Rebels On the Move in Eastern Ukraine

Separatists rebels in eastern Ukraine have made gains against Ukrainian government forces as fighting in the region intensifies and past ceasefires have been abandoned.

Reuters reports the violence has flared up so much that President Barack Obama felt compelled to address these new developments while on a trip to India. NATO claims that the separatists forces are being backed by thousands of regular Russian troops and material such as tanks, artillery, and armored vehicles.

The new violence has rattled nerves in Eastern Europe, which has often been the victim of Soviet or Russian aggression. Reuters reports that Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk called the failure of European governments to forcefully address the Kremlin head on appeasement, in reference to the World War II era policy that allowed Hitler to seize parts of Europe unopposed.

The violence in eastern Ukraine had been simmering since a ceasefire in Sept., but over the weekend the violence returned to a full boil with a separatist attack on the port city of Mariupol. The city is of strategic value because of its port status and the fact it is the largest city under Ukrainian government control in the regions where separatists have been most active.

Mariupol is located on the Black Sea and has a population of 500,000. If it were to fall into rebel hands, the rebels would have easier access to supplies from Russia

Ukraine says violence has flared all along the warfront, with rebel attacks on Mariupol as well as a number of other Ukrainian government positions. The fighting left four Ukrainian troops dead and 17 injured in just the last day, according to Reuters.  

Reuters reports that the violence has led to new talk of sanctions against Russia among European powers such as Germany, France, and the United Kingdom. Sanctions by those countries, as well as the United States, have put Russia on the brink of economic recession.