Russian President Vladimir Putin today issued multiple statements condemning the Ukrainian government’s military offensive against eastern protesters, warning they were “anti-constitutional” and bringing the nation to the brink of civil war.
Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev made similar comments, saying he hoped Ukraine’s interim government, which he reiterated Russia won’t recognize as legitimate, “has brains to avoid driving the country to such shocks.”
Ukraine has presented the offensive against its eastern provinces as an “anti-terrorist” operation, but is really targeting protesters, many of them ethnic Russians, who are calling for either increased autonomy or outright secession from the Ukraine.
After the secession of Crimea, many in the Ukraine interim government believe they need to be pro-active top prevent future secession, though as has been seen elsewhere, military offensives against protests have a tendency to increase resentment and drive the demonstrators to more militant stances.
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The fact that Putin is starting to babble wildly is a good sign. The other day, it was contrary to internationnal law for Ukraine to enforce its laws in its own territory. Now it's "anti-constitutional". All that suggests that he senses a, probably humiliating, defeat in the offing. The photo beautifully illustrates the Kaddafi-like transformation Putin has undergone. He was never at any time a member of the Russian Navy and unless he's on his way to a Halloween party, it's hard to se why he's dressed up like that.
are you a real person??!
Just a dutiful little Cass Sunstein Thought Police apparatchik.
They need a referendum instead of a civil war. If most of Eastern Ukraine doesn't want to be Ukrainian then it shouldn't have to. If it does then Russia should act like Israel and let their people migrate back home. There is no need to start WWIII.