Monday, July 28, 2014

Russia's Economy Suffers For Military Excesses



No one can blame the Ukraine War on the Ukraine. Their democratic decision to oust Victor Yanukovich was a messy part of a growing democracy; the world watched protests that tested civil militia and asserted people’s power over a corrupt regime. It was not a predicate for a Russian Invasion that has already involved the loss of Crimea as well as insurgency in the Eastern Border. With Russia assistance and training, separatists have deployed sophisticated heavy missiles. The separatists became international terrorists by destroying a civilian passenger plane, and killing 298 innocent travelers and crew.

Vladimir Putin as head of state bears responsibility for his decision to send surface to air missiles to the rebels that immediately created a zone of danger to civilian air travel. That zone of danger delivered a tragedy with devastating impact on Central Europe.  No longer ambivalent, they speak openly of the war crimes committed by Putin and his rebel allies. One must remember the paths followed by Saddam and Kaddafi, they too got rich from governing energy rich nations, and Kaddafi sponsored a terror attack on an airliner.  Putin now fights to avoid entering this realm of public opinion, as a war criminal.

Putin is a billionaire, by all accounts, profiting personally from Russia’s primary businesses in oil and gas. The U.S. enacted sanctions  to punish the Russian oil sector, and cut-off financing; although without European backing, the sanctions forced Russia to ever more reliance on China for money. In the wake of MH-17, the EU may act and sacrifice economic benefits to punish Russia’s economy. The IMF had previously declared a Russian recession and with additional restrictions on banking and new business, the Russian economy may begin to shed jobs and lose economic momentum.

Russia has boosted the rebel forces, currently in retreat, by direct Russian artillery and rocket support. Russia has delivered a temporary battle-shifting impetus to the insurgents. It appears Russia has determined not to allow defeat and has massed some 10,000 troops, highly mobile units, to the Doneysk border area. Despite Russian bombardment, the Ukrainian army has advanced and tightened control of several key towns in the area previously held by the rebels.  The Ukrainian army has acquitted itself with bravery and determination. Ukraine has entered another phase of democratic growth - fighting to preserve its sovereignty; they fight to survive as a nation.

Sources:
IMF: Russia in Recession

MH-17 War Crime
U.S. Proof of Russian Bombardment

Satellite Proof

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