Ard Spring and Crimea

Ben Lomond in cloud

Morning mist rising

Loch exit

Reflections

I missed my early morning run this morning as I became absorbed in the emerging events in Ukraine and decided to have breakfast instead. Listening to William Hague obfuscate over Ukraine was not very reassuring. To describe the Russian occupation of Crimea as the "biggest crisis" facing Europe in the 21st Century and then to fail to offer any response was diplomatic jiggery-pokery. Crimea is an autonomous republic transferred to Ukraine in 1954 but has a Russian-speaking majority. It was occupied by Russia with no resistance from Ukraine and no military engagement. It would seem that the chess board of nations in east-central Europe has still many moves left before a stalemate is reached.

Maybe I am naive but the reaction of the United States and the UK government as well as the United Nations sounded quite bellicose compared to their continued failure to respond to genocide in Syria and the Central African Republic. I am sure that the threat of losing Russian gas for much of Europe and the prospect of facing up to the Red Army will make them think again.

During my search for information, I discovered that Russia has military bases in five countries including Ukraine, which share boundaries with Russia. This is well short of the UK with military bases in 10 countries including Gibraltar, Cyprus and the Falklands.  The USA has bases in 30 countries including Kyrgyzstan, Turkey and Bulgaria, which are all quite close to Russia. Diplomacy seems to be little more than nuanced hypocrisy.

As I listened to the radio and perused the maps of Eastern Europe I was rewarded by the arrival of the sun and I decided on a walk instead of the usual run. The morning light was the best of the year so I took the camera and walked along the shores of Loch Ard. I was rewarded with glorious views and wet feet. The months of wet weather had soaked all the paths and the Loch level was at maximum height with the fast current just skimming the underside of the wooden footbridge at the exit of the Loch. By 10:00am I was home and fencing the garden to keep out the herd of feral goats, I suspect it is a forlorn hope - I am making a lot of noise that will have little effect, a bit like trying to get Russia out of Crimea.