Russian vassalization of Ukraine

[John Galt]

since november protests have been erupting in Ukraine. The issue was in the end the president rejecting the EU's proposals for trade agreements because of threats from Russia. Russia threatened to block imports, and it also offered a 15 billion dollar loan and a bunch of cheap gas. The president broke off talks wit hthe EU in favor of Russia. Russia wants the Ukraine back in its zone of influence. Or, as one EU minister put it, "Our condition is that Ukraine should start fixing its economy. Russia's condition is that Ukraine should become a vassal."

well anyway, it's getting worse over there. "president" Yanukovych has been in power for years and has entrenched it with constitutional changes. opposition tried to submit changes but debate ended... and now a bunch of people are dead in the streets wit hteh police using a heavy hand. i wish the ukrainians luck in keeping off the russian yoke

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-26236860

i guess the point of this is it's interesting to see how russia wants to maintain dominance and still goes back to old tactics of threats in order to get what they want. putin said the worst tragedy of the 20th century was the breakup of the ussr. threatening former vassals into submission seems to be par for the course with that guy, but at least the people of ukraine are fighting back

[The Comrade]

he's only been in power for four years, and after the orange revolution ukraine gutted the power of the president. so while the guy is a dick, he isn't putin, and we shouldn't pretend he is.

that said, these protests are getting worse and worse. 9 people died in the latest clash and it's only going to increase the unrest.

if this doesn't end with the current ukrainian government being kicked out i will be very surprised.

[John Galt]

[The Comrade]

shit, i didn't know that. well, that sucks for them then. not that they were helping all that much.

[gla22]

I am finding it hard to find good information about the situation in the Ukraine because western news outlets are decidedly anti-putin and fail to account for all the manipulation coming from the U.S./ E.U.

[John Galt]

[Dylan]

[The Dharma Bum]

It's all about protecting russian oil pipelines in Ukraine.

[eynon81]

[Dylan]