Ukraine: It was Putin's plan all along.

[Benton D Struckcheon]

This is an unadorned description of what we are now seeing in Ukraine, except the description is from a year ago. My only comment is what I've been contending since Putin and Poroshenko met in Minsk last week: what precipitated this was the EEU, not NATO. It's obvious from the below:

Glazyev, speaking on the sidelines of the discussion, said the exact opposite was true: "Ukrainian authorities make a huge mistake if they think that the Russian reaction will become neutral in a few years from now. This will not happen."
Instead, he said, signing the agreement would make the default of Ukraine inevitable and Moscow would not offer any helping hand. "Russia is the main creditor of Ukraine. Only with customs union with Russia can Ukraine balance its trade," he said. Russia has already slapped import restrictions on certain Ukrainian products and Glazyev did not rule out further sanctions if the agreement was signed.
The Kremlin aide added that the political and social cost of EU integration could also be high, and allowed for the possibility of separatist movements springing up in the Russian-speaking east and south of Ukraine. He suggested that if Ukraine signed the agreement, Russia would consider the bilateral treaty that delineates the countries' borders to be void.
"We don't want to use any kind of blackmail. This is a question for the Ukrainian people," said Glazyev. "But legally, signing this agreement about association with EU, the Ukrainian government violates the treaty on strategic partnership and friendship with Russia." When this happened, he said, Russia could no longer guarantee Ukraine's status as a state and could possibly intervene if pro-Russian regions of the country appealed directly to Moscow.
"Signing this treaty will lead to political and social unrest," said the Kremlin aide. "The living standard will decline dramatically … there will be chaos."

Link: http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/sep/22/ukraine-european-union-trade-russia

Glazyev is a close associate of Russian fascist Alexander Dugin:

Alexander Dugin: Our meeting today was attended by Alexandre Prokhanov, Sergei Glazyev, Archimandrite Tikhon (Shevkunov), Michail Delyagin, Andrei Kobyakov Valery Korovin, Mikhail Leontiev and other famous people. We gathered to discuss the future strategy and the shaping of the agenda of the club, and are ready for the direct and open conversation concerning the issues that face the conservative segment of the Russian society. We also discussed the challenges facing the state, people and president Putin. This was a review of conservative views on what is happening in the country.

Link: http://www.4pt.su/en/content/we-have-take-liberals-least-half-media-field

The fascists and the imperialists are in Moscow, when it comes to Ukraine. Anyone saying otherwise is a fool or a liar.

[pampango]

1. If Ukraine signed an agreement with the EU, "Russia could no longer guarantee Ukraine's status as a

state and could possibly intervene if pro-Russian regions of the country appealed directly to Moscow."

"... if Ukraine signed the agreement, Russia would consider the bilateral treaty that delineates the countries' borders to be void."

When you look at the definition of fascism:

homosexuality is forbidden by the state - check
'traditional values' with women's place in the home - check
strong nations have a right to expand their territory by displacing weaker nations - check
focus on conflict between nations (Russia vs. US/EU) and races (ethnic Russians vs. Ukrainians) - check
devotion to a strong leader - check
emphasis on ultra-nationalism and militarism - check
political violence, war and imperialism - check

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fascism

[moondust]

2. "We don't want to use any kind of blackmail."

He said it so it must be true!

[geek tragedy]

3. 2010 Zhirinovsky: Russia to annex East Ukraine

by 2015.

If you're a neighbor of Russia, either join NATO, sell yourself to China, or expect to be invaded.

Realistically, East Ukraine is now part of Russia. Ukraine would be best served rejecting the sham federalism for those areas and force Russia to just go ahead and annex them.

Makes zero sense to let Russia own the area economically but have de facto Russian territories voting in its elections.

[Igel]

4. In the last week or so Zhirinovsky said he'd be qualified to lead Novorossiya.

And he'd be proud to serve, so he might well stand for election.

Or appointment, since it's a Russian democracy and not a Western fascist state.

[geek tragedy]

5. As qualified as any. The bigger the syndicate, the bigger

the gangster needed to run it.

[msongs]

6. crimea - sudetenland, ukraine = poland. same shit different century nt

[Tommy_Carcetti]

7. Interesting.

Bumped.