Ukraine is going nuts right now

[Everlong]

Not sure how many of you have been following the news about what's happening in Ukraine, but the entire country is going nuts right now with protests. Basically what's happening is Ukraine passed laws taking away citizens' rights to protest, and now the protests are turning ugly, especially because many activists believe that the government there has been revoltingly corrupt for ages now.

Police have killed several protestors: http://www.cnn.com/2014/01/22/world/eur ... -protests/

Police are now allowed to use water cannons against protesters regardless of air temperatures: http://en.for-ua.com/news/2014/01/22/16 ... xQE.reddit

Some injured activists are disappearing from hospitals in Kiev. One of them was found dead in nearby woods: http://wyborcza.pl/relacje/1,126862,153 ... prawa.html

Kiev has basically become a "battle zone": http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/j ... ests-fatal

Like, holy shit.



Good article describing everything that's happening: http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/thr ... story.html

At stake is the future of this country, torn between Russia and Europe, and riven by anger over the corruption and cronyism in Yanukovych’s government. For two months, a partnership of pro-Europe liberals, die-hard nationalists, and critics of the ruling family and its circle of oligarchs has carried out a protracted campaign of protest, almost all of it peaceful. That moment could be nearing an end.

The deaths of three and possibly more activists shocked and energized the legions of protesters, who again turned out Wednesday evening. One of the victims was shot four times, medics said. Police denied they had used firearms, though they could be seen aiming rifles during the day. The dead are being portrayed as martyrs.

The politicians broke off the talks after three hours, and the opposition leaders later delivered angry avowals of their determination to oust Yanukovych but said they planned to continue the dialogue Thursday.

“If the president does not go forward” on a peaceful resolution, said Vitali Klitschko, head of the opposition UDAR party, “tomorrow we’ll go on the offensive.”

[PorkChop]

This is what you get when you take away the basic rights of citizens. Everyone should have the right to protest, and absolutely no one should take that away. If only other countries would follow suit and stand up to their governments in times like this.

[Everlong]

http://www.microsofttranslator.com/bv.a ... 7010998%2F

Police arrested this guy then forced him to undress so they could humiliate him by taking pictures with him.

Sickening.

[AkydefGoldberg]

This is what happens when you bend over for Russia.

The reason why they are protesting needs not to be forgotten. The protestors wanted Ukraine to have more closer links with the EU but Putin leaned on Yankuvoich and told him to reject it and become closer with Russia.

Hence the protests that started initially and now the full blown out battle that's ensuing. The only way to calm things down would be for the President to announce that he's going to sign the EU agreement but not sure that would even appease anyone now.

[Matteo]

This is what happens when you bend over for Russia.

The reason why they are protesting needs not to be forgotten. The protestors wanted Ukraine to have more closer links with the EU but Putin leaned on Yankuvoich and told him to reject it and become closer with Russia.

Hence the protests that started initially and now the full blown out battle that's ensuing. The only way to calm things down would be for the President to announce that he's going to sign the EU agreement but not sure that would even appease anyone now.

Precisely. Russian propaganda wants to make the West believe that these protests were engineered or orchestrated to hurt the geopolitical strength of Russia, but that is complete pap.

Ukraine is divided into two, really. Western Ukraine are more aligned with Europe and the West and Eastern Ukraine, which is almost indistinguishable from Russia, both politically and infrastructurally, are more aligned with Putin's state. It is discernible by now that the Western Ukrainians want to disassociate themselves from Russia. They experienced unparalleled turmoil during the USSR, including, what was, arguably the worst genocide in human history, and they feel that Putin has this intrinsic authority over the state despite the Soviet Union disintegrating over twenty years ago.

It is not so much about wanting to join the EU, per-se, but merely escaping Russia's bullying presence. When Yankuvoich declined the EU offer, those in the Western bloc of Ukraine saw it as Putin sphering his influence over the state, and this pissed a lot of people off.

I don't think joining the EU is the smartest thing to do, but never should a country deprive the wishes of their citizens.

[AkydefGoldberg]

Reading recently that the Ukrainian PM has resigned and they've cancelled an anti-protest law so the debate has now turned into general rejection of the government. Bet the President is wishing he'd been more open to discussion on the EU issue in the first place than might have avoided the following crisis.

Putin's a knob. Was still in power even when his puppet Medvedev held the President title, Putin pulling the strings from behind.

[Matteo]

^ Indeed.

I say split Ukraine. West can join the EU and the East can still aligned with Tsar Putin. Actually, it'd be an interesting experiment.

[ShaneOfan]

^ Indeed.

I say split Ukraine. West can join the EU and the East can still aligned with Tsar Putin. Actually, it'd be an interesting experiment.

Only problem with this is where do you split it? Geographically the Dnieper river would make the most sense. But what of Kiev? Plus there's the fact that most of the money is in the east anyway. Add in splitting up and the EU gets another mouth to feed so to speak.

[AkydefGoldberg]

The chaos doesn't seem to be stopping.

Yet another "peace deal" is agreed between Yankovyich and the opposition but some of the pictures are shocking, complete destruction.