Ukraine's European Revolution?

[Ed Anger]

Starting to think we should be setting up NATO bases in the new members - like Poland and the Baltics.

Might be time to start refilling the empty POMCUS division sets in Germany also.

[Valmy]

Starting to think we should be setting up NATO bases in the new members - like Poland and the Baltics.

Sure...but with what?  European Armies are pretty much skeleton crews now.

[Monoriu]

I really can't think of any reason why China should care.  I haven't heard anything in the news about the official Chinese position on this.  I'm not going to believe the Russians quoting the Chinese. 

[Sheilbh]

Starting to think we should be setting up NATO bases in the new members - like Poland and the Baltics.

Sure...but with what?  European Armies are pretty much skeleton crews now.

Well there's about 10 countries with personnel in the US bases in Germany. Germany's still got a lot of British troops (though we're pulling out rapidly which might need to be reversed). Rejig those with a few new bases in the Baltic three and Poland. Inter-European deployment would be far less controversial with European countries.

[KRonn]

This is getting wilder now, with defections and declarations of Ukrainian officials to defend the country. Poland promising weapons and aircraft to Ukraine, sparking Russia to say that would be an act of war. I'm sure neither Poland, Hungary or others, especially in Eastern Europe, want this to go too far, and don't want Russia on their border again! Does anyone have an idea if Ukraine has even a limited ability to hold back Russia? I'm thinking Ukraine would be overwhelmed quickly.

[alfred russel]

Well there's about 10 countries with personnel in the US bases in Germany. Germany's still got a lot of British troops (though we're pulling out rapidly which might need to be reversed). Rejig those with a few new bases in the Baltic three and Poland. Inter-European deployment would be far less controversial with European countries.

This. Just swap some of our German bases for Polish ones.

[Valmy]

sparking Russia to say that would be an act of war.

Ah Russia don't ever change.

[Syt]

AFP is reporting the strong response from Russia to warnings by United States Secretary of State John Kerry over military intervention in Ukraine.

Mr Kerry, who is set to visit Kiev on Tuesday to meet the new leadership, warned Russia on Sunday that it risked exclusion from the Group of Eight nations and faced possible sanctions for sending troops into Ukraine's southern Crimea region.

In a statement on its website Russia's foreign ministry said:

"We consider the threats against Russia made in a series of public statements by US Secretary of State John Kerry over the latest events in Ukraine and in Crimea to be unacceptable,"

Moscow accused Kerry of relying on "Cold War cliches", saying that he had not bothered to understand the complex processes taking place in Ukrainian society.

Kerry failed to "objectively assess the situation that is continuing to deteriorate after the forcible seizure of power in Kiev by radical extremists," the ministry said.

It accused the United States and its allies of turning a blind eye to the "rampant Russophobia and anti-Semitism" of the opposition protesters who took power in Kiev.

"The West's allies now are outright neo-Nazis who wreck Orthodox churches and synagogues," the ministry said.

[Valmy]

Who exactly is the audience for that statement?  They are repeating crazy propaganda that not even their own people believe.

[Viking]

If Moscow wants Kerry to stop using cold war clichés Moscow should stop BEING a cold war cliché.

[Syt]

BREAKING: Russian news agency Interfax says Ukraine faces 3am (11pm GMT) deadline for the navy in Crimea to surrender or face "a real assault"

[DGuller]

Who exactly is the audience for that statement?  They are repeating crazy propaganda that not even their own people believe.

You'd be amazed at how impressionable some of their own people are, if Internet comments on Russian forums are anything to go by.  Sure, it's almost a certainty that some of the pro-Putin commenters are paid FSB shills/trolls, but they can't all be that.  Besides, once people go into fervor, they abandon even the most basic of bullshit detection.

[Sheilbh]

Who exactly is the audience for that statement?  They are repeating crazy propaganda that not even their own people believe.

They do believe it. I've seen several anti-war figures in the UK talk about how the West is allied with neo-Nazis and the Russians haven't invaded.

It's the usual anti-West nonsense. Many of these people were no doubt cheering the EuroMaidan revolution, until it turned out they were also supported by the US and the EU.

[Ed Anger]

Who exactly is the audience for that statement?  They are repeating crazy propaganda that not even their own people believe.

You'd be amazed at how impressionable some of their own people are, if Internet comments on Russian forums are anything to go by.  Sure, it's almost a certainty that some of the pro-Putin commenters are paid FSB shills/trolls, but they can't all be that.  Besides, once people go into fervor, they abandon even the most basic of bullshit detection.

Shouldn't you be making phone calls right now Comrade?

[Legbiter]

"The West's allies now are outright neo-Nazis who wreck Orthodox churches and synagogues," the ministry said.