15:41
18.5.2014
The German news magazine "Spiegel" says NATO is looking at possible scenarios in the event of a Russian military action in Eastern Europe, but is unprepared for such a situation at the moment (in German).
14:57
18.5.2014
Video from our Ukraine Service's Crimea desk showing Russian helicopters flying over a Crimean Tatar rally in Simferopol today commemorating the 70th anniversary of Stalin's deportation of Crimean Tatars.
14:36
18.5.2014
Our Ukrainian Service reports on plans by the "People's Republic of Donetsk" to hold parliamentary elections on September 14.
14:26
18.5.2014
14:26
18.5.2014
14:25
18.5.2014
Crimean Tatar leader Mustafa Dzhemilev addressed a rally today in Kyiv marking the 70th anniversary of Stalin's mass deportation of Crimean Tatars.
Dzhemilev, who is banned by the de facto authorities in Crimea from returning to the peninsula, later spoke to reporters:
"All our compatriots are confident that Crimea will be liberated from the occupiers and it will definitely again become an integral part of our great Ukraine."
Dzhemilev, who is banned by the de facto authorities in Crimea from returning to the peninsula, later spoke to reporters:
"This year the situation [of Tatars in Crimea] is almost the same as it used to be during the Soviet regime. All events related to the anniversary have been called off."
"At the moment the square in Simferopol, where traditionally all annual rallies would take place with the participation of [Ukrainian] officials and where presidential addresses would be read out to people, is surrounded by [Russian] soldiers, riot police, and pro-Russian so-called self-defense groups."
13:35
18.5.2014
13:29
18.5.2014
12:55
18.5.2014
Here is Ukrainian Interior Minister Arsen Avakov's Facebook post, in which he provides an update on fighting that took place in Slovyansk on the night of May 17-18.
He gives his thoughts on how war has become a "routine phenomenon in Ukraine" and asks:
"Do those who came to our camp to kill sleeping soldiers derserve indulgence? Do those who were killed by return fire tonight deserve sympathy? I have become uncivilized these days."
He gives his thoughts on how war has become a "routine phenomenon in Ukraine" and asks:
"Do those who came to our camp to kill sleeping soldiers derserve indulgence? Do those who were killed by return fire tonight deserve sympathy? I have become uncivilized these days."
12:44
18.5.2014
Ukraine's Channel 5 is reporting that four Ukrainian troops were wounded overnight during attacks carried out by separatists in Donetsk Oblast.
Channel 5 reports that four checkpoints near Slovyansk were attacked, resulting in two of the casualties.
Russian media has cited Ukrainian Interior Minister Arsen Avakov as writing in a Facebook post today that one separatist was killed during an overnight attack on a National Guard post near Slovyansk.
Interfax quotes Avako as writing: "War has become customary for all of us in a somewhat unnoted and routine manner. We are getting used to the laconic lines of reports. Assaults, attacks, deaths, roadblocks" ...
Channel 5 reports that four checkpoints near Slovyansk were attacked, resulting in two of the casualties.
Russian media has cited Ukrainian Interior Minister Arsen Avakov as writing in a Facebook post today that one separatist was killed during an overnight attack on a National Guard post near Slovyansk.
Interfax quotes Avako as writing: "War has become customary for all of us in a somewhat unnoted and routine manner. We are getting used to the laconic lines of reports. Assaults, attacks, deaths, roadblocks" ...