Merged Ukraine erupts in riots and general strike.

[Childlike Empress]

Foreign Affairs article making some very good points: Putin's Own Goal - The Invasion of Crimea and Putin's Political Future

Reminds me that any moron who takes "the West" too seriously should be asked why he didn't quit the Flat Earth society yet. After all, even Sarah Palin knows that looking west, what she sees is Russia.

 

[dudalb]

Stories that the Russian Duma is considering a law that ,basically, will make it illegal for the press to criticise Russian Government Foreign Policy.
If this happens, I can;'t wait to see how the Useful Idiots will try to put a favorable spin on it.
Probably play the "NO FREE SPEECH FOR FASCISTS" card.

 

[trustbutverify]

Just checked, and Russia today gives the same questions.

http://rt.com/news/crimea-referendum-status-ukraine-154/

As my original source was Kievpost not RT...

Christ. It's a complete fraud.

 

[trustbutverify]

In all likelihood it's the Tatars carving X's into their own homes in order to make Russia look bad.

I mean, it's obvious, if you think about it.

Even more obvious if no carved X's. Because, um... something.

 

[geni]

Reminds me that any moron who takes "the West" too seriously should be asked why he didn't quit the Flat Earth society yet. After all, even Sarah Palin knows that looking west, what she sees is Russia.

Err the Greenwich Meridian has been an international standard since 1884 and can be used to divide the world into eastern and western hemispheres.

 

[trustbutverify]

Russia has scuttled a decommissioned warship, trapping Ukrainian navy ships inside their port.

On a brighter note, a generous offer was extended.

The Russian navy has attempted to rattle its Ukrainian counterparts in Crimea on a number of occasions in an effort to pressure them into defecting.
Earlier this week, Admiral Alexander Vitko, head of the Black Sea fleet, visited Ukraine's South Base and invited the Ukrainian officers to "collectively take up the Russian military oath and become part of the Black Sea Fleet," said Captain Viktor Shmiganovsky, deputy commander of the base.
However, Vitko was rebuffed by the base commander and "left in a rage," Shmiganovsky said.

 

[Checkmite]

Pro-Russian soldiers are reported to have stormed a Ukrainian military base outside the Crimean city of Sevastopol, before withdrawing soon afterwards.



Hmm. Where did these "pro-Russian irregulars" get two trucks from the Black Sea Fleet, I wonder?

It's getting bad for journalists in general inside Crimea.

 

[crescent]

Russia has scuttled a decommissioned warship, trapping Ukrainian navy ships inside their port.

On a brighter note, a generous offer was extended.

I have read that they have sunk three warships.

As worrisome as this all is, I take slight comfort in the fact that the Russian fleet only seems to know of one method of using its ships to influence these ongoing events: Sinking them.

The Ukrainians must be shaking in their boots, fearful that the Russians will sink even more Russian ships.



(I know, I know. The use of block ships is a respectable tactic, and is not actually a sign of desperation.)

 

[tyr_13]

It's getting bad for journalists in general inside Crimea.

Did you mean to link to an article about 'Sharknado 2'?

I have to admit, that would make things pretty bad for journalists.

 

[Darth Rotor]

It's probably just the friendly wizard inviting them to an adventure with loads of treasure.

Or maybe it is the Tatar take on a variation of Eastern Orthodox Lent/Easter, and preparation for Passover ... or something. 'Tis the season, more or less.

 

[Checkmite]

Did you mean to link to an article about 'Sharknado 2'?

I have to admit, that would make things pretty bad for journalists.

No, actually, but I like the mistake too much to correct it.

 

[L.Y.S.]

Is it true that Ukraine did not follow it's constitutional procedures for impeaching and ousting a president when dealing with Yanukovich? If so, Russia may have a legitimate point.

 

[jimbob]

No, actually, but I like the mistake too much to correct it.

What was the article?

 

[jimbob]

Is it true that Ukraine did not follow it's constitutional procedures for impeaching and ousting a president when dealing with Yanukovich? If so, Russia may have a legitimate point.

IIRC, the president had got changed the constitution (AFIK, fully legally) so that there was no impeachment possible. The previous constitution has been reinstated.

His own party voted against him. But it wasn't a democratic change of power.

At first I felt like you, but as events unfolded the Russian actions have become more blatant.

 

[Janadele]

Anxious days

"The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints reported that due to civil unrest, 23 missionaries serving in the Ukraine Dnepropetrovsk Mission have been removed from the Crimean peninsula and transferred to other areas within the mission as a precautionary measure.... circumstances may delay new missionaries from entering Ukraine. The Kyiv Ukraine Temple remains open to patrons."
http://www.mormonnewsroom.org/article/church-statement-missionaries-ukraine

For the first time since World War Two, LDS missionaries are being sent home.

"Given the evolving situation in Ukraine, 22 missionaries serving in that country will end their missions early and return home... Missionaries who have been in missionary training centers preparing to enter Ukraine are being temporarily reassigned...
All missionaries serving in Venezuela are safe. Church leaders are closely monitoring the situation to ensure their safety and well-being." http://www.mormonnewsroom.org/article/status-of-missionaries-in-ukraine-and-venezuela

 

[Craig4]

For the first time since World War Two, LDS missionaries are being sent home.

"Given the evolving situation in Ukraine, 22 missionaries serving in that country will end their missions early and return home... Missionaries who have been in missionary training centers preparing to enter Ukraine are being temporarily reassigned...
All missionaries serving in Venezuela are safe. Church leaders are closely monitoring the situation to ensure their safety and well-being." http://www.mormonnewsroom.org/article/status-of-missionaries-in-ukraine-and-venezuela

Well, at least some good came from all this.

 

[L.Y.S.]

IIRC, the president had got changed the constitution (AFIK, fully legally) so that there was no impeachment possible. The previous constitution has been reinstated.

His own party voted against him. But it wasn't a democratic change of power.

At first I felt like you, but as events unfolded the Russian actions have become more blatant.

Proof? If they did fail to follow through with their constitution, then they very well might have supported a coup. Even if party members back the new candidates.

 

[jimbob]

Proof? If they did fail to follow through with their constitution, then they very well might have supported a coup. Even if party members back the new candidates.

I was possibly being too generous.

From wiki

On October 1, 2010, the Constitutional Court of Ukraine overturned the 2004 amendments, considering them unconstitutional.[9][10] The Court had started to consider the case on the political reform in 2004 under a motion from 252 coalition lawmakers regarding the constitutionality of this reform of July 14, 2010.[11][12][13] The 2010 nullification decision was highly controversial. The Council of Europe's Human Rights Commissioner received several reports alleging that the resignation of four judges in the run-up to the decision occurred as a result of extensive pressure by the executive.[14] On November 18, 2010 The Venice Commission published its report titled The Opinion of the Constitutional Situation in Ukraine in Review of the Judgement of Ukraine's Constitutional Court, in which it stated "It also considers highly unusual that far-reaching constitutional amendments, including the change of the political system of the country - from a parliamentary system to a parliamentary presidential one - are declared unconstitutional by a decision of the Constitutional Court after a period of 6 years. ... As Constitutional Courts are bound by the Constitution and do not stand above it, such decisions raise important questions of democratic legitimacy and the rule of law".[15]

On February 21, 2014 the parliament passed a law that reinstated the December 8, 2004 amendments of the constitution.[16] This was passed under simplified procedure without any decision of the relevant committee and was passed in the first and the second reading in one voting by 386 deputies.[16] The law was approved by 140 MPs of the Party of Regions, 89 MPs of Batkivshchyna, 40 MPs of UDAR, 32 of the Communist Party, and 50 independent lawmakers.[16]

ETA: The impeachment procedure was unchanged

 

[jimbob]

Analysis from the BBC

 

[spin0]

What was the article?

Dunno, but for example this happened to a Bulgarian journalist in Crimea:

According to the journalist a van pulled up, men with uniforms and masks came out, went into the coffee shop and started pulling people out and trowing them inside the van. He started filming the events. The masked guys saw him, attacked him and stole his camera and cellphone. The video is CCTV.