Ukraine Crisis

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

Guys, what about Sevastopol status? Sevastopol was not a part of the Crimean Republic.

95.5 percent for union with Russia. Most impressive.

Was there a boycott?

Leader of the Crimean Tatars claims, 99% of them boycotted the vote. Meanwhile, the Crimea Premier says, 40% did vote.

[Snowstalker Mk. II]

Sevastopol held a referendum along with the rest of Crimea IIRC.

[ag]

Godwin ought to become an infractable offense.

Under the circumstances, I woul not have expected this from a Pole.

Considering your amazing grasp on reality, I'm actually relieved to heard that.

I am afraid, you are playing an ostrich here, hiding from reality.

Today, they are telling me, Russian TV was broadcasting details about how Russia could completely nuke the US off the face of the Earth (I cannot force myself to watch, so I am reduced to saying "they are telling me").  The rapidity with which hysterical fascism becomes the new Russian norm is shocking. Weimar Russia is over, I am afraid.

[ag]

This was, I remind you, a referendum without a voter roll, with anybody - including "visitors" from Russia - allowed to vote, and without anything resembling an independent electoral authority in charge.  Who cares about boycott-shmoycott. With these rules, I could guarantee that everyone of you (and your significant others, if any) would be recorded as voting in a referendum on your own castration - with no opposing votes recorded in your polling place, of course.

[NewYorkExpress]

http://in.reuters.com/article/2014/03/17/ukraine-crisis-russia-kiselyov-idINDEEA2G01G20140317
Russian Journalist and Television Presenter Dimitry Kiselyov basically went North Korea on the world stating that

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[Joe Biden is your president. Deal with it.]

http://in.reuters.com/article/2014/03/17/ukraine-crisis-russia-kiselyov-idINDEEA2G01G20140317
Russian Journalist and Television Presenter Dimitry Kiselyov basically went North Korea on the world stating that

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He just turned his job into radioactive ash.

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

Godwin ought to become an infractable offense.

Under the circumstances, I woul not have expected this from a Pole.

Considering your amazing grasp on reality, I'm actually relieved to heard that.

I am afraid, you are playing an ostrich here, hiding from reality.

Today, they are telling me, Russian TV was broadcasting details about how Russia could completely nuke the US off the face of the Earth (I cannot force myself to watch, so I am reduced to saying "they are telling me").  The rapidity with which hysterical fascism becomes the new Russian norm is shocking. Weimar Russia is over, I am afraid.

I'm surprised such a smart guy like you suddenly cannot go beyond narrow, cliche comparisons.

I don't know what exactly are you getting from this, but I hope it feels good.

[Middle-aged Europe]

During a press conference, the Chinese deputy foreign minister refused to answer the question whether his government recognizes the Crimean referendum and its result as legitimate.

Hahahahahaha, wouldn't want to see a secession referendum on Taiwan, right?

[Middle-aged Europe]

The Ukrainian defence minister has announced that the Ukrainian military forces which are currently stationed on Crimea will remain on Crimea.

Meanwhile, Putin plans to adress both chambers of Russian parliament tomorrow at noon.

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

Obama to speak at 10:45 AM.

[Middle-aged Europe]

So, the current situation is that the Russians had agreed to not take any measures against Ukrainian troops on Crimea until March 21. What happens on March 22 is anybody's guess.

It seems very unlikely that Ukraine is simply gonna withdraw them. So, from a Russian point of view, the options are as follows:

1) Attack and forcibly withdraw them.
2) Continue to besiege them until they run out of supplies and surrender.
3) Recognize the independence of Crimea, but postpone its admission to the Russian Federation  until the issue of Ukrainian troops is resolved.

My bet would on no. 2 at this point.

I guess there's also a slight possibility that if the Ukrainians are convinced that the Russians are about to attack that they're become desperate enough to try to launch a preemptive strike first.

[RogueBeaver]

Russia has recognized Crimea.

[RogueBeaver]

Russian sanctions will include Durbin and Nuland, possibly Menendez and Corker. Again, still mild stuff.

[ag]

Godwin ought to become an infractable offense.

Under the circumstances, I woul not have expected this from a Pole.

Considering your amazing grasp on reality, I'm actually relieved to heard that.

I am afraid, you are playing an ostrich here, hiding from reality.

Today, they are telling me, Russian TV was broadcasting details about how Russia could completely nuke the US off the face of the Earth (I cannot force myself to watch, so I am reduced to saying "they are telling me").  The rapidity with which hysterical fascism becomes the new Russian norm is shocking. Weimar Russia is over, I am afraid.

I'm surprised such a smart guy like you suddenly cannot go beyond narrow, cliche comparisons.

I don't know what exactly are you getting from this, but I hope it feels good.

That is what's happening when life starts imitating narrow cliche comparisons.

And, trust me, it feels - and is - awful.

[Angel of Death]

If Ukraine proper were to be split in two, what city is most likely to become capital of the eastern part?

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

If Ukraine proper were to be split in two, what city is most likely to become capital of the eastern part?

If that happens, Moscow.

Within the terms of the question, Donetsk seems likelier than any other options.

[Blue3]

So... Crimea votes to join Russia, so Russia recognizes Crimea as an independent nation? Confused...

[Хahar 🤔]

So... Crimea votes to join Russia, so Russia recognizes Crimea as an independent nation? Confused...

It would be untoward for Russia to unilaterally annex part of a foreign state; instead, it is opting to grant the request of independent Crimea to join the Russian Federation.

[Joshgreen]

Time to send in ground troops, (preferably Austrian) which should remind the locals of their history.

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

Russian puppet states really dominate this list.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_states_with_limited_recognition

Excluding UN members and those 4 non UN members that have more than a few UN members recognize them (Palestine, Kosovo, Taiwan, Sahrawi), 5 out of 7 are Russian puppets.

Russian puppets:
Nagorno-Karabakh
Transnistria
Abkhazia
Crimea
South Ossetia

Others:
Somalialand
Northern Cyprus
 

[ag]

If Ukraine proper were to be split in two, what city is most likely to become capital of the eastern part?

Moscow.

The governor would be in Kharkiv, probably.

[ag]

If Ukraine proper were to be split in two, what city is most likely to become capital of the eastern part?

If that happens, Moscow.

Within the terms of the question, Donetsk seems likelier than any other options.

Of the eastern cities, Kharkiv is, unquestionably, the most important. In fact, it was briefly the capital of Soviet Ukraine at one point.

[ag]

Russian puppet states really dominate this list.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_states_with_limited_recognition

Excluding UN members and those 4 non UN members that have more than a few UN members recognize them (Palestine, Kosovo, Taiwan, Sahrawi), 5 out of 7 are Russian puppets.

Russian puppets:
Nagorno-Karabakh
Transnistria
Abkhazia
Crimea
South Ossetia

Others:
Somalialand
Northern Cyprus
 

Nagorny Karabakh is not a Russian puppet at all. It is not even quite an Armenian puppet, really - in any case, whatever it is, it is Armenian, not Russian.

[Beezer]

Will Putin soon address the crowds from a balcony in Sevastopol?

[Middle-aged Europe]

Putin's speech from today sounded as if he just relaunched the Cold War.

Welcome back to 1948. The more things change, the more they stay the same, huh?