Ukraine Vows Retribution in Wake of Killings

The Ukrainian government has vowed to avenge the deaths of the two or three dozen Ukrainian soldiers who were killed today during a rocket bombardment of their military camp in Zelenopillia, Sverdlovsk district, Donetsk oblast.

“All those who used the Grad against the Armed Forces of Ukraine will be found and destroyed,” President Petro Poroshenko said in a statement on his website. “For every soldier's life, the militants will pay with scores and hundreds of their own. Not a single terrorist will avoid responsibility; each will get what they deserve.”

Anton Shcherbakov, a spokesman for the Interior Ministry, said Kyiv authorities were still investigating, and Russian terrorists also suffered losses in the attack.

If the Ukrainian casualty count proves accurate, the official pointed out, it will mark another deadly day in Kyiv’s battle to repel Russian invaders from eastern Ukraine. In recent weeks the Ukrainian government had been making inroads against the terrorists, although determined pockets of resistance remain.

An earlier deadly casualty was the downing of a military transport aircraft that reportedly killed some 50 Ukrainian soldiers.

As Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman said during the Civil War, “War is hell.” Consequently, the best way to deal with it is fast. The warmonger, invader, aggressor must be vanquished without deadly second guesses.

Ukraine’s allies and fair-weather friends have already begun a likeminded chorus of ceasefire because they wouldn’t want Russia to endure extra casualties or defeat for invading Ukraine.

However, by all rules, Ukraine, just like any other sovereign country, has the right to defend itself from any invasion. This right has been reaffirmed several times recently in the context of Ukraine’s war with Russia and it has been used by other countries as well.

For example, Israel's prime minister vowed today  to press forward with a broad military offensive in the Gaza Strip, saying international pressure will not halt what he said was a determined effort to halt rocket fire by Palestinian militants as the death toll from the 4-day-old conflict rose above 100.

"I will end it when our goals are realized. And the overriding goal is to restore the peace and quiet," Benjamin Netanyahu said. "No international pressure will prevent us from acting with all power," he said.
Finally, the United Nations Charter forbids member-states from invading member-states but in the event an attack, Article 52 allows self-defense: Nothing in the present Charter shall impair the inherent right of individual or collective self-defence if an armed attack occurs against a Member of the United Nations, until the Security Council has taken measures necessary to maintain international peace and security. Measures taken by Members in the exercise of this right of self-defence shall be immediately reported to the Security Council and shall not in any way affect the authority and responsibility of the Security Council under the present Charter to take at any time such action as it deems necessary in order to maintain or restore international peace and security.”

In this inevitable war with Russia, Ukraine deserves a wide berth of military actions in order to defeat and repel Russian terrorists back to Russia.

Amnesty International Tells of ‘Stomach Wrenching” Torture in War-Torn Ukraine

Amnesty International, the global non-governmental organization that monitors human rights abuses, has presented graphic and compelling evidence of “stomach wrenching” torture in eastern Ukraine carried out against activists, protesters and journalists in eastern Ukraine by Russian mercenaries.

“The bulk of the abductions are being perpetrated by armed separatists, with the victims often subjected to stomach-turning beatings and torture. There is also evidence of a smaller number of abuses by pro-Kyiv forces,” Amnesty International reported.

Euphemisms such as armed separatists, militants, rebels with or without the modifier Ukrainian, which are used by many major news outlets and some governments and organizations, always pertain to Russian mercenaries, terrorists and invaders.

As for stomach-wrenching, the use of the description by Amnesty International may substantiate the photos of decapitations that appeared on Facebook a couple of months ago.

A new briefing, “Abductions and Torture in Eastern Ukraine,” details the findings of an Amnesty International research trip to Kyiv and southeastern Ukraine in recent weeks. It documents allegations of abduction and torture perpetrated by separatist armed groups and pro-Kyiv forces.

“With hundreds abducted over the last three months, the time has come to take stock of what has happened, and stop this abhorrent ongoing practice,” said Denis Krivosheev, Amnesty International’s Deputy Director of Europe and Central Asia.

Amnesty International noted there are no comprehensive or reliable figures on the number of abductions, but the Ukrainian Ministry of Interior has reported nearly 500 cases between April and June 2014. The UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission for Ukraine also recorded 222 cases of abduction in the last three months.
Amnesty International reports that it also met with various ad-hoc self-help groups which have been collating details on the escalating number of abductions. The research team has been provided with a list of more than 100 civilians who have been held captive. Allegations of torture have been made in the majority of cases.

Abductions have taken place across eastern Ukraine, in the Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts. Those targeted include not only police, the military and local officials, but also journalists, politicians, activists, members of electoral commissions and businesspeople.

“Now that pro-Kyiv forces are re-establishing control over Slavyansk, Kramatorsk and various other places in eastern Ukraine new captives are being released almost daily with an increasing number of disturbing cases emerging. It is time that these are meticulously documented with perpetrators brought to justice with victims awarded compensation,” said Krivosheev.

Hanna, a pro-Ukrainian activist, told Amnesty International how she was abducted by armed men in the eastern city of Donetsk on 27 May. She was held for six days before being released in a prisoner exchange. She described to Amnesty International how she was violently interrogated.

“My face was smashed, he punched me in the face with his fist, he was trying to beat me everywhere, I was covering myself with my hands… I was huddled in the corner, curled up in a ball with my hands around my knees. He was angry that I was trying to protect myself. He went out and came back with a knife.”

Amnesty International reported that while most abductions appear to have a “political” motivation there is clear evidence that abduction and torture is being used by armed groups to exert fear and control over local populations. People have also being abducted for ransom.

Sasha, a 19-year-old pro-Ukrainian activist, fled to Kyiv after he was abducted by separatists at gunpoint in Luhansk. He said he was beaten repeatedly for 24 hours.

“They beat me with their fists, a chair, anything they could find. They stubbed out cigarettes on my leg and electrocuted me. It went on for so long, I couldn’t feel anything anymore, I just passed out,” he told Amnesty International.

He was finally released after his father paid a US$60,000 ransom.

Amnesty International pointed out in its report that while the vast majority of allegations of abduction and torture are levelled against separatist pro-Russian groups, pro-Kyiv forces, including self-defence groups, have also been implicated in the ill-treatment of captives.

Amnesty International called on the Ukrainian government to create a single and regularly updated register of incidents of reported abductions, and thoroughly and impartially investigate every allegation of abusive use of force, ill-treatment and torture.

US, NATO, EU & Ukraine – What Next?

Ukraine’s biggest geopolitical problem is that it is situated on the border with a giant, powerful, threatening, vindictive, aggressive, and deceitful neighbor – Russia.

Throughout history, countries near and far have never given Ukraine a fair shake. At best those countries could be classified a fair-weather friends.

Despite Lord Palmerston – Henry John Temple’s quotable quote that there are no permanent enemies or friends, just interests in international relations, Ukraine has never even been invited to the global arena on an equitable basis. Because of international fear of Russia’s ubiquitous presence on the border with Ukraine, global attention has been benevolently passive at best and maliciously negligent at worse. Ukraine has been and continues to the victim of a slew of detrimental circumstances.

Russia has been called on the carpet by the US and other western allies for its disruptive adventurism but never punished. Their words are supportive and their sanctions reassuring but in the end Moscow never ceased its wrongdoings anywhere around the world – Europe, the Middle East, Central or South America or Asia.

Take today’s shameless invasion of Ukraine. As in the post-war years, when none of the attempts by Ukrainians or the other captive nations to liberate themselves from Russian subjugation were actively supported by the free world, so to today for all intents and purposes Ukraine has been left to face Russian aggression by itself. Even the intelligence services were remiss in their duties to monitor what Russian is planning and doing. Putin had almost announced during the summer of 2013 – just like Hitler did in his Mein Kampf – that he will no longer tolerate the independence of the x-captive nations, especially Ukraine, and will restore the iron curtain.

Ukraine is now caught in a war for its survival with Russia and the world is still contemplating what to do about it. To be fair, the Washington’s rhetoric is on target, as demonstrated by Assistant Secretary of State Victoria Nuland’s testimony yesterday before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Canada has assumed a harsh stance versus Russia while other allies have been less stringent.

Much to the embarrassment of Russia, UN member-states have also expressed support for Ukraine and varying degrees of condemnation about Russia.

Sanctions have been applied and reportedly they have had significant negative effects on Russia, despite Putin’s denial.

Much to the EU’s credit, it did accept Ukraine into its fold, which hopefully will contribute to Ukraine’s economic, commercial and political evolution.

But nonetheless, Ukraine today is still regarded as a second-class participant in global affairs. It will continue to be compelled to look over its shoulder to see if Moscow is mobilizing its army on Ukraine’s borders.

Thankfully, Russia’s energy pipelines cross Ukraine into Europe, bringing it resources for its existence but without those pipes Europe would probably betray Ukraine in the blink of an eye.

Ukraine’s only salvation is if the North Atlantic Treaty Organization were to grant it full membership. Since the end of World War II, NATO’s veil has been unfairly offered to too few countries. Some former captive nations in Eastern Europe have been allowed to join, but not Ukraine.

NATO announced that it is preparing measures to help Ukraine defend itself against Russia, while adapting to the fact that Moscow now considers the alliance as an adversary, Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen told a Spanish-language newspaper on Sunday.

NATO has made clear it has no plans to get involved militarily in Ukraine or accept it at as member, even though it has sent military aircraft and ships to Eastern Europe and Rasmussen said it was considering long-term measures to ensure the protection of its allies.

“We must adapt to the fact that Russia now considers us its adversary,” he said.

Rasmussen said NATO was preparing an aid package to present to its members’ foreign ministers at the end of this month that would include help for Ukraine to reform its defense sector and modernize its armed forces.

But even in this context the allies are not in unison. German Chancellor Angela Merkel, perhaps the most outspoken, is dangerously wrong to resist NATO calls for permanent deployment of allied troops in former captive nations, amid fears of retaliation by Russia. During Rasmussen’s visit to Berlin this week, Merkel acknowledged that many former captive nations feel unsafe because of developments in Ukraine, but according to Euractiv Germany she curiously said: “There is no doubt the NATO-Russia Act should remain valid.” – The 1997 act ended presumably only on paper the rivalry between Russia and NATO, which in fact exists in proxy situations everywhere.

Such a good cop-bad cop behaviour on the part of the alliance is not safe.

As Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin said today, the situation in Ukraine, including how EU and others treat it, is a test for the European Union. “Today the situation is a test for the EU in terms of what the European Union is and which role it should play in the world,” he said at a briefing in Kyiv.

Klimkin pointed out that if the EU countries do not act as a team, nobody would believe them in future. He noted that for this purpose the EU countries had demonstrated unity in their approach to the situation in east Ukraine and Crimea. He expressed hope that such a common position would be adopted with respect to Ukraine in future.

Very true. It is a futile exercise to hope that Moscow will undergo a democratic metamorphosis because nothing in its history and current events indicate that change is in the offing. Consequently, the US, EU and NATO must remain as bastions of freedom and democracy for Ukraine and the other former captive nations versus Russia’s very real never-ending aggression and offer them full membership.

That is the only hope for global peace, stability and security. Otherwise NATO will evolve into a paper tiger and unfortunately Russia will realize this before the alliance does.

US Official Nuland: US Committed to Ukraine

At a time when the Ukrainian nation is engulfed in a war for its political and national existence with its age-old enemy Russia, resolute words of genuine support from the United States are very welcome.

By standing shoulder to shoulder with Ukrainians in their time of need, Washington sent clear messages to Ukraine's leadership, the people and Russia.

Deputy Secretary of State Victoria Nuland, in her testimony on July 7 before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, reassured Kyiv of US support and warned Russia of dire consequences of its invasion of Ukraine.

“Ukraine’s success or failure in its struggle for peace, reconciliation and human dignity will impact the future of the whole region, and with it, the prospect of achieving America’s 20-year objective of a Europe whole, free and at peace. We therefore continue to have a profound national interest in supporting the people of Ukraine in their quest for a more stable, democratic and prosperous future. In this effort, we deeply appreciate Congress’ bipartisan attention and support.” Nuland said.

Nuland listed four so-called pillars of US policy toward Ukraine:

Support for Ukraine as it tackles urgent political, economic and security challenges;

Diplomatic efforts to de-escalate the crisis and to encourage Russia to end support for separatists;

Readiness to impose further costs – including targeted sectoral sanctions – on Russia and separatists for fomenting violence and unread in Ukraine; and

Reassurance of frontline NATO allies and friends like Georgia and Moldova.

She said the election of Petro Poroshenko bodes well for Ukraine’s future and praised the “determination and courage” of Ukrainians who voted for him and his policies.

“But Ukraine’s security remains under threat: despite regaining control of Slovyansk and Kramatorsk, fierce fighting continues to rage in parts of eastern Ukraine; heavy weapons, materiel and support have flown across the Russian border; Russia has thousands troops deployed on Ukraine’s eastern border, and Crimea remains under occupation,” she observed.

Nuland said the US is working with Poroshenko and Prime Minister Arseniy Yatseniuk to direct some $59 million to support for economic growth and reform; counter corruption; energy diversification and efficiency; and constitutional reform and national unity.

“Our anti-corruption support will help the government implement its recently announced three-year anti-corruption strategy and six-month action plan by bolstering Ukraine’s ability to deter, detect, investigate and prosecute corruption wherever it festers; and by supporting citizens, civil society, media, business and the government as they work together to confront this scourge,” she said.

“And we will help the government with the constitutional reform and broad decentralization of power that President Poroshenko has pledged as an integral part of his peace plan and his effort to rebuild national unity. This will include support and advice at the federal, regional and local level to implement political reform and decentralization, and support for free and fair parliamentary elections when they are called.”

Nuland said the US is in “lock-step” with Ukrainian government in trying to deescalate the crisis caused by Russian-backed mercenaries. She noted Poroshenko one-sided ceasefire and castigated Russia for failing to abide by it.

“The ceasefire was instead met with 10 days of violence, bloodshed and land grabs by Russian-backed separatists. Three Ukrainian border posts fell into their hands during this period. Russia allowed tanks, heavy artillery and fighters to flow across the border, and continued to build up its forces and weapons on Ukraine’s border,” she said.

 Quoting President Obama, Nuland pointed out that the US will judge Russia not by its words but by its actions.

“Russia has made too many commitments at the diplomatic table over the past four months that have been rendered hollow by the weapons, cash and fighters that continue to flow across the border to fuel the fight in eastern Ukraine. In response, the U.S. and Europe have imposed repeated rounds of sanctions to increase the cost Russia pays for its choices,” Nuland said, adding a warning that “we are ready to impose more costs – including targeted sector-specific sanctions – very soon if Russia does not decisively change course and break its ties with separatists.”

Additional sanctions will continue to impose significant damage on Russia’s economy even though Putin is denying any ill effects.

“As Russia’s economy teeters on the brink of recession in part from the cost of its actions in Ukraine and the impact of the U.S. and international response as noted in last week’s IMF report, Russians need to ask themselves what their government’s policy has really delivered for them or the people of Ukraine except economic hardship, violence, kidnapping, and death. In Crimea, inflation has risen to 16.8 percent, tourism down 35%, and exports are plummeting. In Donetsk and Luhansk, separatists have engaged in looting and bank robbery, prevented the payment of pensions and wages, and held much of the civilian population hostage in their homes. Now that separatists are on the run, their tactics have become even more brutal as they set up landmines and roadside bombs and destroy bridges and other critical infrastructure,” she said.

Why Parse ‘to Invade’?

Carl Bildt, Swedish foreign minister and a great friend of Ukraine, recently said at an Atlantic Council session: “If Russia wants to invade Ukraine, they can do it … But it will be the end of Russia as we know it.”

Indeed, Russia would then be ostracized by the international community for being a latter day aggressor and invader comparable to Nazi Germany.

But why analyze the verb ‘to invade’ into a meaningless state? Why parse it, dice it, slice it and categorize it with numerous shades of grey?

Everyone knows what invade means even if we can’t define it. There is a border between two states and if one side’s soldiers violate it, then it is an invasion regardless of the number of troops.

Earlier this year, before the opening of the Olympic travesty in Sochi, Russia invaded Ukraine, specifically its peninsula called Crimea. Moscow then annexed it. Moscow then invaded eastern Ukraine and caused bloodshed and mayhem.

Fortunately for the world, Ukraine’s response was restrained otherwise a global conflagration would have enveloped civilization.

Russia refused to abide by Ukraine’s declared ceasefire and continued to kill Ukrainians. But how long can elected officials of a democratic government look passively while their people and soldiers are killed?

Now Ukraine is successfully repelling the Russian invaders in an effort to bring this war with Russia to an end.

The Russian invasion of Ukraine and the ensuing war must be brought to an end by expelling the Russian terrorists back to Russia. That would constitute peace.

Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister Notes: It’s Not Civil War

Deputy Foreign Minister of Ukraine Danylo Lubkivsky, at a briefing today, pointed out for the catchword-minded world media that the armed conflict in eastern Ukraine is not a civil war nor is it a liberation movement.

Lubkivsky noted that the conflict was brought to Ukraine by invading terrorists from Russia, the source of the instigation and financing. As for defending personal liberties and Russian-speaking Ukrainians, the official emphasized that personal liberties were the last things on the minds of the terrorists.

Lubkivsky emphasized: “It has been an act of aggression by Russia against Ukraine that began in Crimea and continued in the East.

“It has been an attempt to dismember Ukraine after failing to make it swerve from the European way.

“It has been a terror war on Ukraine – until Ukraine finally fought back and declared a war on terror in return.”

He said once Russian terrorists are expelled from Ukraine and Moscow stops meddling in the affairs of sovereign Ukraine “we, Ukrainians, will agree among us. And now, as Ukraine gets more democratic and more integrated with the European Union – there will be more ways and means to do that.”

Ukrainian peacekeepers are committed to reinstating peace and stability in eastern Ukraine, Lubkivsky said, noting that in one day Ukrainian armed forces removed 700 mines and explosive devices planted by terrorists in Slavyansk. Furthermore, municipal authorities restored water and power supplies, and citizens once again began to receive salaries or pensions.

As for Crimea, under Russian occupational control, democracy and human rights haven’t been flourishing, Lubkivsky said, adding that Putin’s regime demonstrates its true colors through persecution of Crimean Tatars and of every person who dares to protest against occupation.

“We cannot and we will not tolerate this. This is about freedom. This is about Crimea. This is about Ukraine. This is about human dignity that cannot accept the ideology of hatred and slavery,” Lubkivsky.

So far, the US and the EU are offering words of support for Ukraine in its war with Russia. They are quick to threaten imposing more stringent sanctions on Russia, but nothing concrete has materialized.

In a telephone conversation yesterday between President Obama and President Hollande of France, the White House confirmed that their preference remains a bilateral ceasefire.

However, in the absence of a real truce, the White House said President Obama noted that US respects the Ukrainian government’s responsibility to maintain public order in the country and to protect the population.

“The leaders further agreed that Russia has a responsibility to cease its destabilizing activities, such as by no longer allowing and facilitating the transit of weapons and fighters across the border, ceasing its own military build-up near the border, and halting its ongoing direct and indirect support for violent separatists. The Presidents decided that the United States and Europe should take further coordinated measures to impose costs on Russia if it does not take immediate steps toward de-escalation,” the White House’s readout concluded.

Meanwhile, in eastern Ukraine, Russian terrorists are regrouping in Donetsk and Luhansk, where they had said they will make their last stand. They destroyed three major bridges in an effort to halt the advance of the victorious and reinvigorated Ukrainian armed forces.

Ukrainian Troops Retake Towns from Russian Control

A top Ukrainian security official said Ukrainian troops have cleared more than a dozen towns of armed Russian terrorists and now control two-thirds of the eastern regions at the center of the insurgency, reported the AP and the National Council for Security and Defense of Ukraine.

Secretary Andriy Parubiy said Friday that Ukrainian forces are still attacking rebel positions with artillery and planes. He said 17 villages had been secured by government forces since a unilateral cease fire expired Monday.

He said Ukrainian forces now control 23 of 36 local regions within Donetsk and Luhansk provinces, two regions along the Russian border that have declared independence from the government in Kyiv.

During the past week, since President Poroshenko resumed the anti-terrorism operation, Ukrainian troops launched powerful air and artillery strikes on strong points, checkpoints, weapons depots and places where terrorists. Reportedly activity of militants markedly decreased. Parubiy said Russian terrorists have suffered significant losses in manpower, which numbered in the hundreds. The enemy also lost 1 tank, 1 anti-aircraft unit and 5 armored Kamaz trucks.

The Ukrainian military also took control of the Kharkov - Rostov-on-Don highway.

With these heavy losses, it is no wonder the Putin is demanding a truce. Perhaps he should withdraw his terrorists to Russia and surrender.