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| Ukrainian acting President Oleksandr Turchinov (Image: Kyiv Post) |
After two days of truce on the Orthodox Easter Ukrainian acting
President Oleksandr Turchinov ordered the massive anti-terrorist operation
launched in eastern Ukraine to resume. Ukrainian Armed Forces, police and
security forces, forces of SBU (Intelligence Service) and recently formed
National Guard have continued their anti-terrorist operation in Donetsk and
Luhansk regions aimed to eliminate terrorist activity on the region and prevent
its spread in the country and to restore stability and security in the restive
region.
Despite the recent talks held between Ukraine, US, EU and Russia in
Geneva and finished with signing of the joint Geneva Declaration calling for
all the sides to show restrain and to take all the measures in order to
de-escalate the deepening crisis, the aggression and separatist activity backed
by Russia and supported and coordinated by Russian Security Forces and military
continues in Eastern Ukrainian cities, as many administrative buildings in
Donetsk region are still being seized by separatists and pro-Russian forces.
The city of Slovyansk, located in Donetsk region, is still under almost total
control of the separatists and terrorists.
EU and US are calling Russia to de-escalate the situation and to
withdraw its troops from the borders with Ukraine and stop interfering in
Ukrainian internal affairs, though Russia refuses to recognize its involvement and
accuses Ukrainian government, which is being called by Russian officials as “junta”
and being considered as totally illegitimate, of violating the terms of Geneva
accords. Western countries though have stated that Russia is acting as a side
violating the agreement, while Ukrainian interim government and security and Special
Forces are making everything possible in order to resolve the crisis and to
defend the country and its sovereignty and integrity. US supported Ukrainians
anti-terrorist operation, declaring that Ukraine has the right to defend its
territories and people. Recent visit of US Vice President Joe Biden to Ukraine
has shown US support as well, as the issue of the unrest in eastern Ukraine,
Russian aggression and the ongoing anti-terrorist operations were on the table
among the other issues being discussed, along with the issues of economic and
social reforms necessary for improving democracy in Ukraine and restoring the
country’s economy.
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| Ukrainian Armed Forces in Eastern Ukraine (Image: Kyiv Post) |
EU in its turn has also officially supported Ukrainian anti-terrorist operation
and readiness to resolve the crisis as peaceful as possible, according to the
recent statements of EU Catherine Ashton. Russia in its turn continues to
threat Ukraine with the possible military invasion and claims the upcoming presidential
elections planned for 25 May could be considered as being illegitimate by the
Russian side.
Thus, despite the widening sanctions against Russia imposed by USA,
Canada, EU and other countries and deepening political, diplomatic and economic
isolation of Russia due to the crisis in Ukraine, Russian officials continue to
threat Ukraine. Vladimir Putin has stated in his interview on 23 April, that
Ukrainian anti-terrorist operation being launched in Eastern Ukraine is
unacceptable and shows unprecedented level of violence, being nothing more as a
“punitive operation” against Ukrainian citizens of Eastern Ukraine. Putin also
added that in case Ukrainian current government won’t withdraw its troops and
National Guard from the Eastern Ukrainian cities and won’t halt this operation,
Russia will be forces to interfere, and it will have the consequences for
Ukraine, Putin though didn’t mention what consequences exactly it will have.
Though the threatening was supported by the speeches and statements of
Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergey Lavrov and Minister of the Armed
Forces Sergey Shoigu, as both of them accused Ukraine of violating the terms of
Geneva accords and stated that Russia could take the measures in order to
prevent “Russians and Russian speaking people” in Eastern Ukraine.
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| Ukrainian military in eastern Ukraine (Image: Business Insider) |
Ukrainian government though remains determined on the issue of the
anti-terrorist operation and fight with the terrorism and Russian backed
separatist movements in eastern Ukraine. Ukrainian acting President Oleksandr
Turchinov has declared in his addressing the nation that the operation is
ongoing and it has successes, as several administrative buildings have been
freed and terrorists’ bases and checkpoints have been destroyed as well. SBU continues
arresting dozens of separatists and their organizers and coordinators, among
them many Russian officers. In addition to that SBU has intercepted several
talks held between Russian officers of Special Forces and local Donetsk and
Luhansk separatist leaders regarding the ongoing events, including the abduction,
torturing and killing of the prominent Ukrainian lawyer and activist Volodymyr
Rybak and a young student, both found
dead several days ago. This case was also highlighted in the recent statement
of Ukrainian Foreign Ministry official Yevgen Perebyjinis, who declared that
Russia continues to back aggression on the territory of Ukraine, killing and
torturing Ukrainian citizens and destabilizing situation in the country,
threatening integrity of Ukraine.
Meanwhile, anti-terrorist operation was successfully enough, as more
than 7 terrorists have been killed during the operation, many of them have been
arrested, and several separatist and terrorist checkpoints and bases have been
destroyed or taken. Ukrainian anti-terrorist operation is being conducted
according to the SBU plan, stated Ukrainian officials, and the goal of the
operation is to take the separatist and terrorist forces in circle and prevent
them to spread in the region. Thus, this circle is becoming tighter. Though
Ukrainian side had some losses as well, as at least one military helicopter and
one airplane were destroyed on Friday during an attack against Ukrainian
military base in Donetsk region.
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| Ukrainian anti-terrorist operation in Eastern Ukraine (Image: Kyiv Post) |
Russia in its turn has started massive military trainings on its borders
with Ukraine, in the visibility of Ukrainian border guards, and threat of
Russian military invasion is extremely high nowadays, according to Ukrainians
politicians, military experts and international diplomats and experts as well.
Thus, Dmytro Tymchuk, prominent Ukrainian military observer and head of the
group “Information Resistance” has stated recently that Russian military
invasion could be possible in the frameworks of the “referendum” in Eastern
Ukraine, as Russian backed separatist leaders in Eastern Ukraine demand holding
referendum about the constitutional status of the region. The Crimean scenario
is still possible for Eastern Ukraine as well.
Russian side has declared that it start its military trainings due to
Ukrainian anti-terrorist operation and fearing the possibility of infiltration
of Ukrainian forces, such as nationalist groups radical Right Sector, which was
demonized by the Russian media, on the Russian territory, the claim which is
totally false. Ukrainian acting President Mr. Turchinov has called on Russian
side to show restrain and to avoid confrontation.
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| Ukrainian anti-terrorist operation in Slovyansk, Eastern Ukraine (Image: Kyiv Post) |
Meanwhile, Russia insisted on sending the special OSCE mission to the
restive regions in order to study the situation, and the mission has arrived in
the region at the beginning of this week. OSCE representatives had the chance
to meet with several representatives of the local separatist groups and
self-proclaimed government, but on Friday, 25 April, the bus with the
representatives of the OSCE mission was stopped by the armed men from the
pro-Russian forces, and the representatives of the mission were kidnapped and
they remain being held captive as hostages by the separatists. Ukrainian
spokesperson of the National Security and Defense Council stated that the talks
over their release are ongoing, but it is really hard to deal with “these
people”.
Thus, the situation remains extremely tense, as the ongoing crisis
threatens to turn into a civil war, if Russian side will continue to interfere
and support the terrorists, destabilizing the situation in Ukraine and trying
to disrupt the upcoming presidential elections. Russia in its turn seems to
refuse to resolve the crisis peacefully, as it refused to participate in the
second round of Geneva talks between Ukraine, US, EU and Russia, planned to be
held on 25 April, on Friday. All the sides of the negotiations confirmed their
participation, while Russia announced that it halts the talks over Ukraine, making
the possibility of the peaceful resolving of the current deepening crisis almost
impossible. In addition to that, Russia has declared also about halting all
talks with US White House due to the Ukrainian crisis and the wide and harsh
sanctions imposed on Russia.
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