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This diary is in response to a query by Salunga.
Cannot give answer in numbers, just look at the complicity of the former Kingdom of Galicia, spread across the border with Poland. The Ukrainian city of Lviv has its own history of collaboration with the blitzkrieg invasion of Nazi Germany. Neo-nazism and fascists are a part of Central Europe, from Austria and eastward from Berlin.
Ukrainian parliamentary election, 2012
The Ukrainian parliamentary election of 2012 took place on 28 October 2012. Unlike the two previous elections, this election used a mixed voting system (50% under party lists and 50% under simple-majority constituencies) with a 5% election threshold and the participation of blocs of political parties was not allowed any more.
The Party of Regions [34.4% – Yanukovich] won the largest number of seats while Fatherland or Batkivshchyna [30.7% – Tymoshenko] (it united several parties together as an “umbrella” party) came second. The election was also noted for the rise of the far-right party Svoboda [10.4% – Oleh Tyahnybok], which came in fourth. The (new on the national scene) party UDAR [14.0% – Klytchko] also enjoyed noticeable great success with its third place in the election.
« click for source Wikipedia
US State Dep’t: Parliamentary Elections in Ukraine – Oct. 29, 2012
- ○ After the parliamentary elections in Ukraine: a tough victory for the Party of Regions
○ Who Is Who in Ukrainian Politics – Dec. 2013
Interesting reading …
○ Russia’s history of fighting ‘internal and external enemies’ by Vladimir Ryzhkov
○ Assessing the relevance of Ukraine’s far right in an EU perspective
○ Ukraine and the Rebirth of Fascism in Europe
This shows the divisions in the country. Oui, I dont see the right wing threat. One party ten 10% of the vote no different from the rest of Europe.
Gotta say Putin is way out of line in that he has no concerns that warrant invasion. Seems like a post Olympic high from the world’s most well known narcissist. Maybe he can get some pictures of himself liberating Crimea….on horseback. Without a shirt in a pair of shorts. Something for his nightstand.
Why are Russia’s troops surrounding those bases not wearing insignias? Maybe because they represent an oil state called the “Smog Empire” an empire who pressures neighbors into buying its scummy gas and oil. Russia is an oil states their only concern is creating customers. This is about money and longterm energy addiction.
Compared to Dick Cheney, Vladimir Putin is amongst equals. Even the gun pose looking for endangered species. Problem with Russia and the Crimean peninsula, of course it flaunts International law. The Western nations, the US and Israel have done much worse in Kosovo, Iraq, Libya, Syria and the OPT. The meetings of the Security Council have become a farce due to political games and indeed global interests in mineral deposits and carbon fuels. It’s illegal, however Russia has more to lose from Kyiv and western Ukrainians and their animosity towards the eastern Russian speaking Ukrainians. Democracy is losing and the EU/US were far too biased in the last two years. As I have mentioned before, the neo-hawks Susan Rice, Samantha Power and Hillary Clinton failed in diplomacy towards Russia at the United Nations. Medvedev was somewhat compliant, former KGB agent Putin is not. Even Reagan met with Soviet leadership, what’s Obama’s chip on his shoulder? Pushing Bush’s agenda for a missile defence shield in old-Europe and expecting the Russians to cave in? Playing a poor chess match …
Politics. Neither even want a photo op. He and Putin need to work on their personal relationship. I agree with that:
My father taught me that two wrongs don’t make a right.
“sought to prove his Manliness” Which means he doubts it.