Photos: Reuters/ YANNIS BEHRAKIS
If the European Union had offered Ukraine more things, probably it would have won the battle for power in the country.
What do you think could stop what is happening now? The number of killings is said to have been over 30.
The truth is that we do not know exactly what is happening. For example, in Lvov and in other places in western Ukraine local troops have taken over the military bases and the weapon is in their hands. The situation is quite chaotic, it is not clear who is killing whom. In all cases, however, we are talking about a slaughter.
Very extreme and, I would say, even fascist elements who want Ukraine to entirely break away with Russia have taken precedence among the Ukrainians from the western part of the country. I think the solution is just one, namely to release from prison Yulia Tymoshenko in order for her to pacify the rebellious people and then the country to develop on the model of Finland, as I said. If Ukraine receives financial assistance and the spirits appease, it will be able to survive as an independent state between Russia and Europe.
Do you think that Russia would resort to militarily intervention? Some analysts claim that, after the Olympic Games in Sochi, Russian special forces would very easily transfer to Ukraine.
Yes, there is infrastructure, Russia has landing craft and the proximity is significant. However, the elite forces of the Russian Army are in Sochi alone and their number is small. Russia has established a military base in the region of Krasnodar, where it has battle tanks and a large fleet of fighters and bombers, and air forces.
However, I do not think that Putin would dare to intervene. If this happened it would lead to a much wider conflict, and I do not think Russia will openly invade Ukraine. This could only happen after an agreement with the U.S. on the division of the country. Then the tanks could enter to protect the population.
A numerous Greek minority lives in Ukraine, whose position in the conflict is important. Here is what Victoria Pomazan, a journalist from the media of the Greeks in Mariupol, Greeks.ua, told GRReporter,
"The federation of Greek unions in Ukraine is located in Mariupol, near the Azov Sea, 1,000 kilometres away from Kiev, because the Greek community is concentrated there. We learn about the events in Kiev from television. Today’s situation is very serious and unpredictable. There are over 30 victims and more than 800 injured people who are in hospitals. Even the opposition has lost control over the nationalists, who have decided to take matters into their own hands, thus provoking the clash.
Throughout the history of Ukraine, its western part was pro-Western since, in different periods, it had been connected with Poland, Lithuania, Austria and Hungary. In 1939, by order of Stalin, it was incorporated into Ukraine. Eastern Ukraine, where we live, has always been considered as the small Russia and the people here have always been well disposed to Russia. In our opinion the conflicts of interest began right here.
Today it is impossible to make any forecasts. The whole situation is breaking the integrity of Ukraine and we, being its citizens, want these hard days for the country to end as soon as possible."