Georgia: [Ukraine] blockade threat risks escalating conflict

The Times ^ | 8/14/2008 | Tony Halpin

[bruinbirdman]

Ukraine threatened to blockade the Russian Black Sea Fleet yesterday in an act of solidarity with Georgia that risked escalating the conflict.

After flying to Tbilisi to assure Georgians of his country’s support, President Yushchenko signed an order imposing tough restrictions on the Russian fleet, which is based in the Ukrainian port of Sevastopol. Mr Yushchenko’s decree instructs Russia to give 72 hours’ notice of any movement of ships, aircraft or personnel in Ukraine. The Ukrainian authorities were given the power to alter those plans.

The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry had already warned Russia that it will bar ships from returning to Sevastopol if they take part in military action against Georgia. Moscow responded furiously, accusing Ukraine of a “serious new antiRussian step”.

Like Georgia, Ukraine’s pro-Western leadership is seeking membership of Nato in December. The democratic Orange Revolution that swept Mr Yushchenko and Yuliya Tymoshenko, the Prime Minister, to power in 2004 has long been loathed by Vladimir Putin, the Russian Prime Minister.

The Ukrainian Security Council issued a statement yesterday declaring that the presence of foreign warships in its waters “poses a potential threat to Ukraine’s national security, particularly if parts of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet are used against third countries”.

Russia and Ukraine are already at loggerheads over the future of the Crimean base, which Russia must vacate in 2017 under a 20-year lease agreement signed after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Most of Crimea’s population consider themselves to be Russians and are strongly pro-Moscow. Tensions have mounted over calls by politicians in Moscow not to surrender control of the territory, regardless of Ukraine’s wishes. Mr Yushchenko insists that the Black Sea Fleet must leave on time and that there is no prospect of extending the lease.

[AprilfromTexas]

sounds like Yushchenko plans to go down swinging...can’t blame him after they poisoned him during the election a while back

[AprilfromTexas]

...never hurts to be prepared...it’s why I carry a firearm

[nikos1121]

I think it has to do with freedom. These people and those in Iraq have now tasted freedom and a bit of the good life. WHen you take it away from them, they will fight to the death to maintain it.

I think if the peoople of Iran once again regain this, the same will happen there too. People will rise up against the Mullahs.

This really came as something good in a way. Russia was threatening to put strategic bombers in Cuba. NO FRIGGIN WAY NOW. Not one American, except Obama, will allow that to happen and in fact would probably be all for us taking control of that country.

This whole thing is over Georgian oil. Pure and simple...

[AprilfromTexas]

I’m wondering if Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan are the goal, then they have the land bridge to connect with Iran (their politicl ally for the last decade) and control of huge oil and natural gas reserves/pipelines etc all the way into the middle east to the Strait of Hormuz...pretty easy to have the world by the balls if you control that much of the worlds energy sources.

As for the before mentioned nuclear capacity...I suspect they would have their minions in Iran deliver the nukes so as not to leave that footprint for repercussions (along the lines of mutually assured destruction)...just a thought

[redgolum]

This with Musharaff (sp) being forced out of Pakistan, and we are heading for one heck of a war.

[beezdotcom]

At least with European help.

I wouldn't even bet the gum under my desk on that proposition.

[SkyPilot]

She said she persuaded the soldier not to touch her daughter Nino (pictured in front with her face covered).

My God, I hope that is true.....but it sounds (and looks) like they are hiding ugly facts and they are in shock.

Amid promise of peace, Georgians live in terror (Russian Militia Accused of Rape and Looting)

[Tramonto]

Intersting Article(can’t trust soviets though):

Ukraine began military training against Russia in the Crimea

http://209.85.171.104/translate_c?hl=en&sl=ru&tl=en&u=http://evrazia.org/n.php%3Fid%3D3089&usg=ALkJrhgDNuGA5quy-QNcWaovNZT9qLmOLw

[redstateconfidential]

I thought the same thing.

[redstateconfidential]

The Ministry of Propaganda and Truth seems to be in full swing over in Moscow..

[bruinbirdman]

Interesting "Eurasia" source. In Russian?

yitbos

[Tramonto]

I translated it with google from Russian. I haven’t seen any articles about Ukraine preparing for war with Russia. It could be that the soviets are preparing the ground work to claim that Ukraine started a conflict in Crimea. Hopefully not though.

[dr_who]

There is a recurring problem with alliances though. The junior partner tends to be more reckless and tends to pull the big players into conflict with each other. Serbia is the reason Russia got into WWI and subsequently descended into a 70-year communist nightmare.

[M. Espinola]

Putin's Kremlin is a direct threat to global freedom & economic stability.

[bboop]

Thanks for the great map.

[Recovering Ex-hippie]

Nope. cover organizaion of code Pink. Cindy sheehan is running on their ticket.

[bboop]

How very interesting. I had not noticed the NATO Black Sea exercises just so recently. hmmmm.

[bboop]

Great quote from Theodore Roosevelt. Thanks. I will share it with my peace-loving friends.

[bboop]

WOW, what a great speech by Churchill. We just got the 4-part DVD series on him. It is so inspiring. I highly recommend it.

[rmlew]

For what it’s worth, Kiev was the Capitol of Old Russia.
No. It was the capitol of the Kievan Rus, which was a collection of feudal cities. Most of these were ruled by members of the Rurikid dynasty. Ukraine and what would become Russia when their seperate ways after the Mongol invasion. in the 15th century, Moscow began to dominate the former Rus cities under the Mongol yoke. Knyaz (Grand Prince) Ivan IV (Ivan the Terrible) unified and took over areas dominated by the Golden Horde like the Khanate of Kazan. This is when Ivan the Terrible became the first Czar. Ironically, the brutal and deranged tyrant killed his healthy son Ivan Ivanovich, in a fit of paranoid rage. This left Feodor, the quiet retarded one. Czar Feodor 1 was ineffective and was the second and last of the Rurikid dynasty. The Rus is the predecessor of Russia, Ukraine, and Byelorussia. Kiev, not Moscow is it heart.