Ukraine was never a bastion for press freedom …
Ukraine authorities block Russian TV
(3News.nz) – Late Thursday night, clashes broke out in the eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk between government supporters and a hostile pro-Russian crowd. At one point a pro-Russian mob encircled and threw objects at a small huddle of people, shouting for them to get on their knees. At least one person died in the turmoil.
Rossiya-1, another state station, on the same evening reported that the incident had been provoked by “special forces” of the Maidan, the informal name of the movement that brought about last month’s ouster of President Viktor Yanukovych.
Ukraine’s pushback against the Kremlin-led smear campaign has not been much more sophisticated.
Broadcast authorities there on Tuesday ordered the suspension of the signal of Russian state-controlled television stations, a move that drew swift indignation from Moscow and international media advocacy groups alike. [Who is Rada MP Mykola Knyazhytsky?]
People in Russia’s provinces, where Internet penetration is weak, are particularly prone to one-sided information.
- ○ Major Ukrainian TV Provider Drops Russian Channels ‘to ensure national security’
○ Oligarchs and Media Grab In Ukraine – 2013
○ CPJ strongly protests the silencing of the Chornomorska, Simferopol, Dzhankoy, and Kerch TV stations in Crimea (1999)
What has Russia in common with Israel and Egypt? Indeed, a ban or policy to curtail NGOs seen as foreign agents …
○ Russia: “Foreign Agents” Law Hits Hundreds of NGOs
Continued below thr fold …
Ukraine: The Pissing Contest Continues
(Moon of Alabama) – Finally a major U.S. paper is picking up on the problem of supporting a “revolution” that is driven by fascists: Ukraine’s Threat from Within – Neofascists are as much a menace to Ukraine as Putin’s actions in Crimea. [Los Angeles Times]
I for one do not consider “Putin’s actions” in Crimea, i.e. the Russian Federation counter move to the “western” supported coup in Kiev, a “menace”. But if claiming such makes it possible to talk about the biggest problem Ukraine will have for a while so be it.
Today Russia vetoed an UN resolution against the Crimea referendum. The U.S. ambassador called Russia “isolated”. Well, how many times was the U.S. the only one voting no on a resolution against Israel? How “isolating” was that?
A pretty pathetic western propaganda story, are you buying it by linking it and spreading the nonsense further?
“On 19 February 1954, the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union issued a decree transferring the Crimean Oblast from the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic to the Ukrainian SSR. The transfer was described by some of the Supreme Soviet as a gift to commemorate the 300th anniversary of the Treaty of Pereyaslav. The treaty of 1654 when the Cossack Rada apparently decided to unify with Muscovy, so putting in place the eventual acquisition of Ukraine by Russia. Other reasons given were the integration of the economies of Ukraine and Crimea and the idea that Crimea was a natural extension of the Ukrainian steppes.” [source wikipedia]
The Muslim Tatars fought on the wrong side of history in both World Wars joining the German-Japanese Axis against the Western Allies. German POWs were transported to the gulags, so were the collaborators in Galicia, Ukraine and the Crimea. The Crimea has a complicated history from 500BC because of its strategic location.
“The events of World War II had a huge impact on the entire Crimean Tatar population. The Axis occupation of the Crimean peninsula precipitated a brutal war between Soviet partisans and German and Romanian forces. This war involved Crimean Tatars on both sides.”
Putin will not relinguish the Crimea no matter what the neocon infested foreign policy of Western Europe or the US try to claim. It’s Russia’s red line.
○ Galicia, disputed territories led to the Polish-Ukrainian and Polish-Soviet wars
Battle of Vienna (1683) battle marked the turning-point in the Ottoman-Habsburg wars, the 300-year struggle between the Holy Roman Empire and the Ottoman Empire.
So it seems to me, the possesion of the Crimea was already decided before the United States fought its Indian Wars. How did President Roosevelt treat the Japanese-American citizens during WWII? Concentration camps?
Cross-posted fron BooMan’s fp story – Things That Make Me Uncomfortable.