Posted on 11/16/2014 7:37:22 PM PST by Tailgunner Joe
In September a Russian plane buzzed a Canadian warship in the Black Sea during Russian combat training near the Crimean port of Sevastopol, coming within 300 metres and causing the HMCS Toronto to lock its radar on the plane in anticipation of firing in self defence. Russia has denied the flight was provocative, and said it was routine.
Other airspace incursions have been noted over the Arctic, where Russia and Canada have disputed claims to energy resources.
These are not merely exercises in international airspace or waters, but rather they are provocations, “almost an invitation to an accident,” said Aurel Braun, a professor of international relations at the University of Toronto, now a visiting professor at Harvard.
They are increasing in frequency, intensity, and recklessness, he said.
As winter approaches, there are fears Mr. Putin’s next move could be to cut off gas to Ukraine — or to Europe....
His stage is global, but his audience is largely domestic, and it is this duality that gives rise to the strange image of “a tiny man in elevator shoes,” as Prof. Braun put it, who still manages to stand astride the world like a colossus, exerting power through empty gestures, like riding bareback on a Siberian horse, flying with rare cranes in a glider, or diving into the Black Sea and coming up with ceramic antiquities. ....
To Mr. Putin, as Prof. Braun describes it, the danger of Ukraine has never been about outright conflict with NATO, for which Russia is no match. Rather, the fear is that Ukraine could become a successful democracy integrated with Europe, a large Slavic state transcending the fortunes of modern Russia.
“It would undermine his legitimacy,” Prof. Braun said, and so if Mr. Putin cannot control Ukraine, he would rather destroy it.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.nationalpost.com ...
Because Europe is weak and stupid and don't want to call out the Russkies who were infested all over Ukraine, many are still left. The Berkut officers were Red Russian Orc gang members sent under agreement between Yanukovych and Putin.
Related: Poroshenko signed a decree yesterday forcing Ukrainians to PAY IN ADVANCE for energy, starting Dec 1st.
THEY want to make sure they get paid, yet want Russian gas for free.
New Ukraine the same as the old Ukraine.
These sort of comments reveal how big of a Russkie bootlicker you are. You are hating on Ukraine while apologizing for a country that commits mass murder and theft on a daily basis. You need to be zotted, scumbag.
Never heard about Russian Berkut. There were anti-terror detachments Vityaz, Alpha, but clubbing protesters is too unqualified task for them. And Russian gangs have no officers, they have thieves in a law.
Ukrainians too infested all over Russia, every town in Russia has Okraina.
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.