Posted on 03/24/2015 3:27:24 AM PDT by Berlin_Freeper
When Alexander Zhitinev left in November to fight with the pro-Russia separatists in eastern Ukraine, winter had just begun unleashing its fury on the wind-lashed steppe of this impoverished 18th century frontier town.
Zhitinev's work as a mechanic had dried up because laid-off metalworkers could no longer afford their cars. His family was surviving on about $250 a month from his wife's job as a hospital cook.
Zhitinev, 39, and a friend, Ilya Borisov, left their families behind, lured more by the promise of $2,600 a month than by the vision of their recruiters for a return of Russia's czarist imperial glory.
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
Russia and Ukraine are peas in a pod, economy- and corruption-wise. The difference is Russia has a continent's worth of resources in oil, gas, gold, and so on. Take away Russia's mineral resources, and it becomes a super-sized, nuclear-armed Ukraine.
It really depends on the government. Ukraine's previous leaders have been Putin clones, competence- and ethics-wise, except Ukraine isn't, unlike Russia, the Saudi Arabia of the north, vis-a-vis natural resources. South Korea was the agrarian part of Korea, yet grew to dwarf its northern counterpart. It comes down to leadership. Ukraine doesn't need a genius to take the reins - someone like any of Central Europe's leaders will do.
It's a combo of not wanting to get killed and perhaps hoping to benefit from Russia's immense natural resources if the two countries merge*. Until Ukrainians show they are willing to fight and die in large numbers, the West will be largely hands-off. It took 100K dead on both sides in Syria within a year before Uncle Sam started making noises about supplying the rebels. A year after hostilities commenced, the death toll in the Ukrainian conflict is under 10K. This is more a shoving match rather than an all-out knock-down conflict.
* Without oil and gas, Russia's GDP per capita would be pretty close to Ukraine's.
How do you spell “Spetnaz”? Also, neo-fascist Russian motorcycle gangs are now being recruited by Putin to serve as shock troops in Ukraine. There was an article about the leader of one such group the other day. Full of tattoos and leather like “Sons of Anarchy”.
Yes, there are neo-fascist Russian groups and most are being allowed to function in both Russia and Ukraine as long as they don’t interfere with Putin’s activities.
Some of the best high-ranking East German cabinet officials during the 1950’s-60’s were former Nazi SS officers (i.e. Ernest Grossmann, Deputy Commandant of Sachsenhausen Concentration/Work camp), and others.
Information on them was given to me by the late Simon Wiesenthal (Vienna Documentation Center) which included captured Nazi Party/SS membership cards and both the English & German editions of “Former Pankow Nazis in the Service of East Germany” or similar German edition title, and “Former Nazis in the Service of the East German Government”.
Based on documents seized by the pro-democracy International Association of Jurists from Nazi/SS offices before the Russians could get to them (which they would use to blackmail Nazis into serving for Stalin/MKVD/KGB or face the firing squad).
Ah, the truth about the Cold War you won’t read about in American history books.
Putin has no troops on the Chinese border.
Sounds like a battle of political attrition and propaganda, as to whose government will topple first. of course injecting accusations of Ukrainian. nazi is only meant to cause disloyalty or mistrust in Ukraine or, more effectively, NATO. The same peace process on Israel is used as a front for toppling the patriotic structure, one brick at a time.
What isn’t widely recognized is how much money Ukraine spent on Crimean infrastructure after the Russians ceded it to them. The industrial areas that the Russians are decimating were an economic basket case before Russia invaded. They were a drain on the budget.
Ukrainian politician Tatiana Montyan has opinion that mainstream of Ukrainian events is oligarchic clans raiding each other assets. War always was reliable way to solve somebody’s financial problems.
Old Russian saying is when lords are fighting haircut of serfs suffers.
At 100 miles away because of a bilateral treaty, they’re not on the border itself, but they’re not there for show.
So Ukrainian budget is better balanced now while Russian one is basket case.
The “Negros” bit is part of ongoing joke. Russian agitprop presented a witness who saw Negroes dancing on an armored personnel carrier.
First column is the date, second column are the reserves in USDs (in millions) As of March 2015, $360 B
That will never be for as long as their elites pursue similar policies, but Russia has a continent's worth of natural resources. Think Saudi Arabia vs Yemen. Similar cultures, but one has oil whereas the other, mostly sand.
Actually we now have the 300 plus bipartisan House vote in favor of helping Ukraine with arms, etc. Any chance the Senate won’t also approve, or that Obama would veto?
The Ukrainians now have an American woman as their finance minister. I think she was born in the Midwest to Ukrainian parents. She was working at an NGO when Ukrainians streamed into Kiev to protest the previous president’s move away from the EU.
Poroshenko this morning:
“Cynical Banderites, armed thugs in military fatigues have been robbing,cowardly murdering Ukrainians”
WOW....
Poro about to go after the Nazi’s.
Grab your popcorn, this could be fun!!!
“Anti-Terrorist Operation” announced for the Odessa region, to start immediately.
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