Tens of thousands of Russian troops near Ukraine border: U.S. envoy

[Capt. Obvious]

Source: Reuters

The U.S. ambassador to the OSCE said Russia had amassed tens of thousands of troops near the border with Ukraine and called on Moscow to take steps to de-escalate the situation.

"We have strong evidence that there are tens of thousands of forces on the border and again not in their normal peacetime positions or garrisons," Daniel Baer told reporters after an emergency meeting of the 57-member Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe on Monday to discuss the issue.

....

"What the Russian Federation should be doing is taking steps to de-escalate the crisis. They have played a principal role in the crisis and there are clear practical steps they can take to de-escalate," including engaging with the international community and allowing inspections of troop movements, he said.

Protests in eastern Ukraine in which pro-Russian activists seized public buildings in three cities are part of a plan to destabilize Ukraine and bring in Russian troops who were in a zone less than 30 km (19 mile) zone from the border, Prime Minister Arseny Yatseniuk said in Kiev.

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/04/07/us-ukraine-crisis-osce-idUSBREA360SH20140407

[Hip_Flask]

1. Im shocked!

Shocked I tells ya...

[CFLDem]

2. Funny how the summer of 2014

is feeling like it's going to be like the summer of 1914.

[TwilightGardener]

3. New sanctions drawn up, begin delivering arms and ammo to Ukraine via Poland.

That's what I would do if I were Obama.

[cosmicone]

4. Arms and ammo won't cut it

The Russian tanks will be in Kiev before you can say neonazi. Ukraine's best policy is to establish good relations with Moscow rather than try to become the next Greece under the thumb of Angela Merkel.

[TwilightGardener]

5. Sorry Comrade, but Ukraine needs to learn how to pick off Russian soldiers

from the shadows, set IED's, and tamper with gas pipelines.

[cosmicone]

6. So you're advocating terrorism?

The problem is that over 50% of Ukrainians don't like the CIA installed fascist/neonazi government which was installed by force. I doubt most Ukrainians would fight if Russians came in.

However, Russians are doing it brilliantly. Local governments are going to hold referendums to join Russia all over Eastern Ukraine. Russians don't want the West Ukraine anyway which is an economic liability. The West will piss and moan about it but in the end, no one wants a war with Russia. In about 5 years, everyone will forget except some members on DU.

[TwilightGardener]

7. Let's call it guerilla warfare. Needs to get bloody and destructive, impose

a cost on Russia. There needs to be a resistance army. If Ukraine doesn't want to fight, that's their business. If they do, we can help. Edit to add: It's not terrorism to fight for your own country.

[Comrade Grumpy]

11. The Ukrainians might want to talk to the Chechens before taking your advice.

Unless they want Kiev to be as inviting a tourist destination as Grozny.

[TwilightGardener]

12. What would you do if another country was invading your country?

Give up?

[NickB79]

8. "Russians are doing it brilliantly"

I could have sworn I heard heavy breathing as I read that, like...naa, couldn't have been.

"Local governments are going to hold referendums to join Russia all over Eastern Ukraine."

Is that before or after Russian troops are patrolling their streets to "ensure fair, free elections"?

[TwilightGardener]

10. Yeah, the Hillary avatar shouldn't really be fooling anybody.

[cosmicone]

18. The brilliantly was not a praise of Russian tactics

but just a stoic and dispassionate observation.

If you have visited Ukraine, you'll find that the pro-Russia and anti-Russia factions are about evenly split with more anti-Russians in the west and more pro-Russians in the east.

The neonazis and fascists should have waited for the early elections that Yanukovytch agreed to in a three way deal between EU, Ukraine and Russia. Instead, they took over at gunpoint and now there is this whole mess.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

9. "I doubt most Ukrainians would fight if Russians came in."

Have you ever actually met a Ukrainian in your life?

[cosmicone]

17. In fact, yes.

I have travelled to Kiev and Odessa many times and have gone hiking in the carpethian mountains.

I personally know dozens of Ukrainians for business reasons.

[uhnope]

16. what else does Putin want us to think?

your post reminds me of freepers who call Obama a commie/socialist/nazi

[dionysus]

19. wow, you do love mother russia, don't you? you've become a full time russian apologist...

[Jesus Malverde]

13. Really...

40% of Europes gas flows through Ukraine, it would be foolish to follow your plan. For a number of reasons.

[TwilightGardener]

15. Yup. Maybe Europe AND Russia would think twice about

the whole matter. I would use whatever tool was at my disposal if tanks started rolling into MY country. I'd hold the gas hostage. I'd blow shit up and kill foreign soldiers. If you're going to lose, have some dignity and make them pay. The alternative is, you roll over, and where does the Russian aggression end, at that point?

[dipsydoodle]

14. He has only just noticed them ?

Or did he read this here March 14th :

Russian troops massing on the Ukranian border http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024660419