[andyt]

They are certainly living in interesting times. I hope things go well for them. Seems to me that Russia has the Ace here - gas, which the EU needs as well as Ukraine.

[Jabberwalker]

The Russians have turned the taps off ... surprise, surprise.

[saturn_656]

Jabberwalker Jabberwalker:

The Russians have turned the taps off ... surprise, surprise.

That's one reason why the Russians may come out on top. They have the will to play hardball while a stiff wind would knock the EU on its arse.

[Jabberwalker]

saturn_656 saturn_656:

Jabberwalker Jabberwalker:

The Russians have turned the taps off ... surprise, surprise.

That's one reason why the Russians may come out on top. They have the will to play hardball while a stiff wind would knock the EU on its arse.

The E.U. could become a genuine superpower if they weren't so tribal and fractious.

[BartSimpson]

martin14 martin14:

Not much of a cease fire...

Police snipers taking potshots at protestors... it is NSFW.

Time to start killing police snipers. Period.

The cops would knock that sh*t off PDQ once a serious counter-sniper campaign started up. Yep, it's all fun and games when they're shooting at unarmed civilians but it's no fair! when the snipers start getting their brains blown out the back of their heads.

[BartSimpson]

Jabberwalker Jabberwalker:

The E.U. could become a genuine superpower if they weren't so tribal and fractious.

The same will soon be said of the USA.

[Jabberwalker]

BartSimpson BartSimpson:

martin14 martin14:

Not much of a cease fire...

Police snipers taking potshots at protestors... it is NSFW.

Time to start killing police snipers. Period.

The cops would knock that sh*t off PDQ once a serious counter-sniper campaign started up. Yep, it's all fun and games when they're shooting at unarmed civilians but it's no fair! when the snipers start getting their brains blown out the back of their heads.

This is reminding me more and more of the early days in Sarajevo. This will go to a bad place, fast.

[BartSimpson]

Jabberwalker Jabberwalker:

This is reminding me more and more of the early days in Sarajevo. This will go to a bad place, fast.

I won't rule that out. The real friction here is between actual Ukrainians and Russian colonists who want to see the country partitioned. Putin wants to see the country partitioned, too, because he wants the Crimea back as part of Russia. This is mostly due to that the Black Sea Fleet still has its strategic bases in the Crimea and Putin knows that if he loses them then he loses any influence or access in the Mediterranean, too.

So Putin is manipulating the situation in Ukraine to his benefit and NATO and the EU are likely doing what they can to aid the Ukrainians to prevent the theft of their territory by Russia.

[bootlegga]

Jabberwalker Jabberwalker:

This is reminding me more and more of the early days in Sarajevo. This will go to a bad place, fast.

I'd like to think that the international community would step up quicker this time than it did for Sarajevo (and the Balkans), but if history is any guide, that won't be the case.

[andyt]

Russia wouldn't allow it.

[BartSimpson]

This just became a civil war. Damn. Look for the Russians to send in troops to secure their bases - naturally securing their bases will require occupying half of the country.

http://en.interfax.com.ua/news/general/190981.html

$1:

Executive committee of Lviv region's council decides to take power in region in its hands

The executive committee of the Lviv region's council, the People's Rada, is assuming full responsibility for the fate of the region and citizens, the Lviv region's council said in a statement.

"The regime has begun active military action against people […] Dozens of people have been killed in Kyiv and hundreds have been wounded […] Fulfilling the will of society, the executive committee of the Lviv region's council, the People's Rada, is assuming full responsibility for the fate of the region and its citizens," the statement says.

The executive committee is comprised deputies, representatives of the Maidan self-defense, public figures, and scientists, the Lviv region's council has reported. The executive committee is led by Petro Kolodiy, chairman of the Lviv region's council.

The executive committee controls all executive administration bodies on the territory of the region and is calling on all state servants and citizens to fulfill decisions and orders signed by Kolodiy, the document says.

The document reiterates that the main function of the executive committee is to maintain law and order in the region and help send activists to Kyiv and provide the Maidan activists with everything they need.

"The lawfully elected local councils and the executive committees created by them remain the legitimate authorities in the Lviv region. The majority of the district police departments have already announced their decision to take the side of the people of Ukraine and report to the executive committee of the Lviv region's council," the statement says.

It's on.

[DrCaleb]

IIRC, Lviv is where P_F lives.

[ShepherdsDog]

Russian troops may be asked to intervene. Our next door neighbour, is originally from the area. She teaches HS Chem and Bio. Her worry is a Russian military intervention

[martin14]

$1:

17:43:

Unconfirmed reports that some of the top officials and their families have been leaving Kiev. Journalist Hanna Babynets from independent Hromadske TV reported this from Kiev's Zhulyany Airport: "Three planes have taken off in the past five minutes. It's very likely that they are carrying cash: suitcases have been unloaded under guard from armoured vans usually used to transport cash... scheduled flights have been suspended, the airport administration says."

from the BBC.

Usually a sign of things..

[saturn_656]

ShepherdsDog ShepherdsDog:

Russian troops may be asked to intervene. Our next door neighbour, is originally from the area. She teaches HS Chem and Bio. Her worry is a Russian military intervention

Unlike the Ukrainian military, the Russians won't have much problem with smashing groups of protesters.

Will Ukrainian forces sit and watch Russia take over?