Minsk, round two

[lordtiberius]

Historical forces are powerful influences on society.  But it is the recent memory that is the mist important.  In the Kremlin, oligarchs and mobsters have Ukrainian surnames as Kiev democrats speak Russian.  For decades, they called each other brother.

I visited Yanukovych's Ukraine twice.  They had no idea their neighbor would betray them.  And in truth until recently in this country, Russia was a bad guy only in the movies.

It was not predictable and if it was, our side has done a horrible job on par with Trojan Cassandra in convincing them.

[JayH]

Repeated calls for help for Ukraine still go unheeded. here is another clear summary -- and plea for help.
Ukraine is bleeding, slowly, with each day that the war continues. This suits Putin just fine because Russia can withstand an economic downturn longer than Ukraine can.

Ukraine's leaders have lulled the population for too long. The West, in turn, is lulling its citizens into thinking that this is a localized conflict that doesn't concern them.

For Ukraine to prevail, everybody -- in the West and inside Ukraine -- will have to sacrifice far more than they have done.

So far, the biggest sacrifices are coming from Ukraine's over-matched and under-equipped soldiers who, nonetheless, display remarkable resilience and will to fight
Brian Bonner: Fight this war or surrender

"On the same day, journalists working with the Kyiv Post witnessed the shelling in Debaltseve from both sides and also heard explosions that sounded like shelling coming from inside separatist-controlled Donetsk.

Today, on Feb. 16, our Kyiv Post correspondent is reporting from Myronivsky, some 20 kilometers northwest of Debaltseve on the same road. She says the remaining residents -- less than half of the pre-war population of 8,000 people -- report being under constant bombardment since Feb. 15. Since the Ukrainian government and forces control the town, the shelling can only be blamed on one side: Putin's proxies. Ukraine's government says at least five soldiers have been killed in the last 24 hours.

To compound the absurdity, the Kremlin-backed separatists are laying claim to Debaltseve as their territory and refusing to allow monitors from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe into the city.

Memo to separatists: You have no claim on any territory of Ukraine, including the Crimean peninsula.

Memo to the West: Please don't issue any more hollow statements of "deep concern" or pointlessly beg the Kremlin to "de-escalate." You've been doing it, collectively, for a year and it's gotten you nowhere with Putin. And please drop phrases like the cease-fire is "largely holding" when the shooting and killing is still going on.

For there to be peace, both sides have to want it.

Putin's side wants war and conquest."
http://www.kyivpost.com/opinion/op-ed/brian-bonner-fight-this-war-or-surrender-380882.html

[JayH]

Reuters story adding more to specific situation. Earlier I posted link to Russian general being present-- it says it all about Putin & Russian credibility.



Battle Rages for Town Where Ukraine Rebels Reject Ceasefire

VUHLEHIRSK, Ukraine — Pro-Russian rebels pounded encircled Ukrainian government forces on Monday and Kiev said it would not pull back heavy guns while a truce was being violated, leaving a European-brokered peace deal on the verge of collapse.

The European Union kept pressure on Russia and the rebels by announcing a new list of separatists and Russians targeted with sanctions, to which Moscow promised an "adequate" response.

The United States said it was "gravely concerned" by the fighting in and around the town of Debaltseve in eastern Ukraine after a ceasefire agreement that came into force on Sunday and said it was closely monitoring reports of a new column of Russian military equipment moving toward the region.

"These aggressive actions and statements by the Russia-backed separatists threaten the most recent ceasefire," U.S. State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said in a statement. "We call on Russia and the separatists it backs to halt all attacks immediately."

Fighting subsided in many parts of eastern Ukraine under a ceasefire deal reached last week in marathon talks involving the leaders of France, Germany, Russia and Ukraine.

But the truce appears to have been stillborn in Debaltseve, where the most intensive fighting has taken place in recent weeks.
http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2015/02/16/world/europe/16reuters-ukraine-crisis.html?ref=world&_r=0

[lordtiberius]

Reuters story adding more to specific situation. Earlier I posted link to Russian general being present-- it says it all about Putin & Russian credibility.



Battle Rages for Town Where Ukraine Rebels Reject Ceasefire

VUHLEHIRSK, Ukraine — Pro-Russian rebels pounded encircled Ukrainian government forces on Monday and Kiev said it would not pull back heavy guns while a truce was being violated, leaving a European-brokered peace deal on the verge of collapse.

The European Union kept pressure on Russia and the rebels by announcing a new list of separatists and Russians targeted with sanctions, to which Moscow promised an "adequate" response.

The United States said it was "gravely concerned" by the fighting in and around the town of Debaltseve in eastern Ukraine after a ceasefire agreement that came into force on Sunday and said it was closely monitoring reports of a new column of Russian military equipment moving toward the region.

"These aggressive actions and statements by the Russia-backed separatists threaten the most recent ceasefire," U.S. State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said in a statement. "We call on Russia and the separatists it backs to halt all attacks immediately."

Fighting subsided in many parts of eastern Ukraine under a ceasefire deal reached last week in marathon talks involving the leaders of France, Germany, Russia and Ukraine.

But the truce appears to have been stillborn in Debaltseve, where the most intensive fighting has taken place in recent weeks.
http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2015/02/16/world/europe/16reuters-ukraine-crisis.html?ref=world&_r=0

[JayH]

The Donetsk Oblast town of Myronivsky, under the control of Ukrainian forces, has been constantly shelled since the Feb. 15 cease-fire, residents say. The town with a pre-war population of 8,000 people has lost more than half of its residents, who fled the fighting. It is also only 20 kilometers northwest of the embattled city of Debaltseve, where thousands of Ukrainian soldiers are facing bombardment from Kremlin-backed separatists.
No cease-fire in Donetsk Oblast's Myronivsky as residents dodge constant shelling


MYRONIVSKY, Ukraine – This is one place the cease-fire missed.

The Donetsk Oblast town of Myronivsky, located along the so-called “road of life” that connects the besieged railway junction Debaltseve with the rest of Ukrainian-controlled territory, has been shelled non-stop since the Feb. 15 cease-fire began.

The local residents who are staying in the city -- with a pre-war population of 8,000 people -- are forced to live in bomb shelters or regular basements because no peace came after the Feb. 12 Minsk agreement reached by the leaders of Ukraine, Germany, France and Russia.

On the morning of Feb. 16, a crowd of people gathered by the local cultural center, queuing for a new portion of humanitarian aid delivered by the International Red Cross.

http://www.kyivpost.com/content/kyiv-post-plus/no-cease-fire-in-donetsk-oblasts-myronivsky-as-residents-dodge-constant-shelling-380865.html

[JayH]

Some movement?
US urged Russia , "immediately cease attacks" and begin a dialogue with the OSCE Minsk for the implementation of the agreement


The US State Department has accused Russia of violating the ceasefire and called for an immediate cease his attack


The US State Department accused Russia in violation of the truce on the Eastern Ukraine . It is said in a statement posted on the website of the American Foreign Ministry. "The United States is seriously concerned about the deteriorating situation in the Ukraine in the East Debaltseve ... separatists publicly stated that they refuse to respect the ceasefire Debaltseve and OSCE observers were not provided security guarantees for access to the area. These aggressive actions and statements supported Russian separatists threaten recent truce and subjected to risk the planned withdrawal of heavy weapons, "- said in a statement.


 http://tsn.ua/politika/derzhdepartament-ssha-zvinuvativ-rf-v-porushenni-peremir-ya-i-zaklikav-negayno-pripiniti-napad-409789.html

[lordtiberius]

Where's Barack?

[msmobyone]

I hope not. This young woman deserves to be saved.

Brass

My goodness, Brass and I agree on something. STOP the press )

She certainly deserves to be returned from whence she was kidnapped