A new peace deal — one that looks remarkably like the previous peace deal — was worked out in Minsk this week.  Since then, Russia has sent more troops and artillery into Ukraine, and today one of the “leaders” of the “rebels” has said that there would be no ceasefire where they are currently fighting (Debaltseve).  By using the jackass logic of “the issue of Debaltseve wasn’t specifically addressed in the agreement,” he’s of the impression that the bombardment of the Ukrainian army can continue.

So here’s what we’ve got:

• Although the deal calls for all Russian heavy weaponry to be withdrawn from Ukraine, since Russia claims (despite countless evidence to the contrary) that none of their weapons are in Ukraine, it would seem that there’s nothing to be withdrawn.
• There’s not going to be a stop to the shelling of or fighting in Debaltseve, and since there are other conflict areas that were not “specifically address” in the agreement, likely the fighting will continue.
• President Poroshenko has said that if this peace deal fails, he’ll have to declare a state of war and impose martial law — and with the above two points, the deal has already failed.

There are reports out today that “the rebels” have forces and weapons that exceed some European countries.  IF we take Russia at its word and none of those forces or weapons came from them, then that means that Ukraine — unbeknownst to the Ukrainians — had one of the largest and most fully weaponized (with remarkably modern weapons) army in the world.  Strange how that could have happened in a country with severe unemployment, poverty wages, massive graft and rampant corruption at all levels of government…

So the Russian army will continue its invasion and conquest of Ukraine.  Martial law will be imposed throughout the country as a countermeasure to that invasion.  Average citizens will continue to suffer and die.  And there will be no peace in Ukraine.