As events unfold in Ukraine, the Ukraine Informational Resistance -- a network of Ukrainian professors and intellectuals in Ukraine and abroad -- will keep The WorldPost readers informed about events from their perspective.
April 24th marked the beginning of large-scale Russian military exercises on Russia's border with eastern Ukraine.
According to the Defense Minister of the Russian Federation, Sergei Shoigu, this is a direct response to the Ukrainian anti-terrorist operation (ATO) in the Donbas region.We believe that this claim is untrue. If the exercises had just started now, what have more than 50,000 Russian troops been doing at the Ukrainian border for about a month and a half?
In reality, Russia is just frantically searching for excuses for the placement of its legions on Ukraine's borders. ATO is an excellent opportunity for this because at the same time, it can be a possible cause for Russia to begin a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Secondly, with its "concern" about ATO and willingness to protect terrorists in Ukraine, we can conclude that Russia is cut from the same cloth as the violent separatists.
But, in any case, Putin should attempt to understand that the eastern border of Ukraine on April 24th, 2014 is not the same case as the border of Crimea and Ukraine was in February 2014. The Ukrainian army, even with its limitations, is ready to fight.
-Donetsk Regional Council is working synchronously with Russia.
Putin's deputies have demanded that Kyiv's government stop the use of force against the terrorists and withdraw the security forces. As if on cue, they gave Putin a reason to assert that not only is Russia acting against ATO, but against locally-elected bodies as well! This is a direct aid to the Russian enemy.
-Attorney General's office reported that Luhansk region of eastern Ukraine exposed as many as 1200 provocateurs.
Russian "curators" gave them the task to create diversions in order to stop the presidential elections set on May 25, 2014. This is the tip of the iceberg. How many of Moscow's provocateurs are in Ukraine in total at this time, no one knows.
- Anti-Terrorism Operation continues (ATO)
Despite the Kremlin's cries and noises from their "co-workers" in Ukraine, Ukrainian troops are doing their job. Although their actions are seriously limited, at least they aren't utterly helpless. Acting President Turchynov stated that the Ukrainian forces will not retreat even if faced with terrorists' threats. After his previous hesitations, this statement is even surprising. And fortunately, it is a nice surprise.
A special thank you goes out to the European Union as well. The EU Press Secretary Ashton Michael Mann stated that ATO is not a violation of the Geneva agreement negotiated just before Easter. The European Union recognizes the right of the Ukrainian authorities to take forceful measures to protect the sovereignty of the state.
-The Head of the Central Election Commission of Ukraine M. Ohendovsky announced that presidential elections will be held on May 25, 2014 regardless of the "political climate" in Ukraine.
After those elections, there will be a president recognized by the rest of the world and a hope for stability.
It is unlikely that Russia will leave Ukraine alone. But hopefully, if Ukraine can hold strong until May 25th, Russia will be easier to resist. It will become more difficult for Russia to act against Ukraine.