Ukraine Government Blockade Of Rebel Territory Threatens To Backfire As Resentments Fester

[Purveyor]

By NATALIYA VASILYEVA | Associated Press | 16 minutes ago in Politics, Money

KURAKHOVE, Ukraine (AP) — Tears welled up in Vera Pavliy's eyes as she stood outside the bank, looking as if she had just gotten lost. The 76-year-old was stuck behind the battle lines in the east Ukraine town of Kurakhove with no money and no way to get home.

The war that brought death and destruction to the region has largely abated, but the misery remains. In fact an effective government blockade on separatist-held areas is only getting worse. The goal is ostensibly to choke the rebel economy and force the separatist front to yield, but for now Kiev's actions are fostering only resentment.

For months, banking services have been suspended by state fiat. Civilian movement is limited by a cumbersome permits system. Trucks brimming with supplies stand marooned at army checkpoints and in neighboring towns.

The interruption of banking services forces hundreds of thousands in rebel territories to embark on trips across the front lines to draw pensions or cash aid from friends and family. This week, Pavliy arrived in government-held Kurakhove from the rebel stronghold of Donetsk only to learn the transfer of 4,500 hryvnia ($167) she hoped to find on her account had not gone through. Now, she says, she has no money for the bus to return home.

"I feel alien here ... because nobody cares about me," Pavliy sobbed, standing outside a branch of state-run Oshchadbank in a well-worn sheepskin coat.

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http://www.newser.com/article/8e3e6c5d8ca74ca28ac58dfca2c7b338/ukraine-government-blockade-of-rebel-territory-threatens-to-backfire-as-resentments-fester.html

[Duckhunter935]

1. I thought the east

wanted nothing to do with Ukraine.

Sounds like they may want to get some of that from the "Russians" they "voted" for.

Sorry to be harsh but that is what you and others are saying. They do not want to be part of Ukraine. Then they should not expect Ukrainian services.

[newthinking]

8. They were almost always ok with true federalization. It was Ukraine that feared federalization

because they know that if East Ukraine settled down and they could not place a heavy hand on the people there, that they would lose power.

The faction in power now could never get there without half the country disenfranchised. Only after destroying the other parties and intimidating the population could they win an election.

[Duckhunter935]

9. And the east preventing the vote

At least Ukraine had free and fair and internationaly recognized elections.

[newthinking]

11. That's a laugh - Destroy the opposition parties then say it is a "fair" vote. Right

[Duckhunter935]

15. Thats funny

the polls in the east showed quite different

[Duckhunter935]

14. should both sides abide by the Minsk agreement?

[geek tragedy]

2. Which is it--are they longing to be reunited with Mother Russia or are they demanding

that the Ukrainian government be allowed to govern and provide services?

[Blue_Tires]

3. Let her ask Moscow to foot the bill for her expenses

since they're in charge of her neighborhood now...

[Purveyor]

4. At the end of the day, she/they may very well get your wish and none too soon.

[newthinking]

7. Can't have it both ways. They can't bomb them if they no longer want to take responsability for the

citizens there (Ukraine).

[Blue_Tires]

17. She better decide which side she's on instead of complaining

As long as she's in enemy territory, she takes her chances along with everyone else...IF she has a problem with that, then she needs to take her grievances to her new landlords, not Kiev...

[newthinking]

18. I think my point was lost

It is inconsistent for Kiev to fight for the land as being taken from them but then also expect not to have to take care of it's people/
If they don't want to take care of it, then they also need to let go of it and not threaten them any longer with bombing.

[Igel]

5. It's a problem, to be sure.

Part of it is that the DNR and LNR folk have a habit of knocking over armored vehicles carrying pension funds when they're in cash, and of taking over the banks and their administration when they're transferred electronically. Or the post office. Or any other agency or group that distributes the money. Then most of it vanishes.

The blockade is funny, in some ways. The DNR and LNR refuse to allow anything to be exported out. They don't want to feed, clothe, fuel the fascist junta, since the Donbas is the powerhouse of the country and provided most of the money and economic umph. It's part of the swagger, part of the catapaulting of PR. Unless the blockade makes for negative headlines. Then it's all about how horrible the blockade from the Ukr side is for local business.

They've also tended to not allow stuff in. A lot was seized. A lot was subject to heft "import" taxes--sometimes in kind, sometimes in tender. Aid, for example, was especially forbidden. The only exception is when there are wailing women who need the aid, who need the imports. Then all the roadblocks--literal and figurative--count for nothing, and it's all on Ukraine. Which, frankly, should be tired of having its citizens killed by Soviet throwbacks as those throwbacks claim support payments.

Electricity is a good example. Power lines down because of fighting? The horrors. Even if LNR and DNR mortars were responsible. The DNR and LNR didn't pay for the electricity, and yet when the Ukr authorities instituted power cuts because of damaged facilities and allowed the cuts to trigger rolling blackouts not just in Odessa and Kiev but also in Lugansk, it was horrible and punitive. As soon as they agreed to pay Ukr for power, the LNR announced it was cutting connections to the Ukr grid in the East and connect to Russia's grid. Or so the press claims. Then again, the fairly continual LNR shelling and finally damage to one of the power-generating installations in Schast'e may have been part of the reason.

[newthinking]

6. They cannot let the East get back on it's feet and **VOTE**, they will lose power

For the longest time I could not figure out why Kiev fought so hard against Federalization. I mean that is simply to have a government like the US and many western countries??

It was poorly covered, but it was actually Kiev that fought compromise (until they were losing the war).

Until I realized, knowing the region, that they must fear a stable Eastern Ukraine, because what our media never reports, is that they are a minority faction. That is also why they needed to take power by force and could not wait for the agreed early elections. They will lose power if East Ukraine is allowed to stabilize.

[Duckhunter935]

10. The east prevented people from voting, why

[Duckhunter935]

16. Thanks MIRT

another one caught and booted