Russia's Ghost Army in Ukraine

[Ford]

If the Crimeans themselves want to be a part of Russia then who are you to get upset?

Well unlike some folks around here I'm neither Russian nor part of the Russian propaganda network.

But since you provided a link, let's look at some of the context you failed to mention:

GfK Ukraine's poll wasn't based on actual field work, which is understandable, since a Ukraine-based organization would have a tough time operating in today's Crimea, which is rife with Russian FSB secret police agents and ruled by a local government intent on keeping dissent to a minimum.

Kiev's claims on Crimea and the rebel-held areas are legally indisputable, and the March 2014 referendum that Russia used as justification for Crimea's annexation was a half-hearted imitation of a ballot carried out in the sights of Russian guns.

Fear is an interesting thing. When you live in a country where there are agents of the nation which just annexed you, your phone rings one day and asks you how things are going, are you going to be honest? Or are you going to tell the anonymous voice on the other end of the phone what you think the security forces want to hear?


I mean, I know that you personally will repeat whatever the official Kremlin position is, but it is difficult to get a real sense of what Crimeans think if they're afraid of reprisals by their new masters.

 

[tupac chopra]

I mean, I know that you personally will repeat whatever the official Kremlin position is, but it is difficult to get a real sense of what Crimeans think if they're afraid of reprisals by their new masters.

Is it really that hard to admit that you'd far rather be living in Crimea that in bankrupt Ukriane.


When Ukrainians Choose Not to Die in a War

Men of conscription age are fleeing in the thousands, crossing Ukraine’s borders in all directions, or taking cover internally, to escape the clutches of the military recruiters. President Poroshenko has been obliged to order that, henceforth, only those men of military age with papers confirming they are duly registered with their military registration office will be permitted to leave the country.

“Each day, new facts about mass, draft evasion are emerging” reports the Ukrainian daily Korrespondent. It writes, “In the first wave of military mobilization in 2014, 20 per cent of those who showed up for the conscription call did so voluntarily. In the second wave the same year, it was ten per cent.

“This year, only six per cent of those conscripts showing up for the call to service have done so voluntarily“.

In the Trancarpathia region in western Ukraine, entire villages have scattered across various borders to escape conscription of their menfolk. The head of the village council of Kosiv district in Ivano-Frankivsk region reports that the entire population of the village booked buses and have moved to Russia to wait out the war.

 

[Ford]

Is it really that hard to admit that you'd far rather be living in Crimea that in bankrupt Ukriane.

Is it really that hard to admit you're here pushing Kremlin propaganda?


Actually that's an unfair question. Of course it is hard. There's probably someone watching everything you post, and if you don't follow the company line you'll get docked.

I get it. You've got to make money somehow.

Good thing the ruble hasn't completely collapsed, huh?

 

[Daioh]

No Russian troops were sent in.

So these troops were already standing inside Crimean buildings, around Ukrainian military bases, at roadblocks and all around the place?
They never left the areas they were supposed to stay in and entered the territory of another country to take these places over?

There were already Russian troops in Crimea, up to 25,000 by agreement.

Can you show (according to this agreement) where Russian troops were allowed to setup roadblocks, surround Ukranian military bases and take over Government buildings?

 

[Loren Pechtel]

No they did not. That referendum was a big scam.

Yes they did vote to go back to Russia. The big scam was Maidan.

The referendum was a scam--there was no status quo option.