Tensions are escalating in Ukraine again.
While the pro-western opposition
attempts to establish a functioning government in the capital
city of Kiev, pro-Russian separatists in the Crimean peninsula are
becoming increasingly aggressive in their rejection of this new
leadership.
In a predawn raid today, “an unknown armed group” of roughly 120
men stormed and seized the Council of Ministers and parliament
buildings,
reports the Kyiv Post. They fired shots but killed no
one.
According to Reuters, “they issued no demands, but witnesses
said they spoke Russian and appeared to be ethnic Russian
separatists.”
Parliamentarian Gennady Moskal
claims that among the rebels were members of the notorious
Berkut riot police, which has been greeted with applause
since arriving in Crimea. The interim government
announced yesterday that it was disbanding the force, which
used live rounds on protesters in Kiev. Moskal says that the
decision was “ill-conceived,” because the riot police now feel more
antagonistic toward the opposition-controlled central
government.
Unrest has been fomenting for a while. Crimea is an autonomous
parliamentary republic within Ukraine, and has historically been
Russian-leaning: The Russian Navy’s Black Sea Fleet leases a major
base on the peninsula and over 50 percent of the population is
ethnically Russian. When deposed President Viktor Yanukovych fled
from Kiev, he
reportedly sought shelter in Crimea.
Earlier this week, clashes between pro-western and pro-Russian
groups resulted in two dead and 30 injured. On Tuesday, separatists
declared a Russian businessman the de facto mayor of the
region’s capital.
Russia is fanning the flames. Yesterday, “Putin… ordered
massive military exercises involving most of the military units in
western Russia. On Thursday, as part of the exercises, 90 fighter
jets were put on combat alert and were patrolling the border with
Ukraine.”
Ukraine’s interim president
warned that he would not tolerate any “military aggression”
from Russia.
Fun fact: Russian
lawmakers and celebrities are rushing to Crimea to demonstrate
their support for the separatists. Among them is heavyweight
champion boxer-turned-politician Nikolai Valuev, whom heavyweight
champion boxer-turned-Ukrainian-opposition-leader Vitali
Klitschko once
called a “chicken” for turning down a fight. Can you say
pay-per-view event of the century?
Read more Reason coverage of Ukraine’s revolution
here.
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