Faulty Minsk Truce Accords for Intimidated Ukraine

The road to a ceasefire in the Russo-Ukraine War of 2014-15, as well as the return to peace and stability in Ukraine and the region, is troubling because of its injustice and hypocrisy.

Ukraine was hogtied and dragged to the negotiating table by three frightened countries – Great Britain, France and Germany, and the invader, perpetrator and criminal – Russia. When has a lawbreaker been summoned as an equal in negotiations regarding a settlement of its crimes against a violated country? Ukraine was also coerced into considering a pre-mature truce by the flawed opinions of pundits, analysts and others that opined it’s time for the Russo-Ukraine War to end regardless of where is the front line and for the combatants to live side-by-side peacefully. Everyone naively believes their lives will then return to normal.

On Thursday the participating parties signed another defective 13-point truce agreement, which will begin on Sunday, February 15, and Russia will surely violate this one as it did the previous truces along with other global treaties and accords that it had agreed to.

The number of countries supporting Ukraine such as USA, Great Britain, Canada and Australia has been encouraging. Sadly, the abundant press coverage and fraternity of pundits have tended to treat Ukraine and Russia equally in their coverage, going even so far as to attempt to write from the points of view of Vladimir Putin, other Russian leaders and Russian terrorists.

The news writers focused on the war, which has claimed more than 5,000 Ukrainian lives, as if it were an unrelated slice of history stemming solely from Putin’s regime rather than the national destructive mentality with its roots in Russian antiquity. The absurdity of inviting Russia to the peace talks was never addressed leading me to believe that none of the writers have ever studied the Allies’ view of their arch enemy of the time, Nazi Germany with its dictator Adolf Hitler.

Case in point from Bloomberg News: “And after marathon talks they produced a cease-fire agreement that – if implemented – might stop the fighting between government forces and pro-Russian separatists in Ukraine’s Donbas region.

“But even if it does that, the agreement does little to address the real issue at the heart of the conflict between Kyiv and Moscow: Ukraine’s future political direction.”

This narrow-minded opinion states that future political direction of the region and its independent states is based solely on Russia’s view only of Ukraine’s course. That type of thinking has also been ingrained in the capitals of the free world countries since the days of the tsars: What will Moscow do about Kyiv’s future?

Others have observed that Russia, which has denied being involved in the war even in the face of photo evidence, is winning the war with Ukraine and consequently Kyiv does not deserve lethal military aid that would enflame Russia. Actually, despite Russia’s advances, the Ukrainian Armed Forces, National Guard and volunteer battalions have been better than holding up their own against a non-plundered, well-funded Russian military machine.

In the absence of a global coalition mobilized to defeat Russia just like the world did against Nazi Germany 70 years ago, today’s leaders should at least force Russia to unconditionally cease the war that it launched and is waging without regard for its proclaimed reason for igniting it – its deceitful assertion that it is defending the language rights of Russian-speakers in Ukraine.

Twelve months ago Russia invaded without legal or moral pretext Ukraine on two fronts: southern via Crimea and southeastern via the Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts. Consequently, there is only one issue to deal with: Russia is the guilty party and it must relent before the world can return to peace and stability. The USA, Great Britain, France and Germany must focus on resolving this crime by forcing Russia to unconditionally withdraw from Ukraine. War reparations seem to be beyond consideration today but demands for them are not without precedence.

The superfluous Minsk accords are similar to the 12-point version signed last fall. Both are intended to force Ukraine into making unjust and questionable concessions to Russia and its terrorists in Ukraine.

It calls for Ukrainian armed forces and Russian terrorists to withdraw heavy weapons and troops by the start of the ceasefire on February 15. It states that “Militant forces are to withdraw from the demarcation line established by the 19 September 2014 Minsk memorandum” without specifically stating that they must withdraw to a safe buffer zone in Russia.  

It calls for the release of prisoners of war – called hostages and detainees in the document. Supporters of Nadiya Savchenko, the Ukrainian army pilot that was kidnapped to Russia and incarcerated, and has become the subject of a worldwide defense campaign #FreeSavchenko, immediately raised hopes that she may be included in that group. While well wishes are warranted, all sides should understand that she is not the reason for the war nor the goal of the peace process but only a consequence of it. Her freedom should not take our eyes of the real goal – Russian expulsion from Ukraine.

The most unwarranted points pertain to the administrative future of the Luhansk and Donetsk oblasts. Russia’s ultimatum for autonomy for Luhansk and Donetsk was quickly quashed by President Poroshenko. He was quoted as adamantly declaring that autonomy is not under consideration and that Russian demands are unacceptable.

“It wasn’t easy – we were presented with various unacceptable conditions,” Poroshenko was quoted as saying. “We rebuffed all ultimatums.”

Answering journalists’ questions whether the autonomy of the oblasts has been discussed, Poroshenko noted that despite rigid insistence, he didn’t support the autonomy status. “Broadening of powers of the Ukrainian regions will take place solely under the constitutional amendments on decentralization. We didn't yield to any compromise on federalization,” he said.

As he did last fall, Poroshenko again agreed to review the two oblasts’ administrative structure in accordance with the Constitution of Ukraine but without specifying what will happen to them. Putin, Russian observers, some journalists and others interpreted this as meaning that the oblasts may be granted autonomy, which is illegal according to Ukrainian laws and would be dangerous for the indivisibility and territorial integrity of Ukraine. The three non-combatant countries party to the truce agreement should consider how they would react if Bavaria, Northern Ireland or Normandy unexpectedly began a war for their independence.

President Poroshenko’s position on this point, at least, was beyond reproach.

Luhansk and Donetsk have no more rights or privileges to demand independence or autonomy than do the Lviv and Ternopil oblasts or New York or California in the USA. Perhaps there should be a discussion about America-styled states-rights issues but that should be undertaken in a calm atmosphere after Russia has withdrawn to a safe region beyond the border of Ukraine and has stopped instigating local hotheads against Kyiv.

While Kyiv is officially calling Crimea occupied Crimea, the Ukrainian peninsula was not mentioned in the ceasefire treaty. Has everyone forgotten about it or just temporarily shunted it aside? Leaving Crimea off the table will make it difficult to resurrect the issue of returning it to Ukraine later.

Another intolerable and offensive point in the treaty reads: “An amnesty must be introduced to prevent prosecution or punishment for those connected with events in Donetsk and Luhansk regions.” Absolutely not.

Russian terrorists – soldiers or mercenaries – who murdered, harmed and raped civilians must be brought to justice regardless of this agreement. Those who downed the Malaysian airliner must also be brought to justice. Amnesty for criminals and mass murderers must not be sanctioned.

These accords have turned Ukraine, the aggrieved victim of Russian aggression, into the criminal and forced it to agree to groundless terms to satisfy and absolve Russia.

Furthermore, the agreement offers more proof that the non-combatant participants were prepared to placate Russia at the cost of Ukraine’s interests. Ukraine was made to bear sole responsibility and culpability for being invaded by Russia.

And what is Russia’s punishment? What has it agree to do? Absolutely nothing. Moscow got away scot-free, which will certainly make its quest for world domination more audacious. The free world has been revealed as a paper tiger.

An incorrigible, unrepentant, invincible Putin and Russia will not be restrained from penetrating Ukraine with its terrorists up to the Polish border and then beyond, as many political analysts have warned.

The negotiations were still ongoing when Col. Andriy Lysenko, the Ukrainian military spokesman, announced that some 50 tanks, 40 missile systems and 40 armored vehicles have crossed overnight into east Ukraine from Russia via Izvaryne border crossing into the Luhansk region.

“The enemy continues to strengthen its forces in the most dangerous areas, especially in north-east Luhansk region and in the direction of Debaltseve,” Lysenko said, referring to a strategic transport hub that has been the focus of heavy fighting in recent weeks.

Other reports have Russian terrorists donning Ukrainian military uniforms in preparation for new battles.

The ink was still drying when the European Union indicated that in view of the ceasefire agreement they would consider relieving sanctions against Russia. A US Statement Department spokesperson also said that while in its view Russia is not absolved of its aggression, it will nonetheless look closely at the sanctions based on the truce agreement.

Just like freedom for prisoners of war isn’t a goal of the peace process, neither is the mere conclusion of a truce agreement. Ukraine’s advocates must maintain a hardline against Russia and avoid any hint of lifting sanctions against this terrorist state.

President Obama’s comment earlier this week was laudatory compared with his earlier remarks. In a one-on-one conversation Tuesday, Obama personally and rather undiplomatically warned Putin that unless an acceptable peace deal is reached in talks in Minsk, Russia will face increased costs for its invasion of Ukraine’s Crimean peninsula and its continued support of separatist rebels in eastern Ukraine.

Truce is a half-step toward a higher goal, which must not fall to the wayside. Ukraine and the Ukrainian people deserve peace and stability a quarter of a century into its latest attempt to build a sovereign, independent, democratic and unitary state. They also deserve a life without Russia breathing down its neck. Unfortunately, with subterfuge, sabotage, persecution, repression, murder and war, Russia has perennially violated Ukraine’s sovereignty and border.

Peace and stability will return to the region after the following points are met:

1. USA and the free world must arm Ukraine so it can subdue the Russian terrorists;

2. USA and the free world must stop intimidating Ukraine into accepting unjust terms;

3. Ukraine must not be forced to cower while the free world ponders its next steps;

4. Russia must be exposed as the terrorist state that it is;

5. Sanctions against Russia must not be lifted while Russian terrorists are on Ukrainian land;

6. Russia must be forced to unconditionally withdraw from Ukraine to a safe region in Russia far from the Ukrainian border;

7. Russia must stop instigating its hothead sympathizers against Kyiv.

Anything short of this and Ukrainians can expect more bullying and terrorism from Russia.

Draft Dodgers and Oligarchs’ War

In recent blogs, posts and tweets, I wrote about the disturbing revelation of draft dodgers in Ukraine. With their homeland in a life-and-death war with Russia, young men are using every opportunity to avoid enlisting in the Armed Forces of Ukraine, instead choosing life in the near or far diaspora as a way of saving themselves.

What was most startling about this news was that the young men come mostly from western Ukraine, the heart of patriotic, nationalistic Ukraine that in the past proudly sent its heroic boys to fight for and defend Ukraine’s sovereign independence.

I first read about Ukrainian draft dodgers on a reliable Ternopil-based news website. The local draft board had raised a warning about the high number of young men who had refused to report for military duty, despite appealing to their sense of patriotism. The official noted that the potential recruits decided to avoid the issue by hightailing to any one of the diaspora communities around the world through Ukraine’s porous border with its eastern European neighbors. From there to the USA, Canada or elsewhere is not a great complication because most families in western Ukraine have relatives in the diaspora who will be cajoled into providing them with necessary documents.

Thinking that these young men are consciously abandoning Ukraine in its time of dire need, I suggested that they should be greeted with white feathers in New York City, Chicago, Toronto or other towns.

However, a few days later I read in the same Ternopil website that the issue has not simply been escaping from Ukraine to avoid military service. Sounding somewhat akin to conscientious objectors, these unwilling conscripts were expressing their disdain for draft corruption and favoritism of the elite, while denouncing the 12-month-old war with Russia as an oligarchs’ war. I inquired with urban and rural Ternopil residents and learned that contrary to the early bravado of enlisting and fighting the heathen Russians, today young men are reluctant to enlist because, as they charged, “the oligarchs aren’t fighting, they’re only mobilizing the underprivileged.” Rural residents have even blocked draft board officials’ access to their towns and villages.

“The oligarchs aren’t going to fight, the deputies (parliamentarians) aren’t going to fight, their sons aren’t going, nobody is going. Only the children of the poor from the villages are being mobilized, those who can’t buy their way out,” an angry resident of Ostapye was quoted as saying.

This is an incredible turn of events in Ukraine, which has undergone a major political and national transformation since the second Maidan that ousted corrupt President Viktor Yanukovych and his pro-Russian band of thieves. The scorn against Yanukovych has been so vitriolic since then that the Verkhovna Rada was forced to formally retract his questionably obtained title of President of Ukraine.

The new, promising pro-Ukrainian leadership, beginning with President Petro Poroshenko and Prime Minister Arseniy Yatseniuk, who everyday demonstrate a high dose of patriotism and scrupulousness in running Ukraine, is not fulfilling its mandate of transparency beginning with themselves thus angering the people. It’s become a public secret that Poroshenko has not divested himself of his candy factory in Russia and ship building yard in occupied Crimea.

My airborne friend from Lviv confirmed this contempt by youth, saying draft-aged men from rural districts are not inclined to enlist when the President’s 26-year-old son is serving in parliament rather than on the frontlines of the war.

“Why is the recruit provided with clothes, footwear, equipment, flak jackets, helmet, sleeping bag, etc., by his family and village (and even the diaspora – TC)? Why are children of parliamentarians, prosecutors, judges and cops continuing to go to restaurants and drive around in jeeps costing 50-100,000 bucks?” he rhetorically asked.

Indeed, residents of one community not far from Ternopil has been sending weekly to the front lines a truck filled with food and supplies for their native sons.

Is petty and grand larceny, corruption and vice irreversibly ingrained in the Ukrainian mentality? Ukrainians continue to live by the adage why buy something when you can steal it – favors, positions, placement, laws and regulations, permits, academic grades, diplomas and draft exemptions – just like their parents and grandparents did in Soviet times.

And almost simultaneously England’s The Guardian published an article “Welcome to Ukraine, the Most Corrupt Nation in Europe.”

Its editors questioned: “While the conflict with Russia heats up in the east, life for most Ukrainians is marred by corruption so endemic that even hospitals appear to be infected. Can anyone clean the country up?”

The newspaper further observed: “Kyiv has a grand opera house, cathedrals, chain stores, sweeping central avenues, a metro, everything required to make a place look European. But it resembles a modern European capital city only in the way the Cancer Institute resembles a hospital. Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index – the most widely used indicator of corruption worldwide – rates Ukraine 142nd in the world, alongside Uganda. In the latest ranking, it fell behind Nigeria.

“Since 1991 (the year Ukraine declared its independence from the USSR), officials, members of parliament and businessmen have created complex and highly lucrative schemes to plunder the state budget. The theft has crippled Ukraine. The economy was as large as Poland’s at independence, now it is a third of the size. Ordinary Ukrainians have seen their living standards stagnate, while a handful of oligarchs have become billionaires.”

Sadly, a high level of corruption still exists in Ukraine despite three government ministers who participated in the Maidan revolution and another three who came from outside Ukraine, including one from the United States. One must believe that the government’s efforts to save Ukraine from drowning in a cesspool of vice are continuing at a hectic pace, but unfortunately they seem inadequate due to the depth of poisonous sludge that has stigmatized the people and country. And now this toxic condition threatens Ukraine’s ability to fight an already unequal war with its archenemy, Russia.

“What is most important, in my opinion, is that not one reform has been initiated, no one has been brought to justice for the crimes on Maidan, the destruction of the army, judges on the take, and so on. So a third Maidan is brewing and it will be more fearsome and cruel. The people are tolerant because of the war but at any moment this cup can overflow,” my friend observed.

He said Poroshenko and Yatseniuk must stay in Ukraine, actively pursuing reforms rather than showing off their English-language skills during jaunts to Europe and the USA.

“There are good people who continue to travel abroad for work to earn money for their families. And you can’t deny that there are enough of others who continue to undermine the army but then there were enough of them at all times,” he said.

Ukraine’s corruption crisis does not exonerate the draft dodgers or relieve them of their military obligation especially with Russia waging a war against their country; and the diaspora should not be handing out white feathers to all young men from Ukraine encountered outside of churches in the USA or Canada.

Ukraine should not be viewed through rose-colored glasses, but at the same time this internal catastrophe should not discourage Ukrainians in Ukraine and diaspora as well as the USA and other countries from supporting Ukraine’s war effort. Americans should still urge the White House and Congress to provide Ukraine with essential lethal military aid to subdue and repel Russia from Ukraine.

But needless to say, Ukrainians themselves must do more to overcome the disease of corruption. And the lion’s share of the responsibility of eliminating dishonesty rests solely with the government leaders of Ukraine, President Poroshenko and Prime Minister Yatseniuk, generally regarded as saviors of Ukraine. They must do everything possible to rid Ukraine of this blight and be worthy of the blood Ukrainians are shedding in battle with Russian terrorists.

The alternative is Maidan 3.