Territorially Chauvinistic Vladimir Putin
"We are worried by the developments in recent days, which strongly recall preparation for more military actions."
"It was like that in August last year when Ukrainian soldiers received the order to attack. It was like that in January of this year."
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov
"A lot is at stake. If both parties to the conflict do not adhere to the peace process, the military situation could escalate again at any time."
German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier
"We really strongly condemn this escalation of fighting and we call on all sides to cease it and to observe the ceasefire."
Catherine Ray, spokesperson, European Union foreign service
"There can be no mistake about who is responsible: Russia and the separatists are launching these attacks, just as they escalated the conflict last August."
"Efforts by Russia and the separatists to grab more territory will be met with further costs."John Kirby, spokesman, U.S. State Department, Washington
- Ukrainian artillery position near the front line in east Ukraine (Photo: Christopher Bobyn)
We know this because Russia tells us so. And don't we trust Russia, after all?
Kyiv, for its part has accused the rebels of the use of Grad rockets and other barrage weapons in a skirmish that took place a week ago killing seven Ukrainian soldiers, injuring over 40. Kyiv has only threatened to bring back banned weapons should rebels continue their heavy artillery attacks, banned under the cease-fire. So that's the rebuttal to Moscow's blaming the Ukraine government of initiating new violence on the poor rebels.
Moreover, Kyiv has taken to assaulting Russia's credibility in claiming innocence by accusing Russia of inciting to new military action in eastern Ukraine.
New information has been divulged by Ukrainian military authorities, that over 50,000 Russian troops are on or inside Ukraine's borders. An estimated nine thousand Russian Federation Armed Forces personnel are believed to have entered Ukraine, according to Kyiv's National Security and Defense Council. The remainder are stationed in the Rostov region of Russia. Drone footage of what is held to show the construction of a military base inside Ukraine has been released by the Ukrainian Dnipro-1 Battalion.
According to Ukrainian authorities, villages on the outskirts of Mariupol in south-east Ukraine, which is slated for capture by Russian-led forces to consolidate its link with the Crimean Peninsula, were shelled over 850 times in the past week, part of a "significant aggravation". However, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe's international monitors noted "a significant increase in ceasefire violations was observed in [Ukraine] government-controlled areas", over the weekend. No mention that these were in response to earlier rebel violations.
Linas Linkevicius, Lithuania's foreign minister, pointed out that it is Russia which appears to be negating the 'Minsk ceasefire accord'. Vladimir Putin's visit to Crimea on Monday for the purported purpose of promoting tourism as far as he is concerned, represents a deliberate provocation: "Putin‘s trip to Ukraine‘s Crimea and increased fatal violence by separatists look like co-ordinated efforts to undermine Minsk agreements."
Ukrainian president Petro Poroshenko is in complete agreement with the Lithuanian position, stating that the trip to Crimea by President Putin represents "a continuation of the plan to escalate the situation". All of this unsettling instability may appear greatly amusing to Vladimir Putin, causing eastern Europe nervous aggravation over the Russian President's further plans for the geography, and the consternation he causes in his volatile displays of challenge-and-conquer in the region. He appears to be enjoying his status as a dangerous rogue.
Which hasn't harmed his popularity in his own country. Even while he speaks of Crimea's new status as "a mirror of multi-ethnic Russia", respectful of minority rights, despite the unfortunate purge on the Tatar population since Russia absorbed Crimea, though the Tatars are native to the geography, his cynicism reflects his scorn for his adversaries. He speaks of Ukraine being "under external control", in reference to the appointment by Kyiv of three cabinet ministers born outside Ukraine, along with a governor in the Odessa region, born elsewhere.
No solutions to Mr. Putin's territorial ambitions and his raging contempt for his Eastern European neighbours appear the slightest bit in evidence. There is no reining in his penchant for achieving disequilibrium by the nature of his claims and actions geared to unsettling those viewing his volatile and disturbing nature with well-earned alarm.
Linas Linkevicius, Lithuania's foreign minister, pointed out that it is Russia which appears to be negating the 'Minsk ceasefire accord'. Vladimir Putin's visit to Crimea on Monday for the purported purpose of promoting tourism as far as he is concerned, represents a deliberate provocation: "Putin‘s trip to Ukraine‘s Crimea and increased fatal violence by separatists look like co-ordinated efforts to undermine Minsk agreements."
Ukrainian president Petro Poroshenko is in complete agreement with the Lithuanian position, stating that the trip to Crimea by President Putin represents "a continuation of the plan to escalate the situation". All of this unsettling instability may appear greatly amusing to Vladimir Putin, causing eastern Europe nervous aggravation over the Russian President's further plans for the geography, and the consternation he causes in his volatile displays of challenge-and-conquer in the region. He appears to be enjoying his status as a dangerous rogue.
Which hasn't harmed his popularity in his own country. Even while he speaks of Crimea's new status as "a mirror of multi-ethnic Russia", respectful of minority rights, despite the unfortunate purge on the Tatar population since Russia absorbed Crimea, though the Tatars are native to the geography, his cynicism reflects his scorn for his adversaries. He speaks of Ukraine being "under external control", in reference to the appointment by Kyiv of three cabinet ministers born outside Ukraine, along with a governor in the Odessa region, born elsewhere.
No solutions to Mr. Putin's territorial ambitions and his raging contempt for his Eastern European neighbours appear the slightest bit in evidence. There is no reining in his penchant for achieving disequilibrium by the nature of his claims and actions geared to unsettling those viewing his volatile and disturbing nature with well-earned alarm.
Labels: Defence, Rebels, Russia, Threats, Ukraine, Violence
posted by Pieface @ Tuesday, August 18, 2015
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