Right Sector leader rejects Minsk peace, wants to continue war

Ukraine's Right Sector leader Dmitry Yarosh said his radical movement rejects the Minsk peace deal and that their paramilitary units in eastern Ukraine will continue "active fighting" according to their "own plans."

The notorious ultranationalist leader published a statement on his Facebook page Friday, saying that his radical Right Sector movement doesn't recognize the peace deal, signed by the so-called 'contact group' on Thursday and agreed upon by Ukraine, France, Germany and Russia after epic 16-hour talks.

Yarosh claimed that any agreement with the eastern militia, whom he calls "terrorists," has no legal force.

In his statement, Yarosh claimed that that the Minsk deal is contrary to Ukraine's constitution, so Ukrainian citizens are not obliged to abide by it. Thus if the army receives orders to cease military activity and withdraw heavy weaponry from the eastern regions, the Right Sector paramilitaries, who are also fighting there "reserve the right" to continue the war, he said.

The Right Sector paramilitary organization continues to deploy its combat and reserve units, to train and logistically support personnel, while coordinating its activities with the military command of the Ukrainian army, paramilitary units of the Defense Ministry and the Interior Ministry, he said.

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The breakthrough Minsk agreement was reached on Thursday following marathon overnight negotiations between Ukraine, France, Germany and Russia, and offer hope the fighting in Eastern Ukraine may come to an end. The talks were part of a Franco-German initiative. President Francois Hollande and Chancellor Angela Merkel visited Kiev and Moscow before meeting the Russian and Ukrainian leaders at the negotiating table in Minsk.

Bluntly rejecting the German and French initiative, Yarosh said President Petro Poroshenko should have turned to the US or UK which "observe a consistent anti-Kremlin policy."

In January, Russia's Supreme Court banned the activities of the Right Sector within the country. In July last year the Interpol put Right Sector leader Yarosh on its wanted list.

The radical movement was formed as a coalition of nationalist and neo-Nazi organizations during the Maidan protests in Kiev at the end of 2013.

Comment: With Europe pushing for an effective ceasefire, and the U.S. paying lip service to the process, the cracks in Kiev's facade are already showing, 2 days before the ceasefire is even scheduled to go into effect. It's pretty hard to 'blame Russia' (or the rebels) with people like Yarosh spitting on the peace process from the get-go. Poroshenko is in a tricky position. The Novorossiyans would have no problem with an effective ceasefire. But it's crystal clear that is the one who cannot follow through, or keep the armed groups in Kiev under his control.

Meanwhile, Bosnia has spoken out against a weapons deal with Ukraine, Kerry is trying to save face by saying sanctions might be stopped if the ceasefire is effective, and U.S. senator Him Inhofe has egg on his face after publicizing fake photos of 'Russian aggression' supplied to him by Ukrainian MPs.

Chomsky: We Are All – Fill in the Blank.

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