Coupld of colleagues of my wifes work in Kiev. They were teachers here when the economy went down the toilet and they took jobs with an outfit that teaches US kids in foreign contries where there is a large US presence. My wife keeps in pretty close contact with them via facebook and the stuff they have been witnessing is pretty terrible for them.

Of course you have to remember these are Americans for whom the reality of life in other countries was something you only occasinonally noticed on TV if you happend to catch the news, so finding themselves in the middle of it is pretty shocking. Last week they said they have no immediate plans to leave but were essentially "monitoring the situation daily".

As for internal Ukrainian politics. I know practically nothing about it as well. But I do know that the Ukranians have no particular love for the Russians. Many of them welcomed the Germans when they invaded in 1941 and they continued a guerilla campaign against the Soviets after the war into the 1950's.

Interestingly I have Four Mauser K98's. These were imported into the US a decade ago from the Ukraine. They are referred to as "Russian Capture" but as the US is apparently not allowed to import military arms from Russia I have heard that these actually came from the Ukraine.

The relevance of this is that most of thse rifles that were re-arsenald by the Soviets had the Swastikas peened out not surprisingly. Not the ones from the Ukraine though. They left them intact as on the examples I have.

During the Soviet occupation there was a large Russian influx to the country and these folks seem to have a nostalgic desire for a continuing link to Russia while Putin tries to re-establish the old Soviet Unions former hegemony.

The native Ukranians want nothing to do with it and look to the West for their future. Within that native Ukranian host there seems to be a gamut of political opinion across all areas of the socio political spectrum.

It all depends on what Putin will do. He cannot afford to allow the Ukraine to chart its own course or his dream of a resurgent Russia is dead in the water.

My prediction is it will devolve into war.

- Peter.

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2021 Chevrolet Spark
Formerly...
2000 GMC Sonoma
1981 240D 4spd stick. 347000 miles. Deceased Feb 14 2021
2002 Kia Rio. Worst crap on four wheels
1981 240D 4spd stick. 389000 miles.
1984 123 200
1979 116 280S
1972 Cadillac Sedan DeVille
1971 108 280S