Ukraine crisis: Is Russia ready to move into eastern Ukraine?

[bemildred]

With Nato assessments that there are some 40,000 Russian troops massed on the Ukrainian border ready to move at a few hours' notice, the heightening war of words between Moscow and Kiev raises a genuine prospect of conflict.

If Russia requires a pretext to move into eastern Ukraine, then many of the elements of that narrative are already in place.

But what of the Russian military's capabilities? What can be deduced from what we have seen so far of Russian operations in Crimea?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-26940375

[CFLDem]

1. Yes

And anyone who says otherwise makes Chamberlain look like Nostradamus.

[The Magistrate]

2. An Excellent Article, Sir: Thank You For Sharing It

[penultimate]

3. Hopefully those Ukrainian warmongers won't "defend" Ukraine from their liberators.

I mean, I'm sure we all agree that Ukraine and most of Eastern Europe rightfully belongs to Russia, as they are the successor nation of the Soviet Union.

[karynnj]

5. Speak for yourself

I would bet the majority of people here think that Ukraine should be ruled by Ukrainians.

[penultimate]

6. The only way we can know that for sure is if Russia sends in troops

so they can hold a referendum in which the people can vote to be free under Russian rule, or to be enslaved under self rule.

[The Magistrate]

7. I Suspect You May Have Fallen Into a Sarchasm, Ma'am....

Poe's Law can get quite a work-out here.

[dionysus]

12. a deep chasm it was, sir...

[Nye Bevan]

4. If Russia does invade, it is purely to save Ukraine from the evil machinations of the EU and the US.

According to many DUers.

[pscot]

8. My guess would be a tense, negotiated settlement

over gas contracts and regional autonomy. The Ukrainians had a spirited debate on the issues in parliament today.

[bemildred]

9. Something like that, assuming reason prevails.

And all the militias and whatnot running around and liberated weapons can be gotten back under control.

And the regional autonomy provisions Russia wants can be worked out.

And who pays for what, a wrangle that may well go on for a very long time.

And then it's still a propaganda war for some indefinite period.

[pscot]

10. Ukraine better get its act together though

Their army or police recaptured those offices in Donetsk that had been invaded by Russian irregulars. If Ukraine can keep a lid on things, the Russians won't have a pretext for intervention.

[bemildred]

11. I think that's the core problem, and the longer it sits there, the worse it will get.

It's much easier to create a mess than to clean it up.