20:27
3.6.2014
19:55
3.6.2014
19:26
3.6.2014
The head of the NATO alliance speaks after a meeting of NATO defense ministers in Warsaw:
NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen has said the alliance had made a number of decisions to make it “fitter, faster, and more flexible.”
He spoke after a defense ministers' meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Commission in Brussels on June 3.
Rasmussen said NATO members agreed to bolster defenses in response to Russian actions in Ukraine.
Earlier in the day, he said Russia's "irresponsible and illegal actions" in Ukraine represent a "serious challenge to a Europe whole, free, and at peace."
The NATO chief said Moscow's behavior shows that it "is ready to use force to redraw borders" and to destabilize sovereign nations in pursuit of its geopolitical goals.
He said Russia's actions "threaten the stability of the entire Euro-Atlantic area."
He spoke after a defense ministers' meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Commission in Brussels on June 3.
Rasmussen said NATO members agreed to bolster defenses in response to Russian actions in Ukraine.
Earlier in the day, he said Russia's "irresponsible and illegal actions" in Ukraine represent a "serious challenge to a Europe whole, free, and at peace."
The NATO chief said Moscow's behavior shows that it "is ready to use force to redraw borders" and to destabilize sovereign nations in pursuit of its geopolitical goals.
He said Russia's actions "threaten the stability of the entire Euro-Atlantic area."
18:49
3.6.2014
LATEST on fighting in eastern Ukraine from our news desk:
There have been fresh clashes between Ukrainian troops and pro-Russia separatists around Ukraine's eastern city of Slovyansk.
Defense Ministry spokesman Vladyslav Seleznyov said two soldiers were killed and 42 wounded in the fighting on June 3.
He said around 300 separatists were killed or wounded. The figure could not be independently confirmed.
Ukraine's prosecutor-general said a total of 181 people, including 59 servicemen, had been killed by "terrorist activity" since hostilities broke out in April.
The fighting in Slovyansk followed a daylong firefight in Luhansk on June 2 where separatists attacked on a border guard camp.
Meanwhile, local officials said eight people were killed in an explosion in the city center of Luhansk on June 2.
The separatists said the blast came from a Ukrainian air strike, but the Ukrainian military said it was caused by a missile misfired by the insurgents. (Reuters and UNIAN)
Defense Ministry spokesman Vladyslav Seleznyov said two soldiers were killed and 42 wounded in the fighting on June 3.
He said around 300 separatists were killed or wounded. The figure could not be independently confirmed.
Ukraine's prosecutor-general said a total of 181 people, including 59 servicemen, had been killed by "terrorist activity" since hostilities broke out in April.
The fighting in Slovyansk followed a daylong firefight in Luhansk on June 2 where separatists attacked on a border guard camp.
Meanwhile, local officials said eight people were killed in an explosion in the city center of Luhansk on June 2.
The separatists said the blast came from a Ukrainian air strike, but the Ukrainian military said it was caused by a missile misfired by the insurgents. (Reuters and UNIAN)
18:47
3.6.2014
NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen is about to give a press conference in Brussels. You can watch it live here.
18:20
3.6.2014
17:54
3.6.2014
The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe says its abducted monitors are alive and talks are continuing (from our news desk):
Lamberto Zannier, the secretary-general of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, says two OSCE monitoring teams seized in eastern Ukraine are "alive and well."
Zannier told reporters that the OSCE was working around the clock to win the monitors' freedom, but declined to elaborate.
Four OSCE monitors were detained in Donetsk on May 26, another four monitors and their Ukrainian translator were abducted in neighboring Luhansk region four days later.
Separatists in eastern Donetsk and Luhansk regions have declared their independence from Kiyv.
Another team of OSCE monitors were seized by the separatists and held for eight days before being released on May 3.
Zannier said that because of security problems, the OSCE is temporarily reducing the number of its monitors in the east, but declined to give specific numbers. (AFP, Interfax, and ITAR-TASS)
Zannier told reporters that the OSCE was working around the clock to win the monitors' freedom, but declined to elaborate.
Four OSCE monitors were detained in Donetsk on May 26, another four monitors and their Ukrainian translator were abducted in neighboring Luhansk region four days later.
Separatists in eastern Donetsk and Luhansk regions have declared their independence from Kiyv.
Another team of OSCE monitors were seized by the separatists and held for eight days before being released on May 3.
Zannier said that because of security problems, the OSCE is temporarily reducing the number of its monitors in the east, but declined to give specific numbers. (AFP, Interfax, and ITAR-TASS)
17:09
3.6.2014
RT is reporting that Ukraine's Defense Ministry has admitted firing missiles in Luhansk yesterday:
Kiev has admitted showering the eastern Ukrainian city of Lugansk with dozens of missiles from the air, saying that its Air Force helicopters and jets “fired more than 150 missiles” in Monday’s military action.
16:47
3.6.2014
16:29
3.6.2014
More video of Obama speaking in Poland. "The United States is not interested in threatening Russia, but rebuilding trust will take quite some time."
He also said that the United States plans to bolster its military presence in Europe by sending in more troops and equipment.
He also said that the United States plans to bolster its military presence in Europe by sending in more troops and equipment.
