The Failure of the Budapest Memorandum

Nuclear Device, courtesy of United States Action

If Ukraine had denied this diplomatic agreement, then Russia would have to face a Kiev government armed with nuclear devices. Thus, the situation in Crimea would require a more realpolitik view based on the strength of arms, both conventional and nuclear, rather than political good will enshrined in a treaty. As Pavlo Rizanenko, a member of the Ukrainian parliament, told USA Today, “We gave up nuclear weapons because of this agreement. Now there’s a strong sentiment in Ukraine that we made a big mistake.”
Walter Russell Mead of the American Interests wrote, “If Ukraine still had its nukes, it would probably still have Crimea. It gave up its nukes, got worthless paper guarantees, and also got an invasion from a more powerful and nuclear neighbour.”

The moral of the story is that tactical nuclear devices guarantee territorial sovereignty – a lesson the world, especially those threatened by conventional forces – such as Iran, would be wise to heed.

Zurcher, Anthony. “Ukraine’s Nuclear Regret?” BBC. March 20, 2014. http://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-echochambers-26676051

United States Action. “Special Atomic Demolition Munitions (SADMs).” http://www.unitedstatesaction.com/suitcase-nuclear.htm

 

 

 

Syria Loses Internet, Again

95% of Syria’s networks are down.

Gunmen Storm Luxury Hotel in Kabul

Good catch by the Afghan National Police (ANP).

Some hackers are bad. But a lot are good: Keren Elazari at TED2014

Rethinking cyber security in the modern age – courtesy of TED

Ukraine Says It Won’t Surrender in Crimea

“Crimea was, is and will be part of Ukraine.” – Ukrainian Parliament.

Information Resistance: The annexation of Crimea in the historical context

Harsh truths cut both ways: “Therefore, the conflict in Crimea and its further escalation – is not just a conflict between two states. It exposed the vulnerability not only in Ukraine, but also of peace in the face of aggression and calls into question the nuclear agreements and the legitimacy of international organizations established to maintain and promote peace and security.”

Voices of Ukraine

Dmitry Tymchuk, Information Resistance

Information Resistance

Analysis by “Delta” section of the Information Resistance group
March 19, 2014
Translated and edited by Voices of Ukraine 

Events in Crimea, without exaggeration, are the events that resonate now and will have resonance in the world with large-scale effects. Without claiming to have a deep understanding of all of the events, I would like to draw attention to several historical trends we are now immediately facing.

1. There is a constant trend in history, which neither the international organizations nor the existing world order are able to resist – state borders are constantly changing. This process, caused by religious, cultural, ethnic, and political motives, bursts into the course of historical events and any attempts to preserve the integrity of the territories come to naught. It would seem that in recent historical terms, the world of the past received hope from the inviolability of…

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Wage a media-war in Russian!

“People in Russia will need to be informed. They need to be able to assess what is going on, they need to see that the thievery of Yanukovych and his gang is child’s play in comparison to what Putin and his gang is engaged in. They need to see that they will never have a normal life until they rid themselves of this criminal gang, that runs the country as its own fiefdom. The only way to achieve this is to engage in a full-scale media war.”

Euromaidan PR

By Robert van Voren

Since the crisis in Ukraine took the shape of a fundamental conflict between a growing part of the Ukrainian people and a government of “crooks and swindlers” that, as it later turned out, managed to rob the nation of an approximate 70 billion euro, Russian friends have asked me with increasing urgency for independent media sources to help them follow the events. Initially, when it was not yet clear in what way the standoff would end and the atmosphere at Maidan was still quite joyful, the requests were mainly the result of curiosity, rather than a urgent need to know what was actually happening on the ground. Russian media downplayed the size of the demonstrations, referring to “several thousand” of them, while in fact some 800,000 demonstrators filled Independence Square and all the surrounding streets and alleys. It resulted in jokes in the social media, e.g…

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The Battle for Donetsk is on March 16. Why is Akhmetov Doing THIS?

Donetsk – the next front? Pt. 2

Euromaidan PR

The eyes of the whole world are on Crimea, where on March 16th the Russians are conducting a referendum. But it would be better if those eyes would turn to another corner of Ukraine – to Donetsk. Let’s review briefly what’s going on in the eastern capital, according to what local residents are saying. Throughout Saturday March 15th it was virtually impossible to reach mobile phone subscribers. Mobile signals are being blocked. A full-scale radio war is happening. Crowds of people streamed into the city center, asking passersby the same question: “Where is Lenin Square?” This means that they were out-of-towners, but with a clear instruction, to go to the center. Many of these people looked peculiar, scaring Donetsk residents who fearfully pressed their backs into walls. The city is full of people who look like criminals and thugs. They say in Donetsk that on Sunday, March 16th, around 50 thousand…

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StopFake: “Donetsk refugee” turned into a Crimean “activist”

Donetsk – the next front?

Voices of Ukraine

“Donetsk refugee” turned into a Crimean “activist”

Posted on March, 19, 00:32 by: StopFake.org

Source: http://www.stopfake.org/en/donetsk-refugee-turned-into-a-crimean-activist/

Vice video made on the next day after the referendum shows a woman who they called Elena Danilchenko. She gives a very emotional comment about the situation.

“I already said that they have bitten off more than they can chew: all 28 countries of the EU and that shitty America. We wont let them. We are all Russians. We have the same roots, same history, the same troubles and the same victories. Our genes are Russian. We are holy orthodox Russia”.

(see full video of Simon Ostrovsky: http://maidantranslations.com/2014/03/19/russian-roulette-the-invasion-of-ukraine-the-day-after-crimeas-referendum-video-simon-ostrovsky-18-03-2014/)

Our readers already know this activist by the roles of “resident of Kiev”, “soldier’s mother”, “resident of Odessa”, “resident of Kharkiv”, “participant of Antimaydan”, and “refugee from Donetsk”. In the previous posts she was either blond or wearing a hat. But we can recognize our old…

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WAR IN CRIMEA – March 18, 2014 – Information Resistance Reports

Russian anti-aircraft SA-22 Greyhounds (AAA missile systems) are now in the Crimea – moving to secure the airspace.

Voices of Ukraine

Information Resistance Reports

March 18, 2104
Translated and edited by Voices of Ukraine

09:15

http://flot2017.com/posts/new/okkupantami_blokirovan_191j_uchebnyj_otrjad_vms_ukrainy_

According to Information Resistance operational data, last night, the Crimean gangs (so-called “self-defense”) and Russian militaries blockaded training detachment N191 of the Ukrainian Navy (Sevastopol), using an armored personnel carrier.

The unit was surrounded by the Russian military. According to the statements of their commanders, the purpose of the blockade is to “defend the Ukrainian unit” (from whom – they couldn’t tell), and prevent any armaments from leaving the unit.

By morning, the occupiers said they would let members of the unit in and out, through the checkpoint, but only after a thorough search. For some reason, a particular emphasis during the search was placed on “flash drives” (USB data carriers).

As a reminder – earlier, the Ukrainian military command reported that agreements were reached with the Russian command, according to which the occupiers would…

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