What is happening with Russia and Ukraine now?

The State Committee in Television and Radio-Broadcasting of Ukraine has called off Euronews media license because the government has no control over what they report.

They have banned a lot of TV and Radio channels recently for "separatism" as well as Russian TV series and movies in the name of freedom of speech.

 

Poroshenko came to talk to the workers of the Borispol Airport protesting against mass terminations of employment.

We are financing a war, therefore people are being fired to cut expenses, it doesn't matter if you worked here for years or not. And don't you raise your voice at me, or you will be removed at once.

[YOUTUBE]SP-ee1xLyBc[/YOUTUBE]

 

Ukrainian media reports that from now on the Ukrainian public utility will severely punish people that fail to pay the bills up to confiscating their apartments according to the law in the penal code of Ukraine.

The electricity and gas tariffs have been raised 40% in comparison to last year and 13 billion UAH of debt has been accumulated. The government plans to gradually raise tariffs for citizens up to 350% to match the International Monetary Fund conditions for loans.

 

Ukrainian media reports that Ukroboronprom has proposed to modernize up to 300 T-72 tanks Ukraine has in conservation to match the Polish PT-91 which are T-72 tanks modified to conform to NATO standards.

Judging by Ukrainian efforts at managing their T-64 tanks, they can't afford to do this at this point. Could it mean that Poland plans to send their own PT-91s as well as spare parts and crews/instructors?

 

On a side note, Ukraine media reports that the opposition has created a Moscow People's Republic. UA media also reports that there are clashes between "Moscow junta" and "MPR army" and that Putin is ready to nuke Moscow to deal with the threat.

:laugh:

 

After the administration of Chernukhino penal colony ran away during clashes between LPR and UA armies, some of the inmates and prison staff decided to stay behind and are using the bakery that was left intact after shelling to provide bread for the local population. The only other source of food in the area at the moment is humanitarian aid from the Luhansk rebels:

[YOUTUBE]8MbGDR9RpFs[/YOUTUBE]

 

The National Interest reports that plenty of politicians inside Obama's administration are pushing for sending weapons to Ukraine, regardless of what Obama actually says, using misinformation and exaggeration to sell the idea to Europe.

 

Bloomberg reports that Russia rebounds despite sanctions and global investors are optimistic about corporate Russia's continued resilience.

Meanwhile Greece, Italy, Hungary, Spain, Austria and Cyrpus contemplate continuing sanctions or calling them off altogether. For instance Italian foreign minister Paolo Gentiloni outright says that sanctions do nothing to help resolve the crisis.

Spoiler

Of course, this is just talk. It's safe to assume that when the deadline approaches (Summer this year), the sanctions will be put in place regardless of European government's opinions.

When Total's CEO was pushing for cooperation with RF he died in a plane crash and Total immideately joined the sanctions. When Hollande hesitated about Mistrals France got Charlie Hebdo. When Merkel hesitated about the Victory Day parade Germany got Frankfurt riots.

Just saying.

 

Yes, because everyone out there is out to fight Russia or is paid by those who are out to fight Russia. This is exactly the kind of stuff I hear from people in EU about Russia being behind everything, but turned upside down to support Russian state interests.

 

Forbes reports that the bulk of humanity living on the Black Sea peninsula believe the referendum to secede from Ukraine was legit.

"One year after the annexation of the Ukrainian peninsula in the Black Sea, poll after poll shows that the locals there — be they Ukrainians, ethnic Russians or Tartars are all in agreement: life with Russia is better than life with Ukraine."

 

Oh, of course nobody is out to get the RF. Well, other than US openly admitting staging a UA coup, Western leaders threatening to destroy RF economy, politicians instigating killing Russians on TV and Stratfor basically spelling it out for everyone

 

Ukraine ex-President Yanukovych's son 'drowns in lake'.

 

Poroshenko met with Turkish president Erdogan and warned him against building Turkish Stream pipeline. Which is reasonable, seeing how after a pipeline is finished by 2019, Ukraine becomes pretty much irrelevant.

EDIT: Rolfwar, last time I checked this was still unconfirmed, with media outlets citing each other in a circlejerk with no definitive proof. I also took the liberty to fix your link to contain the name of the article.

 

Kolomoisky, a Ukrainian oligarch, and Poroshenko, also a Ukrainian oligarch, are engaged in a bit of infighting over oil pipelines.

When a leader of Ukrtransnaft was kicked out and replaced, Kolomoisky showed up with a squad of riflemen and barricaded himself in the building, blaming Poroshenko for a hostile takeover. Later Poroshenko released a statement, berating Kolomoisky for this. In return Kolomoisky arrested Poroshenko's bank accounts with $50kk on them.

 

Completely missed the point, I see... I was referring to plane crashes, ISIL terrorist attacks and lefties causing civil unrest against Western banks - all of which you suggested were somehow connected to opposing Russia. Let me quote you again:

Yet now you use completely different points? So no, that wasn't clever at all. One way to stop becoming paranoid like the Russophobes is to stop following these events with such fervour. Give yourself a break, have a drink or two and relax.

 

Ah, I see, my mistake.

 

Kolomoisky vs Poroshenko is getting interesting.

TL;DR: Two of the richest people of Ukraine are fighting over oil and gas with billions behind them and private armies backing them up.

Poroshenko controls the army, SBU and Ministry of internal affairs forces, while Kolomoisky has control over the "volunteer" batallions, that have recently left the frontlines and are coming to Kiev.

It's interesting how all of the important political figures banded together, even though they highly disliked just each other a few days ago. I guess taking all the money from Kolomoisky is a good enough reason.

• Poroshenko sent National Guard to Dnipropetrovsk, a city that Kolomoisky controls.
• Avakov, a head of a ministry of internal affairs, gave Kolomoisky people 24 hours to lay down their weapons. Private armed forces can't be allowed on the streets of Kiev.
• Nalivaichenko, the head of SBU, accused Kolomoisky's people of supporting Donbass terrorists.
• SBU and volunteer batallions are fighting over control of smuggling operations. Selling weapons and supplies to the rebels is a lucrative business worth dying for, apparently.

It's also worth noting that Kolomoisky's "punishment" is going to happen right around the same time the leader of Right Sector Myzichko "committed suicide". Ministry of internal affairs admitted just now that it was their job.

 

Ooooh, that's a mutiny alright. Dnepropetrovsk state administration spokesman, a subordinate of Kolomoisky, released a statement saying that official Kiev lies about decentralization, reforms, death toll in the ATO, everything.

"There are thieves sitting in Kiev and it's time for them to go."

[YOUTUBE]JyCPSTEl1OY[/YOUTUBE]

One thief robs another, eh?

 

Ukraine is going to fall apart. I mean, it's already falling apart, but yeah...

 

The coup was staged exactly for this. And the new standoff between Kolomoisky and Poroshenko is most likely to fracture it even more and start an all out war in Ukraine.

---

Right sector goons vs guards in Odessa (NSFW):

[YOUTUBE]v2ChoLTrvf0[/YOUTUBE]