Breaking News: Russian Troops Intervening in Ukraine Elections

Private Email from Election Observer in Ukraine | 11/23/2004 | Bob Schaffer

[ModelBreaker]

From: Bob Schaffer

Sent: Tuesday, November 23, 2004 12:10 PM

Friends: some of you know I am in Ukraine as an election monitor. The presidential election was Sunday. There was rampant cheating and falsification reported throughout the country. I can't go into all details of election. I'm using a blackberry to communicate with lots of USA people, news agencies and Ukrainians. Please check news sources on the Ukrainian election background if you're not familiar. Also, I'll be regularly updating the Denver Post. They're setting their web site to post my updates.

Here's the latest:

Russian special forces dressed in Ukrainian Special forces uniforms are in Kyiv. Ukrainian militia have been instructed by the mayor to protect the people from the Russian troops. Ukrainian militia have established a hotline for Ukrainians to report any incidents with the Russians and pledged to protect Ukrainians. These Russians flew into Ukraine this morning. They're now surrounding the administration buildings they say "to protect Kuchma (the outgoing president and his PM Yanukovich). Following is a chain of email messages I've been sending by blackberry. Please pass along to others. Bob Schaffer

-------

PETER: PLEASE SEE UPDATES BELOW. GETTING QUITE SERIOUS NOW. OUR EMBASSY'S PHONES ARE DOWN AND WE'RE NOT SURE THEY'RE AWARE OF THE NEWS OF RUSSIANS (SEE BELOW). YES, PLEASE SEND INFO TO ANYONE YOU CAN, ESPECIALLY PRESS. BOB

---------- Dan: is there anything you can do to alert someone in the Denver media to look at news coming out of Ukraine? I know this isn't our normal "beat," but this seems quite serious here. I'll paste below a message I just sent to a ukrainian group. I've been updating several people by blackerrying them events from the street and from the local news. Bob

---------- Yes. I'm safe for now. Demonstrators are reassembling in Kyiv. They're coming back stronger than yesterday coming in from the rest of the country. The authorities are trying to stop them. Cars and busses are being stopped by police at the outskirts of the city. The authorities have scattered road spikes on inbound lanes to stop traffic/protesters. People are walking down the highways to protest. Trains into the city have been stopped.

The parliament is meeting now but without the president's supporters or the Communists. After several speeches, they called Yushchenko to the podium to swear him in as the new president (escorted to the podium with guards). The Rada Speaker Litvin walked out. Then the TV station (only one station covers anything about the election and it only covers 30% of the country) went off then cut to news and footage from earlier in the day. This is similar to the revolution in Georgia.

It seems the opposition has now claimed control of the parliament and most likely named Yushchenko as the president. He walked to the podium with a Bible and a copy of the oath in his hand. 300,000 pro-Yushchenko supporters are in the city square and watched what I described above on a jumbo TV. They're celebrating what they believe is their new president. Provocateurs are infiltrating the crowd. Special forces are said to be moving in to disband the crowd. This is now a clearly declared revolutionary effort. A confrontation seems unavoidable now.

It's very tense here. School has been cancled (again) for tomorrow. I'll report more as I learn it.

Now we hear Yushchenko is headed to the city center to address the masses. His lieutenants will be giving instructions to the people outside the Rada building on "what to do."

Telephones in the outlying towns have been shut off.

Now we hear there are Russians in Ukrainian special forces uniforms.

I'll report more as I learn it. May God bless and protect Ukraine and her people.

A representative of the Greek Catholic Church (a man who appeared to be a priest -- dressed as one) announced at the demonstration that he was speaking on behalf of the Greek Catholic Churchn the Kyiv Patriarchiat and several Protestant denominations (Lutheran was the only specific one I heard but there were several others). He said this coalition of churches recognizes Yushchenko as president.

Yuschenko is now leading 1 million people from the square and surrounding streets to the administration headquarters of the Ukrainian government. He is in front of the column and many fear he is vulnerable to getting shot. They should be at the steps in 15 mins. Keep in mind, this is where the Russian special forces are stationed, dresses in Ukrainian garb.

If violence comes to define this revolution it will likely be within minutes.

The Georgian President (surrounded by Orthodox priests) just appeared on Ukrainian TV congratulating and encouraging the opposition supporters and "President" Victor Yushchenko. He spoke in Ukrainian which is very significant.

The Russian special forces just stopped the crowd approaching the administration headquarters.

Bob

Sent via BlackBerry

[ModelBreaker]

This is an email from Bob Schaffer. He is a three term congressman from Colorado and recently ran against Pete Coors for the Republican Senate nomination in CO. He's a solid guy and has been a specialist in the Ukraine.

Bob is serving as an election monitor and sends us these startling developments. Apparently the Russians are intervening in the Ukraine with Russian troops dressed as Ukrainians to turn over the results of the election.

He has asked that we publicize these developments widely. Have at it FREEPERS

[AuH2ORepublican]

If you hear anything new, please keep us updated.

[anniegetyourgun]

FoxNews was reporting that there was to be a meeting tomorrow morning for - supposedly for transition. Pics on the news looked like the protesters were remaining calm....at least at that point.

Aren't international monitors also confirming fraud and corruption? This doesn't look good - either for Ukraine, or for the US/Russian relations.

[Norman Bates]

Forgive me. Who's the good guy and who's the bad guy again?

[Pastnowfuturealpha]

Okay - so tell us something, if you can, about Yushchenko?

I know about the Russians(where they come from) - but what about this guy - who backs him (what power or "money")- if you know -

Thanks -

[Momaw Nadon]

This sounds series!

[Travis McGee]

Holy Moly!

[Velveeta]

"Apparently the Russians are intervening in the Ukraine with Russian troops dressed as Ukrainians to turn over the results of the election."

[Billthedrill]

BTT. Will follow this closely.

[Dog Gone]

Best I can tell, the election results need overturning since the fraud was outrageous. I'll defer to more-informed Freepers, because I'm basing it on only two news articles I've read on the situation.

[prairiebreeze]

So the Russians are said to be behind the opposition? Am I understanding this correctly?

[McChordwatcher]

Just to clarify,Yanukovich (supported by the party in power) appeared to have won. I believe that *he* is the one being supported by Russia and, according to the report, by their military.

Yushchenko is the challenger who lost by 3 percentage points but has the people marching in the street.

His reasoning? The exit polls said he won, but the ballots did not. I do not know enough about the supposed fraud to know the truth, but this kind of sounds familiar, no?

[prairiebreeze]

Ok, thanks. I thought those were the circumstances but after reading this email thought I might have gotten it wrong.

[streetpreacher]

PING

[streetpreacher]

Are we sure these are Russian Troops or is it possible that Kerry/Edwards' 10,000 lawyers took a wrong turn somewhere?

[calenel]

"the election results need overturning since the fraud was outrageous"

I had also heard that the election was massively fraudulent. But I thought that the "winner" was the guy backed by the Russians. Why would they be intervening to overturn the election when their guy "won"? Something is wrong here. There is a missing piece.

[monkeywrench]

I read that George Soros is behind Yushchenko.

[Capt. Tom]

Yanukovich would be the Russian's favorite (Putin) and
Yuschenko would probably be supported by the USA.

The exit pols showed Yushchenko (USA) to be the winner. The ballot count showed Yanukovich (Putin) to be the winner.

Charges of vote fraud are being backed up by hundrreds of thousands protesting in the streets. - Tom

[Eva]

All these problems with Russia makes it very apparent that Condi Rice is the right choice for Sect'y of State, with her expertise in Soviet relations.

[Dog Gone]

Not really. If the population is about to go ballistic, they are there to protect their guy in the allegedly fraudulent victory.