Moscow slams Kiev’s military op order as ‘criminal ...
_http://rt.com/news/ukraine-russia-operation-criminal-288/
Published time: April 13, 2014
Russia has called on the UNSC and OSCE to urgently consider the crisis in Ukraine, saying that the announcement made by the Kiev authorities on Sunday to mobilize military forces to put down protests in the south-east of the country is a ‘criminal order.’
Events in south-eastern Ukraine have taken a very dangerous turn, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Sunday.
“The Kiev authorities, who self-proclaimed themselves as a result of a coup, have embarked on the violent military suppression of the protests,” the ministry said adding that the rallies, which have gripped the Donbas region were prompted by Kiev’s disregard of the legitimate interests the people.
Moscow slammed Sunday’s order, issued by the coup-imposed acting President Aleksandr Turchinov approving a full-scale security operation in the country’s eastern regions, as “criminal”.
“Blood has already been spilled as the result of such actions in the South East.”
The ministry’s statement elaborated that Russia strongly condemns attempts to use brutal force against protesters and activists by involving militants from the far-right Right Sector group or other illegal armed forces.
The West should bring its allies in Ukraine's government under control, Moscow said stressing “it depends on the West now to stop the civil war in Ukraine”.
“We demand the Maidan henchmen, who overthrew the legitimate president, to immediately stop the war against their own people, to fulfill all the obligations under the Agreement of 21 February,” the Foreign Ministry said.
“The western sponsors of the Maidan government, especially those who witnessed the Agreement [of 21 February] and are backed by the US, have to curb their out of control wards, they have to make them break away from the neo-Nazis and other extremists…”
The Kiev authorities have to start a national dialogue with an equal participation of all regions to make urgent and radical constitutional reforms, the ministry said.
Russia will put an urgent discussion of the situation in eastern Ukraine on the agenda of the United Nations Security Council and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).
Massive protests have gripped the south-eastern territory of Ukraine with activists seizing government buildings in Donetsk, Lugansk, Slavyansk, Mariupol, Kramatorsk and the towns of Druzhkovka, Krasny Liman, Khartsyzk and Ilovaisk. Residents of other cities have been rallying for the federalization of Ukraine.
On Sunday the Kiev government launched a crackdown operation in Slavyansk. Following the event, Ukraine’s Security Council has approved a full-scale security operation in the country’s eastern regions. The coup-imposed President Aleksandr Turchinov set a deadline until Monday morning for the pro-independence supporters in eastern Ukraine to leave the government buildings they have occupied or the military will use force.
Kiev to launch ‘full-scale’ military op as massive protests grip Eastern Ukraine
_http://rt.com/news/donetsk-kharkov-protest-ukraine-280/
Published time: April 13, 2014
Thousands of pro-autonomy demonstrators rallied across eastern Ukraine, with the coup-imposed president in Kiev threatening to use military against the activists if they don’t clear the seized government buildings by Monday morning.
Over 10,000 people have taken part in protests in different town and villages of the Donetsk Region in Ukraine, the local administration said.
In the region’s capital, Donetsk, the local government headquarters still remain under the anti-Maidan activists’ control. Sunday, one of the leaders of the recently-declared Donetsk People’s Republic, Denis Pushilin, once again stressed the urgent need “to send activists, who’ll prepare a referendum, to different towns of the Donetsk region” as he spoke at a rally in city’s center.
The recruitment of volunteers, eager to travel to Slavyansk and other towns in eastern Ukraine where “an anti-terrorist operation” against the protestors by the Ukrainian security forces is underway, also took place during the rally. Over 100 people volunteered by mid-day Sunday, with buses already prepared to take them to their destinations.
Kharkov tensions
Meanwhile, dozens asked for medical assistance in Ukraine’s second-largest city, Kharkov, after the pro-federalization demonstrators clashed with the Maidan activists. The rallies of two antagonistic sides, which saw a joint turnout of around 3,000, were staged in the city simultaneously, with the police being unable to prevent provocations.
Kiev issues new ultimatum
In the capital, Ukraine’s Security Council convened for an urgent session following the events in Slavyansk. A decision was taken to launch “a large scale” operation, “with the involvement of the military,” Ukraine’s coup-imposed president, Aleksandr Turchinov, said in a televised address.
Later he said that the operation in the east will involve a non-regular regiment consisting of 350 reservists.
According to Turchinov, the anti-Maidan activists must lay down their arms and abandon the administrative offices they have occupied till 9 am Monday morning if they want to avoid prosecution.
Turchinov also said the new authorities in Kiev are ready to consider giving more powers to the region. Earlier parliament-appointed Prime Minister Arseny Yatsenyuk pledged to push through a law allowing regional referendums in the country.
The order to use military against the pro-federalization protesters in eastern Ukraine by coup-imposed president, Aleksandr Turchinov, is “criminal” in its nature, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
Ukraine turmoil
Clashes, Military, Protest, Rally, Terrorism, Ukraine Thousands of pro-autonomy demonstrators rallied across eastern Ukraine, with the coup-imposed president in Kiev threatening to use military against the activists if they don’t clear the seized government buildings by Monday morning.
Over 10,000 people have taken part in protests in different town and villages of the Donetsk Region in Ukraine, the local administration said.
In the region’s capital, Donetsk, the local government headquarters still remain under the anti-Maidan activists’ control. Sunday, one of the leaders of the recently-declared Donetsk People’s Republic, Denis Pushilin, once again stressed the urgent need “to send activists, who’ll prepare a referendum, to different towns of the Donetsk region” as he spoke at a rally in city’s center.
The recruitment of volunteers, eager to travel to Slavyansk and other towns in eastern Ukraine where “an anti-terrorist operation” against the protestors by the Ukrainian security forces is underway, also took place during the rally. Over 100 people volunteered by mid-day Sunday, with buses already prepared to take them to their destinations.
Pro-Russian activists hold umbrellas under the rain and shout slogans during a rally near a barricade outside the regional government building in the eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk on April 13, 2014 (AFP Photo / Alexander Khudoteply)
Hundreds also gathered for rallies in support of federalization in Druzhovka, Debaltsevo and other Donbas towns.
According to Ukrainian media, the city authorities in Zhdanovsk and Kirovsk have expressed readiness to start talks on the recognition of the legitimacy of the Donetsk People’s Republic.
A rally in Mariupol in south-east of the country resulted in the seizure of city council by the pro-Russian protesters, ITAR-TASS news agency reports. Over 1,000 demonstrators, who chanted “Slavyansk, we’re with you!” and “Referendum,” have forced the police, guarding the building, to retreat.
Some 1,500-2,000 people are out in the square in front of the office Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) in Lugansk, which is held by the protestors for several days now. According to Rossiya 24 channel, the majority of the city’s police have switch to the side of the demonstrators, supporting their push for federalization.
Kharkov tensions
Meanwhile, dozens asked for medical assistance in Ukraine’s second-largest city, Kharkov, after the pro-federalization demonstrators clashed with the Maidan activists. The rallies of two antagonistic sides, which saw a joint turnout of around 3,000, were staged in the city simultaneously, with the police being unable to prevent provocations.
A pro-Russian activist wearing a Guy Fawkes mask and holding a bat guards a barricade outside the regional government building in the eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk on April 13, 2014 (AFP Photo / Alexander Khudoteply)
“50 people required medical aid. Around 10 of them were taken to city hospitals. The doctors are speaking of minor or moderate injuries. Among the wounded there’s one policeman,” the local law enforcement authorities said.
Baseball bats, sticks, stones and stun grenades were used by both sides during the scuffle, Moskovsky Komsomolets newspaper reports.
In Zaporozhye, the police had to use tear gas to break up clashes between the pro-federalization and Maidan activists, UNIAN news agency reports.
Kiev issues new ultimatum
In the capital, Ukraine’s Security Council convened for an urgent session following the events in Slavyansk. A decision was taken to launch “a large scale” operation, “with the involvement of the military,” Ukraine’s coup-imposed president, Aleksandr Turchinov, said in a televised address.
Later he said that the operation in the east will involve a non-regular regiment consisting of 350 reservists.
According to Turchinov, the anti-Maidan activists must lay down their arms and abandon the administrative offices they have occupied till 9 am Monday morning if they want to avoid prosecution.
Turchinov also said the new authorities in Kiev are ready to consider giving more powers to the region. Earlier parliament-appointed Prime Minister Arseny Yatsenyuk pledged to push through a law allowing regional referendums in the country.
The order to use military against the pro-federalization protesters in eastern Ukraine by coup-imposed president, Aleksandr Turchinov, is “criminal” in its nature, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
Interim Interior Minister, Arsen Avakov, has announced the creation of special Interior ministry units based on civilian components all across Ukraine in order to tackle separatist moods.
Kiev is ready to attract 12,000 people into the new force, which will receive the necessary arms, equipment and supervision, the minister wrote on his Facebook page.
The order to put together a “stabilizing” unit in Lugansk Region has already been signed, Avakov wrote, adding the eastern regions of Ukraine will be first to get a taste of the new force.
Earlier on Sunday, a gun flight reportedly broke out at a checkpoint, which was established by protesters on the outskirts of the city of Slavyansk.
Reports on those killed and wounded kept streaming in all day, but lacked consistency and could not be independently verified. According to interim Interior Minister Arsen Avakov, one of the troops from Kiev was killed and five others were injured in the skirmish.
Protesters in Slavyansk said one person was killed and two others injured on their side, adding that two of the Kiev troops were killed.
PressTV - CIA behind Ukraine Crises, ousted Yanukovych says
_http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2014/04/13/358453/cia-provoking-bloodshed-in-ukraine/
Monday Apr 14, 2014
Ukrainian deposed President Viktor Yanukovych says the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) is provoking bloodshed in the country by sanctioning the use of weapons against pro-Russia protesters.
Speaking on a Russian television station late on Sunday, the ousted president said the United States authorized the new government in Kiev to use force to crack down on protesters in the country’s east.
Yanukovych also warned that Ukraine’s interim officials have taken the country to the brink of a civil war.
He noted that CIA Director John Brennan met with Kiev’s new leaders in person and "in fact sanctioned the use of weapons and provoked bloodshed," in Ukraine.
Yanukovych added that in the event of any bloodshed, the new interim officials of Ukraine as well as the US administration will be held responsible.
He also urged the country’s security forces not to obey orders and restrain from shooting at people.
Meanwhile, new reports say that at least three people have been killed in clashes between security forces and protesters during what Ukraine's Interior Minister Arsen Avakov calls an "anti-terrorist operation” in the eastern town of Slavyansk.
Political crisis erupted in Ukraine in November 2013, when Yanukovych refrained from signing an Association Agreement with the EU in favor of closer ties with Russia.
Tensions between the Western powers and Moscow heightened after Crimea declared independence from Ukraine and formally applied to become part of the Russian Federation following a referendum on March 16, in which nearly 97 percent of voters in Crimea chose to rejoin Russia.
On March 21, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed into law documents that officially made the Black Sea peninsula part of the Russian territory despite condemnation from the West and the new Ukrainian government.
The move sparked angry reactions from the US and the European Union, both imposing punitive measures against Russia.
Ukraine’s ousted president puts blame on CIA
_http://www.mail.com/news/world/2778734-kiev-government-to-deploy-troops-ukraines-east.html
World - April 13, 2014
DONETSK, Ukraine (AP) — Turning to force to try to restore its authority in the vital industrial east, Ukraine's government announced Sunday it was sending in troops to try to quash an increasingly brazen pro-Russian insurgency, despite repeated warnings from the Kremlin.
Accusing Moscow of fomenting the unrest, Ukrainian President Oleksandr Turchynov said in a televised address that such a "large-scale anti-terrorist operation" would ensure Russia did not "repeat the Crimean scenario in Ukraine's east." Turchynov pledged to offer amnesty to anyone surrendering their weapons by Monday morning.
Speaking late Sunday on Russian state television, ousted president Viktor Yanukovych accused the CIA of being behind the new government's decision to turn to force, a claim the CIA denied as "completely false."
Yanukovych claimed that CIA director John Brennan met with Ukraine's new leadership and "in fact sanctioned the use of weapons and provoked bloodshed." CIA spokesman Dean Boyd said that while the agency doesn't comment on Brennan's travel itinerary, the "claim that director Brennan encouraged Ukrainian authorities to conduct tactical operations inside Ukraine is completely false."
Ukraine now has "one foot into a civil war," Yanukovych declared, flanked by his former prosecutor general and interior minister, the two associates most despised by the protesters whose monthslong demonstrations were ignited by Yanukovych's decision to back away from closer relations with the European Union and turn toward Russia. Yanukovych fled to Russia in February, saying he feared for his life.
Earlier Sunday, Ukrainian special forces exchanged gunfire with a pro-Russia militia outside the eastern city of Slovyansk — the first reported gunbattle in the east, where armed pro-Russian men have seized a number of key government buildings to press their demands for referendums on autonomy and possible annexation by Russia, following the pattern set by the vote in Crimea last month. A Ukrainian security officer was killed and at least two others wounded.
Calling such attacks a "Russian aggression," Interior Minister Arsen Avakov said in a Facebook post Sunday that special forces of up to 12,000 people will be drawn from volunteers who will be tasked with resisting attacks from pro-Russian forces in their local areas.
Russia's Foreign Ministry was quick to dismiss Turchynov's decree as "criminal" and accused Ukrainian officials of using radical neo-Nazi forces. Unrest has spread to several municipalities in eastern Ukraine, including the major industrial city of Donetsk, which has a large Russian-speaking population and was the support base for Yanukovych. Ethnic Russians in Ukraine's east widely fear that the new pro-Western Ukrainian government will suppress them. (Etc.)
