Russia has put its combat units closest to the Ukraine on high alert as authorities in Kiev continue to struggle to form a new government. The Russian defense ministry claims its only a "combat readiness test."  They probably said something similar Iimmediately prior to the Russian invasion of Georgia back in 2008. Reuters: Thousands of ethnic Russians, who form the majority in Ukraine's Crimea region, demonstrated for independence for the peninsula that hosts part of Moscow's Black Sea Fleet. They scuffled with rival demonstrators, mainly from the Tatar minority, who support the new authorities in Kiev. With the political turmoil hammering Ukraine's economy, the hryvnia currency tumbled 4 percent on Wednesday, with ripples spreading to Russia where the rouble fell to five-year lows and bank shares took a hit. Ukraine's central bank, which has been rapidly burning its hard currency reserves to protect the hryvnia, said it has abandoned a...(Read Full Post)