Article

2017-11-26 Caucasus/Russia/Central Asia

Rebels say the November 23rd attack in Frunze was just a start -- Updated

Archived material is restricted to Rantburg regulars and members. If you need access email fred.pruitt=at=gmail.com with your nick to be added to the members list. There is no charge to join Rantburg as a member.

Posted by badanov 2017-11-26 00:00|| || Front Page|| [3 views ] Top

#1 I admit I haven't been following this war very closely. But it seems they've been going at it for quite some time now without either side being able to gain any kind of advantage. Rather than continue to waste blood and treasure, isn't it about time for them to negotiate some kind of a compromise?

Posted by Abu Uluque 2017-11-26 15:13|| 2017-11-26 15:13|| Front Page Top

#2 Not while EU stirs the pot, Abu.

Posted by g(r)omgoru 2017-11-26 15:54|| 2017-11-26 15:54|| Front Page Top

#3 I admit I haven't been following this war very closely. But it seems they've been going at it for quite some time now without either side being able to gain any kind of advantage. Rather than continue to waste blood and treasure, isn't it about time for them to negotiate some kind of a compromise?

Neither side wants to compromise. The rebels want reunification with the Musovites and Ukraine won't accept automomy.

The basics are this: Ukraine wants to eliminate all Russian influence by banning the Russian language, as Czar Aleksandr II did the Ukrainian language in the mid-1800s.

And Ukraine has reciprocated, by banning the use of the Russian language officially earlier this year, and in films, books, etc. Two years after the coup, Russian speaking Ukrainians were told their language would eventually not be used in conducting business with the government, so the supporters of the Maidan government made good on their threat.

Russians (from Russia) have two major beefs with Ukraine, and the first is the government of Ukraine was, for all intents and purposes, imposed by coup by NATO and the US. In the Russians' view, that act alone placed NATO and the US in breach of treaties that said NATO would not try to expand, which they wound up doing anyway.

When the ABMs were talked about, Putin's military commanders said deployment of those missiles are not meant to protect Europe from Iran, but to be used as a shield against Russia in anticipation of a ground offensive against Russia.

When the government of Ukraine was deposed, Putin made a decision to protect Russian interests in Crimea, where they have a naval base and airfields they have held since the 1800s, by annexing Crimea.

Now there is some doubt as to the veracity but FSB operative Igor Girkin claimed to have been the commander for the takeover in Crimea, which for all the displays of military power, was bloodless.

Girkin also was the prime operative in fomenting the rebellion against Ukraine, starting in Slavyansk. When the new Maidan government started to use their own military power to crush the rebellion, is when, I assume, Russian military equipment, including heavy vehicles and individual soldiers -- active duty as well as veterans of previous wars (Afghanistan, Chechnya, South Ossetia, etc) -- were sent across the border to aid the rebels.

Ukrainian claim that whole Russian brigade sized formations are deployed in southeastern Ukraine, but my personal belief is that they are there to act as a fire brigade.

The rest is history.

Most of those fellas fighting at the beginning in Slavyansk now hold higher military and in political posts within Lugansk and Donetsk, so they are naturally afraid that Putin could hang them out to dry. They won't negotiate unless they get an out.

And I don't blame them.

Hope this helps.

Posted by badanov 2017-11-26 18:04|| http://www.chriscovert.net 2017-11-26 18:04|| Front Page Top

23:59 JohnQC
23:58 Zenobia Floger6220
23:51 Zenobia Floger6220
23:46 Rob Crawford
23:45 Rob Crawford
21:58 Skidmark
21:29 Zenobix Flogxr622x
21:26 Zenobia Floger6220
21:23 Zenobia Floger6220
21:16 Alaska Paul
21:13 Alaska Paul
21:06 Alaska Paul
21:04 Alaska Paul
20:58 Alaska Paul
20:55 Bright Pebbles
20:51 Alaska Paul
20:50 Skidmark
20:49 Zenobia Floger6220
20:48 Skidmark
20:46 KBK
20:40 Skidmark
20:39 Skidmark
20:37 Alaska Paul
20:34 Skidmark