Ukraine's European Revolution?

[Malthus]

Putin essentially got away with Georgia without paying much of a price. I'm pretty sure he thought much the same would happen over Ukraine, and things are not going as he expected.

[Queequeg]

Yup.

[Tamas]

Yup.

Is there a chance the Ukrainian army will attack when the referendum passes?

[Valmy]

Regarding the news anchor girl: I like she mentioned her '56 refugee Hungarian grandparents. The situation is similar, and I find it infuriating to see many Hungarians trying to white-wash the Russians. Traitors, the lot of them.

What the West and the US has done to Hungary has been every bit as bad as 1956....is what somebody on the internet is saying right now.

[OttoVonBismarck]

Every Hungarian I meet, I feel a little less bad about our inaction in '56.

[Syt]

[derspiess]

Yeah, it does. But it seems a wacky thing to just make up, so I chose to tentatively believe it until I'm shown evidence to the contrary.

Actually, I'm starting to wonder if Putin had already decided not to invade Ukraine proper and set up this poll to save face.

I'd like to see how a poll specifically on Russian occupation of the Crimea would end up.  I'd have to think internal propaganda + sympathy towards "oppressed" Russian Crimeans would generate support.

[Admiral Yi]

Actually, I'm starting to wonder if Putin had already decided not to invade Ukraine proper and set up this poll to save face.

How would that work?

[Legbiter]

Guardian:

Crimea's vice premier, Rustam Temirgaliev - who incidentally is of Crimean Tatar descent - said today Crimea will hold a referendum on 16 March on whether the region should stay with Ukraine or join Russia, Reuters reported the Russia's RIA news agency as saying.

According to RIA, the referendum will ask whether voters want Crimea to become part of the Russian Federation or remain in Ukraine under the country's post-independence 1992 constitution.

They ain't wasting time I see. Russia gets to act like a superpower and all of Russia's near neighbors must be pondering accomodation with it.

[derspiess]

Every Hungarian I meet, I feel a little less bad about our inaction in '56.

I've never met a Hungarian I didn't like.  Granted, I've only met like 4 in person plus Tamas here.

[Queequeg]

Check on the last page. 

[Ed Anger]

Every Hungarian I meet, I feel a little less bad about our inaction in '56.

I've never met a Hungarian I didn't like.  Granted, I've only met like 4 in person plus Tamas here.

Beets.

[derspiess]

Actually, I'm starting to wonder if Putin had already decided not to invade Ukraine proper and set up this poll to save face.

How would that work?

Well, let's say Putin decided not to invade the rest of Ukraine due to one or more reasons (lack of troop readiness, too much risk, economic reasons, whatever).  When he announces his decision or answers questions as to why he's not invading, he can say he's following the will of the people and not have to admit he lost his nerve.

[Legbiter]

Putin essentially got away with Georgia without paying much of a price. I'm pretty sure he thought much the same would happen over Ukraine, and things are not going as he expected.

The European response to Putin is a joke, 5 days after he launches his Crimean "peacekeeping" operation, the emergency meeting is finally taking place. Although to be fair to them, Putin did annex the place on a weekend.

[Jacob]

Reuters is running fuller quotes from Rustam Temirgaliev, the Crimean vice premier, about the status of non-Russian forces in the region (see also this from earlier):

    The only lawful armed force on the territory of the Crimea is the Russian armed forces. Armed forces of any third country are occupiers. The Ukrainian armed forces have to choose: lay down their weapons, quit their posts, accept Russian citizenship and join the Russian military. If they do not agree, we are prepared to offer them safe passage from the territory of Crimea to their Ukrainian homeland.

Again, we cannot be sure how seriously this will be implemented, let alone whether Russia will act on it. But we can be fairly sure Temirgaliev would not speak without Russian approval.

... but there are no Russian forces in Crimea; only self-defense militias?!?!!?