Airport in Ukraine's Crimea cancels all except Moscow flights

[okaawhatever]

Source: Reuters

(Reuters) - The main airport in Ukraine's Crimea on Tuesday canceled incoming flights from the capital Kiev but allowed several planes from Moscow to land, five days before a referendum called to join the Black Sea region to Russia.

A Ukrainian airline plane was turned back on its way from Kiev to Simferopol, the region's main city, and returned to the capital. Airport passenger information also showed an incoming flight from Istanbul, Turkey, had been canceled.

But several flights came in from Moscow.

Armed pro-Russia groups have taken over control of the airport but until now had been allowing it to function normally for passenger traffic.

Continued at Link

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/03/11/us-ukraine-crisis-airport-idUSBREA2A0WC20140311

[2banon]

1. I keep wondering why Crimea didn't vote on the referendum last week...

why wait until the 16th, all things considered. ?

on edit: this move is logical. Moscow's security reactions is/was predictable, as we ratchet up our war drum beating and chest thumping to bring on WWIII.

[okaawhatever]

2. Took time to get the ballots printed? The original vote was supposed to take place April 25th

or something. They moved the date up.

[2banon]

3. Security measures need to be taken swiftly..

there must be some other explanation that isn't apparent yet..

[Igel]

6. Yes. They needed their ducks in a row.

And also to properly inform the electorate in an impartial manner.

[okaawhatever]

12. the Republicans are probably envious of their tactics. nt

[leftynyc]

4. Uh - who is ratcheting up war talk? (n/t)

[levp]

5. RT and their fellow travelers n/t

[leftynyc]

8. This used to be a fact based site

Now rumors, innuendo and outright lies take the place. As long as it trashes the US, many here will believe it.

[Beacool]

9. You hit the nail on the head.

I've noticed how some people here defend anyone but the US. There are demonstrations against the regime in Venezuela, then it must be pro US rich people (an actual post). Never mind that these are regular folks who are protesting and some are paying with their lives.

Putin takes over a portion of a sovereign nation, and factions of the Right and the Left are cheering him on?

[okaawhatever]

14. Does make you wonder how many are here to participate in Democratic politics in the US and how

many are here to rabble rouse against the Democratic politics in the US.

[Beacool]

20. I don't know, but there are folks with strange ideas around here.

I wonder if any of them ever lived under these types of regimes. If they did, they might change their tune pretty fast.

[snooper2]

16. Well when OP that contain crap from counterpunch.com are allowed to stand

what do you expect?

[freshwest]

11. Lot of CT is gospel here now. It's hard to reach through. n/t

[2banon]

7. Who? NeoCons in Washington not to mention Leon Panetta, et al

It's been pretty amazing, these past several days. too many quotes of "we can't let this stand" "we have to take action now" invoking NATO as well as sanctions.

Whenever NATO is referenced in these "discussions", we're talking about military action.

I consider that to be ratcheting up war talk.

[iamthebandfanman]

10. And what if one of the planes came anyway?

what, the Russians were going to shoot down a passenger plane?

they should have called their bluff and sent plans to the airport anyway.

[geek tragedy]

13. ask the families of KAL007 about whether

the Russians would shoot down a passenger jet.

[iamthebandfanman]

15. sorry but

1983 Russia had less to lose from such an act than 2014 Russia does....
Russia has let itself become economically dependent on the rest of the world like most civilized nations have..

[geek tragedy]

17. given the invasion of their neighbor, looks like they have some nostalgia for the Brezhnev/Kruschev

era.

[dipsydoodle]

19. Or Iran Air Flight 655 come to that.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iran_Air_Flight_655?Vincennes

[dipsydoodle]

18. Would a pilot attempt to land anywhere without landing permission ?

Would look a real egg if another plane was taking off on the same runway.

[muriel_volestrangler]

22. Then they would arrest the crew, and any passengers they felt like

which could easily be every passenger who wasn't a pro-Russian Crimean. There's no upside to landing at an airport controlled by a hostile army.

[blackspade]

21. I guess they are locking the airport down.....

so they can start flying troops in unnoticed.