Ukraine Clashes Resume Killing at Least 7 as Truce Crumbles

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Congratulations to the people of #Ukraine from #Venezuela, we keep fighting

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For Moscow, Ukraine is always Little Russia

Nina Khrushcheva

February 20, 2014

 

Moscow Ukraine has had two weeks to find a compromise in its Russia versus the West dispute. Russian President Vladimir Putin has been focused on promoting his soft image with the Winter Olympics in Sochi. With the games ending Sunday, however, time has run out and the crisis in Kiev and other cities is only getting worse.

 

If Putin uses Russian history as a guide, it would not be out of the question that Russian tanks rolled into Ukraine. After all, Soviet leaders did just this to retain control during the Hungarian uprising in 1956 and the 1968 Prague spring in Czechoslovakia.

 

For Putin stands to lose influence and his ability to affect policy in Ukraine if the opposition gains control. This is at the core of the current Ukraine crisis.

 

(Snip)

 

 

 

Putin sending mediator to Ukraine at Yanukovich's request

MOSCOW Thu Feb 20, 2014 11:17am EST

 

(Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin is sending an envoy to Ukraine at the request of President Viktor Yanukovich, to try to mediate talks between the government and opposition, the Kremlin said on Thursday.

 

Russia had until now avoided involvement in any efforts to mediate between Yanukovich and his foes in an escalating dispute that began when the Ukrainian leader scrapped plans for deals with the EU in favor of closer ties with Moscow.

 

Yanukovich telephoned Putin and asked him "to send a Russian representative to Kiev to participate as a mediator in the negotiations process with the opposition", the Kremlin said in a statement.

 

"Vladimir Putin decided to send human rights ombudsman Vladimir Lukin on this mission," it said.

 

(Snip)