The Other Shoe: Trouble in the Ukraine

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Map of Ukraine and Europe[/caption]

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Welcome back My Dear Readers to The Other Shoe. For the past several months I have watched the people of the Ukraine battle elements of the corrupt government. From the pages of Time I have seen the street-by-street fighting in Kiev. To date, hundreds of ‘protesters’ have lost their lives at the hands of militant members of the now defunct government. I say “defunct government” because Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych has been chased from the capital, ousted by the people.

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President Viktor Yanukovych is now sought refuge in the city of Rostov-on-Don, near the southwestern border with Ukraine and about 700 miles south of Moscow. In a statement he gave, today, he makes it clear that he wants Russia to return is Presidency to him.

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Giving a press conference in Rostov-on-Don Ex-President Yankovych said:

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“As soon as this meeting takes place, I will understand his attitude. ... It would not be correct now for me to speak about what Russia should do now. ... Russia must use all its possibilities in order to overcome this chaos, this terror which today is taking place in Ukraine. It is difficult for me to say what can come about,…”[1]

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Showing his hand Yankovych said:

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“"I consider that Russia must and has to act,"[2]

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The international community, on the other hand, favor self-rule in the Ukraine. Aye, there’s the rub. The riots, in the streets of Kiev and other major Ukrainian cities, are between the ‘rebels’ (actually they are the people of Ukraine that favor joining the European Union and the ouster of President Yankovych), and the military of Ukraine. In just the past two months hundreds of protesters have given their lives in the pursuit of self-rule in the Ukraine.

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“The sights of bullet-riddled bodies slumped amid smoldering debris, some of them shot in the head, and screaming medics carrying the dead and wounded to emergency clinics, including one in a hotel lobby, shocked the country and the world. The opposition said that at least 70 and as many as 100 people had been killed, while municipal authorities put the day’s death toll at 39.”[3]

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The majority of the people, not in power, seek a democratic Ukraine becoming a part of the larger European Union. Where those in power and a ever decreasing minority of the people want strong ties with Russia. The Ukraine has, for decades, had strong cultural and governmental ties with Russia. They speak the same language and have been close allies, since the formation of the former U.S.S.R.. The, just ousted, President and government sought to crush the people that sought membership in the European Union. Labeling them rebels and revolutionaries in the state controlled media.

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Russia and the Ukraine[/caption]

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America, from the beginning of the conflict, has stood by the people of the Ukraine and for membership in the European Union. The people (rebels by the state run media… and certain media outlets abroad) have made inroads towards self-rule and the ouster of the hardliner Russian sympathizers. Even to the point of chasing a member of the ousted Parliament through the streets;

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“SIMFEROPOL, Ukraine – A Ukrainian member of parliament arrived in this Crimean city Friday evening only to be jeered and chased through the streets by angry pro-Russian demonstrators.

As the most high profile representative of the Maidan movement to come to the Crimea peninsula since the conflict began, Petro Poroshenko attempted to enter the Crimean parliament to start a dialogue with officials.” [4]

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Just moments ago President Obama made a statement, from the White House, to the White House press corps. The President was making his statement, in support of the people of the Ukraine, and in response to reports that Russia has upped the ante and escalated the conflict by:

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“On Friday afternoon, the regular flight from Moscow touched down in the Crimean capital of Simferopol, in the south of Ukraine, carrying the leader of a Russian motorcycle gang known as the Night Wolves. Alexander Zoldostanov, an old friend of Russian President Vladimir Putin, was wearing his usual get-up – a flaming wolf’s head stenciled onto his black leather vest – but for once he was not the most intimidating figure on the scene…”[5]

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Russian President Putin is obviously working to apply more pressure on the ‘rebels’ and support the ousted government. Using this “biker gang” in the stead of actual Russian military forces. You see, Putin realizes that as soon as Russian military forces are involved the international community will quickly draw parallels between his use of troops in Georgia.(See Russian-Georgia War “The Russia–Georgia War of 2008 (also known as the 2008 South Ossetia War, Five-Day War or August War) was an armed conflict in August 2008 between Georgia on one side, and Russia and the separatist South Ossetia and Abkhazia on the other.”[6] )

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For many, especially those of the newly installed government of the Ukraine, Russia has already brought military troops into the conflict.

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“That, at least, is what they looked like to Ukraine’s new leadership, which was vaulted to power only a week ago after overthrowing President Viktor Yanukovych. In a statement posted on his Facebook page, Ukraine’s acting Interior Minister, Arsen Avakov, called the presence of these troops a “military invasion and occupation,” claiming the troops were part of a Russian military force. But Moscow refused to confirm or deny that. In a statement Friday evening, the Russian Foreign Ministry said that it had informed the Ukrainian authorities that Russian military vehicles and troops would be moving around the Crimea “to ensure the security of the presence of the Black Sea Fleet on the territory of Ukraine.” The statement added that Russia saw no need to consult further with Ukrainian authorities about the movement of its military assets in the Crimea, which usually houses at least 13,000 troops and dozens of ships at the base in Sevastopol. Beyond that base, however, they normally need the permission of Ukrainian authorities to move around.”[7]

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My Dear Readers I have hesitated in writing about this conflict. I can hesitate no longer. Today, I will not publish the horrific pictures coming out of Kiev. As editor of this blog… I work tirelessly to make sure that young readers can come here and read my work. Having said, I have yet to publish (at any time during the past four years) violent images. For all parents that number among My Dear Readers? I will give you a warning. Within the next week… I fear that I will no longer be able to accurately represent the situation on the Ukraine without publishing images… from said conflict.

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Map of the Ukraine[/caption]

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If you are a parent and know that your young adult of child reads my blog? I suggest that you preview any upcoming articles I may publish about this conflict in the Ukraine. Trust me; I will work to make my selections ‘in good taste’. I genuinely respect all of you My Dear Readers and your children. For the past four years I have never published anything I would not want my own child of 10-14 to view or read. However, my standards may differ from yours and I want to show you the up most respect by publishing this warning.

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My Dear Readers, America was once as the Ukraine is today. As France stood by our fledgling democracy, I feel America should stand by and for the people of the Ukraine and their pursuit for self-rule. I freely admit my bias in this conflict. I will do my best to write and report in the most fair and balanced way possible. As the days and weeks pass, I will do my best to make timely updates on this conflict.

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Having said, if there is news on this conflict I will break my scheduled articles to make way for any said update. I will resume my regularly scheduled articles just as soon as is possible. Today was a ‘Free’ day. In that I give myself Fridays to publish what ever strikes my fancy. Today, this struck my fancy.

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As I am still recuperating I am going to make this article short, in that I will stop for today. I will make sure that I update this article just as soon as there is any breaking news. Thank you for your time and your consideration.

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As always I am deeply honored that you come here and read my work.

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Thank you!

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