No one. I do mean no one, ever expected Russia to violate a long held treaty that protected it, Europe and the USA. Additionally, the treaty created the neutrality Ukraine wanted. The invasion took everyone by surprise and it has been disastrous. Nothing good has come out of the invasion either. Peace is elusive at best.
19 January 2015
Dozens of people (click here) have
been killed or wounded as fighting escalates along the front line in
eastern Ukraine and the battle for Donetsk airport continues.
Artillery fire was reported in several areas of the eastern
Donetsk and Luhansk regions and a hospital in Donetsk city was hit,
reports said.Ukrainian forces and pro-Russian rebels both said they controlled the airport.
As Russia warned Ukraine not to make a strategic mistake, Kiev said more Russian troops had crossed the border.
Russia has repeatedly denied claims that its regular forces are in eastern Ukraine, but has admitted that a number of "volunteers" are fighting alongside the rebels.
The surge of violence began last week as the fight for control of the airport intensified. Government forces fought back after rebels said they had finally seized the new terminal building having besieged government forces for months....
Never did any country believe Ukraine would be facing this after it's nuclear capacity was surrendered.
The Minsk Agreement isn't worth the paper it is written on because the Russian Federation has not been able to provide reassurances to the deescalation of hostilities by the rebels at Ukraine border.
As a result of consideration and discussion (click here) of the proposals from members of consultations in Minsk on Sept. 1. 2014, the Trilateral contact group composed of representatives from Ukraine, Russian Federation and Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, an understanding was reached regarding the need to take the following steps:
1. Provide for immediate and two-sided ceasefire.
2. Provide monitoring and verification from the side of OSCE of the ceasefire.
3. Conduct decentralization of power, including through approval of the Law of Ukraine “On temporary order of local self-government in certain districts of Donetsk and Luhansk regions” (Law on special status)
4. Provide permanent monitoring at the Ukrainian-Russian state border, and verification by OSCE, with creation of a safety zone in the areas adjacent to the border in Ukraine and Russian Federation.
There should be a demilitarized zone and there isn't.
5. Immediately free all hostages and illegally held persons.
6. Approve a law to prevent persecution and punishment of persons in relation to events that took place in certain districts of Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine.
7. Continue an inclusive national dialogue.
8. Take measures to improve the humanitarian situation in Donbas.
9. Conduct early local elections in accordance with the Law of Ukraine “On temporary order of local self-government in certain districts of Donetsk and Luhansk regions” (Law on special status).
10. Remove illegal military formations, military equipment and militants and mercenaries from the territory of Ukraine.
11. Approve a program for economic development of Donbas and renew the vital functions of the region.
12. Give guarantees of personal security for participants of consultations.
Members of the Trilateral contact group:
If the very basics of stability can't be obtained, how can the remainder of the agreement take place?
