A coal blockade targeting separatist eastern Ukraine began in January, with ultra-nationalist groups blocking rail traffic into the breakaway region. Today, the separatists responded by seizing a number of coal mines and related factories across the country’s east.
The Ukraine government had publicly opposed the blockade, warning it risked blackouts and factory closures if the coal wasn’t allowed to flow. At the same time, they proved unable to stop the ultra-nationalists stopping the shipments, even when the rebels started threatening to seize mines, as they ultimately did.
British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson was quick to condemn the move by the separatists, and quick to insist it was all Russia’s fault, insisting that Russia had “encouraged” the behavior. Russian officials noted the incident would never have happened if the blockade hadn’t continued.
In addition to the mines and steel factories, the offices of Ukrtelecom were also seized in the nation’s east, which temporary cut phone service to about 200,000 people in the area. The separatists had originally threatened to target all western-based businesses’ eastern offices, but it is unclear exactly how far that has gone.
Anything the British government opposes is virtually automatically guaranteed to be the good side on anything whatsoever.
Ukraine, a failed state?
Looks like it;s going there. Even if Kyiv made the decision to reign in the private militias, I don’t think they’d be able to do it. An these people will not let them de-escalate the conflict even if the government wanted to.
Shows all the impotence of government. The key dillema is — only Western Ukraine is the source of this ideology, and the majority of fighters. Many other regions simphatize.
Can you please explain what you mean by “the source of this ideology”?
The Ukrainian government was just about to gain control of all of the ground lost to the militia groups within Ukraine’s borders until the Russian army, complete with their latest weapons and troops come to the aid of the militias. Russia’s defense forces crossed the border into Ukraine and regained all of the ground that the militia groups originally held, until a cease fire was took place that was sponsored by Germany through the UN.
Please do not tell me that Russia and its proxy fighters are the poor victims in this conflict. If the militia groups don’t like it living in Ukraine, then I suggest they move across the border into Russia where they can live happily with their cowardly comrades.
Well, except that when you refer to “within Ukraine’s borders,” you’re talking about Ukraine’s borders before the Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics seceded. AFTER they seceded, they were no longer “within Ukraine’s borders.”
That was after the rebel (with Russian assistance) fighting that we are talking about. Regardless, these so called republics of the rebels are located within Ukraine’s borders and I don’t believe that they will remain a permanent fixture.
lets see WHO funded the Ultra nationalists that when THEY seized power threatened to Get rid of the Sub human Russian Speaking scum from Eastern Ukraine…………..that’s right it was the United States and the Assistant Secretary of State Victoria Nuland!
It’s amazing how the Anglosphere media has given so much coverage over alleged courting of hate groups by the Trump campaign because a tiny number of racist yokels voice support for Trump, yet complete silence about the Uke governments partnership with openly fascist groups who;s militias march by the thousands in broad daylight!
Seriously, where the hell do you people get your information from? Where do you hear that the Ukrainian government courts fascist groups? This information can only come from the nonsense that Russia likes to propagate about Ukraine because it suits their own agenda in controlling Ukraine, its government and its people.
I encourage you all to learn the real facts.
Was it part of the 5 billion she mentioned in the fu@k Europe call…?????
Have you learned nothing? It is nogoognicks Boris and Natasha
But not Boris Johnson. He’s a good nogoodnick.
Where do you get your facts from Mr de Leeu. Really! The people of Ukraine want to separate themselves from Russia, as all a future with Russia guarantees them is poverty and corruption. They believe that their future and best interests lie with the west and Europe. Russia cannot afford to let Ukraine go their own way because they rely on Ukraine.
But Russia has screwed it’s chances up with Ukraine. The only thing in it for Ukraine if they choose their future to be with Russia is poverty. Russia continues to keep Ukraine and its people poor because this way, Russia will ensure that they will continue to rule over them.
For all of you fools who continue to think Russia is the victim here, I suggest that you gain some real knowledge on this issue, and its history and stop swallowing Russia’s supply of disinformation.
Nice to see that you sre wise to “Toria….. The cripy butcher of Kiev… She and Hillary are the Devils Duo… Where they go, governments fall and the peoplease die… If you stand downwind the sulphur
smell is unmistakable.. Falling into their clutches is a fate.worse than death….
BoJo the Clown is once again living up his Nom de Guerre
There can only be one Bojo. I dream of seeing him on a stage with Donald Trump, both of them speaking freely without prompts or scripts.
Russia needs to occupy and strongly fortify Eastern Ukraine to keep U.S.-sponsored fascist goons out of there.
I guess it’s too late now to fortify Western Ukraine, heheh…
Uncle Sam already got in!
Silly Ukrainians, that’s the dopiest thing you could ever have possibly done. What were you thinking?
I suppose it was those cookies Nudelman and her sidekick (John McCain the Insane) had been doling out to the “protesters” in Kiev 3 years ago. I wonder what drug was in them.
Really, longlance, where do you get your information from? That is when you are not playing fantasy Wizards and Warlocks fighting games on the internet.
The separatists are being perfectly reasonable, perhaps too much so. Russia is willing to have another proxy war with the US I think, but is avoiding it. The US in contrast thirsts for conflict wherever possible, and in this case eggs on the fascists to attack more.
All this really means now is an accelerated propaganda campaign against Russia/Putin. We know it can’t get worse until either side makes a fatal mistake and whacks somebody accidentally. Or on purpose but claimed to be accidentally.
Then, it’s likely that an apology will work again, simply because the alternative is too horrible to contemplate.
Russia is simply not going to give up Syria and Iran! And the completion of the PNAC agenda is just too important for the US to give up on. It’s the future for the US verses the Brics.
What do you mean an accelerated propaganda campaign against Russia and Putin? Russia deserves everything that it gets from the West.
You mention that it cannot get any worse until one side makes a fatal mistake -do you mean a fatal mistake like shooting down a commercial jet liner, such as Indonesian Airlines flight MH17, -with its 300 odd innocent civilians on board? No, Russia has never done anything against the interests of innocent civilians, ever!
Where do you people get your news information from?
The Obama Foreign Service was soooo smart.