Putin takes victory lap to annexed Crimea

[Lite Beer]

Putin takes victory lap to annexed Crimea

SEVASTOPOL: President Vladimir Putin took a victory lap Friday in his first visit to Crimea since its annexation by Russia, as fighting in eastern Ukraine left more than 20 dead just days ahead of a separatist vote.

The visit drew a sharp rebuke from authorities in Kiev, who accused the Russian strongman of stoking tensions with his visit to Sevastopol, home to Russia's Black Sea fleet.

"This provocation once again confirms that Russia deliberately seeks further escalation of tensions," the foreign ministry said, calling the visit a "flagrant violation of Ukraine's sovereignty".

The White House also condemned the trip, with National Security Council spokesman Laura Magnuson saying it "will only serve to fuel tensions".

NATO head Anders Fogh Rasmussen called the visit "inappropriate" given Crimea's "illegal, illegitimate" annexation.

With unease high ahead of an independence vote planned for Sunday in parts of eastern Ukraine, fighting between Ukrainian troops and pro-Moscow militants erupted in the southeastern port city of Mariupol.

An attempt by around 60 rebels armed with automatic weapons to storm the city's police headquarters turned into a "full-scale military clash" when army and interior ministry troop reinforcements arrived, Interior Minister Arsen Avakov said on his official Facebook page.

He said the death toll from the near-two-hour combat stood at 20 rebels and one policeman, while another four policemen were wounded and four rebels were captured.

Witnesses in Mariupol told AFP the fighting was ferocious and involved an exchange of automatic gunfire and shelling from eight armoured vehicles.

The police headquarters was gutted by fire and, after the battle, firemen were at the scene trying to extinguish the flames.

- 'Awful lot of shooting'-

"There was an awful lot of shooting," said an eyewitness who gave his first name as Aleksandr.

In Sevastopol, Putin reviewed Russian ships in the bay, hailing the sailors on board with a "Hello comrades!" as he congratulated them on Friday's 69th anniversary of the Soviet victory over the Nazis in World War II.

Putin said 2014 "will go down in history" as the year when the "historic truth" of Crimea as part of Russia was recognised.

"Much work remains ahead, but we will overcome all difficulties... because we are together. And that means we are even stronger," Putin told a cheering crowd.

Russia's annexation of Crimea in March set off the worst diplomatic crisis in the West's relations with Moscow since the end of the Cold War.

It has been followed by uprisings and fighting in eastern Ukraine that have raised concerns of a civil war erupting on Europe's doorstep.

Despite a surprise call from Putin this week to delay independence referendums, rebels holed up in more than a dozen towns and cities in eastern Ukraine vowed to press ahead with votes this Sunday that are bound to increase tensions.

Putin flew to Sevastopol after overseeing the traditional Victory Day parade in Moscow's Red Square.

Addressing some 11,000 troops who marched alongside tanks, armoured vehicles and mobile missile systems, Putin hailed Russia's "all-conquering patriotic force".

The Soviet Union's victory over Nazi Germany 69 years ago has long been a source of great pride throughout the ex-USSR, which lost some 30 million citizens during World War II.

In contrast to the display of military hardware on Red Square, Ukraine held muted Victory Day celebrations in a bid to avoid violence.

The head of Kiev's city council banned large-scale public gatherings or parades in the capital, fearing that the veterans could be attacked by "Russian provocateurs".

A short ceremony was held in the presence of Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk, several former presidents and a few dozen veterans in the city's main park.

Their chests bulging with medals, the veterans marched with flowers in their hands but the atmosphere was subdued.

- 'Celebration ruined' -

"Today's celebration has been ruined. We cannot celebrate the victory as usual because of the political situation," said one of the veterans, Vasyl Kupchenko.

Previous violence in Ukraine in recent weeks saw 14 troops killed, three helicopter gunships downed and 66 servicemen injured in assaults on the rebels. The fighting also claimed the lives of more than 30 insurgents.

Clashes that resulted in a horrific inferno in the southern port city of Odessa last week claimed another 42 lives, most of them pro-Russian activists.

Unrest was also reported Friday in the eastern city of Donetsk, with pro-Russian militants saying two of their number were wounded by brief gunfire from Ukrainian troops stationed at a sanatorium on the outskirts of the city. The troops withdrew from the area after talks, they said.

The Ukrainian prosecutor's office said it was also investigating the death of an Orthodox priest allegedly shot eight times at a rebel checkpoint in the Donetsk region on Thursday.

The crisis in Ukraine kicked off after the ouster of the country's pro-Kremlin president Viktor Yanukovych in February and the West is counting on a presidential election on May 25 to stem the chaos.

The violence has prompted many Western politicians to warn that the country of 46 million people is slipping towards a civil war.

In a phone call with US Secretary of State John Kerry on Friday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stressed the need for the "rapid launch" of talks between Kiev and regional authorities in eastern Ukraine.

The Russian foreign ministry said in a statement that Moscow urged Washington to "work with Kiev to achieve the end of military operations in the southeast (of Ukraine), the release of political prisoners and amnesty for protesters."

Accusing Russia of backing pro-Moscow militants, the United States and European Union have imposed sanctions on Putin's inner circle. EU ministers are to meet on Monday to consider further measures.

-- Phuket News 2014-05-10

[ABCer]

Ah, the politics language! Never get a chance to forget it!

Kiev cancels 9 May parade to prevent "Russian provocateurs" attacking WWII veterans? Or Neo-Nazi provocateurs attacking everybody else indiscriminately?

Russian Commander in Chief greets the troups in a hot spot (Sevastopol Base) on occasion of WWII victory. Funny Ukrainian Illegitimate Government sees it as provocative together with US and NATO leaders.

Scandinavian Nationals being Totally Neutral in good tradition of their's just lend their names to NATO and NSC of USA. Probably still holding the grudge for Poltava and Narva?

The 'subdued ruined' celebrations of the few veterans in Ukraine 'President's' presence with their chests 'bulging with medals'. Can not be celebrated as usual for political reasons? Depends on those medals they were wearing.

I can smell the propaganda roses again!

But the essence of this nonsense goes almost unnoticed - the civil war is on.

Hundreds of victims on both sides.

Civil wars may be declared or not but they are often more bloody than others.

[khwaibah]

Job well done. Ring a bell? Down the crapper Iraq went.

[Jingthing]

Interestingly the Russian entry in Eurovision (which is being strongly BOOED for obvious reasons) is being seen as a celebration anthem for the Russian land grab in Crimea ... and perhaps beyond:

“Living on the edge/ closer to the crime/ cross the line a step at a time.”

http://wiwibloggs.com/2014/03/25/russia-tolmachevy-sisters-crimea/44173/#

[Morch]

Interestingly the Russian entry in Eurovision (which is being strongly BOOED for obvious reasons) is being seen as a celebration anthem for the Russian land grab in Crimea ... and perhaps beyond:

“Living on the edge/ closer to the crime/ cross the line a step at a time.”

http://wiwibloggs.com/2014/03/25/russia-tolmachevy-sisters-crimea/44173/#

Is "Shine" the Russian word for "Doublemint"?

[stoffel45]

Question.

If the EU had not interfered in the sovereign affairs of the Ukraine - would Russia have 'annexed' the Crimea?

[schondie]

I can't quite remember if the western media rebuked U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Victoria Nuland and the U.S. Ambassador to the Ukraine for meeting the protesters last December. Thought not.

I see some textbook propaganda in the article and feel sorry for the types of people who can't see or feel a difference between impartial reporting and this sort of "reporting".

[Jingthing]

Putin still is what he is ... a repressive dictator who doesn't respect the sovereign borders of OTHER nations.

[malm1943]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

Putin still is what he is ... a repressive dictator who doesn't respect the sovereign borders of OTHER nations.

Who does? The Europeans Powers took lands not theirs, e.g., Palestine, North & South America, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa (until 1994), etc.

[Pakboong]

As much as I hate the idea of war with Russia and China, this guy has us figured out and must be stopped. If BRICS is allowed to mature, we may not be able to stop him. Sadly, today is the best day to get it started, tomorrow may simply be too late.

[rickirs]

Putin takes a victory lap over Russia's illegal invasion of Ukraine and annexation of Crimea. Then on June 6, 2014 Putin will participate in the 70th anniversary of D-Day at the previous invitation of the US and European nations. This was a Germany that used outright invasion and annexation of peaceful nations feed its empire. Time to uninvite Putin.

[marcusd]

Question.

If the EU had not interfered in the sovereign affairs of the Ukraine - would Russia have 'annexed' the Crimea?

yes I think so. Cri.ea is and always has been militarily important. They always thought it as their land and hated Ukraine having it under Ukrainian control

Marcusd. Via tapatalk

[folium]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

Putin still is what he is ... a repressive dictator who doesn't respect the sovereign borders of OTHER nations.

Who does? The Europeans Powers took lands not theirs, e.g., Palestine, North & South America, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa (until 1994), etc.

Care to name a piece of sovereign territory, belonging to another nation, annexed by a western (ie US, Canada, western European) nation since 1945?

That is the game changer. There are plenty of examples of invasions and occupations in the last 60 years but actually invading another country and then annexing that piece of territory is a game changer.

[Pakboong]

Putin still is what he is ... a repressive dictator who doesn't respect the sovereign borders of OTHER nations.

I really have no problem with Putin. He is doing what I would do in his situation. Go directly to our weakness and exploit it to the extent that he can. He can have our economy on the ropes very soon if he is not stopped. He is being patient. He is not ready for war and he well knows it. We have to act before he gets ready. It is kind of like knowing that Vince Lombardi was the greatest NFL coach ever but he coached the wrong team. As a Baltimore Colt fan in the late 50's and early 60's I pulled against the Packers and it had nothing to do with Lombardi.

Whether he is a dictator or not doesn't matter all that much, dictatorship is simply one form of governing and nobody can prove that it is not the best way. Democracy has never really been that successful. These, IMO, are the toughest of times and I don't honestly think we have the best coach so, we'll simply have to play a better game even if it means preemptive action.

[jonesthepost]

Putin still is what he is ... a repressive dictator who doesn't respect the sovereign borders of OTHER nations.

Putin is a great man and leader

[folium]

Putin still is what he is ... a repressive dictator who doesn't respect the sovereign borders of OTHER nations.

Putin is a great man and leader

....and France's entry in the Eurovision Song Contest was pure class.

http://www.economist.com/node/12987598

http://larussophobe.wordpress.com/putinmurders/

and it goes on....

[Scott]

Off-topic posts and replies deleted.

Please stay on topic.

[folium]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

Putin still is what he is ... a repressive dictator who doesn't respect the sovereign borders of OTHER nations.

Who does? The Europeans Powers took lands not theirs, e.g., Palestine, North & South America, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa (until 1994), etc.

Care to name a piece of sovereign territory, belonging to another nation, annexed by a western (ie US, Canada, western European) nation since 1945?

That is the game changer. There are plenty of examples of invasions and occupations in the last 60 years but actually invading another country and then annexing that piece of territory is a game changer.

Well to fill in the blank...

The only "western" nation to annex territory since 1945 is Israel who annexed East Jerusalem in 1967 (though it could be argued that Jordan had already annexed the West Bank and E. Jerusalem from Palestine), and more significantly/undoubtedly Israel annexed the Golan Heights, part of sovereign Syrian territory, in 1981.

Perhaps that might partially explain the stunning silence from Netanyahu since Russia invaded and annexed Crimea.