Ukraine

[DotCommunist]

good writing- concise and clear. skeptical on the idea that the eu might start shutting out russian dodgy cash tho

 

[treelover]

Dangerous allies: when football hooligans and politicans meet
Mikhail Loginov 28 March 2012

http://www.opendemocracy.net/od-rus...s-when-football-hooligans-and-politicans-meet

Interesting article on football hooligans and their increasing involvement in politics, (Putin met Spartak ultras)

 

[Eastern-Odyssey]

posted on Guardian CIF, no verification.

It was posted on their website and personal profile last night, long before the government and military announcement.

"Знаходимось в стані підготовки до повної мобілізації. Це означає, що керіввництво Правого сектору Вінниччини вирішує питання дислокації, забезпечення, вироблення бойового завдання.

Всім чоловікам, віком від 18 років, фізично здоровим, готових встати на захист Вітчизни від зовнішнього, або внутрішного ворога,рекомендуємо:
- бути готовим виїхати до місця дислокації, яке буде повідомлено в Наказі"

They also have another ominous post addressing local groups and administrations to stop all lustration, or at least I think that's the translation of люстріції. It does not translate in Google translate. Being they were talking earlier about banning Russian media and again about banning the Ukraine communist Party after they voted against military mobalization, it makes sense. Anyway I'm assuming lustration may have a different definition among the nationalist groups.

 

[rekil]

This was reported as "a clash between protesters" on either ITV or Skynews just now. (!) It's a bunch of captured euromaidan supporters being led through a gauntlet of thumps in Kharkov.

Spoiler

 

[DaveCinzano]

How long before the Guardian gets round to the most pressing matter of all - its Ukraine Crisis: Fashion Special?

Ski masks and 'found' ballistic vests in Kiev; leather flat-caps and black puffa jackets in Kharkov. Sort of a tension between hipster-thrift and retro-casual.

 

[littlebabyjesus]

Listening to the acting foreign minister on World Service a moment ago. He seeks to reassure people about respecting the rights of what he calls Russian-speakers living in Ukraine. He also spoke of Russian citizens in Ukraine. What he could not bring himself to say was 'Russian-speaking Ukrainians'.

 

[SpackleFrog]

To be fair that's bigger than I'd expect.

Tiny 'anti-war' protest in Moscow, arrests made

https://twitter.com/howardamos

 

[DotCommunist]

How long before the Guardian gets round to the most pressing matter of all - its Ukraine Crisis: Fashion Special?

Ski masks and 'found' ballistic vests in Kiev; leather flat-caps and black puffa jackets in Kharkov. Sort of a tension between hipster-thrift and retro-casual.

ironic wolfs hooks next to peace symbols

 

[free spirit]

This was reported as "a clash between protesters" on either ITV or Skynews just now. (!) It's a bunch of captured euromaidan supporters being led through a gauntlet of thumps in Kharkov.

Spoiler

any idea of the context?

were these from a 'euromaiden' protest in Kharkov itself, or protestors from the Kiev Euromaiden who'd returned to Kharkov, or been arrested in Kiev and taken back to Kharkov with the riot police when they left kiev... or something else?

 

[rekil]

any idea of the context?

were these from a 'euromaiden' protest in Kharkov itself, or protestors from the Kiev Euromaiden who'd returned to Kharkov, or been arrested in Kiev and taken back to Kharkov with the riot police when they left kiev... or something else?

I think this is the "before" scene. 4:20 and 6:30ish show them all tooled up. The railings go down and they get chased inside at the 7 or 8 min mark. (So technically, yeah, clashes between protesters)

Spoiler

 

[butchersapron]

Translation of a statement by the Open Left site in Russia:

Today, as never before, it is necessary to call things by their proper names: what is happening these hours and days in the Crimea is a classic act of imperialist intervention by the Russian state. It is an intervention marked by stupidity, cowardice, and inconsistencies; naturally, these are the very same defining features of Vladimir Putin's regime. By observing the events that have transpired so far, we can see that the pressure against Ukraine is following a script: two weeks ago, the Kremlin, without thinking of the consequences pushed Yanukovich towards a violent clearing of the Maidan. A week ago, the Russian government supported the failed "separatist" congress of disoriented bureaucrats in Kharkov, and now it has deployed - the rather forgotten over the last ten years - "Crimean card".

The first two scenarios have failed: the first, quickly and bloody, the second - almost immediately and shamefully. It is difficult to say how precisely the Crimean scenario will fail, but there is no doubt at all that it will. The Russian government has shown on a number of occasions its willingness to quickly abandon its allies. In the same manner, from the very first events in the Crimea, the Kremlin has positioned demarcation lines for a possible future withdrawal. Despite the fact that the Russian military has taken over a number of strategic facilities, and is in de facto control of the airspace over the peninsula, its official position continues to emphasize that what is happening is an "internal conflict", combined with planned military exercises. At the same time, Victor Yanukovich cannot count on strong support from Russia, given his rather strange status of simultaneously claiming to be the legitimate President, while also an international criminal, giving press conferences in Rostov. The new Crimean leadership also finds itself to be a hostage of ongoing developments, given it was elected through the direct participation of Moscow.

More at the link.

 

[andysays]

How long before the Guardian gets round to the most pressing matter of all - its Ukraine Crisis: Fashion Special?

Ski masks and 'found' ballistic vests in Kiev; leather flat-caps and black puffa jackets in Kharkov. Sort of a tension between hipster-thrift and retro-casual.

I'm still waiting for a rundown of the top five coffee shops serving ethically sourced artisan blends and providing wireless internet so that plucky guardian reporters can send their despatches from the front line...

 

[Fuchs66]

It's a rare exception but honestly on this issue I would say that RT is as skewed as the Graunid and the BBC.

They are all skewed in their own way to push their own agendas, but RT tends to do it in a more blatant and comical manner.

 

[butchersapron]

Odd pro-ukranain 'revolution' protest in St Petersburg:



The mighty Fourth International Speak.

Russian anarchists/autonomous left types trying to organise A Peoples Assembly Against the War in Ukraine with three protests in Moscow, Voronezh and Petrozavodsk earlier today. News of how they went later i hope.

 

[newbie]

Translation of a statement by the Open Left site in Russia:



More at the link.

malformed link- seems to be a mailto:

try this

 

[DaveCinzano]

I'm still waiting for a rundown of the top five coffee shops serving ethically sourced artisan blends and providing wireless internet so that plucky guardian reporters can send their despatches from the front line...

That's it. Sorry, guys, but I'm not going back out there today. Really don't want to be drinking instant coffee, least of all Nescafe, just for journalism.

 

[butchersapron]

malformed link- seems to be a mailto:

try this

Yes, sorry, put in wrong link. Ta.

Now this is quite odd. On yesterdays events in Kharkov - a communique from the “Borotba” union and Centre of Anti-fascist Resistance that says (in summary):

a Borotba anti-fascist combat assault group, together with other anti-nationalist and anti-fascist forces, occupied the city administration building. The building itself was guarded by the "Right Sector", which was apparently defeated in streetcombat, and forced to kneel at the square in front of the protesters. The crowd numbered 40,000.

With reports of similar in other cities.

 

[Coolfonz]

http://blogs.channel4.com/paul-mason-blog/russian-invasion-ukraine-push-west-economic-war/441

I'm guessing this piece by Paul Mason has been published here, but just in case.

The complete and utter failure of varied political establishments all over the world is amazing, but not surprising.

 

[hipipol]

Paul Mason says that this will all herald the end of globalisation http://blogs.channel4.com/paul-mason-blog/russian-invasion-ukraine-push-west-economic-war/441

He normally seems considered in his thought
This is more stream of consciousness
Crimea had been part of Russia for hundreds of years (Balaklava is best known to us for the headgear so named during the Crimean war for example) until its admin was bundled in with the Kiev on a whim - but still part of the USSR so it didn't seem to make a difference at the time
Old Skool colonial battle of shite borders set up by idiots with maps and rulers
As for the end of globalisation
Utter fucking tosh
The stuff about China??
Idiot

 

[J Ed]

Yes the China stuff seems extremely far fetched

 

[free spirit]

Now this is quite odd. On yesterdays events in Kharkov - a communique from the “Borotba” union and Centre of Anti-fascist Resistance that says (in summary):



With reports of similar in other cities.

The union response to right sector over reaching themselves with their announcement about taking the unions under their control?

I thought that looked like what was going on in the videos copliker had linked to

 

[Pickman's model]

He normally seems considered in his thought
This is more stream of consciousness
Crimea had been part of Russia for hundreds of years (Balaklava is best known to us for the headgear so named during the Crimean war for example) until its admin was bundled in with the Kiev on a whim - but still part of the USSR so it didn't seem to make a difference at the time
Old Skool colonial battle of shite borders set up by idiots with maps and rulers
As for the end of globalisation
Utter fucking tosh
The stuff about China??
Idiot

pls expand on 'the stuff about china' as 'idiot' says more about you than mason.

 

[hipipol]

pls expand on 'the stuff about china' as 'idiot' says more about you than mason.

Pointless talking with you Pickman
I simply find his logic feeble

 

[butchersapron]

The union response to right sector over reaching themselves with their announcement about taking the unions under their control?

I thought that looked like what was going on in the videos copliker had linked to

Borotba isn't a proper huge union - it's not a union at all really, it's a collection of various leftists really - union here just means something like group or concentration. I'll need to re-watch the video with the above report in mind.

 

[Pickman's model]

Pointless talking with you Pickman
I simply find his logic feeble

so you can't actually explain why you think he's wrong in detail. pisspoor.

 

[free spirit]

Borotba isn't a proper huge union - it's not a union at all really, it's a collection of various leftists really - union here just means something like group or concentration. I'll need to re-watch the video with the above report in mind.

‘Borotba’ organizes centre of anti fascist resistance. We call all the opponents to the fashist development of Ukraine to join us. The nationalists work hard to push Ukraine into the abyss of civil war. They work hard so that to remove the left and progressive forces, to ban the polical activity of socialist and internationalist activists. We think that antifascists should not defend old power. Its rule was deaf and blind to the interests of the working class. The old power served only the interests of the layers of predatory oligarchy. And it led the political situation in Ukraine to such a collapse. And we see now that the threat of imposing nationalist dictatorship became quite real. The Nazis should be stopped!

Contact us. You can either regularly take part in the activity of our centre of antifascist resistance or just spread sometimes our publications and take part in our protest actions.

Antifascist volunteers, unite! No Pasaran!

http://borotba.org/borotbais_organizinga_centrefor_antifascistresistance.html

The government of ultraliberals and Nazis

Our country will face soon a sharp economic crisis – the one that is close to full economic collapse, hyperinflation and mass impoverishment. Under such circumstances the ruling class will put a stake on paramilitary Nazi-units while appointing as a kind of necessary scape-goats ‘moskali’ (derogatory name for Russians) and ‘titushki’ (derogatory name for pro-government supporters). Thus, the ‘patriots’ will unleash a war against all of them. That’s why the anti-fascists struggle should be the primary task for today.

Recently the new government was presented in Ukraine. Its head, the prime-minister A. Yatzenuk has labelled it as “kamikaze government”. It will last only until elections planned on May 25th. It would just accept the predatory conditions of IMF loan and will immediately fall down as a victim of the following economic collapse. This is a good reason why the key figures of the liberal-nationalist opposition don’t enter this government. However, as we predicted, this “kamikaze” government is, nevertheless, under full control of the coalition of ultra-liberals and neo-Nazis. The positions of Vice-Premier and a minister were given out to the members “Svoboda” party - Sych and Mochnyk. Moreover, S. Kvit, an open nazi and former officer of nazi organization “Trizub of Stepan Bandera” has got the Ministry for Public Education. While being the head of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy he was righteously met with hatred by all progressive students. The position of a deputy head of the Council for National Security and Defense was offered to the leader of the ultranationalist ‘Right Sector’ A. Yarosh.

The regime of putschists has revealed its authoritarian and semi-fascist character. Some bills about banning of the Communists party activity were recently proposed in Parliament.

And most likely, such “banning” would be a legal cover for illegal activities of neonazi gangs aimed to murder communists and unleash pogroms. The “acting” President of Ukraine A. Turchynov convoked journalists and ordered them how to comment the current events ‘correctly’. The disloyal to the new power journalists receive threat from neonazi gangs.

Armed militants of the Right Sector and other Nazi gangs have rushed into south-eastern regions of Ukraine. They are going to violently seize power there, contrary to the will of the people’s majority.

Some provocations also take place in Crimea. We witness the mobilisation of Tartar nationalists and islamist radicals. At the same time some Russian-nationalist organizations prepare to declare Crimea joining with Russia. Some unknown persons have seized Crimean Parliament. We are convinced that most of the Crimeans are reasonable enough and can effectively organize resistance to the incoming fascists and at the same time will not buy into provocations and will not let to turn the Crimean peninsula into a zone of ethnic violence.

Thus, in the context of mass mobilization the activists of ‘Borotba’ union and Centre of Anti-fascist Resistance put forward the following slogans:

Not to defend the surrendered power but rather to build up people's self-organization.

Not to ignite ethnic and language conflicts but rather to defend values of internationalism and peoples’ friendship.

The only solution to the crisis created by oligarchs, officials and politicians is creating a socialist society.

After the announcement of anti-fascist mobilization we received hundreds of letters offering active participation and assistance. Our centre may not be able to respond everybody at once but we will contact everyone and try to involve everyone into our common case.

Today our comrades all over the Ukraine use tactics of underground ways of carrying on agitation: draw graffities, spread out leaflets, etc. We will certainly send everybody willing to help us everything what is necessary for carrying on agitation.

Join the Struggle!

http://borotba.org/communique_4_of_the_borotba_union_and_centre_of_anti-fascist_resistance.html

Looks positive to me at first reading, but I may be missing something.

 

[Pickman's model]

Pointless talking with you Pickman
I simply find his logic feeble

http://www.thestar.com.my/News/World/2014/03/02/China-calls-for-dialogue-to-resolve-Ukraine-crisis/

as per link china & russia do get along. what mason suggests is not utterly implausible. do you have anything which might support your viewpoint? the thing about the ukraine is that (as is becoming obvious to all) there's the chance of regional destabilisation. if people further afield get involved it may be a more general crisis.

 

[Eastern-Odyssey]

Small protest of 400 people in Saint Petersburg

What with the 2012 riot trial and being one guy got head-butted I can understand why it was no bigger.

 

[hipipol]

so you can't actually explain why you think he's wrong in detail. pisspoor.

no
check your pms

 

[Pickman's model]

no
check your pms

i don't understand why you'd raise something here and then refuse to discuss it on the thread.