Issues Under Fire: As Ukraine Falls Apart, Putin Ready to Pick Up the Pieces

As Ukraine Falls Apart, Putin Ready to Pick Up the Pieces 

Ukraine's incompetent governing body has predictably lead the nation into a state of total chaos. Lacking legitimacy in Eastern Ukraine, those responsible for restoring and maintaining order have been reduced to putting out daily fires. Sensing weakness, everyone from local strongmen, separatist and political activist to thugs and political agitators see opportunity. 

Since opportunity thrives in chaos, many are seizing said opportunity by picking off whatever that can't be held together. With no respected central authority to stop them, regional actors are now creating spaces to their own local liking, while thumbing their noses at Kiev.

When reports of well armed police stations being taken over by threatening masked bandits with minimal resistance started popping up, one has to start considering collusion and conspiracy. If the local authorities are handing over and vacating official Ukraine property to mobs and or protestors its a sure sign Western Ukraine has absolutely no control.

Laughing at threats and deadlines, Pro-Russian actors have punked the chickens in Kiev and are openly calling for Russia to back their play. Wisely, Putin continues to play is cards close to the vest, as his message remains consistent. Keeping a healthy distance, Russia continues to push for an inclusive constitution and calling for elections, while encouraging as many regional referendum votes "the people of Ukraine" demand. 

On face value, Putin has secured very difficult positions to counter effectively. All Russia needs to do to maintain plausible deniability against charges of covert operations, is to keep its ground crews levelheaded and disciplined. 

The Collapse of Ukraine

On the other side of the ledger, the US led West has put all its chips on a cadre of untested inexperienced disorganized and dubious characters play acting as a governing authority. Little more than a loosely connected click of fraudulent politicos looking to "hook up" when the first tranche of IMF cash comes rolling in, regional players have taken matters into their own hands.

With GOP opportunist hammering the Obama administration to do more of anything to look tough in front of for the 2014 election cycle, while the European Union nervously ponder how much pressure it can actually bring to bear on Russia without damaging itself, Western powers, for lack of a more appropriate description, appear virtually powerless.

Bottom line: As the West haggle over the next wave of sanctions, Vladimir Putin patiently awaits the inevitable wave of regional referendum votes. Although there is no other way this faux crisis can turn out, watching the saber rattling is no less exciting.