Putin, Mogherini, and MH17

In my blog entry (December 15, 2014) I wrote that,

"Mogherini herself does not see sanctions as an end in themself  but, like Frank-Walter Steinmeier, wants to start a dialogue suggested by Putin and that would be between Russia, the EU, and members of  his own Eurasian Economic Union, to discuss Russian concerns about Ukraine's  Free Trade Agreement with the EU. ( Daily Mail : 14 Dec., 2014) (Right: Mogherini and Putin)

It really beggars belief that both Mogherini and Steinmeir are even willing to consider this suggestion by Putin, whose very criminal acts in Ukraine have led not only to the resumption of the Cold War between Russia, the US, and the EU, but is also fast heading us all towards a Hot War.

  

What is even more galling is that they are both willing to EXCLUDE Ukraine from a discussion ABOUT Ukraine that is being suggested by Putin himself. Do they not realise that Putin would later simply ignore these discussions just as he has done with his Trojan Minsk Proposals?" (blog entry : Dec. 15, 2014)

Since then there has been something of a deafening silence from the 'fragrant' Mogherini about events in Ukraine. 

Until now, that is.

True to form as a longstanding supporter of Putin, on the report of the Dutch Safety Board concerning the downing of flight MH17 on 17 July 2014, Mogherini stated that,

"Today's report of the Dutch Safety Board is an important step to shed full light on the downing of flight MH17.

.....

The report concludes that MH17 was hit by a so-called BUK-missile, and explicitly rules out other options. Moreover, the report defines a 320-square-kilometre area in eastern Ukraine from where the missile was launched. Thus, it puts an end to 15 months of speculation over a number of key facts related to the crash." (EU External Action : Brussels, 13/10/2015)

This report categorically states that,

"The missile [that downed MH17], identified as part of an antiaircraft system known as Buk, detonated less than a meter to the left of the cockpit of the Boeing 777, according to the report, killing the pilots instantly and causing the aircraft to break apart." (RFERL : Thursday, October 15, 2015) (my emphasis)

Yet the 'fragrant' Mogherini simply cannot bring herself to say that it WAS a BUK missile. Rather, she refers to it as a so-called BUK-missile.

This hesitancy on the part of the 'fragrant' Mogherini to categorically support the Dutch investigators who concluded that it WAS a BUK anti-aircraft missile that shot down MH17, is indirect support for the Russian missile company Almaz Antey that manufactures the BUK missiles, and who released a counter-report to that of the Dutch investigators.

"Yan Novikov, the chief-executive of Almaz-Antey, said that [their] experiment entirely refutes the Dutch Boards conclusions regarding the type of missile and the launch area." (Belfast Telegraph :Thursday 15 October 2015) (my emphasis)
 

This Russian 'disinformation' strategy, to try and counter the painstaking Dutch investigation, is

"One of the strategies of maskirovka, or Russian military deception, [] to manipulate “the facts” in order to affect the media and public/world opinion to achieve national goals. In the case of Russian propaganda related to the MH17 downing, a myriad of false claims, faked interviews, evidence, and dubious experts were creating (and are still creating) a smokescreen of chaotic versions the goal of which is to confuse and conceal." (EuroMaidan Press : 14/10/2015) (my emphasis)

One can only hope that the 'fragrant' Mogherini has not even mildly succumbed to Putin's 'maskirovka' strategy over the shooting down of MH17 with a missile supplied by himself to his rebel proxies in eastern Ukraine.

Putin is now trying to use the $3 billion that he gave to ousted Yanukovich as a political lever to prevent Ukraine from receiving a $17 billion loan from the IMF by refusing to become a part of the restructuring of Ukraine's debt.

"Ukraine’s restructuring perimeter includes a loan which was granted to Ukraine in the framework of agreements between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President at the time Viktor Yanukovych.
 .....
The fact that the bonds were purchased via the Irish stock exchange makes the disbursement a private creditor debt. However, the Russian side insists that this is an interstate debt, as the buyer was a state-owned National Wealth Fund." (Unian : 15.10.2015) (my emphasis)

This has not deterred Putin from suggesting that the IMF gives Ukraine an extra $3 billion so that he can get his $3 billion loaned to Yanukovich.

One can only conclude that this 'maskirovka' strategy of Putin's is simply to try to deflect the gaze of the world away from the Dutch Report on MH17.

This, however, will simply not work.

Nor will his trying to muster UN members against the election of Ukraine onto the UN Security Council.

"Diplomats expect no surprises in Thursday’s elections for new members of the Security Council but there will almost certainly be some fireworks when Ukraine joins the U.N.’s most powerful body, where arch opponent Russia has a permanent seat. This year’s election is uncontested — five candidates for five seats as non-permanent members." (Edith M. Ledere : Washington Post : October 14, 2015) (my emphasis)

As Pavlo Klimkin (right), [Ukraine’s Foreign Minister ] told reporters on Tuesday.

“For the first time, we have an absolutely unique and unimaginable situation ... that a permanent member of the Security Council is an aggressor in Ukraine, waging a hybrid war against Ukraine.” (ibid Edith M. Ledere)


We can but wait and see what happens when Ukraine takes its seat on the UN Security Council.

(to be continued)