!!ALERT!!Russians Raise Flag Over Ukranian Republic of Crimea : Putin Deploys Troop Battalion

http://www.shtfplan.com/headline-news/reponse-putin-deploys-troop-battalion-russians-raise-flag-over-ukranian-republic-of-crimea_02242014

It’s On: Putin Deploys Troop Battalion: Russians Raise Flag Over Ukranian Republic of Crimea
Mac Slavo
February 24th, 2014
SHTFplan.com
Comments (116)
Read by 9,006 people


A couple of weeks ago President Barack Obama joined Bob Costas in an interview during the opening ceremonies of the Winter Olympic games being held in Sochi, Russia. The President, who didn’t attend the ceremony or games with other world leaders, chalked off his absence to his busy schedule. Obama sent a delegation in his stead that consisted of various gay and lesbian members, which was an obvious political move intended to highlight America’s outrage over Russia’s recent anti-gay legislation.

Though the President claimed in his interview that his relationship with Russian head of state Vladimir Putin was warm, one can’t help but wonder if things between the United States and Russia have soured significantly. A week after claiming he had too much to do and couldn’t support America’s athletes at the games, Obama took a three day golfing junket with buddies.

Then, out of nowhere, just as Vladimir Putin prepared to showcase his $51 billion games to the world, rioting and rebellion broke out in neighboring Ukraine. Some might say that it is pure coincidence, but as Franklin Roosevelt once opined, “”in politics, nothing happens by accident.” Within days of the uprisings investigations began to reveal that U.S. covert operations groups more than likely played a role.

Coincidence? Maybe. But when considering the same modus operandi appeared in uprisings in Iran, Egypt and Syria over the last several years, we can conclude that the United States was heavily involved in the Ukraine as well.

The timing of the Ukranian revolution was just… a little too perfect.

While it may seem, from our perspective, that the United States has the upper hand because Russian-backed Ukranian President Viktor Yanukovych has been deposed in a mirror event of what happened in Egypt, it should be clear that Vladimir Putin knows exactly what’s going on.

This past August, ahead of a possible conflict in Syria Putin reportedly deployed some 160,000 Russian troops to the region and thinly veiled threats of the potential for a nuclear counter-strike made headlines. President Obama, in an attempt to save face, backed down, claiming the situation had been defused (though no resolution to the alleged chemical weapons attack had been reached).

Now we’re back to the Ukraine, where a similar set of events are in play. And, once again, not willing to blink in any way, shape or form, and as the Olympic Games came to a close, Vladimir Putin is flexing his military might.

According to a report from Zero Hedge, though Ukraine proper is currently in the hands of pro-Western allies, Putin has deployed troops to the Ukranian autonomous Republic of Crimea.

Today at 12:00 from the Russian port of Temryuk should arrive in Sevastopol [Crimea], the large landing ship “Nikolai Fil’chenkov” with 200 soldiers on board. This was reported today by the chairman of the Ukraine “Freedom” faction Oleg Tyagnibok citing sources in the Crimean.
“I can show you the text message” – said Tyahnibok and read: “Today at 12:00 is expected the arrival from the port of Temryuk in the Russian Federation in the city of Sevastopol large landing ship Nikolai Fil’chenkov from the Black Sea Fleet of the Russian Federation. It will bring about 200 armed soldiers from the 328th Marine battalion, who are based in Temryuk and 10 BTR-80.”

He also noted that “on February 22-23, … IL-76 flights airlifted from Kubinka (Moscow region) to Anapa, personnel from the 45th Airborne Special Forces unit and additional divisions were relocated via four Il-76 flights from Pskov to Anapa. And from Sochi to Anapa were transported six Mi-8 helicopsters”- said Tyahnibok.

This appears to not be an isolated move as the naval build up seems to be escalating. In a concurrent release, Izvestia Kiev reported that out of Kubinka, four ships carrying special forces, are being relocated to Anapa. From there, in four hours, they will depart fo Sevastopol at a speed of 10-15 knots, citing “Izvestia in Ukraine” as a source.

A report from Infowars.com indicates that not only are Russian troops now on the peninsula, they have raised the Russian flag over the city of Sevastopol, Crimea and a total annexation of the Republic may be in the works.

Crimea has signaled secession from Ukraine and possible annexation by Russia may be acceptable. The Guardian reported earlier today that a Russian flag was hoisted over the city hall in Sevastopol.

Rumors are rife that Viktor Yanukovych, the deposed president of Ukraine, may be hiding out in Crimea.

John Little at OmegaShock.com penned a brief analysis of the situation in the Ukraine. His insights were eerily prescient. Well before the world was aware of Russian troop movements Little noted that Putin would more than likely be forced to engage in military operations. You see, the Russians simply cannot let the Ukraine fall to the west.

Why?

Because of the Carpathian Mountains.

…since Ukraine is on the Russian side of the Carpathians… those mountains would no longer be a barrier to invasion and would double Russia’s vulnerability. Russia would need twice the army to guard that border. And, Russia cannot afford to support an army of that size.

That is why Russia CANNOT allow Ukraine to fall into the hands of the European Union. So, expect Russia to quietly and firmly up the pressure. If Putin can take back Ukraine by covert means, he’ll do that. If the US and EU block covert action, Putin will send in troops.

Though we don’t foresee any widespread military conflict as a result of the U.S. and Russian moves in the near-term, the mobilization of troops and covert forces from both the East and West is indicative of a growing trend, and one that doesn’t bode well for the future of a peaceful co-existence.

Whether it’s the middle east, Asia, north Africa or eastern Europe, Russia and the United States continue to bump heads.

President Obama backed down in Syria.

What happens in the Ukraine remains to be seen, but it should be clear that these regionalized skirmishes will continue in an effort by both Russia and the United States to realize hegemony over resources, geography and political influence around the world.

In an interview with Joel Skousen of World Affairs Brief, it was noted that the eventual result of these mini-conflicts will be nothing short of thermo-nuclear warfare.

President Obama will be on his way in a few years. We can expect Vladimir Putin to be the President of Russia for decades to come. And you can be assured of one thing: Putin wants Russia to be at the top of the food chain and he’ll stop at nothing to make that happen.

One of these days he’s going to get fed up with the games, and along with China, they’ll begin the process of attacking America. In fact, the process has already begun on the economic playing field. Sometime within the next decade, as noted by Joel Skousen, we’re going to see someone push that legendary “red button” and all hell will break loose.

Ukraine may not be the trigger event, but it sure as heck provides an insight into the mindset of the leaders vying for power.

We can be fairly certain that Vladimir Putin is willing to go all the way to protect Mother Russia’s interests. How far is our Nobel Peace Prize winning President willing to go to do the same for the Homeland?

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http://www.prisonplanet.com/what-is-happening-in-ukraine-is-far-more-important-than-most-people-realize.html

What Is Happening In Ukraine Is Far More Important Than Most People Realize

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Michael Snyder
Economic Collapse
February 25, 2014
What the people of Ukraine are being put through is absolutely horrible.  They are caught in the middle of a massive tug of war between the East and the West, and they are paying a great price for it.  Ultimately, Ukraine will end up either being dominated by Russia (a bad outcome) or by the EU and the United States (another bad outcome). 

Image: Ukraine Uprising (Wikimedia Commons.
Most Ukrainians just want to be free and want to be able to build a better future for themselves and their families, but it is extremely unlikely that they will be able to escape the specter of foreign domination.  Meanwhile, the violence in Ukraine is planting the seeds for a potentially much larger conflict down the road.  The days of “friendly relations” between the United States and Russia are now gone.  Russia is absolutely furious that the U.S. has fueled a violent revolution on its own border, and it is something that Russian officials will not forget for a very long time.  In return, U.S. officials are taking an increasingly harsh stance toward Russia.  In the end, the seeds that are being planted right now could ultimately blossom into a full-blown conflict between the superpowers in the years to come.
Let there be no mistake – the United States is heavily involved in what is going on in Ukraine.  Even the New York Times admits this.  And the U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine and the Assistant Secretary of State have been caught on tape discussing their next moves in getting a new government installed in Ukraine.
In addition, a number of non-governmental organizations inside the United States have allegedly been assisting and organizing the revolution in Ukraine for a long time.  At least a few of these organizations have ties to George Soros.  This is something that I discussed in a previous article.
Some of the “progressive” NGOs that have been accused of fueling the violent revolution in Ukraine include the National Endowment for Democracy, Freedom House, and the Open Society Foundations (formerly known as the Open Society Institute).
Please don’t misunderstand me.  I am not taking sides.  I am just pointing out that both sides in Ukraine are controlled.  If I was living in Ukraine, I would want both Russia and the United States to go away and leave Ukraine alone.
Instead, Ukraine is being used as a battleground to fight a proxy war between the East and the West.  Now that the opposition has gained the upper hand, it does not appear that Russian officials are in any mood to recognize the new “government”…

Quote :

Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev on Monday saidRussia had grave doubts about the legitimacy of those in power in Ukraine following President Viktor Yanukovich’s ouster, saying their recognition by some states was an “aberration”.

Medvedev also stated that he has “big doubts about the legitimacy of a whole series of organs of power that are now functioning there.”
Last Friday, an agreement was signed by the two sides in Ukraine that was supposed to bring about a peaceful resolution to all of this.  But the revolutionaries reneged on the deal and toppled the government instead.  Needless to say, Russia was quite horrified by this…

Quote :

The Russian Foreign Ministry criticized the West for turning a blind eye to what Moscow described as the opposition reneging on its agreement signed Friday to form a unity government and aiming to “suppress dissent in various regions of Ukraine with dictatorial and, sometimes, even terrorist methods.”

So what does Russia plan to do?
That is the big question that everyone is asking.
They are not doing much of anything just yet.  But there have been rumors that we could potentially see some economic blowback…

Quote :

Russia and the Customs Union could temporarily limit increased-risk food imports from Ukraine, given fears of loose safety control, said Sergei Dankvert, head of the Russian veterinary and phytosanitary oversight service Rosselkhoznadzor.
“My Belarusian colleague and I are extremely concerned about the situation in Ukraine. We do not rule out that curbs could be introduced on the imports of products of high veterinary and phytosanitary risks from Ukraine,” Dankvert told Interfax after talks with his Belarusian counterpart Yury Pivovarchik in Bryansk, and telephone talks with Ukraine’s Deputy Agrarian Policy Minister Ivan Bisyuk.

Of course what the U.S. government is most concerned about is any military action that Russia might take.
National Security Adviser Susan Rice says that what has happened in Ukraine reflects “the will of the Ukrainian people and the interests of the United States and Europe” and that it would be a “grave mistake” for Russia to get militarily involved.
But whatever happens over the next few days, nobody should think that the Russians are simply going to abandon their interests in Ukraine.  Russia has a very important military base down in the Crimea, and the eastern half of the country is very pro-Russian.
So the struggle between East and West in Ukraine is likely to continue for quite some time to come.  The following is an excerpt from a recent WND article…

Quote :

The issue with Ukraine is whether it will join the E.U. or Putin’s Eurasian Union. The country is roughly divided on this issue between eastern and western Ukraine. The eastern portion wants to remain with Russia while the western side wants to move closer with the West.
In southern Ukraine, where the Crimea is located, Russian influence remains strong.
Because demonstrators who want to see Ukraine lean westward have become emboldened with their immediate success of ousting Yanukovich, it could make it more difficult for them to come to terms with any settlement agreement to reunify the country.
Moscow has a large naval military facility in Sevastopol in the Crimea and recently received a 25-year lease extension to 2042, with another five-year renewal option until 2047. In exchange, Ukraine received a multiyear discounted contract for much-needed natural gas.

And the pro-Russian eastern half of the country is actually the stronger of the two halves economically.  So this will likely complicate matters for the EU and the U.S. as they try to bring Ukraine into their sphere of influence…

Quote :

Seven of Ukraine’s 10 largest private companies by revenue are either headquartered or maintain the majority of their operations in eastern Ukraine. These firms are owned by some of Ukraine’s wealthiest and most influential individuals. Three of these 10 corporations — mining and steel company Metinvest, energy firm DTEK and its subsidiary Donetskstal — are based in the eastern industrial city of Donetsk and are owned by Ukraine’s wealthiest man, Rinat Akhmetov. Interpipe, the company that controls 10 percent of the world market share of railway wheels and more than 11 percent of the world market share of manganese ferroalloys, is based in Dnipropetrovsk and belongs to businessman and politician Victor Pinchuk.
The country’s most important businessmen are embedded in the east, where their businesses make disproportionately high contributions to the Ukrainian economy and national budget.

In the end, this proxy war between the East and the West has left Ukraine with a collapsed economy and on the brink of civil war.
And what has happened in Ukraine has caused permanent damage in the relationship between the United States and Russia.
It won’t happen this month or even this year, but someday the U.S. may end up bitterly regretting antagonizing the Russian Bear.
At least that is what I think.
So what do you think?
Please feel free to share your thoughts by posting a comment below…
Related posts:

additional information;
http://www.mfs-theothernews.com/2014/02/russian-ships-planes-carrying-soldiers.html

Tuesday, February 25, 2014
Russian Ships & planes Carrying Soldiers Said To Be En Route To Sevastopol.



Russian Ships and planes Carrying Soldiers Said To Be En Route To Sevastopol. HT: ZeroHedge.

Those tracking the developments in the Ukraine, and specifically the Russian response to this weekend's coup, will be interested to note that according to the Russian flot.com website, the large landing ship Nikolai Filchenkov, previously known for its participation in the Syrian naval arms build up, is expected to arrive in the Crimean port of Sevastopol carrying 200 armed soldiers, sent from the nearby Black Sea town of Temryuk.

From Flot.com:

Today at 12:00 from the Russian port of Temryuk should arrive in Sevastopol, the large landing ship "Nikolai Fil'chenkov" with 200 soldiers on board. This was reported today by the chairman of the Ukraine "Freedom" faction Oleg Tyagnibok citing sources in the Crimean.

"I can show you the text message" - said Tyahnibok and read: "Today at 12:00 is expected the arrival from the port of Temryuk in the Russian Federation in the city of Sevastopol large landing ship Nikolai Fil'chenkov from the Black Sea Fleet of the Russian Federation. It will bring about 200 armed soldiers from the 328th Marine battalion, who are based in Temryuk and 10 BTR-80."

He also noted that "on February 22-23, ... IL-76 flights airlifted from Kubinka (Moscow region) to Anapa, personnel from the 45th Airborne Special Forces unit and additional divisions were relocated via four Il-76 flights from Pskov to Anapa. And from Sochi to Anapa were transported six Mi-8 helicopsters"- said Tyahnibok.

This appears to not be an isolated move as the naval build up seems to be escalating.

In a concurrent release, Izvestia Kiev reported that out of Kubinka, four ships carrying special forces, are being relocated to Anapa. From there, in four hours, they will depart fo Sevastopol at a speed of 10-15 knots, citing "Izvestia in Ukraine" as a source. According to the source, the redeployment is "qualitative, not quantitative" and that the Ukraine is following these developments.
It remains to be seen if the Ukraine, or its brand new NATO BFFs, will respond in kind.

Related: From Flot.com:

Matviyenko: Russia does not doubt that the Crimea is part of Ukraine .

Russia does not question the fact that the Crimea - part of Ukraine, but understands mood of the people of the peninsula.

This was stated by Chairman of the Federation Council Valentina Matviyenko. "No inflammatory action, especially at the state level, Russia is taken. We believe today the fact that Crimea is part of Ukraine," - she said.

"But the fact is the fact that now there are felt sentiments related to the fact that residents of Crimea nobody asked opinions about the decisions that are made in Kiev", - said the speaker of the Federation Council in the "Time and Us" on TV channel

"However, the Russian Federation can understand The mood of the people in the Crimea " - she stated.

Matvienko said that the Russians care about the processes unfolding in the Crimea. "Many people in the Crimea are of Russian roots or are citizens of Russia. Therein lies our Black Sea Fleet," - she said.

Head of the Federation Council also recalled that recently met with the chairman of the Supreme Council of Autonomous Republic of Crimea, Vladimir Konstantinov.

According to her, during the meeting the head of the Crimean parliament confirmed the intention of our ability to defend the autonomy of Crimea

"He stressed that in the case of amendments to the Constitution of Ukraine Crimea require greater autonomy for themselves, as in the autonomous republic is home to over 60% Russian, and they care about how it will address issues of school and higher education, development, language and culture" - added Matvienko.

http://www.prisonplanet.com/revolt-against-western-banker-takeover-of-ukraine-grows.html


Revolt Against Western Banker Takeover of Ukraine Grows

Russian Mayor installed in Sevastopol as backlash intensifies
Paul Joseph Watson
Prison Planet.com
February 25, 2014
Russian-speaking Ukrainians in Crimea are resisting the western banker takeover of their country by installing a Russian Mayor in the town of Sevastopol as part of an emerging revolt against the US-backed coup d’état that saw the overthrow of democratically elected President Viktor Yanukovych.
Russian Navy armored vehicle in the main square of #Sevastopol #Ukraine pic.twitter.com/kpkfSNZAjj
— Pedrodon (@stopnarcotics) February 25, 2014
“Sevastopol’s city council handed power to Aleksei Chaliy, a Russian citizen, during an extraordinary session on Monday evening while more than a thousand protesters gathered around city hall chanting “Russia, Russia, Russia,” and “A Russian mayor for a Russian city,” reports the Guardian. Former incumbent Vladimir Yatsuba resigned in order to allow Chaliy to take power.
The Russian military has also moved to secure the city against opposition militants by positioning armored personnel carriers in the town’s main square. Yesterday, it was reported that the Russian landing ship Nikolai Filchenko was on its way to Sevastopol with a contingent of 200 armed Russian soldiers.
“The day’s events marked the first stages in the establishment of an anti-Kiev administration amid tumultuous development that will cause headaches for the group of politicians that have replaced the administration of ousted fugitive President Viktor Yanukovych,” reports RIA Novosti.
Meanwhile, in an effort to afford the coup some kind of legitimacy, the Ukrainian parliament voted in favor of trying Yanukovych before the International Criminal Court, a development that came shortly after it was revealed that secretive British investigators are combing central Kiev for evidence that government snipers were used to massacre demonstrators.
While it’s admitted that both sides used firearms during the clashes, the clandestine nature of the investigation suggests that it is merely meant to be a rubber stamp for implicating Yanukovych as being responsible for a massacre.
Indeed, before the investigation even properly began, once of its anonymous members, who spoke to the BBC with his face blurred, had already concluded that the government was responsible for a “bloodbath”.
“The investigators – who do not wish to be identified – say they have already pinpointed four sniper positions, states the report. “The Foreign Office declined to comment on whether the UK government was assisting in the investigation.”
In other words, the British Foreign Office already has its agents in Kiev either manufacturing or planting evidence which will subsequently be used to demonize Yanukovych as a barbarian who ordered the massacre of protesters.
The fact that innumerable images show “protesters” also carrying guns is likely to be overlooked because that doesn’t fit the narrative of an organic and righteous uprising which in fact more closely resembles an externally-backed violent coup.

Where were snipers positioned in Kiev?

http://www.1913intel.com/2014/02/25/experts-say-moscow-might-annex-territory-to-protect-its-naval-bases/

Experts say Moscow might ANNEX territory to protect its naval bases
By Matt On February 25, 2014 · In Russia, Ukraine
Likening the situation to Nazi Germany’s takeover of Austria, Andrey Illarionov said a furious Russian president Vladimir Putin is sweeping aside Western warnings and putting troops on alert.

It came amid unconfirmed claims that ousted Ukrainian president Viktor Yanukovych was under Russian military guard in Sebastopol, after a warrant was issued for his arrest for ‘mass murder’.
And ominously, Russian prime minister Dmitry Medvedev warned it did not recognise the authorities which came to power in Kiev’s weekend revolution in which 82 people died.
He said: ‘We do not understand what is going on there. There is a real threat to our interests and to the lives of our citizens.’
Kiev believes Russian president Vladimir Putin – enraged by the ousting of Moscow-backed Yanukovych – is already putting its armed forces on alert.
Former Kremlin economics advisor Andrey Illarionov warned that a furious Putin is sweeping aside Western warnings and preparing a ‘Russian Anschluss of Sevastopol which is due to happen in a week, maximum three weeks.’

Top headlines Russia / Ukraine!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

http://www.prisonplanet.com

Putin orders ‘combat readiness’ tests for western, central Russian troops
RT | The surprise drill tested ground troops, Air Force, airborne troops and aerospace defense.

Activist Predicts Ukraine-Style Uprising in China
Paul Joseph Watson | “It could happen any time.”

Russian Troops Take Up Positions In Sevastopol As Ukraine Teeters On The Brink Of Civil War
Michael Snyder | Russian military vehicles have been photographed in the main square of Sevastopol, and there are fears that Ukraine is about to plunge into a very bloody civil war.

The Crisis In Ukraine
Paul Craig Roberts | In 2004 Hungary joined the EU, expecting streets of gold.

http://debka.com/article/23700/Yanukovych-refuses-to-resign---and-goes-missing-in-E-Ukraine-Tymoshenko-seizes-opposition-center-stage-in-Kiev

Yanukovych refuses to resign - and goes missing in E. Ukraine. Tymoshenko seizes opposition center stage in Kiev
DEBKAfile Special Report February 22, 2014, 6:42 PM (IST)
Tags: Ukraine, Barack Obama, Vladimir Putin, Viktor Yanukovych, Sergey Lavrov,
Ukraine parliament in Kiev Feb. 20
Ukraine parliament in Kiev Feb. 20

Defying attempts by protesters in Kiev to force him out, Ukraine President Viktor Yanukovych went on the air Saturday, Feb. 22, to say he has no plans to resign. Apparently speaking from the eastern town of Kharkiv, he accused ”armed extremists and gangsters” of a coup against him, comparing it to the Nazi putsch in Berlin of 1933.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov called on the German, French and Polish foreign ministers to step in and take responsibility for upholding the deal they helped the president and opposition leaders forge Friday, and not let “armed extremists” directly threaten Ukrainian sovereignty.

debkafile: How far Moscow will go to buttress Yanikovych’s rule is not immediately apparent at this stage. The volatile situation in Ukraine is beginning to resolve itself into a split between two rival regions and governments – the pro-Western opposition in Kiev, and the pro-Russian government in Kharkiv, where Yanukovych is marshalling support.

It is important to note that not all of Kiev’s population backs opposition rule, which depends mainly on a group from the former Polish town of Lvov, which holds sway over Kiev downtown - but not the rest of the city. The Ukrainian parliament voted to dismiss Yanikovych, an early election on May 25 and release his political rival Yulia Tymoshenko from jail. The president called the decision “illegal.”
The army and security forces have not so far taken any positions, except for their chiefs declaring they would not “act against the people.” British Foreign Secretary William Hague took this as an opening to extend recognition to “the interim government in Kiev” – as the first western government to recognize Ukraine’s opposition.

Earlier Saturday, DEBKfile reported the unraveling of the deal clinched less than 24 hours earlier between Ukraine President Viktor Yanukovych and opposition leaders - with the help of three EU foreign ministers - for ending their deadly three-month stand-off. As thousands of hard-core protesters refused to abandon their barricades in Kiev’s central square Saturday, the president left the capital for an unknown destination.
In the face of the protesters’ boos, opposition leader Vitali Klitschko backed out of the Friday deal and took up their call for Yanukovych’s immediate resignation. The protesters claimed to have seized control of the president’s office and security guards were withdrawn from his residence.
Klitschko then sought a parliament resolution calling for Yanukovych to step down at once and an early election on May 25, instead of December as they had agreed earlier. The Speaker, a key supporter of the president, resigned.
The missing president is reported to be still in Ukraine. An aide says he has no intention of leaving the country. Opposition leaders, divided among themselves, appear to have lost control of the hard-core protesters and bowed to their determination to keep the fires of resistance to Yanukovych rule going at full blast.

As the crisis again threatened to career out of control, Ukrainians were asking in desperation: Where is the popular former Prime Minister Yulia Timoshenko? The Yanukovych regime has kept her in jail for two years. Her release was ceded in the deal he concluded with the opposition Friday, but so far this has not happened.

Our Ukraine specialists say that if she were free, she would occupy center stage of the protest movement as the most credible opposition leader, a role which none of the incumbents would be happy to relinquish. But behind bars, Timoshenko is available for the president to whip out as a high card as his confrontation with the opposition enters its next stage. It also indicates that he still exercises control over events in Kiev.
Read debkafile’s earlier report Friday, Feb. 21 on how the radicals took control of Independence Sq.

The issues between Ukraine president Viktor Yanukovych and opposition protesters led by Vitaly Klitschko, which spiraled Thursday, Feb. 20, into gun battles with live rounds, appear at first glance to be black and white – but that is true only up to a point. Is Ukraine clearly divided between pro-Russian and pro-European factions? That too is an over-simplification – much like the determination that US President Barack Obama’s backing for the protesters, countered by President Vladimir Putin’s support for Yanukovych, is the genesis of a new cold war.

Both Obama and Putin have kept their intervention in the Ukraine conflict low key. Obama has no inclination to challenge Putin, at the risk of losing his understandings with Iran and a free ride out of the Middle East by courtesy of Russia’s entry.

Neither does the US president want to be dragged into European affairs after he and three of his predecessors in the White House expended considerable energy on disassociating America from the continent and pivoting the US eastward.

The bloody confrontations in Maidan Square (renamed Independence Square by the protesters) were for him an unnecessary distraction from his chosen course. His warning of “consequences if people step over the line” was meant to sound grave, but people remembered his warning to Syrian President Bashar Assad seven months ago since when Assad is still going strong.

Vice President Joe Biden could not have expected his demand to pull security police back from the embattled Kiev square be taken seriously by that President Yanukovych, because it would have amounted to his capitulation and handover of rule to the protesters after three months of strife.
Putin has also been careful to skirt the conflict. Although he promised the Ukraine president $15 bn in economic aid and cheap Russian gas, he has not so far laid out a single dollar or ruble. Neither has he stepped forward to mediate dispute, leaving the task to the European Union, which sent the French, German and Polish foreign ministers to Kiev to broker a deal for ending the clashes.

On the ground, casualties soared and armed gunmen went into action Thursday, Feb. 20, raising the conflict to its most violent stage hitherto. Although neither side is likely to admit this, the escalation was not spontaneous; it happened after both quietly threw bands of armed, out-of-control radicals into the fray in order to finally end the standoff.
Yanukovich enlisted Ukraine nationalist extremists, some of them fervently pro-Russian, from the eastern provinces, where more than half of the 46-million strong population is Russian-speaking and close to Moscow.
The opposition rounded up armed radicals from the west, a part of Ukraine which a century ago was under Polish, then Austro-Hungarian rule. Here, Russian is not spoken and Moscow is anathema. These gangs seized the barricades in Independence Square.
The gunfire across the square Thursday came from the shooting between the warring camps of radicals. They also accounted for most of the fatalities.
Friday morning, Ukraine’s Health Ministry said 75 people had died and more than 570 were injured in the violent clashes in the capital this week.

After this explosion of violence, both sides understood that an agreement could not longer be postponed, both to stop the bloodshed and to prevent the armed radicals taking over and throwing Ukraine into full-blown civil war.

Neither Yanukovych nor Klitshko was prepared to let this happen.

Amid a shaky calm in Kiev Friday morning, President Yanukovych announced that all-night talks with the opposition, led by Klitschko and assisted by the European mediators, had culminated in an agreement to resolve the crisis.

Before this was confirmed by the opposition or the European ministers, the president’s office revealed that it centered on his consent to an early general election in December and the formation of a coalition within 10 days - provided that the violent protest was halted and order restored to the capital. Some Kiev sources added that Yanokovych has agreed to constitutional reforms for reducing presidential powers.
In the electric atmosphere in the Ukrainian capital, it is to soon to evaluate the life expectancy of this agreement or determine whether the two parties are capable of getting past their differences and forming a working coalition government.

http://www.prisonplanet.com/meanwhile-on-the-main-square-in-sevastopol-live-webcast.html

Meanwhile, On The Main Square In Sevastopol: Live Webcast

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Zero Hedge
February 25, 2014
… The Russians are staking out their claim, after those ships which we wrote about yesterday and docked overnight at the main Crimean port, have unloaded their cargo.





Then, there’s this from the Guardian:

Quote :

Sevastopol installs pro-Russian mayor as separatism fears grow
Moscow shows its influence in Crimean city amid fears the whole peninsula could seek deeper ties with Russia
Authorities in the southern Ukrainian city of Sevastopol have installed a pro-Russian mayor as fears grow that the Kremlin may be stoking separatist sentiment in the region.
Sevastopol’s city council handed power to Aleksei Chaliy, a Russian citizen, during an extraordinary session on Monday evening while more than a thousand protesters gathered around city hall chanting “Russia, Russia, Russia,” and “A Russian mayor for a Russian city.”
Fears are spreading that separatists in Sevastopol, and the Crimean region of which it is a part, could use the power vacuum in Ukraine to seize greater autonomy and deepen ties with Russia.

http://www.prisonplanet.com/stones-bottles-thrown-as-pro-anti-russian-protesters-clash-in-crimea.html

Stones, bottles thrown as pro-, anti-Russian protesters clash in Crimea



RT
February 26, 2014

Bottles, stones and flags flew in the air as thousands of pro- and anti-Russian demonstrators clashed in front of the parliament building in Simferopol, the capital of Ukraine’s autonomous Crimea region.
Tension between the rival groups rallying next to one another intensified after hours of demonstrating, with people wielding Russian, Ukrainian, Crimean and Crimean Tatar flags getting involved in clashes. Demonstrators slammed each other with flags and threw stones as leaders on both sides urged their followers to avoid provocations.
One person taking part in the demonstrations died of a heart attack, the Crimean Health Ministry reported. Five people also sought medical help due to high blood pressure and two more received light injuries in clashes, according to Itar-Tass.
The head of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar People, Refat Chubarov, eventually called for the participants of the rally to go home peacefully. Crimea shall not be divided by “provocations” and its people will decide the future of the region on their own, Chubarov said in a heated speech.
“We have gathered here to ensure that the Supreme Council [of Crimea] is no longer a center of destabilization. We may be different in our approach, but we are one in blood and in our love for Crimea. Our task for today is not to let any clashes happen here on this square. We are trying to find a common approach to building the future of Crimea,” Chubarov said, addressing the demonstrators.
He also blamed the Crimean authorities for what is now happening and called for a new session of the local parliament to be held.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T
Chubarov then handed the microphone to the leader of Russian Unity party, Sergey Aksyonov, who also urged the demonstrators to avoid clashes.
“All of us here are Crimeans. Let us remember that, above all. Crimea is our common home, and we must respect each other. We must together address the outside challenges… Do not let political provocateurs start clashes on this square,” Aksyonov said.
The rival groups are protesting for and against the new national authorities in Kiev. Part of the residents proclaimed that Crimea are not going to obey Kiev, while the local Muslim community of Crimean Tatars expressed support for the new Ukrainian authorities.
Two separate rallies, consisting of several thousands of protesters, faced each other on Wednesday. Russians shouted “Russia-Russia!” and “Berkut!”, the name of the special police task force disbanded yesterday by the new Ukrainian authorities, who blame them for heavy-handed policing of opposition activists in recent months in central Kiev. The Muslim community protesters were shouting “Ukraine-Ukraine!” and “Crimea is not Russia!” Pro-Russian demonstrators were holding Russian flags, while Tatars were holding Ukrainian flags and flags of their own nationalist organizations.
Video footage from the scene appeared to show that both sides were preparing for a clash. Police officers attempted to separate the two sides.
The police were unarmed except for rubber batons.
The parliament of the Crimea autonomous region was deciding when to hold a session to declare the region’s official position toward the new authorities in Kiev. The Tatar community has spoken out sharply against holding a parliamentary session on the issue.
The speaker of the Crimean parliament, Vladimir Konstantinov, dismissed reports in the region’s media that MPs would discuss the possible secession of the Crimea Autonomous Region from Ukraine.
“The Crimean parliament is not discussing the issue of secession from the state of Ukraine. This is a provocation aimed at discrediting the Autonomous Region’s Supreme Council, to deprive it of its legitimacy,” he said in a statement released Wednesday.
The Russian rally is demanding that the Crimea autonomous region declare independence and ask for assistance from Russia.
The Tatars of the Crimea peninsula, united by their national party Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar People, together with local supporters of the new Ukrainian authorities, have declared that they will not allow the autonomous region to break away.
“We warned them not to arrange a [parliamentary] session. Do not explode the situation in Crimea. We know they need that session to tear Crimea away from Ukraine,” Chubarov said. “We warned that Crimea Tatars will not allow this to happen. Tatars will not allow the fate of this land to be decided without them.”
In addition, the protesters demanded a referendum be held to decide whether Crimea should retain its current status as an autonomous region in Ukraine, to become independent, or become part of Russia again (Crimea was part of Russia until 1954).
Demonstrators from Russian-dominated Sevastopol, the largest city in Crimea, are arriving at the region’s capital Simferopol, in the center of the Crimea peninsula, to support thousands of Russian nationals rallying against the new authorities in Kiev.
Right-wing leaders threatened earlier that they would send to Sevastopol the so-called “trains of friendship,” which are, in fact, groups of armed radicals, RT’s correspondent Egor Piskunov reported from Simferopol. Additional checkpoints have been set up on the main roads leading to the city to prevent any possible provocations, he said.
Crimeans started protesting on Tuesday outside the regional parliament building in Simferopol, urging local MPs not to support Kiev’s new government. Demonstrators want the autonomous region to return to the constitution of 1992, under which Crimea had its own president and independent foreign policy.
In the meantime, vigilante groups are being formed in Crimea’s largest city of Sevastopol. About 3,500 people have already joined the groups, their leader Yury Pankov told the Itar-Tass news agency.
The vigilantes plan to patrol the streets along with police to prevent violence.
“In fact, we are creating classical Voluntary People’s Guards,” Pankov said.
Authorities in Sevastopol have refused to comply with an order by the new interior minister, Arsen Avakov, to disband a detachment of the Berkut special police task force. The Berkut task force, abolished nationwide this week by the new Ukrainian authorities, was formed in Ukraine 20 years ago, and consisted of around 4,000 officers throughout the country. The head of the city government, Aleksey Chaly, has called for all Berkut officers to come to live in Sevastopol with their families.
An interim government was established over the weekend in Kiev. The Ukrainian parliament elected Aleksandr Turchinov as interim president and scheduled presidential elections for May 25. Ousted President Viktor Yanukovich, whose whereabouts remain unknown, has decried the decisions of the interim government as “illegal” and said the unrest in the Ukrainian capital bears all the hallmarks of a coup d’état.
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This article was posted: Wednesday, February 26, 2014 at 11:32 am

Vlad moving 150,000 troops to the Ukraine border.

http://www.prisonplanet.com/ukraine-warns-moscow-against-russian-military-movements-in-crimea.html

Ukraine warns Moscow against Russian military movements in Crimea

Reuters
February 27, 2014
Ukraine said on Thursday it would regard any movements by Russian military in Crimea outside the Russian Black Sea fleet’s base in Sevastopol as an act of aggression.

Image: Russian Tank (Wikimedia Commons).
Acting President Oleksander Turchinov issued the warning in the national parliament after armed men seized the regional government and parliament buildings in Crimea, where some ethnic Russians want the region to join the Russian Federation.
Turchinov, who is also the head of Ukraine’s armed forces, appealed for Moscow to adhere to the rules of an agreement which allows Russia’s Black Sea fleet to be based in Sevastopol until 2042.
“I am appealing to the military leadership of the Russian Black Sea fleet … Any military movements, the more so if they are with weapons, beyond the boundaries of this territory (the base) will be seen by us as military aggression,” he declared.
Full article here