Have Ukraine And Its Pro-Russian Separatists Passed The Point Of No Return?

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A Ukrainian helicopter Mi-24 gunship fires its cannons against rebels at the main terminal building of Donetsk international airport in Ukraine, May 26, 2014. REUTERS/Yannis Behrakis

Ukraine And Its Separatists Have Passed The Point Of No Return -- Haaretz

All Ukrainians are unified in their revulsion against corruption, but the depth of hostility and suspicion, fuelled by nationalists on either side and by Russia, makes bridging the divide impossible.

KIEV — On Monday morning, dozens of shoppers filled the shop near the Roshen chocolate factory by Moskovska Square in south Kiev. The night before, billionaire Petro Poroshenko, owner of the eponymous company, had been elected Ukraine’s new president with a 55 percent of the vote. Ukrainians and Russians are well-known for their sweet-tooth and Roshen, founded in 1996, is one of the strongest brands in the former Soviet Union.

“I love shopping in the Roshen shop” says Liana Orasho, a student from Polatov, who has come to buy gifts for her family before she travels home. “They have traditional sweets here but also always something new,” she says. And yes, she admits the chocolate played a part in her decision to vote Poroshenko. “I felt that he’s like his chocolate — Ukrainian tradition along with innovation.” Other shoppers also said that at least on a subconscious level, “the chocolate convinced us to vote for him.”

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Update: ‘Point of no return’: Resolve builds among Ukraine rebels with each death -- Al Jazeera

My Comment: At the beginning of the eastern Ukraine rebellion (two months ago) I said that there were only a few hundred to a few thousand hard core separatists who would not compromise on their dream of becoming independent from Ukraine. For most Russian-Ukrainians .... they were more focused on having work, making money, and hoping that the security situation would stabilize. About a month ago the dynamics on the ground changed radically when the Ukraine military began it's offensive .... or what many are now saying in eastern Ukraine was actually a "rampage". Throw in the fact that the economy in this part of the country has now come to a standstill with many men now facing unemployment with no hope for work .... the rebellion has definitely gained a momentum of it's own that will probably not stop. If I was to take the pulse of the situation today .... I would say that a majority of the civilians in this region are now supporting the rebels .... and they have become radicalized to accept nothing less than independence from Kiev. What has also not helped the situation are the hundreds (if not thousands) of "volunteers" flooding eastern Ukraine from Russia .... this is only galvanizing a terrible situation into something worse.

Update: This RT video report will give you an indication on what Russians are seeing in their news reports on the Ukraine crisis, and what civilians in eastern Ukraine are now saying is happening. Even if this video report is partially accurate .... I have trouble seeing how reconciliation can occur when so many civilians have been traumatized by this conflict.