Ukrainian Parliament Votes to Pull Security Forces out of Independence Square

[pampango]

Source: The Wire

Ukraine's Parliament voted late on Thursday to withdraw security forces from Independence Square. The measure is intended to avoid further bloodshed after Kiev's worst day of protests yet, and a rebuke to how Yanukovych has handled the protests until now.

Read more: http://www.thewire.com/global/2014/02/kiev-updates-thursday/358301/

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More from the Interpreter:

The #Ukraine Parliament just voted for a full demilitarization of the country, ordering all forces to return to their bases immediately.

34 Deputies from Yanukovych party voted with opposition in Parliament @aavst: 34 депутата от партии Регионов голосуют вместе с оппозицией

The 239 MPs present at Ukr. parliament session looks set to elect new speaker. The current one, Rybak, seems to have fled country.

... parliament is about to take up question of returning to the 2004 constitution.

In other words, Yanukovych now not only has a major crisis on the streets, he’s about to have a constitutional crisis, as his own party has not showed up to the Rada, but the Rada is legally capable of making policy without them.

http://www.interpretermag.com/ukraine-liveblog-day-3-of-the-ukraine-crisis/#1313

It will be interesting to see how Yanukovych responds to this vote in parliament. Many members of his party, including the speaker of the parliament, seem to have fled the country. Hopefully, this will represent a democratic end to the violence.

More on what the parliament did:

Here are the important parts of this — all anti-riot activity at this point is illegal, and the President, by not having the power to declare a state of emergency, may be unable to stop this.

The question is whether the police, or Yanukovych, will abide by these laws. So far, Yanukovych’s political powerhouse seems to be eroding, nay, crumbling, at a pace that does not bode well for his political survival. If the members of his Party of Regions really have fled the country, and do not show up to vote tomorrow, then Yanukovych, without an election, may find his own legal authority effectively pulled from underneath his feet.

[1000words]

1. A significant development

A major victory for those in the streets.

[Berlin Expat]

2. Yep....looks like an endgame scenario

It will be interesting to see how Yanukovych responds to this vote in parliament. Many members of his party, including the speaker of the parliament, seem to have fled the country. Hopefully, this will represent a democratic end to the violence.

Yeah; it's looking like the Party of Regions is collapsing pretty quickly. Yanukovych's family has apparently fled Ukraine as well; they turned up at Heathrow a couple of hours ago. The Speaker of Parliament, Mr. Rybak, has turned up in Budapest along with his entire family. ITAR-TASS is reporting that 50 private jets have departed from Kyiv in the last two hours alone; more VIP charter flights are scheduled over the next 12 hours. To use the old phrase, it's rats fleeing the sinking ship.

Yanukovych has basically lost it all. The western part of the country is out of his control, and the military garrisons there are handing out weapons and ammo to protesters. It's pretty much game over. At this point, it seems the only thing left for Yanukovych is to leave the country; either join his family in London, or take off to Moscow.

UPDATE: Many of the jets chartered by Ukrainian oligarchs to various EU destinations are being refused permission to land at EU airports. They're being turned back to Kyiv. Gotta be some really nervous oligarchs on those planes! May need to change their $500 underwear! LOLOLOL

[dipsydoodle]

3. Crimea may mull breaking away from Ukraine.

Crimea may mull breaking away from Ukraine.

The head of the Crimean parliament, Vladimir Konstantinov, has not ruled out that Ukraine’s southern territory may break away from the conflict-ridden nation if the political crisis spirals further out of control.

Crimean Parliament Speaker Konstantinov said the autonomous republic may secede from Ukraine if tensions escalate further in the country.

"It may happen if the country splits. Anyway, the entire situation is heading towards it," Konstantinov said on Thursday.

http://voiceofrussia.com/news/2014_02_20/Crimea-may-mull-breaking-away-from-Ukraine-5300/

I actually picked that up on BBC Radio News @ c. 6.30 GMT.

[1000words]

4. What's the chance of civil war?

[dipsydoodle]

5. Probably unlikely.

More likely the country will simply divide with the west dealing with the EU and the east with Russia.

Could be some gas issues I suppose - the main supply comes in from the east. Not sure where the storage tanks are which are a factor which concerns the EU's interest in Ukraine - use of those tanks in the summer. Give it a few years and it won't matter anyway - when South Stream comes on line Ukraine will be largely bypassed.

[Xolodno]

6. So instead of a civil war or major crackdown...

...we will see the partition of the Ukraine. The pro Russian East forming independently of the west....Folks...we have another Georgia.

[pampango]

7. Civil war - major crackdown - partition - democratic territorial integrity.

We would probably all choose the latter, but we are not Ukrainians so we don't get to make that call. I hope that is what they do.

Civil war is the worst. Major crackdown vs. partition? We may all have a different perspective on that. Take away rights to preserve the country. Or take away the country to preserve the rights (in the hope there would be rights in the aftermath of this).

Folks...we have another Georgia.

And Moldova/Transnistria. It has happened a couple of times before in the post-USSR period. Lots of ethnic Russians living in areas that became independent after the USSR fell apart.

[Xolodno]

8. Which is the result of the Soviet Union giving...

...Russian areas to its "member states". Not too mention forced migration to and from both Russian and non-Russian areas. Of course can't blame this all on the Soviet Union...this also happened under the Russian Tsar. Of course, if we do get a de-facto partition...I'm betting Russia gets the economically viable part...and the western aligned side needs significant support.

[Berlin Expat]

9. The Russians

will make damned sure they have access to those ports on the Black Sea. The loss of Sevastopol, the Crimea and the Donets Basin is Russia's worst nightmare.

[Xolodno]

11. And given the amount of wars for control of the Crimean Penninsula...

...and that the population is 50% Russian. Ukraine can consider it gone forever should the pro west forces succeed in toppling the government.

And then of course...how long will a pro west government last? In Georgia, Sackashitvili got ousted and ran to a cushy University job...while members of his old government get nailed for corruption. I wouldn't be surprised if Russia and Georgia slowly over time normalize. Blueprint for the Ukraine later? Russia is an old country...they have patience.

[1000words]

12. Wait and see ...

No offense, but this morning you proclaimed certain defeat for the protestors. (Yanukovych is most certainly not smiling.)

[Xolodno]

13. True...but I am frustrated in seeing lives needlessly lost due to...

...outside foreign games.

And then when you add I haven't seen this news repeated on major media networks....

Oh and a partition is still a defeat for the protestors. Couple that with sanctions being implemented against government officials...it sounds like the west already knows they lost this gamble.

[1000words]

14. It's been difficult to get a pulse on any of it

Frustrating, indeed. (I meant no disrespect, btw.)

[hrmjustin]

10. I hope new elections are called for.

[Loaded Liberal Dem]

15. I still banking on Russian Occupation of Ukraine

But not until the Winter Olympics are over, natch.