Russian Forces Moving In

[autigeremt 6,588]

Large numbers of Russian troops were reported landing at a military air base in Crimea Friday, prompting Ukraine to accuse Russia of a military invasion.

At the White House, President Obama said the U.S. government is "deeply concerned" by reports of Russian "military movements" and warned any violation of Ukraine's sovereignty would be "deeply destabilizing."

"There will be costs" for any military intervention, he said, without specifying what those costs might be.

U.S. officials told Fox News they see “evidence of air and maritime movement into and out of Crimea by Russian forces” although the Pentagon declined to officially "characterize" the movement.

Agence France Press quoted a top Ukranian official as saying Russian aircraft carrying nearly 2,000 suspected troops have landed at a military air base near the regional capital of the restive Crimean peninsula.

"Thirteen Russian aircraft landed at the airport of Gvardeyskoye (near Simferopol) with 150 people in each one," Sergiy Kunitsyn, the Ukrainian president's special representative in Crimea, told the local ATR television channel, according to AFP. he accused Russia of an "armed invasion."

The new developments prompted Ukraine to accuse Russia of a "military invasion and occupation" -- a claim that brought an alarming new dimension to the crisis.

A spokesman for the Ukrainian border service said eight Russian transport planes have landed in Crimea with unknown cargo.

Serhiy Astakhov told The Associated Press that the Il-76 planes arrived unexpectedly Friday and were given permission to land, one after the other, at Gvardeiskoye air base, north of the regional capital, Simferopol.

Astakhov said the people in the planes refused to identify themselves and waved off customs officials, saying they didn't require their services.

Earlier in the day, Russian armored vehicles rumbled across Crimea and reports surfaced of troops being deployed at airports and a coast guard base – signs of a more heavy-handed approach to the crisis from Moscow.

Ukraine's U.N. ambassador Yuriy Sergeyev told the U.N. Security Council that Russian military helicopters and transport planes are entering his country, that neither major airport in Ukraine is under national control and that the main airport was "captured by Russian armed forces."

He claimed 11 Russian military helicopters had been brought in along with M-24 military transport planes.

Armed gunmen took control of the two main airports in Crimea Friday. However, Russia has so far been silent on the claims of military involvement. No violence was reported at the civilian airport in Crimea's capital of Simferopol or at the military airport in the Black Sea port of Sevastopol, also part of Crimea. At the Simferopol airport, a man claiming to speak for the camouflage-clad forces patrolling the airport described them as Crimean militiamen.

Meanwhile, ousted Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych surfaced in Russia Friday, thundering defiantly against the “pro-fascist hooligans” who drove him from office.

Yanukovych warned of the dangers of “irresponsible Western policy” as he vowed to continue the fight for Ukraine’s future Friday at a press conference in Rostov-on-don, Russia—his first public appearance since last Saturday.

"I intend to keep fighting for the future of Ukraine against those who are using fear and terror to seize the country," he told reporters.

The fugitive leader said he was forced to leave Ukraine due to threats, Reuters reported. He blamed the country’s crisis on “irresponsible Western policy,” and said he trusted the "decency of Western mediators” when he signed a peace deal last week brokered by members of the European Union. But recent actions by the opposition run counter to the agreement, he said.

Yanukovych said he does not plan to ask Russia for military support in dealing with the crisis in Ukraine, where he said power was stolen by ``a bunch of radicals.”

"Fascist hooligans" have taken power in Ukraine, Yanukovych told reporters, according to the BBC.

Reuters and the Associated Press contributed to this report.

[Auctoritas 2,828]

You beat me to it. I have a question for everyone here, and I'm not asking for defense of Obama or attacks.

What would you do, if you were the President?

[autigeremt 6,588]

I would cut off all aid to Russia, expel their ambassador, position naval assets off the coast of Cuba, and advise Putin that his little boat in Havana won't be coming home anytime soon.

I've said as much in the last couple of years, and Romney was right. Russia is still our enemy and one to watch.

[icanthearyou 4,462]

Does the Ukraine represent any sort of real strategic importance?

[Auctoritas 2,828]

I would cut off all aid to Russia, expel their ambassador, position naval assets off the coast of Cuba, and advise Putin that his little boat in Havana won't be coming home anytime soon.

I've said as much in the last couple of years, and Romney was right. Russia is still our enemy and one to watch.

Putin scares the hell out of me.

Does the Ukraine represent any sort of real strategic importance?

Yes, oil pipelines for our allies in Europe, as well as their effect could have on global prices. Also, this is different than Syria or Libya. If Russia is actually mounting an invasion, that's a huge deal for everyone, not just us.

[3rdgen 2]

Put naval assets in the Black Sea and move more to the Aegean/Med. Freeze all the personal bank accounts of high ranking Russians in the US. Push for Georiga to enter NATO. Push for more LNG export capacity so that we could supply the Europeans in case the Russians cut off the pipelines. Expel their ambassador from the US and recall ours from Moscow.

[cptau 169]

I would cut off all aid to Russia, expel their ambassador, position naval assets off the coast of Cuba, and advise Putin that his little boat in Havana won't be coming home anytime soon.

I've said as much in the last couple of years, and Romney was right. Russia is still our enemy and one to watch.

This is about all we can now. We had the chance to put weapon systems in the former eastern block countries but this administration dropped that. So nothing near by and Russia has nukes.

Ukraine was always controlled by the Russian Tsars and the Soviet Russians. The Soviet Union = Russia. Ukraine, Belarus, Russia are very similar in language and culture. Similar to how Denmark, Sweden and Norway are.

The Russians are the big power and they have move Russians into these other counties in large numbers during the last 100 year or more. The Russians then force people in these counties to speak Russian. Russian is even the main language in many areas now. It was called Russification.

The Russians want the ice free ports that the eastern Ukraine has on the Black sea.

I think Ukraine may be split in two. The eastern part a separate country or added on to Russia.

This is what happens when you don't control your borders and culture from invasion. We may have the same problem some day.

[3rdgen 2]

Does the Ukraine represent any sort of real strategic importance?

Yes, this is very similar to what the Germans did prior to WWII. Reoccupying territory they once held with German minorities. If they were to gobble up large portions of eastern Europe, the Caucasus mountains, the Baltic states, or central Asia it becomes even bigger. Putin sees the weakness and he will push to grab as much as he can while our weakness continues.

[AURaptor 1,122]

After the Russian Army invaded the nation of Georgia, Senator Obama's reaction was one of indecision and moral equivalence, the kind of response that would only encourage Russia's Putin to invade Ukraine next.

- Sarah Palin

October, 2008

[AUinWV 0]

What do you guys/gals see the UN or NATO saying/doing about this? I wonder if, with our president being so..... hesitant... they might also just let Russia do whatever it wants. Wonder where the Chinese will stand? My guess would be aside, thankful the spotlight is off their economy and military maneuvering around Japan.

[homersapien 11,357]

You beat me to it. I have a question for everyone here, and I'm not asking for defense of Obama or attacks.

What would you do, if you were the President?

Seriously.

We already know they will violently oppose whatever Obama does after the fact. :-\

[AUinWV 0]

You beat me to it. I have a question for everyone here, and I'm not asking for defense of Obama or attacks.

What would you do, if you were the President?

Seriously.

We already know they will violently oppose whatever Obama does after the fact. :-\/>

I don't know what the best decision would be, as I can see both arguments. I was simply stating our president seems to be hesitant to give strong response (possibly a good move, I'm not sure) and asking the opinions of those more knowledgeable than myself.

[AURaptor 1,122]

homer - after the fact ? Hell, Palin ALREADY opposed what he was gonna do, 5+ years before he did it!!

[cooltigger21 0]

Well there goes another red line crossed. How many is that now. Good work Mr. President. Could an American president be more inept at dealing with such matters. Geez I thought Jimmy Carter was terrible.

[Weegle777 78]

Bottom line is if the US sends forces to the region, we will be at war with Russia. And with most of the world hating us, few would probably support our involvement. Damned if you do, damned if you don't.

[Proud Tiger 4,261]

Weegle77......Russia has now put an armed ship 200 miles off the Florida coast. Are we at war? We should follow suit. Putin is just spitting in Obama's face knowing he is weak and will do nothing but talk. Obama would be better off to just shut up and quit making empty threats.

[autigeremt 6,588]

You beat me to it. I have a question for everyone here, and I'm not asking for defense of Obama or attacks.

What would you do, if you were the President?

Seriously.

We already know they will violently oppose whatever Obama does after the fact. :-\/>

Seriously?!?!. Until his term is up we are forced to stand with him in some cases. (Retracted the direct insult)

[alexava 6,973]

Bottom line is if the US sends forces to the region, we will be at war with Russia. And with most of the world hating us, few would probably support our involvement. Damned if you do, damned if you don't.

your best post ever.

[homersapien 11,357]

You beat me to it. I have a question for everyone here, and I'm not asking for defense of Obama or attacks.

What would you do, if you were the President?

Seriously.

We already know they will violently oppose whatever Obama does after the fact. :-\/>

Seriously, butt hurt homer. Until his term is up we are forced to stand with him in some cases. You are such a loser.

I was referring to where all the haters will stand after the fact. It's kind of tricky calling your shots prior isn't it? :-\

[homersapien 11,357]

homer - after the fact ? Hell, Palin ALREADY opposed what he was gonna do, 5+ years before he did it!!

That doesn't even make sense. Try againl

[icanthearyou 4,462]

It appears that this situation is quickly escalating. Some of you may want to consider whether or not you can be political and patriotic at this moment.

Lawmakers allow Putin to use military in Ukraine

By DAVID McHUGH and VLADIMIR ISACHENKOV 14 minutes ago ...

KIEV, Ukraine (AP) — Russia's parliament granted President Vladimir Putin permission to use the country's military in Ukraine and also recommended Saturday that Moscow's ambassador be recalled from Washington over comments made by President Barack Obama

The unanimous vote in an emergency session formalized what Ukrainian officials described as an invasion of Russian troops in the strategic region of Crimea. With pro-Russian protests breaking out in other parts of Ukraine, Moscow now could send its military elsewhere in Ukraine.

"I'm submitting a request for using the armed forces of the Russian Federation on the territory of Ukraine pending the normalization of the socio-political situation in that country," Putin said before the vote.

Putin's call came as pro-Russian demonstrations broke out in Ukraine's Russian-speaking east, where protesters raised Russian flags and beat up supporters of the new Ukrainian government.

Russia's move sharply raised the stakes in the conflict following the ouster of Ukraine's pro-Russian president last week by a protest movement aimed at turning Ukraine toward the European Union and away from Russia. Ukraine has accused Russia of a "military invasion and occupation" — a claim that brought an alarming new dimension to the crisis, and raised fears that Moscow is moving to intervene on the strategic peninsula where Russia's Black Sea fleet is based.

President Barack Obama warned Moscow on Friday "there will be costs" if Russia intervenes militarily. In Saturday's parliamentary session in Moscow, one Russian legislator said Obama had crossed a "red line" and the upper house recommended the Russian ambassador in Washington be recalled. It will be up to Putin to decide whether that happens.

Troops in unmarked uniforms stand guard as they taking control the the Caost Guard offices in Balakl …

In Crimea, the pro-Russian prime minister who took office after gunmen seized the regional Parliament claimed control of the military and police there and asked Putin for help in keeping peace, sharpening the discord between the two neighboring Slavic countries.

Ukraine's acting president, Oleksandr Turchynov, said the election of the election of Sergei Aksyonov as prime minister of Crimea was invalid.

It was the latest escalation following the ouster of Ukraine's pro-Russian president last week by a protest movement aimed at turning Ukraine toward the European Union and away from Russia.

Ukraine's population is divided in loyalties between Russia and Europe, with much of western Ukraine advocating closer ties with the European Union while eastern and southern regions look to Russia for support. Crimea, a semi-autonomous region of Ukraine, is mainly Russian-speaking.

Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseny Yatsenyuk opened a Cabinet meeting in the capital, Kiev, by calling on Russia not to provoke discord in Crimea.

"We call on the government and authorities of Russia to recall their forces, and to return them to their stations," Yatsenyuk was quoted as saying by the Interfax news agency. "Russian partners, stop provoking civil and military resistance in Ukraine."

[homersapien 11,357]

There was an interesting segment on the PBS News Hour last night. Putin was described as a narcissistic egomaniac who is obsessed with leaving his mark on history. One would have hoped that we had passed the era of dealing with sociopathic leaders of superpower countries. Guess not.

[icanthearyou 4,462]

There was an interesting segment on the PBS News Hour last night. Putin was described as a narcissistic egomaniac who is obsessed with leaving his mark on history. One would have hoped that we had passed the era of dealing with sociopathic leaders of superpower countries. Guess not.

No offense, but that is rather niave considering we have our own egomaniac leaders.

[icanthearyou 4,462]

Putin received a unanimous vote from his parliment. Is that superficial or, does that mean something?

[Auctoritas 2,828]

Putin received a unanimous vote from his parliment. Is that superficial or, does that mean something?

Column A, Column B.