15:40
24.5.2014
Ukraine's "Ultras", football fans known for violence, put country before club rivalry http://t.co/hXmGbBYecs pic.twitter.com/kPxEuE8YhM
— BBC News (World) (@BBCWorld) May 24, 2014
16:08
24.5.2014
A self-styled "congress" took place in Donetsk today in which people's representatives of the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk people's republics signed a "declaration of unification" under which they would merge into "Novorossia."
The decision came at the end of the congress, in which a "Manifesto of the Popular Front" was adopted. According to novosti.dn.ua (which has some nice pictures of the event) and ura.dn.ua (which asks in a separate article on its home page if Novorossia can exist again), only journalists from Rossia-24 were allowed to the event.
The manifesto says the Popular Front was created to "protect the civilian population from Nazi gangs financed by oligarchs and foreign intelligence services."
The congress was reportedly organized by former Party of Regions parliamentarian Oleh Tsaryov, and endorsed by "Donetsk People's Republic" leader Denis Phushilin, among others.
The decision came at the end of the congress, in which a "Manifesto of the Popular Front" was adopted. According to novosti.dn.ua (which has some nice pictures of the event) and ura.dn.ua (which asks in a separate article on its home page if Novorossia can exist again), only journalists from Rossia-24 were allowed to the event.
The manifesto says the Popular Front was created to "protect the civilian population from Nazi gangs financed by oligarchs and foreign intelligence services."
The congress was reportedly organized by former Party of Regions parliamentarian Oleh Tsaryov, and endorsed by "Donetsk People's Republic" leader Denis Phushilin, among others.
16:40
24.5.2014
Here's another Putin update from our news desk:
Russian President Vladimir Putin says it is "impossible" to isolate Russia from the global economy despite pressure from the West over the crisis in Ukraine.
Speaking on the sidelines of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, Putin said sanctions imposed by Western nations on Russia over its actions in Ukraine were "totally counterproductive."
He told a group of journalists that the sanctions do not correspond to international law and led to global instability.
He said he hoped the Ukraine crisis would not spark a new "Cold War" with the West which he said would not be in anyone's interest.
Putin said Moscow had no plans to rebuild the Soviet Union.
The Russian president also addressed comments by Britain's Prince Charles in which he reportedly compared Putin's actions in Ukraine to those of Adolf Hitler.
Putin described the comments as "unacceptable."
Putin said he had not heard the remark made by Prince Charles, but if Charles did make the comparison then it was "not royal behavior."
Prince Charles reportedly made the comment to a Jewish woman who fled the Nazis during World War II.
Putin also told journalists in St. Petersburg that he will not be "avoiding" meetings with Western leaders when he visits France next month.
The visit to attend D-Day commemorations on June 6 will be the first time Putin would have a chance to meet in person with Western leaders since the Ukraine crisis began in February.
Russian President Vladimir Putin says it is "impossible" to isolate Russia from the global economy despite pressure from the West over the crisis in Ukraine.
Speaking on the sidelines of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, Putin said sanctions imposed by Western nations on Russia over its actions in Ukraine were "totally counterproductive."
He told a group of journalists that the sanctions do not correspond to international law and led to global instability.
He said he hoped the Ukraine crisis would not spark a new "Cold War" with the West which he said would not be in anyone's interest.
Putin said Moscow had no plans to rebuild the Soviet Union.
The Russian president also addressed comments by Britain's Prince Charles in which he reportedly compared Putin's actions in Ukraine to those of Adolf Hitler.
Putin described the comments as "unacceptable."
Putin said he had not heard the remark made by Prince Charles, but if Charles did make the comparison then it was "not royal behavior."
Prince Charles reportedly made the comment to a Jewish woman who fled the Nazis during World War II.
Putin also told journalists in St. Petersburg that he will not be "avoiding" meetings with Western leaders when he visits France next month.
The visit to attend D-Day commemorations on June 6 will be the first time Putin would have a chance to meet in person with Western leaders since the Ukraine crisis began in February.
17:00
24.5.2014
Did I accidentally fly to Lviv? My notebook from #dnipropetrovsk http://t.co/u5SSAvCK5c pic.twitter.com/yQsueFRhnR
— Glenn Kates (@gkates) May 24, 2014
17:01
24.5.2014
Just back from #Slavyansk where we heard shellings & bombings right outside city. But city centre some families going on w/ normal routine
— Courtney Weaver (@courtneymoscow) May 24, 2014
17:13
24.5.2014
Barring any dramatic developments we are now closing the live blog for today. We'll leave you with one more update from our news desk:
Pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine have announced the merger of their so-called "people's republics" into a new country, to be called "New Russia" ("Novorossia").
The separatists said they signed a contract to form the new country on May 24 in the city of Donetsk.
The document was signed at a heavily guarded ceremony at which only reporters from Russian state television were allowed.
The provocative move comes on the eve of Ukraine's May 25 presidential election.
The separatists have vowed not to allow the vote to take place in areas they control.
The separatists said they signed a contract to form the new country on May 24 in the city of Donetsk.
The document was signed at a heavily guarded ceremony at which only reporters from Russian state television were allowed.
The provocative move comes on the eve of Ukraine's May 25 presidential election.
The separatists have vowed not to allow the vote to take place in areas they control.
05:42
25.5.2014
Good morning. An extra special live blog for you today on the day Ukrainians go to vote for their next president. Some coverage to check out.
Latest news wrap: Ukraine Votes In Presidential Election
Reporter's Notebook: Dnipropetrovsk Defies East Ukraine Stereotypes
Video: Ukrainian Activist Family Hopes For Change
and do check out Daisy Sindelar's Eight Things You Didn't Know About The Ukrainian Election
Latest news wrap: Ukraine Votes In Presidential Election
Reporter's Notebook: Dnipropetrovsk Defies East Ukraine Stereotypes
Video: Ukrainian Activist Family Hopes For Change
and do check out Daisy Sindelar's Eight Things You Didn't Know About The Ukrainian Election
05:43
25.5.2014
05:44
25.5.2014
05:55
25.5.2014
Story is from a couple of days ago, but very interesting Pando piece on Twitter "micro-censoring" Ukrainian neo-Nazi accounts at the request of Russia.