15 Apr 2014

Pro-Russian protesters and soldiers clash in east Ukraine

Pro-Russian protesters clash with Ukrainian soldiers in the country’s east, as Kiev tries to control the unrest it blames on Russian agitators.

Ukrainian soldiers took control of the Kramatorsk airfield on Tuesday afternoon, as a part of an “anti-terror operation” ordered by the government in Kiev.

The soldiers, who arrived in helicopters, are now facing a crowd of protesters who have piled tyres at the airfields entrance, and have thrown stones. Ukrainian soldiers have responded by firing shots into the air.

Alec Luhm, a journalist who is live-tweeting from the scene, said the crowds have unfurled a banner saying “Don’t shoot Kramatorsk residents” and have chanted “Hands off!” at the Ukrainian soldiers.

Young men in masks were reported to have arrived at the scene, and Molotov cocktails have been seen in the 300-strong crowd.

There were reports that two protesters had been injured by bullets.

The Russian foreign ministry’s human rights representative Konstantin Dolgov was quoted as saying: “The reports we are getting cause deep concern. To all
appearances, events are beginning to develop under the worst case scenario.”

Earlier, photos posted online show Ukrainian soldiers, helicopters and armoured vehicles located near Slaviansk, the flashpoint of violent confrontations at the weekend.

On Tuesday morning, Ukraine’s Interim President Aleksander Turchynov announced that an “anti-terror operation” had been launched in the east of the Donetsk region, where Slaviansk is located.

He told Ukraine’s parliament that the operation would be carried out “responsibly and cautiously”.

“The aim of these actions – I underline it one more time – is to protect the citizens of Ukraine, to stop terror, and to stop criminality, stop attempts to tear Ukraine to pieces,” he said.

He added that Russian plans “were, and remain, brutal” and that Moscow wants “the whole south and east of Ukraine to be on fire.”

However, as Channel 4 News International Editor Lindsey Hilsum found, some Ukrainian soldiers are being met by locals saying that the government in Kiev is not recognised there.

The anti-terror operation will aim to ouse separatist protesters from buildings in eastern cities including Slaviansk, Donetsk and Kharkiv – but no operations to retake buildings had yet started. Police said protesters had voluntarily surrendered the police headquarters in the city of Kramatorsk.

Above: Russian and Ukrainian troops – where are they? (Graphic: Ciaran Hughes)

Kiev firmly lays the blame for the unrest at Vladimir Putin’s door, and says that Russian agents are at the heart of protests in eastern Ukrainian cities.

However, on Tuesday President Putin said it was “absurd” to suggest Russian military forces were acting in Ukraine.

“This is an absurd assertion, there are no Russian troops there,” Mr Putin’s spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, said. He suggested that Western governments were deliberately ignoring Russian assurances on this score, saying “one can only express puzzlement that they prefer not to hear all the statements of the Russian side.”

British Foreign Secretary William Hague added his criticism of Russia’s actions. He was expected to say in a speech: “In recent days Russia has deliberately pushed Ukraine to the brink, and created a still greater risk of violent confrontation.”

But on Tuesday Russia’s Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said the reason for unrest in the region was Ukraine’s government had failed to maintain law and order.

Writing on Facebook, Mr Medvedev said: “Ukraine again spilled blood. The country is on the brink of civil war.” On Monday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that Russia “does not medde in the affaitrs of Ukraine.”

‘Frank and direct’

On Monday night, Barack Obama and President Putin held a “frank and direct” phonecall about the situation in Ukraine.

President Barack Obama emphasised that all irregular forces in the country need to lay down their arm – the White House

In a call that the White House said Moscow requested, President Obama told Mr Putin that those forces were threatening to undermine and destabilise the government in Kiev.

“The president emphasised that all irregular forces in the country need to lay down their arms, and he urged president Putin to use his influence with these armed, pro-Russian groups to convince them to depart the buildings they have seized,” the White House said in a statement.

Russia at Ukraine's border: Nato releases satellite images

Mr Obama said Russian troops needed to withdraw from Ukraine’s border to defuse tensions and made a point of praising Kiev for its “remarkable restraint” and efforts to unify the country with elections, constitutional reform and proposals to decentralize power to local governments.

“The president noted Russia’s growing political and economic isolation as a result of its actions in Ukraine and made clear that the costs Russia already has incurred will increase if those actions persist,” the White House said.

‘Not interfering’

“(He) said that while he continues to believe that a diplomatic solution is still possible, it cannot succeed in an environment of Russian military intimidation on Ukraine’s borders, armed provocation within Ukraine, and escalatory rhetoric by Kremlin officials.”

The Kremlin said Mr Putin told Mr Obama during the call that Russia was not interfering in Ukraine and urged Washington to use its influence to prevent bloodshed.

Earlier, US officials stopped short of announcing a new set of sanctions against Russia but said they were in consultations with European partners about the prospect.
The European Union agreed on Monday to step up sanctions against Moscow by expanding a list of people subjected to asset freezes and visa bans.