Ukraine is losing the war

[Brasscasing]

Brass, it appears that he's F.O.S.!

I think so too. This is why both the EU and U.S. want to counter this kind of disinformation. The people who perpetrate this particular brand of deceit should be held accountable for it.

Brass

[AkMike]

I'm sure that Huilotin will grant him citizenship/assylum for his efforts. 

[AC]

I'm sure that Huilotin will grant him citizenship/assylum for his efforts. 

What is FOS?  Maybe he will be buried next to Kim Philby.

[AkMike]

Full of Shiat.. But in a nicer way! hehehe 

[mendeleyev]

I don't know if he is being paid as a disinformation agent, or simply volunteering his services.

[Brasscasing]

I don't know if he is being paid as a disinformation agent, or simply volunteering his services.

Diplomatic as always, my friend.

Brass

[JayH]

I don't know if he is being paid as a disinformation agent, or simply volunteering his services.

He is a friend of fos  AndrewFi !!!  Collectively very fos 
Says it all about credibility.

[lonedrake]

Absolutely incorrect, with all due respect.

Roshen products are banned in Russia, supposedly due to "packaging problems." In fact, Putin blames Ukraine (and Kazakhstan) anytime Russian inspectors discovers Roshen inventory on store shelves. But that inventory is supposedly dwindling due to no resupply since the ban in July 2013. However, Roshen still has plants in places like Kazakhstan, Armenia, Moldova and Uzbekistan. The Kremlin and Kazakh/Armenians are having a little spat about those factories as the Kremlin claims that they are still exporting Roshen products into Russia via cover of the customs-free status of the Eurasian Union.

No, Roshen does not have factories in Russia. His only Russian factory, Lipestk, was closed by the Russian government, and the factory manager was arrested and charged with illegal use of a registered trademark.


Not true.

Ukraine has munitions factories that used to sell military parts to Russia. In fact, up until events of the Crimean annexation, these were Russia's most important suppliers. Ukrainian forces bombed the Donetsk factory that had been captured by Russian terrorists.

Fact: Poroshenko banned ALL such sales to Russia, at a cost of $15+ BILLION to the Ukrianian economy. (http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Europe/2014/0617/Why-Ukraine-s-freeze-on-arms-sales-to-Russia-will-hurt-Kiev-too)




Sorry, and hope this doesn't cause friction at home, but this is incorrect.

First, see the response immediately above.

Secondly, Russia has Ukraine by the balls. Russia is Ukraine's largest export market and has enacted bans against Ukrainian products, claiming that the bans are not exactly sanctions, but instead are due to customs issues. Naturally, all that would be cleared up if simply Ukraine would drop any EU aspirations and come join Russia's Eurasion Union. http://www.tradingeconomics.com/ukraine/exports


The result of Ukrainian sanctions against Russia may be a better deal for Ukraine than for Russia, if European markets make good on promises to buy Ukrainian products originally bound for Russia. http://www.kyivpost.com/opinion/op-ed/anders-aslund-what-will-happen-to-russian-ukrainian-trade-after-the-war-in-donbass-366864.html



Poroshenko is the first prez in Ukraine in a long time that has no need to use poor Ukrainians to build a personal fortune. He serves at great personal cost, in reality. The loss of his Russian factory, and the ban on his products in Russia, have hurt Roshen financially.

She is right about much of the Ukrainian military structure. The Rada (parliament) is addressing this and the government has been making progress in reforming the military. They simply have no choice but to reform given the current crisis.



No, they do not speak "ever day." I have access to the phone logs on both sides of this issue, as do others in the credentialed press pools. If there were daily little cozy calls, the Western press would be all over it. One could claim the same of Obama and Putin, or of Merkel and Putin, since they speak often. Nobody claims that Putin and Obama are secretly in business together.


That is a persistent rumour, but it is wrong. I've seen those tanks, several times, and have watched them start up and drive away. The fumes from the exhaust of these supposedly "not operational" tanks make me choke, frankly. The tank factory in Kharkiv actually puts out a much better product these days. http://www.malyshevplant.com/



Did she mean that Ukraine buys electricity from Russia?

Left over from the Soviet times, the Ukrainian and Russian power grids are intertwined. Traditionally it is Ukraine who has produced and exported electricity to Russia via this grid. However, that electric has come from coal, and the Donbas region has mined that coal. Now, Ukraine has a coal shortage and in November the government approved a one-time purchase of coal from Russia because of that shortage.

As to the Donbas needs for Russian electricity, Kyiv's response has been to let those "independent" folks pay for it themselves. Instead, Putin has whined and threatened Ukraine for not providing budget to maintain those "separate" and "independent" regions.

It is Crimea that needs Ukrainian electricity, not the other way around, in that geographic region.


I can appreciate and understand your wife's angst. Much of the disinformation and confusion is a result of decades of corruption and suspicion, well deserved by the way, amongst good and decent ordinary Ukrainian citizens. However, it is truth and facts that will allow all Ukrainians to someday enjoy a more transparent and fair society. They simply cannot attain that while living under the shadow of a corrupt neighbor.

Mendy,  Thanks.  No need to worry about friction. I just listen and give my two cents every now and again.

She does not agree with you…and thats putting it mildly.

[lordtiberius]

He is a friend of fos  AndrewFi !!!  Collectively very fos 
Says it all about credibility.

Are you serious?

[BillyB]

Dude, you live in a fantasy world.

You should have retired your crystal ball a long time ago after predicting Russia wasn't going to invade Ukraine.

[cc3]

AkMike,
If you can live without wine and beef, it is easy to stay in Ukraine.
With $ or euros, your power of life is about 10 times more than in occidental country.
In my little city, you can buy a beautiful house with big ground for about 10.000$.
In west Europe this is 20 times more price.
In Vinitsa oblast, it is much less price.
Uman Park is one of the best in the world, surely, the most interesting thing I saw in all Ukraine.

Without wine? In Lviv, I drink acceptable dry Ukrainian red wine for less than $3 per bottle. Even better wine from Moldova is only $4 to $5 per bottle. Wine prices in Ukraine have not inflated as much as the hryvnia has decreased in value.

[lordtiberius]

Georgian wine is pretty good.

[JayH]

Mendy,  Thanks.  No need to worry about friction. I just listen and give my two cents every now and again.

She does not agree with you…and thats putting it mildly.

LD-- Mendy covered a lot of specifics-- and each of your posts is sensible and caring-- so-- please understand I am not hostile and my comments are as much general and not specifically applying to your wife-- as they are the type of comments and accusations that typically float around.Actually-- I think LT's relations may have similar comments and thoughts.
There is not a simple answer(other than Mende dealing with specifics)  . I see it like this--historically politicians have a horrendous reputation and are generally considered suspect--even during Maidan when the country was jumping on board-- people were still cynical.
Changing gear is not easy ( I have commented repeatedly about forum posters stuck in previous eras and being clueless about the pace of change this last year)- and that applies to Ukrainian citizens  also.
Sometimes being too close to it-prevents one seeing a bigger picture . As you know--rumours abound and get repeated in Ukraine and sometimes at remarkable pace-it only adds to the confusion.
I have seen from my own experience the incredulity of seeing Yanukovych's excesses out at his estate as Ukrainians saw it-- I felt the disgust and despair as people thought of their own lives. Sending photos of each new excess as it was discovered-with friends and relatives intrigued at such treachery. I know for certain-- that it turned around families on Russia around as they had no problem getting the connection- and became pro-Ukrainians. The concern of the motives on politicians was/is still there.
Judging the new government too quickly is a mistake-it has to be given the chance to govern. The fact is many reforms are in the pipeline and legislation enacted.
Dealing with and inadequate military leaders more interested in feathering their own nests was an issue-- and still is a potential issue. But-- a lot of progress has been made-- and now-- chances are those abusing the system will face charges sooner or later.
Ukraine has a zealous conscience now-- called Right Sector-- who is intent on seeing Ukraine reformed-- and as they have repeatedly proven they are both fearless and disciplined. No longer will recalcerints be able to hide and be protected in the system.
All in all-- the Poroshenko  government needs to be given the chance to govern--to be able to pull the coalition into an effective government. Governments are about compromises and so far-- I give them top points--not perfect-- but doing ok.

       

[mendeleyev]

LD, thanks and please give my sincere respects and best wishes to your wife. I hope to see a strong and successful Ukraine, but it stands to reason that she desires it even more.

[cc3]

Georgian wine is pretty good.

I know. I support those countries whose wine is being boycotted by the muscovites. Georgia's wines have been allowed into Muscovy by the dictator since the change in governments in Tbilisi.

[lordtiberius]

Cc3, its a shame what Putinism is doing to the region.

[lordtiberius]

Jay and Mendy, how long should we give the Poroshenko-Yatseniuk government?

[Muzh]

You should have retired your crystal ball a long time ago after predicting Russia wasn't going to invade Ukraine.

I'm with good company regarding those who thought the same. And guess what? You wouldn't stand a minute discussing with them before you are escorted out of the panel. 


IF you can read beyond the tripe you write, Putler has abolished any normal convention on civilized government.


Many gave him the benefit of the doubt. Now it is a different ball game.


You on the other hand come across as a Monday morning quarterback.

[Muzh]

Jay and Mendy, how long should we give the Poroshenko-Yatseniuk government?

And then what? Hold your breath until you turn blue?

[lordtiberius]

Just answer the question

[Muzh]

Just answer the question

What question? You sound as if you have the power to remove people from government. I definitely have no such delusions.

[lordtiberius]

Yeah right whatever

If the Poroshenko government fails, the West, Europe and America will go down as well.

[Muzh]

Yeah right whatever

If the Poroshenko government fails, the West, Europe and America will go down as well.

Let me roll my eyes.

[lordtiberius]

Ukraine lost a $ 15 billion trade partner and gained a war.  The bastards at the EU won't give them free trade and NATO won't give them guns.  Roll those baby browns BFF

[mendeleyev]

Jay and Mendy, how long should we give the Poroshenko-Yatseniuk government?

I am not a registered Ukrainian voter so what I think doesn't matter, and neither do I want the US government, or any other entity, thinking about the issue.

If we truly want the Ukrainian people to be free, then we cannot go around choosing their leaders for them.

But, getting to the heart of why you asked the question, those two and the Rada have a lot of roadblocks, including a past legacy of corruption and the present issue of a shrinking economy as all the while they try to deal with urgent issues of an invasion.

Back off. Support and encourage, but do not pressure.