Ukraiina seems quiet and the new government getting on with business. Only concern seems to be the Crimea situation. Russian ship blockading, Russian flag over the regional parliament building, and uniformed armed people surrounding both airports. Latest reports from the BBC, state that whilst the Ukrainian authorities are back in charge of the airports, the same armed troops are manning roadblocks in the area.
NOTE: The BBC report above, has a summary of the first Yanucovych appearance since last weekend. He is said to be in Rostov-on-Don, ( a city in Russia, just East of Ukraiina).
Maybe the moves in Crimea are a way to instigate a Russian influenced separation from Ukraiina? After all, it is the only warm-water port that Russia has. Logically, Putin would just negotiate a rent for the port. After all, no-one in the new government in Kiev is suggesting any sanctions against people with a Russian background.
People who suffered through Russian polices are legion. The Crimean Tartars suffered. Some 46% died during their forced removal to Siberia in 1944. And though legislation in 1967 dropped all charges against the Tartars, they could not start returning until Peristroika, in the ’80’s. The 2001 census had some 243, 000 Tartars living in Crimea.
So if Russia believes it can gain Crimea, it will be at a terrible cost.
Against this background, what are other countries doing? Minister Baird is over in Kiev promising $200k in medical aid. But Canadian sanctions against Yanukovych and his cohorts are limited to travel. Meanwhile, Switzerland, Austria and Liechtenstein have managed to freeze the assets of 20 in the Yanukovych circle. Time for Canadians to remember that there was no sanction against that well-known Conservative, Brian Mulroney, taking cash payments. Time to tell our MPs that we need to have the Canadian government enact serious sanctions against Yanukovych and his crew.