News

On Friday 26th December, news outlets published information that UkrTransInspectsiya sent letters to carriers and owners of bus stations with demand to stop selling of tickets and conveyance of passengers on routes that link continental Ukraine and Crimean Autonomous Republic from 26th December in connection with escalation of situation in Crimea.

It worse to mention that this order followed soon after the decision of Ukrainian public administration of railway transport «UkrZaliznitsya» to stop all the conveyance of passengers and freight service between continental Ukraine and Crimea.

(Source:http://zn.ua/UKRAINE/ukraina-zakryla-avtobusnoe-soobschenie-s-krymom-162890_.html)

Comment

These events are not to be examined without connection with developments that have been seen in Ukrainian crisis during last weeks.

The 2nd of December a new government headed by Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk was approved, where three ministers are foreigners that graduated universities in USA. One of these ministers, Natalie Ann Jaresko worked in U.S. Department of State in the early 90's.

At 18th of December, US President Barack Obama signed H.R. 5859, the Ukraine Freedom Support Act of 2014, into law, which provides technical and military support for Ukraine and expansion of sanctions against Russian military and energy sectors.

The day before, Assistant Secretary of State Victoria Nuland claimed that American administration waits that International Monetary Fund and World Bank, as well as other international donors will increase financial aid to Ukraine.

At 19th of December Barack Obama signed new sanctions that imply blocking assets of natural person and companies that will conduct business in Crimea.
At 23th of December Ukrainian Parliament with constitutional majority voted for refusal from its non-aligned status.

It is well-known that these refusals are related with intentions to submit application for joining NATO. And despite the fact that Secretary General of NATO Jens Stoltenberg commented with restraint of this refusal from non-aligned status, while saying that Ukraine firstly needs reforms and solving of its territorial disputes, and that alliance will not initiate this process itself, these refusal provoked irritated reaction of Russian official establishment.

From the 24th of December Ukraine initiated shutdown of electricity in many towns and regions of Crimea.
Lastly, from 26-28 of December, it was said that all railway and bus transport connections with Crimea will be canceled.

It was also worse to mention that at 26th of December some outlets reported that Visa, financial services corporation, in pursuance of above-mentioned sanctions make a decision to cut of Russian banks that work in Crimea from its services.

Alongside with winter weather conditions, cutting of electricity supply and transport connections with Crimea by Ukraine is ultimately painful for new Crimean authorities, that promised a beautiful life for Crimean population after joining Russian Federation.

Use of force in opening a land corridor along northern coast of Azov Sea, which was discussed during summer and autumn is impossible, since Russian economy alongside with sanctions and low oil prices will not endure consequences of open Russian military invasion in the continental part of Ukraine.

It is worse to mention, that such determined and defiant steps of Ukrainian government while taking into account the facts mentioned above cannot be undertaken without approval and endorsement of these steps with American officials.

It is obvious that via such steps USA wants to give new impulse to the Ukrainian crisis, since its strategic interest is in creating long-term instability near the borders of its competitors - Europe and Russia. America has followed this strategy since the time when Viktor Yushchenko came to power in the beginning of 2005.

Yes, possibly, USA achieved its aim in this crisis in weakening of Europe and Russia, and by these actions it wants to finish this crisis and force Russia to return to its international obligations and obligations towards Ukraine. But it is hardly probable.

As for the Ukrainian state, we should say that its tragedy is in the situation when Ukraine does not have any financial abilities, and what is much more important, appropriate political will for carrying out independent policy in defending its sovereignty and territorial integrity. While relying on external powers, and especially on USA is extremely doubtful, because exactly this state is the initiator of all crisis of nowadays when many countries were demolished. It is the seeking of powers to rely on over all the period of its existence and unwillingness to rely on its own abilities as the cause of current crisis.

As for USA, this nation does not worry about Ukraine and its people, on the contrary, people of Ukraine, its sovereignty, potential and resources are nothing else than a tool in implementation of its strategy of weakening of Europe and Russia.

Written for the Central Media Office of Hizb ut Tahrir by
Fadl Amzayev
Head of Media Office of Hizb ut Tahrir in Ukraine