Trouble in Ukraine

[Balog]

Getting interesting. Ukraine is a deeply divided country, roughly east of Kiev being industrialized and allied with Russia and the west being hardline anti Russia. Politicians turned down an offer to join the EU at the last minute after Russian carrots (economic advantages and bribes to major players) and sticks (threat to shut down Gazprom exports to them in the winter and let the people freeze to death). Hoi polloi flipped out over this and are protesting strenuously. Policritters cracking down by passing a bevy of new laws, but appear nervous to escalate (see all the cops catching a molotov to the face and no aggressive response). The area's hardy Viking stock is apparent when the rioters build a trebuchet and beat cops with a chain. Seeing some reports of deaths, may escalate to full on low level civil war if this keeps up.

Ukraine is Russia's breadbasket, its access to the Black Sea, and has a large number of vital petro pipelines running through it. I'd be willing to bet they roll the tanks before letting it break away. I wonder if there will be a significant terrorist actions at Sochi "originating from the Ukraine" wink wink that will be used as a pretext to "secure the area" nudge nudge.

Trebuchet in action vs the cops: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=APGnKRx67kI

Cops on fire: http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=911_1390295593

Whip it. Whip it good.




Pepperspraying, these cops are doin it rong.



The divide in graphic format:





Photoblog: http://instagram.com/euromaidan

Livestreams of the action:

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/euromajdan/pop-out

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jrZcAsPKK74&feature=share

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UT86BH2LVUU&feature=share



TL:DR Ukrainian politicians are hot.

[Balog]

Looks like both sides are getting a bit more froggy, but still mainly picking off anyone who strays too far from a group not massed combat. Note the cop who jams some type of pump shotgun with a folding stock (less lethal rounds one presumes).

 http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=509_1390416089

[AJ Dual]

Apparently Lithuania and Belarus, Poland are getting antsy with one another in a three way spat as well.

Considering the NATO membership and EU entanglements of some of the parties, it could get interesting.

The people saying this is like the prelude of WWI tensions back in the early 1900's aren't looking as tin-foily to me as they did a year ago.

[AmbulanceDriver]

I had to close the cover of my laptop to make sure it hadn't morphed into the last Tom Clancy book.   I swear this is almost exactly what the book was based on....

[Balog]

Widespread kidnapping of opposition leaders and journos sympathetic to the cause. At least one was tortured and turned up dead. At least 6 protestors have lost eyes after the cops began firing the rubber less lethal loads at their faces. Allegations that the cops were hiring titushkis (local term for paid muscle used in a political way) to infiltrate and assault the protests in the rear appear to be confirmed. Temporary cease fire is in effect, we'll see how that works out. Fed.gov is moving tanks into place, but claims it's "just routine" and nothing to do with the riots. un-huh, sure.

[AZRedhawk44]

Blows my mind that none of this is on Drudge.  Instead we have Bieber, and zOMG winter is cold.

[dogmush]

Gotta say:  They building of siege engines would have me worried if I were in the government.  That is not the action of a group likely to be appeased and dispersed easily.

[Balog]

Cops stopped a bus full of protesters, bound them in their seats, then flashbanged the crap out of them and walked away. Several reported fatalities from that which seemed really odd as flashbangs rarely kill even in enclosed spaces. But it looks like some of the security forces are taping bolts etc to their flashbangs to make improvised frags.



Seen a lot of shots of priests working both sides of the line, I suppose they're Eastern Orthodox? Don't know enough to tell from the vestments. Pretty darn brave.



Propaganda video, some excellent footage although the jump cuts are annoying. http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=xZUzfzTLD4U

Oh, and while Kiev literally burns, the major news outletes are all about... Justin Bieber getting a DUI.   Lotta Ukrainians who are monitoring the Western media outlets are pissed. I don't blame them.

[AZRedhawk44]

Looks like both sides are getting a bit more froggy, but still mainly picking off anyone who strays too far from a group not massed combat. Note the cop who jams some type of pump shotgun with a folding stock (less lethal rounds one presumes).

 http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=509_1390416089

Riot cops seem to have a healthy respect for the power of the angry mob. 

It would behoove the mob to make an effort to have a uniform, though it's damned cold to be able to pull that off.  Part of what makes riot cops so intimidating is the uniformity and soldier-like appearance of them.

Cops stopped a bus full of protesters, bound them in their seats, then flashbanged the crap out of them and walked away. Several reported fatalities from that which seemed really odd as flashbangs rarely kill even in enclosed spaces. But it looks like some of the security forces are taping bolts etc to their flashbangs to make improvised frags.

That's escalation.  Pretty nasty.  It'll probably get reciprocated.

Gotta say:  They building of siege engines would have me worried if I were in the government.  That is not the action of a group likely to be appeased and dispersed easily.

No kidding!  Those will become more sophisticated as this drags on.  It'll morph into low yield IEDs, I bet.

Oh, and while Kiev literally burns, the major news outletes are all about... Justin Bieber getting a DUI.  Lotta Ukrainians who are monitoring the Western media outlets are pissed. I don't blame them.

 

[Balog]

At least one photo I've seen of a protester aiming a revolver at the security forces. One journo reported he had seen 5-6 people with guns, mostly pistols but one Kalashnikov. Both sides are trying to blame the other for all escalations, agent provocateurs and false flag ops. Some of the clashes are pretty intense, seen some of the rioters using hammers and crowbars as well as shields they took off of cops.

[41magsnub]

Lots of backward cop vs protestor action:

[Balog]

Yeah, the cops are not playing nice. There's a video I won't link to here of a guy who, after he was detained, was stripped naked (in -10C weather) and paraded around so the cops could pose next to him for pictures. Just in the 2 min video he was repeatedly hit and kicked. And there are confirmed reports of more serious torture of detained or kidnapped folks, including one kid who got sodomized with a knife. Apparently the cops wanted to one up NM PD.

[Balog]

Orthodox priests really put their money where their mouth is.

[AZRedhawk44]

At least one photo I've seen of a protester aiming a revolver at the security forces. One journo reported he had seen 5-6 people with guns, mostly pistols but one Kalashnikov. Both sides are trying to blame the other for all escalations, agent provocateurs and false flag ops. Some of the clashes are pretty intense, seen some of the rioters using hammers and crowbars as well as shields they took off of cops.

Weaponizing estes rockets:



The return of the squire in combat:



Evidently medieval armor is riot haute couture:

[roo_ster]

When Breitbart left Drudge the DR quality sank and has not rebounded.

[Balog]

All the SCA LARPer types must be so happy right now... "The day I've been training for has come. Bring me my great helm and flail!!!!"

[tokugawa]

All the SCA LARPer types must be so happy right now... "The day I've been training for has come. Bring me my great helm and flail!!!!"

 Works well till the opposition brings out Mr. Kalashnikov's  Famous Invention.

[Balog]

Works well till the opposition brings out Mr. Kalashnikov's  Famous Invention.

If the cops didn't open fire when they were getting a face full of molotov I doubt some ass whooping would change their mind. One thing about Europeans is they know first hand what waging a war (civil or otherwise) in your own country looks like. Neither side wants that. People start shooting on a widespread basis and things will get out of hand quickly.

[Scout26]

Fear not!!!  Unlike Benghazi, Hillary is closely monitoring the situation.  Since Rodman just went to North Korea, it's either Jimmy Carter's or Jesse Jackson's turn to be the face of American Diplomacy. 

[Zardozimo Oprah Bannedalas]

If the cops didn't open fire when they were getting a face full of molotov I doubt some ass whooping would change their mind. One thing about Europeans is they know first hand what waging a war (civil or otherwise) in your own country looks like. Neither side wants that. People start shooting on a widespread basis and things will get out of hand quickly.

Yup. After all, the 'Boston Massacre' helped galvanize anti-British sentiments in the colonies (despite the soldiers being right to fire). Some bruises and cuts on the riot cops are small price to pay to avoid the kind of 'fun' they recently had in Kyrgyzstan.

[bedlamite]

Fear not!!!  Unlike Benghazi, Hillary is closely monitoring the situation.  Since Rodman just went to North Korea, it's either Jimmy Carter's or Jesse Jackson's turn to be the face of American Diplomacy. 

Nope. He's back and checked into rehab.

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/10315522/dennis-rodman-checks-rehab-center-treat-struggle-alcoholism

[TechMan]

Nope. He's back and checked into rehab.

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/10315522/dennis-rodman-checks-rehab-center-treat-struggle-alcoholism

He should have asked his good buddy over in N. Korea to help him out.  Throw him in a prison camp for a few months would make him sober.

[tokugawa]

If the cops didn't open fire when they were getting a face full of molotov I doubt some ass whooping would change their mind. One thing about Europeans is they know first hand what waging a war (civil or otherwise) in your own country looks like. Neither side wants that. People start shooting on a widespread basis and things will get out of hand quickly.

 somehow I never had you figured for an optimist.  LOL.

[Blakenzy]

People would never get away with that challenge to authoritah here in the West.

[AZRedhawk44]

http://merera.livejournal.com/295325.html

Police are firing experimental solid brass turned projectile 12ga slugs at the crowd.  These are extremely unique door breaching rounds that are made by only 1 company and directly affiliated with Kiev law enforcement.