Ukrainian Crisis: The powder keg calm continues
Navigator reporter Sergey Rulyov, after he was taken to the hospital (via Navigator)
So far, the weird not-quite-calm has continued on the Crimean peninsula. Just how long this calm would last remains an open question, but for now...
Gazeta.ru reported that, according to the source within the Russia's Black Sea Fleet, a US Navy Destroyer will be entering the Black Sea in the next few days. The same source also alleges that Ukrainian Navy flagship had NATO spy equipment installed on board. It would be interesting to see if the Black Sea Fleet will use it as an excuse to search the ship... which could well be the match that ignites the powder keg of tension Crimea is currently sitting on.
As I was writing this, some news came from the Crimea's civilian administration. The Supreme Council of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea announced that it intends to create its own legal apparatus, a Ministry of Foreign Affairs and a security service. So, basically, they are moving to becoming less of an autonomous republic and more of a de facto country-within-a-country. And the article also answers what has been a burning unanswered question - the fate of Sevastopol, which isn't part of ARC. After the March 30 referendum, it would join the republic.
The east Ukrainian city of Donetsk has seen major pro-Russian protests since Yanukovich fled the country. Protestors took over the city government building before - and they did it again today. And, according to BBC News' livestream, the city saw its first major rally in favor of the new government yesterday. There were counter-protests before, but pro-Russian side usually dwarfed them pretty significantly
"More than 1,000 demonstrators took the streets of Donetsk, eastern Ukraine, today, Reuters reports. They were carrying Ukrainian flags and chanting slogans such as "I am Russian, I don't need protection"
It is the first time the demonstrators have outnumbered the pro-Russia supporters who have laid siege to some government buildings in the city since Monday, Reuters reports."
Meanwhile, in Kiev, Sergey Rulyov, the reporter for the Crimea-based Navigator online newspaper was walking around Maidan square when unknown assailants in military fatigues surrounded him. He was beaten, captured and tortured. The assailants were apparently affiliated with the Right Sector, and they attacked him because he interviewed the members of Berkut riot police. Rulyov knew some people in the Right Sector, which is probably the only thing that saved him - members of Right Sector militia called the assailants off and put him in an ambulance.
To say that the incident is troubling is a gross understatement. As I've written before, since the new government took over, the self-defense militias have been operating without any oversight. Quite frankly, if Ukrainian authorities tried to bring the militias under control - or, hell, if Right Sector started getting serious about enforcing discipline within its own ranks - the country's Russian minority would have less reasons to be nervous.
In the somewhat more positive Ukrainian mainland news, the government is planning to sell off 1500 municipal vehicles to shore up the national budget. No idea how much that would net, but given the state of Ukrainian economy, anything would help.
Meanwhile, back in Russia, the Federation Council (the upper house of the Russian legislature) is considering a law that would allow Russia to seize assets of foreign businessmen if United States and European Union impose sanctions. The Gazeta.ru article goes into a lot of detail on why this is an utterly ridiculous idea - it's unconstitutional, it's not helpful and it will backfire because it would also affect Russian businessmen living abroad. The online newspaper speculates that it's little more than bluster.
And this is it for now. This post will be updated if any more news come in before the end of Wednesday (Moscow time)
Updated to add: Sevastopol government announced that it won't conduct Ukrainian presidential elections in the city because it considers the current Ukrainian government illegitimate. At the same time, the Navigator article notes, Sevastopol continues paying taxes to Ukraine and expects the government keep providing funding required under law.
Speaking of Sevastopol - in a bit of news that I missed completely, the Sevastopol government tried to disband the city's Office of Public Prosecutor apparatus and create a new one. Prosecutor Igor Pilat replied that it considers the government's orders illegal because it wasn't a legitimate government (which, in fairness, it isn't - the so-called "people's mayor" Alexey Chalyi shouldn't technically have authority because he wasn't appointed according to proper procedure. But, in fairness to Sevastopol government, if we list all the things that are technically illegal that Ukrainian Rada, ARC Supreme Council and Sevastopol government did over the past few weeks, we'll be here all day). Today, the two sides reached a compromise - Pilat kept his job and the Office of Public Prosecutor was left alone on the condition that it won't interfere with city government.