13:05
19.5.2014
How Corruption Guts Militaries: The Ukraine Case Study http://t.co/F8AzveOIXm
— bruce springnote (@BSpringnote) May 19, 2014
13:33
19.5.2014
Our news desk has issued this on developments in Odesa:
A Ukrainian official says 32 pro-Russian rebels, who died in the Black Sea port, Odesa, on May 2, might have been poisoned with chloroform before dying in a fire.
The chief of Ukraine's General Investigative Directorate, Vitaliy Sakal, told reporters on today that chloroform had been found by investigators in the Trade Unions building in Odesa. Inhaling the substance causes breathing failure.
Sakal added that Ukrainian investigators had contacted the Israeli Embassy, asking for professional experts to investigate any traces of the chemical in the building.
Thirty-two people were found dead in the building, many of them with burns, on May 2 after the building was engulfed in flames during clashes between pro-Russian rebels and pro-Ukrainian soccer fans.
In total, 48 people were killed and some 250 were injured during the May 2 clashes in Odesa.
The chief of Ukraine's General Investigative Directorate, Vitaliy Sakal, told reporters on today that chloroform had been found by investigators in the Trade Unions building in Odesa. Inhaling the substance causes breathing failure.
Sakal added that Ukrainian investigators had contacted the Israeli Embassy, asking for professional experts to investigate any traces of the chemical in the building.
Thirty-two people were found dead in the building, many of them with burns, on May 2 after the building was engulfed in flames during clashes between pro-Russian rebels and pro-Ukrainian soccer fans.
In total, 48 people were killed and some 250 were injured during the May 2 clashes in Odesa.
14:06
19.5.2014
The @lifenews_ru channel has covered Ukraine in a terrible way at times, but detaining journalists is not the answer http://t.co/SIeG2jTQz5
— Daniel Sandford (@BBCDanielS) May 19, 2014
14:09
19.5.2014
RFE/RL's Washington bureau has got some U.S. reaction to Putin's announcement about pulling back troops from the Ukrainian border:
The White House has reacted with caution to Russian President Vladimir Putin's order for troops deployed near Ukraine to return to their home bases today.
"We've seen what President Putin has said, and if Russia conducts a transparent and meaningful withdrawal of forces back to their home bases, we'd welcome it," a senior administration official told reporters. "But to date, we haven't seen evidence of them doing so."
"Although we've heard from Russian leaders in the past that they were removing troops from the border, they haven't done so," said the official, adding that the administration would be "tracking this closely" and would want to see evidence before making a judgment.
Putin made the announcement today, six days before Ukraine holds a presidential election.
"We've seen what President Putin has said, and if Russia conducts a transparent and meaningful withdrawal of forces back to their home bases, we'd welcome it," a senior administration official told reporters. "But to date, we haven't seen evidence of them doing so."
"Although we've heard from Russian leaders in the past that they were removing troops from the border, they haven't done so," said the official, adding that the administration would be "tracking this closely" and would want to see evidence before making a judgment.
Putin made the announcement today, six days before Ukraine holds a presidential election.
15:15
19.5.2014
I make it the 3rd time Putin has told Russian troops near #Ukraine to go home. Perhaps they're just disobedient? http://t.co/q1Hy6ewwab
— David Blair (@davidblairdt) May 19, 2014
15:33
19.5.2014
David Frum has been writing for "The Atlantic" on the atmosphere in Odesa more than two weeks after the fire in the Trades Union building that killed dozens of people:
Read the entire article here
It’s now been more than two weeks since the killing, and Odessa’s characteristic political calm has returned. The chief of the police force that so dismally failed on May 2 has been removed and replaced. The city is decorated with signs advertising candidates for the mayoral election scheduled for May 25—the same day as the election for the president who will replace the absconded Yanukovych. Near Odessa’s famous opera house, a young woman handed me a green balloon printed with the name of one of the candidates. Otherwise, I saw no indication of electioneering excitement: no campaign signs on private dwellings, for example. Odessa traffics as much in illicit as licit commerce, and its citizens shrug off politics as a dirty business best left to specialists. One of the two frontrunners for mayor has held the office off and on for nine of the past 20 years.
Odessa’s apathetic political culture generates nasty results. Park land with views of the waterfront is sold off to private villas. The local government somehow retained responsibility for maintaining the roofs of privatized apartment buildings—and the roofs are visibly crumbling on almost every older apartment complex in central Odessa. School principals charge parents fees for building improvements that never materialize. If an Odessan drives a car, he or she had better be prepared to bribe the police at regular intervals.
This was all true before the Maidan movement toppled Yanukovych, and it remains true now. The one Odessan I spoke with who expressed any interest in the mayoral election explained that she was trying to decide which of the candidates would steal less.
Odessa’s apathetic political culture generates nasty results. Park land with views of the waterfront is sold off to private villas. The local government somehow retained responsibility for maintaining the roofs of privatized apartment buildings—and the roofs are visibly crumbling on almost every older apartment complex in central Odessa. School principals charge parents fees for building improvements that never materialize. If an Odessan drives a car, he or she had better be prepared to bribe the police at regular intervals.
This was all true before the Maidan movement toppled Yanukovych, and it remains true now. The one Odessan I spoke with who expressed any interest in the mayoral election explained that she was trying to decide which of the candidates would steal less.
Read the entire article here
15:37
19.5.2014
#Ukraine Interior Minister @AvakovArsen says pensions and salaries are to be suspended in #Sloviansk and #Kramatorsk http://t.co/D0E0cfZ6AX
— Christopher Miller (@ChristopherJM) May 19, 2014
15:37
19.5.2014
#Ukraine Interior Minister @AvakovArsen says pensions and salaries are to be suspended in #Sloviansk and #Kramatorsk http://t.co/D0E0cfZ6AX
— Christopher Miller (@ChristopherJM) May 19, 2014
16:29
19.5.2014
"Lugansk People's Republic should start war on Donetsk People's Republic. We need access to the sea"@peoplelugansk: pic.twitter.com/yhvcYYzBn1
— Leonid Ragozin (@leonidragozin) May 19, 2014
16:50
19.5.2014
Source say Donetsk People's Republic gunmen stormed another election commission office today. "Kidnapped" chairman, took voters' lists.
— Mark MacKinnon (@markmackinnon) May 19, 2014
Donetsk People's Republic fighters seem to know what buildings to seize to do max damage to May 25 election... http://t.co/qsqcYLctTc
— Mark MacKinnon (@markmackinnon) May 19, 2014