Russian paramilitary leaders in eastern #Ukraine caught on tape communicating with #Moscow http://t.co/EUidXBgxIW pic.twitter.com/vRKiXlmQJ0
— Christopher Miller (@ChristopherJM) April 15, 2014
"Trigger Happy" - Russian TV says "tanks from Kiev" are on the move in eastern Ukraine: pic.twitter.com/THMHVsQByr
— Mark MacKinnon (@markmackinnon) April 15, 2014
Correspondents for the Associated Press and the AFP news agencies reported seeing a column of armored vehicles and tanks north of Slovyansk on April 15.
The appearance of the Ukrainian forces comes one day after acting President Oleksander Turchynov vowed to use force if necessary to assert Ukrainian government control over at least 10 cities in eastern Ukraine where pro-Russian groups have seized administrative buildings.
Turchynov has condemned as "terrorists" the pro-Russian groups occupying government buildings and security headquarters in eastern Ukraine.
The Russian ITAR-TASS news agency cited the pro-Russian acting mayor of Slovyansk, Vyacheslav Ponomaryov, as saying the city is surrounded by Ukrainian government forces.
He said "self-defense militias" were reinforcing barricades at entry points to the city.
LIVE UPDATE Ukrainian troops storm Kramatorsk airfield, Sloviansk http://t.co/1ZNLh5bqkE #Ukraine
— KyivPost (@KyivPost) April 15, 2014
#NATO keeps us all secure. We should all invest to keep NATO strong. Financially & politically in building strong & effective partnerships
— AndersFogh Rasmussen (@AndersFoghR) April 15, 2014
#Russia’s aggression against #Ukraine shows that we cannot take our security for granted
— AndersFogh Rasmussen (@AndersFoghR) April 15, 2014
We are discussing a package of measures providing all allies with the security they need, in the air, at sea, and on land
— AndersFogh Rasmussen (@AndersFoghR) April 15, 2014
First two helicopters are off towards Slavyansk, two others just landed here pic.twitter.com/Dl7c29LLxB
— Olaf Koens (@obk) April 15, 2014
First helicopter packed with special forces now taking off. My guess is to Kramatorsk pic.twitter.com/xWKGrO6stD
— Olaf Koens (@obk) April 15, 2014
The presidential candidate and former prime minister spoke April 15 with RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service in Kyiv.
Tymoshenko called on authorities to "immediately announce a state of emergency" in Ukraine’s eastern regions, where pro-Moscow protesters have seized government buildings and security headquarters in around 10 towns and cities.
She also backed the creation of "brigades of territorial self-defense" forces in Zaporizhzhya Oblast, Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, and Kharkiv Oblast, and said commanders must mobilize citizens to serve in the brigades.
Tymoshenko added that the crisis should not force the postponement of the May 25 presidential election.
Russia sent forces into Ukraine's Crimea and annexed that territory in March.
But Moscow has denied Ukrainian and Western allegations that it has sent operatives into Ukraine's mostly Russia-speaking east to stir up unrest in preparation for a possible military intervention.
A confrontation betwn #Ukraine forces & villagers who want them to leave:these are real locals, not Russian imports. http://t.co/EZoWFSHwL1
— Lindsey Hilsum (@lindseyhilsum) April 15, 2014