Ukraine Crisis

[Mr. Morden]

From Yanukovych's statement:

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/feb/27/ukraine-pro-russian-gunmen-seize-crimea-parliament-live-updates

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[Miles]

Ukraine parliament approves Arseniy Yatsenyuk as new prime minister.

[Middle-aged Europe]

The new Ukrainian government is basically a coalition of Yulia Tymoshenko's Batkivshchyna party and the nationalist Svoboda along with a couple of former Maidan activists. Vitali Klitschko's UDAR refused to join the government.

Meanwhile, some ex-Party of Regions MPs have formed a new group in the Ukrainian Parliament called "Economic Development". ED is led by Anatoliy Kinakh, a former prime minister under Leonid Kuchma back in 2001/02.

Current seat distribution in the Rada is apparently as follows (in brackets the change since beginning of this year):

Party of Regions 127 (-77)
Batkivshchyna 88 (-2)
UDAR 42 (+-0)
Svoboda 36 (+-0)
Economic Development 33 (+33)
Communist Party 32 (+-0)
Independents 91 (+53)
[Vacancies 1 (-7)]

[Filuwaúrdjan]

The new Ukrainian government is basically a coalition of Yulia Tymoshenko's Batkivshchyna party and the nationalist Svoboda...

...

[Antonio the Sixth]

The new Ukrainian government is basically a coalition of Yulia Tymoshenko's Batkivshchyna party and the nationalist Svoboda...

...

Considering the events that led up to this, it's probably fair and tactically sound not to exclude them from the political power-sharing just now. After the situation is stabilized, hopefully they will be relegated to opposition like most other far-right parties.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

But these people are actual Nazis.

And to pick up on just one specific point, this is an overtly antisemitic political party - that used to have an actual period Nazi emblem as its logo: I wish I was making this up but I'm not - in a country that has, how shall we say, not exactly fessed up to the less than heartwarming role that many of its people had in the Holocaust.

Perhaps it is 'tactically sound' (but aren't there points even further down the Nazi road of crazy than Svobada? What if these 'moderate' Nazis start losing votes to less 'moderate' Nazis?) but there are limits, surely...

[RogueBeaver]

Yanukovych will make a statement in Rostov-on-Don Friday, per Russian media.

[Famous Mortimer]

Why didn't UDAR join the government?

[RogueBeaver]

Why didn't UDAR join the government?

Helps to be outside when the presidential election comes, given the "hell" (Yatsenyuk) that's sure to come their way for the next 3 months.

[YL]

Crimea is apparently going to hold some sort of referendum on its status at the same time as the May elections.  The question is reported as "Does the Autonomous Republic of Crimea possess governmental independence or continue to be part of Ukraine on the basis of treaties and agreements – Yes or No?"

The whole situation looks very messy, and I can't see how having people like Svoboda in government in Kiev helps...

[Okay, maybe Mike Johnson is a competent parliamentarian.]

Crimea is apparently going to hold some sort of referendum on its status at the same time as the May elections.  The question is reported as "Does the Autonomous Republic of Crimea possess governmental independence or continue to be part of Ukraine on the basis of treaties and agreements – Yes or No?"

That's a really confusing way of wording that question.

[bore]

Crimea is apparently going to hold some sort of referendum on its status at the same time as the May elections.  The question is reported as "Does the Autonomous Republic of Crimea possess governmental independence or continue to be part of Ukraine on the basis of treaties and agreements – Yes or No?"

That's a really confusing way of wording that question.

If that translation's correct, yes is the right answer for both sides.

[badgate]

I understood the question perfectly well. It's the "Yes or No" that is confusing.

[Okay, maybe Mike Johnson is a competent parliamentarian.]

I understood the question perfectly well. It's the "Yes or No" that is confusing.

Yeah, that's what I meant.

[RogueBeaver]

Russian Army units are occupying an airport in Sevastopol.

[ag]

Russian Army units are occupying an airport in Sevastopol.

Sevastopol airport is, mostly, a military base (there are some commercial flights, but that usage is tiny, the main international airport is in Simferopol). Still, it is clearly not part of the RUSSIAN military base in Sevastopol.

With Russian troops occupying administrative buildings in Simferopol, it is not like this is unexpected. How long before the other international "guarantors" of Ukrainian territorial integrity (US and UK) do anything? Unfortunately, I am afraid, they will do nothing.

[RogueBeaver]

Eli Lake's US intelligence sources say they don't think Russia will invade.

[ag]

Eli Lake's US intelligence sources say they don't think Russia will invade.

They will not "invade". They will "fulfill their international duty on request of the legitimate government of Ukraine".

[ag]

Russian Army units are occupying an airport in Sevastopol.

Just checked. It is not Sevastopol. It is Simferopol. It is A LOT worse.

[Antonio the Sixth]

Can they go beyond Crimea though? The "protecting Russians" argument won't work then.

[Middle-aged Europe]

Russian Army units are occupying an airport in Sevastopol.

Just checked. It is not Sevastopol. It is Simferopol. It is A LOT worse.

It was both, actually. Although the "occupation" of Simferopol has ended already.

Ukraine claims a Russian invasion, Russia denies the involvement of any of its military units and points to "pro-Russian self-defence forces".

[YL]

Guardian reporter Harriet Salem (via the Guardian's live blog):

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[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

I think we should not jump at conclusions just yet. Kremlin-backed groups? Possibly. Russian Army? I doubt.

[Famous Mortimer]

The interim authorities need to come out with a statement saying they respect all of Ukraine's treaty obligations and expect friendly relations with all of their neighbors. It might have no effect or it might just solve everything.

[Silent Hunter]

I don't think anyone wants a shooting war here... but if people aren't careful, we might get one.