Russia versus Ukraine

Could this lead to a war?

Russia seem to showing far to much aggression!

 

Any excuse for Russia now to invade the Crimea and they will do. What might the consequences be for Russia in the international community if they do invade? There are reports they may well extend the invasion to the more pro-russian areas of mainland Ukraine.

 

Interesting situation, and reminds me of when Georgia and Russia had a scuffle a few years back. Strangely we haven't heard much more about that, but I believe the Russians are still occupying part of Georgia? Correct me if I'm wrong!

 

Not sure but I remember they did issue russian passports to anyone who wanted them and used that as a way of saying look we're just protecting russian citizens. No doubt they're doing the same in Crimea.

 

Will this make Ukrainian players available on the cheap?

 

Dibs on Rebrov...

 

They needed something to do between The Winter Olympics and Russia 2018.

 

11:17: Daniel Sandford BBC News, Simferopol

says he has just passed 10 lorries with Russian military plates full of men on the road heading from Sevastopol towards Simferopol.

 

Oh 'eck. Something'll happen.

 

Just Nani bringing in more players to rotate.

 

http://www.theguardian.com/world/20...s-russia-of-taking-over-airports-live-updates

Generally has good updates. The video of the war helicopters is frightening, looks like something out of apocalypse now.

 

Jesus! That's bloody scary

 

Apparently people keep saying that Crimea is majority Russian, but the last census was in 2001 and since them thousands of Muslim Tartars have come back from deportation so nobody really knows who the majority is.

 

I find it really odd that Russia want Crimea back, but didnt they give it to Ukraine in the past?

 

Ukraine will split and Crimea will join Russia - I think the Ukranians will be happy with that and to be honest, their failing ecenomy should be a bigger priority to them right now, they're incredibly close to defaulting.

 

The economy is the underlying theme in the whole crisis. You don't get mass protests during boom periods, it just doesn't happen.

 

12:37:

Russia's interior ministry is inviting former Ukrainian policemen who leave Ukraine to join their ranks in the Russian provinces. They can sign up after acquiring Russian citizenship, it says.

It begins.

 

I just wish we (as in our government) would butt out of it. Ukraine is very much within the Russian sphere of influence and they're never likely to allow revolution to happen and a Western friendly government to pop up right on their border. I suspect if push came to shove they would be happy to fight a proxy war with the West over the matter. It's not one we're going to win, nor is the public backing to even intervene, so why don't we just sit back and watch the fireworks? What I find particularly ironic is we bang on about issues with energy security due to the amount of natural gas that is piped from Russia through the former Eastern bloc, and then every months we let the US stoke come controversy or other and make things worse. We should tell the US to feck off.

 

Is there a big river in Crimea?

If there is, Justin Timberlake could really capitalise on that!


[video]www.youtube.com/watch?v=DksSPZTZES0[/video]

 

Clive?

I can't see a full scale war yet, although if they give millions of Russian speakers Russian citizenship they will have an excuse! The Russians have got several major economic cards they can play first, knowing that the west is unlikely to intervene militarily.

 

Now is the time the Russians and Chinese join forces and march across the world. They just needed the correct tigger. All hail the East!

 

I don't think it'll go into an all-out war. For all the possible combat flash points around the world between more than one country, none have really developed into a war and I get the feeling that this won't either. However this has really exposed the huge divisions in Ukraine between the Russian-speaking Ukrainians and the Ukrainian-speaking Ukrainians. Unfortunately with Russia sticking their nose in this (and then some), the possibility of a split of Ukraine looks more likely. However that would be logistic hell for both sides and as much as emotions seem to be running high, I don't think many want to see a split Ukraine.

Then again, if Russia continues to strut its stuff militarily then and continues to stick its nose in what is undeniably an independent sovereign state then I feel more and more Russian-speaking Ukrainians will lean towards a split Ukraine.

 

But I don't see tanks massing along Hadrians Wall?

The difference is that, nowadays, the West have a democracy of sorts, while in the East voting is not free.

 

If you speak Ukrainian then this site http://yanukovychleaks.org/ might be of interest. If you don't then it probably won't.

 

I thought it was 2014 not 1939.