This map of what a vastly expanded Russia, New Russia, might look like soon spells big trouble for Ukraine, as it would lose Odessa, its biggest port, and become landlocked. Europe doesn’t want problems in Ukraine as Russia is a major trading partner and they need the natural gas. Obama seems curiously disengaged with the issue, letting Secretary of State Kerry bumble about making pompous statements.
If anyone has any doubts about the breadth of Vladimir Putin’s intentions both geopolitically and politically, they should be put to rest by the conclusion of a Russian historian that Transdniestria is “the first liberated part of Novorossiya,” Putin’s term for what he sees as a new state spreading across Ukraine into Moldova and perhaps beyond.
Putin, it seems, is the one playing multi-dimensional chess while Kerry and Obama figure out the rule to checkers.
Ukraine: Putin visit confirms Russia wants to escalate tension
The tension started by a CIA-funded violent coup in Ukraine? Why yes. yes he does.
While we commiserate with the completely helpless and without leverage Ukraine government, as well as the reliant on Russian gas Germany, perhaps consider this a preview of what Putin will do next year when long after East Ukraine aka “Novorossiya” has seceded from the west, the Russian president will have a land route from the Kremlin all the way to Sevastopol. He may even ride a bear all the way from Point A to point B. Bare chested.