GeoPolitics and economic warfare and the Russians are demonstrating that they are not a paper cowboy, but can be a sizeable Military/Nuclear threat. They have just launched one submarien launched Bulava missile with multiple, individually directable warheads, and will launch a second one next month. These are weapons against which the USA missile defense system is useless because the warheads are steerable and defeat the Patriot system. If you read all I have linked you will understand that it it the USA that is provoking the Russians with Economic Warfare. I don't remember voting for that, do you?
"Russia's continued support for separatist rebels in eastern Ukraine, along with plans to recognize a controversial election by the rebels next month are likely to keep the sanctions by the EU and the United States in place against Russia for the time being." From the CNN article.
The US/EU have no intention of lifting the sanctions and the Russians know that. It has nothing to do with Ukraine. The CIA is manipulating economic policies to the benefit of Western Energy and Banking Plutocrats/Oligarchs/Billionaires. The CIA works for USA CORPORATIONS overseas and that translates to covert and not so covert schemes as is ongoing in Ukraine, Syria, Libya, Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, OPEC, etc. Read the link carefully. Think about the distribution network (pipelines) for Big Energy Corporations OIL and Gas. Draw your own conclusions. Truth is where you find it.
*The Kerry-Abdullah Secret Deal And An Oil-Gas Pipeline War On Iran, Syria And Russia
"What has happened is that the long-time US ally inside OPEC, the kingdom of Saudi Arabia, has been flooding the market with deep discounted oil, triggering a price war within OPEC, with Iran following suit and panic selling short in oil futures markets. The Saudis are targeting sales to Asia for the discounts and in particular, its major Asian customer, China where it is reportedly offering its crude for a mere $50 to $60 a barrel rather than the earlier price of around $100. [1] That Saudi financial discounting operation in turn is by all appearance being coordinated with a
US Treasury financial warfare operation, via its Office of Terrorism and Financial Intelligence(my bold DaveFagan), in cooperation with a handful of inside players on Wall Street who control oil derivatives trading. The result is a market panic that is gaining momentum daily. China is quite happy to buy the cheap oil, but her close allies, Russia and Iran, are being hit severely."