Is Russia Planning To Partition Ukraine

Russia's Plans to Partition Ukraine -- David Frum, The Atlantic

The Kremlin's leaders have set their sights beyond Crimea. How should the West react?

In the weeks since Russian forces seized Crimea, Vladimir Putin’s plan for mainland Ukraine has become increasingly clear: partition.

Putin’s ambassadors and ministers don’t use that word, of course. In talks with their U.S. and NATO counterparts, they prefer the word “federalism.” They want to organize manipulated referendums to create Russian-aligned governments in the eastern regions of Ukraine. These governments would be endowed with broad powers, including authority over trade, investment, and security. Russia would then reach deals with these governments in an arrangement that would amount to annexation in all but name.

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My Comment: If the interim Ukraine government had it's "act" together .... this would not even be an issue. Unfortunately .... a culture of corruption, anti-Russian laws targeting the Russian community in eastern Ukraine, the lack of any political representation in the interim central government from the east, the purging of Russians from the government and military, etc. .... all of this has lead to the crisis that we are now experiencing. It is easy to blame Russia for the mess that is in Ukraine .... but the sad fact is that the mess in Ukraine was (and is) being caused by Ukrainians .... and it has now gotten out of control. But all is not doom and gloom right now .... people have adopted a wait and see altitude and are willing to give another chance .... my only hope is that their leaders do not fail them again because if they do .... Ukraine will partition, and they will not need the Russian military to accomplish that for them.