RUSSIA IS INVADING UKRAINE

           Columns of Russian tanks and other military vehicles have invaded the southeastern Black Sea coast of Ukraine, according to reports citing Ukrainian and Western sources, in an apparent attempt to establish a land corridor with Crimea, which Russia had previously invaded.  Russian forces beforehand had bombarded the Ukrainian coastal territory with artillery.

           There have been previous incursions of Russian forces into Ukraine beyond Crimea, as well as firing of artillery from Russia. Despite earlier Russian Federation denials, Russian troops made up a significant part of the pro-Russian rebel forces and had supplied arms and materiel to the separatists, as I have posted previously. The advancing Russian mechanized column disproves Russian claims that any of its personnel in eastern Ukraine were volunteers.

           The Russian Federation, which is led by an authoritarian Communist, has decided to invade Ukraine out of frustration with the Ukrainian government’s advances against the Russophile rebels.  The invasion, like that of Russia's invasion of Crimea, is in violation of a post-Cold War agreement in which it recognized Ukraine's independence and sovereignty and accepted Ukraine’s borders.  The Russian invasion of eastern Ukraine also exposes the deception of the slogan “Crimea is Russia,” as if the Russian bear would have been satisfied eating only Crimea.  Indeed, Russia intends to restore the former Soviet Empire, in spite of any treaties or international law.

            In the meantime, the Russian regime is punishing Ukraine for expanding trade with the West.  As was demonstrated by its invasion of Georgia, Russia cannot tolerate freedom or representative government in former Soviet Republics, let alone any friendliness on their part with the West.  Even if Russia’s invasion would not be decisive in conquering eastern Ukraine and absorbing it into the Russian Federation, the indefinite insurgency would destabilize Ukraine by damaging its economy and serve as another warning to former Soviet Republics not to break free from Russian domination. The West and other freedom-loving states around the world must continue to uphold the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of these former Soviet Republics.