Ukraine Descends Into Low-Level Civil War, Tanks Seen Moving Through Kiev Metro (photos/video)

Reaganite Republican ^ | 18 February 2014 | Reaganite Republican

[Reaganite Republican]

If you've been behind on this one, basically the country was about to enter a free-trade agreement with the EU, but Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych's last-minute visit to the Kremlin in December altered his thinking dramatically on the very eve of the EU signing -reportedly through some combination of trade incentives and threats- and he made a prompt u-turn towards Putin's CIS instead.

This didn't go over well at all with the populace -in particular the country's western-looking youth- and it has slowly built towards the low-boil street war we see today. And now it's getting worse in a hurry.

The anti-government, pro-EU protest movement is headed by former World Heavyweight boxing champion Vitali Klitschko., who seems to have done a fairly deft job of not offending the country's over-17% Russian speakers (who are economically-influential) in his statements, positions, and demands upon the government, so his support is fairly widespread by all accounts.

But on this same day that a fresh amnesty deal released all political prisoners taken in during the protests, instead of some reconciliation or even break in the fighting we see escalation, as the enraged protesters have re-occupied the Kiev City Hall they retreated from two days ago.


Today has brought three more dead as government forces broke-down walls and into an opposition encampment in Kiev. The troubled country's capitol is the primary hot-spot, and I just picked-up the (tanks) photo above from a witness on-site.... looks like trouble to me.

And while the US is not going to supply arms or bomb Ukrainian military installations, it sure would be nice if we had a president that the Russians felt compelled to listen to, rather than snicker at... our influence is nearly non-existent:

Video/more at Reaganite Republican

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[Reaganite Republican]

***ping***

[Thunder90]

Don’t be surprised if you see Russian, Belarussian, and Kazakh forces in Ukraine helping out the government.

[Reaganite Republican]

Russians probably going in day after the Olympics closing ceremony...

[kidd]

The anti-government, pro-EU protest movement...

Well, which one is it? Can't be both.

[Greysard]

"The anti-government, pro-EU protest movement..." Well, which one is it? Can't be both.

In theory, those "protests" (which do look like a low level civil war) should tell the EU to stay away from Ukraine for at least a decade, until the population accepts the democracy. Why would EU want people who prefer to solve their political disagreements by throwing Molotov cocktails at the police? They have those already, like in Greece.

[nomad]

Those EU tyrants are no better, hell worse, or have we forgotten their bull crap attitudes towards issues of sovereign rule such as national immigration quotas?

We don`t need to “supply arms or assistance”, we have enough problems with our own dic-tater O`Bozo. Anyone who really wants a hands on approach can just fly their Rambo wanna-be butts over on their own, join the “resistance” and get their pathetic heads shot off on their own dime.

[Viennacon]

My guess is to Cyprus their bank accounts.

[null and void]

Anti Russian government, pro joining the EU.

One may as well say that members of the Aztlán movement can’t be anti-government and pro-México.

[Buckeye McFrog]

In Russia, Pelham 123 take YOU!

[Greysard]

My guess is to Cyprus their bank accounts.

Ukraine is heavily in debt, and Ukrainians do not have bank accounts worth mentioning. If Putin does not proceed with the 15 billion bailout that he promised to Yanukovich (by reason of Yanukovich losing the power, for example) then it will be EU's duty to finance Ukraine - and, most likely, to admit 45 million Ukrainians into Europe. As Europe is currently on a suicidal binge of importing foreigners, this certainly looks like a possibility.

[Viennacon]

Rich oligarchs maybe?

[PapaBear3625]

and, most likely, to admit 45 million Ukrainians into Europe. As Europe is currently on a suicidal binge of importing foreigners, this certainly looks like a possibility.

Better to import the Ukrainians, and expel the Muslims.

[Zeneta]

I’ve got to question that photo.

Tanks in the subway station ?

And the people are just standing around like they are waiting on the train ?

[Greysard]

Rich oligarchs maybe?

Ukraine does have a few rich oligarchs. However their money is not sitting in Ukrainian banks; that'd be foolish. Anyone who has >$50K to invest would be better off investing it. The oligarchs probably trading at NYSE and owning property in Europe and the USA. The richest among them lives in London. Domestically, oligarchs own all Ukrainian industry, media, sports teams. Whatever happens, they stand to gain from the bailout from Russia or from bailout from the EU. The people - the poor pawns at the barricades - will get nothing, as usual.

[BenLurkin]

LOL!

[MeganC]

I’m looking at the tanks and they look like they’re in a subway station? Hunh?

[Grzegorz 246]

WTF ?? Isn't it photoshopped ?

[sunrise_sunset]

The boxer won like %15 of the vote in the last election. A lot of the protests are sour grapes by people who can’t accept democratic elections.

[sunrise_sunset]

The EU isn’t giving them anything. That’s why they had to take the Russian offer. It was that or bankruptcy.