17:12
23.4.2014
RFE/RL's news desk has more details regarding the detention of Vice reporter Simon Ostrovsky in eastern Ukraine:
A pro-Russian leader in Ukraine's rebel-held eastern town of Slovyansk has accused an American journalist being held by the separatists of being a spy.
Vyacheslav Ponomaryov, the self-declared "people's mayor" of Slovyansk, confirmed today that Simon Ostrovsky was being held by pro-Russian militants.
Ponomaryov said Ostrovsky holds dual U.S.-Israeli citizenship and "according to our information, is an informer for the Right Sector," a Ukrainian ultra-nationalist group.
Pro-Russian rebels have accused Right Sector of carrying out an April 20 attack near Slovyansk in which three people died.
The group has denied any connection to the violence.
The U.S. State Department said it is "deeply concerned" over reports of Ostrovsky's kidnapping.
It called on Russia "to use its influence" with pro-Russian militants to secure the immediate release of all hostages in eastern Ukraine.
Vyacheslav Ponomaryov, the self-declared "people's mayor" of Slovyansk, confirmed today that Simon Ostrovsky was being held by pro-Russian militants.
Ponomaryov said Ostrovsky holds dual U.S.-Israeli citizenship and "according to our information, is an informer for the Right Sector," a Ukrainian ultra-nationalist group.
Pro-Russian rebels have accused Right Sector of carrying out an April 20 attack near Slovyansk in which three people died.
The group has denied any connection to the violence.
The U.S. State Department said it is "deeply concerned" over reports of Ostrovsky's kidnapping.
It called on Russia "to use its influence" with pro-Russian militants to secure the immediate release of all hostages in eastern Ukraine.
17:13
23.4.2014
17:32
23.4.2014
@niktwick Yes, no separatists. It's a resort town of no strategic importance.
— Leonid Ragozin (@leonidragozin) April 23, 2014
17:35
23.4.2014
Some more military news from our news desk. This time it sounds like a bit of saber rattling over the North Sea:
Several NATO countries scrambled jets on April 23 after a pair of Russian bombers approached their airspace over the North Sea.
The Dutch Defense Ministry identified the planes as two Russian TU-95s. It said the Russian jets were escorted by aircraft from the Netherlands, Britain, and Denmark until they departed.
The British Defense Ministry said the Russian planes flew in international airspace at all times.
Both the British and the Dutch defense departments said similar incidents involving Russian jets have occurred before, including several in 2013.
The Reuters news agency cites defense analysts as saying Russia uses such surveillance flights to remind the world of its military power and to probe other countries' air defense systems.
The Dutch Defense Ministry identified the planes as two Russian TU-95s. It said the Russian jets were escorted by aircraft from the Netherlands, Britain, and Denmark until they departed.
The British Defense Ministry said the Russian planes flew in international airspace at all times.
Both the British and the Dutch defense departments said similar incidents involving Russian jets have occurred before, including several in 2013.
The Reuters news agency cites defense analysts as saying Russia uses such surveillance flights to remind the world of its military power and to probe other countries' air defense systems.
17:47
23.4.2014
And now our news desk is reporting that there appears to be some confusion over the "liberation" of Sviatohirsk:
Ukraine's Interior Ministry says security forces have "liberated" an eastern town that it said was controlled by armed pro-Russian separatists.
However, reports say the town of Sviatohirsk had never actually been seized by rebels.
The Interior Ministry said April 23 that an operation took place on the outskirts of Sviatohirsk, and that no one was injured.
It said police were now patrolling the streets of the town, which is located not far from the rebel-held town of Slovyansk.
The Interior Ministry said Sviatohirsk has "strategic importance," as it is located on the border of three regions of eastern Ukraine - Donetsk, Luhansk, and Kharkiv.
The Reuters and AFP news agencies said there was no indication that the town had ever been under the control of armed pro-Russian separatists.
However, reports say the town of Sviatohirsk had never actually been seized by rebels.
The Interior Ministry said April 23 that an operation took place on the outskirts of Sviatohirsk, and that no one was injured.
It said police were now patrolling the streets of the town, which is located not far from the rebel-held town of Slovyansk.
The Interior Ministry said Sviatohirsk has "strategic importance," as it is located on the border of three regions of eastern Ukraine - Donetsk, Luhansk, and Kharkiv.
The Reuters and AFP news agencies said there was no indication that the town had ever been under the control of armed pro-Russian separatists.
17:51
23.4.2014
17:57
23.4.2014
18:18
23.4.2014
@MiriamElder Surely it's progress if Pravda is now accepting the theoretical possibility that he's not?
— Mark Galeotti (@MarkGaleotti) April 23, 2014
18:30
23.4.2014
19:49
23.4.2014