Ongoing discussion of Ukraine

[Mor]

A newish "Fact Sheet" was released by US last month, that I just noticed, it was titled: Russian Fiction the Sequel: 10 More False Claims About Ukraine:

 

“No amount of propaganda can make right something that the world knows is wrong.”

– President Obama, March 26

Russia continues to spin a false and dangerous narrative to justify its illegal actions in Ukraine. The Russian propaganda machine continues to promote hate speech and incite violence by creating a false threat in Ukraine that does not exist. We would not be seeing the violence and sad events that we've witnessed this weekend without this relentless stream of disinformation and Russian provocateurs fostering unrest in eastern Ukraine. Here are 10 more false claims Russia is using to justify intervention in Ukraine, with the facts that these assertions ignore or distort.

 

1. Russia Claims: Russian agents are not active in Ukraine.

 

Fact: The Ukrainian Government has arrested more than a dozen suspected Russian intelligence agents in recent weeks, many of whom were armed at the time of arrest. In the first week of April 2014, the Government of Ukraine had information that Russian GRU officers were providing individuals in Kharkiv and Donetsk with advice and instructions on conducting protests, capturing and holding government buildings, seizing weapons from the government buildings’ armories, and redeploying for other violent actions. On April 12, armed pro-Russian militants seized government buildings in a coordinated and professional operation conducted in six cities in eastern Ukraine. Many were outfitted in bullet-proof vests, camouflage uniforms with insignia removed, and carrying Russian-designed weapons like AK-74s and Dragunovs. These armed units, some wearing black and orange St. George’s ribbons associated with Russian Victory Day celebrations, raised Russian and separatist flags over seized buildings and have called for referendums on secession and union with Russia. These operations are strikingly similar to those used against Ukrainian facilities during Russia’s illegal military intervention in Crimea in late February and its subsequent occupation.

 

2. Russia Claims: Pro-Russia demonstrations are comprised exclusively of Ukrainian citizens acting of their own volition, like the Maidan movement in Kyiv.

 

Fact: This is not the grassroots Ukrainian civic activism of the EuroMaidan movement, which grew from a handful of student protestors to hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians from all parts of the country and all walks of life. Russian internet sites openly are recruiting volunteers to travel from Russia to Ukraine and incite violence. There is evidence that many of these so-called “protesters” are paid for their participation in the violence and unrest. It is clear that these incidents are not spontaneous events, but rather part of a well-orchestrated Russian campaign of incitement, separatism, and sabotage of the Ukrainian state. Ukrainian authorities continue to arrest highly trained and well-equipped Russian provocateurs operating across the region.

 

3. Russia Claims: Separatist leaders in eastern Ukraine enjoy broad popular support.

 

Fact: The recent demonstrations in eastern Ukraine are not organic and lack wide support in the region. A large majority of Donetsk residents (65.7 percent) want to live in a united Ukraine and reject unification with Russia, according to public opinion polls conducted at the end of March by the Donetsk-based Institute of Social Research and Policy Analysis. Pro-Russian demonstrations in eastern Ukraine have been modest in size, especially compared with Maidan protests in these same cities in December, and they have gotten smaller as time has progressed.

 

4. Russia Claims: The situation in eastern Ukraine risks spiraling into civil war.

 

Fact: What is going on in eastern Ukraine would not be happening without Russian disinformation and provocateurs fostering unrest. It would not be happening if a large Russian military force were not massed on the border, destabilizing the situation through their overtly threatening presence. There simply have not been large-scale protests in the region. A small number of separatists have seized several government buildings in eastern cities like Donetsk, Luhansk, and Slovyansk, but they have failed to attract any significant popular support. Ukrainian authorities have shown remarkable restraint in their efforts to resolve the situation and only acted when provoked by armed militants and public safety was put at risk. Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) observers have reported that these incidents are very localized.

 

5. Russia Claims: Ukrainians in Donetsk rejected the illegitimate authorities in Kyiv and established the independent “People’s Republic of Donetsk.”

 

Fact: A broad and representative collection of civil society and non-governmental organizations in Donetsk categorically rejected the declaration of a “People’s Republic of Donetsk” by the small number of separatists occupying the regional administration building. These same organizations confirmed their support for the interim government and for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine.

 

6. Russia Claims: Russia ordered a “partial drawdown” of troops from the Ukrainian border.

 

Fact: No evidence shows significant movement of Russian forces away from the Ukrainian border. One battalion is not enough. An estimated 35,000-40,000 Russian troops remain massed along the border, in addition to approximately 25,000 troops currently in Crimea.

 

7. Russia Claims: Ethnic Russians in Ukraine are under threat.

 

Fact: There are no credible reports of ethnic Russians facing threats in Ukraine. An International Republican Institute poll released April 5 found that 74 percent of the Russian-speaking population in the eastern and southern regions of Ukraine said they “were not under pressure or threat because of their language.” Meanwhile, in Crimea, the OSCE has raised urgent concerns for the safety of minority populations, especially ethnic Ukrainians, Crimean Tatars, and others. Sadly, the ethnic Russians most at risk are those who live in Russia and who oppose the authoritarian Putin regime. These Russians are harassed constantly and face years of imprisonment for speaking out against Putin’s regular abuses of power.

 

8. Russia Claims: Ukraine’s new government is led by radical nationalists and fascists.

 

Fact: The Ukrainian parliament (Rada) did not change in February. It is the same Rada that was elected by all Ukrainians, comprising all of the parties that existed prior to February’s events, including former president Yanukovych’s Party of Regions. The new government, approved by an overwhelming majority in the parliament -- including many members of Yanukovych’s former party -- is committed to protecting the rights of all Ukrainians, including those in Crimea.

 

9. Russia Claims: Ethnic minorities face persecution in Ukraine from the “fascist” government in Kyiv.

 

Fact: Leaders of Ukraine’s Jewish as well as German, Czech, and Hungarian communities have all publicly expressed their sense of safety under the new authorities in Kyiv. Moreover, many minority groups expressed fear of persecution in Russian-occupied Crimea, a concern OSCE observers in Ukraine have substantiated.

 

10. Russia Claims: Russia is not using energy and trade as weapons against Ukraine.

 

Fact: Following Russia’s illegal annexation and occupation of Crimea, Russia raised the price Ukraine pays for natural gas by 80 percent in the past two weeks. In addition, it is seeking more than $11 billion in back payments following its abrogation of the 2010 Kharkiv accords. Russia’s moves threaten to increase severely the economic pain faced by Ukrainian citizens and businesses. Additionally, Russia continues to restrict Ukrainian exports to Russia, which constitute a significant portion of Ukraine’s export economy.

Edited May 13, 2014 by Mor

[Zoraptor]

Alt requires an older, original account being hidden behind a newer one. No actual evidence anyone is doing that.

 

I'm mainly still here because I made predictions at the start as to what would happen and it is interesting seeing if I'm right or not- largely right to this point, though I'm rather less happy about it than I may seem- and I'm always fascinated by propaganda and (other) people's (of course, since I'm immune to such things) massive capacity for self deception when following narrative lines.

 

Plus, for much of the last twenty years I've had this nagging feeling that some time in the future we'd wake up and find that we'd totally and unnecessarily asterisked up the end of the cold war and dealings with Russia with trying to grind them into the dirt. Much as Foch (?) said about WW1 what we had was a twenty year armistice, not a peace, and blaming the other side entirely for that is as moronic now as it was then.

 

Yanukovych wasn't deposed by "them", but by majority of all Ukrainian parliament including members of his own party.

 

And yet again. Unconstitutionally- literally against the provisions of the constitution clauses 108-111- while the rada was protected by the same people who recently burned 40 of their compatriots alive in Odessa, and with a third of its members missing. It'd never be accepted as legal were it not done by 'our guys'.

[Malcador]

 

I imagine because this discussion is a joke as outlined by your last line.

Some people are certainly trying to make it into one.

 

No, it pretty much is. Notice how this is just a war with neither side giving much of an inch and being snide ? I mean, you've invented this "team oby" BS.

[Mor]

And yet again. Unconstitutionally- literally against the provisions of the constitution clauses 108-111- while the rada was protected by the same people who recently burned 40 of their compatriots alive in Odessa, and with a third of its members missing. It'd never be accepted as legal were it not done by 'our guys'.

You claim that the vast majority vote to depose Yanukovych wasn't nearly vast enough, do you have anything to support your supposition that he was deposed based on this clauses, and for example not treated as incapacitated due to him fleeing the country during time of crisis? because parroting this doesn't make you a legal expert, this is job for Ukrainian constitutional court. -- The same court the decided that 2004 Constitution that give Yanukovych and his government extended powers was unconstitutional, and more recently that Crimea referendum was illegal.

 

Meanwhile Ukraine is in turmoil, which benefits no one other then opportunistic Russia looking for land grabs, and the only constitutional solution has been layed out long ago - elections.

 

---

 

As for what happened in Odessa, are you again making assumptions based on Russian national news headlines, which so far seem to be bent over on broadcasting pro-Russian narrative as fast as they can instead of waiting for facts. As always I prefer not speculate on what happened in unfortunate circumstances (especially when propagandist and opportunist are at play) only on what led to it and how we can solve it.

 

From the videos I seen it was the camped out Pro-Russian far right activists, that armed themselves with clubs and marched toward pro-Ukrainians instigating this(I don't suppose you have any harsh words for them, no more than you have for the armed militias in the east). Btw if Odessa sounds familiar to anyone, its because you its yet another one of the gems Russia want to lay claims to(like Crimea) and not only due to its strategic value(see the PDF for details):

 

 

here is a nice break down it might not be the most up to date info, or give a great summary of how much stronger Russian, but its a nice strategic overview, with Russian deployment and previous commitments in the region:

 

 

 

Btw:

Chechnya (5). is where they had 2 wars in the last two decades.

Westward is Geogria(3) where they "protected" Russians, making two land grabs almost splinting the country into two.

Westward is Sochi, where recently the olympics where held and billions have been invested in infrastructure in the region.

Westward is Crimea, location of their black sea base and recent land grab "protecting" Russians.

From here Westward is Transnistria(2) another breakaway region where Russia is "protecting" someone for some reason, and Eastward Dotentsk where Russia want to protect ethnic Russians.

 

 

Overall all the scenarios concerning Ukraine that I have seen from a while, suggest that Russia would covertly support, or even engineer, civil unrest throughout south-east Ukraine and use that as a pretext for: securing land corridor to Crimea through Donetsk; or even expanding further its Black sea real estate, capturing Odessa and creating a corridor to Transnistria in Moldova; and likely other targets of opportunity that will present themselves east of the Dnieper River.

 

If you are interested in such stuff, here is a nice detailed article on Russia strategy and concerns from Swedish research agency

http://www.foi.se/Global/Vår%20kunskap/Säkerhetspolitiska%20studier/Ryssland/Briefings/RUFS%20Briefing%20No.22.pdf

 

 

No, it pretty much is. Notice how this is just a war with neither side giving much of an inch and being snide ? I mean, you've invented this "team oby" BS.

Boredom is powerful enemy.. As for team oby, its a simple observation concerning group of people who follow the same Pro-Russia narrative and or angry individuals about the west, with tabloid quality crap and conspiracy links at the ready, while ignoring any and all background data as biased. Edited May 13, 2014 by Mor

[BruceVC]

 

 

I imagine because this discussion is a joke as outlined by your last line.

Some people are certainly trying to make it into one.

 

No, it pretty much is. Notice how this is just a war with neither side giving much of an inch and being snide ? I mean, you've invented this "team oby" BS.

 

 

Sorry Malc but I agree with Mor on this. This topic isn't a joke, some people have invested time and effort into making numerous points that position both sides of the debate. Even if I don't agree with "team oby" I do respect the effort they put into there posts. This is basic debate etiquette

 

The reason why I still participate in this debate is there are still people who have a misinformed perspective around why Russia is doing what it is doing. I feel it is my duty to help them understand the correct context for what is happening in Ukraine  

[Zoraptor]

You claim that the vast majority vote to depose Yanukovych wasn't nearly vast enough

 

Nope. The vote is actually irrelevant, that it was made under duress with a third of the members missing and with Right Sector providing security is simply the cherry on the top that would make the vote invalid under any circumstance. What makes it invalid in the first place is that it was unconstitutional and did not follow the correct procedure by any definition.

 

The constitution of Ukraine is the constitution of Ukraine, like it or loathe it. You need to show how the method used was constitutional. If you cannot, then it was not constitutional. I've shown you the relevant clauses for removing the president, you're free to rebut them. If you can.

 

But wishing it said something different- maybe that the medical grounds was less specific and could be stretched to any absence whatever the cause- is not rebuttal. You won't see me arguing that the separation referenda are constitutional, because they clearly are not. Equally clearly neither was Yanukovich's removal. Fact is fact. You're just going to have to deal with it.

 

As always I prefer not speculate on what happened in unfortunate circumstances (especially when propagandist and opportunist are at play) only on what led to it and how we can solve it.

 

People blame the rightists for Odessa for numerous reasons- they clearly drove people into the building, they clearly set it alight, they clearly used a modus operandi that is a signature of the UPA from WW2, and, clearly, the vast majority of those who died were pro Russian. There isn't any serious disputation about that at all, and most tellingly the rump government and its biggest supporters aren't saying diddly about it, and are instead trying to ignore it since they know it's a loser. That's straight propaganda 101, if you're in the wrong put out your spun version then don't talk about it and hope it goes away. It's the same for Mariupol, if they thought they were in the right they'd never shut up about it, as with them saying continually that the referenda are unconstitutional. If they're in the wrong they'll say as little as possible, and hope that the pictures on BBC/ ITV/ AlJ etc of clearly unarmed people getting shot won't do too much damage or get too many to question things.

[BruceVC]

 

You claim that the vast majority vote to depose Yanukovych wasn't nearly vast enough

 

Nope. The vote is actually irrelevant, that it was made under duress with a third of the members missing and with Right Sector providing security is simply the cherry on the top that would make the vote invalid under any circumstance. What makes it invalid in the first place is that it was unconstitutional and did not follow the correct procedure by any definition.

 

 

 

Wow, I'm confused? The original vote to dispose Yanukovych was illegal but the referendum in Crimea was acceptable and constitutional ?

[Polite_Orc]

 

If anyone here is interested in another opinion. There are some base and obvious reasons, why pro-russian regions decided to separate from Ukraine instead of participation in after-maidan "legitimate" elections between Poroshenko, or Timoshenko, or Jarosh, in a time when Ukraine is "amost ready to live long and happily after the overthrowing of Janukovich regime"
There are english subtitles in options.

[obyknven]

Meanwhile NATO has first loses in Latvia. During Open Spirit 2014 exercise local people beat four NATO sailors in nightclub, one of them is almost dead. If such accidents happened in quite pro-West Baltic states imagine what can happened in Ukraine in case of appearing of NATO "peace-keepers".

http://ru.focus.lv/node/113980

[Malcador]

Sorry Malc but I agree with Mor on this. This topic isn't a joke, some people have invested time and effort into making numerous points that position both sides of the debate. Even if I don't agree with "team oby" I do respect the effort they put into there posts. This is basic debate etiquette

 

The reason why I still participate in this debate is there are still people who have a misinformed perspective around why Russia is doing what it is doing. I feel it is my duty to help them understand the correct context for what is happening in Ukraine

Gee, a surprise you'd agree. People investing time and effort doesn't really mean much at all. You mention debate etiquette (thanks for the laugh) and at the same time rail on about posters just being anti-Western shills (that's what you mean by 'team oby'). And either side is just spitting fire at the other. Entertaining for sure, but not exactly a serious thread.

 

But, oh well, you can keep on with your 'duty'.

[BruceVC]

 

Sorry Malc but I agree with Mor on this. This topic isn't a joke, some people have invested time and effort into making numerous points that position both sides of the debate. Even if I don't agree with "team oby" I do respect the effort they put into there posts. This is basic debate etiquette

 

The reason why I still participate in this debate is there are still people who have a misinformed perspective around why Russia is doing what it is doing. I feel it is my duty to help them understand the correct context for what is happening in Ukraine

Gee, a surprise you'd agree. People investing time and effort doesn't really mean much at all. You mention debate etiquette (thanks for the laugh) and at the same time rail on about posters just being anti-Western shills (that's what you mean by 'team oby'). And either side is just spitting fire at the other. Entertaining for sure, but not exactly a serious thread.

 

But, oh well, you can keep on with your 'duty'.

 

 

Malc the intention of a debate around politics is to inform people, not to make them laugh. But I'm glad I could make you laugh. This is not the desired outcome but a positive development nonetheless

[Malcador]

Ah, right and of course the only information is what you post and link to, everything else is lies and propaganda while yours is untainted.

[Hassat Hunter]

No actual evidence anyone is doing that.

Evidence isn't really required here by some people.

 

I mean, it's been over a month since the East rebelled, and STILL there is no proof of the Russians being present, yet a lot of people seem adamant they are there. Where's the proof. Surely in a month that should have surfaced, right?

After all, all the other "proof" comes in a few days after the event.

[IndiraLightfoot]

Just an observation: Polite_Orc posts his first post about Goblin News. I'm not sure if a troll or anything like that, but one thing is indeed fishy: After having made that post he/she is on a post count of 0. Wow! I didn't know that was possible. I've got a feeling a mod is playing some trick on us or the entire Obsid forums have been hacked or it's some clever overlay avatar. Nonetheless, very weird!

[Hassat Hunter]

Posts in Way-off-Topic don't count towards post count... you didn't know?

 

And yeah, I find it fishy too, so I ignore it just like I do oby... they are not the sources for my points of view or information.

[IndiraLightfoot]

Heh! I knew that, and still I draw that conclusion! That's how daft I can be at times.

[Malcador]

Also, he's an orc. Never listen to an orc.

[Polite_Orc]

 I'm not sure if a troll or anything like that, but one thing is indeed fishy: After having made that post he/she is on a post count of 0. Wow! I didn't know that was possible. I've got a feeling a mod is playing some trick on us or the entire Obsid forums have been hacked or it's some clever overlay avatar. Nonetheless, very weird!

That's because Ghost of Communism doesnt need such thing as count of posts!

 

Just an observation: Polite_Orc posts his first post about Goblin News.

Name of the author is Dmitry Puchkov, he's famous russian translator and sort of famous russian public leader.

He is also famous in the Internets as Goblin since he was a translator of the LOTR trilogy in russian language, hence the name of the news - Goblin News.

People of my tribe call this phenomenon as "sence of humour".

 

Also, he's an orc. Never listen to an orc.

That sounds racist.

[ShadySands]

 

Also, he's an orc. Never listen to an orc.

That sounds racist.

 

 

They have bad PR

 

Orcs and goblins get cast as the bad guy even more than Russians* do

 

 

*Not usually actual Russians just guys putting on a bad accent

Edited May 13, 2014 by ShadySands

[Polite_Orc]

They have bad PR

 

Orcs and goblins get cast as the bad guy even more than Russians* do

Well, that's a shame for a situation like this exist in the modern multi-cultural society. I can't argue with the PR matter, however

the bad guy even more than Russians* do

 

*Not usually actual Russians just guys putting on a bad accent

Wait, what about Ivan Dolvich and Ivan Danko?

[BruceVC]

 

 I'm not sure if a troll or anything like that, but one thing is indeed fishy: After having made that post he/she is on a post count of 0. Wow! I didn't know that was possible. I've got a feeling a mod is playing some trick on us or the entire Obsid forums have been hacked or it's some clever overlay avatar. Nonetheless, very weird!

That's because Ghost of Communism doesnt need such thing as count of posts!

 

Just an observation: Polite_Orc posts his first post about Goblin News.

Name of the author is Dmitry Puchkov, he's famous russian translator and sort of famous russian public leader.

He is also famous in the Internets as Goblin since he was a translator of the LOTR trilogy in russian language, hence the name of the news - Goblin News.

People of my tribe call this phenomenon as "sence of humour".

 

Also, he's an orc. Never listen to an orc.

That sounds racist.

 

 

Interesting post around Dmitry Puchkov and his credentials. Thanks for sharing

[ShadySands]

 

They have bad PR

 

Orcs and goblins get cast as the bad guy even more than Russians* do

Well, that's a shame for a situation like this exist in the modern multi-cultural society. I can't argue with the PR matter, however

the bad guy even more than Russians* do

 

*Not usually actual Russians just guys putting on a bad accent

Wait, what about Ivan Dolvich and Ivan Danko?

 

[Zoraptor]

Wow, I'm confused? The original vote to dispose Yanukovych was illegal but the referendum in Crimea was acceptable and constitutional ?

 

Yes Bruce, I can confirm that you are... confused. From the same post you quoted, two asterisking lines further down

 

You won't see me arguing that the separation referenda are constitutional, because they clearly are not.

 

And that is why people are convinced you're a troll. I just wish you'd go back to at least putting some effort into it.

[Tagaziel]

They have bad PR

Don Throgg 2016.

[Mor]

@Zoraptor, again dancing on the convenient plausible, at least this one is better than your usual vague, ungrounded generalities. But, I specifically mentioned that 2004 constitutional (which gave Yanakovish extended powers), which took several years for the constitutional court to deem illegal. My bottom line was that it always Ukrinian internal matter (not a pretext for Russia make land grabs)

 

More importantly, the president took a "leave of absence", during a national crisis that went out of control, and was deposed by the vast majority of all Ukrainian parliament, the speaker was named acting president in the transition period and early elections date was set. There were no changes to parliament. However, instead of deescalating the situation, restoring stability and public confidence by allowing Ukraine to deal with its issues and those who responsible for the event through the legal framework and electing a new government. The situation was escalated through fear mongering by a certain interested part, for its own gains strategic gains:

 

 

....Here is summary of the points, on which I based my opinion on the issue:

Russia still has the Cold War mentality, blaming the loss of power and status following the break up of the Soviet Union on the west, which portrayed some times almost as its "arch enemy". Russia showed desire to return to the old days, and repeatedly warned against NATO enlargement/expanded cooperation with former Soviet republics. Russia ended up intervening under various pretexts in all those Soviet republics who cooperated with NATO and haven't been brought to heel (i.e. Ukraine, Georgia, Moldova, and other seem to brewing), creating "breakaway" region and making direct real estate grabs in tightly grouping in the Black-sea region, which Russia considers as pivotal connector between central Europe and the Balkans in its revival mood.

 

Russia has vested strategic interest in Ukraine joining their Euroasian economic union, playing the buffer zone, playing their energy export pipeline and playing their forward base in the black sea. I recent years Ukraine tried to assert its sovereignty, to become more than a satellite state like Belarus, this caused contention in all the above aspects and Russia using its regional uncontested monopoly power to pressure them in line.

 

Russia has been supporting the president Yanukovych since before 2004. While the orange revolution led to deterioration of the relations between Russia and Ukraine. Notably for Ukraine choosing to go with "western development" and opening the prospect of joining NATO and EU, which was seen as dangerous and against Russian interest. But despite Russia applying pressure for years, Kiev has given little in terms of political concessions to Moscow, until Ukraine put its own head in the noose, bogged down by mismanagement and corruption(despite the big proclamations during the orange revolution) unable to fix its economical problems and unwilling to make unpopular reforms Yanukovych was ready to make 180 for a big pile of cash from Russia. But the popular movement against Yanukovych which led to him being deposed put end to Russia hopes.

 

Russian government control all of its major mass media outlets, in what can be characterized as state-run one-sided affair, at least in relation to issues critical of the government. To put thing in perspective, on the world arena Russia is featured at the bottom of freedom of press ranks and at the top of censorship.(most recently using recent internet censorship laws against "pedophiles" to block opposition websites - as suspected). More importantly Ukraine has large ethnic Russian population, many of who used news in Russian

So yes in my opinion, Russia had exploited the crisis in Ukraine for its own gains. F***ing up Ukraine as it consolidated its losses by securing its strategic goals i.e. the real estate grab in Crimea, and possibly seeking to creating a new buffer zone in the East Ukraine. (Crimea is cut off from the main land and need either cooperative Ukraine or Eastern Ukraine in Russia pocket)

 

 

Russia and its national state media, helped to destabilize the situation in Ukrainian, toward its own goals, by pushing a certain easy stereotypes: Svoboda, the smallest opposition party, from Yanakovish unchanged parliament, has been portrayed as the illegal/Nazi face of the interim government; Red sector, who no one heard off (or cared about) during the Euromaiden, are the thugs who were drawn to the violence during the riots(the police said to be using their own - titushky), the guys who now one are sympathetic toward them, has been portrayed as true face of the government, and an umbrella term for any act of violence that can be labeled as anti-Russian; last West/NATO has been portrayed as the puppet masters playing as part of information campaign, playing on the old cold war sentiments, which are still fresh in many ethnic Russians minds and groomed by Russian media. ;

 

Much of the rumor, exaggeration and fabrication that were shoveled by Putin daily for all its worth, helped build those stereotypes and spread fear mongering, inciting the Pro-Russian verity of right-wing thugs, throwing the country from a riot in square in kiev, into the brink of civil war with Pro Russia armed militias who set up check points, round up journalists and blow up helicopters. (btw those thugs, they manged to organized really fast, into "spontaneous", "local", "self defense" groups, who in Crimea was using equipped by Russian hardware and manage to take operational control over Crimea better then most armies..., outside of Crimea, the strongest "spontaneous" acting is in region which are strategically important to Russia, not in other region where you might expect similar acts and at least in dotenzk seem to be well organized in their execution)

Edited May 14, 2014 by Mor