Translated and edited by Voices of Ukraine
Brothers and sisters,
Here’s the Summary for April 10, 2014
The bad news:
1. Moscow’s scenario to split Ukraine has become more sluggish, but no less exhausting. The terrorism problems in Donetsk and Luhansk have not been solved yet. Pro-Russian “Colorado beetles” [referring to orange and black St. George’s ribbons] keep lifting their heads up in the south [of Ukraine] – they have become active in Odesa after Mykolayiv. The Russian troops continue to hang around our border.
This dismal circus clearly intends to hold out until the presidential elections, and will try to disrupt them. And if the successes of the collaborationists are felt before the elections, then the Kremlin could still attempt to send its troops into Ukraine – we do not discount this possibility, not even a little bit.
We are all rather tired of all this. Judging from the latest statements by the Ukrainian authorities – they have had enough, too. They are promising to fundamentally resolve the issue once and for all, if necessary – with the use of force. Let’s hope that political resolve and determination will give positive results in the near future. Although it goes without saying, nobody needs bloodshed.
2. Russian President vladimir Putin said why he was forced to ensure the annexation of Crimea. As in, “preliminary data from sociological polls of local residents” became the reference point for Russia’s actions.
I don’t know if Putin really is an idiot or if he is just pretending. I don’t have the appropriate medical education to diagnose him. But what this figure says, is alarming for his mental health.
If the world is to be built using this logic, if wars and territorial occupations are based on some obscure and widely unknown “survey data,” then the history of civilization will end much sooner than we would like.
I really hope that the world will seek justice against this madman with a nuclear club.
The good news:
1. The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe [PACE] has withdrawn Russia’s voting rights at PACE until the end of the year. The Kremlin’s entire propaganda and diplomatic machine (in Russia these are the same) has become stalled on European expanses, when it comes to Ukraine. The homegrown Goebbels ideologists of Russism have been silenced in Europe. And rightly so.
At the same time, the head of “Freedom House” David Kramer has announced today that there are no manifestations of extremism and radicalism in Ukraine, vehemently broadcast by Moscow. In turn, the OSCE does not confirm the infringement of rights of the Russian-speaking Ukrainians.
Putin’s veil of lies is withering away. And the whole world sees the face of Vladimir Vladimirovich, twisted with anger. Accordingly, the support for Ukraine is growing. And rightly so.
2. NATO is building up its naval group in the Black Sea. Tomorrow, Dupuy de Lome, the large reconnaissance ship, will join American destroyer USS Donald Cook already deployed there, and on April 14, the French Navy destroyer Duplex will enter the Black Sea.
NATO stated that it would not engage in military actions supporting Ukraine. Russia has nothing to fear. But when there are serious guys with readily drawn weapons strolling the shore of territories newly chopped off by the aggressor, it’s unnerving. The occupier’s dream becomes akin to an alcoholic’s sleep – anxious and brief.
3. The Foreign Ministry of Ukraine predicts the onset of a visa-free regime with the EU beginning January 1, 2015.
Honestly, I could care less about the visa-free regime with the EU, Uruguay, or Burundi. For the past 20 years, I have been in Europe (the EU) only once, on a KFOR official trip to Kosovo. But for many of our fellow countrymen, a visa-free regime is a necessity.
I also perfectly understand that the visa-free regime – this is what we, ordinary Ukrainians, can physically feel with our hands in relations with the EU. Again, it’s practical evidence of confidence and friendliness toward us. That is a serious act of support, which is so important to us these days.
4. The “Hard truth,” the Ukrainian spontaneous flash mob, is still on. In Odesa, activists pelted Presidential candidate Serhiy Tihipko with eggs, while shouting “Putin’s whore!”
Generally, [such behavior] is all wrong. We are civilized enough to express our likes and dislikes on election day, with ballot in hand.
But then I would say – the rating is on the wall. More specifically, on the face. There’s a folk infographic for you.
