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Ukrainian PM greets Swiss president with Danish flag |
"Attempts at military conflict in Ukraine will lead to a military conflict in Europe," Mr Yatsenyuk told the interim cabinet in remarks broadcast live.
"The world has not yet forgotten World War II, but Russia already wants to start World War III."
An aide to interim president Oleksander Turchynov said any incursion by Russian forces across the border will be regarded as an invasion and the attackers will be killed.
"We will consider any crossing of the Ukrainian border by Russian troops into the territory of Donetsk or any other region as a military invasion and we will destroy the attackers," Mr Turchynov's chief-of-staff Serhiy Pashynsky was quoted as saying by Interfax-Ukraine news agency.
"We do not accept false declarations about humanitarian action," he said.
- A Ukrainian military helicopter exploded at a base near the eastern town of Kramatorsk after being hit by a rocket-propelled grenade, officials in Kiev said.
- The Mi-8 helicopter was struck as it was on the tarmac of the base's landing zone. Its pilot managed to escape but was wounded, they said.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian special forces have begun the second phase of their operation in the east of the country by mounting a full blockade of Slaviansk, an official on the presidential staff said.
"The operation will continue. Its goal is to blockade the terrorists in Slaviansk and not allow casualties among civilians," the official said.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel told Russian President Vladimir Putin that she is gravely concerned about eastern Ukraine.
In a phone call to Mr Putin, the Chancellor said she expected Russia to honour the agreement reached in Geneva and urged pro-Russian militia to disarm.
US President Barack Obama is expected to speak to several European leaders today to try to nudge the EU towards fresh sanctions against Russia over Ukraine, sources familiar with the matter said.
- Disagreements among European Union nations on whether to impose new economic sanctions on Russia have held up punitive steps by the United States.
US officials have grown increasingly impatient with what they describe as Russia's failure to live up to its commitments in an agreement reached in Geneva on 17 April to try to de-escalate the crisis in Ukraine.
In a sign of growing US concern about Ukraine, Secretary of State John Kerry issued what amounted to a warning to Russia not to invade..........[rte.ie]
25/4/14
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- "Russland will den Dritten Weltkrieg anzetteln"
Der Kiewer Regierungschef Jazenjuk erhebt schwere
Vorwürfe gegen Russland. Soldaten näherten sich der Grenze zur Ukraine
bis auf einen Kilometer. Kanzlerin Merkel ermahnt Putin und spricht mit
Obama.......etc.....http://www.welt.de/politik/ausland/article127289709/Russland-will-den-Dritten-Weltkrieg-anzetteln.html
25/4/14
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- UKRAINE : Pour Kiev, Moscou veut lancer "une 3ème guerre mondiale"...
Le Premier ministre ukrainien Arseni Iatseniouk accuse la Russie de vouloir lancer une "une troisième guerre mondiale" en soutenant l'insurrection séparatiste dans l'est de l'Ukraine.
John Kerry, de son côté, accuse la Russie de faire "des efforts démesurés pour saboter activement le processus démocratique par le biais d'une campagne d'intimidation grossière"....etc.........http://tempsreel.nouvelobs.com/ukraine-la-revolte/20140425.OBS5202/en-direct-ukraine-pour-kiev-moscou-veut-lancer-une-3eme-guerre-mondiale.html?xtor=RSS-17
25/4/14
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Mi-8 helicopter explodes at Kramatorsk airport in Ukraine’s east...
ReplyDeleteA Mi-8 transport helicopter exploded on Friday at an airport in the city of Kramatorsk, in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk Region, Dmytro Tymchuk, the head of the Ukrainian Military and Political Studies Institute, told journalists.
Tymchuk added that no one was reported wounded in the incident, but did not give any more details on the explosion.
Local media reported earlier, that at least two blasts were heard from the Kramatorsk airport, where plumes of smoke rise in the air.............http://en.itar-tass.com/world/729599
25/4/14
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has accused the West of wanting to "seize" Ukraine, amid escalating rhetoric between Russia and the US....
ReplyDeleteThe US says Russia has failed to live up to an agreement to end the crisis struck in Geneva last week.
American officials say Russia is behind unrest in eastern Ukrainian cities.
Ukraine has warned it will consider any crossing into its territory by Russian troops stationed on the border as a "military invasion".
"We do not accept false declarations about humanitarian action," the chief of staff of acting President Olexander Turchynov told the Interfax-Ukraine news agency.
"We will destroy the attackers."
In a separate development, Russia's foreign currency ratings have been cut by the credit ratings agency Standard & Poor to one notch above "junk" status.
The agency warned that further downgrades were possible if the West imposed tighter sanctions against Moscow..........http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-27153909
25/4/14
Ukrainian officials on Friday said that the country’s special forces had launched the second phase of their military operation in the east of the country, mounting a full blockade of the rebel-held city of Slaviansk....
ReplyDelete"Twenty minutes ago ... Ukrainian special forces units began the second stage, which consists of our taking the decision to blockade the city of Slaviansk completely and give no opportunity to bring in reinforcements," Serhiy Pashynsky, chief-of-staff to acting president Oleksander Turchinov, told Interfax-Ukraine news agency.
In a separate incident, Ukrainian officials said a military helicopter had exploded at a base in the nearby town of Kramatorsk after being hit by a rocket-propelled grenade.
The Mi-8 helicopter was struck as it was on the tarmac of the base's landing zone. Its pilot managed to escape but was wounded, defence ministry officials said...............http://www.france24.com/en/20140425-ukraine-troops-blockade-separatist-stronghold-slaviansk-offensive/
25/4/14
Pentagon says Russian jets violated airspace...
ReplyDeleteThe US says Russian military aircraft have entered Ukrainian airspace on several occasions, amid rising tension in the east of the country.
A Pentagon spokesman called on Russia to "de-escalate the situation".
The statement came as the G7 group of industrialised countries agreed on Saturday to "swiftly" impose fresh sanctions on Russia over Ukraine.
Meanwhile, talks are under way to secure the release of international observers seized by separatists................http://www.bbc.com/news/27167187
26/4/14
Russia questions NATO military buildup near border...
ReplyDeleteThe deployment of US and NATO aviation, ships and troops raises concerns, Russia’s Chief of General Staff told his American counterpart. In a phone conversation the two also spoke of Russian military exercises and “substantial” Ukrainian troop buildup.
“Our concern is caused by an increase of US air force and the American military personnel in the Baltic, Poland, and also the Alliance's ships in the Black Sea,” the Defense Ministry said in a statement, quoting General Valery Gerasimov. NATO wargames in Eastern Europe are also “not helping” to normalize the situation, Russia's defense minister Sergey Shoigu said earlier.
The first waves of US soldiers have already arrived in Poland and Latvia, after Tuesday announcement that the Pentagon is sending about 600 soldiers to Poland and the three Baltic states for infantry exercises. “If there's a message to Moscow, it is the same exact message that we take our obligations very, very seriously on the continent of Europe,” Defense Department spokesman Rear Admiral John Kirby said at the time.
Also this week, the US frigate USS Taylor entered the Black Sea, with this NATO vessel – the French frigate Dupleix – reportedly scheduled to enter the Black Sea by the end of the week. France is also sending four fighter jets to help NATO’s air patrols over the Baltics.
In a phone call on Friday, Gerasimov also told US General Martin Dempsey that Ukraine deployed a “substantial group of forces” on its border with Russia, potentially capable of conducting sabotage. “On the Ukrainian side of the border with Russia, light mechanized border troops are operating, designed for subversive activities,” defense ministry’s statement read. .......http://rt.com/news/155020-russia-army-nato-buildup/
26/4/14