13:16
27.5.2014
Amid reports of growing casualties, note that the Ukrainian Defense Ministry yesterday accused separatists of shelling two towns near Slovyansk with small arms and mortar rounds with the aim of causing civilian casualties and discrediting the Ukrainian government's defense efforts.
13:13
27.5.2014
Vasiliy Nikitin, a leader of the self-styled "Luhansk People's Republic," says "nothing bad will happen to" Vyacheslav Bondarenko and Maksim Osovsky and they will be freed soon, according to Interfax.
He claimed the two men, who were seized by gunmen in Luhansk yesterday and are described as journalists, have nothing to do with the press and they confessed to "gathering information for Kyiv."
He claimed the two men, who were seized by gunmen in Luhansk yesterday and are described as journalists, have nothing to do with the press and they confessed to "gathering information for Kyiv."
"When we were examining their cameras we found images of checkpoints taken from different angles, as well as papers carrying the schedule of the exchange of the guards, and maps of the checkpoints' defenses." Nikitin said at a press conference in the building of the Luhansk state administration on Tuesday.
13:05
27.5.2014
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov is quoted by Interfax as accusing the West of seeking "insignificant and even ridiculous" pretexts for Russia sanctions and saying that "attempts to put pressure on the Russian Federation have never produced any results."
13:02
27.5.2014
Here's more, via Reuters, on Ukraine's allegation that Moscow is sending "terrorists" across the border:
"There are grounds to believe that Russian terrorists are being sent onto Ukrainian territory, organised and financed under the direct control of the Kremlin and Russian special forces," Ukraine's foreign ministry said.
12:45
27.5.2014
A more conservative figure of 33 confirmed separatist fighters in Donetsk morgue (@ChristopherJM says "at least 45 dead rebels here."
12:41
27.5.2014
The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry accuses Russia of "sending their terrorists to #Ukraine."
12:29
27.5.2014
12:28
27.5.2014
12:27
27.5.2014
12:20
27.5.2014
Sporadic fighting has broken an early morning lull in the battle between Ukrainian forces and gunmen on the outskirts of Ukraine's eastern city of Donetsk.
There has been no indication yet on whether the government troops have suffered casualties, while reports on the ground suggest (see below) at least 45 fighters are dead (separatists acknowledge at least 30 killed).
There has been no indication yet on whether the government troops have suffered casualties, while reports on the ground suggest (see below) at least 45 fighters are dead (separatists acknowledge at least 30 killed).