Ukrainian President Fires Third Defense Minister This Year

[Purveyor]

Source: AFP-JIJI

KIEV – President Petro Poroshenko on Sunday dismissed Ukraine’s third defense minister since the March seizure by Russia of Crimea and the subsequent uprising by pro-Kremlin insurgents in the separatist east.

The Western-backed leader’s official website said he would nominate a new defense chief on Monday after “accepting the resignation” of Valeriy Geletey.

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But the sacking also highlights a sense of failure that has enveloped the once-proud Soviet-era force as the six-month crisis drags on and the death toll from the conflict approaches 3,400.

It also threatens to undermine Poroshenko’s position ahead of crunch peace negotiations with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Milan on Friday.

Read more: http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2014/10/13/world/ukrainian-president-fires-third-defense-minister-year/#.VDr-wleSUWc

[Duckhunter935]

1. Kind of hard to fight

a an insurrection that has been supplied some of the latest equipment and troops by Russia with equipment and an army that has been neglected for many years and Ukraine depending on signed memorandums of non-aggression. Hard to be a defense minister with that happening. They should have skipped the parade of equipment and sent all to the front lines to continue with the major gains going on at that time.

The way to stop it has long passed by shutting down the border and not allowing the rebels to be resupplied and reinforced with fresh troops. Ukraine almost achieved that earlier this summer but then the major Russian reinforcements showed up. Even now they are constantly breaking the signed cease fire and trying to take the Donetsk airport and the Mariupol port. Putin ans said he had no troops on the border, then he moved some out and replaced with more. Now he says he is removing those but it is also the same time he has to rotate out his drafted soldiers in October. I fully assume they will be replaced with fresh troops next month.

[cosmicone]

3. There is not a shred of evidence that Russia gave anything

but humanitarian supplies in those famed white trucks.

Russian troops were always outside the Ukrainian border.

A forced regime change in Ukraine was a stupid idea and Victoria Nuland should be fired.

Just because we underestimated the Eastern provinces' desire to join the EU is no reason to blame Putin.

It is like we dropped an ax on our foot in a subway and are blaming it on a guy sitting across the aisle because he was playing loud music.

[Duckhunter935]

4. was not talking about the white trucks

You must be blind as one day the Pro-Russian rebels were trying to get museum pieces up and running and were close to falling with Ukraine advancing daily. Then all of the sudden while Russia was conducting mass military exercises on the uncontrolled border the Pro-Russian side all of the sudden gained hundreds of APC's and new tanks and artillery along with many Russian soldiers on "VACATION". Also a coincidence that a new front opened up in the southeast from the border area with Russia where there was no Pr-Russian rebel activity.

I am not blind

Russian troops were always outside the Ukrainian border.

That's what Putin said about Crimea until he finally admitted that he sent Russian military in without identifying markings in to seize that territory breaking the Budapest memorandum that Ukraine followed and gave up its nuclear weapons thinking Russia would respect the agreement on it's borders.

[cosmicone]

6. Russia has always had bases inside Crimea -- doh

Of course there were Russian troops there hahaha.

[Duckhunter935]

9. They also had limits to numbers

of soldiers and sailors and had to coordinate with Ukraine before increasing that number or leaving the bases they had a lease agreement to be stationed in. They ended up breaking that signed agreement also. Russia also broke international law by sinking one of their ships blocking the Ukrainian navy ships in port and not allowing them to leave. They used those unauthorized troops brought in to storm and seize Ukrainian naval vessels and military posts and then annexed that part of Ukraine as part of Russia.

Yes they have a history of breaking signed agreements.

The Rebels have broken the cease fire for the last month trying to capture the Donetsk airport, the port city of Mariupol, and the power station in Shchastya. Another agreement not worth the paper their leaders signed.

I do not think storming and seizing part of a sovereign nation is very funny, I guess you do.

[cosmicone]

2. Next Defense Minister -- Victoria Nuland

With new deadly weapons of cookies and glue ....

[Duckhunter935]

5. I am more afraid

that Ukraine will go back to making nuclear weapons as Russia broke it's agreement with them. They gave them up when borders were to be respected by the signatories. If Ukraine is a nuclear power, Russia will think twice about more invasions. Russia wants that entire coastline to it's area of Moldova it has annexed. This would give them the land bridge to Crimea and Moldova, ports and offshore rights it really wants.

[cosmicone]

7. Ukraine no longer has the infrastructure

and is treaty bound to not make nukes unless US and EU let them out of the treaty. Letting them out of the treaty will set a horrible precedence vis a vis countries like Iran.

I think we should get out of the PNAC business. It has already given us gems like Iraq, Libya, Syria, ISIS and Ukraine ... do we really need to harvest the PNAC mine more?

[Duckhunter935]

10. Treaties and agreements did not stop Russia

[joshcryer]

11. Ukraine could have nukes in a few years tops.

Of course, they won't do it because their nuclear facilities would be getting US bunker busters blowing them up in the event they tried it.

[Purveyor]

8. LOL. They haven't the means nor the $$$ to do so. Ukraine has been neutered and considering

their current 'regime'...this is a good thing.