The people in the Crimea decide in a few days whether they want to belong to Russia. The day after the vote, the EU obviously wants to adopt new sanctions against Moscow. Meanwhile, checks the Ukraine nation’s combat readiness of the army.
The Ukrainian Defense Ministry has ordered a broad review of their own combat readiness. The army was disengaged nation-wide exercises, the acting Defense Minister Igor Tenjuch said on Monday in a television interview. It should be placed full combat readiness.
DC stressed Tenjuch, the government in Kiev put on diplomacy. In contrast, the Moscow-backed leadership of the Crimea criticized the exercise as “aggression.” Additions to the strategically important peninsula controlled by paramilitaries, which are obviously concerns the Russian soldiers.
The Ukrainian Army is considered very weak, a situational Western military calls the armed forces even “only partially ready.” Accordingly, the army was split similarly as the population, large parts therefore sympathize with Russia, but even the most pro-European parts exhibited to date a “Shock and Awe”. The current practice is therefore likely to be a test of how many soldiers actually still follow the orders of the commanders.
Crimean Crisis:”Russia holds the reins in his hand”
On the situation in the Crimea, the exercise should have no influence. “Russia holds the reins in the Crimea firmly in your hand and will not even give out of hand,” it says in the annual reports of the end of last week.
In addition to the additionally installed to the Crimea Russians Moscow holds across the border still around 20,000 more soldiers ready to strengthen its position further in the case of the case. The approximately 10,000 Ukrainian soldiers on the peninsula, however, are surrounded in their barracks by the Russians.
So far, the Ukrainian activities were limited to hedging the Crimea peninsula. With smaller operations should be prevented that the incoming Russian forces could also spread to the mainland.
Crimean Crisis:New EU sanctions probably on Monday
The self- appointed leaders of the Crimean credited with the controversial referendum on 16 March with a large majority in favor of accession to Russia. “More than 80 percent of the inhabitants of the Crimea for accession to Russia ,” claimed the Moscow-backed leader Vladimir Konstantinov Parliament on Monday . In addition, he expects a high turnout in the vote on Sunday . The inhabitants of the Ukrainian peninsula should be free to decide in case of acceding to the neighboring country of its nationality : Russian or Ukrainian.
The EU is expected to decide according to diplomats in Brussels next Monday additional sanctions against Russia. One day after not recognized by the EU referendum , EU foreign ministers could decide at a meeting in Brussels , among other travel bans and account lockouts .
Foreign Minister Frank -Walter Steinmeier had announced a ” next level of sanctions ” on Sunday evening , Russia should show in the next two days, not the willingness to de-escalation.
Crimean Crisis:Merkel holds government statement on the Crimean crisis
German Chancellor Angela Merkel ( CDU) Russia has again invited to participate in an international contact group to solve the Crimean crisis. “The time for such an attempt of conversation and understanding urges ,” government spokesman Steffen Seibert said in Berlin on Monday . However, the Russian side have still not had the ” necessary readiness ” . Moscow refuses so far to talk with the new leadership in Kiev in such a format .
Seibert also pointed to the adopted by the EU’s roadmap for sanctions. “We want to clear the path of conversation and understanding . Yet it is not too late. There is still a little time. , But we are possibly also ready to act . ” Germany is also a ” broad range of economic measures ” ready . The EU had last week a three -stage plan decided , if Russia does not withdraw from the Crimea .
This Thursday, Merkel wants to make a government statement on the developments in Ukraine in the Bundestag.
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