Eastern Europe/Ukraine

[RSoami]

In more news,
Lugansk has almost fallen and Donetsk is about to fall.
All humanitarian crisis in eastern Ukraine is Russian propaganda. The disgusting vultures dont need no aid.
Besides Russian aid is trojan horse and an attempt to invade... blah blah
In fact, columns of Russian troops and armored vehicles have been destroyed by Ukraine inside Ukraine. Or have reached Lugansk. etc etc.
Russia is about to invade Ukraine for the last couple of months etc etc.
The easterners can wait forever for the aid. Till noble Kiev government checks all trucks.That should take minimum of one month.

The west condemns Russia for ..... etc etc.
Putin is evil. Russian media is controlled by the state. etc etc

[Y. Kanan]

For embattled Ukraine rebels, no time to honor the dead

DONETSK, Ukraine, Aug 21 (Reuters) - Pro-Moscow rebels in the Ukrainian city of Donetsk are taking such heavy losses in fighting with advancing government troops they no longer have time to give their comrades a proper burial.

That task fell instead on Wednesday afternoon to Igor Yegorov and his crew of three grave-diggers, dressed in track suit bottoms and vests, at the Sixth Capital municipal graveyard on the edge of Donetsk, eastern Ukraine. A Soviet-designed Zil flat-bed truck backed into a corner of the cemetery with 12 coffins stacked two deep in the back, each one containing the corpse of a rebel fighter. The cemetery workers approached the truck to unload the coffins, but hesitated, driven back by the smell of decaying flesh escaping through gaps in the crudely built coffins. Yegorov pressed them to hurry up. "We need a gas mask here," said one of the workers. "A gas mask won't help," said Valery, the driver of the truck that brought the coffins.

Two hours later, the burial was over. There was no ceremony, no rebel honor guard, and no relatives at the grave side. The grave-diggers lowered the caskets into graves, then covered them up using an old tractor with an earth-moving bucket on the front. The new graves were marked with rough wooden plaques with a number. That was supposed to correspond to the dead fighter's name, but according to a manifest that was sent from the morgue and was shown to Reuters, the identities of eight of the 12 were unknown.

For several weeks now, the separatist rebels - which Kiev and its Western allies say are proxies for Russia - have been forced to retreat in the face of advances by a newly confident Ukrainian military. Unlike the government forces, the rebels do not release casualty figures. The hasty burials, combined with accounts from fighters, provide a snapshot of the scale of the rebel losses, raising the question of how long they can keep fighting against the numerically superior Ukrainian forces. The rebels' ability to hold on has a bearing on how soon an end comes to a conflict that has killed thousands of people, sparked a round of damaging sanctions, and dragged Russia's relations with the West to their lowest ebb since the Cold War.

The Sixth Capital cemetery, named after a nearby coal mine, is the only one in Donetsk that receives fighters' bodies for mass burials, with the first arriving on July 15, according to cemetery workers. By Wednesday, 41 fighters had been buried there, including the 12 coffins brought in that day. A Reuters photographer who went back to the same cemetery on Thursday said he saw at least another 15 fighters being buried. But those are only a fraction of the rebel dead. Local government officials said rebels were buried individually at all 28 cemeteries in Donetsk, and fighters spoke too of burying fallen comrades in the field.

One fighter, who gave his nom de guerre as "Americanets," or American, told Reuters on the outskirts of Donetsk on Wednesday that his unit had started out with 100 fighters. "They've almost all died," he said, dressed in camouflage fatigues and black gloves with Gold's Gym insignia almost completely worn off them. "There's barely anyone left to fight."

"We pick up the dead, the remains of the dead, more like pieces of meat: a head there, a leg there," he said. "If they get hit by artillery, that's all we can do." "We try to get in touch with the families if we know where they are or who they are, then they can come themselves, and collect the body and send it to the morgue."

"If we can't identify the remains or if we can't get the body out of the theater of operations, then we have the give the body a field burial: we dig a pit and put the remains in."

The leader of another battalion said he was preparing to bury another 11 fighters in the next day, but it was getting difficult to pay for any funeral arrangements. "We're trying to give them a burial, but money is getting tighter and tighter," he said, speaking on condition of anonymity. Ukrainian officials say that about 600 combatants on their side have been killed in the conflict.

Ukraine's armed forces have around 120,000 personnel, though not all are front-line troops. In addition around 10,000 servicemen attached to the national guard, police and volunteer militias are involved in the fighting on the Ukrainian side. It is impossible to establish how many fighters are on the rebel side.

Separatist leaders say they can win the war. Aleksander Zakharchenko, prime minister of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic, said last week reinforcements were arriving and a counter-attack was being prepared. On the ground in Donetsk, most rank-and-file rebels say they are determined to keep fighting, but they acknowledge that the toll is getting heavier. A fighter who identified himself by the nickname "Starets," or Elder, is responsible for arranging funerals for the Vostok Battalion, a rebel unit involved in some of the toughest fighting in and around Donetsk.

He said by his estimates about 10 rebels a day are killed in Donetsk, a figure that does not include casualties from heavy fighting outside the city. "The circle has been tightening," he said. "We can expect more losses."

I said a few months ago, Russia should have moved in and taken over eastern Ukraine back in April. Ukraine's army was in total disarray; the Russians could have done it with virtually no bloodshed at that time, and without widespread destruction of east ukraine's cities and infrastructure. Now, thousands have died in Donbass and it's industrial capacity is destroyed. The Russians have suffered a massive PR disaster in the shoot down of the Malaysian airliner. Untold hundreds of Russian volunteers have been killed, along with thousands of Ukrainians.

If the Russians move in now, they'll be facing a Ukrainian army that can put up a good fight. Many thousands more would have to die on both sides for the Russians to achieve victory. And it would be a Pyrrhic victory in any case.

Putin really screwed up on this one. He proved indecisive and weak in this crisis, and managed to get his country sanctioned and plunged into recession without achieving any strategic gain in return.

[Philip]

http://rt.com/news/181872-humanitarian- ... a-ukraine/
Humanitarian convoy: First trucks with Russian aid may enter Ukraine on Friday
Published time: August 21, 2014

Xcpt:

The Red Cross also urged the conflicting sides in Ukraine “to take constant care” to spare the civilian population and civilian targets.

The Red Cross underlined that “attacks must not be directed against civilians or civilian objects, such as homes, schools and medical facilities and vehicles, or against objects indispensable to the survival of the civilian population, such as food and drinking-water installations.”

“Equally, each party to the conflict must, to the extent feasible, avoid locating military objectives within or near densely populated areas,” the ICRC said in a press release on August 21.

Moscow has welcomed the final agreement reached on aid delivery after “tough” talks, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement. The ministry thanked the Red Cross for its “active cooperation” adding that the top priority now is to make sure that the convoy safely reaches its destination.

Russia also warned against any provocations aimed at foiling the delivery of the aid. It has called on the conflicting sides in Ukraine to cease fire for the period of the convoy passage.

“We suggest that the UN Security Council adopts a statement on the issue,” the ministry stated.

The safety of the aid convoy was among key issues discussed during lengthy negotiations between the Red Cross, Russian and Ukrainian officials. Russia, Kiev and militia forces in eastern Ukraine have all said they are ready to ensure the safety of the convoy, the ministry said.

Moscow repeatedly denied Western allegations that its humanitarian mission could be used as a pretext for military intervention into Ukraine. The cargo has been recognized as humanitarian by both the Red Cross and Kiev.

“As multiple checks of vehicles revealed, there isn’t any undeclared cargo carried by the convoy and it will not be accompanied by the military when traveling in the Ukrainian territory,” Russia’s deputy Defense Minister Anatoly Antonov pointed out during a meeting with Laurent Corbaz of the Red Cross, reports Itar-Tass.

Watch RT’s Maria Finoshina report from Lugansk, a city suffering daily shelling by the Ukrainian military. Many civilians – mainly the elderly, sick, or those who have nowhere to go – are still living in buildings damaged by the attacks, obliged to look for shelter in basements.

Meanwhile Spaniards dump their 'taters in protest against sanctions.Let' see how long the Euro-peons can last out!
Russia food ban protest: Spanish farmers dump potatoes outside supermarket
http://rt.com/news/181992-spanish-farme ... sanctions/

Spanish farmers have dumped thousands of potatoes in front of Carrefour, a major supermarket chain, in response to a move to lower prices, further squeezing suppliers, in the wake of Russian sanctions on agricultural products from the EU.

The demonstration, which was called by the Union de Pequenos Agriultores y Granaderros (UPA), took place on Thursday in Granada, southern Spain and targeted large companies like Carrefour who have taken advantage of the Russian food import ban by lowering prices, thus making it even harder for struggling suppliers.

A representative of the UPA told RT’s video agency Ruptly that the length of time the sanctions will be imposed for means farmers may lose an important market in the long term.

“We have to remember once again that the Russian sanctions will be around for a whole year. This means that it will affect us in the present and future. We are risking losing a very important market for our annual work that we’ll hardly be able to replace in the short term to recover sales and exports,” he said.

Another UPA member expressed solidarity with farmers in other European countries who will also have their incomes slashed.

“Obviously we’re not the only ones exporting to Russia. Russian consumers also consume products from Germany, Poland, France and Lithuania. At this moment we have no idea what’s going to happen and we are gravely concerned about the magnitude and range of the Russian government’s decision,” he said.

But although this protest was relatively low key, European farmers are angry both with the EU and Russia over the devastating affect the sanctions will have on their livelihoods.

The UPS is a farmers’ union for small and medium scale agricultural suppliers. Last week, outside the Russian Consulate in Seville, they protested the Russian decision to ban European food imports.

On Monday, the European commission announced €125 million ($166 million) in emergency support for framers hit by Moscow’s food sanctions but producers are saying that it’s a drop in the ocean, with some economists putting the real cost more than a hundred times higher.

The ING Group estimate that the yearlong trade embargo could cost the EU €6.7 billion ($9 billion) and cost up to 130,000 jobs.

The ban includes all meat, dairy, cheese, fruit and vegetables from the EU. The hardest hit countries in the 28 member block will be Poland, Norway (not an actual EU member), Spain and the Netherlands. In Spain alone the value of food exported annually to Russia is $792 million, according to data from Russian customs.

Earlier this week, fruit growers took the streets in Zaragoza, Spain, dumped excess produce on the streets and torched an EU flag in protest at what they see as a derisive amount of compensation from the European Commission.

“This price compensation is not enough. Let’s say 20 jobs in our company will be lost. Our salaries will also be affected – then, we will just disappear,” a fruit farmer told RT.

On Tuesday, the Polish Economic Ministry sent the European Commission a request to launch an official complaint to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) to examine Russia’s EU food embargo.

Russia plans to make up for EU imports by importing produce from other regions, such as South America, and by supplying more home grown produce. The effect of the sanction and the speed with which other suppliers can fill the gap has yet to be seen in Russia.

Published time: August 21, 2014

Come on Indian farmers,exporters,rise to the occasion ,carpe diem,"every crisis is an opportunity"!

YK.You have a valid point.However,acquiring the east was never in Putin's plans.All Russia wanted was the east as a buffer from NATO and a pro-Russian tilt economically.But the Kiev junta beefed up with assurances and aid from the US has attempted to clobber the eastern separatists militarily.The MH fight was a false flag op to deter Russia at a crucial time in the game.However,I do not think that Russia will allow the total takeover of the east without "consequences" for Kiev.The impending Belarus talks appear to be a last attempt to broker a ceasefire and agreement.

[UlanBatori]

deleted

[Philip]

The citizens of Lugansk,desperate for aid have finally seen the first of the Russian aid convoy reach them.various international organisations have reported that the situation is desperate and that Kiev has done nothing to alleviate the woes of the trapped people.Starved of their basic amenities and being bombarded indiscriminately every day by the Kiev junta ,trying to bludgeon them into subservience,will now get new sustenance both for body and mind.Should the humanitarian convoys come under attack we may see another type of convoy enter the eastern UKR.

http://rt.com/news/182088-kiev-delay-humanitarian-aid/
First trucks with Russian aid reach Lugansk, E. Ukraine
Published time: August 22, 2014

The first Russian trucks carrying humanitarian aid have reportedly reached the east Ukrainian city of Lugansk. Moscow ordered the convoy to proceed, without waiting for further permission from Kiev.

Russian Red Cross volunteers ready to escort aid convoy to Lugansk, E. Ukraine

The first trucks in the Russian humanitarian convoy have arrived in Lugansk, leaders of the self-proclaimed People’s Republic of Lugansk confirmed to RIA Novosti.

Earlier, the LifeNews TV channel and Interfax agency also reported that several Russian vehicles carrying aid to the conflict zone made it to their final destination.

On Friday morning, several dozen Russian trucks crossed the Ukrainian border and started moving towards Lugansk, after Moscow ordered the convoy to proceed, without waiting for further permission from Kiev.

By 10:30 GMT on Friday, 145 vehicles from the 280-truck Russian aid convoy had crossed into Ukraine, reported RIA Novosti, citing the Ukrainian border guard service.

Moscow has accused Kiev of deliberately holding up the delivery of Russian humanitarian aid to the Donetsk and Lugansk regions in eastern Ukraine, according to the statement by the Russian Foreign Ministry.

“Our convoy with humanitarian aid is starting to move in the direction of Lugansk,” the Foreign Ministry's statement reads. “We are of course ready for it to be accompanied by Red Cross representatives and for their participation in the aid’s distribution.”

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is not escorting the convoy.

“That’s because of the problems with security,” Galina Balzamova of the ICRC told RT. “Lugansk was shelled all night long. We believe we did not get sufficient guarantees of safety from all the parties to the conflict to start escorting the convoy.”

The head of the Russian Red Cross, Raisa Lukutsova, has said the organization supported the decision to get the humanitarian convoy moving.

“The fact that the humanitarian mission has started – this has probably been the right decision,” Lukutsova said. “For how long do we have to put up with this mockery? They put forward one demand after another. All of them unrealistic.”

She added the Russian Red Cross is ready to escort the humanitarian convoy and has appealed to the ICRC for permission to do so.

ICRC, meanwhile, confirms that people in areas affected by the ongoing conflict in eastern Ukraine are in “urgent need for essentials like food and medical supplies.”

The crisis is particularly acute in Lugansk, where people have gone for weeks without water and electricity and have to queue every day for whatever scarce food supplies are brought to the city.

RT’s Maria Finoshina has spoken to Lugansk residents, who fear hunger is the reality they are about to face.

Ukraine's intelligence (SBU) chief, Valentyn Nalivaychenko, has described the convoy crossing the Russian border as a “direct invasion.”

“We call it a direct invasion,” Nalivaichenko told journalists. “Under the cynical cover of the Red Cross these are military vehicles with documents to cover them up.”

The Ukrainian Border Service has said that by ordering the convoy to proceed Moscow has “ignored the agreements reached on registering the humanitarian load.”

“The trucks started moving through Ukraine, after a group of Ukrainian border customs’ officers had been blocked at the Russian check-point ‘Donetsk’,” a statement by the Ukrainian Border Service reads.

The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry has accused Moscow of “smuggling humanitarian aid to Ukraine” and said it had to allow the convoy to pass.

“To avoid provocations we have given all the necessary orders to let the convoy pass safely,” the ministry’s statement says.

The Russian Foreign Ministry said the “excuses” for delaying the aid from entering Ukraine have been “exhausted”.

Local residents stand near buildings damaged during shelling on the outskirts of the eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk August 3, 2014. (Reuters / Sergei Karpukhin)

Local residents stand near buildings damaged during shelling on the outskirts of the eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk August 3, 2014. (Reuters / Sergei Karpukhin)

Ukraine agreed to let the convoy pass during an August 20 phone call between the Russian and Ukrainian foreign ministers. That gave a start to customs procedures for checking and registering the contents of the trucks comprising the convoy.

The next day the process was stopped by Ukraine, citing intensified shelling of Lugansk.
“In other words Ukrainian authorities are bombing the place of the aid’s point of destination and cite this as a reason for banning delivery of the aid,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

A convoy of 280 Kamaz trucks carrying food, medicines and other essentials for Lugansk and Donetsk in eastern Ukraine left the Moscow region on August 12.

It has been stuck at the border with Ukraine for more than a week.

“There’s a feeling that the current Ukrainian authorities have been consciously putting the humanitarian aid delivery on hold to arrive at a situation where there’ll be just no one left to get it,” the Ministry’s statement reads.

[kmkraoind]

NATO condemns Moscow’s aid convoy, says Russian artillery firing at Ukrainian army

“The disregard of international humanitarian principles raises further questions about whether the true purpose of the aid convoy is to support civilians or to resupply armed separatists,” Rasmussen said in a statement issued from NATO headquarters.

The convoy’s move onto Ukrainian soil coincides with “a major escalation in Russian military involvement in Eastern Ukraine since mid-August, including the use of Russian forces,” the alliance leader said. “In addition, Russian artillery support — both cross-border and from within Ukraine — is being employed against the Ukrainian armed forces. We have also seen transfers of large quantities of advanced weapons, including tanks, armored personnel carriers and artillery to separatist groups in Eastern Ukraine.”

He added that NATO also “is observing an alarming build-up of Russian ground and air forces in the vicinity of Ukraine.”

[Austin]

Wasnt NATO saying the same thing , huge russian troop , tanks going in , russian firing inside ukraine.

If one has to believe NATO's Russian invasion theory that came out in weeks , Russia would have invaded Ukraine 5 times by now

None of the EU countries supplied any medical aid or food in all the time when the conflict was going on, knowing very well for past few weeks that situation was critical and now when Russia is forced to supply food/medical convey inside conflict zone which were well checked by Ukraine troops at border , its raising Invasion Flag.

What a Sad Bunch of People so called Free Loving Western Countries are ?

Exactly when do they expect the aid to reach in when every one is dead

[Austin]

Moscow blames Kiev, countries behind it for putting their interests above humanity

MOSCOW, August 22ю /ITAR-TASS/. Moscow blamed Kiev and countries behind it for putting their interests above humanity and compassion, Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said.

“Hypocritical lecturing of our country from other capitals will follow Kiev insinuations within a few hours and days,” Ryabkov said with confidence. “Primitive and predictable nature of everything that we hear in the West does not need long comments,” the high-ranking diplomat said, adding that “We reply in advance: before teaching others how to live, take a look at yourself. Just think how your words are being crossed out by your deeds.”

“We are confident about our truth,” he said, adding that “We accuse Kiev and countries behind it that they continue putting their political, essentially anti-Russian interests above unshakable rules of love for humankind and compassion.

[UlanBatori]

Latest is that some 34 of the Russian Beige Trucks went into Luhansk. And the "problem" is that they ARE indeed unarmed and carrying Baby Food and water etc.

I begin to c Uncle Vlad's plan. "West" is screaming "DIRECT INVASION" OF THE BABY BOTTLES. Claim: Red Cross Is Not Accompanying them. Reason: Red Cross refused to go in because it is dangerous. Why is it dangerous? Because of UkBapZi invasion. Q.E.D.

[Philip]

Here's the US take on the UKR crisis from the Brookings Inst.
Brookings Panel Outlines Tensions In Ukraine Conflict
By: John Grady
Published: August 21, 2014

The way out of the Ukraine-Russia crisis lies in both countries realizing they “are not just neighbors, but relatives”—a goal not easily reached, a former senior State Department official said. He added, “Let’s just hope they survive the next week” as fighting has stepped up around separatist strongholds in Donetsk and Luhansk.

Strobe Talbott, now with the Brookings Institution, a Washington think-tank, said, “Ukraine has had 20 years of one lousy government after another” that have never carried out the reforms necessary “to make it a [stable] state.” Former president Viktor Yanukovich fled the country earlier this year in the wake of popular demonstrations in Kiev, the capital, and other large cities in the western part of the country over whether Ukraine should move closer to the European Union or work inside Russia’s newly created Eurasian Zone.

What followed in Crimea and other parts of eastern and southern Ukraine, Talbott said, was a Russian invasion, “piecemeal with little green men,” but now as the Ukrainian armed forces have regrouped “the Russians are losing.” Speaking on Wednesday at a Brookings forum on the crisis, he said, “There are face-saving ways to end this conflict.” A meeting between newly elected Ukrainian Petro Poroshenko and Russian President Vladimir Putin is scheduled for next week in Minsk.

“This is ‘The Guns of August’ stuff,” Talbott said, referring to Barbara Tuchman’s book on the origins of World War I. But if Moscow did commit militarily to an overt invasion, it would find itself fighting an urban insurgency, even in areas of the Ukraine with large Russian ethnic populations.

Susan Glasser, editor of Politico, said, Washington and European capitals “pretend it’s not an invasion” in looking at the months-long escalation of tensions in the Ukrainian regions bordering Russia, in which some estimate 2,000 lives have been lost.

Clifford Gaddy, a biographer of Putin and also with Brookings, said the chances of an all-out Russian invasion were “minimal” because “I don’t think [Russia] has begun to use the [tools] they have”to influence events in the Ukraine without direct military intervention. “Russia has subsidized that country” with energy sales, economic development, foreign investment, and food exports for decades.

Gaddy said that Putin has come a long way from the first days of his administration in 2000, moving away from the Western economic reformers in Russia, riding the surge in oil prices—from $10 to $147 a barrel—for a short time to building an economy that can survive new shocks including recessions and sanctions.

As an example, Gaddy said, Putin has rebuilt Russian food production using protectionist laws in response to food sanctions imposed by the United States, Western Europe and Australia for its actions first in Crimea and then in other parts of Ukraine. “Putin is often more resilient than we give him credit for” in devising means to overcome challenges.

Although he has to cope with elites, Putin does not have to worry even about a Politburo when he sets a political, economic or diplomatic course. “He is an autocrat,” whose actions are extremely popular with most Russians.

Although Gaddy said “Putin has a distorted view of the world” and the United States, he and the other panelists agreed that Putin “never really accepted [that Ukraine and other former Soviet republics in the "near abroad" are] not part of Russia.”

The United States and the West say those moves by Putin are “counterproductive, when we mean stupid,” Talbott said.

Glasser said Putin does not see Russia’s dealings with those nations as being foreign policy matters but as part and parcel of his domestic policy. Talbott agreed and described it as a “Putin Doctrine” of exercising influence across borders where there are large concentrations of Russians.

As a former counter-espionage KGB officer, “Putin has no compunction whatsoever for turning truth on its head” when talking about the world or Russia, Talbott said. He added that Putin believes the United States and the West are responsible for starting the street demonstrations that toppled the Yanukovich regime, as they were in the break-up of the Soviet Union.

Putin “is fairly transparent about his goals” with his disdain for democracy and invocations of a 19th-century view of Russia as a first-rate power in a 21st-century world, Glasser said. “You’re going to see [Russia] showing up again in Latin America, Africa, and Asia,” but without the ideological bent of the Soviets.

All agreed that there will be no more “resets” in relations between the United States and Russia during the remainder of President Barack Obama’s administration. If that is the case, Gaddy asked, “what are we doing [to reach out] to the modern progressive sectors of Russia. Do we really have a plan” of how to proceed with them and Russia as a whole?

The fact is that Putin was correct about who toppled the Yanukovych regime,and the desire of the West to enveigle the UKR into the EU and NATO.The West's betrayal of the gentleman's agreement that ended the Cold War,not to expand NATO's influence into the former Warsaw pact nations,has been crude and obvious.The so-called "Orange" revolutions led by neo-Nazis and "Arab Spring" were clearly western incited "revolutions" to achieve regime change.The West's intervensionist wars in the Middle East ,going right back to the origins of the Afghan conflict which provoked the Soviet intervention.

The latest Russian statement justifying its humanitarian intervention in the east shows that there is a red line that has been crossed as to Kiev's warring in the east and humanitarian aid can easily be backed up with military support if need be.Once again the West is underestimating Vladimir Putin.With the infinitely more serious threat of ISIS taking over vast swathes of the Middle East and controlling its energy reserves,the Yanqui Cold Warrirors would do better to have engage with Russia meaningfully and curb its eastern expansion in Europe,having Putin "inside the tent pissing out, than outside pissing in".

“We are acting in full compliance with the norms of international humanitarian law. We can no longer and will not accept the distress of residents living in the southeastern Ukraine,” said Sergey Ryabkov, Russia’s deputy Foreign Minister.

Kiev authorities were “making up” countless bureaucratic hurdles, “the crossing of which appeared to be more difficult than for our trucks to travel down the road damaged by Ukrainian shelling,” the official added.

In Moscow’s view, Kiev authorities attempted to buy time and finish the military operation oppressing “their own people” in the area “where Russian humanitarian aid is being distributed.” However, Ryabkov added, they failed to do so.

“We are confident that we are right. And we accuse Kiev and countries that support it that over and over again they have been placing their political – as a matter of fact anti-Russian – interests above established norms of humanism and compassion,” Ryabkov said.

[Philip]

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world ... 86238.html
'Thanks, Putin!': Finland flooded with cut-price 'Putin cheese' as Russia turns away European exports

Cheese lovers may want to consider a brief holiday in Finland, where Russian sanctions over Ukraine have prompted huge price cuts, causing a rush to supermarket chiller cabinets across the country.

One of Finland’s most popular cheeses, Oltermanni, is being sold at roughly half the usual price as retailers try to shift an influx of the product that had been destined for Russia.

Moments after the retailer, S Group, announced the reduction, the supermarket's website crashed with demand.

Such is the fame of the discount that Oltermanni has been dubbed “Putin cheese” and signs have popped up in stores thanking the Russian President.

Made by Valio, a 100,000kg shipment of the cheese had fallen foul of Russia’s ban on food imports from European countries that had hit it with sanctions over the crisis in Ukraine.

The Kremlin has retaliated with several rounds of counter-sanctions against the US and EU, who had targeted Russia's state finances, energy and arms sectors amid accusations that the country was supporting separatists in eastern Ukraine.

The influx of cheese in Finland was an unexpected consequence of the continuing crisis and has been enthusiastically welcomed by locals.

Oltermanni cheese, wrapped in Russian labels, had prices slashed in stores owned by the country’s largest retailer, S Group, to about €3.70 per kilogram (£2.90).

“The demand has been very strong, it has already run out in some stores,” said S Group spokeswoman Outi Hohti.

One Finn who spoke to the International Business Times said the country was “going mental” for the sanctions, which were filling shops with export goods unwanted by Russia.

“Obviously the Finns are lapping it up,” he added. “I got elbowed by the locals as everyone was grabbing the cheese.”

The situation is less encouraging for the cheese manufacturer, Valio, which produces about 85 percent of the Finnish exports hit by Russia's sanctions and has announced union talks over possible job cuts.

EU:Send your discounted Putin cheese to India too! I'm fed up paying exorbitant prices for EU cheese in our supermarkets.

PS:What a fantastic brand name that's arrived,thanks to.....
"PUTIN"!
He could make millions put of it!

[Philip]

The West is making the same mistake that Hitler did.Expecting Luhansk and Donestk to fall like ninepins just because they send in a bunch of neo-Nazis (how history repeats itself what?!).They've forgotten the siege of Stalingrad and Leningrad. The Russians will fight tooth and nail to the very end and breaking the siege of Luhansk has been child's play.

Another UKR MI-24 gunship has been shot down by the republican forces,a MIG-29 shot down a few days ago.The UKR forces are running out of air pwoer and they're all of Russian origin,no chance of any replacements!
Guardian:

Government forces have claimed tactical victories in fighting around these two rebel strongholds in recent weeks but have yet to capture them. Rebels shot down a Ukrainian Mi-24 helicopter in the Luhansk region on Wednesday but Kiev did not immediately release this information so as not to disrupt the search for it, Lysenko said on Friday.

[Shanmukh]

Just impressions gathered by talking with my Russian and Ukrainean students - in my class are an eclectic collection of both. Some of them have relatives in Novorossiya (Eastern Ukraine). The feeling among Russians is that if the strongholds in the east fall, and the Ukrainean government manages to retrieve the economy to some extent, then there may not be much resistance to the UkBapZis in the near term. There is a strong feeling that Russia, after encouraging the initial rebellion, has basically left the Novorossiyan ethnic Russians to dry, so there is considerable bitterness at Russia too. I don't know what the Russians were thinking when they encouraged the revolt, but if the UkBapZis take the eastern strongholds, there may be a mass exodus of the Russians from Novorossiya to Russia, and not much guerilla fighting. In fact, the Ukraineans want exactly this to happen, so that they can take over Novorossiya too. There is not much appetite among the Ukraineans to resolve the crisis with the ethnic Russians. I have heard the `Ukraine for Ukraineans' comment several times over the last few weeks. From my understanding, the UkBapZis are operating with a considerable social base, and have a deep and abiding hatred for everyone not Ukrainean. Jews, Rusyns, Cossacks and Tartars are those whom my Ukrainean students specified as hostile to Ukrainean state and consequently, must be destroyed or expelled. The Ukrainean students also expressed the sentiment that Ukraine must keep up the sieges until large numbers of ethnic Russians and other minorities have died in the east.

Also, there is a huge worry among the Russians in Novorossiya that the winter will be a terrible humanitarian crisis, with no heating, food or water, and little shelter even in their bombed out cities. I don't know if any of you have experienced winters on the Russian steppe, but I can assure you folks that to be caught in the open in the steppe in a January cold is death within seventy two hours at the most. So, waiting for winter may not be wise for Putin, unless he is just trying to bank on sympathy (which won't be forthcoming since western channels will simply turn off the cameras, and ignore the suffering of the Russians). If Putin's interest is in saving the Russians and other minorities in Novorossiya, the time to act is fast running out.

[Philip]

Kiev,"chicken's out"! Rants and races against Russia for sending in humanitarian aid,but says it won't attack the relief convoy.A precedent has thus been established by Russia.Expect such relief convoys to spread out all over the east,in support of the ethnic Russian fighters. "Impotent O'Bomber" meanwhile issues Russia with an ultimatum to withdraw its convoy,otherwise....it will issue an even stronger and louder message,O;Bomber will use a loudspeaker!

[RSoami]

It is amusing to watch statements coming from White house as to how Merkel has agreed that the aid convoy is an escalation. But of course, German chancellors office has nothing to say about the phone call conversation.
Washington condemns. EU deplores.
US of A has been working extra hard to bring the Europeans around to `condemning` and attacking Russia. The Europeans unfortunately have to keep the views of their own people in mind too who have been less enslaved than those in America or the United Stoogedom and have a fair idea of what is happening.

And finally its good to see Russia doing something for those innocent people(disgusting vultures) in Eastern Ukraine, who Americans, English and Ukrainians want to murder, even if its too little.

[Philip]

Not to mention Euro-peons wondering what to do about their rotting food which they used to send to Russia!

[sampat]

Russia has already back peddled on some of the food related sanctions. Perhaps result of the meeting with Niinistö. Finnish diaries can resume export of lactose free products to Russia.

http://yle.fi/uutiset/finnish_dairy_to_ ... ia/7423348

if Russian companies are unable to meet domestic demand then Other sanctions will also be lifted in-time. I doubt, that India can benefit much from this. It's Herculean task to find reliable food supplier in India. Most of the products are rich in pesticides and other harmful substances. As a joke, we would say that Indian companies should list pesticides as one of the main ingredients of products.

[Austin]

Ukraine territorial integrity can be saved only by federalization - German Vice-Chancellor

BERLIN, August 23 (Itar-Tass) - It is possible to save Ukraine's territorial integrity only by federalization, German Economy Minister and Vice-Chancellor Sigmar Gabriel said in an interview to Sunday's Welt am Sonntag, published on Saturday.

Ukraine’s territorial integrity can be saved only if the offer is made to the regions where most of the population are Russians. A well-considered conception of federalization is viewed as the only way, he said.

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko repeatedly stated he opposed federalization. In his words, "it has no grounds in Ukraine".

[A_Gupta]

A Realist take on the Ukraine crisis:
http://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/ ... ests-fault
Why the Ukraine Crisis Is the West’s Fault

U.S. and European leaders blundered in attempting to turn Ukraine into a Western stronghold on Russia’s border. Now that the consequences have been laid bare, it would be an even greater mistake to continue this misbegotten policy.

Putin’s actions should be easy to comprehend. A huge expanse of flat land that Napoleonic France, imperial Germany, and Nazi Germany all crossed to strike at Russia itself, Ukraine serves as a buffer state of enormous strategic importance to Russia. No Russian leader would tolerate a military alliance that was Moscow’s mortal enemy until recently moving into Ukraine. Nor would any Russian leader stand idly by while the West helped install a government there that was determined to integrate Ukraine into the West.

Washington may not like Moscow’s position, but it should understand the logic behind it. This is Geopolitics 101: great powers are always sensitive to potential threats near their home territory. After all, the United States does not tolerate distant great powers deploying military forces anywhere in the Western Hemisphere, much less on its borders. Imagine the outrage in Washington if China built an impressive military alliance and tried to include Canada and Mexico in it. Logic aside, Russian leaders have told their Western counterparts on many occasions that they consider NATO expansion into Georgia and Ukraine unacceptable, along with any effort to turn those countries against Russia -- a message that the 2008 Russian-Georgian war also made crystal clear.

To understand why the West, especially the United States, failed to understand that its Ukraine policy was laying the groundwork for a major clash with Russia, one must go back to the mid-1990s, when the Clinton administration began advocating NATO expansion. Pundits advanced a variety of arguments for and against enlargement, but there was no consensus on what to do. Most eastern European émigrés in the United States and their relatives, for example, strongly supported expansion, because they wanted NATO to protect such countries as Hungary and Poland. A few realists also favored the policy because they thought Russia still needed to be contained.

But most realists opposed expansion, in the belief that a declining great power with an aging population and a one-dimensional economy did not in fact need to be contained. And they feared that enlargement would only give Moscow an incentive to cause trouble in eastern Europe. The U.S. diplomat George Kennan articulated this perspective in a 1998 interview, shortly after the U.S. Senate approved the first round of NATO expansion. “I think the Russians will gradually react quite adversely and it will affect their policies,” he said. “I think it is a tragic mistake. There was no reason for this whatsoever. No one was threatening anyone else.”

Most liberals, on the other hand, favored enlargement, including many key members of the Clinton administration. They believed that the end of the Cold War had fundamentally transformed international politics and that a new, postnational order had replaced the realist logic that used to govern Europe. The United States was not only the “indispensable nation,” as Secretary of State Madeleine Albright put it; it was also a benign hegemon and thus unlikely to be viewed as a threat in Moscow. The aim, in essence, was to make the entire continent look like western Europe.

And so the United States and its allies sought to promote democracy in the countries of eastern Europe, increase economic interdependence among them, and embed them in international institutions. Having won the debate in the United States, liberals had little difficulty convincing their European allies to support NATO enlargement. After all, given the EU’s past achievements, Europeans were even more wedded than Americans to the idea that geopolitics no longer mattered and that an all-inclusive liberal order could maintain peace in Europe.

So thoroughly did liberals come to dominate the discourse about European security during the first decade of this century that even as the alliance adopted an open-door policy of growth, NATO expansion faced little realist opposition. The liberal worldview is now accepted dogma among U.S. officials. In March, for example, President Barack Obama delivered a speech about Ukraine in which he talked repeatedly about “the ideals” that motivate Western policy and how those ideals “have often been threatened by an older, more traditional view of power.” Secretary of State John Kerry’s response to the Crimea crisis reflected this same perspective: “You just don’t in the twenty-first century behave in nineteenth-century fashion by invading another country on completely trumped-up pretext.”

In essence, the two sides have been operating with different playbooks: Putin and his compatriots have been thinking and acting according to realist dictates, whereas their Western counterparts have been adhering to liberal ideas about international politics. The result is that the United States and its allies unknowingly provoked a major crisis over Ukraine.

[UlanBatori]

Secretary of State John Kerry’s response to the Crimea crisis reflected this same perspective: “You just don’t in the twenty-first century behave in nineteenth-century fashion by invading another country on completely trumped-up pretext.”

And being surrounded by the sycophants in the SDOTUS and WHOTUS, the oiseule can say that with not a trace of Ir(aqi)ony, his memory does not even go back as far as 2003. A disgrace to Humanity.

[chanakyaa]

Guptaji, very interesting read. The article reads a lot like Ookrane pharein polishee obituary. Author seems more concerned about Russia drawing closer to Beijing. Total disregard for hundreds and thousands who died in Eastern Ookrane. During Klinton era I once heard, her highness Mandi Fullbright say that a resource independent (i.e. oil, gas, and military) Russia was a threat to (fill in the blanks). She was right, it still "is". Wonder what happens next, when winter comes. Does gas gets turned off or all sanctions start unwinding without much fanfare?

[vijaykarthik]

In the meanwhile, all white monster-trucks came back to Russia.

I doesn't see a lot of links which talks about this news of trucks returning while there was so much of hungama and shouting matches and articles about the alleged invasion.

[UlanBatori]

Time for the next wave of vodka bottles, this time to push all the way to Kiev.

[Philip]

The right to send in "humanitarian" aid to the east has now been firmly established.There is no way that such convoys will be attacked,the consequences will be devastating.Putin must've read out the riot act to the Chocolate soldier and informed the Germans as well,as they now are trumpeting the policy of federalism,something that Russia has always insisted upon right from the start.

In fact if I was in charge of the Kiev junta, I would have my cake and eat it too.Allow the east to have greater eco ties with Moscow,which would ensure cheap uninterrupted energy supplies to the rest of the country,with the western half working closer with the EU.The Crimea however is a lost case.If you add up the score,Putin and Russia have effectively dismembered the Ukraine,seizing its most important strategic territory,the Crimea,which was always historically Russian one must remember,ensuring its naval capability in the Black Sea and out into the Meditt. The eastern half was meant to be a pro-Russian buffer zone,where Kiev would have to pick up its share of the eco tab!

[vijaykarthik]

^^ it was actually a smart move by Putin. Luhansk was quite bleeding and he made his move. And well, can Ukrainians target the rebels when the trucks are moving... particularly when Rossiya said that any action against the trucks will be met in kind? LOL. Extremely tactical.

Now lets hope that there is some peace that's on the cards. Chocolate meets steel putin tomorrow?

Cookie: http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2014-08-2 ... ive-europe

[UlanBatori]

Next move: 1000 trucks in 5 different convoys? The strange thing in the first round is that they said the trucks were not even close to having full loads. The old story of the Boy Carrying Heavy Sack Of Sand Across Border On Shiny Bicycle comes to mind. The ending, 20 years later when The Boy meets The Customs Examiner:

CE: Come on, now. You MUST have been smuggling something, there was absolutely no sense in carrying a sack of sand, but we searched and searched and never found anything
Boy: Bicycles, of course.

Maybe Putin expected the convoy to be destroyed. Now the UkBapZis are talking about Sealing Da Border, and getting expert help from the US, given their terrific success on the US South Border with the $10B, 16-foot Steel Fence. Strong enough to withstand any imaginable forces, nothing could topple it, let alone the load of leaning a ladder against it. As I heard on the radio, interview with neighbors,

They put up a 16-foot fence. The Mexicans got 17-foot ladders.

[RSoami]

US of A and United Stoogedom have reached propaganda fatigue level now. No recent articles blaming Russia.
Having accused Russia of everything already, they have nothing more to accuse Russia of.

[chanakyaa]

In addition, what I find amazing is that the boldness of countries in outright intervention in other countries such as Ookraine and W. Asia. UN also stopped asking questions why no one is consulting with them, not that earlier consultations were not staged.

[chanakyaa]

UBji, very smart boy on the bicycle. As this story was developing, one angle I thot about was that is it possible that the boys on bicycles who went across may not be the same boys who would ride back?

[Philip]

Iz zis true? If so an earlier post about the tactic of leading the UKR forces on and on into a trap looks prophetic!
Now for surrender or Grads to exterminate them.

Anti-govt forces ‘circle 1000s of Kiev troops, capture 2 tank battalions’ in E.Ukraine
Published time: August 24, 2014
http://rt.com/news/182404-donetsk-forces-trap-hardware/

After sustained defensive combat against Ukrainian troops in the self-proclaimed People’s Republic of Donetsk during August, rebels are now reporting of entrapping two large groups of Kiev troops and seizing military hardware in a counteroffensive.

The main headquarters of the DPR army has made a decision to stop operations in small groups and form full-bodied independent military units, the anti-Kiev forces say in a summary of their operations filed on Sunday.

They also say they are blocking a large “punitive force” near Alekseevskoe, Blagodatnoe, Voykovsky, Kuteinikovo, Ulyanovskoe and Uspenka.

Some 5,000 Kiev troops “with military hardware” including some 50 tanks, over 200 armored vehicles and 50 artillery rocket systems (including Grad) are trapped in the area, the DPR claims.

“DNR’s army has surrounded the staff headquarters of the 8th army corps, 28th and 30th mechanized brigades, 95th air mobile brigade of the army of Ukraine, and also punitive battalions ‘Aidar’, ‘Donbass’ and ‘Shakhtersk’,” the document claims.

However, Ukraine's National Security Council (SNBO) denied the claims.

"Over the last three days not a single person has been surrounded. Ukrainian troops are securing their outposts and continuing their advance on areas occupied by terrorists," SNBO spokesperson Andrey Lysenko said in a briefing on Sunday.

2,000 more Kiev troops, armed with 30 tanks, over 80 armored vehicles and more than 60 artillery pieces and mortars, have been engaged and are currently being eliminated near Olenovskoye, the anti-Kiev forces said.

According to the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) of Ukraine, information about thousands troops being pinned down in the east of the country is not true. The council says “not a single serviceman” has been surrounded during the last three days and that troops continue to successfully attack “territory temporarily occupied by terrorists.”

Over the last two days, the self-defense forces say they have captured a lot of military hardware. This has reportedly helped them get 2 tank battalions, 3 multiple launcher rocket system batteries, 2 self-propelled howitzer batteries, 3 cannon battalions of various calibers and 8 mortar batteries.

All the new subunits have joined the newly formed fighting force, the rebels said.

Three infantry brigades will be organized from the existing detachments of self-defense militia, the document reads. A new volunteer regiment has also been formed consisting of miners from the Donbass region and soldiers and officers from the Ukrainian army, who have opted to side with the People’s Republic of Donetsk.

Moreover, the DNR army says it has destroyed four ‘Smerch’ multiple rocket launch systems, 12 ‘Grad’ multiple rocket launch systems, 17 tanks, 30 armored vehicles, 50 supply trucks, and killed over 150 enemy personnel.

“We have captured 7 military supply depots with large quantities of armaments, munitions, aids and appliances, food rations and property of the citizens expropriated by the National Guards during mopping-up operations, including all-terrain vehicles. From now on we intend to utterly annihilate enemy forces trapped near Olenovskoe and the communities of Kuteinikovo-Blagodatnoye-Uspenskoye,” HQ said.

The DPR army has also reportedly “liberated” a number of communities such as Agronomicheskoe, Klenovka and Stroitel from the Ukrainian troops’ and National Guards’ “punitive detachments”.

Some of the seized hardware was paraded by anti-Kiev forces in Donetsk Sunday. However, it was not clear where the trophies came from.

Ukrainian troops have vigorously pursued military operations in the country’s Donetsk and Lugansk regions, where a majority of the population is demanding federalization.

The Ukrainian Army had planned to capture the militant stronghold city of Donetsk by August 24 - Independence Day in Ukraine.

According to the UN’s “very conservative” estimates more than 2,000 people have died and over 5,000 have been wounded in the fighting in southeastern Ukraine since April, when the Kiev government launched its military offensive against rebel militias they refer to as “terrorists.”

PS:Why the deafening silence about the MH-17 "crash"? Time required for manufacturing "evidence"?

[jimmyray]

Iz zis true? If so an earlier post about the tactic of leading the UKR forces on and on into a trap looks prophetic!
Now for surrender or Grads to exterminate them.

Anti-govt forces ‘circle 1000s of Kiev troops, capture 2 tank battalions’ in E.Ukraine
Published time: August 24, 2014
http://rt.com/news/182404-donetsk-forces-trap-hardware/

As per chatter on Twitter major counter attack by rebel forces has started after trapping Ukie Army. Rebel forces have reached on the outskirts of Severodonetsk in North of Lugansk, Amvrosiivkaa in South of Donetsk and Mariupol near Sea of Azov coast. Victory for Ukie forces remains a distant dream and they may end up loosing territory in coming days.

Luhansk People’s Republic have started an offensive against the cities of Severodonetsk and Debaltseve

[UlanBatori]

boys on bicycles who went across may not be the same boys who would ride back?

Good thought, quite likely, that would substitute say 560 specialists for 560 aam drivers who needed a vacation. They were also that the trucks took back the "produce" of Ukrainian weapons plants. I wonder about the point of that too.

[Austin]

Check the image in the link during Ukranian I Day parade in Donetsk , Prisoners were paraded

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/photo ... 580740.htm

[Singha]

the rebels need one such kuban/kurskish victory to discredit the kiev govt, restore morale and make their hand strong when the inevitable talks begin on a more federal ukraine.

obama might lose interest soon in this mess given the fresh war in the middle east.

[RSoami]

Check the image in the link during Ukranian I Day parade in Donetsk , Prisoners were paraded

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/photo ... 580740.htm

Thats a lot of prisoners. And a pretty girl to lead them too.

[Philip]

It never rains but pours! The most morale depressing factor is that of POWs.The UKR population whose loved ones have been killed,injured or captured,will be hating the Chocolate soldier and his neo-Nazi bum-chums for their sorrrow and plight.

http://rt.com/news/182556-ukraine-russia-lavrov-/
Lavrov: Russia to send another humanitarian convoy to Ukraine
Lavrov: Russia to send another humanitarian convoy to Ukraine
Published time: August 25, 2014

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has announced plans for a second humanitarian convoy to be sent to eastern Ukraine, urging all foreign actors and agencies to participate.

Failure to do so would constitute a violation of international law, he warned.

“Anyone in need of aid shall receive it,” the FM said, stressing that it is important to learn from the mistakes of the first attempt and to look forward to closer cooperation with the Ukrainian authorities this time around.

He stressed that as the indiscriminate shelling of areas such as Lugansk continues, the humanitarian need for water and food grows. This has been acknowledged by the main actors in the delivery - the ICRC.

The FM also added that the shelling of schools, hospitals, kindergartens and other vulnerable institutions and structures can no longer be excused by claims of “wrongful shooting” or be written off as “accidental.”

[jimmyray]

Donetsk fighters encircle third Ukrainian army grouping

DONETSK, August 25. /ITAR-TASS/. Self-defense militias of the Donetsk People’s Republic have encircled a third attack force of the Ukrainian army by Monday morning, the local news agency Novorossiya reported.

The third Ukrainian army grouping was encircled near the settlements of Stepanovka, Amvrosiyevka and Stepano-Krynka, Novorossiya reported, referring to the militia headquarters.

“All throughout the night, the militia’s forces were concentrated on narrowing the encirclement rings around two Ukrainian army groupings blocked near the settlements of Voikovsky, Kuteinikovo, Blagodatnoye, Alekseyevskoye, Uspenka and Ulyanovskoye and in the area of the settlement of Olenovskoye,” the news agency reported.

The militia headquarters have reported that “over 40 tanks, about 100 infantry fighting vehicles, armored personnel carriers and airborne combat vehicles, about 50 Grad and Uragan multiple launch rocket systems and over 60 field artillery guns and mortars have been encircled.”

Surprise attacks by Donetsk militias have also encircled a Ukrainian army grouping near the settlement of Yelenovka, Novorossiya reported.

About 2,000 Ukrainian troops, over 100 pieces of the armor and about 60 artillery guns of various caliber have been encircled by Donetsk fighters who have also liberated the populated areas of Novodvornoye, Agronomicheskoye, Novokaterinovka, Osykovo, Klyonovka, Stroitel and Leninskoye, the militia said.

Donetsk self-defense fighters are also cutting off Ukrainian troops from Ilovaisk along the line of the populated areas of Agronomicheskoye, Kuteinikovo, Voikovo and Osykovo, the militia headquarters said.

A militia reconnaissance has carried out a successful attack on the Ukrainian army in the Starobeshevsky district of the Donetsk Republic, the headquarters said.

Donetsk fighters have also attacked a patrol of the Ukrainian Azov battalion near the settlement of Novy Svet some 30 km (19 miles) from the border with Russia, killing and wounding Ukrainian troops, Novorossiya said, citing combat reports of the Donetsk People’s Republic.

A battle is continuing for control over the Novoazovsk checkpoint, Novorossiya reported. The pro-Kiev Dnepr-1 battalion sent in support of the Ukrainian troops was stopped by fire from a group of guerilla snipers. Several Ukrainian servicemen were wounded, Novorossiya reported.

The latest military successes by Donetsk self-defense fighters have become possible as the militia headquarters have switched from military action by small units to full-scale operations by full-fledged formations and army units, the militia said.

“The army headquarters of the Donetsk People’s Republic have decided to give up action by small units and shift to military action by full-fledged formations and army units which are provided with full fire support,” the republican army headquarters said.

Meanwhile, the Ukrainian army’s headquarters claimed destroying the militia’s eight tanks, 10 combat vehicles and 250 self-defense fighters during the night.

Units of the Ukrainian National Guard are hurriedly leaving Mariupol, Novorossiya reported, citing local residents.

Trucks full of armed people have been leaving Mariupol since Monday morning and heading for the town of Mangush and the Zaporozhye Region, eyewitnesses said. Military experts of the Donetsk People’s Republic have said the hurried retreat of the Ukrainian troops from Mariupol can be explained by self-defense fighters’ successes on the southern front.

Donetsk militia earlier said that subversive and reconnaissance groups of the eastern Ukraine self-defense army had burst into Mariupol on Sunday night.

The militias’ subversive and reconnaissance groups also started battles back on Saturday near the town of Novoazovsk 47 km (29 miles) from Mariupol. Donetsk fighters have liberated several populated areas by Monday morning, including Telmanovo, a local administrative center close to Mariupol.

At the same time, Ukrainian army units and a part of the National Guard are still staying in Mariupol, the Donetsk People’s Republic said.

ITAR-TASS has no confirmation of this information from other sources.

[jimmyray]

Now this is from the so called Main Stream Western Media- The Blue blooded BBC:

Ukraine crisis: 'Column from Russia' moves on Mariupol

The Ukrainian military says it is battling rebel armoured vehicles that crossed from Russia and headed to the south-eastern city of Mariupol.

It said the column was halted near the town of Novoazovsk.

One military commander said pro-Russian rebels might be trying to open up a new southern front.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said he not heard the reports but complained of regular "disinformation about our 'incursions'".

He also said Russia planned to send another humanitarian convoy into eastern Ukraine "in the next few days" as the humanitarian situation there was "deteriorating".

Its first convoy, which returned at the weekend, crossed the border without Ukraine's authorisation. Ukraine feared the convoy was carrying military equipment to the pro-Russian separatists and denounced it as an invasion.

More than 2,000 people have died in recent months in fighting between Ukrainian government forces and the separatists. Some 330,00 people have been displaced.

The Russian and Ukrainian presidents are scheduled to meet in Minsk, Belarus, on Tuesday for talks on the crisis.

'Enough resources'

Ukraine's military said border guards had halted the column about 5km (3 miles) north-east of Novoazovsk, which is about 10km from the border in the far south-east of Ukraine.

Heavy clashes were reported at the village of Markyne.

One commander of a Ukrainian national guard unit in the area told Reuters news agency: "A war has broken out here."

Ukrainian sources said the armoured vehicles had crossed the border bearing symbols of the self-styled Donetsk People's Republic. Officials said 10 tanks and two armoured personnel carriers were in the column although other reports said the number of vehicles was as high as 30.

Mariupol, a major port on the Azov Sea, is in the hands of Ukrainian government forces, who ousted rebels from the city in June after weeks of fighting.

A Ukrainian military spokesman said government forces still controlled Mariupol and the road to Novoazovsk.

Spokesman Andriy Lysenko said it was an attempt "by the Russian military in the guise of Donbass fighters (rebels) to open a new area of military confrontation". The scene of most of the fighting has been much further north.

Mr Lysenko said there were enough resources to repel any attack.

When asked about the column, Mr Lavrov said: "I have not heard of this, but there is plenty of disinformation out there about our 'incursions'."

Ukraine and Western powers have accused Russia of arming the rebels, charges Moscow has denied.

There have been several previous reports of armoured vehicles crossing Ukraine's eastern border.

[vijaykarthik]

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfre ... umiliation

Good article.

This from NW:

Ukraine: The Russian aid convoy delivered its cargo and returned to Russia today. Ukraine could not stop it from entering or leaving the rebel territory.



Comment: Western media coverage suggests that the eastern Ukrainian rebellion has nearly collapsed. However, the Russians moved 130 or so large trucks in convoy into eastern Ukraine with impunity. That is not consistent with the pro-Kyiv narrative.



The pro-Russian narrative is that the eastern Ukrainian rebels have mounted an offensive southward to link up with Crimea. That narrative also claims that Luhansk is still in rebel hands, that the rebels have surrounded 4,000 Ukrainian army soldiers and that Ukraine has no more soldiers. If forces committed to battle fail to break the rebellion, the fight is over because there are none left.



What the conflicting narratives mean for analyst is that the Russian narrative must be carefully considered. The Russians only move when they are certain of winning. The dispatch of the aid convoy was a move to win.

[UlanBatori]

UkBapZi Parliament dissolves in vodka