generalspeaking

Russian Rage

"The anti-constitutional coup in Kyiv and attempts to artificially impose a choice between Europe and Russia on the Ukrainian people have pushed society toward a split and painful confrontation."
Russian President Vladimir Putin

Some things have gone as planned, for Vladimir Putin. His and the Kremlin's fury over the removal of Viktor Yanukovych, their man in Kyiv, led Russia to provoke and slander the Ukrainian government, one of Mr. Putin's chief aides going so far as to denounce Ukrainians as "Nazis". Which certainly goes a long way to establishing diplomacy in the deteriorating relations between the two countries.

Of course, it has been the Russians who have behaving like fascists, for the most part, infiltrating their provocateurs and security agents and military personnel across the border into Ukraine to incite the ethnic Russian population of Ukraine in the eastern sectors to agitate for autonomy and even secession in a broadstroke counterattack responding to their loss of command of the situation where Ukraine has been steadily moving toward linking with the European Union.

A rejection that Moscow has not taken lightly. With the signing of the trade treaty, establishing President Petro Poroshenko's pre-election promises as reality, Russia has been beside itself with inchoate fury. As though they have more to feel injured over than Ukraine which has seen its stronger, pugnacious neighbour unilaterally annex Crimea, an act of international piracy.

That Russian-speaking areas of eastern Ukraine remain mired in turmoil and defiance, claiming themselves to have declared themselves to be officially a state of their own prepared to join with Russia, presents the depth of the harm that Russia has deliberately forced upon Ukraine. The newly signed trade pact is expected to create billions of dollars in income for Ukraine eventually, though it will have to conform to more rigorous Western production standards in return.

Russia is witnessing its domination of Ukraine's economy seeping away into the reality of Ukraine's new partnership with the EU. The European Union leaders had taken care to insist that nothing in the deal would be harmful to Russian interests, but the very fact is that Mr. Poroshenko has stated that trade is just the first step. Full membership in the EU "would cost the European Union nothing, but would mean the world to my country", he stated unequivocally.

A Moscow spokesman set aside the possibility that the split would lead to immediate retaliation on the Kremlin's part in reflection of a painful confrontation. Consequences, he said darkly however, would follow "as soon as negative consequences arise for the economy". Undeterred, President Poroshenko is determined to free Ukraine from Russian oppression. While at the same time maintaining that there is no reason why the two countries could not continue trade and reasonable discourse.

Other than the fact that Moscow does not tend to be reasonable when it sees its power structure slipping beyond its control, and it does not take kindly to former satellites defying its will.

Labels: Aggression, Conflict, European Union, Russia, Secession, Trade, Ukraine

posted by Pieface @ Monday, June 30, 2014