High Turnout in Rebels Eastern Ukraine vote

[Stratford57]

Sunday, November 2 the elections were held in Donbass (Donetsk and Lughansk) area. Western countries refused to recognize them and Russia did. The new elected head of the Lughansk people's republic Igor Plotnitsky said today: What's the most valuable for any Western country? It's democracy. What's the most valuable for any democracy? It's the free will of the people, being able to vote, people's choice and the rule of law. So, what have we done according to Western countries for not recognizing our elections? Or may be they don't recognize us just because they don't want to? But if you issue a law you have to follow it. We don't force anybody to recognize us."

Over 80 international observers came to Donbass area to watch the elections. They expressed their points of view about the elections.

Jean Luke Shanfhauser (France):
"The elections have been held. If you ask the people of Donetsk or Luhgansk, they will tell you they were making their choice with the background of what they had had to go through during the last months. Actually, under the war conditions you couldn't see better preparations for the elections. Everything was very transparent, the population was very well motivated. The people were coming to show their desire for independence."

Frank Obernati (USA):
"It was very clear that the elections have observed all the democratic norms and European standards. First, the elections were free, the people were freely coming there without force or threats. Second, all the procedures necessary for voting were observed."

Kiev is going to declare all the observers, who came to Donbass, including the current deputies of EU Parliament, persona non grata. Some of them have told the press what they think about it.

Lucio Malan (italy):
"Too bad the are going to put us onto a black list. I was an observer at many elections. I always thought I was serving the people, that's why I considered it to be my duty to come here and to protect voters' rights."

Manuel Ohsenraiter (Germany):
"Western media claimed that the observers were false. We are here, we are real people, not holographic pictures, you can see us, hear us, touch us. There are also the observers from Germany, Greece, Israel and many other countries."

According to the observers the high turnout has shown how decisive the Donbass residents are to stand for their rights and how important the elections were for them. (By the way each and every voter HAD to show his passport to be able to vote, unlikely in many states in the USA!!!!!! Also the author wants you to compare the high Donbass turnout with the record low turnout in Ukrainian elections just a week before, especially about 30-35% turnout in Eastern Ukraine).

Western Media preferred not to notice the Donbass elections, however CNN reported about them without a lot of enthusiasm:

High turnout in separatist Ukraine vote - CNN.com

 

[waltky]

Obama gonna help Ukraine fight the Russkies...

Senate Passes Bill That Could Send US Weapons to Ukraine for Use Against Russia
December 12, 2014 – A bill passed by the U.S. Senate on Thursday could, if enacted, supply Ukrainian forces with U.S. weapons for use against Russian tanks in eastern Ukraine, a scenario the Obama administration has been loathe to contemplate.

In addition to providing lethal military assistance to Ukraine, the bipartisan measure would expand sanctions against Russia, posing a further challenge to President Obama who has warned that doing so will disrupt transatlantic unity and benefit President Vladimir Putin. Throughout the long crisis over Russia’s intervention in eastern Ukraine, including its annexation of Crimea, Obama has been leery of calls to arm the Ukrainian military, relying on non-lethal assistance only and sanctions against Moscow, in cooperation with the European Union.

Despite the White House stance, the Senate passed the Ukraine Freedom Support Act unanimously, and it now moves to the House of Representatives for further action. Its provisions include authorizing the president to provide equipment and training for Ukrainian forces “for the purpose of countering offensive weapons and reestablishing the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine.” They specifically include anti-tank and anti-armor weapons, ammunition, counter-artillery radars, optical and guidance and control equipment, and tactical surveillance drones.

The bill was cosponsored by Senate Foreign Relations Committee chairman Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) and ranking member Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), who after the vote took a dig at the administration over its reaction to the crisis. “The hesitant U.S. response to Russia’s continued invasion of Ukraine threatens to escalate this conflict even further,” Corker said. “Unanimous support for our bill demonstrates a firm commitment to Ukrainian sovereignty and to making sure Putin pays for his assault on freedom and security in Europe.”

The last round of U.S. sanctions imposed against Russia was announced on September 12. That same month Russia signed a ceasefire agreement in which it pledged among other things to withdraw military personnel and equipment from Ukraine and to ensure that the Ukraine side of the international border reverts to Ukrainian control. Corker said Russia had repeatedly violated those commitments, by backing a rebel election in the east and continuing to support the separatists militarily. (Russia denies it is doing so.) The new legislation expands sanctions, and provides for lethal military assistance as well as energy, defense sector, and civil society aid.

‘In lockstep’