Ukraine on the Boil: Washington Prepares for Greater War

by Stephen Lendman

Ukraine is an American colony - a client state run by US-installed Nazi thugs in Europe's heartland. It's a weapon targeting Russia.

Vicious propaganda blames Moscow irresponsibly for US/Kiev high crimes. Minsk failed. Low-intensity conflict continues - heading for resumed full-flown war at Washington's discretion.

On Tuesday, Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) spokesman Eduard Basurin was blunt saying:

Since both sides agreed to Minsk ceasefire terms on February 12, "the number of episodes of targeted shelling of our positions by Ukrainian troops has exceeded 400."

In the last 24 hours alone, junta forces shelled DPR positions 22 times. Ukraine is bankrupt heading toward economic collapse - yet spends $5 - 6 million daily on militarism.

Since taking office last June, Poroshenko increased military spending four times. He budgeted fourfold more this year than last.

According to Russia's upper house Federation Council International Affairs Committee chairman Konstantin Kosachyov:

"The fact that Poroshenko keeps submitting to parliament bills that are in this or that way connected with the prospect of a military solution to the conflict" shows he wants war, not peace.

He and likeminded junta lunatics are wrecking Ukraine at a time "the scale of (its) economic crisis…sharply worsened."

Sustainable, durable peace is pure fantasy. Washington won't tolerate it.

Ukraine is a black hole of fascist extremism, lawless governance, neoliberal harshness, police state repression, scandalous corruption, and rage for more dirty war on its own citizens.

It spurned Minsk straightaway. It maintains a state of war. Its economic blockade on Donbass continues - tighter than ever.

DPR parliament Speaker Andrey Purgin said conditions "worsened sharply over the last few days."

Kiev didn't withdraw heavy weapons as mandated. They deceptively repositioned them.

"Detentions of absolutely uninvolved people by the Ukrainian military continue as before," Purgin explained.

"(Y)esterday they detained two paperboys, who drove to a Ukrainian checkpoint in the area of Yelenovka by taking a wrong turn absolutely accidentally. They have nothing to do with military action."

Poroshenko spurned ceasefire terms. He lied promising implementation. He continues waging war - so far low-intensity.

He's sabotaging any hope for peace. It's just a matter of time before full-scale conflict resumes.

Colonel Cassad's site reported deployment of Kiev's 79th air-mobile brigade to Perekop. Other junta forces mined Chongar bridges.

These moves suggest "renewal of some military preparations in the area of Crimea" - typical junta policy during so-called ceasefire periods.

On March 10, DPR Prime Minister Alexander Zakharchenko said Kiev is preparing for more war.

Lugansk People's Republic official Vladislav Deinego said junta officials are deliberately sabotaging Minsk.

Ukraine's military spokesman Andriy Lysenkko said Kiev won't withdraw heavy weapons from front line positions.

Purgin called its aim to create Donetsk and Lugansk civil/military administrations an unacceptable scheme to establish "zones of military tyranny."

Meanwhile, US-dominated NATO forces prepare for European war. Stop NATO said Alliance officials from all 28-member countries met at Ramstein Air Base, Germany.

NATO commander General Philip Breedlove and Alliance Allied Land Command head Lt. General John Nicholson Jr. addressed Ukraine conflict challenges - specifically ways to react quickly to crisis conditions.

Breedlove is a serial liar. He repeatedly hypes nonexistent "Russian aggression." Washington, Britain, Kiev, and other US Eastern European client regimes represent Europe's only threat.

Breedlove irresponsibly blames Russia. He's preparing for possible European war. At the behest of any NATO member, Articles 4 or 5 can be invoked.

Article 4 calls for members to "consult together whenever, in the opinion of any of them, the territorial integrity, political independence, or security of any" is threatened.

Article 5 considers an armed attack (real or otherwise) against one or more members, an attack against all, and calls for collective self-defense.

Will NATO invoke it next? Will full-scale war follow? Heightened tensions increase the likelihood.

According to Nicholson, "(i)f there was an Article 5 declaration with an attributable threat…then we're looking at militarily what do we need to be able to do."

"(W)e're looking at tne hybrid threat" - anti-Russian terminology irresponsibly blaming Moscow for what Washington calls unidentified regular forces and insurgents, cyberwarfare and disinformation.

Pentagon forces are provocatively deployed along Russia's borders - in frontline states Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Poland, Bulgaria, Romania, Azerbaijan, Finland, Georgia, Norway and Ukraine.

Positioning them there increases changes for East/West conflict. On Tuesday, Tass said Moscow suspended European Conventional Armed Forces Treaty joint consultations.

According to Russian military security and arms control delegation to Vienna talks head Anton Mazur:

"For years, the Russian side has been doing its best to maintain viability of the regime of control over conventional arms."

"It initiated talks on adapting the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe. It ratified the agreement on Adapted CFE Treaty."

"Regrettably, NATO countries have preferred to dodge CFE provisions by means of the alliance's expansion and use any pretexts to prevent the Agreement on Adapted CFE Treaty from coming into effect."

"This course was pursued despite our repeated warning about its harmful impacts on the regime of control over conventional weapons led to the unavoidable result - Russia’s suspending the CFE Treaty in 2007."

"Back then, the Russian side, taking into due account appeals from a number of the CFE Treaty signatories, decided to continue its participation in the work of the joint consultative group by way of exception."

"Taking this decision, we hoped that this platform would be used to work out a new regime of control over conventional arms."

Despite Moscow's best efforts for continental peace and cooperation, US policies sabotaged them.

Deliberately provoking Russia heads things toward East/West confrontation. Possible nuclear war could follow. Europe could be set ablaze.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said US-led NATO "military buildup near our border does not contribute tot the restoration of trust in the Euroatlantic."

Moscow will respond "in an adequate way," he explained. At the same time, he hopes differences can be resolved through "dialogue based on mutual respect."

Not as long as Washington wants war, not peace - as long as its longstanding plan for regime change in Russia remains unchanged.

Lunatics in Washington may launch WW III. Increasingly hostile anti-Russian Eastern European events should scare everyone.

A Final Comment

Ukraine's zombie economy teeters toward collapse. A German Economic News article noted:

• its hryvnia currency in free-fall heading toward worthlessness;

• hyperinflation making essentials unaffordable;

• food shortages (in Europe’s breadbasket);

• growing impoverishment; and

• mass unemployment.

Kiev-based Valentina Lozova said her "business is on the edge of collapse, and there are many other examples" of extreme hardships.

Incomes for Ukrainians lucky to have them can't keep up with hyperinflation.

Irina Lebiga's sheep farm is unprofitable. "Every day (she) see(s) people in supermarkets who buy sacks of flour and grain as a reserve because of inflation."

People buy all they can ahead of higher prices. Citigroup economist Ivan Chakarov notes growing popular anger.

Conditions keep worsening. Will Maidan 2.0 follow? Will conflict erupt nationwide?

Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago. He can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net.

His new book as editor and contributor is titled "Flashpoint in Ukraine: US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III."

http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanIII.html

Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com.

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