Ukrainian warplanes and artillery continue to pound the cities of Luhansk and Donetsk, the last strongholds of eastern secessionist rebels, and the military claimed to have taken over a large part of Luhansk in a ground operations.
The death tolls are mounting, mostly from the shelling, and 43 civilians were confirmed killed in Donetsk from the intense attacks by Ukrainian artillery. 52 were reported slain overall, including combatants in the gun battles.
Ukraine also lost another warplane in the course of today’s bombings in Luhansk. This time, it was a Su-25 that was shot down, though details remain scant on the fate of the pilot. It is the second plane lost this week, after a MiG-29 was shot down Monday.
Donetsk remains firmly in the hands of the rebels, though surrounded by Ukrainian military forces and under constant shelling. The humanitarian crisis the siege has caused has displaced about one million civilians, mostly into neighboring Russia. Russia is trying to send humanitarian aid to Donetsk, though it is stuck in customs at the border, with Ukraine complaining the aid shipments amount to an “invasion.”
The secessionist rebels are predominantly ethnic Russians, and are seeking either to break off from Ukraine or gain considerable autonomy. Russia has been backing them and trying to negotiate a settlement, so far without success.
And there will be more, unless somehow everyone in the region flees to Russia or Putin intervenes militarily.
Berzinski, Rand Corporation and Neo fascism regime governing Kiev have the same Idea, cleansing the Russian speaking is the main reason for Neo fascism acting as they do.
And as has been proven by the Israelis, if the USG is on your side, you will not be prosecuted for war crimes or crimes against humanity. As long as the Ubiquitous Satan is allowed to strong arm the world community these crimes will remain acceptable.
The rebels' problem is that they are a minority. Even if the entire Russian minorities in the two provinces backed the demand for annexation or even autonomy, Russians represent only 39% of the population in Lugansk and 38% in Donetsk. Those figures are from the 2002 Ukrainian census and the present-day figure is probably somewhat lower. By what right do a minority seize power by armed force and then seek to dictate to the majority?
"By what right do a minority seize power by armed force and then seek to dictate to the majority?"
But that's exactly what happened in February in Kiev, when far-right political factions overthrew the government and sponsored legislative attacks on the Russian-speaking population and appointed new leaders for the eastern region of the country. Arguably, the so-called rebels in the east are fighting for freedom against this dangerous minority.
The problem with your statistical analysis is it assumes allegiances are determined primarily by a specific cultural identity. Much more telling is the fact that the large majority of displaced persons in the east have fled to Russia, not to other regions in Ukraine. The Ukraine regime has refused negotiation, refused ceasefires, and continues to shell civilian areas and infrastructure with heavy weaponry – which constitute war crimes.
Kind of what like the Washington elite does to the American people.
I'd be hesitant about accepting Kiev claims of taking over Luhansk. Reading the sites following the militia's activities, one learns that Kiev frequently claims winning in a city when they've only entered the suburbs – and usually end up failing to penetrate the urban areas. Which is why they resort to shelling. The Ukraine military is poorly trained. They shell an area, killing mostly civilians and doing little to disrupt the militia, then push in to an area with no maps to tell them where to go, thus getting promptly surrounded and clobbered by the militia, who know their home ground.
Time and again the Ukraine military has pushed forward too quickly, then got surrounded and cut off and then pounded to the point of annihilation by the militia artillery. They don't seem to learn.
The problem for the Ukraine is that they don't have the forces to take and control territory, whereas the problem for the militia is they don't have the forces to defeat the military completely. Both sides have to concentrate their forces in limited areas to achieve anything.
Fortunately the militia has been growing steadily and capturing more and more Ukraine military hardware – as well as being supplied under the table by Russia. Whereas in the initial stages of the conflict they were outnumbered 13 to 1 in personnel and massively in vehicles, now the figure is much more equitable due to the massive losses the Ukraine military has suffered as a result of being caught out in the open by militia artillery and GRADs.
It's far from over, despite whatever Reuters tells you.