Six Reasons Why Putin Seems To Have Lost In Eastern Ukraine

There is a growing consensus that Vladimir Putin has abandoned his campaign to take control of east Ukraine. The fog of war, such as the killing of nearly 20 Ukrainian soldiers yesterday, is obscuring the distinct turn in the tide. Putin’s goal has changed from dismantling Ukraine as a united state to destabilizing Sunday’s presidential election in the east. Ukraine has a chance for a third lease on life. It cannot afford to blow this chance by returning to its old ways of governing. Ukraine’s third lease on life will likely be its last if wasted.

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Intercepted Phone Calls Show Putin Called The Shots On European Hostages In Ukraine

The intercepted phone calls between Putin's personal emissary and the military commander of the Slovyansk command and control center to carry out the release of the kidnapped international observers clearly shows that the Kremlin is calling the shots in east Ukraine and that the local "self defense forces" are following these orders to the letter.

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Putin’s Ukrainian executioners worse than Stalin’s

Read (and listen to) the transcript of intercepted phone calls (Bes to Alph) ordering the murder of a pro-Ukrainian politician (Rybak)  in east Ukraine on April 17 and the later call from the head of Russian special operations (Colonel Strelkov) to the self-proclaimed mayor (Ponomarev) to dispose of the tortured body.

What a gang of thugs!  This illustrates why Putin's Russia is indeed a KGB state.

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Intercepted Conversations of Russian Special Forces Commander With Self-Proclaimed Mayor of Slovyansk

A Radio Liberty dispatch (Radio Svobody) dated April 24 contains the transcript of an intercepted conversation between Colonel Igor Strelkov, the purported commander of Russian special forces in the east Ukrainian city of Slovyansk (Russian: Slavyansk) with the self-appointed Mayor, “Slava” Ponomarev (see the transcript of his chilling interview). The Radio Liberty imprimatur gives the tapped telephone conversation credibility because Radio Liberty must avoid over-the-top claims to preserve the credibility of its reporting. Radio Liberty writes that the Ukrainian secret service (SBU) has made the tape available to destroy any illusion as to who is in charge of  Slovyansk.

The Ukrainian Special Services (SBU) has, in the meantime, released the actual tapes of the conversations between Strelkov, Ponomarev, and another officer. In one intercepted call, Strelkov discusses the You Tube being shown on the internet of pro-Ukrainian council member, Volodymyr Rybak being surrounded by a pro-Russian crowd. He is assured that "thank goodness, none of our guys are on the film." In the next call, Strelkov ("code name "Bes") orders his subordinate to "neutralize" Rybak, giving detailed instructions on torture and disposition. 

The third conversation involves Strelkov ordering Ponomarev to deal with Rybakov's body, whose tortured body was discovered floating in the river.

This short conversation is as follows:

Strelkov: “Slava: you (“Ty,” familiar form) please decide the question of the corpse. This should be taken care of quickly and get it off our hands. The body is lying here and beginning to smell.”

Ponomarev: “The corpse. Yes. Yes. Right away. I am just finishing with the journalists. I’ll take care of it.”

Ponomarev (apologetic): "My stupid guys (literally “goats”) brought the body to you there – to the basement."

Ponomarev: “I am coming right now. I’ll organize the burial of this rooster.”

Strelkov: “Ok. Good.”

I publish my translation, again, to illustrate the kind of Russian forces and stooges that will run those parts of Ukraine taken over by Russia. What a nightmare! I would not like to be a liberal, Ukrainian, Gypsy, Tartar, or Jew caught up in Putin's embrace.