Posts

Why Is Russia Invading Ukraine? Explaining the Roots of a Long-Simmering Conflict

/0 Comments/in , /by

. . .Russia’s invasion of Ukraine was a massive escalation of a conflict that has been simmering since Russia’s 2014 annexation of Crimea.

At issue are two separatist states — Donetsk and Luhansk — that have been in open, if muted, conflict with Kyiv since 2014, as well as larger questions about Russia’s sphere of influence and Ukraine’s place in greater Europe. . .

But the conflict as we know it began in 2013, when then-Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych backed out of an expected economic deal with the European Union, opting instead to strike a deal with Russia. . .

Putin simultaneously declared Crimea, which had been made a part of the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic during the Soviet era, to be part of Russia — and invaded the peninsula in late February and March 2014.

Putin’s annexation of the Crimean peninsula, located along the northern coast of the Black Sea, was widely denounced by the international community, which still recognizes the territory as being part of Ukraine. (Read more from “Why Is Russia Invading Ukraine? Explaining the Roots of a Long-Simmering Conflict” HERE)

Delete Facebook, Delete Twitter, Follow Restoring Liberty and Joe Miller at gab HERE.

Russia Announces ‘Special Military Operation’; Explosions in Ukraine; Putin Issues Stark Warning Against Western Intervention; Biden: ‘World Will Hold Russia Accountable’

/0 Comments/in , /by

By Breitbart. On Wednesday, a live report on “CNN Tonight” by CNN senior international correspondent Matthew Chance from Kyiv, Ukraine captured the sound of explosions in the distance.

Chance said, “This is the first time. This is the first time that we’ve heard anything. It’s been absolutely silent in this city throughout the course of tonight, and for the past several weeks, we’ve not seen anything at all. In fact, I’ve never heard anything like this in Kyiv for the years that I’ve been coming here and reporting from here. So, this is the first time.” (Read more from “Russia Announces ‘Special Military Operation’; Explosions in Ukraine” HERE)

___________________________________________________

Reports of Explosions in Key Cities, Putin Issues Stark Warning Against Western Intervention

By Daily Caller. Russian President Vladimir Putin announced early Thursday morning in Russia that he had decided to conduct “a special military operation in Donbas.” Minutes later, reports rang out of explosions in Kyiv, the capitol of Ukraine, and the Ukrainian interior minister announced that “the invasion has begun.”

Putin, speaking around 5:30 a.m. local time, called on Ukraine to “lay down its arms” and said his goal is not to occupy Ukraine, but to “demilitarize and de-Nazify” the country. The Russian president also warned against interference – presumably speaking to NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) and the U.S. – promising that “Russia’s response will be immediate and will lead you to such consequences as you have never before experienced in your history.”

“We are ready for all outcomes. All decisions have been made,” Putin added, according to a translation of his remarks. (Read more from “Reports of Explosions in Key Cities, Putin Issues Stark Warning Against Western Intervention” HERE)

___________________________________________________

Biden Says ‘World Will Hold Russia Accountable’ Over Ukraine Attack

By Breitbart. US President Joe Biden on Wednesday said the “world will hold Russia accountable” over a military onslaught against Ukraine that he warned will cause “catastrophic loss of life.”

In a statement issued shortly after Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the start of military operations in Ukraine, Biden said he would address the US public Thursday to outline the “consequences” for Russia, calling the attack “unprovoked and unjustified.”

Biden also held a phone call with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky soon after explosions were heard in multiple parts of the country, which is sandwiched between Russia and NATO member Poland, the White House said.

The US president was due to join a virtual, closed-door meeting of G7 leaders — Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States — at 9:00 am (1400 GMT) Thursday. The White House said his remarks to the nation would come in the early afternoon in Washington.

The G7 meeting is likely to result in more sanctions against Russia, which has long claimed it would not invade Ukraine, despite putting a huge force of tens of thousands of soldiers and heavy weaponry on the country’s borders, while insisting that the Ukrainian government abandon its pro-Western ambitions. (Read more from “Biden Says ‘World Will Hold Russia Accountable’ Over Ukraine Attack” HERE)

Delete Facebook, Delete Twitter, Follow Restoring Liberty and Joe Miller at gab HERE.

Ukraine Declares Martial Law, Shut Downs Air Space Amid Russia Attack

/0 Comments/in , /by

Ukraine imposed martial law Wednesday night as Russian forces launched offenses across the country, according to Dutch outlet BNO.

A nationwide state of emergency had been in effect, giving officials extra powers to impose restrictions. Under martial law, military leaders are the absolute authorities of Ukraine’s civilians.

Ukraine’s air space was closed after Russia struck multiple cities with explosives, National Defense and Security Council Chief Oleksiy Danilov said, according to The Kyiv Independent.

“In particular, there is a risk of both intentional targeting and misidentification of civil aircraft,” the European Union Aviation Safety Agency said, adding it was monitoring developments and would adjust its recommendations.

“As a precautionary measure, operators should exercise extreme caution and avoid using the airspace within 100NM of the Bielorussian and Russia-Ukraine border.” (Read more from “Ukraine Declares Martial Law, Shut Downs Air Space Amid Russia Attack” HERE)

Photo credit: Flickr

Delete Facebook, Delete Twitter, Follow Restoring Liberty and Joe Miller at gab HERE.

Trump on Ukraine Invasion: ‘This Is Something That Should Have Never Happened’

/0 Comments/in , /by

Wednesday, on the heels of reports that Russia had launched a “full-scale invasion” of Ukraine, former President Donald Trump proclaimed Russian President Vladimir Putin would not have acted in this way under his leadership. . .

“This is something that should have never happened,” he said. “This would not have happened during my administration. In fact, some people were saying, why didn’t this take place over the past four years during my administration? And it didn’t for a very good reason. I’ll explain that to you someday. But it wouldn’t have taken place, and it wouldn’t have taken place right now. It’s a very sad thing for the world, the country, and it is certainly sad for a lot of people that are going to be needlessly killed.” (Read more from “Trump on Ukraine Invasion: ‘This Is Something That Should Have Never Happened’” HERE)

Delete Facebook, Delete Twitter, Follow Restoring Liberty and Joe Miller at gab HERE.

Trump: China ‘Absolutely’ Going to Take Taiwan With Biden in Office; Tulsi Gabbard: ‘Sanctions Don’t Work’ — They Only Punish the American People

/1 Comment/in , /by

By Daily Wire. Former President Donald Trump warned during an interview on Tuesday that China was going to take over Taiwan after watching Russia invade Ukraine, something that he said would not have happened on his watch.

During an appearance on “The Clay Travis & Buck Sexton Show” at his Mar-a-Lago estate, Trump responded to the latest news about Russia moving forces into separatist regions of Ukraine that Russian President Vladimir Putin recognized as “independent” on Monday. In response to the latest provocations from Russia, NATO announced that it had placed more than 100 fighter jets on high alert and that other forces were being mobilized to protect member states of NATO from Russian aggression.

“By the way, this never would have happened with us. Had I been in office, not even thinkable. This would never have happened,” Trump said. “But [Putin] says, you know, ‘I’m gonna declare a big portion of Ukraine independent,’ he used the word ‘independent,’ ‘and we’re gonna go out and we’re gonna go in and we’re gonna help keep peace.’ You gotta say that’s pretty savvy. And you know what the response was from Biden? There was no response. They didn’t have one for that. No, it’s very sad. Very sad.”

“I think [Putin] sees this opportunity,” Trump later added. “I knew that he always wanted Ukraine. I used to talk to him about it. I said, ‘You can’t do it. You’re not gonna do it.’ But I could see that he wanted it. I used to ask him. We used to talk about it at length. I think nobody probably knows him better in terms of the discussions that we have or that we’re having this morning. So I knew him very well. I got to know him. I got to know President Xi. By the way, China is gonna be next. You know, China is gonna —” (Read more from “Trump: China ‘Absolutely’ Going to Take Taiwan With Biden in Office, Would Not Have Happened Under Me” HERE)

_________________________________________________

Tulsi Gabbard: ‘Sanctions Don’t Work’ — They Only Punish the American People

By Breitbart. Former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI) said Tuesday on FNC’s “Tucker Carlson Tonight” that sanctions against Russia for invading Ukraine would not work.

Gabbard said, “The reality is the sanctions don’t work, whether put in before or now or later, the sanctions don’t work. What we do know is they will increase suffering and hardship for the American people. This is the whole problem with the Biden administration. They are so focused on how do we punish Putin that they don’t care, and they are not focused on what is actually in the best interest of the American people. So when Biden stands there and looks directly into the camera and says defending freedom will cost us, what he really should be stating is looking directly into the American people’s eyes and saying, ‘This will cost you.’[”] (Read more from “Tulsi Gabbard: ‘Sanctions Don’t Work’ — They Only Punish the American People” HERE)

Delete Facebook, Delete Twitter, Follow Restoring Liberty and Joe Miller at gab HERE.

Big Joey Sanctions Vlad: POTUS Promises ’Costs’ for Americans

/0 Comments/in , /by

President Joe Biden announced a series of sanctions on Thursday in reaction to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s actions in Ukraine, warning of the economic costs Americans would bear as a result.

“Defending freedom will have costs, for us as well, and here at home,” he said during a speech at the White House. “We need to be honest about that.”

The president specifically warned of higher gas prices as a result of the sanctions but promised he would use “every tool” possible to reduce gas and energy prices.

“I want to limit the pain the American people are feeling at the gas pump,” he said.

Biden indicated Tuesday afternoon that Russian President Vladimir Putin had triggered the “first tranche” of sanctions after he “undeniably moved against Ukraine.” (Read more from “Big Joey Sanctions Vlad: POTUS Promises ’Costs’ for Americans” HERE)

Delete Facebook, Delete Twitter, Follow Restoring Liberty and Joe Miller at gab HERE.

Russian Lawmakers Give Putin Go-Ahead to Use Force in Ukraine’s Breakaway Regions

/0 Comments/in , /by

Russian lawmakers on Tuesday gave Russian President Vladimir Putin the go-ahead to deploy troops to the breakaway regions of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts in eastern Ukraine, heightening fears of a full-scale attack after the Biden administration finally admitted that an invasion by Moscow was underway in the rebel-held areas.

Members of Russia’s upper house, the Federation Council, voted unanimously to allow Putin to send troops outside of the country, rubber-stamping the dispatch of troops and the construction of military bases in the disputed regions, where ongoing fighting since 2014 has killed more than 14,000 people.

Putin ordered so-called “peacekeeping” forces into the region of eastern Ukraine known as Donbas on Monday after recognzing the separatist areas as independent — and Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov clarified Tuesday that recognition extends to the entire area, raising the likelihood that Russian troops will attempt to gobble up more territory.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said Tuesday that he believed Russia was still planning a large-scale assault on Ukraine, even as he held out hope for a diplomatic resolution to the crisis. (Read more from “Russian Lawmakers Give Putin Go-Ahead to Use Force in Ukraine’s Breakaway Regions” HERE)

Delete Facebook, Delete Twitter, Follow Restoring Liberty and Joe Miller at gab HERE.

The Invasion Has Begun: Putin Orders Troops Into Eastern Ukraine

/0 Comments/in , /by

The invasion has begun. There were videos on social media showing Russian troops and heavy equipment moving into the Donbas region. Russian President Vladimir Putin said Russia would recognize these would-be breakaway republics as independent states. President Joe Biden reportedly saw this coming and issued sanctions, which should scare away the Russians. Nope. President Oatmeal for Brains’ declaration did nothing. The Russians took another step towards all-out war. They’ve essentially invaded eastern Ukraine under the pretext of a peacekeeping mission. This is Obama and the red lines in Syria. The other side keeps crossing them, and we do nothing. The invasion of Ukraine has begun, and Biden is nowhere to be seen. Where’s Blinken? Where’s anybody in this sorry excuse for an administration (via NBC News):

Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered troops into Ukraine on Monday, just hours after he formally recognized the independence of two Moscow-backed breakaway regions in the eastern part of the country.

The order will likely be seen as another escalation of the conflict between Ukraine and Russia, on a day when tensions rose as Putin moved forward with the formal recognition of two breakaway regions and delivered a lengthy speech about the relationship between the two nations.

(Read more from “The Invasion Has Begun: Putin Orders Troops Into Eastern Ukraine” HERE)

Delete Facebook, Delete Twitter, Follow Restoring Liberty and Joe Miller at gab HERE.

Joe Biden Allows Vladimir Putin to Send More Russian Troops Into Ukraine Without Triggering Sanctions

/0 Comments/in , /by

Russian President Vladimir Putin’s decision to send more troops into Ukraine would not trigger the sanctions prepared by the United States and European allies, the White House said Monday.

A White House official explained President Joe Biden’s position during a conference call with reporters Monday.

Biden officials reacted anonymously to Putin’s decision to send Russian troops into Ukraine’s Donestsk and Luhansk regions for “peacekeeping” after the two territories declared independence from Ukraine.

“Russian troops moving into Donbas would not itself be a new step,” the official noted during the call. “Russia has had forces in the Donbas region for the past eight years.”

Putin’s political play puts Biden and his administration in a difficult spot, as they have repeatedly said that large numbers of troops crossing the Ukrainian border would be considered an invasion. (Read more from “Joe Biden Allows Vladimir Putin to Send More Russian Troops Into Ukraine Without Triggering Sanctions” HERE)

Delete Facebook, Delete Twitter, Follow Restoring Liberty and Joe Miller at gab HERE.

Russian Commanders Reportedly Given Orders to Invade Ukraine

/0 Comments/in , /by

By New York Post. The US has intelligence that Russian commanders have already received their orders to invade Ukraine, a report said Sunday — and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said he doesn’t believe President Vladimir Putin is “bluffing.”

“​He’s been very deliberate in terms of assembling the right kind of combat and combat support capabilities in the border region, and so he has a number of options available to him there. And he could, he could attack in short order​,” Austin told host Martha Raddatz on ABC News’ “This Week.”

“This is not a bluff?​” Raddatz asked.​

“​No, I don’t believe it’s a bluff​,” the secretary responded, adding that he thinks the Russian president has gathered the forces and equipment​​ “you would need to conduct a successful invasion​.”​

On Sunday, CBS News said Russian commanders have received their orders and are making specific plans on how to carry out an invasion. ​(Read more from “Russian Commanders Reportedly Given Orders to Invade Ukraine” HERE)

_________________________________________________

U.S. Claims Russia Has List of Ukrainians ‘To Be Killed or Sent to Camps’ Following a Military Occupation

By Washington Post. The United States has informed the United Nations it has credible information showing that Moscow is compiling lists of Ukrainians “to be killed or sent to camps following a military occupation,” according to a letter to the U.N. human rights chief obtained by The Washington Post on Sunday night.

The letter alleges that Moscow’s post-invasion planning would involve torture, forced disappearances and “widespread human suffering.” It does not describe the nature of the intelligence that undergirds its assessment.

The new warning comes after the Biden administration, amid weeks of speculation about President Vladimir Putin’s intentions in Ukraine, said late last week that the Russian leader had decided to launch an invasion. (Read more from “U.S. Claims Russia Has List of Ukrainians ‘To Be Killed or Sent to Camps’ Following a Military Occupation” HERE)

Delete Facebook, Delete Twitter, Follow Restoring Liberty and Joe Miller at gab HERE.