18:47
22.3.2014
From RFE/RL's News Desk:
Ukrainian investigators say former Energy Minister Eduard Stavytsky amassed a stash of cash, gold, jewels and expensive watches, news agencies report. The Interior Ministry said SaturdayA series of raids on Stavytsky's homes and offices uncovered 42 kilograms of gold and $4.8 million in cash. All the valuables were seized. Stavytsky, who was in charge of negotiations on oil and natural gas with Russia, has fled the country. On Friday, Yevhen Bakulin, the former head of the national gas utility Naftogas, was arrested on suspicion of having embezzled $4 billion. Ukrainian investigators have carried out dozens of raids on the homes and offices of former officials in recent days.
Ukrainian investigators say former Energy Minister Eduard Stavytsky amassed a stash of cash, gold, jewels and expensive watches, news agencies report. The Interior Ministry said SaturdayA series of raids on Stavytsky's homes and offices uncovered 42 kilograms of gold and $4.8 million in cash. All the valuables were seized. Stavytsky, who was in charge of negotiations on oil and natural gas with Russia, has fled the country. On Friday, Yevhen Bakulin, the former head of the national gas utility Naftogas, was arrested on suspicion of having embezzled $4 billion. Ukrainian investigators have carried out dozens of raids on the homes and offices of former officials in recent days.
18:51
22.3.2014
Barring major developments, this wraps up our live blogging for March 22.
09:40
23.3.2014
Good morning. Some news concerning the Right Sector group:
Ukrainian far-right paramilitary group Pravy Sektor (Right Sector) says it has formed a political party.
Pravy Sektor played a prominent role in protests that ousted President Viktor Yanukovych last month.
Andriy Denissenko, a member of the group, made the announcement on March 22 in a YouTube video after a meeting held behind closed doors for security reasons.
Denissenko added that the new party "will be an instrument in the political field in the same way that a Kalashnikov is in the military field."
Delegates elected Dmytro Yarosh as the party's leader, and announced that he would run in the May 25 presidential election.
Yarosh last month denied he was a fascist and anti-Semite, saying Pravy Sektor was a "successor" to the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA), which battled Soviet and Nazi forces in western Ukraine during and after World War Two. (AFP, dpa)
Ukrainian far-right paramilitary group Pravy Sektor (Right Sector) says it has formed a political party.
Pravy Sektor played a prominent role in protests that ousted President Viktor Yanukovych last month.
Andriy Denissenko, a member of the group, made the announcement on March 22 in a YouTube video after a meeting held behind closed doors for security reasons.
Denissenko added that the new party "will be an instrument in the political field in the same way that a Kalashnikov is in the military field."
Delegates elected Dmytro Yarosh as the party's leader, and announced that he would run in the May 25 presidential election.
Yarosh last month denied he was a fascist and anti-Semite, saying Pravy Sektor was a "successor" to the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA), which battled Soviet and Nazi forces in western Ukraine during and after World War Two. (AFP, dpa)
10:04
23.3.2014
"The Guardian's" Shaun Walker has a nice piece on the Crimean soccer team Tavriya Simferopol, which is currently languishing in the lower reaches of the Ukrainian premier league. It seems some of their fans are not overly enthused about the possibility of now having to travel to Siberia for away games.
10:21
23.3.2014
The Crimean referendum did not comply with the Ukrainian constitution. No right to secede in constitution #UkrFacts
— Geoffrey Pyatt (@GeoffPyatt) March 23, 2014
10:34
23.3.2014
Belarus caught in a bind as tensions rise between Russia and NATO over Crimea: http://t.co/HQAprxqvAj and http://t.co/e0EBoKvRkE
— Mark MacKinnon (@markmackinnon) March 23, 2014
10:59
23.3.2014
Wife of arrested Belbek cmmdr, Col. Yuli Mamchur, tells @ABC she hasn't heard from him since he called y'day saying he was arrested. #Crimea
— Alexander Marquardt (@MarquardtA) March 23, 2014
11:11
23.3.2014
RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service is running a live feed of pro-Ukrainian rally and pro-Russian rallies in the eastern city of Kharkiv:
11:33
23.3.2014
This video of what seems to be a pro-EU musical flashmob in Odessa yesterday certainly lifts one's spirits.
11:51
23.3.2014
RFE/RL's newsdesk has been looking at how events in Crimea are being viewed in Minsk:
Belarusian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka says Russia's annexation of Crimea is a "bad precedent," but acknowledged the region is now a "de facto" part of Russia.
Asked on March 23 about his refusal to endorse the Russian annexation of Crimea from Ukraine, Lukashenka told reporters in Minsk: "As for recognition or not recognition, Crimea is part of Russia today. You can recognize it or not recognize this, but this will not change anything."
Russian President Vladimir Putin says Russian forces were deployed across Crimea last month to protect the rights of Russian speakers.
Only eight percent of eastern Belarus's population is ethnic Russian.
Nonetheless, Russian is the dominant language spoken across all of Belarus – raising concerns in Minsk that Moscow could target Belarus in the future using the same justification Putin gave for the seizure of Crimea. (Reuters, Itar-Tass, Interfax, "Foreign Affairs")
Belarusian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka says Russia's annexation of Crimea is a "bad precedent," but acknowledged the region is now a "de facto" part of Russia.
Asked on March 23 about his refusal to endorse the Russian annexation of Crimea from Ukraine, Lukashenka told reporters in Minsk: "As for recognition or not recognition, Crimea is part of Russia today. You can recognize it or not recognize this, but this will not change anything."
Russian President Vladimir Putin says Russian forces were deployed across Crimea last month to protect the rights of Russian speakers.
Only eight percent of eastern Belarus's population is ethnic Russian.
Nonetheless, Russian is the dominant language spoken across all of Belarus – raising concerns in Minsk that Moscow could target Belarus in the future using the same justification Putin gave for the seizure of Crimea. (Reuters, Itar-Tass, Interfax, "Foreign Affairs")