1. Poroshenko has been mobilizing Ukraine. “Under a decision by the National Security and Defense Council of December 20, 2014, a fourth mobilization wave is beginning on January 20, and two more will be held in April and June.”
2. There are more reports of Russian soldiers and arms crossing into Donetsk People’s Republic.
3. A battle recently raged over the Donetsk airport.
4. A burst of shelling in Mariupol.
These are matters between Ukraine and Russia, not the United States. But NATO has made it its business. The IMF has made big loans to Ukraine. Ukraine is a very expensive basket case candidate for even more bailouts with western credit.
The single most important item from the angle of non-intervention and lowering the risk of a U.S.-Russian military confrontation, which are essential parts of the libertarian position, is that the U.S. is ramping up its military ties to Ukraine. This is precisely the opposite of the libertarian position, which calls for U.S. hands off the Ukraine.
“The U.S. military will conduct joint exercises with Ukrainian forces in the spring, said Lt. Gen. Frederick Hodges, commander of U.S. Army Europe, who was part of a U.S. military delegation visiting Kiev this week. Ukrainian servicemen will be trained to set up communications posts and defend against Russian artillery, among other tasks.”
5:33 pm on January 25, 2015
