Edgy calm as Ukraine port town waits for Russian-backed onslaught

[Lite Beer]

Edgy calm as Ukraine port town waits for Russian-backed onslaught

The hospital in Novoazovsk was destroyed by shelling on Wednesday. Photo AFP

MARIUPOL, UKRAINE: With pro-Russian rebels threatening at the gates, fighters loyal to Kiev in Mariupol are having to face a hard truth: they will be unable to save this vital port city alone.

“We’re the only ones here,” sighs ‘Botsman’, the leader of one unit in the Azov volunteer battalion trying to hold out as pro-Russian rebel forces sweep west.

From a promontory above the Azov Sea, in the “no man’s land” between the two lines, he can see Novoazovsk, a seaside town just across the bay captured by the rebels on Wednesday (August 27) after days of fierce fighting.

Since it fell, this south-eastern port city has felt like a place awaiting its fate.

“The Ukrainian army has pulled back,” says ‘Panther’, a fellow loyalist fighter covered in tatoos who identifies himself as a “Ukrainian nationalist”.

The situation, says Botsman, is getting bad.

Alexander Zakharchenko, prime minister of the separatist’s self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic, has recently laid his cards on the table about Mariupol.

“We don’t plan on storming the city tomorrow, or even the next day, but we will be going in in the near future,” he has said.

While Mariupol waits, there is an uneasy calm. Just behind the last roadblock held by the army, hundreds of people have gathered, many dressed in the sunflower yellow and sky blue of Ukraine’s national flag.

In the fields beside them, a series of trenches are being dug to try to halt any future advance into the city from the east, while soldiers sing “Ukraine is not dead”.

The other slogans tell of a population still proudly loyal to Kiev, even as the tide in the east seems to be turning against them.

“Glory to Ukraine,” and “Putin out”, shout some of the fighters. “Agents of the Kremlin: know that Mariupol is Ukrainian”, echo the crowd.

The mood among fighters is equally defiant, but matched with an awareness that as things stand, it would not take long for them to be outgunned.

Botsman, a Russian by blood and a veteran of the war in Chechnya, says he is here to fight Russian President Vladimir Putin.

He starts to go through the list of what the pro-Kiev fighters need: tanks, drones, heavy artillery, up-to-date-maps, a less-chaotic form of leadership.

“As you can see, what we have here is hardly the top-grade material” on show at the Kiev military parade, he says, sardonically.

The Azov battalion is said to be one of the most radical nationalist groups fighting in the area. They won Mariupol back from the separatists in June.

If the town falls again, it will be the second notch for the separatists along this southern coast. Another few hundred kilometres, and the path reaches Crimea, the region annexed by Russia in March.

As well as its strategic importance, the loss of the town would be a symbolic blow for Kiev, whose army has been pushed back over the last week from the south-eastern front.

“It is the last big town in the region under Ukrainian control, home to half a million people,” the commander of the Azov battalion, Andrey Biletsky, says.

He admits that there are few official troops and tanks now here, but insists that the situation is not yet “critical”, and says he is confident “the army will send reinforcements”.

Panther is convinced that they are up not just against pro-Russian rebels but regular Russian troops as well. Asked how he rates their chances, his assessment is glum.

“We can hold them off, but for how long? We don’t have the strength to beat them.”

Another difficulty is that even in this pro-Kiev bastion, not everyone is with them. Their flags are sometimes painted red by pro-Moscow locals among the population.

Biletsky says it is clear “that part of the population here no longer supports Ukraine, but we cannot abandon those who are depending on us.”

On Saturday, things were calm between the lines of Mariupol, the loyalists of Novoazovsk, and the separatists fighting to defeat them.

Botsman thinks their enemies are afraid of the mines, or are considering, instead, an attack on Olenivka to the north.

“If they take Olenivka, the northern road to Mariupol will also be open,” he says. “And if they take Mariupol, they will not stop.”

On the other side of the front, about 30 kilometres (20 miles) away, a fighter called “Svat” guards the pro-Russian position. “We wait,” he says, although he doesn’t add what for.

Source: http://www.thephuketnews.com/edgy-calm-as-ukraine-port-town-waits-for-russian-backed-onslaught-48484.php

-- Phuket News 2014-08-31

[FracturedRabbit]

Shame the media hasn't balanced this with many "town waits for American backed onslaught" headlines over the years.

[BATHIK]

Rebels will probably wait for a "political solution", they can liberate the cities but they can't occupy them. Without public opinion behind them they won't storm Mariupol, perhaps they will try to negotiate save passage out for Azov battalion first.

[konying]

Rebels will probably wait for a "political solution", they can liberate the cities but they can't occupy them. Without public opinion behind them they won't storm Mariupol, perhaps they will try to negotiate save passage out for Azov battalion first.

They already did that, on request of "bad" Putin, to grant all Ukrainian personnel safe passage home.

Rebels agreed, providing, all weapons are left behind, so it can not be used against them.

Really makes you wonder who is the bad guys in the conflict

[BATHIK]

Rebels will probably wait for a "political solution", they can liberate the cities but they can't occupy them. Without public opinion behind them they won't storm Mariupol, perhaps they will try to negotiate save passage out for Azov battalion first.

They already did that, on request of "bad" Putin, to grant all Ukrainian personnel safe passage home.

Rebels agreed, providing, all weapons are left behind, so it can not be used against them.

Really makes you wonder who is the bad guys in the conflict

Was Mariupol included in that offer? I didn't think so.

It wasn't about being good guys, they simply surrounded more people than they can handle. What else can they do? Build huge POW camps? Pretty soon Ukrainians will realize that they aren't under any actual threat, short of starving to death several months down the road.

[konying]

Rebels will probably wait for a "political solution", they can liberate the cities but they can't occupy them. Without public opinion behind them they won't storm Mariupol, perhaps they will try to negotiate save passage out for Azov battalion first.

They already did that, on request of "bad" Putin, to grant all Ukrainian personnel safe passage home.

Rebels agreed, providing, all weapons are left behind, so it can not be used against them.

Really makes you wonder who is the bad guys in the conflict

Was Mariupol included in that offer? I didn't think so.

It wasn't about being good guys, they simply surrounded more people than they can handle. What else can they do? Build huge POW camps? Pretty soon Ukrainians will realize that they aren't under any actual threat, short of starving to death several months down the road.

Lol, more than they can handle?

Yeah, put them all under guard or keep on fighting , you think Ukrainian military would show the same kindness?

They beat and burn people alive, Odessa is a prime example.

Not sure what areas were included, fact still remains "rebels" are willing to grant safe passage for Ukrainian personnel who do not wish to stay and fight.

Same can not be said for other side, other side does not even want to let humanitarian aid through for the civilians.

Edited August 31, 2014 by konying

[Wat dee]

Been in Russia few times. Not sure if the pic is before or after ?

[BATHIK]

Lol, more than they can handle?

Realistically, what can they do with five thousand people if they all decide to surrender? They do not have the facilities nor manpower to detain and support them. And for how long? Until the war is over? Sending them back to Ukraine is the best available option.

[arisaje]

Rebels will probably wait for a "political solution", they can liberate the cities but they can't occupy them. Without public opinion behind them they won't storm Mariupol, perhaps they will try to negotiate save passage out for Azov battalion first.

They already did that, on request of "bad" Putin, to grant all Ukrainian personnel safe passage home.

Rebels agreed, providing, all weapons are left behind, so it can not be used against them.

Really makes you wonder who is the bad guys in the conflict

Im not sure i am following your guys thread here.... because you are talking about Ukrainians being given safe passage, but from where to where?.......all of these parties, Ukrainian civilians, Ukrainian soldiers and the Russian Soldier/Russian Backed-Rebels are all in UKRAINE....already.

This is Ukrainian land and Ukrainian Cities......if Russian 'speaking' nationals want to be part of Russia, pack up and move to Russia. Why try to annex a part of Ukraine....other than the fact that Putin is stirring this whole scenario, creating chaos there because he doesnt want the EU to accept Ukraine now or in the future. Putin doesnt care about those people, he doesnt care who dies, he only cares about grabbing land and creating a buffer zone.

[edokhv]

Russian speaking nationals live there just like three, four, five generations of their ancestors and for some 'bone' head to make a comment that they should move to Russia is dumb

[konying]

Rebels will probably wait for a "political solution", they can liberate the cities but they can't occupy them. Without public opinion behind them they won't storm Mariupol, perhaps they will try to negotiate save passage out for Azov battalion first.

They already did that, on request of "bad" Putin, to grant all Ukrainian personnel safe passage home.

Rebels agreed, providing, all weapons are left behind, so it can not be used against them.

Really makes you wonder who is the bad guys in the conflict

Im not sure i am following your guys thread here.... because you are talking about Ukrainians being given safe passage, but from where to where?.......all of these parties, Ukrainian civilians, Ukrainian soldiers and the Russian Soldier/Russian Backed-Rebels are all in UKRAINE....already.

This is Ukrainian land and Ukrainian Cities......if Russian 'speaking' nationals want to be part of Russia, pack up and move to Russia. Why try to annex a part of Ukraine....other than the fact that Putin is stirring this whole scenario, creating chaos there because he doesnt want the EU to accept Ukraine now or in the future. Putin doesnt care about those people, he doesnt care who dies, he only cares about grabbing land and creating a buffer zone.

Russian army in NOT in Ukraine, its a fiction created by US and Ukrainian president.

Ukrainian forces are given safe passage from eat back to where ever they wish to go

Russian speaking nationals are Ukrainian citizens and have been for decades

Russian speaking Ukrainians are not Russian.

Leader of the "rebels" is a Ukrainian.

Not all people are Nazi's in Ukraine and not all want to be under Nazi regime.

[Publicus]

*A good guide to judging how close a person is to the Kremlin position on Ukraine is how often and how loudly s/he informs you that “fascists” are running that country.*

http://20committee.com/2014/07/03/meet-russias-new-international-brigades/#ixzz39jg1FB5S

Edited August 31, 2014 by Publicus

[konying]

*A good guide to judging how close a person is to the Kremlin position on Ukraine is how often and how loudly s/he informs you that fascists are running that country.*

http://20committee.com/2014/07/03/meet-russias-new-international-brigades/#ixzz39jg1FB5S

One just needs to use common sense, little computer skills and good pair of glasses .

Svoboda is a nationalistic party, plenty of evidence in google .

Militia wears yellow armbands with nazi swastika.

But you keep on reading US propaganda , so it's easier to sleep at night

[Pakboong]

Kiev just released the 10 Russian paratroopers who wandered across the border by mistake. They were actually flown to Kiev initially but now are back in Russia. These are the only 10 Russians proven to have entered Ukraine. Simultaneously, the Russians released 63 Ukrainians who also stumbled into Russia by mistake.

[BATHIK]

Im not sure i am following your guys thread here.... because you are talking about Ukrainians being given safe passage, but from where to where?.......all of these parties, Ukrainian civilians, Ukrainian soldiers and the Russian Soldier/Russian Backed-Rebels are all in UKRAINE....already.

This is Ukrainian land and Ukrainian Cities......if Russian 'speaking' nationals want to be part of Russia, pack up and move to Russia. Why try to annex a part of Ukraine....other than the fact that Putin is stirring this whole scenario, creating chaos there because he doesnt want the EU to accept Ukraine now or in the future. Putin doesnt care about those people, he doesnt care who dies, he only cares about grabbing land and creating a buffer zone.

Rebels would say that this land is not Ukraine but a territory of Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics.

In Russian Empire times, land from Lugansk in the west, along the sea to the south and all the way to Moldova in the west was called Novorussia and was ruled directly from Saint Petersburg, not Kiev. It was incorporated into Ukrainian SSR only after communist revolution.

Let's say Ukrainian nationalist have legitimate reasons to reject Russian/Soviet domination, why don't they return the land given to them by these evil communists then? They want their cake and want to eat it, too?

People of Novorossia have never had this "independent Ukraine" identity and never severed their connection to Mother Russia.

How about this quote about the sentiment there:

"The shock wave of the local leaders’ separatist calls has hit the whole region. They demand federalization; they want to live according to their own laws.."

The funny part is that it's from an article published in KyivPost TEN YEARS AGO. It starts with "The Soviet poison still hasn't dispersed in a Ukrainian backwater.."

[arisaje]

Rebels will probably wait for a "political solution", they can liberate the cities but they can't occupy them. Without public opinion behind them they won't storm Mariupol, perhaps they will try to negotiate save passage out for Azov battalion first.

They already did that, on request of "bad" Putin, to grant all Ukrainian personnel safe passage home.

Rebels agreed, providing, all weapons are left behind, so it can not be used against them.

Really makes you wonder who is the bad guys in the conflict

Im not sure i am following your guys thread here.... because you are talking about Ukrainians being given safe passage, but from where to where?.......all of these parties, Ukrainian civilians, Ukrainian soldiers and the Russian Soldier/Russian Backed-Rebels are all in UKRAINE....already.

This is Ukrainian land and Ukrainian Cities......if Russian 'speaking' nationals want to be part of Russia, pack up and move to Russia. Why try to annex a part of Ukraine....other than the fact that Putin is stirring this whole scenario, creating chaos there because he doesnt want the EU to accept Ukraine now or in the future. Putin doesnt care about those people, he doesnt care who dies, he only cares about grabbing land and creating a buffer zone.

Russian army in NOT in Ukraine, its a fiction created by US and Ukrainian president.

Ukrainian forces are given safe passage from eat back to where ever they wish to go

Russian speaking nationals are Ukrainian citizens and have been for decades

Russian speaking Ukrainians are not Russian.

Leader of the "rebels" is a Ukrainian.

Not all people are Nazi's in Ukraine and not all want to be under Nazi regime.

The Russian military is not in Ukraine?.......are you serious!

Do you think the Pro-Russian Rebels are Ukrainian Soldiers, do you think that all the military hardware they have was bought at a local weekend market.

NATO has shown evidence of 1'000s of tanks, trucks and other armour on the border with Ukraine and now......most of it is in Ukraine. But you are saying its not Russian?

Must be American i supposed, those pesky Americans planted all that equipment in Russia overnight to set them up.....and then gave it all away to the rebels.

My god, Russians really are pretty stupid....thinking that the World believes their crap.

[arisaje]

Im not sure i am following your guys thread here.... because you are talking about Ukrainians being given safe passage, but from where to where?.......all of these parties, Ukrainian civilians, Ukrainian soldiers and the Russian Soldier/Russian Backed-Rebels are all in UKRAINE....already.

This is Ukrainian land and Ukrainian Cities......if Russian 'speaking' nationals want to be part of Russia, pack up and move to Russia. Why try to annex a part of Ukraine....other than the fact that Putin is stirring this whole scenario, creating chaos there because he doesnt want the EU to accept Ukraine now or in the future. Putin doesnt care about those people, he doesnt care who dies, he only cares about grabbing land and creating a buffer zone.

Rebels would say that this land is not Ukraine but a territory of Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics.

In Russian Empire times, land from Lugansk in the west, along the sea to the south and all the way to Moldova in the west was called Novorussia and was ruled directly from Saint Petersburg, not Kiev. It was incorporated into Ukrainian SSR only after communist revolution.

Let's say Ukrainian nationalist have legitimate reasons to reject Russian/Soviet domination, why don't they return the land given to them by these evil communists then? They want their cake and want to eat it, too?

People of Novorossia have never had this "independent Ukraine" identity and never severed their connection to Mother Russia.

How about this quote about the sentiment there:

"The shock wave of the local leaders’ separatist calls has hit the whole region. They demand federalization; they want to live according to their own laws.."

The funny part is that it's from an article published in KyivPost TEN YEARS AGO. It starts with "The Soviet poison still hasn't dispersed in a Ukrainian backwater.."

Well this isn't uncommon in a lot of parts of the world....independence isn't an automatic right of people who don't understand how countries, economies and laws work. Just decide one day we don't like this government so lets separate and join the country next door?

Similarly to Scotland wanting independence from the UK. Do you see any tanks, shooting or shelling? Nope, they work it out peacefully.

Russia however does NOT want peace there. My point was that Russia is purposely creating that conflict because it does NOT care about the people it says are Russian speakers, they don't care if they live or die unfortunately....they are please to have a conflict to put Europe off welcoming Ukraine.

Russia would welcome this conflict for along time to come.

[BATHIK]

Well this isn't uncommon in a lot of parts of the world....independence isn't an automatic right of people who don't understand how countries, economies and laws work. Just decide one day we don't like this government so lets separate and join the country next door?

Similarly to Scotland wanting independence from the UK. Do you see any tanks, shooting or shelling? Nope, they work it out peacefully.

"Just one day decide" is not what happened in Ukraine. A year ago everything was alright, then there was a series of unfortunate events that brought us where we are. Even half a year ago it was possible to settle everything constitutionally but after ATO there will be no peace with Kiev.

They had their elected president overthrown, twice. Look at this map - over 90% in Donetsk and Lugansk voted for Yanukovich, even higher than in Crimea:

They did not recognize post-Maidan government, and why should they? Maidan revolutionaries, however, thought that if they take government seat in Kiev the rest of the country must unconditionally bow to their authority. They didn't even try to reach out, they reserved the right to protest only for themselves. Even until now they do not realize that someone might genuinely not like them and want to be governed differently, they still do not see people of Donbass as citizens of their country but as terrorists who should be exterminated and "real" Ukrainians liberated from their rule, and if they like Russia so much they should just leave.

It's nothing like UK and Scotland there.

Can you imagine something like this in London? What do you think Scots would do if English pulled a stunt like that on them? There's something seriously not right in the Ukrainian head.

[konying]

The Russian military is not in Ukraine?.......are you serious!

Do you think the Pro-Russian Rebels are Ukrainian Soldiers, do you think that all the military hardware they have was bought at a local weekend market.

NATO has shown evidence of 1'000s of tanks, trucks and other armour on the border with Ukraine and now......most of it is in Ukraine. But you are saying its not Russian?

Must be American i supposed, those pesky Americans planted all that equipment in Russia overnight to set them up.....and then gave it all away to the rebels.

My god, Russians really are pretty stupid....thinking that the World believes their crap.

Thousands huh?

Care to show the evidence for "thousands of tanks"

Do you have any idea what you talking about at all?

Edited September 2, 2014 by konying

[hawker9000]

Shame the media hasn't balanced this with many "town waits for American backed onslaught" headlines over the years.

An American backed onslaught by Ukranians in their own country?? What exactly should the media "balance" this inescapable truth with? Some crackpot conspiracy theory about how the U.S. wants to make the Ukraine its 51st state? 'Wants to control the diamond mines nobody's talking about yet in the Ukraine? 'Wants to keep some super-secret bio-lab from falling into Russian hands? Lol.

[arisaje]

Well this isn't uncommon in a lot of parts of the world....independence isn't an automatic right of people who don't understand how countries, economies and laws work. Just decide one day we don't like this government so lets separate and join the country next door?

Similarly to Scotland wanting independence from the UK. Do you see any tanks, shooting or shelling? Nope, they work it out peacefully.

"Just one day decide" is not what happened in Ukraine. A year ago everything was alright, then there was a series of unfortunate events that brought us where we are. Even half a year ago it was possible to settle everything constitutionally but after ATO there will be no peace with Kiev.

They had their elected president overthrown, twice. Look at this map - over 90% in Donetsk and Lugansk voted for Yanukovich, even higher than in Crimea:

They did not recognize post-Maidan government, and why should they? Maidan revolutionaries, however, thought that if they take government seat in Kiev the rest of the country must unconditionally bow to their authority. They didn't even try to reach out, they reserved the right to protest only for themselves. Even until now they do not realize that someone might genuinely not like them and want to be governed differently, they still do not see people of Donbass as citizens of their country but as terrorists who should be exterminated and "real" Ukrainians liberated from their rule, and if they like Russia so much they should just leave.

It's nothing like UK and Scotland there.

Can you imagine something like this in London? What do you think Scots would do if English pulled a stunt like that on them? There's something seriously not right in the Ukrainian head.

But that isn't why they wanted Yanukovich out of office though.....it was because Ukraine was in billions of dollars of debt, including $4b to the Russians......but Yanukovich, his family and his colleagues were syphoning off money to the tune of more than $11b. His own son was worth morse than $3b in less than 4 years in business.

He was being protected by Russia.....at the same time as the country owed billions and all along Yanukovich was using the debt was as an excuse to bond even closer to Russia.

Thats why he was forced out of office. Even just as recent as last week there were still members of Yanukovich's previous government still in office.....so Kiev were willing to start a-fresh with out a thieving, lying President running the country.

Even you map above, showing the country has split opinions on closer ties with Russia......doesn't make it alright for Russia to invade and take what they deem is theirs? That is Ukraine it isn't Russia.

Can you imagine the UK traveling round the world taking back land and countries from the previous days of the Empire.....just because they speak English??

[arisaje]

The Russian military is not in Ukraine?.......are you serious!

Do you think the Pro-Russian Rebels are Ukrainian Soldiers, do you think that all the military hardware they have was bought at a local weekend market.

NATO has shown evidence of 1'000s of tanks, trucks and other armour on the border with Ukraine and now......most of it is in Ukraine. But you are saying its not Russian?

Must be American i supposed, those pesky Americans planted all that equipment in Russia overnight to set them up.....and then gave it all away to the rebels.

My god, Russians really are pretty stupid....thinking that the World believes their crap.

Thousands huh?

Care to show the evidence for "thousands of tanks"

Do you have any idea what you talking about at all?

Pretty easy to read and research through the papers.....Russia mobilising 1/5 of its heavy armour and tanks totalling in excess of 800 vehicles, not including support trucks 300+, fuel tankers, armoured personnel carriers 500+ etc.

Common sense would tell you that having 30,000 to 40,000 troops on the border....would mean that they sure as hell aren't walking there.....so they certainly need more than a 1,000, probably nearer to 5,000 vehicles to move them all in.

Unless they use bicycles...

[arisaje]

The Russian military is not in Ukraine?.......are you serious!

Do you think the Pro-Russian Rebels are Ukrainian Soldiers, do you think that all the military hardware they have was bought at a local weekend market.

NATO has shown evidence of 1'000s of tanks, trucks and other armour on the border with Ukraine and now......most of it is in Ukraine. But you are saying its not Russian?

Must be American i supposed, those pesky Americans planted all that equipment in Russia overnight to set them up.....and then gave it all away to the rebels.

My god, Russians really are pretty stupid....thinking that the World believes their crap.

Thousands huh?

Care to show the evidence for "thousands of tanks"

Do you have any idea what you talking about at all?

Russia, which annexed Crimea from Ukraine in March, has deployed 45,000 soldiers, 160 tanks and as many as 1,360 armored vehicles, a Ukrainian military spokesman, Andriy Lysenko, told reporters in Kiev today. There are also 192 Russian warplanes and 137 military helicopters, as well as artillery systems and multiple rocket launchers, he said.

This was from 3 weeks ago, Bloomberg International...now they have even more to the south while opening up another front 02.09.14

[hawker9000]

Ukraine WILL eventually fall to the Russians. Virtually all IF NOT all of it. The Baltics, as members of NATO, should be militarily "tripwired" NOW. Part of the problem with the Ukraine, I imagine, is that any direct involvement leading to Russian casualties, such as airstrikes, could be construed as American-on-Russian - an escalation I'm quite sure Obama isn't prepared to face. Putin even admits the Russians are there - an interesting "ball's in your court now, Barack" play. Nothing the prez can say - and he could say most anything - will make any difference. Putin well knows who he's dealing with. The Russians are obviously deeply embedded with the "separatists", and Putin is no doubt using them in somewhat the same way Hamas uses ITS human shields. That just makes this all a matter of time for the Ukraine. Time to get ahead of the game for what's coming after. The world disparaged American leadership; OK the world certainly got its wish in Obama. So OK, World, YOU do something!

[BATHIK]

But that isn't why they wanted Yanukovich out of office though.....it was because Ukraine was in billions of dollars of debt, including $4b to the Russians......but Yanukovich, his family and his colleagues were syphoning off money to the tune of more than $11b. His own son was worth morse than $3b in less than 4 years in business.

He was being protected by Russia.....at the same time as the country owed billions and all along Yanukovich was using the debt was as an excuse to bond even closer to Russia.

Thats why he was forced out of office. Even just as recent as last week there were still members of Yanukovich's previous government still in office.....so Kiev were willing to start a-fresh with out a thieving, lying President running the country.

Even you map above, showing the country has split opinions on closer ties with Russia......doesn't make it alright for Russia to invade and take what they deem is theirs? That is Ukraine it isn't Russia.

Can you imagine the UK traveling round the world taking back land and countries from the previous days of the Empire.....just because they speak English??

I'm sure they had their reasons to force Yanukovich out of office, the reaction of pro-Russian regions, however, was to the rise of ugly Ukrainian nationalism, not just removal of their elected president.

That's where Maidan revolutionaries seriously miscalculated, they thought the rest of the country would just roll over.

They have talking heads on TV saying things like "Donbass is just our resource, we should first think how it serves the interests of Ukraine, not pro-Russians, one and a half million people in Donbass are totally useless anyway and many of them, sorry to say, need to be exterminated".

Just like that - exterminated.

It's just one more example how the US would throw its weight behind truly despicable elements as long as it temporarily serves their interests. Taleban, Libya, Syria, ISIS, now Ukraine - they never seem to learn anything.

[Pakboong]

I am tired of bringing up how big the BRICS play actually is. The Russians are coming to get a completely bankrupt country that would put the world into a major bind which would very likely become WW3. I am shocked that people have a hard time understanding why Putin does not want to deal with the Ukraine right now and why the west wants him to attack right now. The west has a huge motive for getting Russia into a fight with the US and Russia has a huge motive to not get into a fight.

Try and understand why Putin would make the "two weeks" comment. The context of the comment was he has no interest right now and if he did it would only take 2 weeks.

There is no real evidence that Russians are attacking Ukraine and if they did want to attack Ukraine there would be no way to mistake it for something else. If and when they do want to take the Ukraine, we all will know and not have to watch it on the 6 o'clock news.