14:34
3.5.2014
BREAKING: U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry says he spoke today about the crisis in Ukraine with his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, and told him the key is for Russia to withdraw its support for eastern separatists. He said the release of the OSCE observers was a welcome "step" but that more is needed to de-escalate the situation.
14:27
3.5.2014
14:22
3.5.2014
And more OSCE reaction, this time from the president of the OSCE's Parliamentary Assembly, Ranko Krivokapic.
In a statement, he welcomed the release of the observers and deplored the "senseless violence" and loss of life in Odesa.
He urged the signatories of the Geneva agreement to recommit themselves to its implementation.
In a statement, he welcomed the release of the observers and deplored the "senseless violence" and loss of life in Odesa.
He urged the signatories of the Geneva agreement to recommit themselves to its implementation.
14:12
3.5.2014
Thorbjorn Jagland, the secretary-general of the Council of Europe, spoke today to reporters on the highway from Donetsk to Slovyansk, about why the OSCE observers might have been released today:
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"I think it was because [Russian special envoy Vladimir] Lukin came and this was the only possibility and I think that tensions have been building up. There was a telephone conversation also between [German] Chancellor [Angela] Merkel and [Russian] President [Vladimir] Putin. We started work on this many days ago and I asked Mr. Lukin to try."
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"I think it was because [Russian special envoy Vladimir] Lukin came and this was the only possibility and I think that tensions have been building up. There was a telephone conversation also between [German] Chancellor [Angela] Merkel and [Russian] President [Vladimir] Putin. We started work on this many days ago and I asked Mr. Lukin to try."
12:48
3.5.2014
RT has video that appears to show people jumping out of the burning trade union building, after it was set on fire yesterday in Odesa.
11:59
3.5.2014
More reporting from our Ukraine Service on what's happening in Kramatorsk:
Ukraine's Interior Ministry says its forces have retaken the security service headquarters in the eastern city of Kramatorsk.
The ministry said earlier that its forces had retaken control of the city's airport and a television tower.
Kramatorsk is south of the rebel stronghold of Slovyansk.
Local television showed pictures of armored personnel carriers moving through the town.
Ukrainian Interior Minister Arsen Avakov said military operations against pro-Russian separatists had resumed at dawn on May 3.
The ministry said earlier that its forces had retaken control of the city's airport and a television tower.
Kramatorsk is south of the rebel stronghold of Slovyansk.
Local television showed pictures of armored personnel carriers moving through the town.
Ukrainian Interior Minister Arsen Avakov said military operations against pro-Russian separatists had resumed at dawn on May 3.
11:52
3.5.2014
Buses have reportedly been set on fire by separatists, who trying to block the roads.
11:49
3.5.2014
Via Reuters, more comments from Dmitry Peskov, a spokesman for Russian President Vladimir Putin:
"In the last 24 hours we have received thousands of phone calls from the south-eastern regions of Ukraine. People call in despair, they ask for help, they confirm that the situation there is horrendous. Most of the people literally demand active help from Russia. Almost every call is a mini tragedy. [Russian President Vladimir] Putin is being notified of all these calls."
"[Russian President Vladimir Putin] is extremely concerned with the way the situation is evolving and the way it is being interpreted by the international community, especially by some countries. Putin is deeply disturbed by the actions of the Kyiv authorities, that can only be qualified as a crime. The president expresses deep grief and compassion to those who unfortunately died or were injured as a result of the Kyiv regime's actions."
"The tragedy in Odesa where nationalist and radicals with the permission of authorities burned unarmed people alive -- and I would like to underline that people were completely unarmed -- this is the crime of the Kyiv authorities. They are not only responsible for these crimes but are also complicit in these actions."
"In the last 24 hours we have received thousands of phone calls from the south-eastern regions of Ukraine. People call in despair, they ask for help, they confirm that the situation there is horrendous. Most of the people literally demand active help from Russia. Almost every call is a mini tragedy. [Russian President Vladimir] Putin is being notified of all these calls."
"[Russian President Vladimir Putin] is extremely concerned with the way the situation is evolving and the way it is being interpreted by the international community, especially by some countries. Putin is deeply disturbed by the actions of the Kyiv authorities, that can only be qualified as a crime. The president expresses deep grief and compassion to those who unfortunately died or were injured as a result of the Kyiv regime's actions."
"The tragedy in Odesa where nationalist and radicals with the permission of authorities burned unarmed people alive -- and I would like to underline that people were completely unarmed -- this is the crime of the Kyiv authorities. They are not only responsible for these crimes but are also complicit in these actions."
11:47
3.5.2014
BREAKING: Ukraine's Interior Ministry says its forces have retaken the security service headquarters in the eastern city of Kramatorsk, once occcupied by pro-Russian separatists. The ministry said earlier that its forces had retaken control of the city's airport and a television tower.
