Ukraine parliament calls for international monitors and for necessary aid to ensure the safety of it

[steve2470]

Source: Reuters

BREAKING NEWS: Ukraine parliament calls for international monitors and for necessary aid to ensure the safety of its nuclear assets



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Read more: http://www.reuters.com/

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10:41: Ukraine has called for the immediate despatch of an international fact-finding mission to Ukraine and Crimea, as well as assistance in protecting nuclear facilities. It is inviting the OSCE, the EU and others to hold meetings in Ukraine. It is also setting up a parliamentary negotiation group to reach out to Russian MPs

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-26405082

[steve2470]

1. this is the UK Telegraph's take on it:

10.38 Very interesting that Ukraine is now referencing "safety of its nuclear assets".

As far as I'm aware this is the first time they have mentioned that.

Then it brings into play the 1994 Budapest Memorandum - which was signed between Ukraine, the US, UK, and Russia. Ukraine agreed to give up its Soviet-era nuclear arsenal, in return for the signatories promising to come to Ukraine's defence in case of aggression.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/ukraine/10669670/Ukraine-live.html

[joshcryer]

2. Russia is coming to Ukraine's defense.

Haven't you heard?

[steve2470]

3. I've heard...

but I sure don't believe it

[joshcryer]

5. Putin has to protect Crimea from the fascists.

[steve2470]

8. interesting tweet here

11:08: Journalist Brian Whelan, who specialises in reporting on Europe's far-right, tweets:
Who is in charge of defence in post-revolution Ukraine? Andriy Parubiy of far-right Svoboda party and Dmytro Yarosh of Right Sector (nazis)

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-26405082

https://twitter.com/brianwhelanhack/status/440074461010595840

I have to admit, I'm really confused on how prevalent the neo-Nazis are in the new government. I've read they are there, but how many ?

[joshcryer]

11. I posted that in the other thread.

You have to differentiate between the top players, Putin, backed by fascist United Russia, and these idiots, who gained power through polarization. Svoboda makes up 10% of the parties, power wise, but there's now a power vacuum for radicals on the left because many communists disbanded their parliamentary status.

[PosterChild]

32. +10 (nt)

[steve2470]

4. Russian troops surrounding Ukraine base in Crimea

http://www.itv.com/news/update/2014-03-02/russian-troops-surrounding-ukraine-base-in-crimea/

Russian soldiers and 20+ vehicles. Surrounding Ukrainian base at Perevalne in Crimea. Reported demanding surrender http://t.co/Dnnji2czhL

[joshcryer]

6. I doubt Putin invades Ukraine proper.

Since Ukraine said they wouldn't shoot first all he has to do is starve out whatever bases refuse to give up their arms.

[pampango]

27. Ukrainians are defending the base from inside the base. What a novel idea!

The Ukrainian commander of Perevalnoe, Col Sergei Starozhenko just recently completed talks with the commander of the Russian forces surrounded his base - who apparently identified himself as Alexander A, but did not identify his unit.

Col Starozhenko told journalists: "There will be no war. We've agreed not to point our weapons at each other, and they will not enter the base."

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/ukraine/10669670/Ukraine-live.html

[steve2470]

7. statement from NATO at 1145 UK time

10.43 In under an hour (11.45 UK time) we are going to have a statement from Nato secretary general, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, about the Ukraine crisis.
We'll let you know what he says.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/ukraine/10669670/Ukraine-live.html

[steve2470]

9. " leading US diplomat was seen on the Maidan handing out cookies to protesters"

11.10 Sir Tony Brenton, the former British ambassador to Russia, is speaking on Sky News now.

He says:

Russia sees this as a result of Western meddling, and doesn't think that the West is acting fairly.

It's not helpful that the leading US diplomat was seen on the Maidan handing out cookies to protesters.

What they (the Russians) want are assurances their interests will be protected.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/ukraine/10669670/Ukraine-live.html

[steve2470]

10. Ukraine airspace closed to non-civilian aircraft

11:16: Reuters reports that Ukraine's acting President Olexander Turchynov has said Ukraine's airspace is closed to any non-civilian aircraft.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-26405082

[steve2470]

12. brink of disaster quote

11:17: "We are on the brink of disaster," Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk is quoted as saying by the AFP news agency.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-26405082

[joshcryer]

13. I think the US will probably send in troops to protect the "nuclear sites."

Just to show Russia that they need to stop moving into Ukraine.

I expect DU to lose its shit when that happens.

While defending Putin's hilarious claims of protecting ethnic Russians.

[steve2470]

14. if we do that, I hope the sites are far away from the Russian border

Yes, I'm sure DU will have a huge shitfest over it.

[dipsydoodle]

15. There are no remaining nuclear weapons in Ukraine.

Do you mean their power stations ? Ukraine itself had already moved to protect those soon after the protests started.

[joshcryer]

16. You're right, but they invoked the Budapest Memorandum in any event.

So they must be getting guidance from the state department over some BS, because it seems like a weird ass thing to invoke.

[dipsydoodle]

18. That only concerned nuclear disarmament.

Maybe they got some crook guidance.

[joshcryer]

20. Here's the article I was thinking of:

In the "Budapest Memorandum," Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States promised that none of them would ever threaten or use force against the territorial integrity or political independence of Ukraine. They also pledged that none of them would ever use economic coercion to subordinate Ukraine to their own interest.

They specifically pledged they would refrain from making each other's territory the object of military occupation or engage in other uses of force in violation of international law.

All sides agreed that no such occupation or acquisition will be recognized as legal and that the signatories would "consult in the event a situation arises which raises a question concerning these commitments."

http://www.rferl.mobi/a/ukraine-explainer-budapest-memorandum/25280502.html

[Comrade Grumpy]

35. To use a Nixonian term, I think that memorandum is now "inoperative."

[freshwest]

37. That would more likely be UN forces, don't you think, though? Appreciate your reasoning on this. nt

[7962]

29. HA! The US will do nothing. Thats why Putin is doing what he wants. Just like Georgia.

The EU will do nothing as well. And the UN will urge caution; i.e. do nothing. "When good people do noting......"

[PosterChild]

33. +10 (nt)

[steve2470]

17. statement by Ukraine PM Yatsenyuk

11:33: In a statement, PM Yatsenyuk said:

"This is actually a declaration of war to my country. We urge Putin to pull back his troops from this country and honour bilateral agreements. If he wants to be the president who started the war between two neighbouring and friendly countries, he has reached his target within a few inches."

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-26405082

[dipsydoodle]

19. Inches ?

Ukraine is metric : not imperial. I wonder if he really said that.

[steve2470]

21. yes, very curious because the BBC reported it also nt

[dipsydoodle]

23. Aside from which Russia has been metric since 1924.

If true they maybe Russia is scratching its head wondering wtf an inch is.

[cosmicone]

25. The state department is telling him what to say.

Obviously.

[dipsydoodle]

26. I had wondered.

They're probably running his FB account too.

[karynnj]

28. Translation from a Ukranian phrase?

In either metric or inches, this is not likely to be a literal translation. The interesting part is the current Ukrainian leadership describing their current relationship with Russia as "friendly". While a true statement from a month ago, it is not clear that Putin views it that way.

[dipsydoodle]

30. Complicated might express it better.

.

[karynnj]

31. That would be the word that fits

From any side the situation is complicated. It is easy to see that Russia would see the current government as both illegitimate and unfriendly.

[joshcryer]

22. "We are hostages" said a Ukrainian admiral

Christian Fraser
@ForeignCorresp

Russian soldiers going through store rooms of a naval base in Crimea. "We are hostages" said a Ukrainian admiral

https://twitter.com/ForeignCorresp/status/440087425571123200

Ya think? I'll enjoy the military occupied vote and the people claiming it was any more legitimate than Iraq's. It'll be the second Purple Revolution!

[dipsydoodle]

24. Anything would be more legitimate than Iraq

since you mention the subject.

[DallasNE]

34. This Is A Very Positive Development

Let's see what happens when international monitors land in Crimea and request access to facilities there. How will Russia react. It would also show whether ethnic Russians are trying to cleanse eastern Ukraine. This is really a very smart move.

[freshwest]

36. This is possibly one of the best threads on this. I'm keeping a tab open to keep reading the views.