Reply to: How Do You Solve a Problem Like Crimea

[doodab]

It looks like a few journalists read CUK:

Ukraine crisis: How do you solve a problem like Crimea? - Europe - World - The Independent

Show yourselves!

[barrydidit]

Just come across this, thought it appropriate, 70 years on

Looks like there's nothing especially new about the current situation - Eastern Ukraine pro-Russia, Western Ukraine not.

1st March 1944 - The Red Army marches across Ukraine

Despite Hitler’s exhortations for no retreats the Wehrmacht was now falling back rapidly across the Soviet Union. In many places there was little or no resistance – by the end of the month the Red Army would reach Romania and Poland.

The population welcomed us warmly, regardless of how hard it was for them to provide food to soldiers; they always found some nice treats — some villagers boiled chicken, others boiled potatoes and cut lard (soldiers dubbed this kind of catering ‘a grandmother’s ration’).

However, such attitudes were common only in the Eastern Ukraine. As soon as we entered the Western Ukraine, that had passed to the Soviet Union from Poland in 1940, the attitude of the population was quite different — people hid from us in their houses, as they disliked and feared the Muscovites and Kastaps (a disparaging name for Russians in Ukraine – translators comment).

Besides that, those places were Bandera areas, where the nationalistic movement was quite strong. They were not very eager to give us food and they could hardly ‘find’ food for us: usually it was millet and potatoes. As a rule, they would say in Ukrainian: ‘We do not have anything, the Germans took it all.’

In some cases I had to act severely and took tough measures on the villagers in order to feed five or seven soldiers. I had a German hand-grenade with a long handle without a fuse; if the house owners refused to feed the soldiers, I would say something like this: ‘The Germans (Schwabs) destroyed our field kitchen, if you do not boil potatoes, the grenade explodes in an hour (or half an hour).’ This argument helped a lot!

Of course, now this behaviour does not look very humane, but I did not have any other choice. From my point of view this was the ‘middle way’ — we did not loot the villages, but on the other hand, soldiers did not starve.

[suityou01]

Not sure whether there's any underlying sarcasm there, or whether I WANT to be associated with Lyndon Larouche... but anyway

Let's just say you're on probation. Just as we have our resident boody expert (MTT) and our resident bowel expert (Doodab) you are now my tip as current and international affairs expert.

Just don't get carried away.

[Ticktock]

OK Lyndon Larouche blows. TickTock is my new trusted source.

Not sure whether there's any underlying sarcasm there, or whether I WANT to be associated with Lyndon Larouche... but anyway

[suityou01]

Actually it look sas though he's NOT getting what he wants.

Troops on exercise just over the border, other troops massing at the border? All gone.
Russian government not speaking to Ukraine? They are now - of course Putin had to tell them to do it as it was all their fault, not his...
Russian troops in Crimea? No - those aren't Russian troops, Putin knows nothing about this.

It looks like he's backing down while trying to save face, and at the same time issuing threats to show that he's not scared, he hasn't lost, he can do this any time he wants, he just doesn't want to right now... This follows public blame being laid at his feet over the losses in the markets by Russian newspapers - they've all said it's due to the Ukraine tensions, whereas Putin says it's nothing to do with that - the markets and currency are all suffering due to other competely unrelated issues.

OK Lyndon Larouche blows. TickTock is my new trusted source.

[scooterscot]

Whatever he wants by the look of it. Crimea if he wants it, by force or by forcing a referendum, a more Russian friendly government in Kiev post election and continued Russian influence in the Ukraine. And so far that's all without getting blood on his hands. The west are powerless to do anything, they can't even argue that the government is Kiev is legitimate until the elections are held.

As much as it pains me, WdoodabS

[Ticktock]

Actually it look sas though he's NOT getting what he wants.

Troops on exercise just over the border, other troops massing at the border? All gone.
Russian government not speaking to Ukraine? They are now - of course Putin had to tell them to do it as it was all their fault, not his...
Russian troops in Crimea? No - those aren't Russian troops, Putin knows nothing about this.

It looks like he's backing down while trying to save face, and at the same time issuing threats to show that he's not scared, he hasn't lost, he can do this any time he wants, he just doesn't want to right now... This follows public blame being laid at his feet over the losses in the markets by Russian newspapers - they've all said it's due to the Ukraine tensions, whereas Putin says it's nothing to do with that - the markets and currency are all suffering due to other competely unrelated issues.

[doodab]

What precisely has he won?

Whatever he wants by the look of it. Crimea if he wants it, by force or by forcing a referendum, a more Russian friendly government in Kiev post election and continued Russian influence in the Ukraine. And so far that's all without getting blood on his hands. The west are powerless to do anything, they can't even argue that the government is Kiev is legitimate until the elections are held.

[MicrosoftBob]

I think it's safe to say that like it or not Mr Putin has won this round.

I do hope he gets his comeuppance, he seems like a horrible man.

I think MI5 just need to catch him with a toyboy and his reputation in Russia will be in tatters

[Pondlife]

I think it's safe to say that like it or not Mr Putin has won this round.

I do hope he gets his comeuppance, he seems like a horrible man.

Putin: Says Russia must cleanse itself of homosexuality but then enters Ukraine via the "back door"



*stolen from 9gag

[suityou01]

I think it's safe to say that like it or not Mr Putin has won this round.

I do hope he gets his comeuppance, he seems like a horrible man.

What precisely has he won?

[doodab]

I think it's safe to say that like it or not Mr Putin has won this round.

I do hope he gets his comeuppance, he seems like a horrible man.

[NotAllThere]

[Mich the Tester]

And Luton

Nah, Suity's just a wally, he's not an extremist.

[DodgyAgent]

So are Saudi Arabia and Israel.

And Luton