12:28
23.4.2014
13:51
23.4.2014
Ukrainian Justice Ministry says it has completed its estimate on the damages Ukraine has suffered from Russia's internationally unrecognized annexation of Crimea and will announce the figures next week, Interfax reports.
14:15
23.4.2014
Chilling video of local councilor and Fatherland party member Volodymyr Rybak being assaulted by a crowd (including a gunman in a balaclava) outside the Horlivka city hall. Rybak's body turned up, bearing signs of torture and death by drowning, near the pro-Russian rebel-held city of Slovyansk on April 22, according to Ukrainian authorities.
"The Moscow Times" quoted the gorlovka.ua website as saying that Rybak "had tried to remove the flag of the separatist Donetsk Republic, the website said. "Over my dead body will you take down that flag," one man in plain clothes yells at Rybak as the politician tries to gain entry to the town hall."
"The Moscow Times" quoted the gorlovka.ua website as saying that Rybak "had tried to remove the flag of the separatist Donetsk Republic, the website said. "Over my dead body will you take down that flag," one man in plain clothes yells at Rybak as the politician tries to gain entry to the town hall."
14:27
23.4.2014
14:52
23.4.2014
Meanwhile, our news desk has an update on the latest diplomatic to-ing and fro-ing:
Russia has accused the Ukrainian government and the United States of distorting last week's Geneva agreement aimed at defusing the crisis in eastern Ukraine.
The Russian Foreign Ministry also alleged in an April 23 statement that Kyiv and Washington were ignoring what it described as provocative actions by Ukrainian nationalists.
The Geneva agreement -- signed on April 17 by Ukraine, Russia, the United States, and the European Union -- calls for all Ukrainian illegal armed groups to surrender their weapons and leave public buildings they occupy.
The Russian Foreign Ministry said Moscow still believes the West is serious about seeking peace in Ukraine, but "the facts speak of the opposite."
The statement repeated Moscow's call for an immediate withdrawal of Ukrainian military units from southeastern Ukraine and the start of an inclusive dialogue.
The Russian Foreign Ministry also alleged in an April 23 statement that Kyiv and Washington were ignoring what it described as provocative actions by Ukrainian nationalists.
The Geneva agreement -- signed on April 17 by Ukraine, Russia, the United States, and the European Union -- calls for all Ukrainian illegal armed groups to surrender their weapons and leave public buildings they occupy.
The Russian Foreign Ministry said Moscow still believes the West is serious about seeking peace in Ukraine, but "the facts speak of the opposite."
The statement repeated Moscow's call for an immediate withdrawal of Ukrainian military units from southeastern Ukraine and the start of an inclusive dialogue.
14:58
23.4.2014
Our Ukrainian Service reports that the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry has sent Russia a diplomatic note to protest the treatment of Crimean Tatar leader Mustafa Dzhemilev, who has been prohibited from entering Crimea for five years.
Kyiv calls it "revenge" for Dzhemilev's "clear and uncompromising approach to the...illegal occupation of Crimea."
Kyiv calls it "revenge" for Dzhemilev's "clear and uncompromising approach to the...illegal occupation of Crimea."
15:06
23.4.2014
New Reuters video of Russia showing off its latest military hardware in Rostov Oblast, near the Ukrainian border. Russian officials said the exercise is part of preparations for a Victory Day parade scheduled for May 9 in Rostov-on-Don.
15:11
23.4.2014
Crimean Tatar leader Mustafa Dzhemilev spoke today to RFE/RL's Belarus Service by phone from Kyiv. Some highlights:
On why Russian authorities would ban him from entering Crimea:
On whether Crimean Tatars have a right to protest and whether they are suffering repression:
On why Russian authorities would ban him from entering Crimea:
"They believe that my actions are directed against the occupying forces. For example, the Ukrainian flag that was flying next to the Crimean Tatar flag on the building of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatars was removed, to avoid any conflict with the rebels, who called themselves self-defense units. With my arrival in Crimea, this flag was raised again, and also [the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatars] made some decisions that the occupation authorities didn't like....
"They think that if I am not there, the Crimean Tatars will be less active in resisting the occupation."
"They think that if I am not there, the Crimean Tatars will be less active in resisting the occupation."
On whether Crimean Tatars have a right to protest and whether they are suffering repression:
"The legal protests in their traditional form -- such as rallies and demonstrations -- are impossible now because may lead to bloody clashes....
"The Crimean Tatars have indeed become the most vulnerable group because [their leaders] suggested that they decline to get Russian passports but keep their Ukrainian citizenship. So they have automatically become foreigners in their own land."
"The Crimean Tatars have indeed become the most vulnerable group because [their leaders] suggested that they decline to get Russian passports but keep their Ukrainian citizenship. So they have automatically become foreigners in their own land."
15:28
23.4.2014
From our newsroom:
The U.S. State Department says it is "deeply concerned" over reports about the kidnapping of American journalist Simon Ostrovsky by pro-Russian separatists in Ukraine.
State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki in a statement on April 23 called on Russia "to use its influence with these groups to secure the immediate and safe release of all hostages in eastern Ukraine."
Ostrovsky, who reports for Vice News, is reportedly being held by pro-Russian insurgents in the eastern city of Slovyansk.
Stella Khorosheva, a spokeswoman for the rebels, said Ostrovsky is being held for unspecified "bad activities."
However, Slovyansk's local rebel leader, Vyatcheslav Ponomarev, told reporters that Ostrovsky "is not being detained, was not abducted, has not been arrested," and claimed that he was "working" in one of the rebel-occupied buildings.
State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki in a statement on April 23 called on Russia "to use its influence with these groups to secure the immediate and safe release of all hostages in eastern Ukraine."
Ostrovsky, who reports for Vice News, is reportedly being held by pro-Russian insurgents in the eastern city of Slovyansk.
Stella Khorosheva, a spokeswoman for the rebels, said Ostrovsky is being held for unspecified "bad activities."
However, Slovyansk's local rebel leader, Vyatcheslav Ponomarev, told reporters that Ostrovsky "is not being detained, was not abducted, has not been arrested," and claimed that he was "working" in one of the rebel-occupied buildings.
15:33
23.4.2014