Archive for the ‘Ukraine’ Category
Ukraine Strikes at East; 2 Helicopters Shot Down
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Two Ukrainian helicopters were shot down Friday as Ukraine launched its first major offensive against the pro-Russia forces that have seized government buildings in the east. The Kremlin said Kiev's move against the insurgents "destroyed" hopes for peace in the region.
Fighting broke out around dawn near Slovyansk, a city 160 kilometers (100 miles) from the Russian border that has become the focus of the armed insurgency against Ukraine's interim government. Two helicopter crew were killed in the crashes, both sides said, and a pro-Russia militiaman was reported killed.
One of the helicopters was hit by a surface-to-air missile, the Ukrainian Security Service said, adding that the sophisticated weapon undercut Russia's claims the city was simply under the control of armed locals. The agency said its forces were fighting "highly skilled foreign military men" in Slovyansk.
Russian President Vladimir Putin's spokesman said the offensive "effectively destroyed the last hope for the implementation of the Geneva agreements" that aimed to defuse the crisis. A day earlier Putin warned Ukraine not to move against the insurgents and said it should withdraw its military from eastern and southern regions.
Ukraine, a nation of 46 million, is deeply divided between those in the west who favor closer ties with Europe and many Russian-speakers in the east who look toward Moscow.
Ukraine has accused Russia of backing the insurgents who have seized government buildings in 10 eastern cities and fears that Moscow is seeking a pretext to invade; Russia has already stationed tens of thousands of troops in areas near the Ukrainian border.
Russian troops backed separatists in Ukraine's Black Sea peninsula of Crimea in March, then annexed the region after a referendum called for secession.
A deal in Geneva last month aimed to get those who had seized government buildings in Ukraine to leave and calm down the tensions that have prompted the United States and the European Union to slap Russia with sanctions for its actions in Ukraine.
Ukraine's acting president Oleksandr Turchynov admitted earlier this week that the central government had lost control of the east, and said some government troops and police there were "either helping or cooperating with terrorist organizations." He said efforts should be focused on preventing the instability from spreading to other parts of the country.
Ukraine Offensive Sparks Deadly Clashes in Odessa
Ukraine's offensive to recapture an eastern city controlled by pro-Russia forces sharply escalated the crisis in the country's east and set off a clash Friday in the southern port of Odessa that police say killed 31 people.
The Kremlin said the move by Kiev's interim government effectively killed the Geneva pact aimed at cooling the unrest, but pledged to continue efforts to try to calm the tensions.
By nightfall, Ukrainian troops and armored personnel carriers had blocked all major roads into the eastern city of Slovyansk, the center of the pro-Russia insurgency. In the city, most shops were closed and the few that were open were crowded with customers trying to stockpile food and supplies.
Acting President Oleksandr Turchynov claimed that "many" insurgents were killed or wounded Friday, but the offensive also underlined the military's vulnerability. Both sides said two Ukrainian helicopters were shot down by the insurgents, killing two crew members.
The Ukrainian Security Service said one was downed with a surface-to-air missile, adding that the sophisticated weapon undercut Russia's claims the city of 125,000 people was simply under the control of armed locals.
"Ukrainian security forces so far are not ready for large-scale military actions; moreover, such actions could provoke Russia's invasion," said Kiev-based political analyst Volodymyr Fesenko.
Russia has massed tens of thousands of troops in areas near Ukraine's border. Kiev officials claim Russia is preparing to invade and that it is fomenting the unrest in the east, where insurgents have seized government buildings in about a dozen cities in towns. Moscow denies the allegations, but Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has warned Russia would respond to attacks on Russian citizens or interests in the east.
Unlike eastern Ukraine, Odessa had remained largely untroubled since the February toppling of President Viktor Yanukovych, who fled to Russia. But a clash erupted late Friday between pro-Russians and government supporters in the key port on the Black Sea coast, located 550 kilometers (330 miles) from the turmoil in the east.
Police said the deadly fire broke out in a trade union building Friday, but did not give details on how it started. Earlier police said at least three people had died in a clash between the two sides.
In Moscow, Russian President Vladimir Putin's spokesman said the Ukrainian offensive "effectively destroyed the last hope for the implementation of the Geneva agreement" of two weeks ago that aimed to defuse the crisis. But Dmitry Peskov also said Russia "continues to undertake consistent efforts on de-escalation."
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Ukraine Offensive Sparks Deadly Clashes in Odessa
Ukraine Violence Spreads: At Least One Killed in Odessa Riots
Ukraine's tug-of-war between Russia and the West lurched to the central southern coastal city of Odessa on Friday, with around a thousand rival protesters involved in violent clashes in the city center.
A demonstration calling for the country's unity marched through the streets and was met by pro-Russian activists, Kiev-based UNIAN news agency and the Ukrainian online newspaper Ukrainskaya Pravda reported.
Riot police stepped in as the crowds threw flares and light bombs, and fired stones in slingshots. The English-language Kiev Post reported that one person had been killed in the clashes, showing a photograph of a body wrapped in the Ukrainian flag.
The Kiev Post said most of the pro-Russian group were fans of the local football team.
The flare-up came as Ukraine troops were attempting to drive pro-Russian separatists out of Slovyansk, one of several cities across the east occupied by protesters opposing the new Kiev-government.
Like Slovyansk and the Russian-annexed peninsula of Crimea, Odessa has a significant number of Russian speakers and played a prominent role in Russian history.
All of these regions formed the power base for former President Viktor Yanukovych, whose ouster lead to the formation of the current administration in Kiev.
Video footage of the clashes showed riot police attempting to control the crowds, some of whom had masks, shields, and clubs, similar to those seen in the violent Kiev protests that led to the fall of Yanukovych in February.
A pro-Russian activist hurls an object at supporters of the Kiev government during clashes in the streets of Odessa on May 2.
The video, which could not be independently verified by NBC News, shows members of the crowds throwing rocks into clouds of tear gas, as loud bangs reverberating through the streets.
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Ukraine Violence Spreads: At Least One Killed in Odessa Riots
Ukraine Photos ‘show Russian troops’ in east | BREAKING NEWS – 22 APRIL 2014 – Video
Ukraine Photos #39;show Russian troops #39; in east | BREAKING NEWS - 22 APRIL 2014
Ukraine Photos #39;show Russian troops #39; in east | BREAKING NEWS - 22 APRIL 2014 For more Latest and Breaking News Headlines SUBSCRIBE to The US State Department has released photos of...
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Ukraine Photos 'show Russian troops' in east | BREAKING NEWS - 22 APRIL 2014 - Video