Ukraine

I haven't see the news today jingl but it's surely for the best, and I imagine a few turned a blind eye. I only hope this means the potential for yet another country disintegrating into Civil War has been removed.

The Boyan Ensemble-a male voice choir from Kiev -has visited Bristol on their UK tours for the last 20 years.I have enjoyed their concerts most years and provided overnight hospitality for choir members.
I am very concerned about friends Yuri and Vlodimir Kuriach -the twin conductors who stayed at my home 3 times - their families and other choir members

I think I read the President had been stopped from boarding a plan to Russia. I might be wrong...

It's horrible but I think it's necessary. Let's hope the Ukraine finds peace and prosperity very soon.

Don't trust the blonde person - wasn't she instigated in some sort of corruption?

Just watching a report on the news about people going in to look around the abandoned presidential palace and grounds. What struck me was the quiet dignity of the people as they walked around, with their children. No rampaging, no setting things on fire in front of foreign journalists. Decent people who want to get on with their lives like the rest of us. Suspect things may change when the Winter Olympics are over and Putin is no longer putting on his public show.

Hope that Russia doesn't decide to get involved.

It's a dangerous situation. I hope your friends are o.k maniac.

It appears that Russia have designs on the Crimea. Very scary sabre rattling going on.
Jings it is a whopping great country. Looks slightly bigger than France to me. And of course it was once a big chunk of the USSR.

Did anyone hear John Humphrys on the Today Programme today, practically willing the US to take on the Russians militarily In Ukraine?!

I think the situation is quite possibly the most serious problem the West will have had for decades.

I fear for the people of Ukraine but I am selfishly feeling afraid for us too.

Putin is a dangerous man and hates the fact the 'Russian Empire' has eroded.

Things are certainly 'heating up'.

I for one am holding my breath every time I go to a news website for fear of what I might see
. Not good!!

Imperialist ambitions are, and always have been, the biggest threat to world peace - and Putin gives me the creeps. We should be afraid.

I'm afraid that Ukraine has lost the Crimea, I simply can't see that this can do anything except end badly - I agree with everything that has been said here, and watch the news with trepidation. Some one (I forget who) once said there will always be a Tsar in Russia, and it would seem that this is true.

South Ossetia and Georgia all over again. No one did anything to stop the Russian Federation then and they won't now – not that I am in any way advocating a military response.

The Crimeanpeople speak Russian and seem to want to be Russian. Perhaps the answer would be to let them be Russian. Don't suppose that will happen peacefully though.

I have been googgling, trying to find out why Crimea was seceded to Ukraine in the first place, having been part of Russia for many years previously. It seems that there were many horrors committed there as in the rest of the then Soviet Union. Khrushchev's wife was Ukrainian, he himself was half Ukrainian, and had worked in the Ukrainian mines as a young man, had an affinity with Ukraine, and gifted them the Crimea. Obviously Khrushchev could not have possibly contemplated the breakup of the Soviet Union, and while this was still in place, all was well. BUT after the collapse of the USSR, Crimea, a good proportion of whom are ethnic Russians. was a focal point for trouble the moment it turned its eyes to the West, so to speak. This in no way excuses Putin for over running this peninsular, as treaties made in 1954 must be valid today. Best thing would have been a referendum for Crimea, but clearly it's a bit late for that.

Trouble is, there are, apparently, other bits dotted around Ukraine which are also more Russian than anything. But Putin can't really be allowed to just take what he wants. Oh, hang on a minute. Looks like he already has. Sly bugger.

Who the heck is going to stop him?!! I can't think that anything the West has to say will have any effect at all!!! Is Putin paranoid? or is just a sly clever s#d! It's hard to tell.

I think he is really horrible.

Perhaps sanctions will help. The Russian economy is in a bad way.

Well, I agree, he is 'spooky'! sort of evil! Trouble is he could start to play silly b###s with gas supplies! Sanctions take time to work, and meantime????? Also, some people in Russia still live in abject poverty and I don't think Putin cares a jot for the wellbeing of a good proportion of the population. His apparent concern for the ethnic Russians in the Crimea is, forgive me, questionable? I suspect 'hidden agenda'!!

The Crimea is very important to the Russian Fleet, giving it access to the Mediterranean and beyond. It was only to be expected that Russia would start turf stamping when it's Black Sea Fleet was likely to be affected by the uprising in Kiev.

It's never about Russian speakers and all about strategic military capacity.

Let's hope this get's settled around a negotiating table rather than through force.

RUSSIAN ULTIMATUM.

Russia has reportedly given an ultimatum to the Ukraine troops in the Crimea to surrender by 3a.m our time or face 'Military Assault' by Russia.

I could cry. It is all very, very frightening.

Agree Aka.

Interesting news item this morning, when Russian tv presenter commented that 'with agreement' Russia has it's fleet there. When UK presenter pressed, he added 'The US is in Guantanamo Bay, therefore in Cuba'. When told they have an 'agreement' Russian said 'And as I said, so do we, so the Russians are only protecting 'their' interests'.

I also agree Aka, that this gets resolved amicably. The alternative is quite frightening.

Oh dear POGS, I don't like the sound of that at all. Yes the U.S does have an agreement with Cuba over Guantanamo Bay, but the U.S isn't flying in troops and trying to take the whole place over!!!! The new Kiev government hasn't had time to DO anything either for or against the Russians interests - It's obvious that they just want Crimea back, but what else do they want? Effectively the Russian's have walked into someone else's country and is proceeded to take it over - simple as that. Reminds me of China invading Tibet! there was nothing the world could do about that, and quite honestly, apart from sending in the troops (god help us) there is nothing the world can do about this. Message to ALL dictatorships/phoney democracies is that you can do as you please, no one can/will stop you - North Korea? with designs on the South? Then what?!!! doesn't bear thinking about!