Explain Crimea...

[peacetraveler22]

I don't understand why there is blackness in Crimea. What's going on? Is this some political game being played or really a problem with infrastructure? Meanwhile, I read the pro-Kremlin blog of Russian patriot politichanka, who is very friendly even though we have completely different political views. I read her blog, and sometimes communicate with her. She's upset the TV news remains silent about the difficult situation in Crimea...focusing only on Erdogan, Syria, Bandera, Nazis...enemies all around, instead of discussing problems within. I saw some photos in other posts where Crimean children are gathered in public places where a TV is placed, and they too are staring at the face of Putin on the news rather than watching cartoons or other child friendly programming. Meanwhile, I haven't seen this situation covered at all on major U.S. news channels. As usual, we are focused on problems within - yet another shooting in Colorado from what appears to be a religious, right wing wacko opposed to abortion. So many of these religious conservatives are opposed to immigrants or refugees, failing to recognize that extremism comes in all forms, including from their beloved brethren.

What's really happening in Crimea? Help me understand.

Comments

[dorli87.livejournal.com]

The Ukraine does not want to supply the electricity in Crimea.

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

Well, this is completely understandable. So, what is Russia doing to protect and provide basic necessities to residents there?

[platonkhegai.livejournal.com]

ukrainian side blown power line pillars up. now tatars don't let fix them

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

And who blew them? It was an act of political protest?

[laughing-magpie.livejournal.com]

http://youtu.be/ocJ2wABm2I0

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

I guess it's good when you have the desire to dance and celebrate in the face of difficulty. I guess it does not even enter their mind to rise up and protest, or demand accountability and change such that the situation changes.

[anonymus.livejournal.com]

In Crimea happening Russia.

[dorli87.livejournal.com]

Yes))))

[oblomius.livejournal.com]

Russia occupied Crimea. Crimean Tatars do not want to lose the third time in his homeland for a hundred years. Not allowed to serve in the military part of the electricity. And they want the freedom to Nadi Savchenko.

[justadreamer.livejournal.com]

Соболезную вам по Колорадо. За Крым не волнуйтесь — хохлы мелко гадят, решим проблему скоро.

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

These religious zealots enrage me!!

[pro100-petrov.livejournal.com]

Ukrainian nationalists want to liberate crimeans. That is why they are freezing them.

[qi-tronic.livejournal.com]

It's just Ukrainian mentality.

[kygecthuk.livejournal.com]

It looks like they want to scare Crimeans with an energy blockade. But Crimeans are not feelint bad. Because they have become accustomed to the surrounding darkness like rats.

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

Suffering is like a badge of honor for some people. It's the only way they know how to live.

[vovik01.livejournal.com]

Накануне референдума Россия наложила вето на резолюцию Совета Безопасности ООН об объявлении референдума незаконным. 13 стран с постоянным или непостоянным членством при голосовании по Крыму проголосовали «за», Китай воздержался.

[qi-tronic.livejournal.com]

Международный уголовный суд постановил, что такие референдумы (как в Косово) не нарушают международное законодательство.

[qi-tronic.livejournal.com]

Historically Crimea is supplied by power lines going from Ukraine.

After separation of Crimea and Donbass ukrainians got a strange idea to make as much problems as possible to people living in those places.

Some measures are official (like transport blockade of Donbass) and some are taken by hands of some activists' groups.
Now tatars and right-wing nationalists have blown up the electicity lines.

In return Russia and Donbass stopped to supply coal to Ukrainian power stations.
Now Unkrainian government talks that these power lines must be restored (because they want coal) but we'll see...
This is an image thing for the government because they'd need to conflict with radicals.
But they face the reality.

Russia now supplies autonomous generators to Crimea but that's fo course is not enough.
As a permanent solution an "energy bridge" (underwater cable from Russian mainland) is being built.
It's going to be ready in December.

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

I don't think it's strange that some Ukrainians behaved in this manner. It's ordinary human behavior to protest, cause chaos and draw attention to problems in an effort to effect change. Just not in Russia, where people are trained to "obey" and not question authority.

[f-l-o-e.livejournal.com]

Ukrainian Crimea - Russian Crime.

[10-4.livejournal.com]

Seems like crimean tartar minority extremists blew up the power line. And Kiev is not exactly rushing to fix it.

[pro100-petrov.livejournal.com]

Why tatar? There are 200000 crimean tatars in peninsula. Majority of them are loyal to Russia. So called "Majlis" consists of 100 proukrainian tatars. And some of them are always living far from Crimea.

[leonoid-15153.livejournal.com]

Do not make yourself a fool. You understand everything!

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

I don't understand almost anything about the Ukrainian conflict.

[Макс (from livejournal.com)]

a group of ukrainian radicals blew up the electric line. that way they tried to take revenge on russia. innocent people are suffering.

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

" innocent people are suffering" - as in all wars...

[sonasucre.livejournal.com]

(http://fastpic.ru)

[polnopop.livejournal.com]

[ilfn.livejournal.com]

Мне звонили друзья из Севастополя - всё нормально, на работу не ходят, во дворе вечером все вместе жарят шашлыки-))) Прорвемся, бывает... Это теракт, украинский, такой же, как во Франции...

[vovik01.livejournal.com]

У Франции Англия оттяпала Прованс? :-)))

[alexanderr.livejournal.com]

my neighbors are decorating for Christmas already!!
they started yesterday. please help me understand

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

Haha! :) This is acceptable behavior. After Thanksgiving, it's okay to have Christmas decorations, although many houses in my neighborhood had Santa, snowmen and lights in the yard last week.

[dmitri-lytov.livejournal.com]

politichanka blog is not actually pro-Kremlin. She is a very talented spoofer.
For many native Russian speakers her irony is quite obvious.

[notabler.livejournal.com]

What the problem with understanding? Imagine Nazi Germany invaded a part of Soviet Union (or US) and demands to supply occupied territory with water, food and electricity. It's just delirious, I think. Weak and corrupt Ukrainian government doesn't want to take responsibility for any decisive action, so activists took over

[12xc33.livejournal.com]

It has nothing to do with politics.
Just poor management.
Though there was more then enough time to solve the problem with power supply from mainland Russia and power generation on place the problem is not solved yet.

[paulspb.livejournal.com]

Hi,
The Crimea electric power supply is included to USSR power scheme, where is the power come to peninsula from the Kherson oblast' by 4 high voltage (220-330kV) transmission lines.
Crimea has very few local generation because there are large nuclear stations in Ukraine with excess power (remember, this is USSR power scheme - everything is very logical) can comfortably supply all power need.

In 2014, when Crimea had associated with Russia, the Russia and Ukraine signed the agreement (or appendix) for guarantie supply of elecricity to Crimea. Russia normally prepaid all volumes, also supplied elecricity to another Ukraine areas (on demand) - Ukraine had some lack of power all 2014-2015.

But, just after few days the one Ukranian nuclear block was repaired and Ukraine has increased their own generation, they decided they not need the power from Russia as exchange of power with Crimea. So, they have got an ability to switched off the Crimea. They did it blowing up all 4 power transmission lines !!! They said there're a terrorists but do nothing to repair.

During 2015, Russia build the underwater power bridge between "motherland" and peninsula and plans to start the power transfer in a week, December 5-6. Nowadays, Crimea has only 300-400MW of local generation, they need 600-1000MW. The power bridge can supply 800MW, and the problem come to be mostly solved. Will see in a week.

I think the Ukraine government has lost the tailings of appearance and mind doing such things. From other side, the Russian officials has not paid a sufficial attention to this potential problem. Poor crimeans...

[barabaan.livejournal.com]

Why dont you study russian? Just to read local issues.
I really appreciate you are interesting our politics,  but its hard to understand outside our language space.

[south-of-broad.livejournal.com]

The Colorado Springs shooter is not affiliated with the Republican party and also registered as the woman. Imagine that.
Funny how you are able to see the point in the Ukranian retaliation against Crimea and refuse to see the point of people apposing the relocation of Syrian refugees.

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

I respect the opinions of those who are against Syrian refugees, or any other refugees for that matter. Btw, this includes most of my family members who aren't as liberal as me on social or immigration issues. But I don't like the hypocrisy of those who shout and try to label the majority of them as extremists. Because these religious fanatics who bomb or shoot up abortion clinics are no different than radical Islamists in my view. They try to force their beliefs and morals on all. And, of course, such violent actions are absolutely not condoned by the majority of Christians. I didn't mean to imply this.

[phantom-zapad.livejournal.com]

Dear Shannon, the majority of Ukrainians share your confusion, whatever they might say (: I really don't understand the purpose of this action, which is obviously political. However, there's an important point that Mustafa Dzhemilev, one of the most reputable Crimean Tatar leaders, supports the blackout, so there must be some purpose in it. Supposedly it should increase Russia's costs of keeping Crimea occupied, as Ukraine has no other way to take it back so far. As for Crimeans, I think no one really cares about their opinion, as no one asks hostages whether they would like to be liberated or stay with the terrorists. Really sorry for the people, bad times are only beginning.

[south-of-broad.livejournal.com]

Have you seen those "refugees " . Even UN had to admit that 75% of them are young military aged male adults, not poor women and children. And as you know I have had a privilege to live in the Muslim country , live not as the tourist but as the expat among the locals. I respect the culture and know that most of the Muslims are just trying to live their lives in peace. One observationi I have about these refugees is that they simply do not fit the historical pattern. My family survived the soviet famine in Ukraine and ww2. Ww2 produced any number of refugee streams. Usually it was the elderly, the women and children who made up the refugee streams. The men went to the front. Last week the front was in
Paris.