As the endless (pointless) search for Russian Collusion continues to preoccupy the mainstreams, there are some recent developments involving the former Soviet Union to which they should be paying attention. Last week for instance, the guy who’s supposed to be one of Donald Trump’s best buds, rolled triumphantly into Crimea across his brand new bridge ~
 

Seriously.

Putin, who personally drove a Russian Kamaz truck across the bridge from Russia’s Taman peninsula to Ukraine’s Crimea at the head of a column of 35 cars, announced that cargo transport would start moving across the bridge from autumn and that the parallel railway bridge would open in a year.

Construction, which began in May of 2015, was slated for completion in December, but obviously finished far ahead of schedule. Putin apparently thinks he’s formalizing his controversial annexation of the Crimean Peninsula with his performance (the Ukraine and its Western allies aren’t playing along).
 
 

Both Crimea and Ukraine have been independent of Moscow’s rule since the early 1990’s. Putin and many of his fellow Russians however, don’t accept that reality. They still believe that most of that area – at least Crimea and eastern Ukraine – belongs to them. (Apparently the current residents don’t get a choice.)

 
Here’s some geo-political background on the current situation from Nolan Peterson, writing for the Daily Signal ~

In late February 2014, Ukraine was reeling from the Maidan revolution.
 
Ukraine’s ousted president, Viktor Yanukovych—a Kremlin ally—had just fled to exile in Russia. Days later, Russian troops appeared in Crimea as part of a “hybrid warfare” invasion.
 
On March 16, 2014, under the watchful gaze of patchless Russian special forces troops (the “little green men,” as they became known in media reports), 95 percent of Crimean citizens supposedly voted in favor of joining the Russian Federation.
 
The international community widely condemned the referendum as illegitimate. Putin, however, claimed the people of Crimea had turned to Russian for help.

 
After Russia invaded the peninsula, the U.S. and the European Union imposed economic sanctions on Moscow. But the Obama administration did little else to frustrate the Russians – despite Putin’s aggression in eastern Ukraine. The fighting there has been going on for four years now, exacting a steep price ~

On April 21, UN representative to Ukraine, Neal Walker, announced that, “After four years of conflict, 3.4 million people in Ukraine are struggling to cope with the impact of the humanitarian crisis and urgently require humanitarian assistance and protection”.
 
More than 2,500 civilian men, women and children have been killed, and more than 9,000 injured in the past four years, according to the UN. Landmines in eastern Ukraine are affecting1.9 million people. “Last week,” Walker said, “landmines killed a family of four in eastern Ukraine. In 2017, over 235 civilians were killed or injured by landmines and other explosive remnants of war.”

Perhaps emboldened by their victorious bridge crossing, the Russians escalated the conflict last weekend ~ Intense fighting seen all along Donbas frontline, heavy weapons engaged ~

Over the past 24 hours, Russian-backed forces committed at least 58 ceasefire violations in the war zone, the Joint Forces Operation press center said, adding that in as many as 22 incidents the militants engaged 122-millimeter artillery pieces, and 120- and 82-millimeter mortars.

 
Recent months have seen a growing Russian presence along this border as reported by Judith Bergman at Gatestone Institute ~ Ukraine: Is Russia Planning A New Invasion? ~

In April, Ukrainian Defense Minister Stepan Poltorak also claimed that Russia “has massed 19 battalion tactical groups of the combat echelon and reserve forces with over 77,000 troops,” adding that they have almost 1,000 tanks, 2,300 combat vehicles, over 1,100 artillery systems and about 400 multiple rocket launchers.
 
According to Poltorak, 40,000 Russian troops, which he detailed as an integral part of the Southern Military District of the Russian Armed Forces, are stationed in the Donbas. Also according to Poltorak, in 2017 Russia’s military forces shelled Ukrainian army positions in Donbas more than 15,000 times.

 
The good news for Ukraine is that President Trump is not the feckless, anti-Western dupe that his predecessor was. Last month the U.S. delivered some defensive weapons to the country- something the Obama administration somehow never managed to do ~

Trump’ transfer of anti-tank missiles to Ukraine risks Russia’s wrath, escalation in fighting ~
 
The Trump administration has quietly completed the transfer of lethal new anti-tank missile systems to Ukraine, angering the Kremlin and signaling a possible escalation of the fighting between Kiev and Russian-backed separatists in the country’s divided east […]
 
The $47 million U.S. military aid package, approved last year and confirmed in March, rates as perhaps Exhibit A in the White House’s argument that President Trump is willing to get tough on Russia when it is in the U.S. national interest, even as he talks of an improved relationship with President Vladimir Putin.

[Who’s Putin’s pal now?]
 

The present situation in Ukraine – and Crimea – is clearly a tense one. We’re currently in a holding pattern; it’s critical to contain Putin – without escalating things any further. As Peterson reports, we, along with several western allies did protest the May 15th bridge opening ~

For their part, the U.S., Europe, and Ukraine are collectively standing their ground, insisting that Crimea remains sovereign Ukrainian territory and that Russia’s occupation is illegal […]
 
“Words matter, and what we need is to name and shame—not only Russia, but also those who recognize Russian authority over the peninsula.” ~ Daniel Szeligowski (senior research fellow on Ukraine for the Polish Institute of International Affairs)
 
“The construction of the bridge, like any other actions of the Kremlin’s occupying authorities, in no way can change the status of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol as an integral part of the territory of Ukraine in its internationally recognized borders.” (Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs)
 
“Crimea is part of Ukraine,” said. “Russia’s construction of the bridge serves as a reminder of Russia’s ongoing willingness to flout international law.” Heather Nauert (U.S. Department of State spokeswoman)
 
“The Russian Federation has constructed the Kerch Bridge to the Crimean Peninsula without Ukraine’s consent. This constitutes another violation of Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity by Russia.” ~ European Union
 
“Crimea is part of Ukraine, and its annexation by Russia is a breach of international law.” Sir Alan Duncan (U.K. Minister for Europe)

 
Tough talk, but we have to wonder just how far the West is prepared to allowed Putin’s ambitions to take him…
 

Well, those of us who pay attention to these critical international matters have to wonder. Our intrepid network news folks are much too busy frantically chasing make-believe Russian rabbits.

 
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Related:
Ukrainian conflict escalates amid diplomatic tough talk ~ (Feb. 2017) Trump administration stands up to Moscow.
Meanwhile, in another part of the world ~ (Oct. 2016) Western allies bracing for Russian aggression
Meanwhile, in another part of the world ~ (Jan. 2015) Major War Escalation in Ukraine