Dispatch from Ukraine

"Morale is crucial right now. Keep the men in secured areas. You'll see how they forget about these 'Wolverines.'"
--General Bratchenko (Red Dawn)

On-the-ground recount of protests against Ukraine's increasingly dictatorial regime over the past three months and the regime's attempts to put down the protesters via intimidation and acts of aggression.

Protesters are now taking to the streets wearing helmets and masks, and carrying sticks. They do this for self-defense purposes. They are standing up in the face of aggression. The protesting demographic is weighted toward the young who grew up in post Soviet years and oppose dictatorship.

Why is Russia invading Ukraine? Russia contests the legitimacy of a newly installed president and regime of a neighboring country. Moreover, much of Russia's natural gas exports flow through pipelines on Ukraine soil, and Russia depends on Ukraine's Crimean warm water ports.

Nevertheless, Russia's invasion of Ukraine to 'protect its interests' is no more legitimate than US involvement in the Middle East to do the same. Russia is aggressing on another sovereign. (Which, btw, makes President Obama's recent comments about the illegitimate nature of Russia's actions all the more hypocritical. We have no standing here.)

It is easy to construe Russian motives as purely opportunistic. Not only is the current Ukraine government is weak and vulnerable, but the country is geopolitically attractive. It possesses a large European country landmass that can buffer Russia against NATO. Its pipelines and ports are strategic assets that Russia would love to own.

In fact, Russia used to own the ports. The southernmost Ukrainian republic of Crimea, with the strategic port of Sevastopol, was part of Russia until the break up of the Soviet Union in 1991.

Maybe Russia wants Crimea back. After all, Crimea has been the focus of Russia's military action thus far. Sources report that the Russian Navy has advised Ukraine forces in Crimea to surrender or face military assault, although Russia has denied these reports.

Meanwhile, the on-the-ground reporter asks for empathy and prayers for the protesters. They will need them. Not only is the Ukraine government seeking to strike them down, but guns of world powers are mobilizing to escalate the matter.

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