11:02
1.6.2014
From ITAR-TASS today:
Authorities of southeast Ukraine's self-proclaimed Donetsk people's republic do not have any information about whereabouts of four observers from the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), Co-chairman of Donetsk republican government Denis Pushilin told Itar-Tass by phone on Sunday.
"We do not have them," he said, adding that information coming in media had been checked, but no reports had been made about their whereabouts yet.
People's Mayor of the Donetsk regional city of Slavyansk Vyacheslav Ponomarev told Itar-Tass on Sunday that he did not have any information about the fate of four OSCE observers, the phone contact was lost with them on Monday evening when they were on the way from the city of Lugansk to Donetsk in southeast Ukraine.
"I can say now that there are no OSCE observers in Slavyansk now," Ponomarev said, noting that there was only information that a group of 11 OSCE observers was released from captivity after the phone contact had been lost with them on Wednesday.
Media reports were made on Sunday with the reference to Vyacheslav Ponomarev about the release of all OSCE observers in Donetsk region, but his words were interpreted incorrectly....
"We do not have them," he said, adding that information coming in media had been checked, but no reports had been made about their whereabouts yet.
People's Mayor of the Donetsk regional city of Slavyansk Vyacheslav Ponomarev told Itar-Tass on Sunday that he did not have any information about the fate of four OSCE observers, the phone contact was lost with them on Monday evening when they were on the way from the city of Lugansk to Donetsk in southeast Ukraine.
"I can say now that there are no OSCE observers in Slavyansk now," Ponomarev said, noting that there was only information that a group of 11 OSCE observers was released from captivity after the phone contact had been lost with them on Wednesday.
Media reports were made on Sunday with the reference to Vyacheslav Ponomarev about the release of all OSCE observers in Donetsk region, but his words were interpreted incorrectly....
11:24
1.6.2014
In an exclusive interview published on Saturday, Russia's Dozhd TV speaks with the purported commander of the Vostok Battalion in Donetsk Oblast.
The commander, whose face is hidden from the camera, says he is an Ossetian from Russia who fought in South Ossetia in 2008, and that there are other such volunteers from Russia in the Vostok Battalion. He insists he is not paid for his role.
Without saying who calls the shots, the commander says he will leave Ukraine if ordered to. As for his vision for eastern Ukraine he says: "I can't tell you. We will do as we are told."
Regarding reports that Chechens are fighting in Ukraine, he denies any relation between his battalion and the Vostok Battalion stationed in Chechnya.
The commander, whose face is hidden from the camera, says he is an Ossetian from Russia who fought in South Ossetia in 2008, and that there are other such volunteers from Russia in the Vostok Battalion. He insists he is not paid for his role.
Without saying who calls the shots, the commander says he will leave Ukraine if ordered to. As for his vision for eastern Ukraine he says: "I can't tell you. We will do as we are told."
Regarding reports that Chechens are fighting in Ukraine, he denies any relation between his battalion and the Vostok Battalion stationed in Chechnya.
11:27
1.6.2014
11:37
1.6.2014
Residents of Crimea were buying up everything on the shelves before today's switch to the ruble.
11:49
1.6.2014
Our Ukraine Service is reporting that the Ukrainian State Border Guard Service has announced on its website that a Russian citizen, said to be a militia commander, was detained near the Luhansk Oblast town of Milovoye.
The town of 6,000 direcly borders the Russian town of Chertkovo, which has a population of about 10,000.
The town of 6,000 direcly borders the Russian town of Chertkovo, which has a population of about 10,000.
12:42
1.6.2014
Accounts emerging today about the situation in Slovyansk.
Interfax is reporting that vehicles carrying locals trying to flee the city are being sent back at roadblocks manned by Ukrainian troops,
The Russian news agency quotes an "interlocutor" at the headquarters of the self-defense force in Slovyansk as saying that "only separate individuals succeed in breaking through."
Ukraine's Channel 5 TV, meanwhile, is reporting today that panicked separatists are looking for ways to escape the surrounded city.
Oleksiy Dmytrashkivskyy, the press officer of the antiterrorist operation, told Channel 5 that in one case the Defense Ministry received a request to open a corridor to allow children from an orphanage to be evacuated. However, he said, it was known that the orphanage had already been seized and there were no children there.
Dmytrashkivskyy went on to say that disappointed Slovyansk residents were leaving the city and that some were reporting that separatists forces were taking money (about $3) from individuals in exchange for letting them leave.
Interfax is reporting that vehicles carrying locals trying to flee the city are being sent back at roadblocks manned by Ukrainian troops,
The Russian news agency quotes an "interlocutor" at the headquarters of the self-defense force in Slovyansk as saying that "only separate individuals succeed in breaking through."
Ukraine's Channel 5 TV, meanwhile, is reporting today that panicked separatists are looking for ways to escape the surrounded city.
Oleksiy Dmytrashkivskyy, the press officer of the antiterrorist operation, told Channel 5 that in one case the Defense Ministry received a request to open a corridor to allow children from an orphanage to be evacuated. However, he said, it was known that the orphanage had already been seized and there were no children there.
Dmytrashkivskyy went on to say that disappointed Slovyansk residents were leaving the city and that some were reporting that separatists forces were taking money (about $3) from individuals in exchange for letting them leave.
12:51
1.6.2014
From Donetsk today:
12:52
1.6.2014
And from Kyiv:
12:54
1.6.2014
12:59
1.6.2014