Ukraine's European Revolution?

[Habbaku]

I, for one, am glad that Aggie is keeping grumbles distracted.

[Baron von Schtinkenbutt]

I've seen just about every Kalashnikov variant in pics from Crimea, customized every which way.  Odd to see one of the Russian dudes with what appears to be an AR-pattern rifle with a big-ass scope, suppressor and bi-pod (?).

I think that is a Knight SR-25 ER.

[DontSayBanana]

I think that is a Knight SR-25 ER.

Yeah, that seems likely.  Either way, now that you mention it, the receiver's the wrong shape for an AR-pattern.

[grumbler]

I, for one, am glad that Aggie is keeping grumbles distracted.

Not even I am willing to wade through that!  tl;dr

You win, Age.  Congrats.

[Maladict]

You win

Saved for posterity!

[grumbler]

You win

Saved for posterity!

Just add it to the already-large collection. 

[derspiess]

I think that is a Knight SR-25 ER.

Yeah, that seems likely.  Either way, now that you mention it, the receiver's the wrong shape for an AR-pattern.

It is AR-pattern, actually.  Just the larger caliber type (often called AR-10).

[The Larch]

The EU throws a trade bone to Ukraine:

Trade Committee backs plan to remove EU tariffs on imports from Ukraine

INTA Press release - External/international trade − 20-03-2014 - 11:06

About 98% of the customs duties that Ukrainian goods exporters pay at EU borders would be removed by a proposal backed by the European Parliament's International Trade Committee on Thursday. This unilateral measure would boost Ukraine's struggling economy by saving its manufacturers and exporters €487 million a year.
(...)
This unilateral trade preference measure would not require Ukraine to reciprocate by removing its own customs duties on imports from the EU, but would require it not to raise them.

Ukraine is apparently withdrawing from CIS as well.

[Valmy]

All those top quality Ukrainian manufactured goods coming to a Carrefour near you.

[The Larch]

All those top quality Ukrainian manufactured goods coming to a Carrefour near you.

Coal and wheat, on the other hand...

[Caliga]

Christ.

You got to add that cat to your drinking game if you haven't already, chief.

[Ed Anger]

Christ.

You got to add that cat to your drinking game if you haven't already, chief.

Anybody responds to grumbles with a wall of text, take 2 drinks.



that's a double!

[garbon]

[derspiess]

Russians who see US negatively, via @levada_ru:
March 2012: 35%
March 2013: 39%
January 2014: 44%
March 2014: 56%
http://www.levada.ru/18-03-2014/otnoshenie-rossiyan-k-drugim-stranam ...

THANKS OBAMA

[Brazen]

Apparently the Ukraine crisis is going to kill NATO:

Why the Russian invasion of Crimea could signal the end of the NATO alliance, by Professor Michael Ben-Gad, City University London.

"The likely outcome of the Russian absorption of Crimea and the subsequent feeble response from the West signals the fracturing and potentially the ultimate demise of NATO and the Western Alliance.

"In fact, it may already be too late to save NATO, and the small Estonian city of Narva is where it might well fall apart.

"Perhaps in the not too distant future, Russian border guards will be told to walk the 400 metres across the empty field that separates Narva's town hall from the Russian border, and help the locals seize control of their city.

"How might the US and its Western allies respond? Would they send troops to push the Russians back? In Estonia? How would they get there? And what then? Is NATO then prepared to then head north and re-enact the siege of Leningrad? Would it threaten nuclear war? Over Narva?

"The lazy assumptions that the NATO alliance will continue to guarantee the sovereignty and freedom of its European allies can no longer be taken for granted.

"Those opposed to the maintenance of an independent nuclear capability in either the UK or France might want to think again."