February 21st, 2014
A small update on easing Ukrainian tensions. Lots of details remain to be worked out, and a lot of Euromaidan members aren’t happy with Yanukovych staying through December. But it’s sounding like they were made an offer they couldn’t refuse…
Polish minister to Euromaidan: “Take the deal or you’ll all be dead.”
Ukraine Parliament moves to release opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko.
Inside Kiev’s makeshift hospital/morgue.
Problems with Ukraine’s economy, and the Russian loan that helped kick off the crisis.
This warms my heart:
There are calls for Ukraine’s Parliament to impeach Yanukovych. I can hardly imagine Yanukovych or Putin taking that lying down…
Tags: Communism, EuroMaidan, Foreign Policy, Kiev, Russia, Ukraine, Yulia Tymoshenko
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February 21st, 2014
Early reports indicates that Yanukovych may finally have gotten a clue:
Viktor Yanukovych conceded to the major demands made by protesters, he announced Friday on his website. He had been holding out against their raging street demonstrations for months.
Yanukovych said he has initiated new presidential elections and a return to the old constitution that would cut presidential power, and also form a national unity Cabinet.
Now word is comning down that Euromaidan leadership has signed off on the agreement.
Great news, if it holds.
There are also unconfirmed reports of police either leaving or coming over to Euromaidan. Presumably these are the regular police and not the Berkut riot police.
Now the question becomes: What will Yanukovych’s puppet-master Vladamir Putin do? He met with his security council, and the discussion sounds more than a little ominous:
“Putin emphasized that it is imperative to immediately stop the bloodshed and take urgent measures to stabilize the situation and suppress any extremist and terrorist sorties.”
Is Putin willing to go to war to keep Ukraine is Moscow’s orbit?
Stay tuned…
Tweets
Tags: Communism, EuroMaidan, Foreign Policy, Russia, Ukraine, Viktor Yanukovych, Vladimir Putin
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February 20th, 2014
A super-brief update on Ukraine:
Current conformed death toll for recent fighting at 67, unconfirmed at 100 dead.
Euromaidan captures 67 policemen.
EU agrees to impose sanctions, including asset freezes and visa bans. It’s a start. Refusing to pay for any Russian oil or gas until democracy is restored in Ukraine would have a lot bigger effect…
Map of Russian gas pipelines in Ukraine. I differ with Zero Hedge in that I don’t think this is an all-encompassing explanation for the conflict…
Forget Sochi; Ukraine shows that it’s the same old Russia: “At the heart of the battle lies a fundamental question: Is Ukraine a free nation or is it a piece of Moscow — a piece on Putin’s chessboard?”
Obama’s White House: months late and several dollars short on Ukraine.
Video
Battle footage with CNN talking heads:
More random fight footage:
Military base torched:
More Tweets
And holy fark is Gary Kasperov pissed:
Tags: EuroMaidan, Foreign Policy, Gary Kasparov, Russia, Twitter, Ukraine, video, Vladimir Putin
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February 20th, 2014
That happens sometimes, when you try to escape your country’s harsh political bondage, despite the clamps and chains Putin’s police state has forced on dissidents, reformers and lesbians…
(Hat tip: Moe Lane, who doesn’t seem to have realized the glorious keyword trolling possibilities…)
Tags: Communism, Pussy Riot, Russia, Sochi Olympics, video, Vladimir Putin
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February 20th, 2014
So much for that truce:
Central Kyiv turned into a war zone on Feb. 20, with indiscriminate shooting, burning fires and the mass evacuations of government buildings.
At least 35 people were reported dead by noon, bringing the total count to at least 61 persons this week.
It became increasingly clear that both sides have lost control of the streets across Ukraine as reports of deaths, looting, and violent attacks poured in.
Foreign ministers of Germany, France and Poland, walked into a meeting with President Viktor Yanukovych around noon with one message on the agenda: you have to stop the violence now, and the quickest way to do it is to resign.
Yanukovych’s snipers are now shooting people in the streets:
Death toll now over 50 in latest clashes. I’m sure it will go higher. (Hat tip: Instapundit.)
Livestream:
Tweets:
Tags: EuroMaidan, Military, Twitter, Ukriane, video, Viktor Yanukovych
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February 19th, 2014
A truce has been declared between Euromaiden and Yanukovych’s forces. This is good news, as it means there’s fierce probably internal resistance in the armed forces to carry out the traditional “slaughter everyone with reach of a machine gun” method of putting down dissent. It may also mean that Putin isn’t quite willing to cross the Rubicon by intervening militarily to prop up his puppet.
Also, Obama finally condemns the violence in Ukraine and threatens vague “consequences” if it gets worse. It’s a start.
I’ve done so much Ukraine reporting today that I think I’ll just put up this short blurb for tonight, unless all hell breaks lose again…
Tags: Communism, EuroMaidan, Foreign Policy, Obama, Ukraine, Viktor Yanukovych, Vladimir Putin
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February 19th, 2014
Events in Ukraine are galloping at a furious rate:
Death toll currently at 26.
Yanukovych moves toward declaring martial law, though in the thinly disguised form of “anti-terror operations.”
He also just fired his army chief, presumably because he wasn’t keen on gunning down fellow Ukrainians. They’re also reporting that pro-democracy forces have seized the Kiev post office.
Lviv, on the Polish border, has declared independence from Yanukovych’s rule.
And soldiers there have “surrendered” to the Euromaidan opposition.
The Lviv defection is just one of many acts of defiance across the western Ukraine.
What we’re seeing in Ukraine mirrors Hungary in 1956 and Czechoslovakia in 1968: the brutal crushing of freedom at the direction of Moscow.
The ten most important events of the last two days.
UK PM David Cameron issues meaningless hen-clucks of disapproval, without a hint of actual action by his government.
At least this cadre of European politicians and intellectuals is asking for real sanctions.
The European Investment Bank has frozen its activities in Ukraine.
Canada closes its embassy.
A live blog of the situation on the Conflict Journal.
Dramatic pictures from Independence Square, including considerable bloodshed.
Not including this one:
More tweets and pics:
More scenes from the Battle of Independence Square:
Tags: David Cameron, EuroMaidan, Foreign Policy, Kiev, Lviv, Ukraine, video, Viktor Yanukovych
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February 19th, 2014
Current Ukraine status:
26 dead so far, including 10 riot police and journalist Vyacheslav Veremei.
Putin’s government gave Yanukovich’s another $2 billion payout.
Yanukovich demands people live the Maidan before any concessions. Protestors tell him to get stuffed.
On the diplomatic front:
Victor Davis Hanson via SooperMexican: Obama’s feckless foreign policy has emboldened Putin in the Ukraine.
A BBC report via Instapundit, in which various EU diplomatic grandees make meaningless noises of “concern.”
Though they’re at least considering sanctions.
And Secretary of State John Kerry? While Kiev burns, he’s lecturing the world on…global warming.
Some videos:
PC carrier tries unsuccessfully to breach Euromaidan lines in a hail of molotov cocktails:
Another view:
Scenes from the fighting:
An overview of the fighting:
More clashes:
Livestream again, though it looks like mostly video clips right now:
Tags: EuroMaidan, Foreign Policy, John Kerry, Livestream, Ukraine, video, Vladimir Putin, Vyacheslav Veremei
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February 18th, 2014
Lots of reports coming out of Ukraine right now, little of them good. Current reports have 22 dead in clashes between riot police and Euromaidan protestors. More from the Kiev Post. And a border crossing station between Poland and Ukraine has been blocked by a barricade of burning tires.
Yanukovych is demanding the protestors disperse before any reforms. The protestors told him to get stuffed, and are still there despite the crackdown.
Here’s a livestream:
Here’s a video explaining the issue via Instapundit:
Here’s Euromaidan’s English-language blog.
Tags: Communism, EuroMaidan, Foreign Policy, Poland, Ukraine, Viktor Yanukovych
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February 18th, 2014
Police storm the Euromaidan barricades, several deaths reported.
More later.
Tags: EuroMaidan, Ukraine
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