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I think the Ukraine military was hesitant at first to militarily intervene in Eastern Ukraine because Russia had 40,000 troops on the border poised to intervene if giving the order. Once that threat subsided Ukraine felt they had a free hand to crush the separatists.
There have been clashes between Ukraine and ethnic russians in Ukraine, and casualties have resulted. And if I understand correctly Ukraine and Russian Border Guards have fired on each other. If Russia is going to invade it would have done so already I guess.
But will the Ukraine ever go and get the Crimea back?
Why did the Ukrainians not take up arms when the Russians took the Crimea, but are only now fighting back? Were they afraid of Russian military power? They seem to be fighting now against insurgents.
Cimea asked Russia for help.
Crimea voted to go with Russia.
The new US backed Ukraine government was not fully in place when Crimea asked, chose and voted to go with Russia.
There have been clashes between Ukraine and ethnic russians in Ukraine, and casualties have resulted. And if I understand correctly Ukraine and Russian Border Guards have fired on each other. If Russia is going to invade it would have done so already I guess.
But will the Ukraine ever go and get the Crimea back?
I just hear on Al Jazeera, the Ukrainians are accusing the Russians of shooting down one of their planes. Are the Russians active in the fighting right now?
Russia is supplying and supporting the ethic Russian separatists while maintaining plausible deniability.
You have to make a stand somewhere. Unlike Crimea where Russia stationed its Black Sea fleet, and had such a foothold that they were sending in actual forces to overwhelming support instead of warlords to mixed support, Eastern Ukraine would have been a harder fight for Russia. And Ukraine had to decide where to cut losses and where to fight for its integrity.
^
This, pretty much. Plus, a majority of Crimea's population is composed of ethnic Russians, which is not true for any other parts of Ukraine.
I just hear on Al Jazeera, the Ukrainians are accusing the Russians of shooting down one of their planes. Are the Russians active in the fighting right now?
No. As it has turned out, the Russians didn't have the stomach for a real war in Ukraine, and Putin's move cost him dearly in the motherland.The Russians don't want more war. They want more employment and hope to be able to join the EU one day.
There are lots of Russians who still like a strong man at the top of the pile. That was what got Putin re-elected, but he's now proving to be too strong for most of his citizens. Right now, someone like Yeltsin is being sought, but a better Yeltsin who isn't a drunk.
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