Let's Not Forget the Russian Invasion of Ukraine

With all the focus on Syria and Iraq these days, the changes in the fighting in Ukraine is getting little notice.  In the last week, Russian tanks and artillery have pounded Ukrainian positions in the north and the south of the country at locations far from the previous fighting between the government and Russian separatists.  The Ukrainian army had been having great success in driving back the separatists and last week it seemed that both Luhansk and Donetsk, the major cities held by the separatists would soon fall to government forces.  At that point, the Russians acted to relieve the pressure on their proxies in those cities.  Russian troops crossed the border far to the north of the fighting and attacked Ukrainian military positions in the area.  The Ukrainians are still fighting, but they do not have the weapons or the manpower to hold off the Russians for too long.  At the same time, forces attacked Ukraine from Russia in the south, near the coast.  In this area, it is less certain whether or not Russian forces are actually spearheading the push as in the north.  Russia may only be using its artillery to support a push by the separatists in Ukraine.

This latest two pronged invasion from Russia changes the situation in Ukraine in a major way.  It had seemed like the Ukrainians were going to prevail over the separatists, but then Russia stepped in to help its allies, the separatists.  (I know that allies is a weak word for the separatists.  They really are just the Russian army in other uniforms.)  It looks like Vladimir Putin is not about to stand by while his forces get beaten by the Ukrainians.

Right now, the silence from Washington and the European capitals is deafening.  It looks like Kiev is on its own.  Who knows, maybe president Obama will send them some MRE's.