16:43
23.5.2014
RFE/RL's Azerbaijani Service has been talking to a couple of (rather articulate) bears on the streets of Kyiv about Russia and the upcoming Ukrainian election:
17:20
23.5.2014
Our news desk reports that the OSCE is worried about media freedom in Ukraine:
The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) has warned that journalists in Ukraine are under attack for doing their jobs, and urged law enforcement agencies to support and protect the media.
In a report released on May 23, the OSCE said it had documented nearly 300 cases of violence against members of the media in Ukraine since late November amid the escalating political crisis.
The violence included murder, assaults, kidnappings, threats, and acts of intimidation of journalists.
Dunja Mijatovic, representative for media freedom at the OSCE in a statement said she was "alarmed by the rapidly deteriorating conditions and climate for the media."
"The manipulation of the media and the information war we are experiencing has to stop. Failure to do so will fuel the conflict and contribute to an escalation of the crisis," Mijatovic said.
In a report released on May 23, the OSCE said it had documented nearly 300 cases of violence against members of the media in Ukraine since late November amid the escalating political crisis.
The violence included murder, assaults, kidnappings, threats, and acts of intimidation of journalists.
Dunja Mijatovic, representative for media freedom at the OSCE in a statement said she was "alarmed by the rapidly deteriorating conditions and climate for the media."
"The manipulation of the media and the information war we are experiencing has to stop. Failure to do so will fuel the conflict and contribute to an escalation of the crisis," Mijatovic said.
17:27
23.5.2014
Watching last Ukraine presidential debate, Tymoshenko seems exhausted. No one-on-one with Poroshenko, so no chance for elxn-changing moment.
— Mark MacKinnon (@markmackinnon) May 23, 2014
17:54
23.5.2014
Tymoshenko, in a pose that should probably be dubbed "The Yulia": pic.twitter.com/haQ68KJJ2m
— Mark MacKinnon (@markmackinnon) May 23, 2014
17:55
23.5.2014
Village elex committee head, Donetsk region: "I've insisted it has to be clean this time. Last time [2010] they totally fabricated results."
— Shaun Walker (@shaunwalker7) May 23, 2014
18:04
23.5.2014
According to "The Guardian," Russian TV has been lambasting the British royal family in the wake of reported comments by Prince Charles in which he compared President Vladimir Putin to Adolf Hitler:
Read more here
The pro-Russia broadcaster Russia Today (RT) regaled viewers with a mocked-up family tree linking royals to Nazis in a 'Takes one to know one' video poking the embers of the House of Windsor's German past.
"If anyone knows real Nazis it's the royal family" the channel declared on its In the Now programme while it flashed up sepia portraits of the Queen and family.
Here was Charles's great uncle, the Duke of Windsor, and wife Wallis Simpson, photographed visiting Hitler at his Obersalzberg retreat in 1937 shortly after abdicating as Edward VIII. Simpson, RT senior political correspondent Anissa Naouai solemnly pronounced, "hung out with Hitler".
There was the Duke of Edinburgh, his chest weighted with medals. "His sister, Sophie," added Naouai, "was married to a SS officer." Cue photograph of Christophe of Hesse-Cassel, marching in his SS colonel's uniform. Naouai could have added, for good measure, he named his eldest son Karl Adolf in Hitler's honour.
Then, the piece de resistance. Charles's "very own son" Prince Harry. Pictured in Nazi costume at a party on the front page of the Sun. "He likes to dress up as a Nazi, even if its just for Halloween," confided the presenter.
"If anyone knows real Nazis it's the royal family" the channel declared on its In the Now programme while it flashed up sepia portraits of the Queen and family.
Here was Charles's great uncle, the Duke of Windsor, and wife Wallis Simpson, photographed visiting Hitler at his Obersalzberg retreat in 1937 shortly after abdicating as Edward VIII. Simpson, RT senior political correspondent Anissa Naouai solemnly pronounced, "hung out with Hitler".
There was the Duke of Edinburgh, his chest weighted with medals. "His sister, Sophie," added Naouai, "was married to a SS officer." Cue photograph of Christophe of Hesse-Cassel, marching in his SS colonel's uniform. Naouai could have added, for good measure, he named his eldest son Karl Adolf in Hitler's honour.
Then, the piece de resistance. Charles's "very own son" Prince Harry. Pictured in Nazi costume at a party on the front page of the Sun. "He likes to dress up as a Nazi, even if its just for Halloween," confided the presenter.
Read more here
18:22
23.5.2014
BBC News - #BBCtrending: Ukraine's 'babushkas' in stand-off with separatists http://t.co/2lTYnZ5qhz
— Daniel Sandford (@BBCDanielS) May 23, 2014
18:31
23.5.2014
Videos of bus on fire in Kiev today. Cause unclear: https://t.co/kv79fWFnrC https://t.co/YnGYmjc2Kc via @Ivano_Martin and @StateOfUkraine
— Mark MacKinnon (@markmackinnon) May 23, 2014
18:39
23.5.2014
Militia backed by presidential candidate takes credit for murder of separatists in #Torez http://t.co/tdhdNkBzNZ pic.twitter.com/8GEEpWVKih
— Kyiv Post (@KyivPost) May 23, 2014
19:23
23.5.2014
Barring any major developments, we are now closing our Ukraine live blog for today. We'll leave you tonight with this update from RFE/RL's news desk regarding the Russian troops near Ukraine's border:
The chief of Russia's military general staff, General Valery Gerasimov, says it will take about 20 days to move troops and military equipment temporarily deployed near the border with Ukraine back to permanent bases.
Gerasimov said at a security conference in Moscow today that the troops began pulling back on May 19, immediately after President Vladimir Putin ordered the withdrawal.
Earlier reports had suggested that the withdrawal was to be completed by June 1, but Gerasimov said no such date had been given.
NATO estimates Russia deployed 40,000 troops near the border.
The deployment raised fears that Moscow would intervene in eastern Ukraine to back pro-Russian separatists after it annexed Crimea in March.
Russia had insisted the exercises were routine.
Gerasimov said at a security conference in Moscow today that the troops began pulling back on May 19, immediately after President Vladimir Putin ordered the withdrawal.
Earlier reports had suggested that the withdrawal was to be completed by June 1, but Gerasimov said no such date had been given.
NATO estimates Russia deployed 40,000 troops near the border.
The deployment raised fears that Moscow would intervene in eastern Ukraine to back pro-Russian separatists after it annexed Crimea in March.
Russia had insisted the exercises were routine.