Ukraine's European Revolution?

[Ed Anger]

[Queequeg]

Ukraine reporting that Russia's 45th Airborne is presently in Ukraine. 

[alfred russel]

I found it weird that apparently Prince Charles re-opened the bridge because he was the only figure that could be agreed on as sufficiently neutral.

But it seems true of Bosnia in general. I've visited a couple of times because I've a friend who lives out there. Talking to him and his friends about the country and it's very depressing.

I was reading about the rebuilding of the bridge. Some local Croatian was interviewed about his thoughts. "I'm tired of hearing about the bridge. All they ever talk about is that bridge. I preferred it when it was blown up, to be honest."

[Jacob]

Are you sure she wasn't pregnant and it wasn't you?

You have a lot, it's ok to lose track of some of them.

[Syt]

http://rt.com/news/kramatorsk-ukraine-attack-army-664/

Military storm airfield, town in eastern Ukraine, wounded reported - protesters

Ukrainian troops have seized an airfield in the eastern city of Kramatorsk, said anti-government protesters. Four people were killed and two injured, activists added. At the same time Slavyansk is being raided by the Ukrainian military.

Kramatorsk

Ukrainian troops approached the military airfield in armored personnel carriers between the eastern cities of Kramatorsk and Slavyansk, the people's militia located at the airfield told RIA Novosti on the phone.

"They started negotiating with the people's militia, which is in control of the airfield. The shooting started unexpectedly. There are injured among the people's militia, and there may be deaths," they said.

Other members of the militia have blocked the entrance to Kramatorsk and are ready to defend the city, the activists added.

The activists who controlled the base said they were forced to retreat.

However, the city is still under the control of the people's militia, the activists said.

"We were forced out of the airfield, but the city itself is under our control, we won't allow [the Ukrainian troops] to enter," one of the activists told Interfax.

Videos of military jets and helicopters flying over Kramatorsk, as the attack was launched, appeared on YouTube.

The activists who controlled the base said they were forced to retreat.

"There are about 60 units of armored vehicles. They have been preparing for several days, and now they started to storm [the airfield]. The protesters blocked their way, they started shooting, there are wounded. Our people retreated. There are about 15 tanks, the other units are armored personnel vehicles," another member of the people's militia told RIA.

Slavyansk

At the same time, the eastern city of Slavyansk is being raided by Ukrainian troops, the head of the Donbass people's militia, Sergey Tsyplakov, told RIA Novosti.

"Currently there is a major attack on Slavyansk, armored personnel vehicles are entering the city... there are many troops. The men are getting ready to defend [the city]," he said.

In turn, the Ukrainian media, quoting the Ministry of Defense, announced a special operation in Kramatorsk on Tuesday. However, they provided no further details.

Anti-government protesters have been holding rallies in the south-eastern part of the country following the coup in Kiev on February 22. Activists have seized government buildings in most of the cities in the Donetsk region. On Sunday, the Kiev government launched a crackdown operation in Slavyansk. Following the event, Ukraine's Security Council approved a full-scale security operation in the country's eastern regions. On Monday, coup-imposed President Aleksandr Turchinov signed a decree to officially begin a "special anti-terrorist operation" in the east of the country.

"There is a lot of military machinery here," said one of the activists. "But the shooting hasn't started yet."

Moscow slammed Sunday's order as "criminal." It was issued by the coup-imposed acting President Aleksandr Turchinov, and approved a full-scale security operation in the country's eastern regions.

[Syt]

Btw, RT advertises this article as "BREAKING NEWS: 4 killed, 2 wounded as army storms airport in eastern Ukraine - self defense "

[Barrister]

You know it occurs to me that as long as Russia continues with the charade of "local self-defence forces" the Ukrainian military does have a significant advantage.  "Self defence forces" cannot possibly use heavy military equipment like tanks and APCs.

That's assuming that the Ukrainian military still continues to have the capability to conduct military actions, which I was doubting, but perhaps those doubts are being put to rest.

[Norgy]

Military storm airfield, town in eastern Ukraine, wounded reported - protesters

Headline, prize, worst ever, gold 1000 collect. Now.

[derspiess]

I'm hoping the Ukrainians snatched a couple of those "self defense" types & interrogated them to find out they were 45th VDV.  Of course it probably didn't help the ruse much that the "self defense" guys were flying VDV flags outside the buildings they occupied.

Anyway, according to wiki some of the dudes from the 45th were doing joint training exercises with US Special Forces at Ft. Carson just 2 years ago.  How things have changed.

[Warspite]

You know it occurs to me that as long as Russia continues with the charade of "local self-defence forces" the Ukrainian military does have a significant advantage.  "Self defence forces" cannot possibly use heavy military equipment like tanks and APCs.

On the contrary, as we learnt from Crimea, military equipment can be bought from any number of major commercial outlets. I just picked up a six-pack of BTRs from my local Carrefour.

[derspiess]

I'd like to go shopping in Crimea.

[DGuller]

You know it occurs to me that as long as Russia continues with the charade of "local self-defence forces" the Ukrainian military does have a significant advantage.  "Self defence forces" cannot possibly use heavy military equipment like tanks and APCs.

Problem is that "self-defense forces" aren't meant to fight.  They're meant to either take things over unopposed, or to get the real military involved as soon as they're engaged.  Their job is now done, so I imagine that this advantage will soon go away.

[Queequeg]

http://en.itar-tass.com/world/728011

KIEV, April 15. /ITAR-TASS/. Shots are being fired at the airdrome near the city of Kramatorsk, Donetsk Oblast, and one fighter plane has been shot down, witnesses report from the scene.
As follows from what the people say four fighter planes, presumably Sukhoi-27 were hovering over Kramatorsk. At a certain point they opened fire at the local airdrome. Who commanded the planes and who downed the fighter remains unclear. Witnesses claim there have been casualties at the airdrome. An ambulance is on the way to the scene.
Earlier, a Ukrainian daily reported with reference to witnesses that shots and explosions were heard at the military airdrome near the city of Kramatorsk.
According to the website of the daily Novosti Kramatorska, a military aircraft circled over the airdrome for a while.
}"Witnesses say it was a MiG-25 or Sukhoi-27 plane. It was flying at a very low altitude," the paper said.
Earlier, the Ukrainian Defense Ministry declared the beginning of a special operation in the city against the supporters of the country's federalization.

[Barrister]

Earlier, the Ukrainian Defense Ministry declared the beginning of a special operation in the city against the supporters of the country's federalization.

[Tamas]

From Putin's Facebook page, with the caption "We are Russians, God is with us!"