20:13
25.4.2014
20:15
25.4.2014
Here's the top of our newsroom's wrap-up of events today in Ukraine, which concludes our live blogging for April 25. You can read the whole wrap-up here.
Ukraine's Interior Ministry says armed pro-Russian separatists in the eastern city of Slovyansk have seized a group of international representatives of the OSCE.
The ministry said negotiations were taking place for the release of the group, which includes seven OSCE representatives, five members of the Ukrainian armed forces, and a driver.
The April 25 statement said rebels had seized a bus carrying the observers from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. It said the group was being held in a State Security Service building held by the Slovyansk separatists.
The separatist mayor of Slovyansk, Vyacheslav Ponomaryov, told Reuters that the group had been detained because there were suspicions that a member of the Ukrainian government's military staff, whom he called a spy, was among the group.
OSCE observers have been in the region to oversee implementation of the Geneva agreement -- signed April 17 by Ukraine’s government, Russia, the United States, and the European Union -- aimed at de-escalating the situation in Ukraine.
Western states and Russia have accused each other of failing to take steps to implement the accord.
The White House, meanwhile, said President Barack Obama and the leaders of Britain, France, Germany, and Italy have agreed to "coordinate additional steps to impose costs" on Russia, such as sanctions, over its actions in the Ukraine crisis.
The ministry said negotiations were taking place for the release of the group, which includes seven OSCE representatives, five members of the Ukrainian armed forces, and a driver.
The April 25 statement said rebels had seized a bus carrying the observers from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. It said the group was being held in a State Security Service building held by the Slovyansk separatists.
The separatist mayor of Slovyansk, Vyacheslav Ponomaryov, told Reuters that the group had been detained because there were suspicions that a member of the Ukrainian government's military staff, whom he called a spy, was among the group.
OSCE observers have been in the region to oversee implementation of the Geneva agreement -- signed April 17 by Ukraine’s government, Russia, the United States, and the European Union -- aimed at de-escalating the situation in Ukraine.
Western states and Russia have accused each other of failing to take steps to implement the accord.
The White House, meanwhile, said President Barack Obama and the leaders of Britain, France, Germany, and Italy have agreed to "coordinate additional steps to impose costs" on Russia, such as sanctions, over its actions in the Ukraine crisis.
07:42
26.4.2014
A pro-Russian separatist leader in eastern Ukraine says that the OSCE observers that are being kept hostage are "NATO spies," several international agencies report. "Yesterday we arrested some NATO spies," AFP quoted the leader of the breakaway fighters who declared a "Donetsk Republic" this month, Denis Pushilin, as saying. "[T]hey wil be exchanged for our own prisoners. I don't see any other way they will be freed."
AFP added:
AFP added:
German Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen confirmed that pro-Russian separatists had arrested 13 mission members, including the observers, their interpreter and driver. Four of the team are Germans, including three members of the German military.
Washington called for the immediate release of the OSCE team and State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki insisted "there is a strong connection between Russia and these separatists".
Washington called for the immediate release of the OSCE team and State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki insisted "there is a strong connection between Russia and these separatists".
08:03
26.4.2014
Kyiv has asked Moscow to use its influence with the "terrorists" to secure the release of the OSCE verification team and Ukrainian troops being held in Slovyansk, according to RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service.
The OSCE contingent that was taken prisoner comprises five Ukrainian soldiers; four Germans, three of whom are soldiers; and four military observers from the Czech Republic, Denmark, Poland, and Sweden, respectively, according to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.
The OSCE contingent that was taken prisoner comprises five Ukrainian soldiers; four Germans, three of whom are soldiers; and four military observers from the Czech Republic, Denmark, Poland, and Sweden, respectively, according to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.
08:09
26.4.2014
Ukraine's Interior Ministry says authorities have destroyed a fourth illegal checkpoint in Slovyansk, our service reports.
08:20
26.4.2014
08:29
26.4.2014
In case you missed it overnight, from our newsroom:
Leaders of the Group of Seven (G7) leading industrial powers have agreed to move forward with additional sanctions against Russia if Moscow does not take concrete measures to support the Geneva agreement intended to de-escalate the crisis in Ukraine.
A statement issued on April 26 said that because of the urgent need to ensure "a successful and peaceful democratic vote next month in Ukraine's presidential election," the group has "committed to act urgently to intensify targeted sanctions."
The statement comes amid media reports citing unnamed U.S. officials saying that the United States and the EU will announce new targeted sanctions against Russian officials as early as April 28.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel will travel to Washington next week to meet with U.S. President Barack Obama to discuss a unified response to Russia's actions in Ukraine.
A statement issued on April 26 said that because of the urgent need to ensure "a successful and peaceful democratic vote next month in Ukraine's presidential election," the group has "committed to act urgently to intensify targeted sanctions."
The statement comes amid media reports citing unnamed U.S. officials saying that the United States and the EU will announce new targeted sanctions against Russian officials as early as April 28.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel will travel to Washington next week to meet with U.S. President Barack Obama to discuss a unified response to Russia's actions in Ukraine.
08:42
26.4.2014
09:19
26.4.2014
This just in via Reuters:
MOSCOW, April 26 (Reuters) - Russia will take all possible steps to free detained OSCE military observers in the Ukrainian town of Slaviansk, Russian news agencies reported on Saturday, citing Russia's envoy to the Vienna-based Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe.
"We think that these people need to be freed as soon as possible," Andrei Kelin said in comments cited by ITAR-TASS. "Russia as a member of the OSCE will undertake all possible steps in this matter."
MOSCOW, April 26 (Reuters) - Russia will take all possible steps to free detained OSCE military observers in the Ukrainian town of Slaviansk, Russian news agencies reported on Saturday, citing Russia's envoy to the Vienna-based Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe.
"We think that these people need to be freed as soon as possible," Andrei Kelin said in comments cited by ITAR-TASS. "Russia as a member of the OSCE will undertake all possible steps in this matter."
09:20
26.4.2014
More on the identity and circumstances in this apparent murder case in eastern Ukraine, described along with local lawmaker Volodymyr Rybak as have been "brutally tortured."
"The Kyiv Post" has more details:
"The Kyiv Post" has more details:
A 19-year-old Kyiv Polytechnic Institute student has been identified as the other corpse that was found on April 19 alongside Horlivka city councilman Volodymyr Rybak in a river near Sloviansk in Donetsk Oblast, reported the educational institute’s president Mykhailo Zhurovsky on his VKontekte social media page.
Yuriy Popravko’s body had signs of torture and was found in the Torets River near the village of Raihorodok outside Sloviansk, together with Rybak’s tortured and murdered body.
“To our great sorrow, our worst fears have been confirmed,” wrote KPI president Zhurovsky. “A student at the Kyiv Polytechnic Institute in the Department of Sociology and Law, Yuriy Popravko, has died tragically. His body with signs of torture was found in the river near Slovyansk, Donetsk Oblast, together with the body of deputy Vitaliy Rybak. We express our deepest condolences to the family and friends of Yuriy. May his memory be eternal.”
Yuriy Popravko’s body had signs of torture and was found in the Torets River near the village of Raihorodok outside Sloviansk, together with Rybak’s tortured and murdered body.
“To our great sorrow, our worst fears have been confirmed,” wrote KPI president Zhurovsky. “A student at the Kyiv Polytechnic Institute in the Department of Sociology and Law, Yuriy Popravko, has died tragically. His body with signs of torture was found in the river near Slovyansk, Donetsk Oblast, together with the body of deputy Vitaliy Rybak. We express our deepest condolences to the family and friends of Yuriy. May his memory be eternal.”