Monday, April 28, 2014

Ukraine Warms up

I missed an important event.  The Ukrainians were attacked at the Kramartorsk airport. A helicopter and a transport plane were destroyed.

Despite encircling Slavyansk, Kostyantynivka was overrun and taken over by the Little Green men. This is south of Kramatorsk.

There have been intermittant attacks on the Ukrainian army encampments.  Grenade launchers and other attacks.

 One army base had 500 unarmed civilians walk up and demand the disarmament of Ukrainian soldiers.  They refused and the crowd left.  There may have been a hope the Ukrainian army would kill the civvies.

In Donetsk, pro russian titushki attacked a pro Ukrainian march.  They kidnapped at least four people.

The total number of hostages taken in Slavyansk is supposed to have reached 40, including the OSCE observers.   While I generally COMPLETELY disagree with the Russians, what Europe was thinking by sending the observers to Slavyansk is something I cannot fathom.

The mayor of Kharkov was shot by a sniper.  He's been in surgery and now fighting for his life.

There has been little good on the Ukrainian side.  

The US has imposed more sanctions.  Congress is moving to ban purchases of all military and aerospace components.  This is where things get hairy.  The International Space Station will be effected and we do not currently have another way to it except through the Russians.  This will also cripple the Atlas V, Antares and Delta IV launchers.

The EU has likewise imposed more sanctions.

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