Meanwhile, back in Kiev....

[JimC]

It would indeed be a spectacularly bad move ... if it were true. It comes from ITAR-TASS, successor to TASS. It's not exactly known for being impartial. Quite the opposite in fact. It smells exactly like the sort of "news" that Russia would want to use as a reason for taking over Eastern Ukraine.

BTW, where on earth would the cash-strapped Ukrainian government get the hard cash to employ such a private army?

From the CIA?

But I take the point that it may not be substantiated ATM...

[Tero]

Finland and Estonia buy Russian gas. Finland has none. Germany is a big buyer.

Finland also buys Russian crude oil.

[pErvinalia]

Idiots. They should use a South African mercenary company (or any non-US) one. The SA's are probably cheaper than the yanks too.

[MiM]

It would indeed be a spectacularly bad move ... if it were true. It comes from ITAR-TASS, successor to TASS. It's not exactly known for being impartial. Quite the opposite in fact. It smells exactly like the sort of "news" that Russia would want to use as a reason for taking over Eastern Ukraine.

BTW, where on earth would the cash-strapped Ukrainian government get the hard cash to employ such a private army?

.

[Warren Dew]

Looks like Russia is not stopping with the Crimea:

http://news.nationalpost.com/2014/04/06 ... ferendums/

[mistermack]

It's funny how when one side sets up barricades, and burns car tyres, it's a ''popular uprising against corruption'', but when the other side does it, it's a sinister Russian plot.

If you believe the astounding bias of the western press, you are truly truly gullible.

Don't forget that Ukraine actually voted in that corrupt president. That side had the majority, on election day. They didn't need any mythical Russian agents.

[Warren Dew]

Don't forget that Ukraine actually voted in that corrupt president. That side had the majority, on election day. They didn't need any mythical Russian agents.

Just dioxin poisoning courtesy of the Russian FSB.

[mistermack]

Don't forget that Ukraine actually voted in that corrupt president. That side had the majority, on election day. They didn't need any mythical Russian agents.

Just dioxin poisoning courtesy of the Russian FSB.

Any evidence for Russian involvement in that?
Ukrainian politics is dirty enough on it's own, not to need any Russian help.

I see John Kerry today repeating this mantra, of Russian agents starting the trouble.
No evidence offered. We as supposed to just take John Kerry's word for it.

I wouldn't take his word for anything. If he says it, I presume it's a lie, till proved otherwise.

I don't think this is going to go away. If there was a legitimate, elected government in Kiev it would be different. But they are looking more and more like nationalist thugs.
And the crucial thing is, they stole power, they were never given it by the electorate.
It could very well end up in civil war.

[mistermack]

Things are hotting up, with the Kiev Bandits threatening to use the army against the rebels.

As this was something even the corrupt former president didn't do, that would be a huge escalation.

If they do that, I would say it's more than evens, that the Russians will send in their own forces.
Putin said he would protect the Russian speaking people, if necessary. I doubt if it was an idle threat.

Could get interesting. The Kiev people have put themselves in a stupid position. They're fucked if they do, they're fucked if they don't.


One thing that they DON'T mention on the news, when they big up the effect of sanctions on Russia, is that any unrest involving Ukraine and Russia pushes up the oil price.
Russia is actually MAKING money out of all this, and a lot more than what the puny sanctions might cost them.

[pErvinalia]

Does it actually push up the real oil price, or does it just push up futures? It's not like demand can go up over 100%.

[mistermack]

Does it actually push up the real oil price, or does it just push up futures? It's not like demand can go up over 100%.

That's not how markets work. There's no such thing as 100% demand.
Higher demand pushes up prices, which lowers demand. People aren't going to bid inifinity, for a barrel of oil, so anywhere below that, you get a market price, with some people prepared to buy, and some prepared to sell. In these uncertain time, the buyers buy more, whether it's futures, or barrels.
So the price is higher than it would have been, without the unrest.

[pErvinalia]

Why would they buy more? Where are they going to put it?

[mistermack]

Why would they buy more? Where are they going to put it?

They don't need to put it anywhere. They sell it on.
You don't need higher turnovers to push the price up. You just need sellers to demand a higher price to sell, and buyers prepared to pay it.
If sellers see the price going up, some might hold back, for a higher price. Buyers bid more, gambling that the price will go even higher. And the reverse happens, on a falling market.

It's like house prices in Britain. The price was still going up, even when the turnover was practically nil.

[JimC]

It's really mistermackski, isn't it?

[mistermack]

It's really mistermackski, isn't it?

Certainly not. I have no allegiance, one way, or the other,,, comrade.