Posted on 02/24/2014 2:10:58 PM PST by tired&retired
Units of the Russian forces which formed a steel ring around the Olympic Winter Games that ended in Sochi Sunday were flown and shipped Monday, Feb. 24 to Russian bases at the Ukrainian Crimean port of Sevastopol, as Moscow refused to recognize the legitimacy of the new authorities in Kiev.
Giant Russian Air Force transports and rapid deployment forces were placed on alert at the Rostov on-Don base east of the predominantly Russian-speaking southeastern Ukrainian town of Donetsk.
Russian military movements were also sighted near Belgorod, a Russian town 40 kilometers from the Ukraine border and north of its second largest town of Kharkov. There, too, most of the inhabitants are Russian speaking with a strong affinity to Moscow – in contrast to their European-oriented compatriots in the capital, Kiev.
Russians will only move if the new government does anything stupid. If forced by actions—they are getting ready for a bit to “Protect Russian nationals” (ie secure the Naval Bases)—The Ukraine Government knows this and will not do anything to start something. Living next to Russia is like living next to a violent Bike Gang who make a lot of noise but its best to leave them alone and not call the cops. Talking to the EU was like calling the cops— let things cool off. Then set up a new treaty with Czar Putin—make nice and grow your nation—or you might not have one.
You must be talking about the Russian girls in the white outfits with the knee-high boots that were in the opening and closing ceremonies.
And with the exception of the skaters ... all the skiers were skin tight and delicious looking.
I missed the curling and of course the hockey players could have been men in THEIR uniforms.
Truth be told, I watched neither the opening nor closing ceremonies ... I just wanted to jump right in and root for the USA.
Russia can choke Ukraine to death whenever it feels like it. Put gas at market rates for one.
And if the EU and Obama pump in tens of billions of aid, Russia can just drain it away in the same manner. The US is talking about a big carrot of aid outside of the EU which would be money we borrowed and that money would end up in Russia in this scenario.
“Russia can choke Ukraine to death whenever it feels like it. Put gas at market rates for one.”
One would think that the the organ who feeds the body controls it, but when the colon decides to block up and stop working, it controls the body.
Russia relies on the Ukraine to allow their oil and gas to go through the Ukraine pipelines to Europe. If they are blocked, Russia can’t sell oil & gas as easily.
>>Russia relies on the Ukraine to allow their oil and gas to go through the Ukraine pipelines to Europe. If they are blocked, Russia can’t sell oil & gas as easily.<<
That is why Russians has built a North Stream pipeline, presided by former Chancellor Schroeder, to pump directly into Germany and Italy bypassing unstable Eastern Europe.
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