Posted on 03/02/2014 9:37:21 AM PST by 1rudeboy
As President Putin weighs using military forces in a Ukraine plunging deeper into political turmoil, Alexander Mercouris, international law expert, tells RT that the presence Russia’s forces could be a restraining factor for all the parties involved.
RT: From the point of view of international law, from the point of view of that perspective, where does Russia’s approval for the use of armed force actually stand then? If it does indeed send forces to Ukraine?
Alexander Mercouris: The Russian position is based on an agreement which was made between Mr. Yanukovich and the opposition leaders as they were on the 21st February, in which Russia is named and in which in effect it is a kind of co-guarantor. That agreement was torn up. What then happened over the course of the next couple of days is that Yanukovich was illegally overthrown.
Law is like a web. If you start unraveling part of it, then the whole thing basically falls apart. It’s very difficult, it seems for me, for people who want to criticize the Russians for doing what they’re doing to start discovering illegality now, when they have so-far completely disregarded it up to now. It depends in terms of international law, a great deal upon what the Russians do.
But the important thing to understand is that there is no legitimate government at the moment in existence in Kiev.
RT: There’s no decision made of course. They have made it very clear that there’s no decision as to whether those troops will be deployed but your thoughts if they were to be deployed, what sort of impact could that have on the situation?
AM: I think that in the Crimea it would stabilize it. The point to make about this particular resolution is that it’s not in-fact confined to Crimea. It’s about the Ukraine in general. We have to wait and see what would happen in the rest of Ukraine. There’s been a great deal of disturbances in the eastern Ukraine. But in the Crimea itself, I think, essentially it’s an accomplished fact – the Crimea is not obeying decisions from Kiev. It would require force by Kiev to bring Crimea to heel and Russian intervention there would prevent that and that would stabilize the situation.
snip
How hard is it to ignore the 5 billion $$$ spent on democratizing Ukraine?
You ever have the pleasure of seeing theses guys in your travels?
Vladimir Putin’s motorcycle gang is riding into Ukraine
Here comes the cavalry. As Moscow weighs how to handle the political situation unfolding in Kiev, Vladimir Putin’s motorcycle gang, a group named the Night Wolves, whom Putin has called his “brothers,” is wasting no time making their allegiances clear. The group is staging a ride across the border into Ukraine to rally pro-Russian protesters.
As Ukraine transforms itself in a new era, all eyes have been on Russia to see how strongly Putin will try to strong-arm the nation back under the control of Mother Russia and push it away from European integration. Ukranian president Viktor Yanukovych fled to Russia and the Kremlin is thought to be harboring him. And Putin has said it has yet to decide whether to withhold funds from the country’s new leadership.
The move by the Night Wolves is the latest sign that Putin intends to apply some muscle to keep Ukraine under Russian influence. Alexander Zaldostanov, the group’s leather-clad, pony-tailed leader nicknamed “The Surgeon,” said, “Tomorrow people are organizing an action called Russian Spring.”
Last year Putin personally awarded Zaldostanov with a state honor after he and his crew helped restore a monument “symbolic of Soviet war heroism” in Volgograd, reports AFP—the same city where separatist suicide bombers killed 34 late in the same year.
“The column will start at 8:00 am and ride across the whole eastern part of Ukraine,” Zaldostanov said.
Zaldostanov said he was personally going to Crimea, an area that has emerged as critical in the unfolding conflict, with many residents loyal to Ukraine’s ousted leadership. Zaldostanov said he was going to deliver “humanitarian aid.”
The Kiev branch of the Night Wolves writes that their mission is to “spread Russian influence around the world.”
Image
FDR was no hero, he ignored the European developments, even when massive jewish popluations applied for US visa’s to escape gas chambers, he knew of the atrocities and turned away from them. He bungled intelligence of a Japaneese attack known weeks in advance, and let 3000 men die in Pearl Harbour. The other 3 were Men, and American’s.
I just read about “Nochnye Vitali” yesterday. The point I am trying to make is; The Russians have all the cool jobs in Ukraine. They have the power and don’t want to give it up. They are able to extend “perks’ for favors or cash. Under Soviet rule, the power was in belonging to the “Party”. A lot of Russian sympathizers miss their power. A lot of Russian sympathizers have the power. Corruption, graft, and oppression are the bill of fare with the Russian tentacles throughout Ukranian govt. Especially the police forces.
Yanukovich fleed. After violating the constitution and calling Military snipers to shoot down in the streets of kiev, part of his constituency. Obama could do that in America, use the military to shoot his passive opposition. Would you call him a “legitimatly elected” President if he did that?
Show me where I called him a hero.
Thanks, I was just curious if this group has as much power as the press and Putin are portraying.
You did not, but you put him into a group of hero’s. I just wanted to distinguish the other 3, from that grouping.
Popular legend holds that modern Russia is run by Mobsters, is that how you see it?
I’m pretty sure the Continental Congress was an illegitimate gov’t, too, to some outside players.
Pure crap. The Ukrainians want to be free of Russia and independent of Putin. Now, he sends in his private army to secure the area. There will be blood on Putin’s evil hands.
I have only heard about the Russian Mafia, but I don’t think they operate in a vacuum. There must be payoffs as part of the corruption to allow them to operate. From what I see, In Ukraine, the police thrive on picking on the common citizen. I actually did see some small time mafia. Two changed a hundred dollar bill for us so they could cut out the middle man in the money exchange booths. ( which were located on every block. Another looked like Jabba the hut at the door of a restaraunt, muttering something to me in Russian that I didn’t understand. I asked my wife what that was all about. She responded. “he is mafia.”
He is not a legitimately elected President right now. He stole the last election. We know that to be fact now (IRS Scandal, illegal immigration, etc.). He should have been immediately impeached after those election results came in. All socialist cronies steal elections in today's world. He is not my President.
Read up on how he handled Grozny. He leveled the city WWII style and rebuilt the entire thing. You do not mess around with Putin. Everyone in the US government who thought supporting a coup in the Ukraine was a good idea, needs to resign immediately.
I agree, the stuff they pulled in Florida was breathtaking. Miami precints staying open to midnight to accomadate a voter ID-less line, wound up turing out a 123% voter participation rate.
ARMED protestors could hardly be considered "constituents". And the proper term should be "armed insurgency" regardless of their choice of weapons .
The one’s on the viral video’s were carrying a shield, and throwing rocks. If you call that “Armed insurgents” then your welcome to spin away.
Fascists? Please explain the differences you see between fascists and communists.
Russia well understands the palpable shadow growing over it.
Putin is the shadow.
Fascists have snappier uniforms.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.