President Poroshenko, U.S. Senators visit command post near Shyrokine in Donbas. http://ift.tt/2iRWFVu
Daily Mail: It looks like a scene from WW2 but this is the frontline in Ukraine at Xmas 2016 as troops take to TRENCHES in the fight against pro-Russian rebels
* Ukrainian soldiers using trenches to fight pro-Russian rebels in country's east
* Images show troops sheltering in icy man-made ditches near Luganske village
* It comes amid reports of gunfire between the two sides despite a recent truce
These are the crude battle trenches being used by Ukrainian troops on the front line in the fight against pro-Russian rebels.
In scenes reminiscent of the Second World War battle for Stalingrad, a soldier crouches down for shelter in the icy ditch near Luganske village in the east of the country.
Another image shows a fighter using the walls of the man-made trench as protection as he fires off rounds from a machine gun.
Read more ....
WNU Editor: A brief summary (and my take) on what is happening in Ukraine.
These U.S. senators are not helping the situation .... McCain visits frontline Ukraine troops in anti-Putin gesture (USA Today). This is going to hurt "big-time" .... For Europe Bound Gas, Russia Successfully By-Passing Ukraine (Forbes) .... and the Russian press is gleefully reporting on it .... Ukraine sees significant cuts in Russian gas transit (RT). It looks like those who are trying to get rid of the corruption are corrupt themselves .... A Ukrainian Anti-Corruption Activist Is Now Being Investigated for Corruption (Fortune). In the Western press there is talk of abandonment .... The West Abandoned Ukraine to Its Own Detriment (Terrell Jermaine Starr, NYT) .... and talk of progress .... Ukraine is making progress (L. Todd Wood, Washington Times). But on the ground the misery continues to grow .... Millions in Ukraine are in need of humanitarian assistance, UN relief wing reports (UN News Centre). More details on the humanitarian disaster in Ukraine can be read here .... Humanitarian Bulletin: Ukraine: 1 October - 31 December 2016 (Relief Web). As to what is my prediction for 2017 .... Ukraine has to compromise with its eastern Russian population and with Russia itself .... Ukraine Must Make Painful Compromises for Peace With Russia (Walter Pinchuk, WSJ). Unfortunately .... I do not see that happening .... in fact .... I see the economic situation getting worse, and the war will just continue to grind on.
