EDITORIAL
Ukraine, off the Reservation
Victor Yanukovich
What we are witnessing these days in Ukraine is truly one of the most astounding developments in the modern history of the region.
When Victor Yanukovich was elected president of Ukraine in February 2010 over rival Yulia Tymoshenko, many Russophiles may have thought it was a big win for Russia. But recent events indicate it may become one of Russia’s biggest nightmares.
On the surface, Yanukovich’s sensational arrest and prosecution of Tymoshenko following his election may have seemed like an aggressive move to silence a tough critic of the Moscow Kremlin. Looking deeper, however, it’s anything but that.
That’s because Tymoshenko has been accused of rigging a gas deal with Russia in 2009 to harm Ukrainian interests (no evidence or charges of personal corruption whatsoever have been leveled against her). And the key words here are with Russia. That means that, in effect, Yanukovich has indicted Russia. And the Kremlin understands this. That’s why the Russian foreign ministry has publicly condemned the trial, announcing that the 2009 deal was completely legal and warning that Tymoshenko’s rights were being violated.
Moreover, as we reported last month, the Yanukovich regime is pressing forward aggressively on a free trade deal with Europe, exactly the same policy that was being embraced by his predecessor Victor Yushchenko, who was reviled by Russia. Yanukovich has also told Russia to bugger off in regad to its invitation to join the Customs Union that binds Russia, Belarus, and Kazakhstan. It is, in effect, choosing Europe over Russia.
Russians seem genetically unable to perceive the impression they make on other countries. While complaining about American high-handedness, Russians come off exactly that way when they deal with smaller countries like Ukraine, Belarus and Georgia. Their hypocrisy is truly breathtaking. They complain about American unilateralism when dealing with the much larger and more powerful United States, but when Russia stands in that position it behaves in precisely the same manner.
The result is that Russia stands alone. Not one major nation of the world can truly be considered Russia’s friend or ally, and Russia is hardly strong enough to go it in the world alone. Even when it seems that some foreign country is moving towards Russia, this ultimately proves to be an illusion because there is no nation stupid enough to be fooled by Russia now. The entire world can see that Russians are not interested in the welfare of any other nation, that they only want to exploit and abuse their neighbors for their own gain.
Even Ukraine can see it. Even a supposed Russophile like Yanukovich is panicked by Russia’s naked greed and aggression, and therefore hedges his bets against Russia to protect his nation’s future.
La Russophobe 
There is no “Russia”. There never has been. The term itself is a vain-glorious relic from a dream of an empire that never was more than a brutally exploited unwilling hotchpotch of completely disparate peoples, languages and cultures even at the height of its powers.
Instead there is a third rate little principality surrounding the city of Moscow – in English best named Muscovy. The current prince of that principality is Putin. Since its rise in the fourteenth century under a succession of robber barons and bandits, Muscovy has bullied and browbeaten, blackmailed and beaten up its next door neighbours just like any thug on the local block who terrorises his neighbours just because he can.
Over the centuries Muscovy has exported its language and its “culture” to its unwilling neighbours, near and far. Except that there is no Russian culture other than that of smashing someone’s face in when they fail to do exactly what the thugs tell them.
The gangsters at the top of these gangs have made a very nice living for centuries extorting payments out of everyone who falls into their grasp. That is Russian culture – that is “Russia”.
The best thing that ever happened to Muscovy and its gangsters? The Golden Horde.
http://community.nytimes.com/comments/www.nytimes.com/2010/12/11/world/europe/11impunity.html
Les, I agree with you 100%. Russia is going back under the asiatic control; this time it is China; I hope that Chinese masters will be as benevolent as the mongols were once.
By the way, I recommend the book called ‘Bloodlands, Europe between Hitler and Stalin”, by a Yale history professor, Timothy Snyder. The holocaust of Ukrainians in the 1930s orchestrated famine is a horrifying, documented account of russia’s barbarity and obscenity. The fact that soviet russia sealed the border of Ukraine so those dying people couldn’t escape and ultimately survive is heart breaking. And then resetting about 5 million ethnic russians – it is russification pure and simple. But there is God, after all, all Ukrainians who lost the loved once in this horror should have a look at Moscow; a russian capital that is 80% muslim and central asian. This is truly poetic justice….Those victims have been vindicated, after all……
Russia is so “GREAT” that the ruble is not accepted in Ukraine now.
Ukrainian banks refuse to change rubles to rate
http://tsn.ua/groshi/ukrayinski-banki-vidmovlyayutsya-minyati-rubli-na-grivni.html
German TV channel links Firtash to Tymoshenko arrest
Today at 14:18 | Kyiv Post Staff
“Firtash swore to take the revenge and he seems to have reached his goal with the help of Yanukovych,” the German language report claims.
Read more:
http://www.kyivpost.com/news/ukraine/detail/110712/#ixzz1UpUwodU8
German TV channel is “Tagesschau ARD” and the journalists there are dirty liers full of crap.
A small comment on their excercies in propaganda is here: http://ukr-nationalism.livejournal.com/1735915.html
Save your KGB BS for useful idiots.
Human rights report slams Ukraine’s trials against former government officials
Today at 19:47 | Will Fitzgibbon
A new report has slammed Ukraine’s criminal justice system for what it describes as the unfair, unjustified, inhumane and politically motivated criminal investigations and trials against four former members of ex-Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko’s 2007-2010 government.
What emerges from the report, which made public on Aug. 12 by the Danish Helsinki Committee for Human Rights, is how far the criminal justice system functioning under President Viktor Yanukovych’s rule is from European standards.
The report sees the arrest of Tymoshenko on Aug. 5 as trying to force Tymoshenko into “cooperation through detention.”
The report criticizes the violation of Tymoshenko’s and Lutsenko’s right to defense because of the very short period her legal team has had to prepare. It also blasts the judiciary’s lack of independence and its impartiality as well as the selection of judges, which is said to violate both Ukrainian and international law.
Lyngbo bemoaned the general lack of understanding of basic concepts of rule of law and the rights of the defense.
“Wherever I looked, as a casual observer,” Lynbgo said, “there was a lack of understanding as to the presumption of innocence, the lack of reasonable working conditions for the defense.”
With particular regard to the trial and treatment of Ivashchenko, the report criticizes the labyrinthine process and three months it took for him to be diagnosed after his first complaint. It also claims restrictions on Ivashchenko’s family visits are violations of his right to family life Inside the courtroom things aren’t much better.
Handcuffing and caging three of the four defendants without evidence of violent tendencies or pasts, violate the prohibition on torture and inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, the report claims.
Read more:
http://www.kyivpost.com/news/nation/detail/110875/#ixzz1V8ImO3L9
Rights activist: Over 20 cases of political persecution in Ukraine
Today at 13:21 | Rina Soloveitchik and Will Fitzgibbon
Leading Ukrainian human rights activist Yevhen Zakharov announced on Aug. 4 the creation of a Committee Against Political Persecution aimed at documenting cases of political persecution and making them public.
In an interview with the Kyiv Post, Zakharov said political persecution in Ukraine is on the rise and is seen not only in the prosecution of former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko and other political leaders, but other activists in lesser-known cases.
Apart from Zakharov, the 12 other members of the committee include veteran rights campaigners such as Myroslav Marynovych and Yevhen Sverstyuk, both founders of the Ukraine Helsinki Group.
Read more:
http://www.kyivpost.com/news/nation/detail/110920/20/page/1/#comments#ixzz1VC22RuRv
Russian liberal’s standpoint
“UKRAINE IS RUSSIA’S PHANTOM LIMB PAIN”
“For us, Ukraine is a very important factor by force of two circumstances.
“Firstly, Russian attitude to Ukraine can mirror quite a lot of things about Russia itself, its political elite and the latter’s maturity, and about the extent to which we have pulled out from the past, from our ill-fated great-power complex, and the extent to which we have remained behind in the past. Ukraine is the most important test for Russia, far more important than Moldova, Central Asia, or Belarus – an acid test of sorts. What caused both the elite and the populace the most acute pain was the loss of Ukraine – perhaps by force of Russia’s special great-power complex. The elite think that Russia cannot be Russia without Ukraine, without Little Russia. Therefore, our attitude to Ukraine exposes our own selves.
But then we saw the Baltic countries become normal states and the living standards in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania exceed those of Russia. So we arrived at a totally different conclusion: by all accounts, Russia is going to be what may be called a historical failure in the nearest future. Russia is not supposed to succeed in the short term. Watching the Baltics, we pinned still greater hopes on Ukraine: we thought you would manage to make a breakthrough after 2004. And Russian liberals still have a hope (I will not say ‘myth’ because I believe you still have chances) and are convinced that Ukraine should break free from our shadow, our pocket, and our gravitation field. Ukraine’s future is, naturally, European membership. Ukraine is a European state.
“When you began to show things that were raising questions and doubts among us, we, naturally, began to worry. We have too little information about Ukraine. The Russian press totally misinforms us. Russian television is complete falsification, especially when it is about Ukraine and Belarus
But Ukraine is a phantom limb pain. And, apparently, this will not change unless we, liberals, decide to fully get rid of this complex and say: no, we are not to blame – we are following our standards… We must admit this.”
“THEY HAVE CREATED A FRANKENSTEIN”
You spoke about responsibility of the elite. Some political scientists at the Higher School of Economics in Russia recently published a survey that shows that the Russian public mood resembles that of the Weimer Republic (Germany in 1919–33): all the societal strata are permeated with xenophobia and long for a mighty Soviet Union.
“Yet there is a very important point here. Xenophobia and nationalism are on the rise. When, as you know, about 30,000 people took to the streets last December, they could have made mincemeat of the whole Moscow. The police were hiding. Thousands of them marched down Tverskaya Street towards the Manege Square and the Kremlin. They were crying out ‘Sieg heil!’, they painted swastikas on the Kremlin walls near the Monument to the Unknown Soldier. It is a dangerous phenomenon for Moscow and Russia. I went downstairs (our office is next to Manege Square) and saw normal faces in this crowd. You know, soccer fans have a typical collective facial image. But in this case I saw educated-looking people aged 15 to 25, many of them wearing glasses. And there were lots of riot police at the entrance. I say to them: ‘What are waiting for, guys? They are going to smash shop windows!’ To which one of them replied: ‘And do you want them to punch us on the nose?’ And another says: ‘Let them bash these ones. They deserve to have their windows smashed.’ I saw, firstly, that the law-enforcement bodies were afraid of this mob and, secondly, that many of them think in the same vein: ‘Serve these fat cats right.’
“What did this 30,000-strong march mean? Not only that Russia is becoming nationalistic and xenophobic. Xenophobia does not come out as long as people are happy. When people are unhappy and feel bad, they begin to look for an enemy. They look for enemies in Georgia, Ukraine, Tajikistan… They begin to kill Tajiks. You know that Tajiks and Turkmenians do all menial work here. But people are unhappy. The more the current government makes people unhappy, the more xenophobia and nationalism will come out. Perhaps 5 or 10 years later, social surveys will show that people are prepared for the comeback of an aggressive empire. What is the conclusion? This system – the Russian state – is dangerous to its own and other people.”
http://www.day.kiev.ua/213274
Yes Anton, Russians are so poor they have to steal music from an American video game for their silly videos of ridiculous public shows, costing the money they would better use to help some the millions of their homeless children.
Hi!
I do really appreciate your work. Would you please look further into the topic and write an article for PajamasMedia or other sites? It looks like the Obama admin are either dangerously clueless or outright criminal when it backs up Kremlin in this dispute: http://ukr-nationalism.livejournal.com/1729197.html
Thanks a lot
Interesting new approach. :)
KGB writes article under “ukr-nationalism” and then asks Kim to use it as a reference.
HA! HA!
Rome alarmed at development of proceedings against Tymoshenko
Yesterday at 22:06 | Associated Press
Italy is watching the proceedings against former Ukrainian prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko with anxiety.
Read more:
http://www.kyivpost.com/news/politics/detail/110773/#ixzz1Uyvrp2J6
Foreign Ministry irks French Embassy
2 days ago at 01:45 | Kyiv Post Staff
Ambassador Jacques Faure not recalled to Paris, contrary to reports {* By homo-sovieticus propagandists}.
“I did not want to comment on the trial, but I want to say that one is getting the impression in France that unfortunately the trial of Yulia Tymoshenko is very far from justice, but very close to politics.”
Read more:
http://www.kyivpost.com/news/nation/detail/110672/#ixzz1UyzJqxqg
Please excuse me, but who is this guy to give any grades about the state of justice in Ukraine? Is he also afraid that if offended, Russia will cancel the massive shipbuilding contract in France that caused such a massive turmoil in the region?
Germany’s state minister concerned over Tymoshenko’s arrest
Aug 8 at 20:24
Germany’s Minister of State at the Federal Foreign Office Werner Hoyer has expresses “a great concern” over the arrest of Ukraine’s foreign minister Yulia Tymoshenko.
Read more:
http://www.kyivpost.com/news/politics/detail/110383/#ixzz1Uz1hYm8S
German “Tagesschau ARD” engages in full-blown anti-Ukrainian propaganda campaign.
If German politicians use the same approach as their counterparts at “Tagesschau” it is no surprise that their reaction is such a hypocrisy.
BTW, a representative from EU Jose Manuel Pinto Teixeira said that the Union is concerned that this court case can lead to a new “gas war” when Kremlin will disrupt gas deliveries to the Union.
RIA Novosti: Czech president doubts fairness of Tymoshenko trial
Aug 10 at 08:06
Read more:
http://www.kyivpost.com/news/ukraine/detail/110501/#ixzz1Uz34kF3i
Britain expresses concern over Tymoshenko arrest
Aug 7 at 13:18 | Kyiv Post
Foreign Office Minister of United Kingdom Alistair Burt expressed concern over the arrest of former Ukranian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko.
Read more:
http://www.kyivpost.com/news/world/detail/110289/#ixzz1Uz41KF4t
Canada concerned over “politically motivated persecution” of Tymoshenko
Aug 7 at 13:53 | Kyiv Post
Canada’s Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird expressed concern over the “apparently politically motivated persecution” and arrest of former Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko.
Read more:
http://www.kyivpost.com/news/world/detail/110290/#ixzz1Uz4mUbX7
Four European countries condemn Tymoshenko arrest
Aug 9 at 18:39 | Associated Press
PRAGUE (AP) — Four countries that were once part of the communist bloc have condemned the imprisonment of former Ukraine Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko during her abuse of office trial.
The Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia
Read more:
http://www.kyivpost.com/news/nation/detail/110470/#ixzz1Uz6KHrf0
Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church leader asks court to release Tymoshenko from custody
Aug 10 at 18:56 | Interfax-Ukraine
Head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC), Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk has asked Pechersky District Court Judge Rodion Kireyev, who is considering the Russian gas supply contract case, to change the measure of restraint against former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko.
Read more:
http://www.kyivpost.com/news/nation/detail/110554/#ixzz1UzAMWKkT
U.S. concerned at Tymoshenko arrest, hundreds protest
Aug 8 at 06:31 | Reuters
The United States has condemned the arrest of former Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, jailed for contempt of court for her behaviour during a trial on charges of abuse of power.
Read more:
http://www.kyivpost.com/news/nation/detail/110310/#ixzz1UzCC1SPu
Alexander J. Motyl on International AffairsTitle:
Ukraine’s Intellectuals against Yanukovych
:
Some of Ukraine’s most prominent intellectuals have recently weighed in on the scandalous Tymoshenko show trial. In an open letter addressed to Ukrainian society, they condemn the trial and call on Ukrainians not to be indifferent to the injustice being perpetrated by the Yanukovych regime: “We still have the chance to stop all this! We dare not be silent!”
The signatories read like a Who’s Who and include a diverse group of 28 writers, scholars, and commentators, ranging from former Soviet dissidents Ivan Dzyuba, Bohdan Horyn, and Levko Lukyanenko to former Soviet Ukrainian writers Roman Ivanychuk, Dmytro Pavlychko, and Yuri Mushketyk to the liberal philosopher Myroslav Popovych to the hottest current writers Yuri Andrukhovych, Larysa Denysenko, Serhii Zhadan, Vasyl Shklyar, and Iren Rozdobudko to the excellent political commentators Mykola Ryabchuk and Serhii Hrabovsky.
According to the authors, the Tymoshenko trial will open the door to similar acts of repression “against all those who are politically inconvenient for the regime, against pensioners and small business, against activist young people, against all who oppose the country’s descent to a condition of feudal-criminal oligarchic control and the destruction of Ukrainian national identity.”
Readers with a familiarity with Soviet dissent will recognize just how eerily reminiscent the appeal is of Soviet-era open letters by brave dissidents protesting Communist Party injustice. The authors suggest that Soviet times may be returning to Ukraine.
http://www.worldaffairsjournal.org/new/blogs/motyl/Ukraines_Intellectuals_against_Yanukovych
Three religious groups ask court to cancel Tymoshenko’s arrest
Aug 8 at 14:21 | Staff and wire reports
Three religious denominations have asked the court to change the restrictive measure against former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko. The petition was read in court by the ex-premier’s lawyer, Yuriy Sukhov.
“I would like to announce a petition to change the measure of restraint from incarceration to release on bail,” said Yuriy Sukhov, according to the official Tymoshenko website.
He read statements by Patriarch Filaret of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church-Kyiv Patriarchate, representatives of the Roman Catholic Church and Baptist Church.
Read more:
http://www.kyivpost.com/news/nation/detail/110348/#ixzz1UzB1xHuH
There are no wiggle room for Ukraine.The last “gas-war” was lost by Ukraine (LR thougt another way, but now absolutely clear that LR mistaked). As a result of “gas-war” the new gas-supply contract was concluded. It was a triumph of Russia and new contract is very profitable for my country. Terms of conract between Russia and Ukraine are not available for Ukraine, but these terms are based on law and Ukraine must comply them. The North Stream is ready. If “gaz-war” will begin again, Ukraine will have no chance of success. The contract so profitable to Russia so we could reduce the cost (and we have partially done it according to Charkov`s treaty), but for more reduction of price Ukraine must decide to join to a coustoms union. Janukovich must understand that Ukraine is a Near Abroad! Another way is go to EU without industry!
Yes, Russian blackmail sounds very threatening, but I doubt it would work. What does the expression “Near Abroad” mean? What is it exactly that Mr. Janukovich must understand?
Anton (I’m a Russian KGB stukach)
Tell me did you dream this fairy tale up? or are you under instruction’s from your beloved neo soviet controllers. Which one comrade”? As I bet it’s the second option – right.
With your vivid imagination you should try science fiction, you might get a bigger and more submissive audience, but I doubt it as you have all the traits of a natural dismal failure.
Besides the only thing your beloved neo soviet (read fascist) Russia is good at is enslaving its own people and other (only smaller) nations. What Putin’s ruSSia helping other nations – HA, HA, what a sick joke.
I am russian, anton;
‘Congratulation’ on another, unssuccessful, blackmail of Ukraine; in the meantime, in russia, three planes dropped off of russian ‘friendly skies’ – what an achievement – in the peace time, three planes daily crashed – it is worse than daily loses during the ‘Battle of Britain’ – russia should be in the Guiness Book of Records. A cruises on the russian rivers, 80% of them end up in total blood shed caused by russia’s barbarity and obscenity and grotesque attempt to play ‘a global power’ – I am russian anton, it has to be painful to see the population of moscow with a majority that is not only muslim but also central asian.. Thanks for cheap entertainment …..
anton, anton, ANOTHER plane crash ???!! According to the moscow news today August 16 ANOTHER aircraft crashed near st. petersburg. It is too much – you russians are like a pathetic clowns performing in front of the embarrased public…..
Valeriy Ivashchenko, a former acting defense minister, has been jailed for a year without trial on suspicion of abuse of office.
Also we should pay an attention to the mocking, cynical comment of the prosecutor during discussing this motion. According to him, Ivashchenko is being kept in a cage to ensure the safety of his life and health!!!
Read more:
http://www.kyivpost.com/news/opinion/op_ed/detail/110793/20/page/1/#comments#ixzz1V4FsulUa
Bohdan. (who forgot his mother who forgot the history of our mutual motherland – Kievskaja Rus – Russia).
Near abroad is the place of the World where Russia continually rescues other countryes without any thanks and gratitude as an answer! As well as German in EU! And the latest meeting between Medvedev and Janukovic is a new example. We would be glad if Ukraine escaped to EU. But you shold pay the Gas-price as contract prescribed.
Kyiv/UKRAINE accepted Christianity in 988. Moscow, Muscovy, or “Russia” did not exist.
Investigating 5,000-Year-Old Huts in Ukraine
[Bertrand Coste, Philanthropist]:
“I think it is interesting for other people who try to understand what Ukraine is. To understand that it is not the creation of Russia, it is not a new country. It is a population and civilization settlement which is extremely old.”
http://english.ntdtv.com/ntdtv_en/news_europe/2011-08-05/investigating-5-000-year-old-huts-in-ukraine.html
‘I am russian anton’; russia has to stop ‘rescuing’ other countries – and start taking care of its own pathetic dying population, slow desintegration of russian society and ascent of non-russian nations temporarily under russian control. You, dear, ‘I am russian anton; have to face reality – russia is heading the way ‘the mongol empire’ ended – where is Mongolia now????? by the way the gas blackmail works anly to certain extent – think shale gas all over Europe; Poland, Ukraine, France, and GB….
I `d be glad if Russia stopped to rescue the Near Abroad but the GUS countries think by the another way. All of them ask and demand the support from Russia. When Russia had said NO they began rakeetiere my country. If Ukraine or other GUS countries wish a real independance – so NO PROBLEMS, go away! But there is one points of problem – they do not wish real independance they wish a low price GAZ and electricity, visa-free border, financial, military and political support etc! We are not a Mongolay, Russia is one of the greatest powers in the World so we get mentioned above benefits exchange of “political control” (Charkovsky treaty is a good example). So I explaned you what Near Abroad is. It is a group of “Independant countries and self proclamed territories” which virtually are protectorat of Russia!
“GUS”?
i’m russian anton’ wrote;
We are not a Mongolay, Russia is one of the greatest powers in the World so we get mentioned above benefits exchange of “political control”
comment;
yeah right; one fo the greatest powers in the world that had to be saved by Americans from starvation – remember the Bush the 1st chickens. If it wasn’t for american generosity half of your population would be dead, some great power with the army that is 50% muslim and is being fed with dog food, great country where planes are dropping off the russian skies on a daily basis, and cruises on the russian rivers turn deadly. Shall I go on dear ‘iamrussian anton…..and by the way you are Mongoley……
Anton Iam russian, dearie, are you on afghan heroin, russian contaminated samogon or on both. Dream on – you are a protectorate of china and you are so stupid and retarded that you don’t even know it.
By the way, it is an insult for any European country, be it Western, Central or Eastern, to be in any way associated with the barbarity and obscenity of russia with its enternal gulags, penal colonies, starvation, perfidy, and kleptocracy…
Yes there was some incidents in Russia but it is nothing in compare with ecological incident in a Gulf of Mexico or rebel in London or mass killing in Norway! Russia is a big country so there have happend many things (as well as good or bad).
About heroin o samogon NO COMMENT! You just have nothing to say!
iamrussiananton,
In case you don’t know in the Komi republic the oil is leaking since 1994, it is sipping into tundra for 17 years….russians didn’t even try to stop it – as they had no equipment …
antonamrussian; no comment! means that the whole russia IS on afghan heroin and russian samogon – thanks for agreeing with me…
Hey anton, ‘russia is the greatest power in the world’ – give me a break – russia has been dropped by USA like a hot potatoe – disapeared from the radar for good. NOBODY IN THE USA TALKS ABOUT RUSSIA – that is the greates punishement for russia’s ridiculous attempt to play a ‘global power’ – STOP HUMILIATING YOURSELF – RUSSIA – AND ACCEPT THE NEW STATUS – THE REGIONAL POWER WITH VERY LIMITED INFLUENCE IN THE ASIAN AREA – YOU CANNOT COMPETE WITH CHINA OR INDIA – RUSSIA IS OUT OF THEIR LEAGUE….RUSSIA, IN REALITY WAS REJECTED BY EUROPE AND ASIA AND IS TOTALLY IGNORED BY THE USA – IN CASE YOU HAVEN’T NOTICED THE ONLY GLOBAL POWER IN THE UNIVERSE….
Our problems with Afgan heroin (thanks to USA corrupted “military force”) are not unique. Heroin killed many people in many country not only in Russia. Though you have your own problems with krack wich supplied from South America!
Russia is the very power country at least because USA swallowed our action against Georgia 08.08.08 (Georgea was yours nearest ally)! No one country (including China vs Tajwan) can do the same way, but Russia can! All of the World see it and USA can`t prevent it! You can`t even prevent our wholesale purchusing of a newest armament from your nearests allies. You can`t nothing to do against Russia. I see it. Obviously it is unpleasant talk for USA “patriots”, therefore USA people keep silence about Russia. So I advice you to keep silence too!
Actually heroin problems in Russia are nothing new, and Russia did nothing to prevent the explosion of heroin production in Afghanistan during the 80’s when Russian troops were busy killing millions of Afghans.
Of course this is probably because senior members of the Red Army, GRU, & KGB were (and are) involved in the trade.
And actually the US did not “swallow” the Russian invasion of Georgia or the Russian led ethnic cleansing and war crimes that followed. I do remember the entire Russian Black Sea fleet legging it for Sevastapol when on solitary US warship entered the Black Sea, and how the Russians stopped dead in their tracks when the US started flying the only properly trained & equipped Georgian brigade back from Iraq.
Andrew
I saw the “terrible Georgian army” at least 08/08/08 and how they escaped without any fighting. It is unpleasent talk for admirer of Saakaschvilly , so It would be very good for you to keep silence.
No, it was most of the rebels who escaped without fighting. Even members of their (semi) regular forces have 0gone AWOL and fled to North Ossetia, returning only behind the Russian tanks. If those cowards stayed and fought, instead of fleeing in disarray, Georgians would not capture most of the town in one morning. The Georgian forces, on the other way, withdrew when ordered by their leaders (uniliteral ceasefire, decision not to defend Kodori and Gori, it was all decided by politicians).And yes, I think thould they have been ordered to stay their ground and fight, in the mountains of Abkhazia (the Russian spearhead force could have been easily destroyed by a determined attack very much like in 1995 near Shatoy by, ironically, veterans of Abkhazia: http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=b9d_1235325706 and the terrain there was actually even more favorable for an ambush) and the streets of Gori (which was later ravaged anyway, but by looters).
But the cowardice of the rebels was spitiful. Only a small part of them fought at all, despite orders. There was no ceasefire from their part. the wild-eyed Kokoity was running around with literally bared teeth ( http://blog.kievukraine.info/uploaded_images/6551-761442.jpg ), trying to muster them up back instead of doing anything political. Those who fought, they broke rules of war – firing from civilian buildings (attracting return fire), using child soldiers, but those violations are common in urban and irregular warfare (Chechens, for example, played the same game), and at least they fought, and for this I respect them (they even held out in some parts of the town as well as some nearby villages until the Russians arrived). Most of them, however – thousands – fled, and returned only to attack the remaining Georgian civilians (most of people fled with soldiers), now defenseless, in a one-sided orgy of looting and wanton destruction, and other crimes.
imrussiananton wrote in ‘perfect english’:
You can`t nothing to do against Russia.
comment;
russia is drowning in it own waste – just wait and see attitude is the best…
mccusa, you cannot even post insults in a perfect English language. Pointing out grammar mistakes is not in your best interest.
Sorry SIC. GUS – the same in German.
Oh, a Russian from Germany.
But hey, what’s “SIC”, anyway? Shetland Islands Council?
Anton, drinking is bad for health. ESPECIALLY in Russia, and especially in this time of the year: http://www.itar-tass.com/en/c154/203829_print.html
That’s in the case if you’re in Germany.
Anyway, maybe come back when you sober up.
I am sorry, I have understood neither what SIC is nor what GUS is, and your explanation of the Near Abroad is so convoluted as to convey almost no meaning either. I realize your command of the English language is quite poor, but do try harder please.
The insanely delusional moskal opens his mouth again:
Ukraine and Moldova inevitably will become part of the Union State of Russia and Belarus . The Vice-Speaker of the State Duma Vladimir Zhirinovsky said in an interview with “New Region”.
“Ukraine to Moldova will include not only the common customs area, but even in the union state of Belarus-Russia. In the future creation of a union state with the same fifteen republics” – said Zhirinovsky.
http://tsn.ua/ukrayina/zhirinovskiy-rozpoviv-yak-ukrayina-u-soyuzi-z-rosiyeyu-stane-federalnim-okrugom.html
I`m moskal and you are moron! Jirinovsky is not some kind of leader he is just klown I could give a planty of his jokes! Our leader is PUTIN and he has another opinion. Under his ruling we`ve reached excellent results during the past decade. Customer Union (including Kazachstan, Russia and Belorussia) have already exist and it would be hard to image some times ago. And miltary Union (including Russia, Kasachstan, Belorussia, Usbekistan, Kirgizia, Armenia, Tadjikistan) exist too. I `ve been visiting LR since 2007 and I see that my point ofview is right and LR horrorly prediction for my country completly falled.
I see that you are just another insanely delusional moskal.
Here is an example of your “excellent results during the past decade”.
Poll: Number of Belarusian-Russian Union supporters drops by half in Belarus in past ten years
Today at 12:10 | Interfax-Ukraine
“Only slightly more than 2% of Belarusians believe Belarus should become part of Russia,” he said.
The popularity of the Belarusian-Russian Union idea has declined because of “gross mistakes made by some leaders, I think primarily Russian ones,” Kotlyarov said.
Read more: http://www.kyivpost.com/news/russia/detail/111259/#ixzz1VZbCQoSB
http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/d4ef878a-c996-11e0-9eb8-00144feabdc0.html#axzz1VUSVRMb0
Well, LES, wishing with all my heart that it won’t be so let’s not underestimates the danger of the current situation especially in the light of the last developments in Tymoszenko’s case. The Free Trade Treaty with the EU is imperiled by the stupid vengefulness of Janukowycz proceeding with his unjust kangaroo trial of Tymoszenko and the supporters of joining Customs Union of Russia Belarus and Kazakhstan has already started a new campaign aimed at pushing our poor dumb puppet-president in that direction and to be honest I’m in two minds on the stand taken by the Europeans. On the one hand I’m gloating seeing the EU putting some heat on Janukowycz, but on the other hand I’m affraid that if they tell him eventually go away, he will and turn to look for support to Moscow and it’ll be the country’s undoing. So I guess that however unfair the trial is, the diplomatic isolation of Ukraine would have even more horrid consequences than those the current political persecutions might entail
It surely doesn’t mean that the Europeans have to stop putting pressure on Ukraine to make it respect norms of due process and human rights but it shouldn’t be at the cost of the Association Treaty or the Free Trade, otherwise Europe can lose Ukraine for good, not that they care much to be honest
“Near abroad is the place of the World where Russia continually rescues other countryes without any thanks and gratitude as an answer! As well as German in EU!”
This is incredible! it shows how sad and desperate even an average Russian is, to make such a statement, as if they just arrived from Neptune!
I think your comment shows your lack of understanding of a situation in a former USSR! I`m Russian and live in St Petersburg but I have many friends in a Near Abroad (not only Russian`s nationality) so I can give objective assesment!
We’ve been monitoring the neo-Soviet propagandist Mike Averko, who publishes reams of swill to gullible westerners about Russia, and its kind of horrifying to see how much out-put he makes:
“Results 1 – 10 of about 171 from http://www.russiablog.org for mike averko.”
Mike Averko:
“Besides the earlier Polish subjugation of Russia (pointedly mentioned in Hahn’s article) are the tens of thousands of Poles who joined Napoleon in his attack on Russia in 1812. This instance can be countered with Russia’s dominating position over Poland for a period prior to the 1812 invasion. That point relates back to the previous Polish subjugation of Russia. ”
http://tinyurl.com/3f2eqhg
Here we see the usual Russian obsession with any perceived slight , and the re-making of history as in the book, *1984.* (imagine thinking Poland totally *subjugates* Russia!) Averko is a major Kremlin PR & propagandist-man, who never lets up! He must be kept an eye on, as he has, in the past, many times, tried to insinuate his vile propaganda into mainstream major Western Forums & blogs.
Averko-Pudelko; Taking about the total subjugation; picture this – russian hordes under total control of the mongolian Golden Horde. Officially for about 400 years; unofficially for 700 years – it means the russian women were raped by the mongol masters for 700 years – the entire history of russia…From the historical point of view, the time under the mongol control were the happiest in the history of the russian tribes – no gulags, no lubianka, no starvation. I have a good news for mr averko; russians will be happy again – chinese masters are coming – I hope that the new masters will be as benevolent as the old mongols were….Greetings from Free and Democratic Poland!!
“it means the russian women were raped by the mongol masters”
I think it should be right if you answered in front of the court. But you is a scoundrel (ПОДЛЕЦ) and you hide himselv behind pseudonim! Your statement is outrage against as well as my country and a mongolay too. Mongolay period of Russian history were not absolutely evil. Russia is a one of the successors of their Glory. And so called “western civilisation” made more cruelty and crimes (for example fascism, communism, colonialism, liberalism and others – isms are products of western community!). How much black people were inslaved? Very much! According to the latest genetical research Russians have too little Mongolay genes.