Ukrainian Riots Accelerating

[Magda Hassan]

Wouldn't miss it for the world except I haven't watched or had any interest in the Olympics since Los Angeles.

[Magda Hassan]

Neo-Nazis and far-right protesters in Ukraine

The far-right in Ukraine are acting as the vanguard of a protest movement that is being reported as pro-democracy. The situation on the ground is not as simple as pro-EU and trade versus pro-Putin and Russian hegemony in the region.




When US Senator John McCain dined with Ukraine's opposition leaders in December, he shared a table and later a stage with the leader of the extreme far-right Svoboda party Oleh Tyahnybok.

This is Oleh Tyahnybok, he has claimed a "Moscow-Jewish mafia" rule Ukraine and that "Germans, Kikes and other scum" want to "take away our Ukrainian state."

This is the party's logo, it can be seen on flag throughout the crowds in Kiev every day.
Svoboda is Ukraine's fourth biggest party holding 36 seats out of 450 in parliament. They're also part of the Alliance of European National Movements along with the BNP and Jobbik.

This is their old logo, a Wolfsangel rune, a common symbol for European neo-Nazi organizations.
It was also the symbol of the Patriots of Ukraine, a paramilitary organisation Svoboda went hand in hand with until 2004.

A typical crowd shot of Kiev's protests, Svoboda and their fellow travellers have been present throughout the protests.

Here we see a battalion of Patriots of Ukraine paramilitaries tooled up in the midst of the protests.

Pro-EU protesters took over the town hall, we learned from international news reports in December, demanding the government resign.
While it is a broad movement, mainly of the right, it's hard to see a BNP or Golden Dawn led takeover of a town hall getting quite the same publicity.

Here a white power flag takes pride of place centre stage, black circle with a plus sign through it. You can always check the top of stormfront.org if you don't buy it.

Here protesters clash with riot police, one carries a homemade shield painted with a white power symbol and the numbers 14 and 88.
These numbers are common neo-Nazi slogans;with 14 standing for David Lane's slogan (We must secure the existence of our people and a future for White Children) and 88 as code for HH, or Heil Hitler.

Patriots burn flags, while white power flags are flown throughout the crowd. In almost every action shot from these protests far-right symbols are clearly visible.
National socialist group Wotan Jugend has described the experience they are gaining from the protests; "Leaderless resistance What is happening now in Kiev - is a lesson, a lesson to all those who so eagerly watching national revolution taking place in Ukraine, blowing drool with envy at the keyboard."
https://libcom.org/news/neo-nazis-far-ri...e-23012014

[Peter Lemkin]

Ugh!....neither 'side' is completely 'clean'. I think there are average Ukrainians who only want democratic changes and not to be ruled by stealth via Moscow - but they seem to be polluted by the ultra-right; some in the Ukrainian government and country feel a close[r] economic connection to Russia serves the country and historic roots - but are blind to the demands of many of their countrymen to be independent of Russia. Then the EU wants its pound of flesh. Its a mess, and Big Powers on all sides are playing it as a chess game - and to hell with the average Ukrainian pawns. S.N.A.F.U. ::

[Lauren Johnson]

from willyloman

(The guy seen with John McCain is a pure bred Operation Gladio supporter. Thailand, Ukraine, Turkey, Egypt… it's Gladio B and this guy is a perfect example of the kinds of democracies our country backs across the world. )

"In the majority of his motions he opposed the introduction of the Russian language as the second official state language, proposed recognition of the fighting role of the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists and Ukrainian Insurgent Army during World War II, called for the lustration of former communist officials, security service officers and undercover agents, and demanded the prohibition of communist ideology."

"When left-wing groups tried to join the protests they were attacked and beaten by fascists. Svoboda are leading ideologically now. Fascism is like a fashion now, with more and more people getting involved.". Sergey Kirichuk

source

Ten pictures that show Ukraine's protests are filled with toxic Neo-Nazi groups

When US Senator John McCain dined with Ukraine's opposition leaders in December, he shared a table and later a stage with the leader of the extreme far-right Svoboda party Oleh Tyahnybok.



This is Oleh Tyahnybok, he has claimed a "Moscow-Jewish mafia" rule Ukraine and that "Germans, Kikes and other scum" want to "take away our Ukrainian state."



This is the party's logo, it can be seen on flag throughout the crowds in Kiev every day. Svoboda is Ukraine's fourth biggest party holding 36 seats out of 450 in parliament. They're also part of the Alliance of European National Movements along with the BNP and Jobbik.


This is their old logo, a Wolfsangel rune, a common symbol for European neo-Nazi organizations. It was also the symbol of the Patriots of Ukraine, a paramilitary organisation Svoboda went hand in hand with until 2004.


A typical crowd shot of Kiev's protests, Svoboda and their fellow travellers have been present throughout the protests.


Here we see a battalion of Patriots of Ukraine paramilitaries tooled up in the midst of the protests.


Pro-EU protesters took over the town hall, we learned from international news reports in December, demanding the government resign. While it is a broad movement, mainly of the right, it's hard to see a BNP or Golden Dawn led takeover of a town hall getting quite the same publicity.


Here a white power flag takes pride of place centre stage, black circle with a plus sign through it. You can always check the top of http://stormfront.org/ if you don't buy it.


Here protesters clash with riot police, one carries a homemade shield painted with a white power symbol and the numbers 14 and 88. These numbers are common neo-Nazi slogans;with 14 standing for David Lane's slogan (We must secure the existence of our people and a future for White Children) and 88 as code for HH, or Heil Hitler.


Patriots burn flags, while white power flags are flown throughout the crowd. In almost every action shot from these protests far-right symbols are clearly visible. National socialist group Wotan Jugend has described the experience they are gaining from the protests; "Leaderless resistance What is happening now in Kiev is a lesson, a lesson to all those who so eagerly watching national revolution taking place in Ukraine, blowing drool with envy at the keyboard."

[Magda Hassan]

Some more from Brian Whelan from channel 4 who took the photos above

Video link here

Ukraine: far-right extremists at core of 'democracy' protest

As violent scenes play out on the streets of Kiev, we look at the major role extremist right-wing movements have played in Ukraine's "pro-democracy" movement.






Ukraine's far-right is gaining support and confidence through its role in the street protests, with the Svoboda party assuming a leading role in the movement and paramilitary groups leading the street fighting.
In December US senator John McCain travelled to Ukraine to offer his support to the opposition, appearing on stage with leaders of the three opposition parties leading the protests - including the far-right Svoboda party.
Svoboda is currently Ukraine's fourth biggest party and holds 36 seats in parliament. It is also part of the Alliance of European National Movements, along with the BNP and Hungary's Jobbik.

Svoboda leader Oleh Tyahnybok is one of the faces of the protests, appearing regularly along with opposition leader and former boxer Vitali Klitschko (see picture right) voicing opposition to Putin's influence over the region.
However, Tyahnybok has provoked controversy in the past with his anti-Semitic claims that a "Moscow-Jewish mafia" controls Ukraine.





His party was registered in 1995 and initially used a swastika-style "wolfsangel" rune as its logo. It restricted membership to ethnic Ukrainians. Until 2004 it had a paramilitary wing called Patriots of Ukraine, and though it ended its link to the group in 2005, the two continue to be closely associated and to participate in protests together.
Svoboda has played a leading role in the protests. Its member of parliament, Igor Myroshnychenko, claimed responsibility for the toppling of the statue of Lenin, and it led the occupation of the city hall.
In December inside city town hall, an organisational hub for the protests, a white power logo was displayed in the centre of the stage alongside Svoboda party flags.

Fascism is like a fashion now with more and more people getting involved. Sergey Kirichuk

It has helped to revive 1930s Ukrainian nationalist chants, which even Vital Klitschko has now adopted, shouting "Glory to Ukraine!", to which the crowd reply "To heroes, glory!".
Svoboda flags have been a permanent fixture in Independence Square, with pictures from clashes also revealing the presence of militant far-right groups carrying neo-Nazi flags and the red and black Ukrainian "insurgent army" flags.
On new year's day, Svoboda led a 15,000-strong torch-lit march in memory of controversial Ukrainian nationalist Stepan Bandera, who fought against the Soviets during world war II.
Read more: far-right group at heart of Ukraine protests meet US senator

Hooligans strike

As violent scenes played out in recent days, groups of "autonomous nationalists" separate from Svoboda, who recruit from far-right football hooligan groups, have taken a leading role in the fighting.
Acting under the name Pravy Sektor, they are reported to have 500 militants inside government buildings seized by the protesters.
Sergey Kirichuk, a member of the group Borotba, which publishes and anti-fascist magazine in Ukraine, told Channel 4 News that these neo-Nazis are the most violent elements on the streets.
"These people are separate from Svoboda, though they will have many links through activists - but they are not controlled by any one group," he explained.
"They are the ones throwing molotovs and trying to kill policemen, the most violent element fight at European Square.
"When left-wing groups tried to join the protests they were attacked and beaten by fascists. Svoboda are leading ideologically now. Fascism is like a fashion now, with more and more people getting involved."





(Above: militants carry shields marked with neo-Nazi logos)
Paramilitaries from the Patriot of Ukraine group, Svoboda's former paramilitary wing, have been present throughout the protests. Their masked activists, wearing distinctive yellow armbands, have been pictured carrying chains and bricks through the crowd and leading attacks on riot police.
In 2012 the presence of a violent and highly organised far-right in Ukraine and Poland became global news ahead of the Euro 2012 tournament.
The dominance of racist chants, Nazi salutes and neo-Nazi banners among football fans provoked controversy ahead of the tournament, prompting President Yanukovych to promise matches would be closely watched by security services.

Anti-Semitic attacks

The World Jewish Congress has called for Svoboda to be banned for its hardline anti-Semitic stance, and public Jewish events celebrating hanukkah were cancelled last month due to fears of violence, with Jewish leaders urging people to "increase security everywhere".
An ultra-Orthodox Jewish student, Dovbear Glickman, was stabbed while leaving a synagogue last week, suffering massive blood loss. It is the second anti-Semitic assault this month after a Hebrew teacher was followed home from synagogue by a gang before being beaten.

[David Guyatt]

Ukraine's president Yanukovych takes sick leave amid calls for resignation

No indication of how long Viktor Yanukovych will be on leave after statement on presidential website

• Oksana Grytsenko in Kiev and agencies
  
• theguardian.com, Thursday 30 January 2014 10.11 GMT
  
• Jump to comments (6)
  

Ukraine's Viktor Yanukovych, who has taken sick leave 'due to an acute respiratory illness and high fever', according to the presidential website. Photograph: AP

Ukraine's embattled president Viktor Yanukovych is taking sick leave as the country's political crisis continues without signs of resolution.
A statement on the presidential website on Thursday said Yanukovych is on sick leave due to an acute respiratory illness and high fever. There was no indication of how long he might be on leave or whether he would be able to do any work.
Yanukovych is under pressure after two months of major protests seeking his resignation, early elections and other demands.
In one of a series of moves aiming at resolving the crisis, Ukraine's parliament approved a law on Wednesday that would grant an amnesty to arrested protesters but to the opposition's fury depended on the demonstrators vacating all occupied government buildings.
After 12 hours of negotiations the amnesty law was passed amid applause from the ruling party and angry shouts of "shame!" from the opposition.
Protesters are holding three administrative buildings in Kiev, including the building housing the city administration.
Yuri Miroshnychenko, President Viktor Yanukovych's representative in parliament, said the protesters would now have to leave the buildings. But he insisted the opposition headquarters in Trade Union House, as well as Independence Square and Khreschatyk Street, where the protest camp is located, would not be touched.
The offer was quickly greeted with contempt by opposition protesters. Vitali Klitschko, leader of the opposition UDAR party, said the law "will only increase temperature in society", while Andriy Parubiy of opposition party Batkivshchyna called the demands unacceptable. "No one will comply with them," he said.

.

[Magda Hassan]

[Magda Hassan]

U.S. Points to Russia as Diplomats' Private Call Is Posted on Web

By PETER BAKERFEB. 6, 2014


Launch media viewer

Viktor F. Yanukovych, president of Ukraine, and Victoria Nuland, the assistant secretary of state for European affairs, met in Kiev on Thursday. Pool photo by Mykhailo Markiv



WASHINGTON After months of taking grief for snooping on foreign leaders, the Obama administration found itself on the other side on Thursday after a private telephone call between two American diplomats appeared on the Internet in a breach that the White House tied to Russia.
In the recording, an assistant secretary of state and the ambassador to Ukraine are heard talking about the political crisis in Kiev, their views of how it might be resolved, their assessments of the various opposition leaders and their frustrations with their European counterparts. At one point, the assistant secretary uses an expletive in a reference to the European Union.

The conversation opened a window into the American handling of the crisis and could easily inflame passions in Kiev, Brussels and Moscow, where the role of the United States has been controversial. The White House on Thursday suggested that Russia, which has jockeyed with the United States and Europe for influence in Ukraine, played some role in the interception or dissemination of the conversation.
"The video was first noted and tweeted out by the Russian government," Jay Carney, the White House press secretary, told reporters. "I think it says something about Russia's role."
Asked if he was accusing Russia of recording the conversation, Mr. Carney said: "I'm not. I'm just noting that they tweeted it out."
In a later briefing, Jen Psaki, the State Department spokeswoman, said she had no information about who posted the recording but criticized Moscow for promoting it. "Certainly we think this is a new low in Russian tradecraft," she said.
Another administration official privately confirmed the authenticity of the tape, which was posted anonymously on YouTube on Tuesday under a Russian headline, "Puppets of Maidan," referring to the square occupied by protesters, and reported on Thursday by the Kyiv Post.
A recording posted on Tuesday of a conversation between Victoria Nuland, the assistant secretary of state for European affairs, and Geoffrey R. Pyatt, the ambassador to Ukraine. Ms. Nuland uses an expletive to describe the European Union. Re Post

A link to the secret recording was sent out in a Twitter message earlier Thursday by the account of Dmitry Loskutov, an aide to Russia's deputy prime minister. "Sort of controversial judgment from Assistant Secretary of State Victoria Nuland speaking about the EU," the message said, clearly trying to drive a wedge between the United States and Europe.
Obama administration officials took that as confirmation of their suspicion that the conversation was intercepted or at least disseminated by Russia's government, which has sheltered Edward J. Snowden, the National Security Agency contractor who exposed American eavesdropping of foreign leaders like Angela Merkel of Germany.
While the revelation prompted the White House to cancel surveillance of friendly foreign leaders like Ms. Merkel, administration officials defended themselves by noting that many governments spy on American officials as well. American diplomats have long assumed that their telephone calls were tapped by Moscow, but rarely if ever have the Russians made recordings public.
The administration official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said the fact that this one was made public was a sign of desperation by the Russians, who in this view are trying to stop the Americans from brokering a settlement of the standoff between President Viktor F. Yanukovych and the Ukrainian opposition. It came to light even as Ms. Nuland was in Kiev on Thursday talking with both Mr. Yanukovych and opposition leaders.
Mr. Loskutov, responding to messages from a reporter on Twitter, rejected the American assertion that he was first to disseminate the recording. "Disseminating started earlier," he wrote in English, adding that his Twitter post was being "used to hang the blame" on Russia. Asked if Russia had any role, he said: "How would I know? I was just monitoring the Internets' while my boss was off to a meeting with the Chinese leader."
In the recorded call, Ms. Nuland and the ambassador, Geoffrey Pyatt, were talking about an offer made on Jan. 25 by Mr. Yanukovych to bring two opposition leaders, Arseniy P. Yatsenyuk and Vitali Klitschko, into the government as prime minister and deputy prime minister, respectively. The two Americans described Mr. Yatsenyuk, a former economics minister, in favorable terms, but viewed Mr. Klitschko, a former world heavyweight boxing champion now serving in Parliament, more warily.
"The Klitschko piece is obviously the complicated electron here," Mr. Pyatt said.
Ms. Nuland suggested that Mr. Klitschko should not go into the government. "I don't think it's necessary," she said. "I don't think it's a good idea."
Mr. Pyatt concurred. "In terms of him not going into the government, just let him sort of stay out and do his political homework and stuff," the ambassador said. "I'm just thinking in terms of sort of the process moving ahead; we want to keep the moderate democrats together."

Ms. Nuland described Mr. Yatsenyuk as "the guy who's got the economic experience, the governing experience," and said Mr. Klitschko's working for him was "just not going to work." Mr. Pyatt called Mr. Klitschko the "top dog" among the opposition leaders and suggested that Ms. Nuland call him directly.
Ms. Nuland seemed frustrated that European leaders had not put enough pressure on Mr. Yanukovych to respond to protesters upset with his decision not to sign a trade agreement with the European Union. She told Mr. Pyatt that Ban Ki-moon, the United Nations secretary general, was preparing to send an envoy to Ukraine, which would "help glue this thing and to have the U.N. glue it."
"And you know," she said, and then used an expletive to say what could be done to "the E.U."
"Exactly," Mr. Pyatt said. He expressed concern that "the Russians will be working behind the scenes to try to torpedo it," and agreed that there would be value in an "international personality" traveling to Kiev to "midwife this thing."
Ms. Nuland said that she could get Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. to call Mr. Yanukovych for "an atta boy" encouraging moves to work with the opposition, and that "Biden's willing."
Ultimately, Mr. Yatsenyuk and Mr. Klitschko declined to join the government later on Jan. 25. Mr. Biden called Mr. Yanukovych three days later, the day Prime Minister Mykola Azarov stepped down. Protests continue.
Ms. Nuland was in Kiev on Thursday trying to broker a deal to de-escalate the confrontation by assuring amnesty for protesters, moving demonstrations back from public buildings and restarting negotiations. Over a longer term, the Obama administration is trying to persuade Mr. Yanukovych to make constitutional and electoral changes that would allow for opposition participation in government and eventually lead to economic assistance from the International Monetary Fund.
Ms. Nuland met with opposition leaders on Thursday and spent four hours with Mr. Yanukovych, who later released a statement saying that he was ready to return to negotiations with the opposition and would accelerate the release of jailed protesters. "It is only through dialogue and compromise that we can overcome the political crisis," Mr. Yanukovych said.
After the intercepted telephone conversation became widely reported on Thursday, Ms. Nuland spoke with European Union officials to smooth over any ruffled feathers. Reached by telephone in Kiev, Ms. Nuland referred questions to the State Department, but seemed more amused than angry. "It's all part of the job," she said. Mr. Pyatt posted a picture on Twitter of the two of them laughing as they read the Russian official's tweet on an iPad. "Enjoying Dima's tweet here in Kyiv," Mr. Pyatt wrote, referring to Mr. Loskutov.
Correction: February 6, 2014
An earlier version of this article misidentified the Ukrainian opposition leader whom Ambassador Geoffrey Pyatt called a "top dog." He is Vitali Klitschko, not Arseniy P. Yatsenyuk.
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/07/world/...n-web.html

[Peter Lemkin]

"...a new low in Russian tradecraft..." ::face.palm:: Looks to me as if the USA and Russia have long been, despite the smiles and handshakes, on the slippery slope to the 'bottom' - with America seemingly leading the way; and the EU tagging along at times - going it alone sometimes. When the shoe is on the other foot the US cries foul. What hypocrisy! No only do they seemingly want to have Ukraine in their 'camp' and under their control, but even to the point of who should and who should not be in government - making in this now infamous leaked conversation a
statement that the boxer leading the moderate opposition should NOT be allowed into government or to become President of Ukraine. They the US has the hubris to say the Russians are 'meddling'.....in their 'backyard', as we have always assumed was OUR natural right from Monroe to now....only 'our backyard' has expanded from Latin America to the World in that time....perhaps beyond to the moon.....::bowtie::

[Magda Hassan]

Ukrainian Judge Who Sentenced Protesters Murdered In Kiev

February 12, 2014 richardrozoff Leave a comment Go to comments
Stop NATO
February 12, 2014



1)
Russian Information Agency Novosti
February 12, 2014
Judge Who Sentenced Protesters Shot Dead in Ukraine
KIEV: A Ukrainian judge who recently sentenced several political protesters to house arrest has been shot dead by unknown attackers, police said Wednesday.
Alexander Lobodenko, a 34-year-old district court judge, was shot several times in the back by two assailants on a street near his home in central Ukraine late Tuesday night, the country's Interior Ministry said.
One of the bullets grazed his spine, according to a statement on the Kremenchug district website, and Lobodenko died in intensive care at about 2 a.m. Wednesday.
Police have opened a criminal case into the death and said that Lobodenko was likely killed as a result of his judicial work. They did not speculate about which of the judge's decisions may have motivated the attack.
One of Lobodenko's most recent rulings, according to the Ukrainian newspaper Telegraf, sentenced two pro-European activists on January 28 to two months of house arrest.
The men had tried to break into the city hall building during a rally in Kremenchug days before, in a local instance of a broad anti-government protest movement that has engulfed Ukraine for the last two months.