Ukrainian government efforts to portray their civil war as a fight primarily against the Russian Federation appears to be paying some dividends recently, as volunteer units of Chechen Islamists are arriving in Ukraine to join the government’s side in fighting against the rebels.
“We like to fight the Russians,” declared one of the Chechens, adding “we always fight the Russians.” Three Islamic battalions are in Ukraine right now fighting for the government, deployed on the front lines in their battle against the ethnic Russian rebels.
While the Ukrainians are cheering the arrival, saying they are happy for all the help they can get, they are also a risk for the ongoing ceasefire, as volunteer Islamist factions aren’t exactly known for their level-headedness and willingness to obey the chain of command.
It also risks setting the stage for more wars after the resolution of the ongoing civil war in the east, as the government was already heavily reliant on neo-Nazi militias, and adding Islamist groups to that seems to be adding to the powder keg.
If the Russian government were as aggressive as the American, they could use this to justify all sorts of military activity. Using American logic even invade and occupy Ukraine since it is harboring terrorists. And with good reason too.
Good point! Why is Putin so obviously afraid of a fullscale invasion of Ukraine? Within his own logic, he should have done it long ago and the more he hangs back, the more obvious it is that he's afraid to take that final step. Has Obama told him that's the rubicon he must not cross? Is he afraid that his rickety conscript army won't fight? Or, indeed, is he afraid that the colonised peoples will declare their independence if he gets bogged down in a war in Ukraine?
A brand new task for ISIS. These are ISIS trained and transported from Iraq and Syria battlegrounds. Who transported them? Who armed them, who is funding them? Everyday they need food, shelter, ammunition, communications, etc. Those Chechens that came over to help rebels are incorporated into rebel territory, and living with residents. But those that came to Ukrainian territory, who is sponsoring them? It is really not a mystery. Just like ISIS showing up in Yemen, or in Tripoli region where they just "happened" to harass the Tripoli based government — the one opposing Western installed one in Benghazi region. This is deliberate provocation to undermine leadership of Chechnya. And to hopefully provoke conflict. It is not in the nature of Ukrainian regime to sit still. The need conflict, any conflict. Without it, they cannot stay in power. If this destabilizes region even further, instead of imaginary Russian aggression, we may see actual Russian incursion to preempt deterioration of security on its own territory. And if this happens, bets are that all regions of Ukraine with majority of Russian ethnic population and Russian Orthodox Ukrainians population will be separated from the Kiev region and Galicia. Regions such as Kharkov, Dnepropetrovsk, Mikolaev, Zaporozhe, Kherson and Odessa will be the new buffer region that will move the conflict from Russia's borders. And shift it to local population that is fiercely opposed to Kiev Galician-based regime. Such playing with fire — like introducing ISIS fighters into the region, will force Russia's hand. Europe will have to fend for itself, as it is incapable to demand of Kiev to stick with Minsk agreement. It is almost comical how Kiev refuses to implement any of the provisions of the agreement, and the very signatories — Germany and France — pretend like nothing is happening! Kiev is blackmailing them and silence from European capitals. Ukraine decided not to pay for gas, and decided that they need no more Russian gas — just to be getting gas from free from Slovakia and other countries that are getting supplies via the same Ukrainian pipeline from Russia. How smart! For as long as Europe gets gas from Russia, and pays for it, it will be under obligation to give gas to Ukraine — for free. Unless it is paid from IMF funds, but then — as any other bankrupt country, how is IMF hoping to get their money back? IMF has now shown beyond any doubt that they are not financial, but political organization. Who knows, those same funds may be supporting "Chechens" serving with Ukrainian forces. Western systems — from political to financial are indeed crumbling. Greece just proved that the Emperor has no clothes.
“we always fight the Russians.”
Except when they are setting off pressure-cooker bombs at US sporting events.
As the Chechens are a PROSCIBED terrorist group in the United States, the Russians would in fact have the LEGAL ability to go into a foreign country like the US claims it has, not unlike the invasion of Afghanistan!
"As the Chechens are a PROSC[R]IBED terrorist group in a fantasy United States that I made up in my imagination"
There, fixed that for ya.
ISIS fighters brought in for "reinforcements" of Nazi militias Those death squads were just not effective enough. And the propaganda value is good — but as propaganda goes it does not resonate among Russia's Moslems, but primarily in the West. This will not inspire Chechens to fight Russians — just the opposite. Chechens have become leery of supporting Western causes. The real guestion is — who brought them and who is financing their operations. I cannot imagine that majority of Ukrainians — no matter where they stand on politics, happy with the prospect of Islamic fundamentalism Wahhabi style taking root in their country. Russia is now looking at multiple forms of terrorism on its borders, targeting Russian ethnic population, causing large civilian casualties. However, if Russia decides to take military action, it will most likely defang Kiev regime substantially, by taking control of majority pro-Russian 8 regions, that will include all the regions abutting Black Sea and stretching up Russian border to the east. The population there is oppressed and subjected to killings and kidnappings. Voting has been so rigged in the last elections, that it gives no hope for those regions to survive planned elimination of "undesirable" population. In fact, two such plans are on the table, one by Yulia Timoshenko and another by the Right Sector. Both involve massive elimination of people through terror in hope to force them to flee to Russia. Ukrainian government and their handlers have overreached. Zealots are imposing their will on the rest of more moderate on both sides — be that in Ukraine or here by the Potomac. That does not bode well for peace and prosperity.
This crowded, little war is starting to look like the stateroom scene in A Night At the Opera.
Even if this is true, and everything on the American internet has to be taken with a grain of salt, it is no more than the same "blowback" that is often referred to in regard to the US. The Russian Federation is the last of the European empires, with about 30 million conquered people still living under Russian colonial rule, including about 1.2 million Chechens. When the Chechens sought their independence, Putin crushed them militarily. That Chechens might see Putin's attempt to re-establish Russian colonial rule over Ukraine as part of their fight would not be surprising. Putin has opened up the pandora's box of secession. It would not be surprising if he fell into his own trap.
I just wanted to say LOL at Michael Kenny's failtrolling *thumbsdown*