Beacon2Light

Update:  May 5, 2014:  Russia's Putin outlaws denial of Nazi crimes BY ALEXEI ANISHCHUK MOSCOW Mon May 5, 2014 12:14pm EDT Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a law on Monday making the denial of Nazi crimes and distortion of the Soviet Union's role in the World War Two a criminal offence punishable by up to five years in jail. The law, described by critics as an attempt to curb freedom of expression to appease conservative Russians, the ex-KGB spy's main support base, also criminalizes the public desecration of war memorials. It has become increasingly risky for Russians to dispute an official line that glorifies the wartime achievements of the Soviet leadership and plays down its errors. The new law would ban "wittingly spreading false information about the activity of the USSR during the years of World War Two" [emphasis mine]. See  http://beacon2light.blogspot.com/2014/04/russian-invasion-appears-imminent.html  for links concerning other Russia...

Update from 03/14/2014 Many Ukrainians expect war with Russia By Alexander J. Motyl updated 1:23 PM EDT, Fri March 14, 2014 Alexander J. Motyl is professor of political science at Rutgers University-Newark. He served as associate director of the Harriman Institute at Columbia University from 1992 through 1998. A specialist on Ukraine, Russia and the USSR, he is the author of six academic books and several novels The following are excerpts from Alexander Motyl:  February 28, that euphoria was replaced with the deepest of fears. Vladimir Putin's Russia invaded and occupied Crimea . That was bad enough. Far worse was yet to come. On Saturday, March 1, Putin claimed to have the right to "defend" "Russian citizens" anywhere in Ukraine , thereby giving himself carte blanche to invade any part of Ukraine he chooses. Which province would be next? On Tuesday, March 4, our existential angst got worse. At a revealing press conference, Putin claimed he had the right...