Thursday, February 27, 2014

Ukraine: A Deeper, Browner Storm Coming?

Craziness continues in Ukraine.  The Euromaidan is making progress in stabilizing the government.

Crimea remains recalcitrant and has cops everywhere (see video below).  The Russian flag flies.


Turchynov is on his way to Crimea to reach a settlement.

Yatsenyuk has reported over $70 billion has been transferred out of the country.  $37 billion were from the state coffers.  Where it went is being tracked down.

Yanukovich has returned!  Sorta.  He was in Russia.  It seems he was in Moscow and has been flown to Rostov-on-Don.  He had a fighter escort from the Russian air force.  He will be holding a news conference tomorrow.

The Russian military has stepped up their 'exercise.'  They are now flying combat patrols on the Ukrainian border.  General Shoigu is in charge of the exercises.  The reported size of the army is 150,000.  Yes, DC, its an army.

Putin claims he will respect the territorial integrity of Ukraine.  The question is whether he will respect her in the morning.

Russia still considers Yanukovich to be Ukraine's President.

Yatsenyuk is Prime Minister officially.

The US and Europe and the IMF are all offering aid to Ukraine.

China is condemning the West for "Cold War thinking" over Ukraine.


My concern here is that Yanukovich will be riding at the head of an army to restore him.  Ukraine will be "independent," but with Russian puppet strings.  I give it a 50:50 chance. 

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