«Mars will be at its closest approach to the Earth in almost two years and will be fully illuminated by the Sun.» (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/activityandadventure/9296953/Upcoming-astronomical-events.html?frame=2858342) Stocktrek Images, Inc./Alamy
«The majority of Russians (73%) believes that Russia should not interfere in the conflict between the government and the opposition in Ukraine , because it is an internal matter for the people of this country. This view are more likely to support the LDPR (82%) , budget (79%) , civil servants (77%) , students (77% ), residents of medium-sized cities ( 78%). Only 15% of respondents believe that the Russian authorities could support Ukrainian colleagues in suppressing illegal attempts to seize power . Such opinion is most prevalent among the followers of "Fair Russia " (30 %) and employees of the commercial sector ( 20%). (...) The initiative Russian opinion polls were conducted on 1-2 February 2014 interviewed 1,600 people in 130 villages in 42 regions of Russia. The statistical error does not exceed 3.4 %.» http://wciom.ru/index.php?id=459&uid=114720
«“As the legitimate elected representative, I say the events in Kiev have resulted in Ukraine being on the brink of civil war. The rights of people in Crimea are being threatened. Under the influence of Western countries, there are open acts of terror. I would call on the president of Russia, Mr Putin, to use the armed forces of the Russian Federation to establish peace and defend the people of Ukraine.”» Viktor Yanukovich (former President of Ukraine)
«“Am I a terrorist?” That’s the question a Ukrainian marine had for a Russian officer encouraging the Ukrainians to give up and yield their weapons.
A recording obtained by the Guardian captures a conversation between the officer, identified as Igor Turchinyuk (IT), a Russian general, and unidentified Ukrainians (UU):
IT “The goal of me coming here … is to carry out the task given by the president of the Russian Federation.”
UU “What is this? Is it an invasion? Is it a forced peace operation?”
IT “It was a request to Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin to offer help and bring troops in. (noting he has family roots in Ukraine) I want to talk as one officer to other officers.”
UU “Am I a terrorist? Are we causing a threat to the Black Sea fleet of Russia?”
IT “We have an order, which we are carrying out.”» http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/mar/03/ukraine-crisis-russia-control-crimea-live?view=desktop#block-5314edfde4b0984a90a9e088
Samantha Power, United States of America Ambassador to the United Nations, had been very lucid in her intervention during an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council:
«Listening to
the representative of Russia, one might think that Moscow had just
become the rapid response arm of the Office of the High Commissioner for
Human Rights. So many of the assertions made this afternoon by the
Russian Federation are without basis in reality.
Let’s begin with a clear and candid assessment of the facts.
It is a fact that Russian military forces
have taken over Ukrainian border posts. It is a fact that Russia has
taken over the ferry terminal in Kerch. It is a fact that Russian ships
are moving in and around Sevastapol. It is a fact that Russian forces
are blocking mobile telephone services in some areas. It is a fact that
Russia has surrounded or taken over practically all Ukrainian military
facilities in Crimea. It is a fact that today Russian jets entered
Ukrainian airspace. It is also a fact that independent journalists
continue to report that there is no evidence of violence against Russian
or pro-Russian communities.
Russian military action is not a human
rights protection mission. It is a violation of international law and a
violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the
independent nation of Ukraine, and a breach of Russia’s Helsinki
Commitments and its UN obligations.
The central issue is whether the recent
change of government in Ukraine constitutes a danger to Russia’s
legitimate interests of such a nature and extent that Russia is
justified in intervening militarily in Ukraine, seizing control of
public facilities, and issuing military ultimatums to elements of the
Ukrainian military. The answer, of course, is no. Russian military bases
in Ukraine are secure. The new government in Kyiv has pledged to honor
all of its existing international agreements, including those covering
Russian bases. Russian mobilization is a response to an imaginary
threat.
A second issue is whether the population
of the Crimea or other parts of eastern Ukraine, are at risk because of
the new government. There is no evidence of this. Military action cannot
be justified on the basis of threats that haven’t been made and aren’t
being carried out. There is no evidence, for example, that churches in
Eastern Ukraine are being or will be attacked; the allegation is without
basis. There is no evidence that ethnic Russians are in danger. On the
contrary, the new Ukrainian government has placed a priority on internal
reconciliation and political inclusivity. President Turchinov – the
acting President – has made clear his opposition to any restriction on
the use of the Russian tongue.
No one has to explain to Ukraine’s new
government the need to have open communications, not only with leaders
of the country’s Russian ethnic minority in the Crimea and elsewhere,
but also with its neighbors. That is why, when the current crisis began,
the government sent its former Chief of Defense to the region to try to
defuse the situation. A second emissary was prevented from entering the
Crimean Rada to engage in discussions. And it is why Ukrainian
authorities have repeatedly reached out to Russia. Russia needs to
reciprocate and begin to engage directly with the Government of Ukraine.
I note that Russia has implied a right to
take military action in the Crimea if invited to do so by the prime
minister of Crimea. As the Government of Russia well knows, this has no
legal basis. The prohibition on the use of force would be rendered moot
were sub-national authorities able to unilaterally invite military
intervention by a neighboring state. Under the Ukrainian constitution,
only the Ukrainian Rada can approve the presence of foreign troops.
If we are concerned about the rights of
Russian-speaking minorities, the United States is prepared to work with
Russia and this Council to protect them. We have proposed and
wholeheartedly support the immediate deployment of international
observers and monitors from the UN or OSCE to ensure that the people
about whom Russia expresses such concern are protected from abuse and to
elucidate for the world the facts on the ground. The solution to this
crisis is not difficult to envision. There is a way out. And that is
through direct and immediate dialogue by Russia with the Government of
Ukraine, the immediate pull-back of Russia’s military forces, the
restoration of Ukraine’s territorial integrity, and the urgent
deployment of observers and human rights monitors, not through more
threats and more distortions.
Tonight the OSCE will begin deploying
monitors to Ukraine. These monitors can provide neutral and needed
assessments of the situation on the ground. Their presence is urgently
necessary in Crimea and in key cities in eastern Ukraine. The United
States calls upon Russia to ensure that their access is not impeded.
The leadership in Moscow may well be
unhappy about former President Yanukovych’s decision to flee Ukraine and
move in with them. Russia may be displeased with the new government,
which was approved by Ukraine’s parliament by an overwhelming majority,
including members of Yanukovych’s own party. Russia has every right to
wish that events in Ukraine had turned out differently, but it does not
have the right to express that unhappiness by using military force or by
trying to convince the world community that up is down and black is
white. Russia’s calls to turn back time to implement the February 21
Agreement ring hollow. It was Yanukovych who failed to abide by the
terms of that agreement, fleeing Kyiv, and ultimately Ukraine.
The United States categorically rejects
the notion that the new Government of Ukraine is a “government of
victors.” It is a government of the people and it is one that intends to
shepherd the country toward democratic elections on May 25th –
elections that would allow Ukrainians who would prefer different
leadership to have their views heard. And the United States will stand
strongly and proudly with the people of Ukraine as they chart out their
own destiny, their own government, their own future.
The bottom line is that, for all of the
self-serving rhetoric we have heard from Russian officials in recent
days, there is nothing that justifies Russian conduct. As I said in our
last session, Russia’s actions speak much louder than its words. What is
happening today is not a human rights protection mission and it is not a
consensual intervention. What is happening today is a dangerous
military intervention in Ukraine. It is an act of aggression. It must
stop. This is a choice for Russia. Diplomacy can serve Russia’s
interests. The world is speaking out against the use of military threats
and the use of force. Ukrainians must be allowed to determine their own
destiny.» Samantha Power
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