Russia to Ukraine: Surrender Crimean Forces or Face 'Military Storm'

Russia to Ukraine: Surrender Crimean Forces or Face 'Military Storm'

Monday, 03 Mar 2014 02:59 PM

http://www.newsmax.com/Headline/Russia-Ukraine-Putin-Crimea/2014/03/03/id/555719

Russia has issued an ultimatum to Ukrainian forces in Crimea to clear out by 5 a.m. Tuesday (10 p.m. Eastern Time) or face a "military storm," Russia's state-run news agency Interfax reported.

In full, the statement read, "If they do not surrender before 5 a.m. (Ukrainian time) tomorrow, a military storm will commence against units and divisions of the armed forces across Crimea."

Russia's military moved from base to base in Crimea Monday, demanding Ukrainian forces surrender, but Ukrainian forces said there is no official Russian ultimatum that they're aware of, only psychological pressure and threats.

Meanwhile, Russia also pressed hard Monday for Ukrainian politicians to return to the Feb. 21 agreement that promised a new unity government — with fugitive President Viktor Yanukovych back in power — would rule until an early election no later than December.

But the proposal seemed to be a nonstarter as diplomats met in Brussels, Kiev, and Geneva and warnings about the dangers of Russia's military actions were issued from European capitals.

On the ground, pro-Russian troops held all Ukrainian border posts Monday in Crimea, as well as all military facilities and a key ferry terminal, cementing their stranglehold on the strategic Ukrainian peninsula.

"This is a question of defending our citizens and compatriots, ensuring human rights, especially the right to life," Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said in Geneva, where he was attending U.N. meetings.

There have been no reports, however, of any hostilities toward Russian-speakers in Ukraine during the country's four months of political upheaval.

Meanwhile, Washington is looking at a "broad range of options" for sanctions it could impose on Russia unless it defuses tensions in Ukraine, a senior US official said Monday.

"This is a step we are very prepared to move forward on," State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said, warning that the US administration is already examining sanctions on Russian individuals and institutions.

European Union foreign ministers also held out the threat of sanctions, while offering to mediate between the two, alongside other international bodies.

"We need to see a return to barracks by those troops that have currently moved (from) where they have been staying," the EU's foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton told reporters after the foreign ministers' meeting in Brussels.

Tension between Ukraine and Moscow rose sharply after Yanukovych was pushed out by a protest movement made up of people who wanted closer ties with the European Union, more democracy, and less corruption. Yanukovych fled to Russia last month after more than 80 demonstrators were killed — mostly by police — near Kiev's central square, but insists he is still president.

In Kiev, Ukraine's new prime minister admitted his country had "no military options on the table" to reverse Russia's military move into its Crimea region, where Ukraine's military admitted that pro-Russian troops have surrounded or taken over "practically all" its military facilities.

While Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk appealed Monday for outside help and insisted that Crimea still remained part of his country, European foreign ministers held an emergency meeting on a joint response to Russia's military move that could include economic sanctions. But there was no immediate response to the Russian statement, which would void the new government that Ukraine installed just last week.

"Any attempt of Russia to grab Crimea will have no success at all. Give us some time," Yatsenyuk said at a news conference with British Foreign Secretary William Hague in Kiev.

But he added that "for today" there were "no military options on the table." He said his country was "urgently" asking for economic and political support from other countries.

"Crisis diplomacy is not a weakness, but it is now more important than ever for us not to fall into the abyss of a military escalation," German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said in Brussels.

In the meantime, Russian forces were clearly in charge in Crimea, home to 2 million mostly Russian-speaking people and landlord for Russia's critical Black Sea fleet at Sevastopol.

In addition to seizing barracks and border posts, troops also controlled a ferry terminal in the Ukrainian city of Kerch, just 12 miles across the water from Russia. That intensified fears in Kiev that Moscow will send even more troops into the peninsula via that route.

The soldiers at the terminal refused to identify themselves Monday, but they spoke Russian and their vehicles had Russian license plates.

Border guard spokesman Sergei Astakhov said the Russians were demanding that Ukrainian soldiers and guards transfer their allegiance to Crimea's new pro-Russian local government.

"The Russians are behaving very aggressively. They came in by breaking down doors, knocking out windows, cutting off every communication," he said.

He said four Russian military ships, 13 helicopters and 8 transport planes had arrived in Crimea in violation of agreements that permit Russian to keep its naval base at Sevastopol.

Now, fears in the Ukrainian capital of Kiev and beyond are that Russia might seek to expand its control by targeting and seizing other parts of Ukraine, especially in its pro-Russian east.

"The world cannot just allow this to happen," Hague said, but he ruled out any military action. "The U.K. is not discussing military options. Our concentration is on diplomatic and economic pressure."

Ukraine also is struggling on the financial front. The treasury is almost empty and its currency is under pressure after years of running large deficits. The International Monetary Fund said a fact-finding mission would visit Ukraine starting Tuesday for 10 days. Ukraine has asked the IMF for rescue loans and says it needs $35 billion to pay its bills over the next two years.

Market reaction to the Russian invasion of Crimea was immediate Monday. In European trading, gold and oil rose while the euro and stock markets fell. The greatest impact was felt in Moscow, where the main RTS index was down 12 percent at 1,115 and the dollar spiked to an all-time high of 37 rubles.

Russia's central bank hiked its main interest rate 1.5 percentage points Monday to 7 percent, trying to stem financial outflows.

Gazprom, the Russian energy giant, was also big loser, its share price down 13 percent as investors worried about how it would get its gas to Europe if hostilities kept up, since much of it goes through Ukrainian pipelines.

Outrage over Russia's military moves has mounted in world capitals, with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry calling on Russian President Vladimir Putin to pull back from "an incredible act of aggression." Kerry is to travel to Ukraine on Tuesday.

Putin has rejected calls from the West, insisting that Russia has a right to protect its interests and those of Russian-speakers anywhere in Ukraine. His confidence is matched by the knowledge that Ukraine's 46 million people have divided loyalties — while much of western Ukraine wants closer ties with the 28-nation European Union, its eastern and southern regions like Crimea look to Russia for support and trade.

Faced with the Russian threat, Ukraine's new government has moved to consolidate its authority, naming new regional governors in the pro-Russia east, enlisting the support of the country's wealthy businessmen and dismissing the head of the country's navy after he declared allegiance to the pro-Russian government in Crimea.

NATO held an emergency meeting in Brussels and the United States, France, and Britain debated the possibility of boycotting the next Group of Eight economic summit, to be held in June in Sochi, the host of Russia's successful Winter Olympics.     

Russia

Vladimir Putin is the president of Russia, and was a lieutenant colonel for the KGB.

Note: KGB was a security agency for the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR).

Ukraine & Russia was a part of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) republic.

Viktor F. Yanukovich was the president of the Ukraine, and is a Davis Manafort client.

Richard H. Davis is a managing director at Davis Manafort, and a trustee at the Committee for Economic Development.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Committee for Economic Development, the Aspen Institute (think tank), the Brookings Institution (think tank), the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank), and the Center for American Progress.

George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society, a supporter for the Center for American Progress, and is a board member of the International Crisis Group.

Thomas R. Pickering was a lifetime trustee at the Aspen Institute (think tank), a U.S. ambassador for Russia, is a distinguished fellow at the Brookings Institution (think tank), and a co-chair for the International Crisis Group.

Teresa Heinz Kerry is an honorary trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank), and married to U.S. Department of State secretary John F. Kerry.

Ivo H. Daalder was a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution (think tank), and is the U.S. permanent representative for NATO.

Vernon E. Jordan Jr. is an honorary trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank), Valerie B. Jarrett’s great uncle, a director at the American Friends of Bilderberg (think tank), a senior counsel for Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld, LLP, and a 2008 Bilderberg conference participant (think tank).

Valerie B. Jarrett is Vernon E. Jordan Jr’s great niece, the senior adviser for the Barack Obama administration, and a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago.

Commercial Club of Chicago, Members Directory A-Z (Past Research)

Tuesday, December 17, 2013

http://thesteadydrip.blogspot.com/2013/12/commercial-club-of-chicago-members.html

Cyrus F. Freidheim Jr. is a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago, and an honorary trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank).

Robert S. Strauss is a partner at Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld, LLP, a friend of George H.W. Bush, and was a U.S. ambassador for the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR).

George H.W. Bush is a friend of Robert S. Strauss, and was an honorary chairman for the EastWest Institute.

Alexander Voloshin is a director at the EastWest Institute, and was the chief of staff to the president for Russia.

James F. Collins was a U.S. ambassador for Russia, a senior advisor at Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld, LLP, and is a senior associate at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank).

Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank) was a funder for the Nuclear Threat Initiative (think tank).

William J. Perry is a director at the Nuclear Threat Initiative (think tank), and was a co-director for the Center for International Security and Arms Control.

Michael A. McFaul was a research associate at the Center for International Security and Arms Control, and is the U.S. ambassador for Russia.

Vivian Schiller was the Russian interpreter for the Turner Broadcasting System Inc.

Ted Turner is the founder for the Turner Broadcasting System Inc., the chairman for the United Nations Foundation, and a co-chairman for the Nuclear Threat Initiative (think tank).

Igor S. Ivanov is a director at the Nuclear Threat Initiative (think tank), a director at the United Nations Foundation, was the minister of foreign affairs for Russia, and a board member of the International Crisis Group.

Yegor Gaidar was the prime minister for Russia, and a board member of the International Crisis Group.

Jessica Tuchman Mathews is a director at the Nuclear Threat Initiative (think tank), a board member of the International Crisis Group, the president of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank), a director at the American Friends of Bilderberg (think tank), was an honorary trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank), and a 2008 Bilderberg conference participant (think tank).

Ed Griffin’s interview with Norman Dodd in 1982

(The investigation into the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace uncovered the plans for population control by involving the United States in war)

http://www.illuminati-news.com/110106a.htm

Lawrence H. Summers was a trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank), the National Economic Council chairman for the Barack Obama administration, is a board member of the International Crisis Group, a distinguished fellow at the Center for American Progress, and a 2008 Bilderberg conference participant (think tank).

Tom Daschle is a director at the Center for American Progress, was a special policy adviser at Alston & Bird, and a 2008 Bilderberg conference participant (think tank).

Alston & Bird is the consulting firm for Russia.

Marilyn K. Yager is a senior policy adviser for Alston & Bird, and was the health aide for the U.S. Department of State secretary John F. Kerry.

Marc Scheineson is a partner at Alston & Bird, and was an associate commissioner for legislative affairs for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Margaret A. Hamburg is the commissioner for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the VP for the Nuclear Threat Initiative (think tank), and her father is David A. Hamburg.

David A. Hamburg is Margaret A. Hamburg’s father, an at the Nuclear Threat Initiative (think tank), and the president emeritus at the Carnegie Corporation of New York.

William J. Perry is a director at the Nuclear Threat Initiative (think tank), and was a co-director for the Center for International Security and Arms Control.

Michael A. McFaul was a research associate at the Center for International Security and Arms Control, and is the U.S. ambassador for Russia.

Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank) was a funder for the Nuclear Threat Initiative (think tank).

Andrew Carnegie was the founder of the Carnegie Corporation of New York, the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank), the endowed predecessor schools for Carnegie Mellon University, and the founder for the Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh.

Carnegie Corporation of New York was a funder for the Arms Control Association.

John D. Steinbruner is the chairman for the Arms Control Association, and was a director of the Foreign Policy Studies Program for the Brookings Institution (think tank).

Jessica Tuchman Mathews was an honorary trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank), is a director at the Nuclear Threat Initiative (think tank), a board member of the International Crisis Group, the president of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank), a director at the American Friends of Bilderberg (think tank), and a 2008 Bilderberg conference participant (think tank).

Ed Griffin’s interview with Norman Dodd in 1982

(The investigation into the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace uncovered the plans for population control by involving the United States in war)

http://www.illuminati-news.com/110106a.htm

Teresa Heinz Kerry is an honorary trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank), married to U.S. Department of State secretary John F. Kerry, a life trustee at the Carnegie Mellon University, and a trustee at the Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh.

Andrew Carnegie was the endowed predecessor schools for Carnegie Mellon University, and the founder for the Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh, the founder of the Carnegie Corporation of New York, the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank), and provided seed funding for the International Court of Justice.

Hisashi Owada is a judge for the International Court of Justice, a director at the Better World Fund, a director at the Nuclear Threat Initiative (think tank), a director at the United Nations Foundation, and was a lifetime trustee at the Aspen Institute (think tank).

Ted Turner is the founder & chairman for the Better World Fund, a co-chairman for the Nuclear Threat Initiative (think tank), the chairman for the United Nations Foundation, and the founder for CNN.

Walter Isaacson was the chairman & CEO for CNN, and is the president & CEO for the Aspen Institute (think tank).

James S. Crown is a trustee at the Aspen Institute (think tank), and a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago.

Lester Crown was a lifetime trustee at the Aspen Institute (think tank), and is a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago.

R. Eden Martin is the president of the Commercial Club of Chicago, and counsel at Sidley Austin LLP.

Michelle Obama was a lawyer at Sidley Austin LLP.

Barack Obama was an intern at Sidley Austin LLP.

Newton N. Minow is a senior counsel at Sidley Austin LLP, and a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago.

W. James McNerney Jr. is a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago, and the chairman & president & CEO for the Boeing Company.

Barbara G. Fast was a VP at the Boeing Company, and a VP for the CGI Group Inc.

CGI Group Inc. was the Obamacare contractor that developed Healthcare.gov web site.

Obamacare is Barack Obama’s signature policy initiative.

Donna S. Morea was the EVP for the CGI Group Inc., and a trustee at the Committee for Economic Development.

Richard H. Davis is a trustee at the Committee for Economic Development, and a managing director at Davis Manafort.

Viktor F. Yanukovich is a Davis Manafort client, and was the president of the Ukraine.

Ukraine & Russia was a part of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) republic.

KGB was a security agency for the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR).

Vladimir Putin was a lieutenant colonel for the KGB, and is the president of Russia.

Central Bank of Russia is the central bank for Russia.

Michael S. Bernstam was the economic adviser for the Central Bank of Russia, and is a research fellow for the Hoover Institution (think tank).

William J. Perry is a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution (think tank), a director at the Nuclear Threat Initiative (think tank), and was a co-director for the Center for International Security and Arms Control.

Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank) was a funder for the Nuclear Threat Initiative (think tank).

Michael A. McFaul was a research associate at the Center for International Security and Arms Control, and is the U.S. ambassador for Russia.