Posted on 04/23/2014 4:55:48 AM PDT by McGruff
Russia issued a blunt warning Wednesday it would respond if its interests are attacked in Ukraine, as pro-Kremlin rebels in the restive east of the country braced for a new military offensive by Kiev.
The threat by Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov, recalling the 2008 war with Georgia over breakaway South Ossetia, came as US troops were headed to region in a show of force after Washington again warned Moscow of new sanctions over the escalating crisis.
"If we are attacked, we would certainly respond," Lavrov told state-controlled RT television.
"If our interests, our legitimate interests, the interests of Russians have been attacked directly, like they were in South Ossetia for example, I do not see any other way but to respond in accordance with international law."
He did not elaborate, but the reference to South Ossetia strongly hinted at the possibility of military action.
The United States, meanwhile, said it plans to deploy 600 troops to Poland and the Baltic states starting Wednesday to "reassure our allies and partners".
Ukraine's acting president Oleksandr Turchynov late Tuesday ordered a new "anti-terrorist" operation against separatists holding a string of eastern towns after the discovery of two "brutally tortured" bodies.
One of the dead was a local politician from Turchynov's party who was kidnapped nearly a week ago, the leader said, blaming his death on the rebels.
Kiev's offensive threatens to sound the final death knell for an already tattered agreement struck last week in Geneva between Ukraine, Russia and the West to ease the crisis, which some fear could tip the country into civil war.
(Excerpt) Read more at timesofindia.indiatimes.com ...
Tell all those EU countries to keep Russia at bay.
Russia will intervene if its interests come under threat. Its warning should not be brushed off lightly.
Even taking on the Bear in the neighbor’s yard could get ugly.
If we get into a war with Russia, we lose. Barry would love that.
All I hear from the EU is *crickets*.
How do you attack someone when they aren’t there?
This is laughable.
Russia’s interests are in Russia.
Everything in the Ukraine is Ukrainian, not Russian.
Russia = modern day Nazis (oh, the irony)
Kiev and the US could've just left it alone, east and west, and let the occupied building stay peacefully occupied until the election. Instead they call the eastern Ukranians "terrorists" and send in thugs to kill people guarding a checkpoint in the early hours of Easter AM. One can only assume that Kiev inspired by the US wants chaos as an excuse to not have an election.
And those 600 troops to Poland? I'd much rather have them on our border with Mexico. This is not our fight, and we should not be in NATO anymore or involved in issues that belong to the EU, Russia and those in Ukraine. It's just disgusting that US policy is enabling Kiev to think of itself as any more than a coup government, temporary until the election. I wonder why Ukraine should even have to pay back any loans that government accepts or any agreements it makes.
Furthermore "Russian influence" isn't an excuse, when you've got Biden, Nuyland, and Kerry among others getting involved in a very partial way. And I'll be the baffled one here...most posters on FR usually dislike everything Obama has done destroying the US at home and our reputation and competence abroad. Why would I or most constitutional conservatives possibly support Obama's interference in Ukraine , when he won't even defend the US border with Mexico and he has agents assaulted ranchers defending their rights to raise cattle?
All I hear from the EU is *crickets*.
The sound you hear is the 173rd Airborne setting up shop in Poland and the Baltics. And Putin won’t do a thing about it.
Kiev and the US could’ve just left it alone, east and west, and let the occupied building stay peacefully occupied until the election. Instead they call the eastern Ukranians “terrorists” and send in thugs to kill people guarding a checkpoint in the early hours of Easter AM. One can only assume that Kiev inspired by the US wants chaos as an excuse to not have an election.
As usual you have your facts backwards. It’s the Russians who don’t want fair elections in Ukraine because they would lose. The longer the Russians continue with Al Qaeda style kidnapping and murdering in Ukraine the less support from the locals they will have.
Ukraine, Poland the Baltics are their own yards.
Russia's "back yard" would of course be land in their own country.
I wish we dealt with Mexico the same way.
So what's next US ground troops? Maybe they can fly directly there when leaving Afghanistan. Again where's the EU that Ukraine wanted to be part of. All I hear is crickets.
Again where’s the EU that Ukraine wanted to be part of. All I hear is crickets.
Wait. I thought the EU was behind all these banderists pulling strings??? You are trying to have it both ways. Either the EU is a driving force or they are not. You can’t have it both ways.
When you’re a puppet for Putin, you can have it as many ways as you want! Cue in homoerotic Putin photo.
So are the elections going to happen on time or not? Russia cannot stop Ukraine from holding elections.
This is more like the Russian Bear fighting another Russian Bear. Or the Novogorod verses the Rus or Scythian’s. Tough fighters all the way around. And we are going back to a place where some of the toughest fighting in WWII occurred.
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