West Turns a Blind Eye on Kiev Aggression

by Stephen Lendman

Ukraine's naked aggression on its Donbass residents largely ebbed after Minsk II peace talks concluded two years ago, Kiev straightaway breaching terms agreed on.

Fighting again flared up heavily last Friday, continuing daily, regime forces using heavy weapons against Donbass, including in residential areas.

Commenting on Facebook, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova blasted Western nations, saying "(s)ome people's job is to turn a blind eye on tanks."

Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) Deputy Defense Minister/spokesman Eduard Basurin blasted OSCE leadership in cahoots with Kiev putschists, saying the agency's operatives "in the territory controlled by Kiev's forces connive with neo-Nazis, who carry out artillery and tank strikes on homes in Donetsk, Makeyevka and Yasinovataya. 

"We have an impression that some OSCE officials contribute to the worsening of the situation by informing the Ukrainian forces when they should deal strikes to hit life support infrastructures in Donbass, and when to attack repair teams that are trying to eliminate disruptions in electric, gas and water supply for large cities."

US-installed NATO secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg blamed Donbass freedom fighters for Kiev's aggression, saying "(w)e call for an immediate return to the ceasefire." 

"We call on Russia to use its considerable influence over the separatists to bring the violence to an end" - an outrageous comment, ignoring Kiev's aggression and right of Donbass freedom fighters to defend their territory and residents.

In response, Russia's mission at NATO headquarters in Brussels accused Stoltenberg of ignoring reality on the ground, saying "(h)ow about call(ing) (on) Kiev (to end) its offensive operations in Donbass and giving up the idea of a military solution (to) the conflict."

"NATO's strong political and practical support…promised to Ukraine merely encourages the party of warmongers" to keep waging aggression.

Putin addressed the crisis, saying Kiev portray itself as a "victim" to maintain Western support. It's "leadership needs money. And it is better to ask the EU, European states, the US and international institutes for money (by) presenting itself as a victim of aggression."

It one-sidedly supported Hillary during America's presidential campaign. US-anointed president Poroshenko "need(s) to mend ties with the current US administration…It's always easier to drag (it into) solving Ukrainian problems and establish a dialogue this way."

Attacking Donbass also aims to distract internal attention from deplorable economic and social conditions, harming most Ukrainians enormously - suffering as well under brutal fascist dictatorship.

Despite agreeing to Minsk provisions, Poroshenko and his Nazi-infested regime reject them. Blaming Donbass freedom fighters for Kiev's aggression is "a pretext…not to implement them," Putin explained.

Geopolitically, it's an effort to undermine possible Russia/US rapprochement by portraying Moscow as a backer of nonexistent Donbass aggression.

"(O)ur position is well-known," said Putin. "It was provoked by the Ukrainian side." Donbass freedom fighters responded in self-defense - their right under international law to counter naked aggression.

Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago. He can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net. 

His new book as editor and contributor is titled "Flashpoint in Ukraine: How the US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III."

http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanIII.html

Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com. 

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