Russia sending aid convoy to Ukraine

[LarryW]

Let's see there, Vlad ol' buddy, ol' pal...you had 10,000 troops on the border, then 20,000, and now you have 45,000. Surely you're not anticipating the command to "forward march" are you? You appear to be "leaning". And, no one in the world would suspect that you're going to provide armed escort for the Red Cross convoy due to fears of Ukrainian ambush, and the fact that they are unarmed.

The Russians are poised to march into Eastern Ukraine like Sherman went into Georgia, but they also appear quite ready to send the Russian public into a winter with dwindling foodstuffs on shelves; basically play the martyr, and shut off the gas to the EU in the meantime. I know, I know...'economics', right? I don't think the Russians give a shit about economics.

Russia sending aid convoy to Ukraine despite Western warnings of 'invasion pretext'

http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/...0GA0C620140812


(Reuters) - President Vladimir Putin said on Monday Russia is sending an aid convoy to eastern Ukraine despite urgent Western warnings against using humanitarian help as a pretext for an invasion.

With Ukraine reporting Russia has massed 45,000 troops on its border, NATO said there was a "high probability" that Moscow could intervene militarily in the country's east, where Kiev's forces are closing in on pro-Russian separatists.

Western countries believe that Putin - who has whipped up the passions of Russians with a nationalist campaign in state-controlled media since annexing Crimea from Ukraine in March - could now send his forces into the east to head off a humiliating rebel defeat.

Thousands of people are believed to be short of water, electricity and medical aid due to the fighting, but U.S. President Barack Obama told his Ukrainian counterpart that any Russian intervention without Kiev's consent would be unacceptable and violate international law.

European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso delivered a blunter message directly to Putin in a telephone call on Monday. "President Barroso warned against any unilateral military actions in Ukraine, under any pretext, including humanitarian," the Commission said in a statement.

The Kremlin, in its own account of the conversation, made clear that Moscow would indeed send help to largely Russian-speaking eastern Ukraine.

"It was noted that the Russian side, in collaboration with representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross, is sending an aid convoy to Ukraine," the Kremlin statement said, without revealing when the convoy was going.

In a cautious response, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said it had submitted a document to Russian and Ukrainian officials on delivering aid. However, the independent agency stressed in a statement that it needed agreement from all parties as well as security guarantees to carry out the operation, as it does not use armed escorts.

(Cont.)

Maybe Vlad will want to annex Martha's Vineyard next.

The Russians are Coming. Wake up, POTUS.

[Scimitar]

Honestly, I haven't kept up with the details to have an educated decision, but...

Crimea is their only winter port...period. It's important to them, very important, and the EUs been getting closer and closer to traditional Russian borders over time.

S