Putin Flies Into Crimea As Ukraine "Prepares For An Invasion"

ZeroHedge.Com ^ | 19 August 2016 | Tyler Durden

[amorphous]

At the same time that Russia is condicting its latest massive military drill on the border with Ukraine, and one day after the latest stark warning by Ukraine' president Poroshenko that the simmering conflict with Russia may be set to explode again when he said on national TV that “the probability of escalation and conflict remains very significant" adding that "we don’t rule out full-scale Russian invasion", Russian president Putin made a not so subtle point that Crimea will not be relinquished when he flew into contested territory on Friday, one day after staging war games there, and said he hoped Ukraine would see "common sense" when it came to resolving a diplomatic crisis over the peninsula.

Officially, Putin arrived on a working visit in Crimea, where he held a briefing with members of the Russian Security Council and visited the Tavrida international youth forum, a RIA Novosti correspondent reported Friday. The schedule of Putin's visit to Crimea, at least his fifth in the past two years, also involves meetings with local officials, according to local media reports that broke news of the visit this week.

[katana]

Well, the record was set by Stalin in the 1930's. Around 4-5 million. Who can be precise when you're talking about a "statistic"?

I'd be surprised if the Russians go all in for an invasion of the Ukraine. The Crimea was always "Russian" until the internal Soviet republics' borders were changed in the 1950's. The Ukraine is a distinct territory and they would likely put enough of a fight that the cliché word from Vietnam and Afghanistan, "quagmire", would rear its ugly head.

[ETL]

Documents Show How Russia's Troll Army Hit America:

http://www.buzzfeed.com/maxseddon/documents-show-how-russias-troll-army-hit-america
____________________________

Kremlin pays internet trolls to flatter Putin
Ben Hoyle - Moscow
October 11 2013

Russian investigative journalists and bloggers have uncovered an army of internet trolls paid to pour invective on the Kremlin's opponents and heap praise on President Putin.

Posing as job applicants, the reporters discovered the government hacks working at a small company called the St Petersburg Internet Research Agency. ..."

http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/news/world/asia/article3891720.ece
____________________________

Russian Propaganda Is Taking Over Online Comment Boards

Pamela Engel
May 4, 2014

British newspaper The Guardian notes that recently, readers have been complaining of pro-Russia propaganda being posted in the comments section of articles about Russia and Ukraine.

One reader wrote to The Guardian:

"One need only pick a Ukraine article at random, pick any point in the comments at random, and they will find themselves in a sea of incredibly aggressive and hostile users (the most obvious have accounts created since February 2014 ... but there also exist those who registered with the Guardian before the high point of the crisis) who post the most biased, inciteful [sic] pro-Kremlin, anti-western propaganda that seems as if it's taken from a template, so repetitive are the statements. Furthermore, these comments are consistently capturing inordinate numbers of 'recommends', sometimes on the order of 10 to 12 times what pro-Ukrainian comments receive."

Guardian comment moderators believe this is an orchestrated campaign.

Russia has worked hard to make people believe that the country is supporting the Russian-speaking population in Ukraine and defending those people against some type of threat. These "comment mills" play into that strategy.

Last year, The Atlantic wrote about how the Russian government apparently pays people to "sit in a room, surf the Internet, and leave sometimes hundreds of postings a day that criticize the country's opposition and promote Kremlin-backed policymakers."

This practice isn't new, according to The Atlantic. But it can stifle open discussion about political issues in Russia, giving a louder voice to those who support the Kremlin.

http://www.businessinsider.com/putin-paying-people-to-post-pro-russia-propaganda-in-comments-2014-5

[Bobalu]

I don’t give a $hit what Russia does in Ukraine!

It was our meddling that stirred up the whole mess in the first place.

Crimea is Russian! Everyone needs to get that through their thick skulls.

Russia does not want Ukraine...it’s a basket case. they just don’t want NATO in Ukraine.

Looks like Turkey may be the new pipeline route for Russian gas..good! Let Ukraine buy their own gas and stop siphoning gas from the pipelines going through their country.

All anyone needs to know is that Obama is on the side of Ukraine... that means they are the wrong people to support. This logic always holds true.. Obama caused the Ukraine mess because he was humiliated by Putin when Putin forced him to back down from use of force in Syria by eliminating the chemical weapons stockpile...Obama had a hard-on to kill Assad and stick in a Muslim Brotherhood government...same as he did in Egypt.

[amorphous]

Well, the record was set by Stalin in the 1930's. Around 4-5 million. Who can be precise when you're talking about a "statistic"?

Not counting abortion, 1B+, worldwide, since a vote by the USSC in 1973, followers of Mohammad hold the record at taking human life - upwards of 290 million since its 1400 year existence.

[RedWulf]

>The Crimean parliament was dissolved at gun point by Russians from Moscow. Now you’re just here parroting KGB propaganda. How principled and conservative of you.

You failed to read the wikipedia source I listed. You should consider reading courses once to go along with your tin foil hat.

[amorphous]

Obama = Soros

[Bobalu]

Yup.

[ETL]

How Russia arms America's southern neighbors

Ioan Grillo
May 9, 2014

RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil -- Russia's push into Ukraine has put many on edge. But less known is that Russia is also strengthening its military links south of the Rio Grande and re-establishing itself as a power in the region.

Vladimir Putin has been strengthening military links here, and Russia is now the largest arms dealer to governments in Latin America, surpassing the United States.

Russia has even floated the possibility of building new military bases in Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua, and putting its warships permanently in the Caribbean.

In the midst of the Ukraine crisis, Russia's top diplomat Sergei Lavrov recently visited Cuba, Peru, Chile, and Nicaragua, where he announced that Russia would also pour money into the new Central American canal project. ..."

http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/americas/140508/russian-arms-military-trade-latin-america
___________________________________________________

Russia Boosts Arms, Training for Leftist Latin Militaries

Moscow defense minister inks deals with Cuba, Venezuela, Nicaragua for joint exercises

BY: Bill Gertz
February 20, 2015

Russia agreed to provide military training for three leftist regimes in Latin America and increase military visits and exercises following a visit last week to the region by Moscow's Defense Minister Sergei Shoygu, Pentagon officials said.

Shoygu met with defense and military leaders in Cuba, Venezuela, and Nicaragua and signed several agreements on warship visits and military training during the visit, which ran from Feb. 11 to 14. It is not clear whether any new arms deals were completed during the visit.

Defense officials said the Russian leader is seeking bases in the region for strategic bomber flights that Shoygu recently promised would include flights over the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean.

http://freebeacon.com/national-security/russia-boosts-arms-training-for-leftist-latin-militaries/

[lodi90]

You failed to read the wikipedia source I listed. You should consider reading courses once to go along with your tin foil hat.

---

Wikipedia? LOL. I followed the events closely. You are the one who should bone up and quit parroting KGB filth propaganda.

Fact is Putin invaded Crimea with Russian forces, lied about it and then later handed out medals to his army for doing it. There is ZERO basis to believe any statements coming out of his fascist and mass murdering regime.

[ETL]

Obama = Soros

Obama, Soros and KGB Putin all have something very important in common. They each want America knocked off its pedestal and substantially diminished.

[amorphous]

Leaked Memo Shows Soros Pushed Greece To Support Ukraine Coup, Paint Russia As Enemy

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2016-08-19/leaked-memo-shows-soros-pushed-greece-support-ukraine-coup-paint-russia-enemy

[KOZ.]

ahh...seems like you enjoy posting the same bs on multiple threads, here, i’ll do the same :)

Dear Putin Bootlicker:

I realize you don’t give a shit, in fact you advocate for the slaughter of innocents for Russia’s benefit. Russia has killed more than ISIS.

Ukrainians tired of Russian meddling in their country revolted. Russians started this whole mess by attacking a sovereign nation.

Crimea is not Russian. Nice try though.

Russia doesn’t want Ukraine? What world do you live in?

Obama and Clinton are and have been on the side of Russia. Sorry to burst your bubble there.

You are on the side of Russia, Putin, Clinton and Obama.

[ETL]

From Aug 23, 2015:

"a recent investigation conducted by Novaya Gazeta, one of the few independent newspapers left in Russia, complicates this cozy tale of counterterrorist cooperation. Based on extensive fieldwork in one village in the North Caucasus, reporter Elena Milashina has concluded that the "Russian special services have controlled" the flow of jihadists into Syria, where they have lately joined up not only with ISIS but other radical Islamist factions.

In other words, Russian officials are adding to the ranks of terrorists which the Russian government has deemed a collective threat to the security and longevity of its dictatorial ally on the Mediterranean, Bashar al-Assad."

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/08/23/russia-s-playing-a-double-game-with-islamic-terror0.html
_________________________________

Czech Defense Minister: "Russia is Orchestrating Muslim Invasion of Europe"

Posted By: TRT NEWS October 31, 2015

Prague, Czech Republic - Russia is orchestrating, coordinating, and funding the ongoing invasion of European countries by Muslim, military-age males, the Czech Defense Minister shared with IDNES.cz on October 10th, 2015.

According to Martin Stropnicky, the Defense Minister for the Czech Republic, he was informed by the Hungarian Defense Minister Istvan Simicsko that Russia was financing the busing of military-age Islamic males across the borders of the Balkan nations.

-snip-

Speculation has been rife for some time now that Russian forces have been plotting a ground invasion to retake the former satellite states of the Soviet Union, and eventually capturing the European capitals.

The overwhelming of these nations' borders, social services, and law enforcement mechanisms would destabilize and weaken the internal security controls when Russian military units would make their move.

"The Russian Federation does not desire a unified and cohesive European Union," Stropnicky said in the interview. "I do not envision the current invasion ceasing anytime soon."

As the Russian Federation has modernized its military forces and transformed its military theory to a hybrid combination of special forces, infantry, and airpower, it has made impressive advances in its latest generation tank and fighter jet, both of which purportedly claim to be superior to American counterparts. ..."

http://www.therussianthreat.com/czech-defense-minister-russia-is-orchestrating-muslim-invasion-of-europe/
____________________________________________________

Understanding Provocation [Provokatsiya]

March 29, 2014

One of the most powerful tools the Kremlin has in its secret arsenal of Special War is provocation, what they call provokatsiya.

While Moscow cannot claim to have invented this technique, which has existed as long as there have been secret services, there's no doubt that Russians have perfected the art and taken it to a whole new level of sophistication and deviousness. At times, it can become a strategy all on its own (not always, mind you, with edifying results).

Provokatsiya simply means taking control of your enemies in secret and encouraging them to do things that discredit them and help you. You plant your own agents provocateurs and flip legitimate activists [in this case, dupe actual Jihadis -ETL], turning them to your side.

When you're dealing with extremists to start with, getting them to do crazy, self-defeating things isn't often difficult. In some cases, you simply create extremists and terrorists where they don't exist. This is causing problems in order to solve them, and since the Tsarist period, Russian intelligence has been known to do just that.

While this isn't a particularly nice technique, it works surprisingly well, particularly if you don't care about bloody and messy consequences. ..."

http://20committee.com/2014/03/29/understanding-provocation/
_________________________________

In other words, it's like starting a fire, or pouring gasoline on a fire, in order to be the 'big hero', being first on the scene to put it out. Except in this case, you get to grab control of the buildings and town you helped 'saved' from the fire you helped to start.

[ETL]

The ones who are naive are those “useful idiots”, here and elsewhere, who are being suckered into thinking KGB/FSB Putin is some sort of savior.

Meanwhile, Russia has undermined us at every turn, particularly militarily, with their backing of most of our enemies.

Comrade Obama had bent over backwards appeasing Putin on such critical things as missile defense and nukes, helping put him in the position he is in today. Now it appears Putin has said to him, thanks jackass, now get lost, and get out of our way.

Obama must be crushed by this lack of gratitude for all he’s done to help them. Obama was born and raised around people devoted to Russia. In fact, his “Uncle Frank”, as he refers to Communist Party member Frank Marshall Davis in his book “Dreams From My Father” actually wrote poems glorifying the Soviet Red Army.

[MeganC]

Comrade,

Ukraine’s internal issues (good or bad) do not justify Russia invading Crimea and then staging an election where both of the choices included Crimea leaving Ukraine. The people in Crimean were not offered the option to remain part of Ukraine (status quo ante bellum).

The election was therefore invalid. Bleat, bitch, moan, whine all you want. The Russians invaded a sovereign country under a pathetic pretense and you’re pathetically defending them.

Worse, if the Russians did the same thing to you then you’ve also established that you’d use deadly force against them. Which makes you a hypocrite.

Do I want the US to go to war with Russia over Ukraine? Nope.

Do I want the US to provide the Ukrianians with the means to not only protect what they have left but also with the means to retake what was stolen from them? Absolutely.

And I hope a boatload of Russian hooligans die when justice is finally served on them. They deserve it.

[ETL]

"For 16 years Putin was an officer in the KGB, rising to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel before he retired to enter politics in his native Saint Petersburg in 1991.

He moved to Moscow in 1996 and joined President Boris Yeltsin's administration where he rose quickly, becoming Acting President on 31 December 1999 when Yeltsin unexpectedly resigned. Putin won the subsequent 2000 presidential election, despite widespread accusations of vote-rigging,[3] and was reelected in 2004."

"On 25 July 1998, Yeltsin appointed Vladimir Putin head of the FSB (one of the successor agencies to the KGB), the position Putin occupied until August 1999. He became a permanent member of the Security Council of the Russian Federation on 1 October 1998 and its Secretary on 29 March 1999."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vladimir_Putin

[dfwgator]

Mourir Pour Ukraine?

[mac_truck]

An illegal revolt overthrew the elected Ukrainian government, a government that Crimea overwhelming supported and voted for. Crimea then voted to leave the Ukraine.

Concurring bump...Crimea has a right to self determination in the face of the unconstitutional removal of their elected government.

[ETL]

From Investor's Business Daily, Jan 2012:

Obama To Betray Missile Defense Secrets To Moscow

Investor's Business Daily ^ | January 9, 2012 | IBD staff

Appeasement: From ObamaCare to recess appointments, honoring the Constitution has not been an administration hallmark. But when it comes to betraying secrets to mollify the Russians, it becomes a document the president hides behind.

It was bad enough that the 2012 defense authorization bill signed by President Obama set America on a downward spiral of military mediocrity.

He also issued a signing statement, something he once opposed, saying that language in the bill aimed at protecting top-secret technical data on the U.S. Standard Missile-3 - linchpin of our missile defense - might impinge on his constitutional foreign-policy authority.

Section 1227 of the defense law prohibits spending any funds that would be used to give Russian officials access to sensitive missile-defense technology as part of a cooperation agreement without first sending Congress a report identifying the specific secrets, how they'd be used and steps to protect the data from compromise.

The president is required to certify that any technology shared will not be passed on to third parties such as China, North Korea or Iran, that the Russians will not use transferred secrets to develop countermeasures and that the Russians are reciprocating in sharing missile-defense technology. ..."

"In his signing statement, Obama said he would treat these legal restrictions as 'non-binding' and that 'my administration will also interpret and implement section 1244 (sic) in a manner that does not interfere with the president's constitutional authority to conduct foreign affairs and avoids the undue disclosure of sensitive diplomatic communications.'

Betraying our secrets is easy for a president who betrayed allies Poland and the Czech Republic to placate Moscow.

Poland was to host ground-based interceptors such as those we've deployed in California and Alaska, with missile-tracking radar deployed in the Czech Republic.

Obama pulled the plug when Moscow objected. Never mind, he said, we have a better approach: a four-phase plan that calls for using three versions of the Navy's Standard SM-3 interceptor missile that forms the backbone of its Aegis missile-defense system.

The fourth phase consists of a missile still on the drawing board scheduled for deployment by 2020, a version of the SM-3 called the Block IIB. It would intercept hostile missiles in the "early intercept" phase before an enemy missile could release its warheads and decoys. The Russians want the SM-3's secrets, and Obama appears to be willing to turn them over.

The president wants to save the New Start Treaty, which the Russians have threatened to abandon if we try to fully implement President Reagan's dream of defeating a nuclear missile attack.

Russia has unilaterally asserted that any qualitative or quantitative improvement in U.S. missile defenses would be grounds for withdrawal from the treaty.

Read More At Investor's Business Daily:
http://news.investors.com/ibd-editorials/010912-597158-obama-gives-russia-missile-defense-secrets.htm#ixzz3jXmMbVwY
___________________________________________________

March 2012...

"Obama was talking with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev when neither of them realized that their conversation was being picked up by microphones. Here is what they said:

Obama: "On all these issues, but particularly missile defense, this, this can be solved, but it's important for him to give me space."

Medvedev: "Yeah, I understand. I understand your message about space. Space for you ..."

Obama: "This is my last election. After my election, I have more flexibility."

Medvedev: "I understand. I will transmit this information to Vladimir."

"This is my last election. After my election I have more flexibility." That statement tells us much about the president's mindset.

The specific mention of missile defense is worrisome enough. Mr. Obama has retreated from the missile defense plan that was negotiated with European allies during the George W. Bush administration. Apparently, he is signaling Moscow that he intends to retreat further. The clear implication from the president's comments is that he cannot tell the American people before the election what he plans to do after the election.

In addition, there is the phrase "on all these issues," implying more is at stake than just missile defense."

Article: Obama plans double cross on missile defense
When it comes to keeping America safe, we shouldn't be too flexible:
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2012/mar/29/obama-plans-double-cross-on-missile-defense/print/
__________________________________________________________

***********************************************

Russia Ramping Up Military Drills to Cold War Levels, NATO Says

Feb 5, 2016 - FoxNews.com

Russia has stepped up its military maneuvers to a level unseen since the height of the Cold War, according to a new report released by NATO Thursday.

Jens Stoltenberg, the alliance's secretary general and author of the report, noted that Moscow has conducted at least 18 large-scale exercises over the past three years, "some of which have involved more than 100,000 troops."

Those exercises included several simulated nuclear attacks against NATO allies and partner nations ..."

http://www.foxnews.com/world/2016/02/05/russia-ramping-up-military-drills-to-cold-war-levels-nato-says.html

[dfwgator]

"You know what the Ukraine is? It's a sitting duck. A road apple, Newman. The Ukraine is weak. It's feeble. I think it's time to put the hurt on the Ukraine."