Free Republic

Russia has issued a call for the remaining Ukrainian soldiers that have been surrounded in Pakovsk and Kian to surrender, noting that they have no chance of survival. And it doesn't seem as though the NATO alliance or Kiev is too concerned about the situation on the front lines as they seem more concerned about Zalinsk's latest photo op. not realizing the importance of some of these final Ukrainian strongholds and just how quickly Kiev's defensive lines are crumbling. So, what does all of this mean for the ongoing conflict and how could the possibility of tomahawks being introduced by...

<p>MOSCOW -- The allies of Russian President Vladimir Putin won a historic victory in elections at the weekend, giving the Kremlin effective control of the Duma, or lower house of parliament, for the first time since the fall of the Soviet Union. Mr. Putin's allies in the United Russia party gained most at the expense of the Communist Party, which continued to wither. But the elections also contained two much less savory aspects: a huge protest vote from those who have yet to benefit from his rule, and a collapse in support for the only parties committed to Western-style liberalism.</p>