12:01
8.5.2014
RFE/RL's multimedia department has issued this Reuters video of Andriy Parubiy, the secretary of Ukraine's national security and defense council, sounding quite dismissive of Russian President Vladimir Putin's call on separatist leaders in eastern Ukraine to postpone "self-determination" referendums:
11:56
8.5.2014
According to our news desk, it seems like Moscow may have been indulging in a little more saber-rattling...
Russia has test-launched several ballistic missiles during exercises in the western and northern parts of the country overseen by President Vladimir Putin.
Russian defense officials said today that the military had fired a Topol intercontinental ballistic missile from a test site in Plesetsk and several shorter-range missiles from submarines in Russia's Northern and Pacific fleets.
Along with Putin, the exercises were watched by visiting presidents from Belarus, Armenia, Tajikistan, and Kyrgyzstan.
Other military maneuvers included the launch in western Russia of air-to-surface rockets by Tu-95 strategic bombers as well as news that Russia's Northern Fleet armada -- led by the aircraft carrier "Admiral Kuznetsov" -- had entered the English Channel.
Putin said the maneuvers had been planned in November and told the presidents that Russia's nuclear defense capabilities were strong and on "constant alert."
Russian defense officials said today that the military had fired a Topol intercontinental ballistic missile from a test site in Plesetsk and several shorter-range missiles from submarines in Russia's Northern and Pacific fleets.
Along with Putin, the exercises were watched by visiting presidents from Belarus, Armenia, Tajikistan, and Kyrgyzstan.
Other military maneuvers included the launch in western Russia of air-to-surface rockets by Tu-95 strategic bombers as well as news that Russia's Northern Fleet armada -- led by the aircraft carrier "Admiral Kuznetsov" -- had entered the English Channel.
Putin said the maneuvers had been planned in November and told the presidents that Russia's nuclear defense capabilities were strong and on "constant alert."
11:36
8.5.2014
My prediction for the official referendum results on Sunday: 84 percent turnout, 98.6% voting for creation of the Donetsk People's Republic
— Shaun Walker (@shaunwalker7) May 8, 2014
11:36
8.5.2014
EU says local referendum on May 11 is illegal, will lead to further escalation in Ukraine http://t.co/1BLRHVWDbL
— Kyiv Post (@KyivPost) May 8, 2014
11:35
8.5.2014
Local press reports police firing warning shots again in #Mariupol today, tyres being set on fire http://t.co/hKV3WCx5lo
— Piers Scholfield (@inglesi) May 8, 2014
11:34
8.5.2014
Our news desk has some more details about the announcement that Vladimir Putin will be attending D-Day events in France:
The Russian ambassador to France says President Vladimir Putin will attend D-Day anniversary commemorations there with Western leaders in June.
Aleksandr Orlov said in comments to BFM television today that Putin will attend a ceremony in Normandy on June 6 to mark the 70th anniversary of the Normandy landings by Allied forces in World War II.
The event would be the first time Putin would have a chance to meet in person with Western leaders since the Ukraine crisis and Russia's annexation of Crimea started in February.
U.S. President Barack Obama and German Chancellor Angela Merkel are among the Western leaders who will also attend the D-Day ceremonies in Normandy.
The news of Putin's attendance came on the same day that French President Francois Hollande said he had told the Russian leader that he is "welcome" to attend the event.
Aleksandr Orlov said in comments to BFM television today that Putin will attend a ceremony in Normandy on June 6 to mark the 70th anniversary of the Normandy landings by Allied forces in World War II.
The event would be the first time Putin would have a chance to meet in person with Western leaders since the Ukraine crisis and Russia's annexation of Crimea started in February.
U.S. President Barack Obama and German Chancellor Angela Merkel are among the Western leaders who will also attend the D-Day ceremonies in Normandy.
The news of Putin's attendance came on the same day that French President Francois Hollande said he had told the Russian leader that he is "welcome" to attend the event.
11:00
8.5.2014
Despite Putin's call for postponement, separatists in Luhansk and Donetsk have decided to hold referendums on May 11, as planned.
— Isaac Webb (@isaacdwebb) May 8, 2014
10:35
8.5.2014
Reuters: Luhansk region snubs Putin call to delay vote http://t.co/r1y3PFlAPd
— Kyiv Post (@KyivPost) May 8, 2014
10:31
8.5.2014
In related news, Reuters is reporting that the Russian ambassador to France says President Vladimir Putin will attend D-Day anniversary celebrations in France next month.
10:30
8.5.2014
Here's an item from RFE/RL's news on the Donetsk and Luhansk separatists' determination to still vote on "self-determination:"
Pro-Russian separatist leaders in Donetsk and Luhansk say they will continue with a referendum on self-determination on May 11 despite calls by Russian President Vladimir Putin to postpone them.
A "coordinating committee" of the self-declared "Donetsk People's Republic" said after a meeting in a seized Ukrainian government building in the city of Donetsk today that it would hold a vote on whether to secede from Ukraine on May 11.
Denis Pushilin, the self-styled leader of the Donetsk separatist movement, said "the referendum will happen May 11."
Putin said yesterday in Moscow that the separatist movements in Ukraine's Donetsk and Luhansk regions should delay the holding of such referendums.
Oleksiy Chmylenko, a self-styled leader of the Luhansk separatist forces, told the Interfax news agency today that the "people's assembly of the self-proclaimed Luhansk People's Republic" had decided to go ahead with its independence referendum on May 11.
A "coordinating committee" of the self-declared "Donetsk People's Republic" said after a meeting in a seized Ukrainian government building in the city of Donetsk today that it would hold a vote on whether to secede from Ukraine on May 11.
Denis Pushilin, the self-styled leader of the Donetsk separatist movement, said "the referendum will happen May 11."
Putin said yesterday in Moscow that the separatist movements in Ukraine's Donetsk and Luhansk regions should delay the holding of such referendums.
Oleksiy Chmylenko, a self-styled leader of the Luhansk separatist forces, told the Interfax news agency today that the "people's assembly of the self-proclaimed Luhansk People's Republic" had decided to go ahead with its independence referendum on May 11.