US Losing the War in Ukrainian

[Paradise Falls]

John McCain: "Ashamed of my country" over Ukraine response
Sen. John McCain, R-Arizona, discusses his disappointment with America's lack of response to the Ukraine crisis.



This was passed into law/ signed by Obama:

1. Sanctions of Russia’s energy industry, including Rosoboronexport and Gazprom.

2. Sanctions of Russia’s defense industry, with respect to arms sales to Syria.

3. Broad sanctions on Russians’ banking and investments.

4. Provisions for privatization of Ukrainian infrastructure, electricity, oil, gas and renewables, with the help of the World Bank and USAID.

5. Fifty million dollars to assist in a corporate takeover of Ukraine’s oil and gas sectors.

6. Three hundred and fifty million dollars for military assistance to Ukraine, including anti-tank, anti-armor, optical, and guidance and control equipment, as well as drones.

7. Thirty million dollars for an intensive radio, television and Internet propaganda campaign throughout the countries of the former Soviet Union.

8. Twenty million dollars for “democratic organizing” in Ukraine.

9. Sixty million dollars, spent through groups like the National Endowment for Democracy, “to improve democratic governance, and transparency, accountability [and] rule of law” in Russia. What brilliant hyperbole to pass such a provision the same week the Senate’s CIA torture report was released.

10. An unverified declaration that Russia has violated the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, is a nuclear “threat to the United States” and should be held “accountable.”

11. A path for the U.S. withdrawal from the INF Treaty, which went into force in 1988. The implications of this are immense. An entire series of arms agreements are at risk of unraveling. It may not be long before NATO pushes its newest client state, Ukraine, to abrogate the Non-Proliferation Treaty, which Ukraine signed when it gave up its nuclear weapons, and establish a renewed nuclear missile capability, 300 miles from Moscow.

12. A demand that Russia verifiably dismantle “any ground launched cruise missiles or ballistic missiles with a range of between 500 and 5,500 kilometers …”—i.e., 300 and 3,300 miles.

America on a War Footing Three Members of Congress Just Reignited the Cold War While No One Was Looking Global Research

 

[Paradise Falls]

Hryvnia crashes on unraveling ceasefire fears

The hryvnia has fallen 9.68 per cent to a fresh low of 31 per US dollar as continuing sporadic artillery fire and gun battles continue to test the efficacy of the ceasefire, which was brokered just over a week ago.
A fatal bombing in the city of Kharkiv yesterday added to fears that the truce is doomed.

In a bleak note, Tim Ash of Standard Bank said:

Let's not beat around the bush - Ukraine is facing economic/financial meltdown.

There are many problems facing Ukraine, including Russian intervention in eastern Ukraine, and the conflict scenario therein - but the other big one is the leisurely approach to supporting Ukraine adopted by the West. Its an absolute travesty that Ukraine has not recevied any International Monetary Fund support since August 29, so like almost 6 months ago - and this was a credit that the West was saying had to be financially supported, and not allowed to fail.

The Russian rouble has also been hit today by concerns over the sustainability of the ceasefire, as well as discussions over further Western sanctions against Moscow over the military situation in Ukraine.
The rouble and Russia's external bonds are also being hammered today, after Moody's followed Standard & Poor's in downgrading Russia's credit rating to "junk".

Hryvnia crashes on unravelling ceasefire fears - fastFT Market-moving news and views 24 hours a day - FT.com

Counting the Cost: The January Mariupol Offensive

This extremely heavy barrage of Grad and Uragan rockets killed at least 29 civilians and one Ukrainian soldier, and left a total of 108 people wounded.

 

[Mineva]

Why this fcking country have a war thousands of miles away in another country ? in another continent ?

 

[A Perez]

The mainstream media in the U.S. is being very quiet about this, but the truth is that the U.S.-backed government in Kiev is starting to lose the civil war. This week, the separatists captured the very important railway junction of Debaltseve despite the fact that a ceasefire is supposed to be in place. Buoyed by a constant influx of Russian weapons and supplies, the separatists have gained a clear upper hand in the conflict. But this was not supposed to happen.

When protest groups that were funded, organized and advised by organizations in the United States violently overthrew the democratically elected Ukrainian government, the Obama administration was hoping that the Ukrainian people would rapidly embrace their new pro-western leaders. Instead, the nation was plunged into a very bitter civil war that could go on for many years.

And as the battlefield stands right now, the government in Kiev will probably be forced to concede even more territory in the months ahead as more weapons and fighters arrive from Russia. The Obama administration could decide to intervene by shipping large amounts of weapons and supplies to the Ukrainian government, but that could turn the civil war in Ukraine into a proxy war between the United States and Russia. And the thing about proxy wars is that sometimes they turn into real wars.

Earlier this month, the world rejoiced when a ceasefire between the government in Kiev and the separatists was announced.

But it didn’t last long.

The scene of devastation is staggering in Debaltseve, the town at the heart of the battle between Ukrainian forces and pro-Russian separatists in recent days.

Barely a house is unscathed by shelling. Elderly civilians trapped by the fighting still cower in basements. After most Ukrainian forces pulled out Wednesday, the separatists are now in control.

It’s obvious there’s been a seismic shift on the battlefield. But it’s not yet clear what the Ukrainian withdrawal means for the shaky peace deal that came into force Sunday.



Will the separatists halt their offensive, satisfied with the territory they hold? Or will they be emboldened to push for more?

And of course this is all part of a much larger trend. The separatists have been winning new territory for months. If this trend continues, Russia could possibly advance over old soviet borders, into what could be seen as Europe.

The U.S.-Backed Government In Ukraine Is Starting To Lose The Civil War Alex Jones Infowars There s a war on for your mind

USA is not at war with Ukraine. How many combat troops do we have there?

 

[Paradise Falls]

Ukraine reports 12 more drone flights in Mariupol area. Russia seriously surveying the defences there.

Kyiv Post
Maxim Tucker on Twitter Ukraine reports 12 more drone flights in Mariupol area. Russia seriously surveilling the defences there.

Ukraine accuses pro-Russia rebels of violating truce near Mariupol

Kiev says Russia has sent 20 tanks and other vehicles and heavy weapons towards Mariupol, a port city of half a million residents on the Azov Sea coast. Ukrainian officials said Sunday two tank attacks were reported there.

Fears for truce as attacking rebels mass near Ukraine port city - Yahoo News

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Militants fire Grad rockets near Mariupol

Press officer of the Mariupol sector of the front line Valeriy Chaliy told local news agency 0629 residents of Mariupol’s Vostochniy district could hear the sound of the rocket barrage.

"As of 1440, the militants have fired with tanks, mortars and heavy artillery on the positions of the Ukrainian army in the village of Shyrokyne," he said.

At the same time, the headquarters of the Territorial Defense of Mariupol reported on its Facebook page that the militants had fired Grad rockets on the village of Lebedynske.

"The Russian-backed militants have just fired Grad multiple rocket launcher systems on the village of Lebedynske from the village of Kominternove," the report reads.

"In addition, the militants have attacked with mortars the village of Vodiane from the village of Zaichenko, and now their three tanks are firing on the positions of the National Guard of Ukraine and the village itself," the report says.

Militants fire Grad rockets near Mariupol UNIAN news

Mariupol –

We hear the booming of their shells as we pause at the edge of Mariupol.

We hear the shelling but cannot gain access to it.

We meet Colonel Viktor Shedlyuk, an amiable Ukrainian commander of of a military sector of the city. He agrees there is serious fighting around a town to the east of the city:

“There is no ceasefire at the moment at all – there is heavy fighting around Shirokino every day – there are tens of attacks daily…they use artillery including tanks which are used for hours against our soldiers and only the bravery of our soldiers allows us to withstand it.”

Mariupol the next front in the Ukraine war Alex Thomson s View Alex Thomson s View

Ukrainian 248,683 48.7%
Russian 226,848 44.4%
Pontic Greeks 21,923 4.3%
Belarusian 3,858 0.8%
Armenian 1,205 0.2%
Jews 1,176 0.2%
Bulgarian 1,082 0.2%
other 6,060 1.2%

All population 510,835

Mariupol - Wikipedia the free encyclopedia

OSCE says ceasefire not holding in "critical, strategic points"

“The [OSCE] mission concludes that the ceasefire is not holding in critical, strategic points, such as to the east of the city of Mariupol, at and around the Donetsk airport, and in the city of Debaltseve, to which we had access only last Saturday,” Hug told FRANCE 24 from Kiev.

Hug said residents of the now rebel-held town of Debaltseve were in a “dire situation”.

Europe - Video Ukraine ceasefire not holding OSCE monitors say - France 24

More news to come out of Ukraine..