Putin continues to threaten Ukraine. Today, two airports in Crimea were captured by Russian forces, as Al Jazeera reports:
"Two Crimean airports -- the main international airport of Simferapol and a military airfield in Sevastopol -- have been taken over by what the Ukrainian Interior Minister Arsen Avakov claimed to be members of a Russian Federation Fleet based in the region, according to a statement he posted on his Facebook account.
"'I see what is happening as armed invasion and occupation, in violation of all international treaties and norms. This is a direct provocation of the armed bloodshed on the territory of a sovereign state,' Avakov said.
"The Ukrainian parliament, which voted only days ago to oust Yanukovich, has called for a UN Security Council meeting to discuss what is happening in Crimea, and urged Russia 'to stop moves that show signs of undermining national sovereignty and territorial integrity' as well as 'reject support for separatism in Ukraine, of any form.'"
President Obama and Secretary of State John Kerry have both issued stern -- if impotent -- threats to Russia should it decide to continue this invasion. Threats of serious economic sanctions. And the US is also offering financial assistance to Ukraine, to the tune of $1 billion. Yes, that's billion -- with a "b."
The New York Times has this:
"In a demonstration of support for Ukraine's fledgling government and a new swipe at Russia, Secretary of State John Kerry visited Kiev on Tuesday with an offer of $1 billion in an American loan guarantee and pledges of technical assistance.
"The centerpiece of the American aid package is the $1 billion loan guarantee, which is intended to cushion Ukrainian households as the new government undertakes the wrenching economic changes demanded by the International Monetary Fund and contends with the reduction of energy subsidies from Russia, which has challenged the new government's legitimacy and occupied the Crimean Peninsula.
"The United States will also send technical experts to help Ukraine's national bank and finance ministry, provide advice on how to fight corruption and train election monitors to help establish the legitimacy of Ukraine's coming election."
Gee, as long as you're doling out billions, we could use some domestic improvements here ... maybe some infrastructure repairs? Education funding? Health services for children, elderly, and the poor? We threw billions into Iraq and Afghanistan -- see how well that turned out? Maybe it's time for a different solution.
