Saturday, March 01, 2014

Appeal from Donetsk oligarch to save Ukraine from Putin Updated

One of Ukraine's richest man, Donbas oligarch Serhiy Taruta, has published an impassioned statement for Ukraine's integrity to be maintained. Here is a portion: 

"The introduction of Russian troops onto the territory of Ukraine can only be considered as an occupation - a military occupation of peaceful territory. 

Do we need to explain where this will it end for me and you? I think not - we will lose everything. All that was invested and built in 23 years of independence will be destroyed if not by fire then by economic collapse. We must defend Ukraine.

Yes it is imperfect. Yes it is multiligual. But it is ours! Ukrainian businessmen, citizens, politicians - now is the time to unite! Today, we are all Ukrainians. All under one national flag. Now is not the time to settle scores with each other....Today we need to defend our country by every means that we have. Because without joining forces now, we may not have a future..."

Ukraine's oligarchs, most of whom are probably are of the same opinion as Taruta, have sufficient security personnel working for their enterprises and under their control to maintain order in major cities in Eastern Ukraine. Their input is important at a time when Ukraine's police forces are demoralised and when the Kremlin is actively and generously sponsoring provocateurs in these cities. 

Putin's glove puppet Yanukovych says he supports the intervention of Russian military forces on Ukrainian territory.

According to big-selling 'Segodnya' newspaper the chairman of the Donetsk oblast state administration, Andriy Shishatskyi declared at a large public meeting in Donetsk today that he supported a unified Ukraine, but demanded Donetsk to be respected. He was supported by most of those who attended, but about 70 provocateurs, "tourists" from Russia, heckled his speech, as well as those of priests even when a minute's silence was maintained for all who died in the recent troubles..

Videos of the meeting show lots of Russian flags being waved...

p.s. Some important points:

The situation in Crimea was stable prior to the ingress of Russian forces. There have been demonstrations, but no major violence has been seen recently on the peninsula. Certainly no 'fascist agitators' or radicals have shown any sign of activity.

No member of Ukraine's armed forces or law enforcement agencies have engaged in any physical repression against ethnic minorities.

The new 'prime minister' of Crimea, Sergey Aksyonov, who appealed to Russia for 'help' heads the Russian Unity party, which managed to garner just 4% of votes cast in the last local parliamentary elections. 

The Kremlin claims the current authorities are illegitimate. Despite this official talks between acting Ukrainian PM Yatsenyuk and his Russian counterpart have taken place, as have bilateral discussions at lower levels of government. So are the current authorities in Kyiv legitimate, or not? 

The Kremlin considers Yanukovch to be legitimate president of Ukraine, and is demanding Yanukovych be reinstated because they consider February 21 deal  between him and three opposition leaders, was not adhered to by the other signatories. 

All other participants, including French, German, Polish witnesses consider the deal was broken by Yanukovych and is now invalid. The Russian participant in negotiations, Putin's special envoy Vladimir Lukin, did not even sign the Feb 21 deal..

The numbers of Ukrainian Verkhovna Rada deputies who have lobbied for Russian intervention have been really very small...

The Kremlin may have been fearful that with a new administration in Kyiv, the 2010 Kharkiv accords by means of which the Russian Black Sea fleet extended their rental period of Sevastopol to 2042, would be scrapped. Hence their rash actions of the last few days.

Update: Taruta may be appointed Donetsk governor....Another big oligarch, Igor Kolomoysky may be appointed governor of Dnipropetrovsk..







2 comments:

elmer said...

It's clear that Vlad Dracul Putler despises yanusvoloch

But it is also clear where yanusvoloch stands

during his pathetic lying propaganda "press conference" he said:

"Ukraine is - our - strategic partner"

As Rybachuk said on hromadske.tv after the press conference, yanusvoloch is "for Ukraine" - except from the other side

The only thing that Rasha exports and creates is misery - it makes them happy

after people have seen the incredibly huge corruption in Ukraine with the various garish palaces, why would they support Vlad Dracul Putler's corruption - it's even worse than that of yanusvoloch and company

Anonymous said...

The only legitimacy of the interim government comes from the vote of the parliament. The new ruling elite having unconstitutionally interfered with the independence of Ukraine's constitutional court making it dysfunctional.

At best the new government is a caretaker government and as such should abide by caretaker conventions.

Crimea is an Autonomous republic. Like Scotland and other breakaway regions it has the right of self determination. A referendum to this effect has been scheduled for Match 30

Crimea is not Ukraine's as such. It is for Crimea. Crimea is a state that is the same size as Georgia and Moldova

The Russian peacekeeping force is exactly that a peacekeeping force. If they had not taken up post then there was a real situation that the situation facing Ukraine would have escalated into a more violent confrontation headed by the extreme Right Sector leader Dymtro Yarosh.

Yarosh was been instrumental in initiating the violence that occurred in Kyiv on February 21-22 when his team started attacking the police using guns, Molotov cocktails and other weapons. The events escalating out of control

Videos that have surfaced showing Yarosh threatening and intimidating public servants is appalling and can not be condoned in any shap or form.

The interim government must disassociate themselves form the likes of Yarosh if it is to retain any sense of legitimacy or respect.