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Posted on 03/02/2014 12:27:48 PM PST by Rusty0604
Crimea is the frontline of this silent war, writes Roland Oliphant. But in Moscow, the propaganda battle is being played out at full volume
The Russian occupation of central Simferopol and the local airport terminal two days ago was as much for the benefit of the world's media as anything else.
Claims of mass defections in the Russian press, including that of the Ukrainian fleet's flagship, the frigate Hetman Sahaidachny, were impossible to confirm on Sunday evening. Ministers in Ukraine have denied the claims.
Russia's state owned media has broadcast several questionable reports about that Ukraine crisis since it began.
In possibly the most outrageous stretching of the truth so far Vesti, a Russian rolling news channel, on Sunday used old footage from protests in Kiev to claim fighting had broken out between police and revolutionary militants in Crimea.
(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...
Since the Crimea is almost entirely Russophone and in fact was under Russia for most of the last 200 years, I don’t think there will be any fighting. Not there at least.
The rest of Ukraine is a different matter. I’d suspect there’s going to be a partition in its future.
They should have done that back in 93.
70% of the population speak Russian and nearly 60% are ethnic Russian so Moscow’s peaceful takeover of the peninsula was pretty much a foregone conclusion. I don’t see Russian troops being welcomed with flowers and salted bread in Kiev, however.
Russia was in economic doldrums following the Soviet collapse and was a pitiful giant that seemed in danger of breaking up. Russia was forced to make peace on the only terms on offer at the time.
Twenty years later, Moscow scents its moment, treaties and international guarantees be damned. Crimea was simply too good a moving target to relinquish forever.
It was Russia's "Treaty of Versailles"....and we all know what the original led to.
A frigate as a flag ship? Pooty Poot laughs.
5.56mm
don’t see Russian troops being welcomed with flowers and salted bread in Kiev, however.
Correct. And that is where the pedal will meet metal. Methinks Putin will take what he can get without bloodshed. Although, bloodshed really doesn't matter to Vlad.
5.56mm
It was given to the Ukraine by Russia about 60 years ago but at the time Ukraine was part of USSR so it didn’t matter.
You talk as if the U.S.A. guaranteed the integrity of Ukraine's territorial boundaries. Oh, they did by agreement in 1994 in exchange for removing 3000 nukes? Um, never mind.
Was it ever ratified by the Senate?
Unverified report: ( most likely false)
As we have just unofficial sources in the Naval Forces of Ukraine, to the shores of Sevastopol at full speed are two ships the Navy United States.
According to preliminary information, two destroyers carrier battle groups have already passed the Bosphorus.
http://sevastopolnews.info/2014/03/lenta/sobytiya/069215239/
No but the Budapest Memorandum certainly has at least as much credibility in law as any guarantee of Kuwait's territorial integrity and sovereignty.
Crimea was most turk and German until the Soviets starved and deported the true locals.
Soviets relocated thousands of Russians into eastern Ukraine and Crimea after murdering the locals.They are not true locals.They are considered invaders .
No. I’m not one for U.S. intervention, especially with the Obummer in the White House. But other allies are probably looking with great interest at our inaction, in regards to our promises to help defend our friends. Japan is wondering just what would we do if China intervened on Japanese territory. Probably thinking it’s time to count on themselves and go it alone. Just one example.
Yes, I agree. If we had a rational president, this could all be resolved with a meeting between the three parties that signed the Memorandum...the US, the UK and Russia.
But Obama has seriously p’d off the UK, Russia realizes Obama’s out of his very shallow depth, and there’s really nothing we can do. Or maybe nothing we should do.
This is something that could take a diplomatic solution. It’s not even entirely clear to me that even Kiev was 100% behind the nationalists...many of them simply appear not to have liked the Russian-supported president they had in charge and getting him out was their main goal.
Why did the Ukraine give up the third largest nuclear weapons power for a peace treaty with Russian monsters in there backyard.
How naive .
“Blood is a big expense.”
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