15:37
19.4.2014
Thousands rally for a unified #Ukraine in Kryvyi Rih http://t.co/KtBtnxcyAt
— KyivPost (@KyivPost) April 19, 2014
15:59
19.4.2014
Meanwhile, in Crimea...
Ukraine is evacuating its warships from Crimea following the peninsula's annexation by Russia last month.
The office of Ukrainian acting President Oleksandr Turchynov said today that the country's vessels, including the "Kirovohrad" landing ship, the "Vinnytsya" corvette, and the "Zolotonosha" floating base are heading to a naval base in the Ukrainian port city of Odesa.
Ukraine is also withdrawing the rest of its military hardware, including military helicopters, from Crimea. (Via RFE/RL's news desk)
The office of Ukrainian acting President Oleksandr Turchynov said today that the country's vessels, including the "Kirovohrad" landing ship, the "Vinnytsya" corvette, and the "Zolotonosha" floating base are heading to a naval base in the Ukrainian port city of Odesa.
Ukraine is also withdrawing the rest of its military hardware, including military helicopters, from Crimea. (Via RFE/RL's news desk)
16:28
19.4.2014
Makeshift monuments in Dnipropetrovsk honoring activists killed in Euromaidan uprising have been removed.
Report by Ukrainska Pravda
And a video from RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service (in Ukrainian and Russian):
Report by Ukrainska Pravda
And a video from RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service (in Ukrainian and Russian):
16:31
19.4.2014
A pro-Russia rally in Kramatorsk:
And a pro-unity rally in Krivoi Rog:
Small crowd in the end here in #Kramatorsk,despite hopes for more.Get the sense people are pretty exhausted. #Ukraine pic.twitter.com/UVAAHoMOmw
— GrahamWPhillips (@GrahamWP_UK) April 19, 2014
And a pro-unity rally in Krivoi Rog:
6000 Ukrainians march in Krivoi Rog in support of unity. First time I have seen fotos from here pic.twitter.com/g5enqtoG9q
— bruce springnote (@BSpringnote) April 19, 2014
16:31
19.4.2014
Banner at Shaktar Donetsk match says "One United Ukrainian Team" pic.twitter.com/tglB2WC65n
— Kevin Bishop (@bishopk) April 19, 2014
16:40
19.4.2014
Ukrainian flags unveiled at a concert of Belarusian rock band Lyapis Trubetskoy in Prague. The band's song "Warriors of Light" is dedicated to the Euromaidan activists.
Pavel Sheramet tweets: Soon they will be seen as a Ukrainian band
“@EvgenyFeldman: Ляписы в Праге pic.twitter.com/AXIaS7zodE” Скоро их будут считать украинской, а не белорусской группой)
— Павел Шеремет (@pavelsheremet) April 19, 2014
Pavel Sheramet tweets: Soon they will be seen as a Ukrainian band
16:57
19.4.2014
More on the pro-unity rally today in Kryvyi Rih, in southeastern Ukraine from the Kyiv Post:
Rad the whole story here.
KRYVYI RIH, Ukraine -- Up to 2,000 people gathered near the Kryvyi Rih City Council building on April 19 to support Ukrainian unity. The city is located some 400 kilometers from the capital Kyiv in southeastern Ukraine. People carrying Ukrainian flags and banners reading “Kryvyi Rih is my city” shouted “Putin, get out!”
Rad the whole story here.
17:00
19.4.2014
Forbes has more on allegations about Russian banks financing separatism in eastern Ukraine -- and Sberbank's denials.
As chapters in the Russia-Ukraine political drama unfold, Russia’s largest bank takes center stage.
Sberbank , Russia’s largest, is being investigated by Ukraine’s Attorney General for allegedly paying Ukrainian soldiers to join Russia.
In an 18 minute video “confession” of a camouflaged Ukrainian soldier, the man says with his back to the camera and seated in a wooden chair facing a decorative wall that Sberbank paid him 3,500 Ukrainian hryvnia a week — or $309 — to join Russian separatists in east Ukraine. In the video, allegedly recorded by Ukraine’s State Secret Service, the soldier says he and others were also offered $400 to leave cities like Donetsk.
Sberbank , Russia’s largest, is being investigated by Ukraine’s Attorney General for allegedly paying Ukrainian soldiers to join Russia.
In an 18 minute video “confession” of a camouflaged Ukrainian soldier, the man says with his back to the camera and seated in a wooden chair facing a decorative wall that Sberbank paid him 3,500 Ukrainian hryvnia a week — or $309 — to join Russian separatists in east Ukraine. In the video, allegedly recorded by Ukraine’s State Secret Service, the soldier says he and others were also offered $400 to leave cities like Donetsk.
17:04
19.4.2014
From RFE/RL's News Desk:
Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andriy Deshchytsya says the Euromaidan protest camp in Kyiv will not be disbanded.
Ukraine, Russia, the United States, and the European Union reached an agreement in Geneva earlier this week under which "all illegally occupied streets, squares, and other public places in Ukrainian cities and towns must be vacated."
Talking to the BBC on April 19, Deshchytsya said that the pro-European activists camped out on Kyiv's Independence Square had "asked permission from the city council" and that their camp was therefore not an "illegal occupation".
Pro-Russian separatists have seized government buildings in a dozen eastern Ukrainian cities.
They say they will leave only if Euromaidan activists in Kyiv pack up their camp first.
Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andriy Deshchytsya says the Euromaidan protest camp in Kyiv will not be disbanded.
Ukraine, Russia, the United States, and the European Union reached an agreement in Geneva earlier this week under which "all illegally occupied streets, squares, and other public places in Ukrainian cities and towns must be vacated."
Talking to the BBC on April 19, Deshchytsya said that the pro-European activists camped out on Kyiv's Independence Square had "asked permission from the city council" and that their camp was therefore not an "illegal occupation".
Pro-Russian separatists have seized government buildings in a dozen eastern Ukrainian cities.
They say they will leave only if Euromaidan activists in Kyiv pack up their camp first.
17:11
19.4.2014
The Ukraine crisis resonates in Asia. This, via AP:
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama is heading to Asia, where countries are keeping a close watch on the crisis in Ukraine amid territorial tensions with China.
Obama leaves Washington on Tuesday and is set to visit Japan, South Korea, Malaysia and the Philippines.
Each country has a dispute with China over islands in the South and East China Seas. Their leaders will be trying to get a sense of Obama's willingness to support them if the conflicts boil over.
U.S. officials have taken a tougher line on the territorial issues in recent weeks. They've warned China against the use of military force and noted that the U.S. has treaty obligations to defend Japan.
Obama leaves Washington on Tuesday and is set to visit Japan, South Korea, Malaysia and the Philippines.
Each country has a dispute with China over islands in the South and East China Seas. Their leaders will be trying to get a sense of Obama's willingness to support them if the conflicts boil over.
U.S. officials have taken a tougher line on the territorial issues in recent weeks. They've warned China against the use of military force and noted that the U.S. has treaty obligations to defend Japan.