The Russian government has announced that they have begun supplying electricity to the Eastern Ukrainian oblasts of Donetsk and Luhansk today, after all electricity supplies were cut by the Ukrainian government. over what they said were unpaid bills.
Donetsk and Luhansk are rebel-held parts of Ukraine, and have been since 2014. The regions have ethnic Russian majorities and rebelled over attempts to ban Russian as an official language, and curtail trade across the Russian border. Many of the rebels advocate secession.
Ukraine’s state power company claimed the regions were some $431 million in debt over non-payment of bills. Russia says that they will be providing power through pre-existing lines effective immediately to avoid loss of electricity to some 3 million people in the effected areas.
The decision by the Ukrainian government to cut power to the region appears to be an attempt to put pressure on the secessionist movement, though ironically by forcing them to turn to Russia for electricity they may further enhanced the region’s link to the Russian Federation.
Good.
Ukropistani stupidity… the one thing you can rely on in this messed up world…
Make Russia foot the bill it’s not like Ukraine is getting anything out of it.Since it’s already under Russia’s control why should Ukraine help out there enemy.All this happened because Ukraine a sovereign nation wanted to join the E.U.and possibly NATO which Russia is terrified of so it started a frozen conflict so Ukraine couldn’t join NATO.In return it brought sanctions that made it’s currency virtually worthless,NATO forces on it’s doorstep ‘s,and thanks to this issue has actually helped NATO with it’s members pledging more money towards defense and helped to recruit more nations to join.Keep it up Russia…It’s working…Hahaha…USA
For once we agree. Since the Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics have long since seceded from Ukraine, they are no longer “eastern Ukraine” and the Kiev regime has no obligation to provide them with electricity — nor any right to militarily occupy them.
Amen…Mr.Knapp.I honestly can see why Russia was worried about a country like Ukraine joining NATO.In the Crimea which is the only part of Russia that doesn’t freeze they had a fleet stationed there that was vital to it’s national security.It was something they couldn’t relinquish and they knew by starting a conflict in Ukraine that NATO wouldn’t allow them to join.Almost the same thing they did in Georgia.I believe the world mis-calculated because they thought just cause Putin was hosting the Winter Olympics in Sochi Russia wouldn’t react ,boy where they wrong.Putin did what he had to for his country but,it seems almost everything they’re doing as far as interfering with the elections of other countries is backfiring.They’d be better off taking there victories under Obama’s administration and fixing they’re problems at home instead of creating the backlash it’s receiving from the world.It doesn’t have the money or the capability to keep up with the world and it’s adventurism and nationalism will only take it so far.USA
You’re right in that case, Mr. Knapp, and I agree. As you said, “Since the Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics have long since seceded from Ukraine, they’re no longer ‘Eastern Ukraine’ and the Kiev regime has no obligation to provide them with electricity .. nor any right to militarily occupy them”. The two Republics are already getting their electricity (and natural gas) from Russia, and it’s long time the illegitimate Kiev Junta withdraw ALL their forces from the region.
The only reason these two Republics seceded was due to the illegal, violent coup d’etat orchestrated mainly by the USA to oust the legitimate gov’t. of the democratically elected President Viktor Yanukovych. I’m sure you’re aware that both Senator John McCain and Deputy SecState Victoria Nudelman aka Nuland personally visited the anti-Yanukovych protesters in Kiev (a violation of USA and International law) and encouraged them to riot .. and it was at their encouragement (approved by President Obama) that the Kiev Junta staged the coup that resulted in the secessions of both Crimea (who rejoined Russia in a YES vote by 97%) and the two Donbass regions of Luhansk and Donetsk.
It’s nice to find something we agree on, both on the facts and the implications.
The US at the very least assisted, and possibly much more than assisted, a coup d’etat to overthrown a democratically elected government and replace it with a regime that was friendlier to the US and the EU.
I don’t know why the US would be surprised that areas of the country less inclined toward EU membership and more historically connected to Russia would consider the coup a reason to secede, or that Russia would welcome them and help them defend themselves both for political/strategic reasons and reasons of long-time historical connection.
I’m as skeptical of Putin as I am of any other politician, but I can’t fault him for not falling to his knees and begging for instructions from Washington. He’s clearly more interested in what he sees as Russia’s interests than he is in having the good opinion of John McCain.
During the protests snipers were shooting protesters and other snipers were shooting policemen trying to control the protesters . But it was discovered the bullets were being fired from the same guns shooting police and protesters . If we could catch those snipers we would be able to learn who started the trouble in Ukraine .
2″eagle”,so tired by these cliches.The USA just wanted to destroy.Novaya Rossia (Odessa and everything east of Dniper) belongs to Russia.And they will end there with or without the blessing of the “exceptianolistan”.
The east was selling Kiev coal for their power plants until the western militias blocked shipments in January. So I’d take the ‘they weren’t paying their bills’ claim with a grain of salt.
To answer your question, if Kiev ever wanted to re-incorporate eastern Ukraine, you want to encourage normal commercial and civil relationships and not refer to military attacks as ‘anti-terrorist operations’. At this point, the Minsk protocol is dead. It should have had a timetable. Maybe it did but now reconciliation is impossible.
Hurrah! I hope the Kiev fascists will continue with these “wise” steps.That will secure the reintegration of Novaya Rossia in the Rodina.Where it belong in the first place.
Novorussiya SOON. Ukraine better back down !
Next stop; INDEPENDENCE!
Suck it quisling creeps.
If Russia marched threw Ukraine and took all 3 Baltic NATO states . Nobody would do one thing about it except complain . United States would find itself all alone in NATO defending the 3 little NAZI dictatorships .
Soundz good…That’s why there’s four nations on a rotation NATO Force in 3 of those regions it’s simple an attack on one NATO ally is an attack on all NATO members.That’s why Russia won’t make that mistake.Comrade calm down an watch a Real Super Power in action.USA