Monday, May 05, 2014

Ukraine: Situation Dire

Ukraine edges closer and closer to a civil war.  Except that's not an accurate description, really.  There is another model which fits better.  And, no, its not exactly a foreign invasion either.

Time after time, foreign nationals have been identified as the ones doing the provocations.  These are folks sent in from Russia to 'help their brothers in Ukraine.'  These foreign nationals, these alien forces, the Little Green Men, have been the ones causing most of the problems.  Yes, truth be told, there are locals, the levees we've heard of on the intercepted calls.  However, the vast majority of this is on the hands of those LGM.

With the phone intercepts, the equipment identification and in several cases, IDing the actual LGM through their social media presences, its pretty obvious they are supported and directed by Russia.  Yet, they are not Russian flagged troops by any means.

It "can't" really be called a civil war then: since this is less about Ukrainian vs Ukrainian.  Has there been a situation in recent memory where a nation has supported insurgents in another nation to further their foreign policy goals, even to potentially annex that territory?

Why, yes, actually, and I am surprised no one else has drawn this parallel:the Kargil War.  it seems Russia was actually paying attention to that mess and how to improve upon the process with some Soviet twists.

Odessa is worse off.  The pro Russians mobbed a police station where around 70 of their number were being held.  Clashes in Odessa have been rising and the turn of events there does not look good for Ukraine.

The LGM have trotted out lots of guns in Donetsk and seized Kostyantynivka.

New provocations have started in Kherson and Kharkov.

Donetsk is planning a referendum on May 11th to secede from Ukraine.  This is to be followed by a referendum on May 18 to join Russia.  The Ukrainian presidential election is supposed to be the 25th.

The status of the counteroffensive by the Ukrainian army is in doubt.  There's little news other than more clashes outside of Slavyansk and battles in Kramatorsk.


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