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| Russian forces and armed terrorists seizing police station in Slovyansk, Donetsk region (Image: Reuters) |
Situation in Eastern Ukraine remains to be extremely tense amid the
ongoing clashes between the pro-Russian forces and separatists with Ukrainian security
forces and attempts of the separatists and armed militants to federalize the
country. These attempts are backed by the Russian government, openly and
officially demanding federalization of Ukraine, Russian language as a second
official language and refusal of Ukraine to join any of the international organizations
and blocks including EU and NATO. Russian officials express these demands as
pre-conditions of the upcoming talks regarding the deepening crisis in Ukraine.
The wave of armed attempts to seize administrative buildings in the
cities of Eastern Ukraine including Kharkiv, Donetsk and Luhansk started one
week ago, as separatists and Russian terrorists have seized the buildings of
the regional offices and headquarters of the police and SBU (Intelligence
offices), declaring independence from Ukraine and demanding to hold regional
referendums in the regions in order to join Russian Federation.
Ukrainian authorities though reacted strangely soft and inactive on the separatist’s
actions and seizure of the administrative buildings, declaring even the
possibility of amnesty for these people. This inaction of the newly appointed
Ukrainian government cost the country too much, as the situation became
extremely tense with the seizure of the police offices and weapons’ stocks in
several cities of Donetsk and Luhansk regions this weekend.
Kharkiv though is relatively calm, as Ukrainian authorities and security
forces managed to restore control over the city. In addition to that, massive
pro-Ukrainian rally for Ukrainian unity and sovereignty took place in Kharkiv,
in Freedom Square, which is the biggest square in Europe. Tens of thousands of
people have gathered here to protests separatist attempts and to support united
Ukraine. Several other cities in Eastern and Southern Ukraine have experienced
similar rallies. People have also formed a long human chain along several cities
to support Ukrainian unity.
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| Armed terrorists and pro-Russian forces seizing the administrative buildings in Donetsk (Image: AP) |
Though the situation is alarming in Donetsk and Luhansk regions, where
armed pro-Russian militants and Russian forces continue seizure of administrative
buildings and headquarters of police. Russian forces took the police offices in
Slovyansk and Chorvony Lyman (Donetsk region), located nearly 150 km from the
border with Russia. There were attempts to seize the governmental buildings in
several other cities as well, though they were stopped. In Chervony Lyman inhabitants
of the city have faced the attackers and defended their city, forming a human
chain and preventing the terrorists from seizing the buildings, as situation in
Slovyansk is still extremely tense.
Media report about several armed pro-Russian militants, through there
are several reports and evidences proving that the events in Donetsk region are
coordinated in Russian General Headquarters of the Armed Forces, and the “militants”
are Russian military groups, carrying out a special operation aimed to
destabilize situation in Eastern and Southern Ukraine and to create a pretext
for Putin to send Russian troops.
Ukrainian Admiral Igor Kabanenko, former Deputy Head of the General
Headquarters of Ukrainian Armed Forces, had stated that Russia has already started
its military invasion in Eastern Ukraine, as militants in Slovyansk are in fact
Russian soldiers. This statement could be supported also by the recent reports
of Ukrainian military observer and head of the group “Information Resistance”
Dmytro Tymchuk, who reported that the events in Eastern Ukraine are planned in
and coordinated from Russia. Numerous statements of journalists on the ground
and eyewitnesses prove this version, as the attackers carried out Russian weapons.
In addition to that Ukrainian SBU and police continue to arrest Russian
citizens preparing clashes on the territory of Ukraine and working to
destabilize the situation.
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| Oleksandr Turchinov, Ukrainian acting President (Image: The Telegraph) |
Russian military troops also remain along the border with Ukraine,
despite the assurances of Russian officials that the troops are relocated, and
that there were only military trainings. German government declared that it is
deeply concerned over Russia’s actions and cannot confirm that Russia withdrew
its troops. NATO has published later satellite photos showing massive military
presence on the Russian-Ukrainian border. NATO says that Russia deployed about
40 000 military troops and technique along the border, and it is ready for
an attack at any moment.
Thus, situation is extremely tense, and recent events in Donetsk region
proved aggressive intentions of Russian authorities, declared Ukrainian
officials demanding Russia to stop its policies of destabilizing the region.
Ukrainian acting President Oleksandr Turchinov has held an extraordinary
meeting of Ukrainian National Security and Defense Council late in the night of
Saturday. The details of a new anti-terrorist operation to be launched in the
region were discussed, and Ukrainian security forces are ready to respond on
the threats of the terrorists and Russians destabilizing Ukraine. Ukrainian Minister
of Interior Arsen Avakov has stated earlier that police and SBU will take all
the measures in order to stop the separatists and terrorists in Ukraine. Local residents
are also ready to defend their cities, as they are mobilizing against the
invaders.
It’s worth mentioning as well, that ultra-right group Right Sector has
issued a statement on Saturday calling for the total mobilization and declared
its readiness to defend the unity and sovereignty of Ukraine.
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| Russian activists and supporters of separatists in Eastern Ukraine (Image: Reuters) |
Meanwhile Russia denies its involvement, claiming that there are no
Russian troops on the ground, repeating actually its Crimean scenario. In
addition to that Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has blackmailed Ukraine
and international community threatening to disrupt the upcoming talks between
Ukraine, USA, EU and Russia over the crisis in Ukraine, to be held later this
week in Geneva. Lavrov warned that Russia will cancel its participation in the
talks if official Kyiv will use forces against the terrorists in Eastern
Ukraine. Russian officials though call these people “supporters of
federalization”.
International community is deeply concerned over the recent events in
Eastern Ukraine and Russian aggression and demands Russia to de-escalate
situation. It was mentioned earlier, that NATO officials stated the Alliance is
ready for a full-scale military operation in Ukraine in case Russia will invade
the mainland Ukraine. NATO also continues to declare that Crimean annexation
was totally illegal and illegitimate.
US Vice President Joe Biden is also heading to Ukraine to meet with
Ukrainian government over the tense and dangerous situation in Ukraine. The
visit is planned for this week.
Meanwhile international community continues its pressure on Russia and
its high officials and economy, widening the package of economic and political
sanctions imposed against Russians. Thus, Montenegro, Island, Norway and
Albania have joined the ranks of the countries imposing harsh sanctions against
Russia.
UPDATE:
Ukrainian SBU and Ministry of Interior has launched an anti-terrorist operation in Slovyansk (Donetsk region), which started in the morning of Sunday. The active phase of operation is currently over, the block posts of terrorists are taken. Representatives of Russian military and General HQ of Russian Armed Forces have been reportedly identified among the attackers who seied previously the police offices.
In the other two restive cities, Kramatorsk and Chervony Lyman, the police headquartes and important administrative buildings are reportedly freed from the separatists. The operation though continues.
Meanwhile, massive rally is planned to be held in Kyiv Maidan (Independence Square) on Sunday, 13 April, to support unity and sovereignty of Ukraine and to demand actions and effecive measures from the current Ukrainian authorities.
UPDATE:
Ukrainian SBU and Ministry of Interior has launched an anti-terrorist operation in Slovyansk (Donetsk region), which started in the morning of Sunday. The active phase of operation is currently over, the block posts of terrorists are taken. Representatives of Russian military and General HQ of Russian Armed Forces have been reportedly identified among the attackers who seied previously the police offices.
In the other two restive cities, Kramatorsk and Chervony Lyman, the police headquartes and important administrative buildings are reportedly freed from the separatists. The operation though continues.
Meanwhile, massive rally is planned to be held in Kyiv Maidan (Independence Square) on Sunday, 13 April, to support unity and sovereignty of Ukraine and to demand actions and effecive measures from the current Ukrainian authorities.
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