflects the swagger of a new generation of public figures. They have become the emissaries of the street, ooze a romantic scorn for politicians, and say Euromaidan was about a lot more than toppling Yanukovych.

Sobolev was born in Krasnodar in the Soviet Union's Russian Republic and moved to Ukraine in the mid-1990s.

He began his career in journalism in Donetsk before moving to Kyiv, where he worked as a financial and political reporter for various newspapers including the influential weekly "Zerkalo nedeli."

'We Chased Out The Bandits'

The court lustration bill has been criticized by rights workers who say it violates judicial independence. Others worry that lustration could exacerbate divisions in Ukraine's deeply fractured society.

But on the street, lustration holds appeal for people who, according to polls across the board, see corruption as Ukraine's biggest problem.

Nonetheless, political support could wither. The pending full lustration law could end the careers of top politicians like presidential front-runner Petro Poroshenko, who served as a minister under Yanukovych.

Moreover, the Lustration Commission itself actually has very little political authority. The commission is officially under the jurisdiction of the Cabinet of Ministers. But it was never accorded formal power as no decree or legislation has been issued to regulate such a body.

By Sobolev's own admission, this effectively makes the commission little more than a "public initiative."

Sobolev, however, is undaunted. "We chased out the bandits, but as a result crooks have taken up their seats. Now we have to agree with the crooks that the bandits don't return and also that thievery stops happening," Sobolev explains with a smile.

It's not the simplest task."

Thank you Yulya, we do it on our own. Supporters fo Tymoshenko are ready to betray her by Алина Гарбузняк

07/04/2014 | AIF

Все материалы сюжета Подготовка к досрочным выборам президента Украины

Внутри партии "Батькивщина", которая пришла к власти на Украине в результате революции, намечается раскол. Сторонники Юлии Тимошенко больше не признают её безусловным лидером.

Вернувшись в политику после двух лет заключения, Юлия Тимошенко столкнулась с неприятной действительностью: её политический рейтинг не так высок, как хотелось бы, а преданные когда-то сторонники уже не воспринимают её как безусловного лидера. В конце марта в СМИ активно обсуждалось перехваченное письмо пресс-секретаря Тимошенко Марины Сороки, из которого следует, что в отношениях Тимошенко и другого лидера "Батькивщины" премьер-министра Арсения Яценюка не всё гладко. А на прошлой неделе Яценюк и секретарь совета национальной безопасности и обороны Андрей Парубий приостановил своё членство в "Батькивщине". По официальной версии - для того, чтобы Тимошенко во время избирательной кампании не обвиняли в использовании административного ресурса. Не все эксперты верят этому объяснению.

По мнению политолога Евгения Минченко, тот факт, что Яценюк приостановил членство в "Батькивщине", красноречиво свидетельствует о том, что он и Тимошенко больше не представляют единую политическую силу, как это было ещё недавно.

"Когда Юлия вышла из тюрьмы, она неожиданно для себя обнаружила, что её соратники привыкли к её отсутствию и научились принимать решения самостоятельно, - говорит Минченко. - Дети отбились от рук и хотят теперь действовать сами". Поэтому, отмечает эксперт, у неё с самого начала возникли трения в отношениях с и.о. президента Александром Турчиновым, который раньше был правой рукой Тимошенко, а также с Яценюком, который, впрочем, никогда не входил в число её ближайших соратников.

"Я думаю, что и Турчинов, и, в особенности, Яценюк, не готовы безоговорочно поддерживать президентские амбиции Тимошенко, - продолжает Минченко. - Насколько мне известно, они вообще выступали против её выдвижения в президенты".

За то время, что Тимошенко провела в тюрьме, партия "Батькивщина" перестала быть единой структурой, говорит эксперт. Единство этой политической силы с 2012 года было довольно искусственно. При Януковиче были запрещены избирательные блоки, из-за чего ряд небольших оппозиционных партий фактически лишался возможности пройти в Верховную Раду. Тогда Тимошенко предложила своим союзникам из разных партий места в списке "Батькивщины". Одним из таких условных союзников стал тогда лидер "Фронта перемен" Арсений Яценюк.

Сегодня эта коалиция, сшитая на живую нитку, похоже, начинает распадаться. "Кто-то ориентируется на Турчинова, кто-то на Яценюка, часть занимает свою собственную позицию", - говорит Минченко. - Юлия сегодня не может считаться однозначным лидером своих собственных сторонников". По словам эксперта, сторонники по-прежнему уважают её за гражданский подвиг, за то, что она сидела в тюрьме, но отдать ей неограниченную власть над собой они не готовы.

Украинский политолог Вадим Карасёв не согласен с мнением Минченко. "Никакого раскола в партии нет", - утверждает он. По словам Карасева, приостановление Яценюком членства в "Батькивщине" выгодно и ему, и Тимошенко. "В условиях президентской кампании Тимошенко это выгодно по двум причинам. Во-первых, поскольку премьер вышел из партии, она может говорить о том, что у неё нет административного ресурса. Во-вторых, если социально-экономическая ситуация будет ухудшаться, Тимошенко всегда может сказать, что не её политическая сила ответственна за это", - говорит Карасёв. Он отмечает, что это грамотный политический ход в начале избирательной кампании.

Яценюк, по словам эксперта, тоже получает теперь преимущества. "Он приобрёл полуавтономный статус и теперь свободен в экономических и финансовых маневрах в социальной сфере, а маневрировать ему придётся", - считает Карасёв. Но теперь, уверен он, украинцы не будут связывать действия Яценюка с избирательной кампанией Тимошенко.

Что касается перехваченного письма пресс-секретаря Тимошенко, Карасёв не исключает, что оно может быть подлинным. Но это ещё не повод говорить о серьёзном конфликте между лидерами "Батькивщины", считает он. "Сейчас в стране сложная ситуация, и определённые трения могут быть, но это не выходит за рамки рабочих моментов и текущих тем", - уверен политолог.

Вице-президент Центра политических технологий Алексей Макаркин не отрицает, что маневр с выходом Яценюка из "Батькивщины" выгоден обеим сторонам, но это, по его мнению, вовсе не говорит о мире и согласии внутри партии.

По словам Макаркина, это действительно позволит Тимошенко выступать под лозунгом социальной защиты граждан и вести достаточно популистскую избирательную кампанию на фоне повышения цены на газ для потребителей, которое, скорее всего, предпримет правительство.

Макаркин отмечает, что до выборов 2012 года Яценюк был конкурентом Тимошенко, а сегодня он прекрасно понимает, что её шансы выиграть выборы очень слабы. "У Яценюка есть свой ресурс, он устраивает Запад, и такое отстранение от Тимошенко ему довольно выгодно, - полагает эксперт. - Он, я думаю, хотел бы остаться премьером при любом исходе президентских выборов. А сейчас ведущий кандидат - Порошенко".

По мнению Макаркина, Яценюк вполне может предложить свои услуги Порошенко, если тот победит на выборах.

[Apr 13, 2014] A Peace Plan for Ukraine By Anatol Lieven

What he does not understand is the fact the the USA destroyed the system of international law including the UN.

March 6, 2014

What does it take to let reason prevail?

Whenever he was faced with political crises with great risks and small gains, the U.S. statesman Robert A. Lovett is supposed to have exclaimed, "Forget the cheese - let's get out of the trap."

In the present Ukrainian crisis, the original cheese at stake between Russia and the West - and a pretty mouldy, rat-nibbled one - was the issue of Ukrainian accession to competing Western or Russian alliances.

... ... ...

On the other hand, it is absolutely clear that Ukraine is too dysfunctional and too deeply divided to join the European Union in any rationally foreseeable future. As for NATO membership, this is a surreal joke given NATO's decision categorically to rule out even the faintest possibility of using force to defend Ukraine.

Getting out of today's trap

Instead, we need to find a way to get out of the trap. For if events are allowed to continue their present course, there could be a war in Ukraine.

This war would most probably not be precipitated by direct actions of the Russian or Ukrainian governments. The more likely cause is the clash of rival armed volunteer groups on the streets of eastern Ukraine, which would lead to the progressive involvement of armed forces on either side.

If that were to happen, it would be a shattering humiliation for NATO and the EU in the short term, as they stood by while the Ukrainian army was crushed.

However, in the longer term the resulting isolation from the West would make it a much greater economic, political and cultural disaster for Russia - dooming it to permanent economic and political stagnation and probable dependency on China.

Moreover a war, leading to Western economic sanctions and Russian retaliation through a radical increase in gas prices, could very easily plunge Europe and the world into renewed economic recession.

... ... ...

Without an agreement however, developments on the ground - for example, actions by both Ukrainian and pro-Russian militias to seize control of provincial governments in the East and South - could easily bring about a war that neither Kiev nor Moscow desires.

To paraphrase Lovett, the temptation is always there to go for the cheese. In the present situation in Ukraine, however, the trap opening before us is so obvious and so deadly that it would seem madness not to seek ways to avoid it.

The Kamikaze Economics of Forcing Austerity on the Ukraine by Bill Black

naked capitalism
By Bill Black, the author of The Best Way to Rob a Bank is to Own One and an associate professor of economics and law at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. Originally published at New Economic Perspectives

We all understand why Russia is waging economic war on the Ukraine, but why is Obama doing so? The New York Times' web site has posted a remarkable Reuters story (dated April 5, 2014) entitled "Ukraine PM Says Will Stick to Austerity Despite Moscow Pressure."

The Kiev government will stick to unpopular austerity measures 'as the price of independence' as Russia steps up pressure on Ukraine to destabilise it, including by raising the price of gas, Prime Minister Arseny Yatseniuk told Reuters.

"Unpopular austerity measures" are, of course, among the best things Ukraine can do to aid Russia's effort to "destabilize" the Ukraine. Indeed, Yatseniuk admits this point later in the article.

The subtext of Russia's message to Ukraine's Russian-speaking population, he said, was that they would enjoy higher living standards in Russia, with higher wages and better pensions and without the austerity that the Kiev government was now offering

'They're saying: if you go to Russia, you'll be happy, smiling, and not living in a Western hell,' he said.

'They (the Russians) are trying to compensate (for the Western sanctions). But we can pay the price of independence,' he said, with financial support from the West.

So, our strategy is to play into Putin's hands by inflicting austerity and turning the Ukraine into "a Western hell." Not to worry says our man in Kiev, because he's sure that ten million ethnically-Russian citizens of Ukraine will gladly "pay the price of independence" to live in "a Western hell." That strategy seems suicidal. Indeed, Yatseiuk emphasizes that he knows the strategy he is following is suicidal.

[Yatseiuk] has called himself the leader of a 'kamikaze' government, doomed by unpopular austerity measures it must take, but he said Ukraine would stick to the measures, which include doubling gas prices for domestic consumers from May 1 and holding down state pensions and salaries against a background of a 3 percent contraction of the economy and double-digit inflation.

IMF support – a $14-18 billion financial lifeline in return for tough economic reforms – would be a "tremendous step forward", he said.

'We will regain trust and credibility from foreign investors. This is the roadmap for Ukraine,' he added.

The Kiev government has said that without the IMF-mandated austerity measures, the economy could shrink by up to 10 percent this year.

Six Crazy Degrees of Austerity

The Reuters article presents a stream of incoherent odes to the supposed benefits of financial and political suicide (kamikaze economics and politics). It was at this juncture in reading the article that I began to have a sick suspicion about Yatseiuk's ideological dogmas and likely background. Sure enough, the article soon confirmed my worst fears: "Yatseniuk [is] a former economy minister, lawyer, and economist by education." Another theoclassical economics acolyte is eager to sacrifice his economy and his fellow-citizens on the altar of austerity.

The rush to austerity is not a product primarily of Yatseiuk's ideology, but of the EU's worship of austerity. The IMF serves as the EU's "leg breaker" for the Ukraine. The EU is making clear that it will only provide aid if the IMF is in place to extort the Ukraine to inflict austerity on an economy that is already in recession.

This is crazy on multiple dimensions. First, the Ukraine defines the concept of "political instability." Playing into Putin's hands by inflicting austerity on the Ukraine and producing "hell" is ludicrous.

Second, the Ukraine is in a severe recession. Austerity makes recessions worse. The Ukraine should be spending material amounts of money (from its perspective; tiny amounts from our perspective – or compared to the cost of a military conflict) dealing with Ukraine's acute problems.

Third, the Ukraine has an inflation problem not because of excessive demand (demand is grossly inadequate) but because Russia has dramatically increased the cost of energy. Austerity is not the answer to this variant of cost-push inflation.

Fourth, the Ukraine has a tiny economy and small debts (relative to the West). The EU and the U.S. can easily pay off Ukraine's debts (or if they prefer any debt owed to non-Russian entities) and replace it with very low interest rate debt in the Ukraine's own currency with interest payments deferred for a decade. Ukraine has made the double mistake of trying to peg its currency to the dollar and to borrow in foreign currencies. The U.S. and EU could solve these problems, going forward, by giving the Ukraine a fresh start. This would speed the Ukraine's economic recovery and remove one of the potential sources of an economic shock that could harm the EU and U.S. economic recoveries.

Fifth, the Obama administration purports to oppose the eurozone's austerity policies. The case against inflicting austerity on the Ukraine is even stronger. Obama is under enormous criticism from Republicans for failing to take more decisive actions to support the Ukraine. The Ukraine offers the administration the perfect opportunity to do the right thing economically and politically, to demonstrate his leadership, and to force the Republicans to admit that austerity is a destructive policy that the U.S. needs to prevent by forceful action.

Sixth, instead, austerity dogma trumps – simultaneously – good economics, good domestic politics in the U.S. and the Ukraine, and U.S. national security. That's how insanely powerful the failed dogma of austerity has become. The CEOs who run the banks that loan money to the Ukraine are more powerful than the Pentagon and our State Department.

Conclusion

The Ukraine faces severe problems beyond Russia and its energy dependence on Russia. It has an enormous informal business sector because it is so difficult to start a legitimate business. Ecuador recently adopted a law, and new technology, to make it radically faster to start a legitimate small business. This is great for entrepreneurs, growth, reduced corruption, and collecting taxes. It is a radical reform that people of all political stripes can support. Similarly, ant-fraud and corruption efforts can save the Ukraine billions of dollars and spur growth. President Obama could develop an aid, stimulus, debt relief, and reform package for the Ukraine based on ideas like this that would that have broad appeal and help the working class and entrepreneurs. It would also be good for peace and security without being hostile to anyone. Instead, we are committing kamikaze capitalism that is so crazy that it should be criminal.

[Apr 06, 2014] Ukraine's Tymoshenko to run for president

washingtonpost.com

Her return to the forefront of public life brings back one of the most divisive figures in Ukraine's political scene. She is variously admired as an icon of democracy and detested as a self-promoting manipulator with a shady past.

Long before achieving political renown, Tymoshenko was already a high-profile figure in Ukraine. She and her husband took early advantage of former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev's perestroika reforms by creating a popular video rental business.

The couple founded a fuel distribution company and she became head of Unified Energy Systems, a wholesale broker of natural gas. In that post, she became one of Ukraine's richest and most powerful oligarchs - and was dubbed "The Gas Princess."

With her blond braids and telegenic smile, Tymoshenko came to international prominence in the 2004 Orange Revolution, mass protests that culminated with the overturning of a widely criticized election that had given Yanukovych the presidency.

A re-run of the election handed the presidency to her political ally Viktor Yushchenko, under whom she served as prime minister. However, Yushchenko and Tymoshenko quarreled extensively, leaving the government near-paralyzed at times, and broad voter disappointment helped Yanukovych win the presidency in 2010.

Tymoshenko said Thursday she would not squander voters' trust this time around.

"I will do everything to ensure that our second European revolution does not lead to distrust, depression and disappointment," she said. "I will everyday work to earn the trust that is afforded to me by the people."

Tymoshenko is the best known of an array of potential new candidates in a race left wide open by Ukraine's political upheaval, ranging from former heavyweight boxer Vitali Klitschko to politicians who have their political base in the eastern provinces.

Such a politician we neve saw and probably will not see again for a while

Такого политика мы еще не наблюдали ни разу и наблюдать будем не скор

[10.04.2014]

Эксклюзивное интервью с политологом Юрием Кочевенко

О том, что для избирателей готовят кандидаты в президенты на выборы 25 мая и как будет проходить предвыборная гонка, в эксклюзивном интервью корреспонденту интернет-издания Новости Украины – From-UA рассказал политолог и юрист Юрий Кочевенко.

Новости Украины – From-UA: - Юрий, прежде чем обсудить кандидатов в президенты, давайте поговорим о съездах пяти парламентских фракций, которые состоялись еще 29 марта. Для многих они принесли много сюрпризов. А что Вы скажете?

Юрий Кочевенко: - Давайте начнем с Партии Регионов (далее ПР. – Ред.). Прежде, чем давать анализ, надо понимать, что ПР никогда не была политической партией в классическом понимании этого слова, то есть основанной на определенной идеологии, опирающейся на определенный базовый электорат.

Это всегда была корпоративная партия крупного капитала, члены которой тянулись к себе подобным, чтобы защищать свои интересы. И так уж исторически и географически совпало, что крупный капитал в основном базируется в промышленно-развитых регионах востока и юга Украины. Поэтому даже в самые лучшие для ПР времена обращали на себя внимание довольно жесткая внутрипартийная борьба, фракционность внутри самой партии, группы, ориентированные на конкретных людей (как любят отмечать журналисты, группа Клюева, Левочкина и т. д.). Были группы, ориентированные на разные идеологические векторы - группа западников, основу которой составляли Герман и Чорновил, когда он еще состоял в ПР. И группа откровенно пророссийски настроенных депутатов - Колесниченко, Царев.

То есть ни о какой монолитности как партии говорить не приходилось. Поэтому в условиях кризиса это разбегание, которое мы наблюдаем, абсолютно нормальное, потому что разбегаться им просто, так как они уже поделены по группам. И вопрос выдвижения целого ряда кандидатов, которые так или иначе связаны с ПР, это вопрос того, какая группа в перспективе станет основной и ведущей силой юго-востока Украины.

ЧИТАЙТЕ ТАКЖЕ А.Шарий. Колоссальные кредиты для Украины – миф Кабмина?

Поэтому для регионалов эти президентские выборы очень важны. Сниматься никому ни в коем случае нельзя с политической точки зрения. Потому что, что бы ни говорили, единство - это все популизм, большинство из ПР сейчас выиграть выборы не сможет, но не участвовать в выборах - это значит зачеркнуть свое политическое будущее, что, безусловно, недопустимо ни для Тигипко, ни для кого-либо другого, кто видит в себе амбиции для дальнейшего политического роста и развития.

Мы можем наблюдать в президентской кампании, по сути, три разных кампании и двое разных выборов, которые будут проходить в Украине, несмотря на то, что они организационно будут объединены в выборы президента Украины. Особенно это касается первого тура. Во втором туре наверняка будут кандидаты, которых восток и юг Украины не сможет идентифицировать как безусловно своих, но в первом туре, помимо того, кто выйдет во второй тур, будут отдельные выборы лидера юго-востока. И тот, кто займет 3 или 4 место после лидера из тех людей, которые представляют ПР, – вот этот человек и возглавит новую политическую силу, которая будет выражать интересы избирателей юго-востока.

Для них это сейчас главная борьба, кто это будет - Тигипко, Добкин, Ренат Кузьмин, Бойко? Возможно, потом будет какое-то объединение между этими политиками, создание новой политической силы, в которую могли бы войти все они, но для них всех важен их процент, особенно на юго-востоке, который позволит им вести торги при создании этой новой политической силы для того, чтобы иметь для своих людей наибольшее количество мест и большее влияние. Вот за это между этими кандидатами и будет развернута борьба.

Новости Украины – From-UA: - А как, по Вашему мнению, прошел съезд "Батькивщины": предсказуемо или нет?

Юрий Кочевенко: - Партия "Батькивщина" сейчас под открытым небом: они - партия власти, партия победителей - они так себя ощущают и позиционируют. Поэтому съезд был красивым, ярким, в американском стиле и традициях. Самое забавное, что в съезде ПР было гораздо больше партийности и демократии, чем в показательном партии "Батькивщины". Даже сам факт, что однопартийцы обвиняют руководство ПР в том, что какие-то решения были приняты заранее и кулуарно, - это уже говорит о неких процессах, которые ранее были совершенно не свойственны для этой политической силы.

Всегда, на всех съездах решения принимаются кулуарно, и это аксиома. Съезд партии для выдвижения кандидатов или списка кандидатов в парламент - это всегда, в первую очередь, публичное шоу для журналистов и избирателей (так как все решения уже приняты). В классическом понимании работы съезда нет и быть не может - все заранее оговорено и проконсультировано и с региональными лидерами, и с политсоветом партии. Съезд всегда идет на "одобрям-с". Вот в этом плане в ПР была какая-никакая дискуссия, и если не конфликт, то движение. Для съезда - это индикатор трансформации в ПР, где может вестись диалог между партийцами, а не все решает лидер.

ЧИТАЙТЕ ТАКЖЕ Майдан-2014, или Цена антикризисного пакета Кабмина

В партии "Батькивщина" это совершенно наоборот, она всегда была партией сугубо авторитарного типа, где все решения принимались лидером единолично без оглядки на однопартийцев, даже на самых приближенных. Она, конечно, может проконсультироваться, но прислушается только к тем мнениям, которые совпадают с ее собственным. Поэтому и съезд прошел в формате абсолютного шоу. Это было народное выдвижение Тимошенко – она вернулась. И для меня этот съезд лично никакого недоумения, сюрприза и вообще каких-либо эмоций не вызвал. Это было логично и ожидаемо на 100 %.

Новости Украины – From-UA: - Ну, если "Батькивщина" провела съезд ожидаемо, то вот съезд УДАРа у многих вызвал неоднозначные эмоции. Правильно?

Юрий Кочевенко: - Да, сюрприз был. Я не ожидал от Кличко такого решения, и мне оно, честно говоря, не совсем ясно. Метания Кличко по вертикали украинской политики какие-то странные. Так и не доведя до конца киевский проект, он бросился в проект национальный, а теперь обратно. Имея крупную фракцию в ВР, будучи ее лидером, а соответственно, одним из государственных лидеров, он спускается опять на уровень местной общины, пусть даже такой большой и значимой, как Киев. Эти вещи не совсем сопоставимы.

Ну, не меняют лидерство национальное на лидерство в Киеве. Если он будет эффективным и ярким мэром Киева, то он все равно будет только мэром Киева. Был бы смысл, если бы говорили о том, что в случае победы Порошенко Кличко будет премьер-министром, хотя это тоже отдельная тема - мы не знаем, кого мы выбираем, под какую Конституцию, какие будут полномочия. Поэтому такое решение мне сложно объяснить какой-то логикой со стороны Кличко.

Его политические консультанты, возможно, и не без участия Порошенко, нарисовали какие-то красивые схемы, в которые он поверил, но, на мой взгляд, такое ощущение, что Виталика развели. В нашей политической системе так заведено (и это плохо на самом деле): если ты не участвуешь в президентских выборах, то ты можешь забыть о своем партийном проекте. В таком случае, если Кличко поддержал Порошенко, если его электорат перекочует, морально примет Порошенко как лидера, то на следующих выборах не за УДАР проголосует, а за партию Порошенко.

ЧИТАЙТЕ ТАКЖЕ Геополитические потуги России: синдром Балаганова

Новости Украины – From-UA: - После завершения подачи документов кандидатов на пост президента Украины для регистрации ЦИК (31 марта) всеукраинская общественная организация Передовые Правовые Инициативы презентовала результаты всеукраинского социологического исследования по наиболее популярным кандидатам.

По результатам опроса электоральные ориентации относительно рейтингов кандидатов на президентских выборах распределились следующим образом:

Петр Порошенко - 38,3%, Сергей Тигипко - 17,9%, Юлия Тимошенко - 11,6%, Юрий Бойко - 6,9%, Олег Тягныбок - 3,3%, Петр Симоненко - 3,2%, Ольга Богомолец - 2,5%, Олег Ляшко - 2,3%, Анатолий Гриценко - 1,7%, Дмитрий Ярош - 1,3%, Михаил Добкин - 1,1%, другой кандидат - 1%. Как Вы оцениваете этот рейтинг?

Юрий Кочевенко: - Психология избирателя так уж устроена, что голосовать хотят за победителей. Не хочется, чтобы твой голос пропал. Это неправильный, стадный подход. Голосовать нужно за того, за кого тебе не будет стыдно, и не важно, есть у этого человека шансы на победу или нет. Политтехнологи строят это таким образом: зачем выкидывать свой голос, лучше из двух зол выбрать меньшее. Есть такой элемент в политтехнологиях, который называется социологические войны, когда учитываются не только результаты социологических исследований, но подключается и экспертное мнение для того, чтобы искусственно подвинуть кандидата в якобы лидеры, а потом, исходя из этой логики, он реально туда подтянется, а избиратель на него переключится.

Поэтому я поверю только той социологии, которую я, как руководитель компании, сам заказал и сам проплатил, и никому ее не показывал. Все, что сейчас публикуется в открытых источниках, это те вещи, которым верить нельзя. В Украине нет ни одной социологической службы, которой бы можно было бы доверять на 100 %, особенно в нынешних условиях.

Новости Украины – From-UA: - У кого, по Вашему мнению, есть наибольшие шансы победить на выборах?

Юрий Кочевенко: - Наибольшие шансы есть у того кандидата, у кого есть базовый твердый электорат, на который он сможет опереться. И в этом плане, на мой взгляд, это пока что Юлия Тимошенко. Несмотря на то, что ее рейтинги сильно подмочены, она имеет возможность опереться: а) на власть, которую она фактически сейчас контролирует, и б) на мощную развитую партийную структуру в регионах - ни у одного другого кандидата нет структуры такого уровня, которая сейчас еще будет оживлена фактом вхождения во власть.

Порошенко, как самый рейтинговый, - это в первую очередь продукт определенных политических обстоятельств, избиратель сам его создал. Избиратель, который сейчас поддерживает Порошенко, он не знает, какой Порошенко, он думает о нем то, что ему хочется думать. Порошенко для каждого избирателя индивидуальный. Есть такой специфический образ в политических технологиях, который называется "мессия". Он редко получается и не может быть создан искусственно, он является только продуктом определенных исторических обстоятельств, когда есть потребность в таком образе и есть человек, который может под этот образ попасть. У Порошенко сейчас этот образ очень сильный, но он и легко разрушаем, поэтому ему надо сейчас поменьше говорить, чтобы избиратель не разочаровался.

ЧИТАЙТЕ ТАКЖЕ Парад сепаратизма

Новости Украины – From-UA: - А что касается радикальных кандидатов - Ляшко, Яроша, Тягныбока? Смогут они преодолеть какой-то порог?

Юрий Кочевенко: - Для радикальных кандидатов и тех кандидатов, которые находятся за чертой, эти выборы - старт своего личного политического проекта или его поддержания. Безусловно, поляризация общества существует значительная, и на радикализм тоже есть спрос, но этот спрос в пределах 10 % даже в самых критических точках истории, как сейчас.

При общей нормальной политической системе радикализм находится в нише 3-4 %. Сейчас, безусловно, ниша для них расширена, хоть они и разделены, но реальных шансов победить у них нет, но есть шанс громко о себе заявить. Особенно это касается Ляшко, который, играя в этом образе продолжительное время, наконец-то попал в благоприятные для него исторические обстоятельства, у меня даже блог был на тему "Радикалом ради кала".

Он себя сейчас неплохо отпозиционировал, и если он возьмет на президентских выборах 3-4 % (а это вполне реально, как говорится, вытоптать поле, ресурс у него найдется, и сам он активен), то это уже серьезная заявка на политический проект парламентских выборов, то есть из политического клоуна он уже превратится в политика пусть не первого эшелона, но уже далеко не рядового депутата.

Новости Украины – From-UA: - Как Вы думаете, как поделится электорат избирателей на этих выборах?

Юрий Кочевенко: - Безусловно, будет определенная сегментация. Сейчас ПР "похудела" где-то до 10 %, "похудеет" еще процента на два, но потом будет рост. Дело в том, что это общий электорат всех восточных регионов, и кандидаты в президенты между собой будут его делить. И кто его первым возьмет - тот и будет лидером юго-востока. Сейчас у Тигипко большие на это шансы, но это не факт.

ЧИТАЙТЕ ТАКЖЕ А. Виевский: "Наркомания всегда имеет внутрисемейное происхождение"

Новости Украины – From-UA: - По Вашему мнению, есть ли предпосылки и угрозы для срыва президентских выборов в мае?

Юрий Кочевенко: - Да есть.

Юлия Тимошенко – этот тот человек, который может поспособствовать срыву или откладыванию выборов в случае, если она не будет уверена в высоких шансах на свою победу. Воля к власти этого человека безусловна и исключительна. Такого политика в своей новейшей истории мы еще не наблюдали ни разу и наблюдать будем не скоро. Несмотря на то, что жизнь ее потрепала, все равно у этого человека безусловная воля к власти, которая находится за пределами любых моральных принципов, как и для любого настоящего политика.

Как сказал Ленин, в политике не может быть слово нравственность, может быть только слово эффективность. Юлия Владимировна исповедует этот принцип. Поскольку сейчас реально "Батькивщина" контролирует в стране центральную исполнительную власть - МВД, ВР, и.о. Президента, то можно предположить, что могут быть созданы некие прецеденты, как то война с Россией. Если бы этого конфликта с Россией не было, то его надо было бы придумать - настолько удобен он сейчас нынешней власти для того, чтобы удерживать так называемый "второй этап революции". В этой ситуации реальному лидеру гонки надо было бы немного "похудеть" в своем рейтинге, создав иллюзию возможности победы, чтобы уже точно состоялся второй тур. После первого тура будет ясно: если Тимошенко не пройдет во второй тур, то мы сможем наблюдать все что угодно.

Новости Украины – From-UA: - Тимошенко инициировала амнистию 70 тысяч заключенных. Как Вы думаете, это пиар-ход для набора электората?

Юрий Кочевенко: - Но она действительно делилась информацией и делилась ею с теми, кто сидит, она считает, что часть людей сидят незаконно, так что, возможно, это и есть такой ход. Возможно, это показательный момент того, что судебным решениям старой системы нельзя верить и они являются нелегитимными. Поскольку разбираться с каждым конкретным делом возможности нет, принцип мирового права гласит, что лучше пусть виновный избежит наказания, чем будет наказан невиновный - исходя из такой логики, возможно, и было принято такое решение.

Новости Украины – From-UA: - Сейчас поговаривают о тандемах президент - мэр Киева: Порошенко - Кличко и Тимошенко - Луценко. Насколько они реальны и адекватны с действительностью?

Юрий Кочевенко: - Для Луценко позиция мэра Киева является адекватной его политическому весу. Для него это будет продвижением вперед. Для Кличко как лидера крупной парламентской партии это будет движение вниз.

Кличко и Порошенко оба находятся в одном электоральном поле, они не случайно друг друга нашли. Возвращаясь к этому вопросу, я предположу, что, возможно, планируется и создание единого партийного проекта этих двух лидеров. Поэтому Кличко, скорее всего, и отступает назад, выводя вперед Порошенко. Но их рейтинг дает неплохую синергию именно за счет того, что находится в едином электоральном поле. А слияние рейтингов Тимошенко и Луценко - они тоже, в общем-то, находятся в одном электоральном поле, но там как-то 0+1 все равно будет 1. Поэтому если рейтинг Кличко с Порошенко реально усиливает, то рейтинг Луценко с Тимошенко дает разве что моральную поддержку.

ЧИТАЙТЕ ТАКЖЕ Бесплатные советы: На чем сэкономить в кризис

Новости Украины – From-UA: - Как Вы думаете, какая ждет судьба Януковича,как политика? Где он сейчас на карте украинской политики?

Юрий Кочевенко: - С первой пресс-конференции в Ростове-на-Дону было ясно – его задача делигитимизировать украинскую власть, чтобы Россия могла к этому апеллировать, и эту задачу он системно и последовательно выполняет.

Сам он находится в заложниках. Он не ведет никакую самостоятельную политическую игру и даже не может отстаивать свою политическую позицию, поскольку если его последнее интервью еще было похоже на разговор живого человека, то предпоследнее заявление на брифинге - это были совершенно не его слова. Мы же все-таки наблюдаем его много лет, его риторику, видим, каким лексиконом он пользуется. Он никогда в жизни не употреблял такие слова, как "бандеровец", "красно-черное знамя Бандеры" - это все придумал московский райтер, причем, по-моему, не самый образованный.

В любом случае, все эти посылы обращены не вовне и не на Украину. Он вполне адекватно понимает, что в Украине они не только не будут восприняты, но никто в них и не поверит. Совершенно понятно, что он там поет под чужую дудку. Это, прежде всего, его посылы внутрь России.

Исходя из этого, я могу сказать, что Янукович больше не украинский политик, а российский. И его задача сейчас - легитимизировать политику Путина в отношении Украины для россиян, а не для украинцев и не для мирового сообщества, чтобы таким образом давать моральное оправдание действиям российского правительства. Возможный возврат в украинскую политику и какое-то здесь будущее крайне маловероятно. Это все уже отработанный материал, в том числе и для политической элиты - она его уже назад не пустит, даже если предположить, что будут какие-то благоприятные политические обстоятельства, совершенно фантастические. Политическая элита уже сбросила его со счетов, даже его бывшие соратники уже не позволят ему вернуться.

Penny for your thoughts Arseniy Yatsenyuk Foundation

The Open Ukraine Foundation is an international foundation, established in July 2007, at the initiative of Arseniy Yatsenyuk and Zbigniew Dzhymala for strengthening and development of Ukraine's reputation in the world.

Partners- Partners?!

brianMarch 11, 2014 at 3:39 PM

Speaking of the Crimean referendum and all the attacks on it by friends of the fascist junta, Oleg Odintsovsky dared to ask a simple and yet interesting question: What about the way in which the United States itself came into existence? Was it through a referendum, which included the whole of Great Britain? Was it an internationally recognized referendum? Here is how he put it in his open letter to Obama: "I am sure you remember the first words of the U.S. Declaration of Independence: 'When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation..'" The "reasoning" and "principles" raised by the friends of the fascist takeover in Ukraine undermine, if taken seriously, the legitimacy of the United States itself. http://english.pravda.ru/opinion/columnists/11-03-2014/127087-letter_obama-0/#.Ux9SfoFF9b4.facebook

Anonymous March 11, 2014 at 7:27 PM

@Stupid Mo Fo

From Wikipedia:

"Arseniy Petrovych Yatsenyuk was born on May 22, 1974 in Chernivtsi, Ukraine (then part of the Soviet Union). He was born to in a family of ethnic Jewish-Ukrainian professors of the Chernivtsi University. His father, historian Peter Ivanovich Yatsenuk, was a professor at the Faculty of History at Chernivtsi National University while his mother, Maria Grigoriievna Yatsenyuk (nee Bakai), had been a teacher at the French Department of Foreign Languages at within the same instititution.[After Yatsenyuk began studying at the Chernivtsi University in 1992, Yatsenyuk set up a student law firm. He is partly of Romanian ancestry, with one of his grandparents being an ethnic Romanian from the region around Chernivtsi and citizen of Greater Romania; besides Ukrainian, Russian, and English, he also has some knowledge of Romanian"
Religion Ukrainian Greek Catholicism"

Yatsenyuk's wife is Tereza Viktorivna (b. 1970), they also have two daughters named Khrystyna and Sofiya. Tereza Yatsenyuk was born into a family of philosophers. Her father, Viktor Illarionovych Gur, works as a professor of philosophy at the Kyiv Polytechnic Institute, her mother Svitlana Mykytivna – PhD, now retired. (Professor of philosophy in the former USSR meant professor of Marxism - Leninism and [both] were members of the "Nomenklatura" and in [philosophy there was a] huge proportion Jews. [Among] Professors of History also).

Chernivtsi is the town of Cernauti in North Bukovina, part annexed in 1940 by USSR from Romania a region always full of Jews. His "Romanian ancestry" is BS as well as his Greek Orthodoxy.

[Mar 27, 2014] Popcorn Please While Putin's Agitators Rule in Kiev

M of A

TomGard

"To the growing unrest one can add the likely economic collapse that will come rather sooner than later."

I wonder why bankruptcy isn't declared right now.
Three month ago it was said the reserves will last til April or May. I didn't notice the drains after the putsch but read claims of just 12 billion currency reserves left three weeks ago. Bloomberg says Hrywnja lost 25% against the dollar in 2014. Someone of "Strategic Culture" told, the overall institutional debt of Ukraine is estimated 40 to 60 billion.
But nobody seems seriously "concerned".
Austrian banks would get into serious trouble with ukrainian liabilities failing and this would propagate all over the EU. But there is no single line in "Der Standard".
Bloomberg tells of a 24 hour deadline for a IMF-agreement but appear cool to the marrow:
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-03-26/ukraine-awaits-imf-as-obama-warns-russia-of-consequences.html

It appears as if Mark Mobius, Executive Chairman of Templeton Emerging Markets Group
gave the shibboleth on 7th Mars:
http://www.businessinsider.com/ukraine-at-crossroads-2014-3

"Overall, because of the intense interest from Russia and the West, we think Ukraine will not likely be short of finances from either or both sides, if the new leadership is able to act wisely and diplomatically.

We will be watching developments in Ukraine closely, and are hopeful for a peaceful resolution. We are also hopeful that we'll see a quite different Ukraine story in a few years-and that it will be a much more positive one."

And that wasn't cheap talk.

"By some estimates, more than 20% of Ukrainian government debt was recently purchased by a single American investment fund, Franklin Templeton Investments, specializing in distressed debt."
Read more at http://www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/ngaire-woods-and-taylor-st--john-warn-that-the-country-s-investment-treaties-could-undermine-debt-restructuring-efforts#m06JHEl7kDMGhvQI.99

The clue might be: Templeton bought under the auspices of an US-Ukrainian investment treaty without "collective action clauses" in case of impending default. So in theorie Templeton could foil IMF bailouts by "debt restructuring" coordinated with Brussels, London, New York, Moscow.

Part of the background may be this:

KOO: The US Is In A 'QE Trap' And Both The Markets And The Media Missing It
Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/koo-on-us-qe-trap-2014-3#ixzz2x5R25cdU

The Fed seems in urgent need for foreign debt to sink printed dollars in foreign treasuries (therefor Soros demanding ultimatively Schäuble to launch EuroBonds).

But I really don't know. What is Templeton up to, really? Is it for luring the markets in confidence and then cash in? Is it an ace of Wall Streets against the Nuland-camp?

[Mar 27, 2014] Yat's major appointments in economic sphere

KenM , March 24, 2014

A recent article by Michel Chossudovsky & one on Zero Hedge has some very interesting background on Yat's major appointments in economic sphere:

The new Governor of the National Bank of Ukraine is Stepan Kubiv.

Kubic was the former "head of Kredbank. Who is Kredbank? As it turns out, it is the bank with the largest Polish investment in banking institution in Ukraine. Kredobank national network contains central branch and 130 outlets throughout Ukraine. Today, European investment is 99.6% in the share capital of Kredobank, Ukrainian capital is 0.4%.

At least it is clear where the Ukrainian central banker's allegiances lie, and under whose "open control" suddenly the entire Ukrainian banking sector has fallen under. And just like that, Europe knows everything these is to know about all assets held within the Ukrainian banking system by the local population…"

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2014-02-27/ukraine-central-bank-promises-liquidity-local-banks-one-condition

He was also a Maiden activist involved in the riots.

"…He was one of the first field "commandants" of the EuroMaidan riots alongside Andriy Parubiy co-founder of the Neo-Nazi Social-National Party of Ukraine (subsequently renamed Svoboda) and Dimitry Yarosh, leader of the Right Sector Brown Shirts, which now has the status of a political party.

Kubiv was in the Maidan square addressing protesters on February 18, at the very moment when armed Right Sector thugs under the helm of Dmitry Yarosh were raiding the parliament building…"

-

The new Minister of Finance Aleksandr Shlapak is probably even more interesting – "a political crony of Viktor Yushchenko – a long-time protegé of the IMF… …upon Yushchenko's defeat, Aleksandr Shlapak joined a shadowy Bermuda based offshore financial outfit IMG International Ltd (IMG), holding the position of Vice President.
Based in Hamilton, Bermuda, IMG specialises in "captive insurance management", reinsurance and "risk transfer."

-

Ukraine looks to heading back into the years of the early 90′s, with added bonus of actual Nazi's running the police, military & law.

This is a must read:

Regime Change in Ukraine and the IMF's Bitter "Economic Medicine"
http://www.globalresearch.ca/regime-change-in-ukraine-and-the-imfs-bitter-economic-medicine/5374877

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Also worth noting is this scenario is one of the partners of the Arseniy Yatsenyuk Foundation (Open Ukraine) which is called Heritage Capital, formed in only 2007.
The founder of Heritage Capital was formerly the 'Chairman of the Global Investment Banking Group of Merrill Lynch & Co.'(!)
http://www.horizoncapital.com.ua/our-team/jeffrey-c-neal
Heritage Capital promises to "unleashing unrealized profit potential"….

In case anyone missed it, Penny put out a post on the other partners of Arseniy's little foundation:

The US Dept. of State ; NATO OTAN Centre ; Chatham House ; The German Marshall Fund; etc.

Quite openly advertising the fact on his website: http://openukraine.org/en/about/partners
http://pennyforyourthoughts2.blogspot.com.au/2014/03/arseniy-yatsenyuk-foundation.html

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The fact that this hasn't been reported at all the MSM shows just how corrupt they are, because this is incredibly blatant.

marknesop, March 24, 2014 at 12:38 pm

Excellent finds, Ken! Are you sure you would not like to do a post on the new Ukrainian government? You look to be halfway there already! This is great stuff, particularly the comically lopsided financial interests in Ukraine's Central Bank. Incredible. But Putin is paranoid, and "snapped" because of his warped view of the west attempting to seize control of its neighbour.

P.S. It appears here that Kredobank is actually ruled by its majority shareholder, PKO Bank Polski, which acquired 66.65% of Kredobank's shares in the period 2002-2009. That site confirms PKO Bank Polski owns 99.565% of Kredobank's share capital.

http://www.pkobp.pl/media_files/e48045fd-1da2-405b-bc62-188a55acbfdf.pdf

In 2011 plans were announced for the Polish government to sell off its interests in PKO Bank Polski so that state ownership was reduced to 25%.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-03-29/poland-is-weighing-5-billion-initial-share-sale-of-its-stake-in-pko-bank.html

KenM

March 24, 2014 at 1:22 pm

Thanks. I'll try to put something together on the financial side of the putsch by tomorrow & see if it is worthwhile.

Ukraine Central Bank Promises Liquidity To Local Banks, With One Condition

Zero Hedge

While the "developed" world scrambles to find a way to provide Ukraine with a bailout in such a way that Russia doesn't turn off the gas, Ukraine is doing some scrambling of its own to assure the local banks, which have been plagued by both bank runs and a collapse in the currency to record lows over the past few days, that it will be there to provide funding on a business as usual basis. Itar-Tass reports that "Ukrainian banks will be provided with necessary liquid assets, including cash." But there is a condition: the funding will only come "if they will remain under open control of the National Bank of Ukraine, the newly-appointed NBU Chairman Stepan Kubiv is quoted as saying on the bank's official website."

From Itar-Tass:

"Financial and payment systems, which are of vital importance, operate normally, as well as the open market operations do. The situation is under control. We are getting feedback from all of the country's banks, regardless their size", he said.

Kuvib stressed that the National Bank's gold reserve includes high-liquidity assets. He mentioned such priorities of the Ukrainian banking system as the protection of clients' interests, as well as the resumption of negotiations with external creditors, the International Monetary Fund in the first place, right after the country's new government is formed and elaboration of a strict new plan for economic and financial reforms.

"We are very determined regarding the measures, which will be applied to those who break the mandatory requirements and are involved currency speculations. I am certain the National Bank's measures will calm the markets and the people and ease devaluation fears", the bank's chief said.

In other words, any and all banks that want to continue operating must pledge allegiance to the brand new central bank governor Kubiv, who previously did not work for Goldman Sachs, but instead was one of the commendants for the EuroMaidan demonstrations. That is not say he has no banking experience at all: previously he used to be head of Kredbank. Who is Kredbank? As it turns out, it is the bank with the largest Polish investment in banking institution in Ukraine. Kredobank national network contains central branch and 130 outlets throughout Ukraine. Today, European investment is 99.6% in the share capital of Kredobank, Ukrainian capital is 0.4%.

At least it is clear where the Ukrainian central banker's allegiances lie, and under whose "open control" suddenly the entire Ukrainian banking sector has fallen under. And just like that, Europe knows everything these is to know about all assets held within the Ukrainian banking system by the local population.

[Mar 27, 2014] Profile: Yulia Tymoshenko

Nothing about Pavlo Lazarenko and Timoshenko connections to him. It's BBC after all... Wikipedia: The Prosecutor General of Ukraine suspects the involvement of Lazarenko (with Yulia Tymoshenko) in the murder of Donetsk businessman Yevhen Shcherban and Alexander Momot in 1996, and the assassination of banker Vadym Hetman in 1998; Lazarenko has denied involvement in all these cases.[17]

February 22, 2014 | BBC News

Yulia Tymoshenko became wealthy in the 1990s at the head of an energy company and swiftly moved into politics.

She became prominent in 2004 during the Orange Revolution, when she and her ally Viktor Yushchenko packed the streets of Ukraine in protest at a rigged election that went in favour of the pro-Russian Mr Yanukovych.

The Supreme Court ruled in their favour, and the Orange alliance took power on a firmly pro-Western, anti-Russian platform.

No sooner had they taken over, with Tymoshenko as prime minister and Mr Yushchenko as president, than their relationship turned sour.

He sacked her later that year as she feuded with his party colleagues.

She was reappointed in September 2007 as the parties resurrected their alliance, but the constant political squabbling between the president and the prime minister continued.

Political paralysis prevented any effective handling of the global economic crisis, which hit Ukraine hard.

Voters seemed to lay much of the blame at Mr Yushchenko's door, and by the time of the 2010 presidential election, the Orange Revolution was consigned to history. Mr Yushchenko won less than 6% of the vote in the first round, coming fifth.

Tymoshenko, meanwhile, remained a front-runner, going through to the second round against Viktor Yanukovych.

But much of her previous popularity had evaporated in the intervening five years, and she was beaten.

Despite her protests that Mr Yanukovych's victory was rigged - again - this time international monitors gave the vote a clean bill of health.

She was then ousted by MPs from the post of prime minister, despite her best attempts to cling on.

Forced to go into opposition, she promised to make life for President Yanukovych as difficult as possible, declaring: "We will protect Ukraine from this new calamity that has befallen her."

But many analysts argue that the calamity came earlier, as Tymoshenko and her two main rivals bickered while the country's economy went into freefall.

Successful tycoon

Her supporters have always seen Yulia Tymoshenko as a glamorous revolutionary challenging a corrupt, macho political elite.

Her stinging attacks on the oligarchs who prospered under the pre-Orange Revolution administration of Leonid Kuchma boosted her popularity among many Ukrainians frustrated by years of economic stagnation and corruption.

But critics point out that she made a fortune of her own.

She was born in 1960 in the industrial city of Dnipropetrovsk, in the mainly Russian-speaking east, which is now a stronghold of Mr Yanukovych

Tymoshenko was nicknamed "the gas princess" because of the wealth she acquired in the energy sector. She trained as an engineer and economist in the east and, when the Soviet Union broke up, sought to take advantage of the business opportunities that emerged.

In the mid-1990s she formed United Energy Systems of Ukraine, which helped supply gas to Ukraine's huge industrial base.

By some estimates, she became one of the richest people in Ukraine. She was nicknamed "the gas princess".

Like many tycoons in Ukraine, she sought to become involved in politics, and became part of Mr Yushchenko's government in 1999-2001, pushing through energy sector reforms.

But she fell out with then-President Leonid Kuchma, and after being held in prison for a month on corruption charges, she made it her goal to unseat him, launching a campaign that reached its climax in the Orange Revolution.

[Mar 26, 2014] Ukraine Bonds Rally 10th Day as IMF Talks Soothe Default Concern

"The probability of financial support for Ukraine is increasing because a default would destabilize the country and play into the hands" of Russian President Vladimir Putin, Peter Schottmueller, who manages the equivalent of $3 billion of assets at Deka Investment GmbH in Frankfurt, said by e-mail. "This is positive for hard-currency bonds."

The country, faced with dwindling reserves and the threat of a third recession since 2008, signed the political chapters of an association accord with the European Union on March 21. The developments helped boost the nation's stocks, with the gauge of Ukrainian shares trading in Warsaw climbing 15 percent last week. It fell 0.6 percent today.

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