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The business elites of Ukraine, including the Oligarchs, are the targets of a battle between the Kiev government elites and Ukrainian agents of Moscow.
The active duty professional military officers of Ukraine's military are also the target of a battle between the Kiev government elites and Ukrainian agents of Moscow.
The Kiev government's pitch is very straight forward, but also prospective, Western Europe is the land of wealth, if we hitch our wagons to them, in the long run it will be good for all.
Moscow's pitch is also very straight forward, but much more immediate. The West is weak, and the West has already announced they are not going to fight for Ukraine. The West is talking ten's of Billions in loans to Ukraine, but has not delivered these tens of Billions yet, and all they are really promising is mountains of debt.
Moscow tells the military in Ukraine, Russia is strong and committed to winning the battle for Ukraine, what ever it takes, unlike the west who repeatedly announces to the world the west will NOT even fight for Ukraine. To the military officers, Moscow offers, if you are on our side, you are on the winning side, and you keep your jobs when we win and your pay is increased to the same as the professional Russian active duty military and you will have a position of respect within the elites of your country.
To the business elite Moscow offers continued contracts from Russia and a continuation of your elite status ( if you are on Moscow's side ), but you lose everything you own if you back the wrong side, and Moscow wins. Moscow will win because Moscow is committed to fight for Ukraine, whatever it takes, and the West has already announced repeatedly, and again just a few days ago, they will never fight for Ukraine.
The Kiev government's response is trust us, the West will send help, any day now. Then the Kiev government goes on Western Media and begs for massive financial aid ( tens of Billions, not hundreds of millions, or a Billion here or there) the 10s of billions are talked of prospectively by the west, but never delivered, nor promised by anyone who can actually deliver 10s of Billions in time to make a difference.
Less than a week ago Obama went on TV, once again, and stated U.S. military assistance, ( except things like food in pouches, and sleeping bags for Ukrainian troops ) is never going to happen. The Obama administration also announced the U.S. idea of re-enforcing the eastern European countries of NATO was sending a couple hundred U.S. soldiers for a temporary exercise in the country needing help.
Kiev government is begging for real help now, but real help, of any meaningful amount ( military or economic ) is not being delivered.
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/a ... ort-russiaGuardian Newspaper on Sunday, April 20th, 2014 wrote:
( Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk was ) asked what he would be pressing the Obama administration for during a visit to Kiev by vice-president Joe Biden this week, Yatsenyuk replied: “We need a strong and solid state. We need financial and economic support. We need to overhaul the Ukrainian military. We need to modernize our security and military forces. We need real support.”
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