For objectivity sake the Times should probably report that the aggressive tactics in the Sea of Azov started 8 months ago when Ukraine decided that I would be a good move to size a Russian fishing ship and to detain the crew.
https://www.unian.info/politics/10070927-ukrainian-court-rules-not-to-arrest-captain-of-seized-crimean-vessel-until-next-hearings.html
Now that this backfired Ukraine should have nobody to blame for it other than itself.
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If Donald Trump had not abdicated the leadership role of the US in organizing effective sanctions against bad actors like Putin, it would be possible to throttle all of Russia just as tightly as the Russians have throttled Mariupol. Now, it is either war or kiss Ukraine goodbye.
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A really excellent article from Mr. Erlanger and Mr. Higgins with excellent photography and quotations of officials. This disagrees with Mark's understanding of the article - but consider the geographic distance.URB
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I think the US should really back Ukraine
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The territories that you just mentioned are historically part of Russia and Russia has every right to regain those,specially parts of sout-east ukrsine and their cities (Odessa,Dnipro,KrivoyRog,Mariuopol,Berdyiansk and many others) which were founded Russiand during the rule of Russan Empire.
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Dear Mr. Higgins,
Writing you due to misunderstanding and desiformation, through wrong linguistics formats in the text. Mariupol is not a TOWN. Population of Mariupol City is more then 500 000 people (more then half a million). You should understand that writing "borders of military line is near the town" and "near the city" - means pretty different. It's really shame, that people all over the world can't get right information about the conflict. Here is a brief population description:
Mariupol is more then 500 000 people
Donetsk was more then 2 000 000 people
Makeevka was more than 200 000 people
Lugansk was more then 1 000 000 people
When your readers will understand the level of conflict problem in Ukraine it will be a right information.
Thank you in advance.
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Another legacy of the feckless foreign policy of the Obama Administration.
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Russia will eventually reclaim the Ukraine--
Why? Because President Trump is in Putin's pocket.
And the US won't lift a finger!
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So goodbye! to Ukraine. And hello again! to renewed Russian hegemony in the Baltic States:
...The next step in its plan to reconstitute the Empire...
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So as long as Trump remains in office, the West is in danger.
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Perhaps, navigation in the Azov would have been easier if Ukraine did not arrest Russian ships and detain their crews just because they are registered in Crimea. Also helpful would be clarification by Ukrainian government about its intentions towards the Crimea bridge, given that many Ukrainian officials openly called for its destruction by military means. Putting all the blame on Russia and absolving Ukraine of any responsibility for this escalation is (i) contrary to truth and (ii) counterproductive for resolving the situation. It is also journalistically dishonest to write about it without mentioning the origin of the issue (there was no problem until Ukrainian authorities started to detain Russian ships) or aggressive posture and statements by Ukrainian government. I understand that NYT editorial policy prescribes positive coverage of any and all things anti-Russian, but truth should matter a little too.
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@David
LOL. Not Ukraine captured the Crimea by armed forces. Not Ukraine captured 30% of the territory creating chaos and weapon banditry on it. It was Russia, not Ukraine! This is the reason why Ukraine fights against manifestations of aggression!
And many politicians in Ukraine are fed by the Kremlin, because of big money is more important than honor and conscience!
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@David This article seemed very biased in support of Ukraine's position. It is a shame that the NYT cannot present a neutral report of the facts without adding a tilt to one side or the other. The information you provided is certainly not as well reported in our press as the version of an aggressive anti-Western Russia intent at recreating its "empire." And while I think Trump is a disaster his attempts to normalize relations with Russia are seen, due to press coverage, as evidence of being in Putin's pocket, which, I am sure, comes as a surprise to Putin. But we need an enemy to justify our bloated military spending and Russia is an old and familiar target for the war hawks in the U.S.
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If it wasn't for NATO, Russia would be playing the same kind of games with the Baltic States, with Romania and Bulgaria, and even with Poland. I recently saw a map of a proposed solution on russian TV: on this map, the whole south of Ukraine, up to Moldova would be either part of Russia or transformed in a kind of client state like Belarus. The remnant of Ukraine, its Northern part, the poorest part, the one with Tchernobyl, would be completely landlocked. That is Russia's proposal to solve the issue: near complete submission.
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And who exactly in the Russian Government advocate this solution? TV is a place where a lot of people put their opinion and their proposed solutions It doesn't mean that they reflect the government position.
Kudos to photographer Brendan Hoffman, and the photo editor, for the truly marvelous photographs that accompanied this piece. The serendipitous classic composition, and gentle humor, of the first photo in particular is awesome.
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@BWF Sorry - meant buffet photo! The first photo is rather grim.
@BWF Thank you!
trump told his boss putin "Go ahead and do it, I don't care."
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For the nations of Ukraine, Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia who were forcibly made part of the former Soviet Union, having Putin as president must be part of their worst nightmares.
Ukraine enjoyed only a few months of freedom after WWI before being forced to return to being part of the USSR.
Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia were able to become independent countries again after WWI until they were invaded by Stalin in 1940, Hitler and then the USSR in 1944.
The west considers that people have a right to self-determination, Russia considers these countries as part of their sphere of influence. Putin has considered the breakup of the USSR as a tragedy and is pushing to restore the former "glory" of a despotic, authoritarian system.
Based on past and current history, these nations do not trust Russia and want to be free of Russian interference.
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I don't know how many month of freedom Ukraine enjoyed because it was occupied by Poland before it was liberated by Russia. As matter of fact the parts of Ukraine were occupied by Poland until the WWII. Poland also occupied the pats of Lithuania including its capital Vilnius.
I am surprised there is no mentioning of Russian fishing boat seized by Ukraine in March. I guess some people think it is only Russia who should abide the law, and Ukraine has some exemptions. Too bad that Russia doesn't see it this way
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Alas, Ukraine means more to Russia than it does to the US or the EU, and the Kremlin will be willing to risk more to keep Kiev in their embrace.
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Ukrainians deserve the support of all freedom-loving nations as they continue their struggle of almost 500 years for freedom from their bellicose neighbors to the north. The city-state of Muscovy did not grow into the Russian/Soviet empire by being a good neighbor, beginning with the land referred to for centuries as "Little Russia."
Russia fantasy was rocked as Ukraine won independence following World War I before being reconquered and forced into the Soviet Union as a separate republic. Today's Kremlin fantasizes taking control of Ukraine one more time as the necessary first step toward re-establishing empire across the Baltics and in central and southern Europe.
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500 year struggle ? No, they struggle just last 27 years to figure out how to live on its own. It didn't work very well for them: from the richest republic of the USSR to almost poorest state of the Europe. Tough transition.
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@yulia Only 27 years have passed since Ivan IV Grozny took his throne? I thought 1547 was when he claimed to be tsar of all the Russ, the princedoms remaining from the great Kievan Russ who were scattered by the Mongols in the 13th century. Narratives unbound from facts are doomed to be dismissed as mere myths.
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@Randolph The irony is that Mariupol itself was founded by Catherine the Great who was definitely NOT the Empress of Ukraine.
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It is a shame that the oh so honorable late President GHW Bush did not object when Bill Clinton, his son and Obama, all ignored the deal his Secretary of State James Baker had promised Gorbechev, that if Gorbechev agreed to reuniting East and West Germany, Nato would not move one inch eastward.
So much for the word of the US being worth anything.
North Korea, hold on to your nuclear weapons. You will need them to protect yourself from the US.
As to the Ukraine, what a mess.
Too bad the US spent several billion to meddle in their government.
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A good report and thanks for the map.
That one sentence of how Ukraine has played into Russian mischief by crying out wolf one too many times - says it all about foolinshness of thus Ukraine's government.
I worked and lived in Russia - a country and it's people I am find of.
In Russia, these is a saying that if Saint Petersburg is heart of Russia and Moscow the brains - Kiev is the mother of Russia.
Kiev - was the birth place of Russian church - and despite years of communism - Russians still yearn to visit Kiev, it's monasteries etc. Think Vatican for the Catholics.
Unfortunately, Ukrainans - in a false desire to be "westernized" - severed this relationship - and it cut it's own nose to spite the face.
One may argue and debate Russian actions in Ukraine - but just look at the map - and see how all embracing Russia is to Ukraine.
We had a quarrel with Cuba - and we, to our great credit - without firing a shot - have almost seen end of Castro.
Russia is bound to do the same - as it has an upper hand - and historical reasons.
Ukraine should learn what we used to call "Finlandization" on how to keep peace with Soviet Union.
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@Neil. Australia has a similar relationship with England, but that doesn't mean we think we have the right to take over parts of the UK.
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What is throttling not just Mariupol, but the whole of Ukraine is their inability to produce a leader with a realistic vision for their future.
Look how Canada did it after the war of 1812. Independent, yes, but a close ally of the United States in thick and thin.
Geography always wins.
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Canada independent after the War of 1812? I think that you need to check your history.
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@Ian
Canada was 'independent' in the sense, that it did not become part of the United States, following the war. It continued as British territory until 1867, when it gained 'Dominion' status (self governed). In 1982 the constitution was repatriated and Canada's links to Westminster were severed, only keeping the British Monarch as a nominal head of state.
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If not for US and NATO financial and military support and prodding, Ukrainian leaders would have long ago signed the Minsk Accord and Ukraine would be at peace with Russia and functioning as a normal economic and political state
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@chet380 -- It is the US not the EU. The EU actually refused to offer the association agreement the US had been pushing for on behalf of Ukraine, that itself was a deal not as good as Russia had offered. The EU wants to calm this down. The US is using it.
The quotes about it being like the Chinese in the South China Sea are a giveaway of motive. The Chinese do NOT deny passage to commercial shipping; they are arguing with the US about US military activity on the Chinese coast. This is neocons pushing to continue the US "unipolar moment."
Russia has reason to fear sabotage of that bridge by shipping from Ukraine, because that threat has been published by those pushing the Ukraine position. Of course they are inspecting carefully and watching navigation by each vessel.
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@chet380: A "normal" Russian client state, soon to be returned to the Russian empire.
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@chet380 both parties signed it - the problem is that neither follow it.
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