I am so tired of hearing the Russian Foreign Ministry and the Russian ambassador to Ukraine, among others, saying that the opposition in the Maidan in Kiev, Ukraine, is trying to stage a "coup." Or that the opposition broke the truce. That's a very old ploy: Accuse the other of doing that which you are guilty of.
The people of Ukraine were fed up with Imperial Russia, then Soviet Russia and now Vladimir Putin's Russia trying to take over their country.
The real coup is being perpetrated by Russia through its "proxy," President Viktor Yanukovych. How interesting that when this all erupted, we see Yanukovych flying to Moscow — for instructions? Putin knows full well that the West can do little. The West will rave and rant as it did in Georgia, but with time all will calm down, as it did there. The Russians still occupy part of that country.
Putin is probably gloating at this very moment. He is getting Ukraine very cheap. He bought Yanukovych and Ukraine for only $15 billion!
The Rev. MICHAEL STELMACH, Minneapolis
The writer is pastor of St. Constantine Ukrainian Catholic Church.
