Putin's full-frontal invasion of Ukraine (24 Jan. 2015)

"Members of the U.S. House national security committees are warning that we may soon see Russia’s nuclear weapons in Ukraine, and they are calling on President Barack Obama to “acknowledge that Russian troops” inside Ukraine “represent an invasion” by Vladimir Putin’s government." (The Inquisitr : January 24, 2015) (my emphasis)

The rapidity with which events are now unfolding in both Russia and eastern Ukraine has caught many western governments on the hop. Finally it is being rather grudgingly acknowledged that Putin is AT WAR with Ukraine. The footdragging by so many members of the EU over the invasion of Ukraine by Putin's Russia, in the hope that Putin is a reasonable person who can be persuaded to

• stop supplying his proxies with weaponry
• stop sending trained Russian soldiers  into eastern Ukraine to reinfornce his proxies
• seal the border between Ukraine and Russia
• help to enforce a ceasefire between his proxies, their Russian soldier reinforcements, and the Ukrainian army
• attend proposed summits with Merkel, Poroshenko, and Hollande, to reach compromise agreements that could stop the escalating violence in eastern Ukraine; 

ALL OF THE ABOVE HAS VANISHED INTO THIN AIR.

As Mstyslav Chernov reports,

"Signs emerged Friday of a major rebel offensive looming in eastern Ukraine, which has seen a surge in fighting and deadly attacks despite diplomatic efforts to craft a lasting peace deal.

One separatist leader said his pro-Russian rebels have launched a multi-pronged offensive and won't join further peace talks — but left unclear whether they would respect this week's agreement to pull back heavy weapons from the front line." (Deseret News (Associated Press) : Friday, Jan. 23 2015) (my emphasis)

"Since we're attacking, there is no sense to have peace talks now," Aleksandr Zakharchenko, leader of the self-proclaimed People's Republic of Donetsk, said in a meeting with university students, according to his media office." (Victoria Butenko, Greg Botelho and Jason Hanna : CNN :
January 23, 2015)

"A top NATO official said the Russian-backed rebels in eastern Ukraine have been beefed up and have pushed further west. U.S. Air Force Gen. Philip Breedlove said air defense and electronic warfare equipment have been detected in the area that, in the past, coincided with the incursion of Russian troops into Ukraine." (ibid Mstyslav Chernov) (my emphasis)

Whilst Putin is rapidly ramping up his invasion of Ukraine, the silence coming from his major supporters in the EU is positively deafening. Where is the 'fragrant' Mogherini, or Walter Steinheimer, or Renzi, or Hollande? Why are their voices now so silent?

              Steinheimer                         Hollande                              Renzi                             Mogherini

Meanwhile, across the 'pond' in the US, as John T. Bennett reports,

Rep. Mike Turner

"Rep. Mike Turner, R-Ohio, in a telephone interview Thursday evening with CongressWatch, wants Obama to "acknowledge that Russian troops" inside Ukraine "represent an invasion."

A member of the House Armed Services and Intelligence committees, Turner says it's time for Obama to respond to Russian President Vladimir Putin with "a military deterrent."

Administration officials "can make it clear that Russia's actions will come at a price," he said. "I think it needs to be a military deterrent." (Defense News : January 22, 2015) (my emphasis)

President Obama

However, like Steinheimer, Hollande, Renzi, and the 'fragrant' Mogherini, President Obama is also sitting on his hands in relation to the rapidly escalating and potentially cataclysmic events in eastern Ukraine. As  John T. Bennett further reports,

"Obama and his administration have come under fire from some congressional Republicans since his State of the Union address on Tuesday evening. The members believe he said too little about Russia's action in Ukraine, and was generally too soft on Moscow." rather echoing the stand that has, for months, being taken by Putin's major supporters in the EU. (my emphasis)

If  Obama is sitting on his hands, watching whilst Putin, like Nero, is gleefully rubbing his hands together (with Patriarch Kirill at his side) whilst eastern Ukraine burns; 

Angela Merkel is offering Putin economic incentives that really beggars belief.

As Justin Huggler reports,

"[she] has reportedly offered Russia negotiations on a free trade agreement with the EU in exchange for a peace deal in Ukraine" (The Telegraph : 23 Jan 2015)

However, as Huggler further explains,

"The motivations behind Mrs Merkel’s offer may not be wholly altruistic. Germany has extensive trade links with Russia, and German businesses have suffered from the EU sanctions as well as Russian ones." (ibid Huggler) (my emphasis)

Ironically, as major leaders in the US and the EU stand on the sidelines whilst Putin is instituting a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, 

Henry Meyer and Irina Reznik are reporting that members of Putin's own 'kleprocratic Kremlin' clan are pleading with him to end the conflict in Ukraine.

"[Putin is] irking some of his richest friends, too, by snubbing their pleas to end the conflict in Ukraine and ostracizing all but a handful of hardliners." (Bloomberg : 23 January, 2015)

Yevgeny Primakov

"Yevgeny Primakov, a former premier, foreign minister and spymaster, said Russia must avoid “self-isolation” over Ukraine and keep the door open to cooperation with the U.S. and its allies in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.....

Alexei Kudrin

Another longtime Putin ally, Alexei Kudrin, a former finance minister who sits on the president’s Economic Council, an advisory body, said last month that Russia faces a “full-fledged” economic crisis if it doesn’t repair ties with the U.S. and Europe." (ibid Meyer and Reznik) (my emphasis)

Meyer and Reznik further report that,

"Putin is increasingly suspicious of men who owe their wealth to their ties to him and who are being hurt the most by U.S. and European sanctions, according to the people, who spoke on condition of anonymity to avoid reprisal. ..... (echoes of what happened to Khodorkovsky?)

The core group around Putin is led by Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev, Federal Security Service head Alexander Bortnikov, Foreign Intelligence Service chief Mikhail Fradkov and Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, according to Markov." (my emphasis)

      Bortnikov (fmr KGB)        Patrushev (fmr KGB)             Fradkov (FSB)             Shoigu (Defence & FSB?)

Meyer and Reznik do not mention Patriarch Kirill as part of this core group because this former member of the KGB has to be publicly seen soley as the Patriarch of Russia. Kirill and Putin have to communicate with each other in the 'shadows', away from the prying eyes of anyone else.

Unfortunately for Merkel, this core group around Putin will simply not fall for her offer of 'free trade' negotiations. For this group the 'pride' of Russia is at stake. They simply cannot allow themselves to be defeated over Ukraine. For them the 'humiliation' of Russia will simply be too great, following so soon upon the heels after the collapse of the entire Soviet Union.

More than anything else, they are trying to pre-empt what will happen on the 16th February when the Ukraine Freedom Support Act, signed by Obama, comes into full effect.

"Ukraine is poised to receive significant military assistance from the US after President Barack Obama signed the Ukraine Freedom Support Act, which experts say provides firm US backing for Kyiv's resistance to Russian interference." (Ruslan Sharipov for Southeast European Times in Kyiv : 2014-12-26) (my emphasis)

The question we now all have to ask ourselves is, "Are we on the brink of World War III?"

(to be continued)