Congratulations people of Crimea

[saxitoxin]

Another admiral, Serhiy Hayduk, was placed in charge of the navy.

Oh, thank goodness. He'll lead a few pontoon boats and party barges to Sevastopol.

The funnier part that NBC failed to mention is that Hayduk is their fourth admiral in 5 days, the previous three have all surrendered or defected. At this rate, Baron Von PWN will be commander of the Ukrainian navy before long.

[BigBallinStalin]

Another admiral, Serhiy Hayduk, was placed in charge of the navy.

Oh, thank goodness. He'll lead a few pontoon boats and party barges to Sevastopol.

The funnier part that NBC failed to mention is that Hayduk is their fourth admiral in 5 days, the previous three have all surrendered or defected. At this rate, Baron Von PWN will be commander of the Ukrainian navy before long.

Either way, it's win-win for BVP. Great conversational piece for job interviews!

[saxitoxin]

Ukrainian troops surrendering as fast as protester government can mobilize them ...

Ukrainian servicemen stationed in Crimea are leaving en masse their military units and handing over weaponry and arsenals to local pro-Russia authorities and militia, a RIA Novosti correspondent reported Sunday.

http://en.ria.ru/military_news/20140302 ... orces.html

... running out of troops, Ukraine urgently appeals to Belgium and Denmark to attack Russia ...

Ukraine appealed for assistance from NATO on Saturday, asking it to use all possible measures to ensure its territorial integrity and protect its people.

http://en.ria.ru/world/20140302/1880092 ... tance.html

... Belgium and Denmark counter with an offer to send a strongly worded letter.

So, Russia is on the verge of rolling over a country of 44 million people using just 2,000 soldiers and 10 helicopters. If I were the UK I would reevaluate whether splitting the cost on a time-share aircraft carrier with France is all that smart. Also, the Ukraine-Russia relationship in 45 seconds ...

[Dukasaur]

I
Meanwhile, at Ukraine Navy HQ ...

Ukraine launched a treason case on Sunday against the head of the navy, who surrendered his headquarters on Sunday — on only his second day on the job.

Well, it was only his second day on the job. Maybe he hadn't read the part of the manual where he was not supposed to do that.

[2dimes]

I
Meanwhile, at Ukraine Navy HQ ...

Ukraine launched a treason case on Sunday against the head of the navy, who surrendered his headquarters on Sunday — on only his second day on the job.

Well, it was only his second day on the job. Maybe he hadn't read the part of the manual where he was not supposed to do that.

Excellent.

[Army of GOD]

It's funny how the first US vs. Russia direct conflict might happen AFTER the Cold War

[Pope Joan]

Personally, I like Kerry and he does what he has to do in this situation. But I despise our Bill Hague: we have nothing up the sleeve to surprise Russia with but this posh twat is so obviously trying "to punch above his weight".

Why do you like Kerry?

He is sexy. He looks a bit like Harrison Ford. He is a war veteran but not shell-shocked like McCain. And his wife makes good ketchup

Yeah, forgot and he is saving the world from WW3 and Zombie Apocalypses.

[GoranZ]

Personally, I like Kerry and he does what he has to do in this situation. But I despise our Bill Hague: we have nothing up the sleeve to surprise Russia with but this posh twat is so obviously trying "to punch above his weight".

Why do you like Kerry?

He is sexy. He looks a bit like Harrison Ford. He is a war veteran but not shell-shocked like McCain. And his wife makes good ketchup

Yeah, forgot and he is saving the world from WW3 and Zombie Apocalypses.

He is much more blood seeking men then a savior

[Qwert]

Ukrainian troops surrendering as fast as protester government can mobilize them ...

Ukrainian servicemen stationed in Crimea are leaving en masse their military units and handing over weaponry and arsenals to local pro-Russia authorities and militia, a RIA Novosti correspondent reported Sunday.

http://en.ria.ru/military_news/20140302 ... orces.html

... running out of troops, Ukraine urgently appeals to Belgium and Denmark to attack Russia ...

Ukraine appealed for assistance from NATO on Saturday, asking it to use all possible measures to ensure its territorial integrity and protect its people.

http://en.ria.ru/world/20140302/1880092 ... tance.html

... Belgium and Denmark counter with an offer to send a strongly worded letter.

So, Russia is on the verge of rolling over a country of 44 million people using just 2,000 soldiers and 10 helicopters. If I were the UK I would reevaluate whether splitting the cost on a time-share aircraft carrier with France is all that smart. Also, the Ukraine-Russia relationship in 45 seconds ...

well its quite easy to advance, when area are populated with Russians. So this its much more look like liberation, and so far nobody are hurt, because people of Crimea are welcomed Russians.
I dont think that Opposition in Kiev can send any troops to take Crimea back,,because they dont have any allies there. Also i think that more Ukrainian Officers and Soldier will join Russians, so this could be collapse of Ukrainian Army to.

[BigBallinStalin]

Personally, I like Kerry and he does what he has to do in this situation. But I despise our Bill Hague: we have nothing up the sleeve to surprise Russia with but this posh twat is so obviously trying "to punch above his weight".

Why do you like Kerry?

He is sexy. He looks a bit like Harrison Ford. He is a war veteran but not shell-shocked like McCain. And his wife makes good ketchup

Yeah, forgot and he is saving the world from WW3 and Zombie Apocalypses.

Haha at the first part, not so sure about the second. He threatened Russia with "consequences," which doesn't help cool down a situation.

[AndyDufresne]

--Andy

[Lord Arioch]

Well in sweden we now talk about an possible increase in army prescence on gotland...WOOOHA be warned evilness! But the government dont agrere on shit so it will be sometime...FYI if u ever plan on assaulting sweden do it the first monday of the month at 1500 cause then we test our air attack warning system...perfect time to bomb us:)

[saxitoxin]

Well in sweden we now talk about an possible increase in army prescence on gotland...

I have it on good authority Putin has tasked two army marching bands, a battalion of Russian boy scouts, 3 requisitioned FedEx jets, and figure skater Julia Lipnitskaia, to the attack on Sweden. The boy scouts may be overkill, though.

A scandal has erupted in Sweden after the Swedish Armed Forces chief, Sverker Göranson, said that his country wouldn’t last even two days against Russia ...

http://voiceofrussia.com/2013_02_05/Swe ... Commander/

[Frito Bandito]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fzLtF_PxbYw
Ukraine is not a game, ruskies!!

[DoomYoshi]

The Russian interest rate went from 1.5 to 7 percent.

Quick! Everybody sell all your Russian assets (i.e. your sex slaves since that is what the Russian economy is based on). Together, we can end human trafficking.

[patches70]

[ChrisPond]

[Ray Rider]

At least we in most Western nations have a greater degree of democratic representation at the highest levels of government compared to the EU. MEPs Daniel Hannan and Nigel Farage have been preaching about this for years.

You may be right about that Ray, at least that's how the conventional thinking goes. In the EU they are certainly slaves to the technocrats in Brussels, worse off than, say, we in the US.

However, I'd ask you a question, though I don't know if you are a US citizen or not nor how much you know about the US monetary system but the question is-

In what election do the people help determine or decide The Fed policy?



Answer that question and then you may see closer to what I am referring to, in that we are all living under the thumb of small groups of individuals who make the most important decisions about the value of the currency we use. And these people are almost in every case, unelected, unaccountable and unreachable by regular old citizens though all the decisions of these tiny groups of people affect every single person in said system.

But, that's another topic for another thread I'd think.
I hope things are going well for you Ray.
Peace.

Thanks, I'm taking my last dose of chemo today--just about finished!

And my apologies, I realize this is really late but better late than never. Yes, it looks like your elections in the US have very little effect on the Fed policy and I sympathize with you in that. Here in Canada I believe our elected government has considerably more sway, actually to the point where it has been criticized (rightly or wrongly) with influencing interest rates and/or monetary policy too much.

But anyway, back on topic here, I thought this was a pretty good quote relating to the situation in Ukraine:
"I think Putin is playing chess and we're playing marbles." -- US House Intelligence Committee Chairman Mike Rogers

[Pope Joan]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2572544/Revealed-error-official-files-Britain-NOT-support-military-action-against-Russia.html
A bunch of loonies...

In a crisis like this, one starts appreciate independent media, Al-Jazeera in case of the UK. Off course, one can go next channel up or down and always get a doze of Maidan or Kremlin propaganda (BBC and RT respectively).

Another interesting link with the list of those killed on Maidan:
http://society.lb.ua/accidents/2014/02/21/256239_poyavilsya_predvaritelniy_spisok.html

For those whose Russian is even rustier than mine: 100% male, 95% young male (<40), 95% from outside Kyiv (including policemen), 40% farmers, 40% intellectuals. If politicians of all persuasion who send troops to a battle, were to be required to send their kids to the frontline, the world would be a much better place...

[Ray Rider]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2572544/Revealed-error-official-files-Britain-NOT-support-military-action-against-Russia.html
A bunch of loonies...

That's an incredible leak! Putin must be laughing...

The Washington Post and Senator Marco Rubio both had a list of punitive measures; I don't agree with all of them (sending the sixth fleet into the Black Sea might not be a great idea--although mobilization in that direction could have an effect--or pushing for admittance of the fledgling Republic of Georgia into NATO might not be beneficial in the long term) but some of them could be a good start:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/.../10be3 ... 1e3-b8d8...
http://www.politico.com/.../8-things-ob ... do-about...

The reality though is that the cat is already out of the bag; Putin has seen that the West's sphere of influence is larger than what it is willing to defend militarily and he knew just when to take advantage of that fact. The interesting thing will be the effect this has on rogue states like Iran & North Korea who are pursuing nuclear weapons (as they claim) in order to prevent a situation like this from ever happening to them. If Russia is allowed to retain the Crimea without serious consequences, it will only show that nuclear disarmament in exchange for a piece of paper (as Ukraine did 1994 with the 3rd largest nuclear arsenal in the world) is folly.

[GoranZ]

The Russian interest rate went from 1.5 to 7 percent.

Quick! Everybody sell all your Russian assets (i.e. your sex slaves since that is what the Russian economy is based on). Together, we can end human trafficking.

You shit in your pants again

Nice there is easy way money to be made

I think that Putin's next intentions will be Baltic states(who also have huge Russian populations)... Maybe in 5 to 10 years

[BigBallinStalin]

For those whose Russian is even rustier than mine: 100% male, 95% young male (<40), 95% from outside Kyiv (including policemen), 40% farmers, 40% intellectuals. If politicians of all persuasion who send troops to a battle, were to be required to send their kids to the frontline, the world would be a much better place...

90 dead? Isn't NATO's limit an overestimated 40k (Libya)?

(Unless it's in Sudan, and excluding any proportional rate of deaths in Bahrain, Yemen, and the countries of geopolitically lesser important countries (e.g. all of sub-Saharan Africa).

[DoomYoshi]

Great, I've been re-assigned. I have to cover the Bosnia-Herzegovna shit now.

Too many cocksuckers wanted to work on Ukraine.

[Phatscotty]

Russia test-fires ICBM amid tension over Ukraine

http://news.yahoo.com/russia-test-fires ... MAfjrQtDMD

My president is tough and brilliant and a capable Commander-in-Chief, this is just the kind of test Americans had in mind when we elected him to keep us safe.

We can count on Obama to check Putin's aggression!