Valin Posted December 2, 2013 Share Posted December 2, 2013 Ricochet: King Banaian 12/2/13 Protests in Ukraine over its government's decision to eschew the EU in favor of Russia continued over the weekend becoming increasingly violent. President Viktor Yanukovych returned from the EU summit without a signature and appears to have ordered his police to clear out the protesters. A smallish cleanup operation turned violent Saturday morning, and in the last 36 hours the opposition appears to have gathered steam. Timothy Ash, a columnist with the Kyiv Post, reports: Early on Saturday morning (around 4am) it seems riot police attempted to clear a couple of hundred or so remaining demonstrators from the Euromaidan, and appear to have been over zealous in the use of force, with scores of demonstrators injured or arrested. (Snip) Battles have broken out at the Kyiv municipal hall -- with reports of opposition protestors taking control -- and of sharp violence near the Presidential administration building and residence. Ash notes the similarity between this and the 2004 Orange Revolution, insofar as the government in each case seemed to be near settling down the situation, only to overplay their hands and enrage and reinvigorate the opposition. Here are videos from eyewitnesses. (Snip) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valin Posted December 2, 2013 Author Share Posted December 2, 2013 The End of Magical Thinking? Ukraine, The EU and the Limits of Soft Power Raymond Sontag 11/27/13 When Ukraine decided against signing a cooperative agreement with the EU last week, one could all but hear a collective groan go up across Europe. Apparently under pressure from Russia, Ukraines leaders suspended negotiations over the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement (DCFTA). The deal would have boosted the countrys chances for further EU integration and prevented it from joining a Russian-led Customs Union. The disappointment of many Ukrainians, on full display in the streets of Kiev for the past few days, is understandable. For them, closer ties with the EU carry the promise of better jobs, democratic politics and a country that looks more like Western Europe and less like the corrupt, economically struggling place it is today. These street protests, which began nine years to the day after the start of Ukraines Orange Revolution, are an expression of anger that the revolutions promises have not been met. But that Western leaders have reacted with such astonishment and dismay is far less understandable. Russias success in dissuading Ukraine from closer relations with the EU should not have come as a surprise. Russia, it turns out, had much more to lose than the EU had to gain, and it acted accordingly. The Kremlin has met each of Ukraines steps toward an EU deal with punitive economic measures and, had the agreement been signed, much more severe sanctions could have been expected. The EU, for its part, offered few inducements and the agreement actually would have imposed significant economic hardship on Ukraine in the near term. Beyond this, EU leaders thought it wise to prod Ukraine to improve its human rights record as a precondition to the agreement. The problem is that many in the West see balance of power and spheres of influence as antiquated and less-than-legitimate concepts and therefore largely ignore them. Rather than viewing international politics as driven by competing interests, they see it as driven by the process of ever more countries adopting Western-style democracy. Accordingly Western leaders assume that East European states integrating with the West is a natural process in the post-Cold War world and that anything running counter to this integration is a perversion of that process. This disregard for traditional power politics and the assumption that European integration is a natural development are significant blind spots for Western leaders. And these blind spots hamper their ability to realize the very worthy goals of European integration and democratization. Russia, of course, does not share this view of the world. Russian leaders openly call the former Soviet Union their sphere of privileged interest and use what leverage they have to get their way there. Western leaders and commentators contempt for Russias kind of foreign policy is on full display in their statements on Eastern Europe......(Snip) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valin Posted December 3, 2013 Author Share Posted December 3, 2013 Unrest continues in Ukraine as protesters block government offices Mandy Nagy December 2, 2013 Protesters in Ukraine ramped up activities Monday as they blocked entrances to government offices, blocked streets, and have called for a nationwide strike. The actions follow a weekend of protests, triggered by the Ukranian presidents refusal to sign an association agreement with the European Union. From NBC News: Thousands of Ukrainian protesters on Monday blocked entrances to the government building and called for the ouster of the prime minister and his Cabinet, as anger at the presidents decision to ditch a deal for closer ties with the European Union gripped other parts of the country and threatened his rule. The besieging of the building follows a huge rally in the capital by hundreds of thousands Ukrainians on Sunday, which was mostly peaceful, until a group of protesters tried to storm President Viktor Yanukovychs office. After hours of scuffles, police chased protesters away with tears gas and truncheons. It was a violent police action against protesters early on Saturday that has galvanized the latest round of protests whose aim is to bring down the president and his government. (Snip) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valin Posted December 3, 2013 Author Share Posted December 3, 2013 http://youtu.be/RVkKxafTYq8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valin Posted December 3, 2013 Author Share Posted December 3, 2013 Ukraine govt faces no confidence vote as thousands rally outside parliament December 03, 2013 Protesters stay in front of riot policemen guarding the Ukrainian parliament in Kiev prior the parliament session on December 3, 2013. (AFP Photo/Sergei Supinsky) Ukraines parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, is considering a vote of no confidence in the countrys cabinet. The move was initiated by opposition MPs as the country is swept by massive protests against the suspension of talks on EU integration. Ukraines Prime Minister, Nikolay Azarov, has apologized for law enforcement agencies actions during the dispersal of the pro-EU rally last week, and said that all those responsible for violence would face charges. Azarov and other Cabinet ministers have arrived at the Verkhovnaya Rada session prior to debates over a vote of no confidence in the government. (Snip) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valin Posted December 3, 2013 Author Share Posted December 3, 2013 Ukraine leader heads to China, leaving turmoil at home Natalia Zinets and Pavel Polityuk KIEV Tue Dec 3, 2013 (Reuters) - Embattled Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovich flew to China on Tuesday, leaving behind a country in turmoil over his decision to spurn a landmark accord with the European Union under Russian pressure. Besides anger in the streets and from opposition politicians, the president faces growing pressure from international markets, increasing the risk of a financial crisis that could force his hand. With black-clad riot police facing off against several thousand pro-EU protesters outside parliament, opposition leaders inside the chamber demanded a vote of no-confidence in Yanukovich's government. The fiery debate reflected growing anger on the streets of the capital, Kiev, where 350,000 protesters massed on Sunday and thousands are still manning barricades and picketing government buildings. (Snip) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valin Posted December 3, 2013 Author Share Posted December 3, 2013 Ukraine's Invisible Fascists John Allen Gay December 3, 2013 We Westerners love a good liberation. Whenever protests or rebellion spring up in an autocracy, we cheer on the underdog, the weaker party, the ones facing down the shock troops and riot police of the governmentpardon, of the regime. Its an attractive visionafter all, so much of Eastern Europe freed itself from Soviet-backed tyranny like this, turning their states into some of the Wests staunchest allies. Yet other underdogs weve loved have turned out to be less lovable. Egypts revolution saw liberals sidelined by the Muslim Brotherhood, which made cack-handed power plays until overthrown by a military dictatorship thats turning out harsher than Mubarakand less friendly to Washington, too. Protests in Syria turned over a rock, and found lots of bugs, Al Qaeda among them. Rwandas Paul Kagame turned out to be an autocrat and an exporter of violence. Ahmed Chalabi and the Free Iraqi Forces barely turned out at all, except when the chance to loot was involved. We usually ignored the awkward questions about all of them until it was too late, content in a belief that those against dictatorship are for freedom. The same thing is now happening in Ukraine. President Viktor Yanukovych passed up the chance to sign an Association Agreement with the European Union, a step that would have tilted the country toward the West and away from Russia. Yanukovychs motives were impure: drawing closer to the EU would have required more political openness, potentially creating an opening for his opponents and a platform for jailed opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko. And so outraged Ukrainians have poured into the streets in the hundreds of thousands, calling for Yanukovych to step out and the EU to step in. Riot police responded with violenceand the demonstrations continued. The West knows whom it wants to win. The press is breathless. Its easy to come away with the impression that were witnessing a struggle between freedom and tyranny, between European openness and Putinist autocracy, between peaceful protesters and jackbooted thugs. But sometimes the jackboot is on the other foot. Western coverage of the protests has ignored or downplayed the role of the crypto-fascist All-Ukrainian Union party, Svoboda. Its presence, however, is obviousbanners with its three-fingered symbol appear in many photographs from Independence Square in Kyiv. A man in a Svoboda jacket can be seen (at 1:26) in footage of an attack on police protecting a statue. And Svobodas leaders have associated themselves with the protests most radical actionthe occupation and barricading of the Kyiv City Hall. The press noted a Svoboda leaders claim that the protesters were merely there to warm up, and helpfully pointed out that it was four degrees Celsius outside. Meanwhile, Svoboda head Oleh Tyahnybok declared the City Hall a temporary headquarters for the revolution, announced that similar headquarters should be set up around the country, and condemned alleged government plans to restore government control of government buildings. Hes called for a total social and national revolution, and urged his supporters to block and sabotage the work of the local councils where most of the deputies are not patriots. We are starting to rock the boat of the regime. In order to oust this regime, we must lock the entire operation of the state. All that might count as pertinent information in reports that Ukrainian prime minister Mykola Azarovs claimed that the protests show all the signs of a coup d'etat. Yet its absent. (Snip) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valin Posted December 3, 2013 Author Share Posted December 3, 2013 Governing Ukraine Max Boot 12/3/13 With popular protests shaking governments from Bangkok to Kiev, after previously having toppled regimes from Cairo to Tunis, it is a wonder that anyone bothers with guerrilla or terrorist tactics to seize power. Insurgent campaigns are much less successful than popular uprisings. The reason why they are not more widespread, of course, is that guerrillas often do not champion a particularly popular cause. The Taliban, for instance, have no hope of bringing millions, or even thousands, of people out into the streets of Kabul to demand a reimposition of their tyrannical rule. They can only aspire to power by the gun. The problem that all anti-government movements confrontwhether they employ violence or peaceful protestsis what to do if the government actually falls and they manage to seize power. (Snip) But for Yanukovych, old authoritarian habits die hard. He jailed his political adversary Yulia Tymoshenko and cozied up to Moscow. His rejection of an association agreement with the European Union, which would have benefitted Ukraine economically, was widely seen to have been done under pressure from Vladimir Putin. But while this was a momentary victory for Putin and Yanukovych, it has spurred massive resistance in Kiev that recalls the Orange Revolution. The results are unpredictable and could range from a bloodbath among the demonstrators to the toppling of Yanukovych (again!) or, more likely, some kind of muddled compromise that would allow him to serve out his remaining 16 months in office. (Snip) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valin Posted December 4, 2013 Author Share Posted December 4, 2013 Ukrainian Protesters Find Powerful Ally in Orthodox Church DAVID M. HERSZENHORN December 4, 2013 A priest stands among protesters in Kiev, Ukraine. KIEV, Ukraine After helmeted riot police stormed Independence Square here early Saturday, spraying tear gas, throwing stun grenades and swinging truncheons, dozens of young protesters ran, terrified, scattering up the streets. It was after 4:30 a.m., the air cold, the sky black. As they got their bearings, the half-lit bell tower of St. Michaels Golden-Domed Monastery beckoned. Inside, the fleeing demonstrators found more than warmth and safety. They had arrived in a bastion of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Kyivan Patriarchate, where they were welcomed not only on a humanitarian basis but because the church, driven by its own historical tensions with Moscow, is actively supporting their uprising. It strongly favors European integration to enable Ukraine to break free from Russias grip, and has joined the calls to oust the Ukrainian government. (Snip) But in recent days, the Kyivan Patriarchate, which controls St. Michaels, has emerged as a powerful ally of the thousands of protesters demanding the resignation of President Viktor F. Yanukovich and the revival of the far-reaching political and trade accords with the European Union that he has refused to sign. Some priests have even led prayer sessions in Independence Square, which protesters have occupied. (Snip) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valin Posted December 5, 2013 Author Share Posted December 5, 2013 Ukraine unrest: Former presidents back mass protests 12/4/13 Ukraine's three previous post-Soviet presidents have given their support to mass anti-government protesters. In a statement, Leonid Kravchuk, Leonid Kuchma and Viktor Yushchenko expressed "solidarity" with peaceful rallies. Thousands of protesters remain camped in Kiev's Independence Square, and are continuing to block the main government's building. They are angry at the government's last-minute decision not to sign an association deal with the EU. German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle on Wednesday visited protesters on Independence Square, saying that "the gates of the European Union are still open". Meanwhile, Russia - which wants Kiev to join the Moscow-led Customs Union - has urged the West not to interfere in Ukraine. (Snip) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valin Posted December 6, 2013 Author Share Posted December 6, 2013 Government Supporters Stage Counterprotest in Ukraine ANDREW E. KRAMER December 6, 2013 KIEV, Ukraine Pro-government demonstrators deployed a new tactic on Friday to counter protests in favor of European integration, marching through the capital, Kiev, to oppose homosexuality, which they said would accompany a greater European Union role in Ukrainian affairs. Carrying religious icons and singing hymns, the group of about a thousand Orthodox Christian supporters of President Viktor F. Yanukovich filed out of a monastery and marched to a city park. Participants said that they favored allegiance with Russia as more closely matching Ukraines cultural and religious heritage and that they intended to draw attention to what they characterize as overly liberal European social values. (Snip) We are for unity with our brothers in Russia and Belarus, explained Nadezhda A. Kiselyova, 60, a pensioner walking in the anti-Europe march on Friday, who had an Orthodox icon pinned to the front of her coat. We are against the spiritual expansion of the West, another protester, Andrei A. Shyropov, a teacher, said. Then he explained that, we are against the Euro Sodom, using a phrase rhyming with and mocking the name pro-European protesters have given to their movement, the Euromaidan, meaning the Eurosquare in Ukrainian. It was unclear whether highlighting an issue that is socially divisive in Ukraine would gain traction or whether the effort to caricature Europe as atheist and degenerate would matter much in a crisis that has been first and foremost about trade and political governance. The gathering, too, was tiny compared to the tens of thousands who have met continuously for a week to protest the governments halting of negotiations on the far-reaching trade deal with the European Union. (Snip) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valin Posted December 6, 2013 Author Share Posted December 6, 2013 Not the same movie The situation in Ukraine is volatile and dangerous. The West must act Dec 7th 2013 SAME places. Same slogans (Thieves Out!). Same icy weather. Same villain: Viktor Yanukovych, Ukraines thuggish president. The protesters in Kiev want him out, just as the Orange revolutionaries of 2004 wanted an election that had been rigged in his favour to be annulled. Outsiders may be tempted to think that the current turmoil is simply a rerun of the previous bout, and is likewise destined to end peacefully. But the latest stand-off is far more volatileand much too dangerous for the West to watch blithely as it develops. The biggest change is in leadership, on all sides. In 2004 the Orange brigades had clear leaders, a definite aim (a new election, which they got) and formidable discipline. Partly because, in office, those leaders thoroughly discredited themselves, todays crowds lack all these assets. The protests were sparked by Mr Yanukovychs decision to reject a trade deal with the European Union, which most Ukrainians supported; but the anger goes much wider, embracing the countrys entire corrupt, dysfunctional governing class. The opposition politicians who are trying to surf this legitimate fury have less control over the protesters than social media do, and could not disperse them even if they wanted to (see article). The regime is dangerously different, too. In 2004 the wily outgoing president, Leonid Kuchma, ultimately brokered a solution. Mr Yanukovych, by contrast, is loth to compromise, seeing politics as a winner-takes-all, life-and-death strugglemuch like his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, who helped to cause the crisis by cajoling him to reject the EU. For Mr Putin the Orange revolution was a humiliation, which he wrongly believed had been orchestrated by the West; since 2004 he has himself become more ruthless, both geopolitically and towards dissent. The United States, meanwhile, which leant on Mr Kuchma in 2004, has lost interest. (Snip) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valin Posted December 7, 2013 Author Share Posted December 7, 2013 Ukraines Multiple Crises Alexander J. Motyl 12/6/13 If current conditions in Ukraine look revolutionary to you, thats because the Yanukovych regime has maneuvered the country and itself into a series of reinforcing crises. If the regime holds on to power, the crises will only deepen. If the opposition comes to power, with or without Regionnaire participation, it will face monumental tasks requiring almost superhuman wisdom and skill. In a word, whatever the denouement of the ongoing standoff between opposition and regime in Kyiv, Ukraine will be a mess for some time to come. Crisis is a sexy word that means all things to all people, but, if used rigorously, it usually means a life-threatening condition, one in which, to pursue the medical analogy, the patient faces a 50-50 chance of recovery. Its impossible to apply the word with equal precision to social reality, but the point is that we should use crisis only with reference to extremely serious conditions that appear to be unsustainable for more than the short term. Seen in this light, the Yanukovych regime has created three crises: a crisis of the regime, a crisis of the economy, and a crisis of presidential legitimacy. Significantly, all three are the result of the system of centralized rule Yanukovych introduced, or what I have called * sultanism. __________________________________________________________________________ * I sure am glad we don't have anyone who does these things. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valin Posted December 8, 2013 Author Share Posted December 8, 2013 Protesters fell Lenin statue, tell Ukraine's president 'you're next' Gareth Jones and Alissa de Carbonnel KIEV Sun Dec 8, 2013 (Reuters) - Anti-government protesters toppled a statue of Soviet state founder Vladimir Lenin in Ukraine's capital and attacked it with hammers on Sunday in a symbolic challenge to President Viktor Yanukovich and his plans for closer ties with Russia. (Snip) "Yanukovich, you are next!" read a poster stuck on the plinth where the red granite statue of Lenin had stood. People hacked off chunks of the prostrate - and now headless - leader of the 1917 Bolshevik revolution to take home as souvenirs. (Snip) A group of protesters, chanting "revolution", started erecting tents and barricades near the government building after Sunday's rally, apparently aiming to halt normal government activity next week. Riot police stood guard nearby. (Snip) ________________________________________________________________________________________ http://youtu.be/x2CYYRrIlQQ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valin Posted December 8, 2013 Author Share Posted December 8, 2013 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valin Posted December 9, 2013 Author Share Posted December 9, 2013 Ukraine President Calls For Talks As Police Move In On Protests RFE/RL December 09, 2013 Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych has backed holding roundtable talks involving the opposition after nearly three weeks of protests. Yanukovych will also meet with three former presidents on December 10 to discuss ways to resolve the ongoing crisis in Ukraine. Meanwhile, the coordinators of the pro-EU demonstrations that have gripped Ukraine for days are calling on supporters to leave the mayor's building in downtown Kyiv after buses loaded with police arrived in the area. Dozens of riot police have started deploying around protest sites in Kyiv, and several buses believed to be carrying members of the "Berkut," Interior Ministry special police, have arrived in the Kreshchatyk area near city hall. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Draggingtree Posted December 9, 2013 Share Posted December 9, 2013 Will Ukraine resist the bully? The U.S. should step up with help A protester attends a rally Friday in Kiev’s Independence Square. Ukrainians protesting President Viktor Yanukovych’s about-face on a trade and integration deal with the European Union have been beaten, and Yanukovych has threatened to crack down even harder if demonstrations continue. (SERGEY DOLZHENKO, EPA / December 6, 2013) December 7, 2013 Vladimir Putin regularly buffs up his strongman image by stripping off his shirt for photographers while he hunts, casts for fish and rides horses. You have to wonder: Does he strip off his shirt each time he picks up the phone to bully the president of Ukraine? Ukraine President Viktor Yanukovych, stunned European Union negotiators last month when he abruptly rejected a trade and integration deal with the EU just days before it was to be finalized. Yanukovych did so a few weeks after he flew to a military base near Moscow for a secret meeting with Russian President Putin, who fiercely opposes Ukraine's tilt toward Europe. http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/editorials/ct-ukraine-russia-edit-1207-20131207,0,6904099.story Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valin Posted December 9, 2013 Author Share Posted December 9, 2013 Will Ukraine resist the bully? The U.S. should step up with help Should we, yes, Will we (this administration)...doubtful (this may not be a bad thing, given their record). The thing we need to understand is as always things are not quite black and white, and not all protesting are on the side of the angels. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Draggingtree Posted December 9, 2013 Share Posted December 9, 2013 Ukraine #EuroMaidan protest crackdown (LIVE) Posted by William A. Jacobson ▪ Monday, December 9, 2013 at 10:29am We previously have highlighted the Ukrainian protest movement seeking to prevent Ukraine from falling back under Russian domination: Protesters in Ukraine knock down statue of Lenin Authorities warn of further crackdown on protesters in Ukraine Protests continue in Ukraine despite crackdown Unrest continues in Ukraine as protesters block government offices The protests continue, but as of this writing it appears that police are moving in, although it’s unclear if it’s an attempt to evict the protesters completely. LIVE VIDEO and Twitter stream at bottom of post. Kyiv Post has live reporting updates. Here is video of yesterday’s protest at Independence Square in Kiev: http://youtu.be/uhwtsjFbQK4 snip http://legalinsurrection.com/2013/12/ukraine-euromaidan-protest-crackdown-live/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Draggingtree Posted December 9, 2013 Share Posted December 9, 2013 A Boxing Champ Rises In Ukraine's Bare-Knuckle World Of Politics by Corey Flintoff December 09, 20134:00 AM Vitali Klitschko, head of the opposition UDAR party, waves a flag during a rally in downtown Kiev, Ukraine, on Dec. 1. The WBC heavyweight boxing champion has emerged one of Ukraine's most popular political figures, as massive anti-government protests grip the country. Sergei Grits/AP Vitali Klitschko is best known to the world as "Dr. Ironfist," towering over opponents at a full 6 feet 7 inches, with a punch that delivered 45 victories, including 41 knockouts and only two defeats. Klitschko isn't exactly new to politics: He's already made two unsuccessful bids to be mayor of Kiev, Ukraine's capital, and he's an elected member of parliament. But the country's current political crisis provides a new arena for the boxer and his political party, the Ukrainian Democratic Alliance for Reform, or UDAR, a word that also translates as "punch." http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=249652834&ft=1&f=1001 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valin Posted December 9, 2013 Author Share Posted December 9, 2013 @Draggingtree Something we need to understand...Russians are not well thought of by a LARGE numbers of Ukrainians. They still remember the famine. I used to go to church with a guy who was 2nd gen. Ukrainian, never had anything good to say about the Russians. This has a lot to do with these protests. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Draggingtree Posted December 9, 2013 Share Posted December 9, 2013 Where is the beaming light of democracy?09.12.2013 By Justinas Valutis The echo of the so-called Eastern Partnership summit in Vilnius is fading away but the results of this meeting continue to reverberate throughout our continent, especially its eastern part. There is no doubt that Ukraine's refusal to sign the Association (free trade) Treaty with the European Union in the capital of Lithuania, was a major blow to EU's prestige. The event itself and its immediate aftermath also unmasked the sickening arrogance, the double standards and the limited political influence of the Brussels elite. During the run-up to the summit, the EU went great lengths in order to swing public opinion in its favour, stating how good and generous this supranational organization will be for Ukraine and its people. But there was a problem of communication from the beginning. All those promised "good things to come" were defined in a very abstract way, while Ukraine on the other hand was required to carry out very concrete steps if it seeks to rub shoulders with the "Brussels club". But to tie the second largest country in the old continent to the EU with the help of discriminatory Association Treaty was never going to be an easy task. Without a shadow of doubt, top EU officials were losing sleep over the alternative that was always there for President Yanukovich. Ukraine's flirt with the Russian-led Customs Union meant that http://english.pravda.ru/world/europe/09-12-2013/126340-european_partnership_ukraine-0/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valin Posted December 9, 2013 Author Share Posted December 9, 2013 Will The Kiev Protests Make A Difference? 12/9/13 Ukraines protests in Kiev reached a fever pitch on Sunday as hundreds of thousands of demonstrators took to the streets to protest the governments rejection of a free trade agreement with the EU, toppling a statue of Lenin near the city center in the process. The protests are the biggest the country has seen since the Orange Revolution a decade ago, but the Yanukovich government appears to be holding strong. Bloomberg Businessweek has a good roundup of the state of play in the city: (Snip) Its important to remember that Kiev, the national capital, is in the western part of the country where anti-Yanukovich forces have always been strong. Kiev is also a media center and the center of government, so there is a lot of publicity for the dramatic confrontations taking place there. But anti-government demonstrations in the west can paradoxically bolster the governments position in the east. The real battle over Ukraines future is unlikely to be decided in the streets of KievUkraine is not like 18th and 19th century France where disturbances in Paris could easily translate into national revolutionary upheavals. The real battle is likely to depend on how Ukraines powerful oligarchs divide among themselves and on how successful the government is at staving off a looming economic crisis. (Snip) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Draggingtree Posted December 10, 2013 Share Posted December 10, 2013 Putin vs. Pro-West UkrainiansDecember 10, 2013 by Arnold Ahlert The massively attended Sunday protest in Kiev, highlighted by the toppling and smashing of the monument to Vladimir Lenin, has apparently forced Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych’s hand. Yesterday, he called for talks with former government leaders and opposition forces aimed at resolving the nation’s political crisis. It is a crisis ignited by his decision to turn away from Europe and feed Russian strongman Vladimir Putin’s dreams of a Eurasian Union, which is little more than a thinly-veiled effort to restore Russian hegemony over large swaths of Eastern Europe. The current standoff is reminiscent of the Orange Revolution that took place in 2004, when a pro-democratic government was swept into power. Thus it was hardly surprising when government officials announced on Sunday that they would undertake an investigation against opposition leaders they accuse of attempting to seize power, and warned demonstrators that they could also be subjected to criminal charges. That investigation will be conducted by the Ukrainian security service SBU, formerly known as the KGB. Yanukovych’s conciliatory gesture, based on former President Leonid Kravchuk’s call for an “all-national round table,” that includes three former presidents of Ukraine who favor closer EU ties, http://www.frontpagemag.com/2013/arnold-ahlert/putin-vs-pro-west-ukrainians/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valin Posted December 10, 2013 Author Share Posted December 10, 2013 Riot police storm opposition offices in Ukraine December 10, 2013 KIEV, Ukraine (AP) — Heavily armed riot troops broke into the offices of a top Ukrainian opposition party in Kiev and seized its servers Monday, the party said, as anti-government protests crippled the capital for yet another day. Elsewhere police dismantled or blocked off several small protest tent camps set up near key national government buildings in the city. Tensions also rose as a double cordon of helmeted, shield-holding police deployed in the street near Kiev's city administration building, which demonstrators had occupied and turned into a makeshift command post and dormitory. (Snip) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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