BBC News Ukraine crisis Anger and fear in Ukraine capital Kiev – YouTube – 3/3/2014.

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Ukraine acting president demands Russia stops provocations in Crimea – YouTube

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Russia demands 2 Ukraine warships surrender – Washington Times

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_q45W80Y5NY

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Related: Tensions rise in Crimea amid report of Russian ultimatum – CNN.com; Live: Surrender or face military assault, Russia tells Ukraine | Firstpost

Related: “The Russian defence ministry denied an ultimatum had been issued. “This is utter nonsense”, a spokesman for the defence ministry told Vedomosti, a Russian broadsheet.” — West scrambles to counter Russia – FT.com

Related: Russia’s invasion marks Vladimir Putin’s failure – FT.com

I’m going to publish this whole slice-of-time packet without ado.

This event, which challenges the west — Europe, NATO, North America — to put whatever it has where it’s democracy-promoting mouth has been for decades — bodes will for Putin, who has demonstrated his “humanity” by way of the Syrian Civil War and the arc of power that is Putin-Assad-Khamenei, and who now faces displaying himself similarly in the wake of the collapse of a criminal regime — another kleptocratic obscenity — aligned with his “vertical of power”.

Should the west give dictators their breaks?

Can the west do anything about them?

For those who believe in open democracy — representative, accountable, lawful, responsible, responsive, conscionable, careful of constituent needs and judgment (which comes with elections if they are genuinely free and fair) — those two questions are the questions that matter most.

As with Israel on the day of its rebirth surrounded by Arab regimes intent on its destruction, revolutionary Ukraine born as an entity independent of Russian bullying and exploitation has lived a day through a similar dawn, and perhaps inside of nine hours will have to face a rolling Russian military machine.

I caught report of a Russian demand for capitulation from (to me) an obscure news site and refutation of the same in FT, and I cannot tell whether or not the ultimate was given.

However, the whole world is watching and will be present in Kiev at 5 a.m. Tuesday morning.

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Obama warns Russia against any military intervention in Ukraine – YouTube

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