Ukraine
Various news sources are reporting that Putin has decided and communicated with his military that he is going to invade Ukraine. Others are reporting that Biden told allies last night that they thought Putin was going to invade.
Jake Sullivan, earlier today, warned Americans to get out of Ukraine if they could.
Olga Rudenko, Ukrainian journalist, and the chief editor at the Kyiv Post, explained on Twitter that the “alleged prominence of nationalist and far-right forces” in Ukraine is a “fake narrative permeating the Western press for years.” These forces are, she argued “marginal and have very little influence on the political life.”
Rudenko cited a NYT World post which reported that the “Ukrainian government is encouraging the arming of nationalist paramilitary groups to thwart a Russian invasion. But those same groups could also destabilize the government if it agrees to a peace deal they reject.” (Posted 2/10/22)
The right—wing party featured in the story, DemSokyra, is, according to Rudenko “vehemently anti-Zelensky and, although they often don’t admit it publicly, pro-Poroshenkpo. Would be really, really strange if Zelensky government was arming them.”
The narrative in the NYT article “yields a perfect argument for those in the West who advocate against helping Ukraine.” Basically, the New York Times is telling readers: “Don’t send them weapons, they will arm nationalists.”
The article Rudenko is talking about was written by Andrew E.Kramer, based in the Moscow bureau of the New York Times. As one twitter follower commented, the article was literally written in Moscow, but the byline is Kyiv.
Kramer cites “Democratic Ax – one of dozens of right-wing or nationalist groups that represent a potent political force in Ukraine and are fiercely opposed to any compromise with Moscow…”
The man interviewed, Yuri Hudymenko, is quoted as saying that if there is a settlement “his anger will be directed at Ukraine’s government if it grants too many concessions in exchange for peace.” Then, Hudymenko warns: “If anybody from the Ukrainian government tries to sign such a document, a million people will take to the streets and that government will case being the government.”
Sources:
Olga Rudenko @olya_rudenko tweeting
Law, Power and Justice 