Ukraine's European Revolution?

[Tamas]

Since we have two separate Ukrainian threads, I suggest we abandon them and gather up here.

[Admiral Yi]

Two threads was too many, so you make a third.  You gypsies. 

[Crazy_Ivan80]

and now we have three

[Tamas]

The problem isn't Poland. The problem are the Baltic States. They:
-have significant Russian minorities
-are former Russian/Soviet Empire territory
-are NATO members

The Russians in the Baltics for the most part are not interesting in going back to Russia, which would involve joining a country with half the per capita GDP.  The situation in Ukraine is opposite.

Well yes, that is a hope. They will not feel like giving up their EU passports. The question is though: will anybody from Russia ask them before sending over the local self defense civilians?

[Tamas]

Two threads was too many, so you make a third.  You gypsies. 

This will overcome both. The thread title is just awesome, and most fitting, and will remain proper for the coming year or two.

[Capetan Mihali]

The thread title is just awesome, and most fitting, and will remain proper for the coming year or two.

  A little gauche to toot your own horn like that.

[Tamas]

The thread title is just awesome, and most fitting, and will remain proper for the coming year or two.

  A little gauche to toot your own horn like that.

And I haven't even mentioned my fabulous shoes.

[jimmy olsen]

Got to agree on the title.

[Viking]

It all belongs to mother russia?

[garbon]

The thread title is just awesome, and most fitting, and will remain proper for the coming year or two.

  A little gauche to toot your own horn like that.

And I haven't even mentioned my fabulous shoes.

What is with you people and feet?

[mongers]

The problem isn't Poland. The problem are the Baltic States. They:
-have significant Russian minorities
-are former Russian/Soviet Empire territory
-are NATO members

The Russians in the Baltics for the most part are not interesting in going back to Russia, which would involve joining a country with half the per capita GDP.  The situation in Ukraine is opposite.

As you, grumbler and DG have commented on, the economic numbers are facts on the ground; i guess for many in Eastern Ukrainians, the prospect of cheaper gas, some support for aging industrial jobs and better wages/pensions, means they'll accept a new reality created by Russian boots on the ground.

If you've been ground down, still further into poverty over the last 20 years, what do you have to loose by accepting Czar Putin's rule?

[Tamas]

The thread title is just awesome, and most fitting, and will remain proper for the coming year or two.

  A little gauche to toot your own horn like that.

And I haven't even mentioned my fabulous shoes.

What is with you people and feet?

That's racissss

[Tamas]

anyways, satellite pics of the Russian buildup:

http://www.aco.nato.int/imagery-reveals-destabilizing-russian-forces-near-ukraine-border-nato-plans-balanced-response-to-reassure-allies.aspx

[OttoVonBismarck]

I had heard though that Ukraine may have some amount of gas reserves, but they've never been properly exploited and exploration/drilling was only beginning now. I would imagine under more appropriate leadership they would have been drilling for years now. But yes, Russia is basically natural resources attached to a bunch of drunk nationalists and Ukraine doesn't have that going for it, but I'm assuming under proper stewardship Ukraine would have better exploited the national resources they have.

[PJL]

The problem isn't Poland. The problem are the Baltic States. They:
-have significant Russian minorities
-are former Russian/Soviet Empire territory
-are NATO members

The Russians in the Baltics for the most part are not interesting in going back to Russia, which would involve joining a country with half the per capita GDP.  The situation in Ukraine is opposite.

That's only really true of Estonia in 2000 US$ terms (market value). With PPP and current values it's a lot closer. It's not inconceivable that the Russians in those states are generally poorer than those in Russia itself.