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On Thursday, military units stationed in the Crimea formerly subordinate to the Minoborony Ukrainy raised Russian flags. The St Andrew banner now flies over 6 warships and 25 auxiliary vessels formerly of the Ukrainian Navy. A Republic of the Crimea (RK) official said, “The commanders of 72 military units, installations, and ships under the Minoborony Ukrainy decided to voluntarily join the Russian Armed Forces for further military service”.
Editor:
When they took the oath of allegiance to Russia, their pay shot up four times… and Russia pays it in full, unlike the Ukrainian kleptocracy under the Timoshenko junta. You can see why the overwhelming majority of Ukie soldiers in the Crimea chose service for Russia… you can’t eat “independence”.
BMD
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On Thursday, two People’s Deputies from the Fatherland faction (Timoshenko clique) and one from the UDAR faction (Klichko clique) submitted a draft law denouncing the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) of 1 July 1968 to the Rump Rada. The draft will go to the relevant committees for a review. Neofascist People’s Deputy Lyashko demanded at the plenary session on Thursday that the Ukraine should acquire nuclear arms.
Editor:
Aren’t you glad that the junta doesn’t have the bomb? If it did, the unhinged fanatics would fire a missile at Moscow out of sheer hate and for shits n’ giggles. We need to put this feral junta down before it does something goofy and downright murderous. Reflect on the fact that American neocons support these nutters… and that certain elements in our Church do, too (to our shame, using “Pro-Life” as a figleaf). Ukrainian nationalists aren’t wrapped overly tightly (they defile Christmas parties with anti-Russian diatribes and performances… that’s fanatical). I’ve seen ‘em up close… they’re scary and they mean every hateful word that they drool… if you don’t think so, you’ll live to regret your error…
BMD
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On Thursday, UNIAN reported that a fire broke out in a tank depot in Krivoy Rog, (Dnepropetrovsk Oblast), saying, “A fire broke out at 17.50 (19.50 MSK) at the base of the 17 Separate Tank Brigade of the VI Army Corps in Krivoy Rog, Dnepropetrovsk Oblast. Preliminary reports stated that the fire started in the unit’s equipment depot”. Two tanks with full ammunition burst into flames in a garage. Firemen put out the fire at 21.00 MSK, but as of 22.30 MSK, rounds were still cooking off and exploding. The authorities evacuated residents near the base. Half an hour later, people started to go back home. There were no reports on the cause of the incident, nor are there any reported injuries.
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President Vladimir Putin stated at a meeting of the Russian Security Council that Russia wouldn’t engage in retaliatory sanctions against the USA nor would it introduce a visa régime in re the Ukraine. Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that Kiev continues to make contradictory statements about relations with Russia, noting, “In particular, they made some statements that they’d stop or ‘suspend’ participation in the SNG, and that they’d introduce a visa régime with Russia. In this regard, if it happens, we’d report our options to you”. President Putin said, “With regard to both the American sanctions and the introduction of a visa régime by the Ukrainian government, for now, I think that we need to refrain from retaliatory measures. As far as introducing visas for the Ukraine, if we introduced them, millions of completely innocent Ukrainians would suffer. They’re already having a hard time, working in Russia, earning what little money they can to support their families. We shouldn’t do such a thing”.
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Presidential Press Secretary Dmitri Peskov told Vedomosti, “There’s no longer such a thing as a gas discount for the Ukraine for stationing the Black Sea Fleet. It can no longer be applied either de jure or de facto”. If one returns to gas price formation under the 2009 agreement, the addendum to it on the fleet signed by Viktor Yanukovich won’t be valid. Yanukovich and then-President Dmitri Medvedev signed an agreement that extended the Black Sea Fleet’s presence in the Crimea in return for a 100 USD (3,625 Roubles. 112 CAD. 111 AUD. 73 Euros. 61 UK Pounds) per 1,000 cubic metres gas discount under the 2009 accord in Kharkov in 2010. With this discount applied, the Ukraine paid around 400 USD (14,500 Roubles. 448 CAD. 444 AUD. 292 Euros. 244 UK Pounds) per 1,000 cubic metres (35,300 cubic feet) of gas last year. After the Ukraine refused to sign an association agreement with the EU in December, Gazprom (MOEX: GAZP) reduced the gas price to 268.5 USD (9,740 Roubles. 300 CAD. 296 AUD. 195 Euros. 163 UK Pounds) per 1,000 cubic metres as of January. The Ukraine’s debt to Gazprom now tops 1.8 billion USD (65.25 billion Roubles. 2.01 billion CAD. 1.98 billion AUD. 1.3 billion Euros. 1.1 billion UK Pounds). Earlier, Gazprom CEO Aleksei Miller said that the company decided not to extend the discount starting in April because of the debt.
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President Vladimir Putin signed laws on the accession of the RK and Sevastopol to Russia, forming two new federal subjects in the Russian Federation. The signing ceremony was in the Kremlin’s Yekaterininsky Zal, attended by Federation Council and RF Gosduma leaders. On 20 March, the Gosduma ratified a treaty between the RF and the RK on the Crimea’s rejoining Russia and the formation of new RF federal subjects. They also passed a relevant federal constitutional law. On Friday, the Federation Council approved the documents.
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Chairman of the Government Dmitri Medvedev wrote on his Facebook page that radicals, militants, and bandits seized power in the Ukraine, an extremely dangerous move that could collapse the state. Medvedev noted that Crimea and Sevastopol made a choice, so, Moscow’s goal is friendly relations with the Ukraine and its other neighbours. An extralegal putsch took place in the Ukraine on 22 February; the Rump Rada ousted President Viktor Yanukovich, changed the Constitution, scheduled new elections for 25 May, and named Aleksandr Turchinov {an old-time pal and fellow thief of Timoshenko: editor} acting “President”. Yanukovich said that threats against his life forced him to leave the leave Ukraine, but that he remained the legally elected head of state. Moscow believes that Rada’s actions are questionable at best. Medvedev said, “The power belongs to various radicals, militants, and bandits. They make the final decisions. Most likely, they’d make them after 25 May, too. It makes no sense for them to share power with others. They’re masters in the streets and at the entrances to administrative buildings. This is an extremely dangerous situation. This type of rule inevitably leads to the collapse of the state”.
Editor:
Do note that the situation in the Ukraine gets MURKIER by the day. Two mobilisations occurred… no one showed up. The economy’s at a standstill… oldsters aren’t getting their pensions… the army lacks the money to move (and it lacks the will to fight)… Euromaidan commissars are now in the forces… unelected government “leaders” issue contradictory orders… and a “National Guard” of Maidan thugs replaced the steady and professional Berkutovtsy (who killed very few rioters, considering the provocations and violence offered against them).
Usually, by this time, putschists consolidate their power. Such isn’t so here. It’s a slo-mo replay of the August events. NO ONE KNOWS WHAT’S GOING ON. NO ONE. It’d be stupid for me to issue an opinion on the junta’s longevity. However, people are suffering and desperate for food… that isn’t a mark of stability, is it? May the junta’s days be short… to ease the suffering of the people. Why is the USA supporting such evil? Why are some people in the District in our Church supporting such evil? Ask them… I haven’t the foggiest…
BMD
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On Friday, hours after Kiev signed the political part of its association agreement with Brussels, the EU announced a 1.4 billion USD (51 billion Roubles. 1.57 billion CAD. 1.54 billion AUD. 1.02 billion Euros. 850 million UK Pounds) increase in its aid package to the Ukraine. UNIAN quoted junta “Prime Minister” Arseny Yatsenyuk, “The EU decided to increase financial aid to the Ukraine from 610 million Euros (30.5 billion Roubles. 842 million USD. 944 million CAD. 926 million AUD. 510 million UK Pounds) to 1.61 billion Euros (80.6 billion Roubles. 2.22 billion USD. 2.49 billion CAD. 2.45 billion AUD. 1.35 billion UK Pounds). The EU will transfer over two billion US dollars to Ukrainian government accounts to stabilise the Ukrainian economic situation. The deadline for the transfer is late April or early May” {how much of it will stick to Yatesnyuk’s fingers? After all, he has a mansion next to Yanukovich’s to maintain, dontcha know: editor}. On Friday, Yatsenyuk travelled to Brussels to sign the political provisions of an EU association agreement, covering issues of “democracy”, judicial “reform”, and other civil society aspects. The full accord also includes an economic section, which envisages a free trade zone between the Ukraine and the EU {which would doom Ukrainian industry… there’s surplus capacity in Western Europe; the EU wants to flood the Ukraine with its goods, no matter what the suffering to Ukrainians: editor}. Yatsenyuk said that the junta would sign the economic part of the agreement, rejected by the previous government for fears of significant economic losses, only after the presidential election due on 25 May.
Editor:
This “aid”, which is really a loan, isn’t what it seems to be. Most of it’s going to Western creditors… the rest is only enough to run the country for less than a month. Besides which, it won’t come in for another month… and the junta needs money NOW. Remember, the Ukrainian economy lies knackered and idle… and shall continue to be so if the Ukraine actually goes through with the harebrained scheme of “European integration”. The Ukraine would lose Russian business, whilst gaining no new business from the EU (the EU, especially Germany, sees the Ukraine as a dumping ground for surplus goods and a cheap labour source, not a real trading partner). That is, the only way that the junta can survive is as a mendicant… and EU/IMF/ECB conditions would doom the junta. Don’t be smug… it means SUFFERING for Ukrainians in the near term. That’s why all who support the American/EU policy are disgusting and vile (especially, the clerics… they’re the worst). Our people will starve so that McMansion pukes can party hearty and play tennis at the country club. Now, that’s EVIL…
What will the EU and the USA do if the Ukrainian state collapses and Russia refuses to honour its debts? Now, that’s interesting, no?
BMD
21 March 2014
Voice of Russia World Service
http://voiceofrussia.com/news/2014_03_21/Over-70-military-units-in-Crimea-hoist-Russian-flags-1725/
http://voiceofrussia.com/news/2014_03_21/Tank-depot-on-fire-in-Krivoy-Rog-Ukraine-media-9893/
http://voiceofrussia.com/news/2014_03_21/Putin-sign-decree-to-set-up-Crimean-Federal-district-5901/
Voices from Russia 
Medvedev Doubts Legitimacy of New Ukrainian Government
Tags: Coup d'état, Dmitri Medvedev, Dmitry Medvedev, Gazprom, Moscow, Naftogaz, political commentary, politics, Russia, Russian, Ukraine, Viktor Yanukovych, Vladimir Putin
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On Monday, Chairman of the Government Dmitri Medvedev said that “substantial doubts” existed over the legitimacy of the new acting government in the Ukraine. Medvedev attacked the swift recognition of the new authorities in Kiev by a number of Western governments, describing the régime as the unconstitutional outcome of an armed uprising, saying, “Strictly speaking, there’s nobody to speak with over there. The legitimacy of a whole range of organs of power working there raises substantial doubts. Some of our foreign partners think otherwise. I don’t know what constitution they’ve read, but it’s aberrational when you describe as legitimate something that’s the result of an armed uprising”. Moscow moved to formulate a clear diplomatic position on the ouster of Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovich, who was pro-Russian, following days of deadly clashes between police and anti-government rioters in Kiev that left nearly 100 dead. President Vladimir Putin has yet to make any public pronouncements on the change of government in the Ukraine. Medvedev said that Russia would adhere to all existing agreements with the Ukraine, including those on energy, noting, “We don’t co-operate with a specific set of people, or specific personalities, these are interstate relations. We’re neighbours, we’re nearby states, and we can’t get away from one another”.
On Monday, the acting Ukrainian energy minister told Reuters that he hoped the price it pays for Russian natural gas imports would remain unchanged despite the change of government. Gazprom agreed with Naftogaz Ukrainy in December to slash the price that Ukraine paid since 2009 by about one-third, from about 400 USD (14,200 Roubles. 443 CAD. 443 AUD. 292 Euros. 241 UK Pounds) per 1,000 cubic metres (35,315 cubic feet) to 268.50 USD (9,525 Roubles. 297 CAD. 297 AUD. 196 Euros. 162 UK Pounds) per 1,000 cubic metres. This followed Yanukovich’s rejection of an association agreement with the European Union in November in favour of closer ties with Moscow, the event that triggered the street protests in Kiev. More than half of the 55 billion cubic metres (1.943 trillion cubic feet) of natural gas consumed by the Ukraine each year comes from Russia.
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On Monday, Konstantin Dolgov, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MID) Commissioner for Human Rights, Democracy, and the Rule of Law, said that Moscow would closely scrutinise a Ukrainian draft law banning Russian as an official language. The legislative proposal follows the ouster of Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovich over the weekend and already aroused concerns that a surge of nationalism in the former Soviet nation could unfairly marginalise the substantial ethnic Russian community. Dolgov said, “Any political reforms, including constitutional reforms, must take into account the interests of all Ukrainian citizens”. On Sunday, Ukrainian media reported that the Rada was considering a draft law establishing Ukrainian as the only official state language. Currently, Russian is an official language in oblasts where at least 10 percent of the population is Russian-speaking. Just under half of Ukrainian oblasts meet that standard. The country is split between the Ukrainian-speaking West and the Russian-speaking East, although many speak both or a mixture of the two known as “surzhik”.
Yanukovich’s base of support was in the East, whilst the protest movement, which also includes a notably rabid nationalist element, drew most of its impetus from the West. Yanukovich, who won the presidency with 48.9 percent of the vote in 2010, had a poor command of Ukrainian. In December, Yanukovich agreed to a financial aid package from Russia to defuse the crisis in what was widely seen as a foreign policy coup for Moscow. With Yanukovich’s removal from power, Moscow signalled that it might shelve that deal, and Western leaders scrambled Monday to assemble a replacement.
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On Monday, the MID said that the new Ukrainian government aims to use “dictatorial and sometimes terrorist methods” to suppress opposition in disloyal regions. The MID expressed doubts about the legitimacy of the Rada’s actions, saying that lawmakers “churn out ‘decisions’ and ‘laws’, including those designed to infringe on the rights of Russians and other national minorities in the Ukraine. [The new leadership] aims to use dictatorial and sometimes terrorist methods to suppress disloyal citizens in various regions of the Ukraine. Some want to introduce an almost complete ban on the Russian language, bring about lustration, abolish parties and organisations, close disloyal media, and drop restrictions on dissemination of neo-Nazi ideology”.
The MID also expressed its “extreme concern” about recent “armed clashes between aggressive youths [or] militants from ultra-right nationalist organisations and security forces defending peaceful citizens and the interests of the state. These militants refuse to disarm; they refuse to leave the streets de facto under their control, to free administrative buildings, or to stop the violence”. The MID also called for constitutional reform in line with the recent reconciliation agreement signed shortly before the Rada impeached Yanukovich, observing, “It’s evident that for reform to be successful all political forces and all regions of the country should take part; then, they should put it up to a vote in a nationwide referendum”.
24 February 2014
RIA-Novosti
http://en.ria.ru/russia/20140224/187851752/Medvedev-Raises-Doubts-on-Legitimacy-of-New-Powers-in-Ukraine.html
http://en.ria.ru/russia/20140224/187845639/Moscow-Monitoring-Ukrainian-Bill-on-Curtailing-Russian.html
http://en.ria.ru/world/20140224/187856185/Moscow-Accuses-Ukraines-New-Leaders-of-Dictatorial-Methods.html