MTS Telecom is working a deal to have K-Telecom operate their phone service by "roaming" A Russian minister has stated that this is stipulating that Crimea is now Russia.
Years ago I connected to an AT&T internal service operator and she answered "World control Center" I ask "Who?" and she said "Not really,,, but we like to think so" Maybe the Russians have stipulated that AT&T is the credible world governing body.
" Remember Irina, the woods are lovely dark and deep, but I have promises to keep and miles to go before I sleep"
Just a spot on television,,,, Steven Seagal, Mickey Rourke in Sevastopol. It looked like a fat Bela Lugosi doing Dracula and Boris Karloff as Frankenstein's monster. All they need is Dennis Rodman as Rupaul and they could be "The Traveling Wildebeests and the Despots World Tour" What a bunch
Putin is so unhinged that audio of his speech in Yalta has been blocked out. He is beginning to sound like Nixon in his final days and his mother was a saint.
I am watching a Charlie Chaplin movie, "The Great Dictator", relevant satire in what would become catastrophe in only days back in 1939. Today Steven Seagal kisses ass. What a difference a generation makes.........
Your truckloads of crackers and cereal do not make you a descent and benevolent man. You're and abusive murderous thief. Keep your crap and get out of Crimea.
If Putin can invade Crimea in a matter of days,,, seems to me that Ukraine could be a full member of NATO before the sun rises in Ukraine this morning................
Well Rodan, though I sympathize with your feelings, there is no chance that Ukraine will join NATO soon, and little chance that it ever will.
NATO has not been eager to have Ukraine as a member -- neither in the past, nor today.
Until a few months ago, must Ukrainians didn't want to be part of NATO. That's different now, but Ukraine would probably need several years (at least) to qualify for NATO membership ... even if NATO were willing to accept them.
And NATO has a set policy, that it will not accept as a new member any state with an unresolved territorial dispute; otherwise, the day that country joined, its circumstances would trigger Article 5, and all the other members of NATO would be obligated to make a military response (something the existing members obviously don't want). Due to this policy, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine cannot be accepted.
For Ukraine to overcome this hurdle, two things must happen: (1) Donbass must be cleaned up sufficiently, that NATO can be confident there are no Russian forces in control there; and (2) either Russia must agree to reverse its annexation and occupation of Crimea, or else Ukraine must agree to the cession of Crimea, and make a treaty with Russia agreeing that Crimea is sovereign Russian territory.
Obviously, Ukraine doesn't want to agree to the loss of Crimea.
HOWEVER, thinking "theoretically" (along the lines of war gaming), I had this thought a couple of months ago: suppose Donbass "settles down," and Ukraine made plans with NATO and took the required actions, to prepare for Ukrainian membership. Russia of course would be whining, fuming and fulminating about this.
When all was ready, Ukraine and NATO could make a phone call to the Kremlin (and announce to all the world's press): "If you want to keep Crimea, Ukraine will cede the peninsula, and become a NATO member tomorrow morning. If you are willing to reverse the annexation and withdraw 100% of ground and air troops from Crimea within 48 hours (don't worry, we will provide transport), NATO will make a treaty with the Russian Federation guaranteeing that neither NATO, any of its members, nor the Russian Federation will place armed forces, covertly or overtly, in the territory of ANY former Soviet state without prior agreement between NATO and the Russian Federation, and also that NATO will not accept Ukraine as a member. Further, the non-membership guarantee would be extended to include Moldova and Georgia, subject to complete evacuation of Russian armed forces.
Note that this forbids ALL of the states involved from any kind of invasion. As soon as one state makes such an invasion (without unanimous consent), the treaty is broken and the obligations are terminated.
Completely impractical, of course. But it's fun to imagine what Putin would think of the proposition: either he must give up Crimea, or allow Ukraine to join NATO ... which would he do?
Durak : No resolution to this conflict will be through treaty. There were treaties in force that were ignored. This is an internal problem in Russia. When the Kremlin sees that it is not advantageous to continue this path change will happen. It is up to the west to maintain pressure. It is a mental disorder to return to the Soviet ways
Kremlim sniveling about further sanctions. "I broke into your house, killed your sons, beat your dog raped your wife and now that the shooting has ceased, I am keeping your home and you have the gall to expect more" Hammer them with sanctions until they respect civility.
French businessman and political hack, Philippe de Villiers. plans to build an amusement park in Crimea. Vichy France still exists, first to capitulate and sell out their confederates as well as themselves. Where has he been the previous 23 years? What a bitch.
Thank you for confessing your confirmation that Crimea is Ukrainian soil. As I have stated before you understand the difference between right and wrong, you just like being a hack.
"'About two months ago everybody, wholesale, was forced to "voluntarily" sign up for membership in United Russia here [in Crimea] - officials, heads of local administrations, shops directors, medical workers,' said [Andrei Brezhnev, leader of the new Communist Party of Social Justice] 'Suddenly, in three months everything became United Russia here.'
United Russia's victory in a parliamentary election in 2011 sparked accusations of voting violations and launched the biggest anti-Putin street protests in his more than decade-long rule.
Crimea, facing water and electricity shortages following its annexation by Russia, is also seeing a rise in probable politically motivated human rights violations, a top European rights envoy said on Friday.
Nils Muiznieks, commissioner for human rights at the Council of Europe, also said pressure has increased on ethnic Crimean Tatars, a Muslim ethnic minority, who are facing raids on their businesses and schools."
"The German leader (Angela Merkel) said Russia's violation of international law regarding the annexation of Crimea from Ukraine in March must be countered and that EU sanctions on Russia are an important part of efforts to resolve the crisis."
Crimea is not forgotten.
I had good hopes for Germany to come around -- Putin's actions are too close to Hitler's in the mid-30's. It took a few months, but I think that now Merkel is the strongest force against Putinism.