Post by Benjamin on Mar 20, 2014 1:51:47 GMT
A good article today on news.com.au about recent Russian activity in Crimea, and the thinly veiled threats being uttered now against Estonia.
Is Russia considering a large-scale move? Was Crimea just the first step? ...it certainly seems that way. I'd be very surprised if Putin were done with Ukraine - they're too important, strategically, and I think at this point he's probably looking for any significant act of aggression from them to justify a military incursion.
These threats against Estonia, though, are a concern too. Anyway, read on:
www.news.com.au/world/russia-talks-tough-with-estonia-as-protecting-russian-speakers-excuse-wheeled-out-again-after-justifying-crimean-takeover/story-fndir2ev-1226859957676
Is Russia considering a large-scale move? Was Crimea just the first step? ...it certainly seems that way. I'd be very surprised if Putin were done with Ukraine - they're too important, strategically, and I think at this point he's probably looking for any significant act of aggression from them to justify a military incursion.
These threats against Estonia, though, are a concern too. Anyway, read on:
Russian officials last night expressed ‘outrage’ at Estonia’s treatment of its large ethnic Russian minority.
It’s a familiar move: The Kremlin defended its seizing of the Crimean peninsula from Ukraine a month ago with the pretext it has the right to protect Russian-speakers outside its borders.
It’s by no means the first time this excuse has been heard.
Nearly 80 years ago, Germany began its annexation of nearby states with the widely broadcast notion of protecting marginalised German-language speakers.
Russia is now adopting the same line towards ex-members of the Soviet Union.
A Moscow diplomat told a United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva last night that the language policy in the Baltic state of Estonia was comparable to what had caused it to move on Crimea — a move to prevent the use of the Russian tongue.
The tactic is as fearful as it is familiar.
It’s a familiar move: The Kremlin defended its seizing of the Crimean peninsula from Ukraine a month ago with the pretext it has the right to protect Russian-speakers outside its borders.
It’s by no means the first time this excuse has been heard.
Nearly 80 years ago, Germany began its annexation of nearby states with the widely broadcast notion of protecting marginalised German-language speakers.
Russia is now adopting the same line towards ex-members of the Soviet Union.
A Moscow diplomat told a United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva last night that the language policy in the Baltic state of Estonia was comparable to what had caused it to move on Crimea — a move to prevent the use of the Russian tongue.
The tactic is as fearful as it is familiar.
www.news.com.au/world/russia-talks-tough-with-estonia-as-protecting-russian-speakers-excuse-wheeled-out-again-after-justifying-crimean-takeover/story-fndir2ev-1226859957676
