Putin and Trump now the protectors of Victor Yanukovich

Whilst the airwaves and the internet are being flooded with Putin's success in getting his 'joined-at- the-hip-twin', Donald Trump, elected president of the US, less attention has been focussed on even more strategic goals of Putin concerning the upcoming elections in many critical EU states in 2017.

As David M. Herszenhorn (left) reported in mid-December of last year,

"European governments are bracing for cyber-meddling by Moscow in upcoming national elections in France, the Netherlands and Germany.
...
In a remarkable two-page warning late last week, Hans-Georg Maaßen, the head of Germany’s Federal Office for Protection of the Constitution, a domestic security agency, said there was a clear threat from Russian hackers seeking to sow “uncertainty in German society” and to destabilize the country.
...
In France, Marine Le Pen, the leader of the far-right National Front, has admitted taking an €11 million loan from a Russian bank, and had hoped to get much more. But Russian cyber-operatives might be just as content to aid the conservative candidate François Fillon, who is known as a long-time defender of Russia and a critic of Western sanctions against the Kremlin." (Politico : 13/12/16) (my emphasis)

And as recently as yesterday,

"German politicians, press and police officials say news report from the U.S. right-wing news website Breitbart that suggested a “mob” had “chanted ‘Allahu Akhbar’” and set fire to a church in Dortmund have been greatly exaggerated.
 ...
Local newspaper Ruhr Nachrichten, which published reports on events that happened on New Year’s Eve, said [Breitbart's] online reporting had been distorted to produce “fake news, hate and propaganda.” (Laurens Cerulus : Politico : 1/7/17) (my emphasis)

And Trump's appointed Chief Strategist is none other than Steve Bannon (right), former chairman of Breitbart News!

 Frances Burwell (left) correctly sums up Putin's strategy to affect the German, French, and Dutch elections in this year as,

"This year will see elections in the Netherlands, France, Germany, and perhaps Italy. By not responding to US sanctions with a tit-for-tat, Putin undoubtedly hopes to sway opinion in Europe, convincing voters that he is not a threat.

His ultimate goal of course is the removal of European and US sanctions on Russia, imposed for its actions in Ukraine, including the annexation of Crimea." (The Telegraph : 5 January 2017) (my emphasis)

Putin's avid supporters in the EU are, no doubt, lapping up Trump's 'tweeting' offensive in support of Putin, no matter what the true facts of any event may be that implicates Putin in generating not only fake news but, more importantly, generating 'conspiracy theories'.

Putin has morphed the old 'maskirovka' strategy of Russian generals into the cyber age.

There is another dimension to the Putin-Trump connection that has, somehow, been lost to many political commentators. 

I refer, of course, to the seminal exposure by Karen Dawisha of Putin's connection to the Russian Mafia during his political baptism in St. Petersburg in the 1990's. (cf pp 126-132 : Putin' Kleptocracy. Who Owns Russia?)

Putin's Kleptocracy : Published 6 October 2014 Woodrow Wilson Centre: Youtube Discussion

What is now becoming public is Trump's connection to the American Mafia in the 1980's and 1990's.  

(cf: link for full interview)

 
Then of course, we have the criminal background of Vicor Yanukovich, who now enjoys the protection of Putin, and who has stolen billions ...... yes ..... billions of $'s from Ukraine .... helped by none other than Paul Manafort to become president of Ukraine, a former, AND CURRENT, advisor to .... yes ... you guessed it ... Donald Trump. (pic: Manafort left : Trump Right)

The Ukrainians, having rid themselves of Yanukovich, now find themselves in the un-envious position of having to contemplate the fact that Victor Yanukovich is now being protected by both Putin and Trump.

As the old saying goes,

Birds of a feather,

Flock together.

(to be continued)