07:31
3.4.2014
NATO General Says He Sees Potent Russian Threat, @nytimes Grateful for @PMBreedlove attention to our work in Ukraine http://t.co/Fmx0PrtzRO
— Geoffrey Pyatt (@GeoffPyatt) April 3, 2014
07:38
3.4.2014
This short RFE/RL news report looks at yet another aspect of the fallout from the Ukraine crisis:
The U.S. space agency NASA says it is severing ties with Russia due to the crisis in Ukraine, except for the International Space Station (ISS).
According to a memo sent to workers, NASA employees cannot travel to Russia or host visits until further notice.
They are also barred from emailing or holding teleconferences with their Russian counterparts.
In a statement late yesterday, however, the agency said it will continue to work with its Russian counterpart, Roscosmos, to "maintain safe and continuous operation" of the ISS.
Since the retirement of the space shuttle, Russia's Soyuz spacecraft have been the sole means of transport to the ISS for the world's astronauts.
Also yesterday, the State Department said it had suspended “several” bilateral projects with Russia and will hand over funding for the initiatives to Ukraine.
According to a memo sent to workers, NASA employees cannot travel to Russia or host visits until further notice.
They are also barred from emailing or holding teleconferences with their Russian counterparts.
In a statement late yesterday, however, the agency said it will continue to work with its Russian counterpart, Roscosmos, to "maintain safe and continuous operation" of the ISS.
Since the retirement of the space shuttle, Russia's Soyuz spacecraft have been the sole means of transport to the ISS for the world's astronauts.
Also yesterday, the State Department said it had suspended “several” bilateral projects with Russia and will hand over funding for the initiatives to Ukraine.
07:52
3.4.2014
You may have missed it, but the well known, and often contrarian, Slovenian philosopher Slavoj Zizek has been airing his views on the Ukraine crisis and what it means for Europe:
You can read more here
...[W]hat does “Europe” the Ukrainian protesters are referring to stand for? It cannot be reduced to a single vision: it spans the entire scope from nationalist and event Fascist elements up to the idea of what Etienne Balibar calls égaliberté, freedom-in-equality, the unique contribution of Europe to the global political imaginary, even if it is today more and more betrayed by the European institutions; plus, between these two poles, the naïve trust into liberal-democratic capitalism. What Europe should see in Ukrainian protests is its own best and its own worst.
You can read more here
07:58
3.4.2014
9 riot-police snipers arrested for mass murder of #Euromaidan protesters in February - Ukraine Attorney General pic.twitter.com/2BguJF5BvB
— Maxim Eristavi (@MaximEristavi) April 3, 2014
08:00
3.4.2014
FIFA Should Expel #Russia From Soccer World Cup, U.S. Senator Says http://t.co/pQFj3y2MhJ #news
— The Moscow Times (@MoscowTimes) April 3, 2014
08:05
3.4.2014
Detained sniper suspects are members of Berkut special "black company." Leader of squad among detainees. Further arrests to come, says PGO.
— Christopher Miller (@ChristopherJM) April 3, 2014
08:06
3.4.2014
English speakers, here is @EuromaidanPR's translation of @LIGAnet's report on snipers http://t.co/VEvbskMtbw
— Christopher Miller (@ChristopherJM) April 3, 2014
08:07
3.4.2014
#Ukraine Interior Minister @AvakovArsen to give presser in Kyiv today. Likely we'll learn more about snipers and arrests then.
— Christopher Miller (@ChristopherJM) April 3, 2014
09:21
3.4.2014
!!! BREAKING NEWS !!!
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov says some Russian troops near the Ukrainian border will return to permanent bases after completing military drills. He has also called for a "de-escalation" of rhetoric concerning Ukraine.Lavrov also says Moscow expects answers from NATO on the alliance's activity in Eastern Europe
09:34
3.4.2014
RFE/RL's news desk has issued this item on the arrests made over the Maidan deaths in February:
Ukrainian authorities have arrested 12 members of the disbanded special police unit, Berkut, on suspicion of shooting unarmed pro-EU demonstrators in Kyiv in February.
A spokesman for the prosecutor-general said today that investigations continue into the killings of more than 100 people on Kyiv's Independence Square, most of whom were shot by snipers.
Ukraine's acting Attorney General Oleh Makhnitskyy said yesterday that the detained officers were members of a specialized Berkut squad called the "Black Unit."
According to Makhntitskyy, preliminary investigations revealed that the Berkut officers opened fire at the demonstrators on the order of then-President Viktor Yanukovych, who was ousted by the protesters two days after the shootings.
A special commission is due to hear the results of a preliminary investigation into the deaths at the Maidan protests later today.
A spokesman for the prosecutor-general said today that investigations continue into the killings of more than 100 people on Kyiv's Independence Square, most of whom were shot by snipers.
Ukraine's acting Attorney General Oleh Makhnitskyy said yesterday that the detained officers were members of a specialized Berkut squad called the "Black Unit."
According to Makhntitskyy, preliminary investigations revealed that the Berkut officers opened fire at the demonstrators on the order of then-President Viktor Yanukovych, who was ousted by the protesters two days after the shootings.
A special commission is due to hear the results of a preliminary investigation into the deaths at the Maidan protests later today.