It happened--Russia "annexed" the Crimea after a one-way vote by Russians in the Crimea, who approved Russia taking back the area. This was the first annexation since World War II. Russia has stepped into the vacuum of the inaction of the Western powers and did what Vladimir Putin said two weeks ago he would not do, annex the Crimea. Putin also says that the Kremlin has no further designs on the territory. Perhaps not there, but there are all those Baltic countries that were once part of the Soviet Union. . . .
An activist, Reshat Ametov, an ethnic Tartar who protested the occupation and was last seen in Simferapol, Ukraine, was found murdered. At least 14 journalists and anti-annexation activists have gone missing.
The thuggish ways of the old Soviet Union are re-born, no dissent allowed. Staged trials, imprisonment, poison, murder are the tools used for compliance and silence.
There is an expression in Russian, "na leva" which means the right hand does not know what the left hand is doing.
The left hand has been very busy.
D'you really think so? What a horrible though. Maybe it's the Russian Mafia this time.
ReplyDeleteI used the Wall Street Journal as a reference. But I am looking forward to Spring and the A-Z Challenge and realize how lucky we all are to live in safe countries. I feel helpless as to what I can do to help, but we can do small things on our own such as send money to Save the Children and others so that we do something in our very small way.
ReplyDeleteHi Tasha .. and I've just read that Putin said (I think) in September 2013 we must all live by the rule of the law - has the law been written yet, and by which law ...
ReplyDeleteIt is appalling and dreadful ... I feel for those who wish for freedom to do what they'd like to do .. and not be curtailed.
Count our blessings, but I would love there to be something we could do ... we here in Europe are very tied in to Russian oil and gas ... I always thought it was rash ... Britain seems to have not been quite so tied down ...
I sincerely hope we can bring this disaster to a quiet end, and that no more land grabbing is done ... the thugs with masks leave .... just pray and support for those who suffer injustice in this world.
Glad to see you're doing the A-Z .. cheers Hilary
All those ties with others. . .Here in the US if we OK the US/Alaskan pipeline we would have so much to share but our President does not wish to do this. He is determined to make us weaker and weaker it seems. Those brave people all over the world will have to fight the good fight for their freedom as we watch.
DeleteThe whole world gives me ulcers. Being the mom of four young men, I hate feeling like we are about to repeat history with a world sitting on the edge of a world wide conflict. I pray I am just paranoid.
ReplyDeleteI wanted to follow your blog, but blogger keeps giving me error messages this week. Guess blogger is in turmoil too.
Thank you Elizabeth for trying. I have two sons and four grandsons, so I worry too. Will follow you and perhaps the blogger bugs will disappear.
DeleteFinally, I got to follow. I have more tenacity than Putin, but waaaayyyyy more heart.
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