Breaking News Russia's Black Sea Fleet has given Ukrainian forces in Crimea until 5:00 local time

[lovuian]

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/c...,4752010.story

BREAKING NEWS Russia's Black Sea Fleet has given Ukrainian forces in Crimea until 5:00 local time (03:00 GMT) on Tuesday to surrender or face an all-out assault, according to Ukrainian defence ministry sources quoted by Interfax-Ukraine news agency. "If by 5am tomorrow morning they do not surrender a real assault will begin on units and sections of the Ukrainian armed forces all over Crimea," defence ministry officials are quoted as saying. So far there is no further confirmation of the ultimatum from other sources.
Better link
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-ukraine-russia-crisis-20140303,0,4752010.story

[jsr]

1. Anyone taking bets?

[lovuian]

4. My bet Putin is going in

I think he has decided to take the Ukraine and we have been occupied for years with Iraq and Afghanistan

He has been planning this for sometime

[Nuclear Unicorn]

2. So this is how he saves the lives of ethnic Russians -- by starting an unnecessary war.

Not that ethnic Russians were being oppressed or that Putin opposes neo-Nazis or that other options weren't available. This is pure, naked aggression.

We should eject Russia from the G8, impose currency restrictions and restore our missile defense agreement with Poland.

[dipsydoodle]

3. Source was Ukrainian Defence Ministry and Russia has already denied the claim as nonsense.

.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

5. Photographic evidence seems to suggest something is amiss.

https://twitter.com/ChristopherJM

[dipsydoodle]

7. First news reports all used same origin - Ukraine : not Russia

The tweet may refer to another issue concerning Ukraine's ships to be handed over with an an hour - that ws about 45 minutes ago.

By 3am GMT we will know who's lying - Ukraine or Russia.

[lovuian]

6. I was just linking to the Chicago Tribune

will they post Russia's response?

Though 150,000 Russian troops are on the borders for "excercises"

[hrmjustin]

9. Cnn says Russia is denying this.

[Donald Ian Rankin]

13. Well, they would, wouldn't they? N.T.

[lovuian]

8. More from the link

ULTIMATUM REPORT?

Russia's Black Sea Fleet has not issued an ultimatum to Ukrainian forces in Crimea to surrender by 5 a.m. on Tuesday or face an assault, Interfax news agency quoted an official at the fleet's headquarters as saying.

Russia's Black Sea Fleet has a base in Crimea and Moscow has effectively established control over the peninsula, which is part of Ukraine.

Interfax quoted an unnamed source in the Ukrainian Defense Ministry earlier on Monday as saying a deadline to surrender at 0300 GMT had been set by the Black Sea Fleet's commander.

wow conflicting reports ....communications are conflicting ....and then the same Interfax unnamed source calls it "nonsense"

[dipsydoodle]

11. Two different unnamed sources

One Ukrainian and one Russian : not one and the same source.

[Democracyinkind]

10. Allegedly. nt

[Capt. Obvious]

12. The Ukraine is weak

[arely staircase]

14. so Putin starts the shooting war soon

This is fucked up.

[LittleBlue]

15. Putin could take the Ukraine tomorrow if he wished

There was an article in Haaretz about how much of the Ukrainian military feel a kinship to Russia and would refuse to fight them.

When he decides to seize the country, if he ever does, it will just suddenly happen like it did in Georgia. Ukraine being divided means that the Russians wouldn't even break a sweat.

[lovuian]

16. Putin is watching 150,000 troos on the border for some reason

and so yes Putin can easily take the Ukraine.....

and China has been very quiet on who they support in this escalation

[LittleBlue]

17. China will continue to give implicit support for Russia

They are the counterbalance to the US/EU. Which means Russia will never be isolated at the UNSC. And they're patient by nature anyway.

They'll probably never give explicit support due to their ideological belief in non-intervention. I'm guessing that's why Russia had to claim support and China sits and waits patiently, confirming or denying nothing. It will be the standard Chinese "we believe both sides need to talk, peace.can only happen through negotiation yada yada"