Russia never "invaded" Ukraine, unless you deny Donbass Republics their independent status and deny that these republics had a legal right to ask for military assistance from Russia as the Ukrainian regime "counter-terrorist operation" against them began, exterminating civilians in order to take the land.
Russia interfered in this slaughter to defend DPR and LPR.
it was not "conquered" on March 1, 2022, by the way.
THE MYTH
The Level Of Dishonesty Among Western Elites And Legacy Western Media Is Stunning
By Professor John Mearsheimer
There is a growing body of compelling evidence showing that Russia and Ukraine were involved in serious negotiations to end the war in Ukraine right after it started on 24 February 2022 (see below). These talks were facilitated by Turkish President Recep Erdogan and former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and featured detailed and candid discussions on the terms of a possible settlement.
By all accounts, these negotiations, which took place in March-April 2022, were making real progress when Britain and the US told Ukrainian President Zelensky to abandon them, which he did.
Coverage of these events has focused on how foolish and irresponsible it was for President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Boris Johnson to put an end to these negotiations, given all the death and destruction that Ukraine has suffered since then—in a war that Kyiv is likely to lose.
Yet an especially important aspect of this story regarding the causes of the Ukraine war has received little attention. The well-entrenched conventional wisdom in the West is that President Putin invaded Ukraine to conquer that country and make it part of a Greater Russia. Then, he would move on and conquer other countries in eastern Europe. The counter-argument, which enjoys little support in the West, is that Putin was mainly motivated to invade by the threat of Ukraine joining NATO and becoming a Western bulwark on Russia’s border. For him and other Russian elites, Ukraine in NATO was an existential threat.
The negotiations in March-April 2022 make it clear that the conventional wisdom on the war’s causes is wrong, and the counter-argument is right, for two main reasons. First, the talks were directly focused on satisfying Russia’s demand that Ukraine not become part of NATO and instead become a neutral state.
Everyone involved in the negotiations understood that Ukraine’s relationship with NATO was Russia’s core concern. Second, if Putin was bent on conquering all of Ukraine, he would not have agreed to these talks, as their very essence contradicted any possibility of Russia conquering all of Ukraine. One might argue that he participated in these negotiations and talked a lot about neutrality to mask his larger ambitions. There is no evidence, however, to support this line of argument, not to mention that: 1) Russia’s small invasion force was not capable of conquering and occupying all of Ukraine; and 2) it would have made no sense to delay a larger offensive, as it would afford Ukraine time to build up its defenses.
In short, Putin launched a limited attack into Ukraine for the purpose of coercing Zelensky into abandoning Kyiv’s policy of aligning with the West and eventually bringing Ukraine into NATO. Had Britain and the West not intervened to scotch the negotiations, there is good reason to think Putin would have achieved this limited objective and agreed to end the war.
It is also worth remembering that Russia did not annex the Ukrainian oblasts of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia until September 2022, well after the talks had ended. Had a deal been reached, Ukraine would almost certainly control a far greater share of its original territory than it does now.
It is becoming increasingly clear that in the case of Ukraine, the level of foolishness and dishonesty among Western elites and the mainstream Western media is stunning.
**********
John Mearsheimer is the Wendell Harrison Distinguished Service Professor of Political Science at the University of Chicago and one of the leading foreign policy scholars in America.
This article was first published on 29th November 2023. Click on the link below:
Kherson is Russian and cannot be "conquered" because it is not a foreign country. Besides, conquest is prohibited by international law. Kherson was liberated from Ukrainian Nazis.
Exactly what I am saying. It was not "invaded" and it was not "conquered". It was amazed to Ukraine unlawfully, previously. The population was and is against joining the Ukrainian regime.
Literally not a single Western outlet touched this. Ukrainian media did, focusing entirely on the speculative passages suggesting Russia and anti-Maidan activists *could* have some blame to bear over what happened (without making concrete accusations or offering providing evidence). Meanwhile, the Ukrainian government simply blamed its 'Russian-infiltrated' post-Maidan police and security forces for what happened. Quite an amazing blackout.
The people do need to know this back story, but the mainstream media isn't going to report on this ruling. We're not supposed to remember anything before 2022.
Well compiled. Glad that you are doing it - the mainstream media are of course pretending this fact finding doesnt exist. While their "fact checkers" continue to greenlight them publishing lies about this event and subsequent ones.
Limited hangout time? Or the ECHR may have somehow missed a few minor details.
No mention of Dniepro Kharkiv football club hooligans financial and business connections to Ihor Kolomoyskyi. No mention of the existing videos showing some of those several hundred "ultra nationalist" "football club members" from Kiev, Kharkiv & Western Ukraine arriving at Odessa with their own armored personnel carriers (or who provided them with heavy weapons). No mention of who additionally provided Georgian mercenaries, military/COIN training and issued at least some tactical commands at key points during "anti separatist" operations in Kiev, Kharkiv and finally, Odessa. The name of Brian Christopher Boyenger, formerly of the 101st Airborne Division does not feature.
You could learn more about how the regime change was directed and how their enforcers worked in 8 or 10 years, if you weren't better off politically/financially by not knowing much (and safer from at least semi organized associations of Ukrainian thugs spread all through Europe now)?
I grew up in WI and was quite surprised recently to find a Banderite "youth camp" near where I grew up, complete with statues of several WWII era Ukrainian "heroes", AKA fascists, genocidaires and SS members: Stepan Bandera, Roman Shukhevych, Yevhen Konovalets and Symon Petliura.
And this is who our PM is supporting what a weak little man he is, In his own mind he believes he is a strong leader a Dictator with a hold over The UK Population he is a Spineless fucking Monster who supports Nazi Regimes and Jewish Regimes who commit the Murder of Children Women and Men he Glories in a Regime who Bomb Hospitals Murder Journalists and Aid Workers this PM and his Grotesque Government are Complicit in War Crimes and Crimes against Humanity. As for Zelensky and his Murdering Nazi Bastards how long are The NATO Alliance going to allow The Leader of a Nation of Nazis make them jump through hoops do Summersaults and Supply Him and his Corrupt Nazi Regime with Weapons and Shedloads of “OUR TAX MONEY” If Starmer and his Corrupt Cabinet Members decide they are going to Supply a Foreign Nation with Weapons Paid by us and send them Billions of Pounds of OUR TAX MONEY to a Little Hitler We the People should have a Say. If we agree this is a Good and Reasonable Use of the British Tax Payers Pounds after all it is OUR MONEY not Theirs as no Government has Money it is every Single Person living in Britain’ Money and For Me Personally with their continual bleating about Tory Black Holes Poor People robbing the Treasury by Cheating the DWP out of Billions which is a Fucking Bare Faced LIE all Starmer and his bunch of Blairite Babes have done during and since orchestrating the Removal of our Former Leader Jeremy Corbyn “IS LIE TO US”. Therefore we the Voting Public should on behalf of all the People who cannot Vote for one reason or another and to Really make this bunch of Cowboys get our Economy back on Track Should Demand a Vote or Referendum call what you wish on any Of OUR Tax Money being used to Support Any Foreign Wars And Also any excessive Spending on Arms and WMD because they LIE about a Fictional threat from Russia I am not an Idiot I am not a Genius either but I know when I am being Flanneled by Corrupt Thieving Lying Political Elites.
NO SPENDING ON ARMS AND WEAPONRY WITHOUT A REFERENDUM if this lot Deny this Then We must Push Them to Make No CUTS ON THE POOR DISABLED ELDERLY AND UNEMPLOYED And Definitely “NO TAX RISES FOR THE WORKING CLASS” while They make The Arms Dealers and Makers RICH and of Course Him and His Bent Cabinet WILL RECEIVE THEIR HEFTY BROWN ENVELOPES for Services Rendered.
"2014 - 100's of #Crimeans went to #Kiev to peacefully protest against Maidan chaos, realizing peaceful protests hopeless they departed back to #Crimea. At Korsun, buses stopped by gang from Neo-Nazi RightSector, dozens beaten, 7 murdered"
More and more, independent journalists are writing the truth about things and that is a good thing. I agree, why are taxpayers across the EU and North America being forced to pay for these ultra-national corrupt regimes? The answer is obvious. The elites are making huge sums of money for their personal bank accounts while the peasants suffer under their tyranny. The Americans and the French had revolutions to stop those kinds of abuses. Maybe it's time to do that again.
As far as Ukraine goes, not that I'm a Putin fan, but I say let Russia finish their military operation and the west be damned. Kick out the corrupt Ukrainian politicians, take back all of the money they stole from their people, and the western countries they stole from and put them in jail in the Hague. I'm sure Russia will make some concessions if saner heads from the west were to come to the table and have a talk about restoring Ukraine, what's left of it anyway, and make deals to share the bounties. By sharing, I don't mean with the U.S. but with Ukraines neighbors and the Ukrainian people themselves. GIve Ukraine a reason to bring its people back from exile across the world.
Excellent article, as usual, Kit. I'm wondering why now would the ECHR make this ruling? Perhaps Russia's progress in the war and the increasing weakness of the Nazi regime suddenly raises some concerns in Europe that these martyers for a better Ukraine will never be forgotten and could become a battle cry for Odessa's large Russian speaking population should Russia move on the city.
The Odessa Massacre was the logical consequence of the wave of violence unleashed on Ukrainian society by the Maiden coup in February of 2014. We should never forget that the ultra right wing government made the banning of the Russian language as one its first actions. During March and early spontaneous uprisings took place across the Russian speaking regions of Eastern Ukraine. Public buildings were seized in cities from Kharkov to Lugansk to Donetsk.
Then on 13 April the Kiev regime responded by launching its so called ''Anti Terrorist Operation'' against the Russian speakers of the Lugansk and Donetsk Oblasts which guaranteed that the country would plunge into bloody civil war. The Ukrainian army sent warplanes, helicopter gunships, tanks and heavy artillery to crush in blood the spontaneous insurrection of the Russian speakers of the Donbass. This is something the western media will never speak about.
Violent attacks against Russian speakers took place in April 2014 in Nikolaev and Zaporozhye.
In each case neo-Nazis from the Right Sector were bussed in to attack anti-Maiden protestors with the complicity of local police. During these attacks the Banderite thugs were screaming,
“Russia is shit, victory will be ours!”, “Glory to Ukraine! - Glory to the Heroes!”, “Moscovites should be knifed.”
The declaration of the ATO gave free rein to all of the anti Russian forces in the country to commit acts of violence and terror against the Russian speaking segment of the population. This wave of Banderite violence culminate in the pogrom in Odessa which was a coordinated massacre between the Right Sector, local police and the Kiev regime.
The Odessa Massacre represented a crossing of the Rubicon in that it opened the floodgates to a fully fledged civil war from which Ukraine would never be able to turn back. Several days later in the Lugansk and Donestk oblasts they held referendums during which the population voted overwhelmingly to leave Ukraine and set up their separatists republics.
If there was peace in Ukraine tomorrow and Putin abandoned all claims to the 4 regions which Russia has annexed the Russian speakers of the Donbass, Crimea, Kherson and Zaporozhye would never be reconciled with the Russophobic state which despises them and has tried its best to wipe them out. All of the Russophobes in the Western media and political classes have no conception of how millions of Russsian speakers will never be reconciled to the Kiev regime.
One are the main instigators of the Odessa fire got shot in the head by father of a son that was killed on the front line a couple of weeks ago
It was posted on Lord beto telegram channel the son owned a fitness gym had some confrontation with the instigator and then they recruitment office came and got the son the owner of the gym and sent him to the front line where he died
The father shoots the instigator azov dude at point-blank in the head. It was captured on CCTV. It was posted on the 18th if anyone wants to go watch it.
Kit: I'm wondering about your statement that "Wholly unconsidered by the ECHR was the prospect that....the lethal incineration of anti-Maidan activists in May 2014 was an intentional and premeditated act of mass murder, conceived and directed by Kiev’s US-installed far-right government." Is this because the evidence was not presented to the tribunal (in which case it could not have considered it) or because the evidence was presented but not discussed in the decision? I read the decision and there seem no indication that such evidence was presented. Do you have access to the evidentiary record? Thanks and keep up the good work.
This is quite the eye-opener, and a damning condemnation of the Ukrainian government at the time.
It should be noted however that during this time Oleksandr Turchynov was serving as the acting President of Ukraine after stepping into the role when Viktor Yanukovych was removed from office in February 2014. Turchynov held this position until Petro Poroshenko was elected and inaugurated in June 2014.
Anti-Maidan activists in Ukraine were generally pro-Russian and opposed the Euromaidan movement, which sought closer ties with Europe. They supported President Viktor Yanukovych and his government, advocating for policies that favoured stronger connections with Russia. Some factions within the movement also pushed for federalisation of Ukraine or even separatism. Their protests often included anti-EU sentiments and calls for maintaining Ukraine's sovereignty on terms favourable to Russia.
There were instances where anti-Maidan activists were involved in violent actions. These included clashes with pro-Maidan supporters, as well as confrontations with law enforcement during the height of the Euromaidan protests in 2013–2014. Some anti-Maidan groups were also linked to the escalation of violence in eastern Ukraine, particularly in the early stages of the conflict that led to the annexation of Crimea and the war in Donbas.
The term "neo-Nazis" has been used by critics to describe certain factions within the pro-Maidan movement due to the involvement of far-right groups like Svoboda and Right Sector. These groups have been associated with ultra-nationalist ideologies, and some members have displayed Nazi symbols or expressed xenophobic views. The use of this label has been highly politicised, with some parties exaggerating these associations for propaganda purposes.
The proportion of Euromaidan supporters classified as neo-Nazis was relatively small. Far-right groups like Svoboda and Right Sector were involved in the movement, but they represented a minority among the protesters. Their influence was amplified by their organisational skills and visibility during key events, but the majority of Euromaidan supporters were focused on democratic reforms and opposing corruption.
This is quite the eye-opener, and a damning condemnation of the Ukrainian government at the time.
It should be noted however that during this time Oleksandr Turchynov was serving as the acting President of Ukraine after stepping into the role when Viktor Yanukovych was removed from office in February 2014. Turchynov held this position until Petro Poroshenko was elected and inaugurated in June 2014.
Anti-Maidan activists in Ukraine were generally pro-Russian and opposed the Euromaidan movement, which sought closer ties with Europe. They supported President Viktor Yanukovych and his government, advocating for policies that favoured stronger connections with Russia. Some factions within the movement also pushed for federalisation of Ukraine or even separatism. Their protests often included anti-EU sentiments and calls for maintaining Ukraine's sovereignty on terms favourable to Russia.
There were instances where anti-Maidan activists were involved in violent actions. These included clashes with pro-Maidan supporters, as well as confrontations with law enforcement during the height of the Euromaidan protests in 2013–2014. Some anti-Maidan groups were also linked to the escalation of violence in eastern Ukraine, particularly in the early stages of the conflict that led to the annexation of Crimea and the war in Donbas.
The term "neo-Nazis" has been used by critics to describe certain factions within the pro-Maidan movement due to the involvement of far-right groups like Svoboda and Right Sector. These groups have been associated with ultra-nationalist ideologies, and some members have displayed Nazi symbols or expressed xenophobic views. The use of this label has been highly politicised, with some parties exaggerating these associations for propaganda purposes.
The proportion of Euromaidan supporters classified as neo-Nazis was relatively small. Far-right groups like Svoboda and Right Sector were involved in the movement, but they represented a minority among the protesters. Their influence was amplified by their organisational skills and visibility during key events, but the majority of Euromaidan supporters were focused on democratic reforms and opposing corruption.
This is such an important element in the buildup to Russia's military operation in Ukraine.
I wonder how many mainstream media outlets will report this ruling by the European Court of Human Rights.
People need to understand the back story.
@Diana van Eyk
"It is difficult to get a man to understand something, when his salary depends on his not understanding it."
-Sinclair Lewis
Russia never "invaded" Ukraine, unless you deny Donbass Republics their independent status and deny that these republics had a legal right to ask for military assistance from Russia as the Ukrainian regime "counter-terrorist operation" against them began, exterminating civilians in order to take the land.
Russia interfered in this slaughter to defend DPR and LPR.
Donbass was not already not Ukraine.
An important correction, Lena.
In fairness, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson referendums happened much after the SMO started.
yes, and Russia did not appear there in February 2022. Only later when Ukrainian regime started to politically-ethnically cleanse the region.
Come on Lena. Kherson was conquered on March 1st 2022.
it was not "conquered" on March 1, 2022, by the way.
THE MYTH
The Level Of Dishonesty Among Western Elites And Legacy Western Media Is Stunning
By Professor John Mearsheimer
There is a growing body of compelling evidence showing that Russia and Ukraine were involved in serious negotiations to end the war in Ukraine right after it started on 24 February 2022 (see below). These talks were facilitated by Turkish President Recep Erdogan and former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and featured detailed and candid discussions on the terms of a possible settlement.
By all accounts, these negotiations, which took place in March-April 2022, were making real progress when Britain and the US told Ukrainian President Zelensky to abandon them, which he did.
Coverage of these events has focused on how foolish and irresponsible it was for President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Boris Johnson to put an end to these negotiations, given all the death and destruction that Ukraine has suffered since then—in a war that Kyiv is likely to lose.
Yet an especially important aspect of this story regarding the causes of the Ukraine war has received little attention. The well-entrenched conventional wisdom in the West is that President Putin invaded Ukraine to conquer that country and make it part of a Greater Russia. Then, he would move on and conquer other countries in eastern Europe. The counter-argument, which enjoys little support in the West, is that Putin was mainly motivated to invade by the threat of Ukraine joining NATO and becoming a Western bulwark on Russia’s border. For him and other Russian elites, Ukraine in NATO was an existential threat.
The negotiations in March-April 2022 make it clear that the conventional wisdom on the war’s causes is wrong, and the counter-argument is right, for two main reasons. First, the talks were directly focused on satisfying Russia’s demand that Ukraine not become part of NATO and instead become a neutral state.
Everyone involved in the negotiations understood that Ukraine’s relationship with NATO was Russia’s core concern. Second, if Putin was bent on conquering all of Ukraine, he would not have agreed to these talks, as their very essence contradicted any possibility of Russia conquering all of Ukraine. One might argue that he participated in these negotiations and talked a lot about neutrality to mask his larger ambitions. There is no evidence, however, to support this line of argument, not to mention that: 1) Russia’s small invasion force was not capable of conquering and occupying all of Ukraine; and 2) it would have made no sense to delay a larger offensive, as it would afford Ukraine time to build up its defenses.
In short, Putin launched a limited attack into Ukraine for the purpose of coercing Zelensky into abandoning Kyiv’s policy of aligning with the West and eventually bringing Ukraine into NATO. Had Britain and the West not intervened to scotch the negotiations, there is good reason to think Putin would have achieved this limited objective and agreed to end the war.
It is also worth remembering that Russia did not annex the Ukrainian oblasts of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia until September 2022, well after the talks had ended. Had a deal been reached, Ukraine would almost certainly control a far greater share of its original territory than it does now.
It is becoming increasingly clear that in the case of Ukraine, the level of foolishness and dishonesty among Western elites and the mainstream Western media is stunning.
**********
John Mearsheimer is the Wendell Harrison Distinguished Service Professor of Political Science at the University of Chicago and one of the leading foreign policy scholars in America.
This article was first published on 29th November 2023. Click on the link below:
https://original.antiwar.com/john-mearsheimer/2023/12/17/the-myth-that-putin-was-bent-on-conquering-ukraine-and-creating-a-greater-russia/
Kherson is Russian and cannot be "conquered" because it is not a foreign country. Besides, conquest is prohibited by international law. Kherson was liberated from Ukrainian Nazis.
Exactly what I am saying. It was not "invaded" and it was not "conquered". It was amazed to Ukraine unlawfully, previously. The population was and is against joining the Ukrainian regime.
Lol ok, sure.
Technically, it did.
Initial movement of military in the direction of Kiev is the bit.
The most important thing is not how to label it, but why it happened.
All superpowers have inalienable right to intervene and this one was, to a reasonable person, without a doubt a response to actions by the other side.
Unlike other superpowers.
Literally not a single Western outlet touched this. Ukrainian media did, focusing entirely on the speculative passages suggesting Russia and anti-Maidan activists *could* have some blame to bear over what happened (without making concrete accusations or offering providing evidence). Meanwhile, the Ukrainian government simply blamed its 'Russian-infiltrated' post-Maidan police and security forces for what happened. Quite an amazing blackout.
People have been led down such a rabbit hole, and many are willing to believe the narrative. Thanks for reporting on this, Kit.
The people do need to know this back story, but the mainstream media isn't going to report on this ruling. We're not supposed to remember anything before 2022.
Well compiled. Glad that you are doing it - the mainstream media are of course pretending this fact finding doesnt exist. While their "fact checkers" continue to greenlight them publishing lies about this event and subsequent ones.
Well someone's got to do it! Literally...
Limited hangout time? Or the ECHR may have somehow missed a few minor details.
No mention of Dniepro Kharkiv football club hooligans financial and business connections to Ihor Kolomoyskyi. No mention of the existing videos showing some of those several hundred "ultra nationalist" "football club members" from Kiev, Kharkiv & Western Ukraine arriving at Odessa with their own armored personnel carriers (or who provided them with heavy weapons). No mention of who additionally provided Georgian mercenaries, military/COIN training and issued at least some tactical commands at key points during "anti separatist" operations in Kiev, Kharkiv and finally, Odessa. The name of Brian Christopher Boyenger, formerly of the 101st Airborne Division does not feature.
You could learn more about how the regime change was directed and how their enforcers worked in 8 or 10 years, if you weren't better off politically/financially by not knowing much (and safer from at least semi organized associations of Ukrainian thugs spread all through Europe now)?
They may be in America too where I still see too many UkroNam flags....
Clearly they don't want peace
I grew up in WI and was quite surprised recently to find a Banderite "youth camp" near where I grew up, complete with statues of several WWII era Ukrainian "heroes", AKA fascists, genocidaires and SS members: Stepan Bandera, Roman Shukhevych, Yevhen Konovalets and Symon Petliura.
https://wisconsinexaminer.com/2021/03/29/ukrainian-baraboo-nazi-statues/
And this is who our PM is supporting what a weak little man he is, In his own mind he believes he is a strong leader a Dictator with a hold over The UK Population he is a Spineless fucking Monster who supports Nazi Regimes and Jewish Regimes who commit the Murder of Children Women and Men he Glories in a Regime who Bomb Hospitals Murder Journalists and Aid Workers this PM and his Grotesque Government are Complicit in War Crimes and Crimes against Humanity. As for Zelensky and his Murdering Nazi Bastards how long are The NATO Alliance going to allow The Leader of a Nation of Nazis make them jump through hoops do Summersaults and Supply Him and his Corrupt Nazi Regime with Weapons and Shedloads of “OUR TAX MONEY” If Starmer and his Corrupt Cabinet Members decide they are going to Supply a Foreign Nation with Weapons Paid by us and send them Billions of Pounds of OUR TAX MONEY to a Little Hitler We the People should have a Say. If we agree this is a Good and Reasonable Use of the British Tax Payers Pounds after all it is OUR MONEY not Theirs as no Government has Money it is every Single Person living in Britain’ Money and For Me Personally with their continual bleating about Tory Black Holes Poor People robbing the Treasury by Cheating the DWP out of Billions which is a Fucking Bare Faced LIE all Starmer and his bunch of Blairite Babes have done during and since orchestrating the Removal of our Former Leader Jeremy Corbyn “IS LIE TO US”. Therefore we the Voting Public should on behalf of all the People who cannot Vote for one reason or another and to Really make this bunch of Cowboys get our Economy back on Track Should Demand a Vote or Referendum call what you wish on any Of OUR Tax Money being used to Support Any Foreign Wars And Also any excessive Spending on Arms and WMD because they LIE about a Fictional threat from Russia I am not an Idiot I am not a Genius either but I know when I am being Flanneled by Corrupt Thieving Lying Political Elites.
NO SPENDING ON ARMS AND WEAPONRY WITHOUT A REFERENDUM if this lot Deny this Then We must Push Them to Make No CUTS ON THE POOR DISABLED ELDERLY AND UNEMPLOYED And Definitely “NO TAX RISES FOR THE WORKING CLASS” while They make The Arms Dealers and Makers RICH and of Course Him and His Bent Cabinet WILL RECEIVE THEIR HEFTY BROWN ENVELOPES for Services Rendered.
PJM
The Free Thinker
Such a great hard hitting comment. Shared to Notes.
Well said👍
I do so love those who stormed the police station to demand the release of the victims. That immediate collective response is so needed everywhere.
I actually am sort of shocked that the ECHR was able, in its weaktea way, to admit the obvious.
Not that it will matter. Good luck collecting any judgment, much less changing the mind of any goodthink european or their government.
"2014 - 100's of #Crimeans went to #Kiev to peacefully protest against Maidan chaos, realizing peaceful protests hopeless they departed back to #Crimea. At Korsun, buses stopped by gang from Neo-Nazi RightSector, dozens beaten, 7 murdered"
https://dissidentvoice.org/2023/05/eye-witness-crimea/
Yep another crime the ECHR to investigate, but will they.
More and more, independent journalists are writing the truth about things and that is a good thing. I agree, why are taxpayers across the EU and North America being forced to pay for these ultra-national corrupt regimes? The answer is obvious. The elites are making huge sums of money for their personal bank accounts while the peasants suffer under their tyranny. The Americans and the French had revolutions to stop those kinds of abuses. Maybe it's time to do that again.
As far as Ukraine goes, not that I'm a Putin fan, but I say let Russia finish their military operation and the west be damned. Kick out the corrupt Ukrainian politicians, take back all of the money they stole from their people, and the western countries they stole from and put them in jail in the Hague. I'm sure Russia will make some concessions if saner heads from the west were to come to the table and have a talk about restoring Ukraine, what's left of it anyway, and make deals to share the bounties. By sharing, I don't mean with the U.S. but with Ukraines neighbors and the Ukrainian people themselves. GIve Ukraine a reason to bring its people back from exile across the world.
Excellent article, as usual, Kit. I'm wondering why now would the ECHR make this ruling? Perhaps Russia's progress in the war and the increasing weakness of the Nazi regime suddenly raises some concerns in Europe that these martyers for a better Ukraine will never be forgotten and could become a battle cry for Odessa's large Russian speaking population should Russia move on the city.
The Odessa Massacre was the logical consequence of the wave of violence unleashed on Ukrainian society by the Maiden coup in February of 2014. We should never forget that the ultra right wing government made the banning of the Russian language as one its first actions. During March and early spontaneous uprisings took place across the Russian speaking regions of Eastern Ukraine. Public buildings were seized in cities from Kharkov to Lugansk to Donetsk.
Then on 13 April the Kiev regime responded by launching its so called ''Anti Terrorist Operation'' against the Russian speakers of the Lugansk and Donetsk Oblasts which guaranteed that the country would plunge into bloody civil war. The Ukrainian army sent warplanes, helicopter gunships, tanks and heavy artillery to crush in blood the spontaneous insurrection of the Russian speakers of the Donbass. This is something the western media will never speak about.
Violent attacks against Russian speakers took place in April 2014 in Nikolaev and Zaporozhye.
In each case neo-Nazis from the Right Sector were bussed in to attack anti-Maiden protestors with the complicity of local police. During these attacks the Banderite thugs were screaming,
“Russia is shit, victory will be ours!”, “Glory to Ukraine! - Glory to the Heroes!”, “Moscovites should be knifed.”
The declaration of the ATO gave free rein to all of the anti Russian forces in the country to commit acts of violence and terror against the Russian speaking segment of the population. This wave of Banderite violence culminate in the pogrom in Odessa which was a coordinated massacre between the Right Sector, local police and the Kiev regime.
The Odessa Massacre represented a crossing of the Rubicon in that it opened the floodgates to a fully fledged civil war from which Ukraine would never be able to turn back. Several days later in the Lugansk and Donestk oblasts they held referendums during which the population voted overwhelmingly to leave Ukraine and set up their separatists republics.
If there was peace in Ukraine tomorrow and Putin abandoned all claims to the 4 regions which Russia has annexed the Russian speakers of the Donbass, Crimea, Kherson and Zaporozhye would never be reconciled with the Russophobic state which despises them and has tried its best to wipe them out. All of the Russophobes in the Western media and political classes have no conception of how millions of Russsian speakers will never be reconciled to the Kiev regime.
X refuses to allow me to share this article
Now you know what the "fact checking" actually is.
1984.
One are the main instigators of the Odessa fire got shot in the head by father of a son that was killed on the front line a couple of weeks ago
It was posted on Lord beto telegram channel the son owned a fitness gym had some confrontation with the instigator and then they recruitment office came and got the son the owner of the gym and sent him to the front line where he died
The father shoots the instigator azov dude at point-blank in the head. It was captured on CCTV. It was posted on the 18th if anyone wants to go watch it.
Kit: I'm wondering about your statement that "Wholly unconsidered by the ECHR was the prospect that....the lethal incineration of anti-Maidan activists in May 2014 was an intentional and premeditated act of mass murder, conceived and directed by Kiev’s US-installed far-right government." Is this because the evidence was not presented to the tribunal (in which case it could not have considered it) or because the evidence was presented but not discussed in the decision? I read the decision and there seem no indication that such evidence was presented. Do you have access to the evidentiary record? Thanks and keep up the good work.
This is quite the eye-opener, and a damning condemnation of the Ukrainian government at the time.
It should be noted however that during this time Oleksandr Turchynov was serving as the acting President of Ukraine after stepping into the role when Viktor Yanukovych was removed from office in February 2014. Turchynov held this position until Petro Poroshenko was elected and inaugurated in June 2014.
Anti-Maidan activists in Ukraine were generally pro-Russian and opposed the Euromaidan movement, which sought closer ties with Europe. They supported President Viktor Yanukovych and his government, advocating for policies that favoured stronger connections with Russia. Some factions within the movement also pushed for federalisation of Ukraine or even separatism. Their protests often included anti-EU sentiments and calls for maintaining Ukraine's sovereignty on terms favourable to Russia.
There were instances where anti-Maidan activists were involved in violent actions. These included clashes with pro-Maidan supporters, as well as confrontations with law enforcement during the height of the Euromaidan protests in 2013–2014. Some anti-Maidan groups were also linked to the escalation of violence in eastern Ukraine, particularly in the early stages of the conflict that led to the annexation of Crimea and the war in Donbas.
The term "neo-Nazis" has been used by critics to describe certain factions within the pro-Maidan movement due to the involvement of far-right groups like Svoboda and Right Sector. These groups have been associated with ultra-nationalist ideologies, and some members have displayed Nazi symbols or expressed xenophobic views. The use of this label has been highly politicised, with some parties exaggerating these associations for propaganda purposes.
The proportion of Euromaidan supporters classified as neo-Nazis was relatively small. Far-right groups like Svoboda and Right Sector were involved in the movement, but they represented a minority among the protesters. Their influence was amplified by their organisational skills and visibility during key events, but the majority of Euromaidan supporters were focused on democratic reforms and opposing corruption.
This is quite the eye-opener, and a damning condemnation of the Ukrainian government at the time.
It should be noted however that during this time Oleksandr Turchynov was serving as the acting President of Ukraine after stepping into the role when Viktor Yanukovych was removed from office in February 2014. Turchynov held this position until Petro Poroshenko was elected and inaugurated in June 2014.
Anti-Maidan activists in Ukraine were generally pro-Russian and opposed the Euromaidan movement, which sought closer ties with Europe. They supported President Viktor Yanukovych and his government, advocating for policies that favoured stronger connections with Russia. Some factions within the movement also pushed for federalisation of Ukraine or even separatism. Their protests often included anti-EU sentiments and calls for maintaining Ukraine's sovereignty on terms favourable to Russia.
There were instances where anti-Maidan activists were involved in violent actions. These included clashes with pro-Maidan supporters, as well as confrontations with law enforcement during the height of the Euromaidan protests in 2013–2014. Some anti-Maidan groups were also linked to the escalation of violence in eastern Ukraine, particularly in the early stages of the conflict that led to the annexation of Crimea and the war in Donbas.
The term "neo-Nazis" has been used by critics to describe certain factions within the pro-Maidan movement due to the involvement of far-right groups like Svoboda and Right Sector. These groups have been associated with ultra-nationalist ideologies, and some members have displayed Nazi symbols or expressed xenophobic views. The use of this label has been highly politicised, with some parties exaggerating these associations for propaganda purposes.
The proportion of Euromaidan supporters classified as neo-Nazis was relatively small. Far-right groups like Svoboda and Right Sector were involved in the movement, but they represented a minority among the protesters. Their influence was amplified by their organisational skills and visibility during key events, but the majority of Euromaidan supporters were focused on democratic reforms and opposing corruption.
https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/the-echr-has-found-the-ukrainian-government-responsible-for-the-odesa-massacre/