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16.6.2014
The head of Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council, Andriy Parubiy, says the council estimates there are 15,000-20,000 "armed terrorists" in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, segodnya.ua reports.
"More than half of them come from Russia," Parubiy said, "and there are Chechens and Russian special forces."
Parubiy was speaking at a press conference today, where he also accused fighters of forcibly mobilizing locals into their ranks.
15:09
16.6.2014
Belarus's foreign minister emerged from meetings with Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov saying all the right things, unsurprisingly. Here's ITAR-TASS:
Belarusian Foreign Minister Vladimir Makei has condemned the attack on the Russian Embassy in Kiev.
Ukraine should fulfil international obligations for ensuring security of diplomatic missions, Makei said at a meeting with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov on Monday.
"It is clear that such provocations should be denounced," he said.
Makei named the actions and statements by Ukrainian parliament-appointed Foreign Minister Andrei Deshchitsa to the Russian leaders as humiliating.
"As foreign ministers we should bring people closer and not to separate them. Such humiliating statements towards the leadership of other state are absolutely unacceptable," he said.
"The Belarusian president has been insulted by journalists and irresponsible politicians. But it's another matter that such statements are made by the top diplomat of the country," Makei said.
Ukraine should fulfil international obligations for ensuring security of diplomatic missions, Makei said at a meeting with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov on Monday.
"It is clear that such provocations should be denounced," he said.
Makei named the actions and statements by Ukrainian parliament-appointed Foreign Minister Andrei Deshchitsa to the Russian leaders as humiliating.
"As foreign ministers we should bring people closer and not to separate them. Such humiliating statements towards the leadership of other state are absolutely unacceptable," he said.
"The Belarusian president has been insulted by journalists and irresponsible politicians. But it's another matter that such statements are made by the top diplomat of the country," Makei said.
14:51
16.6.2014
Some more developments in eastern Ukraine (from RFE/RL's news desk):
Pro-Russian rebels have seized the Ukrainian government's central bank building in separatist-controlled Donetsk.
A representative of the rebels, Oleksandr Matyushyn, said today that separatists had entered discussions with local administrators about transferring control over the local treasury and tax collection service to the self-proclaimed "Donetsk People's Republic."
"We want the tax revenues to stay here instead of going to Kyiv," Matyushyn said.
Andrei Purgin, first deputy prime minister of the self-proclaimed entity, told the media, "It's not a forced seizure. It's a planned dialogue."
Separatist gunmen stood guard at the bank's main entrance while bank staff filed out of the building.
The Donetsk and Luhansk regions declared independence from Kyiv in disputed May 11 referendums whose legitimacy was rejected by Kyiv and decried as a sham by the West.
A representative of the rebels, Oleksandr Matyushyn, said today that separatists had entered discussions with local administrators about transferring control over the local treasury and tax collection service to the self-proclaimed "Donetsk People's Republic."
"We want the tax revenues to stay here instead of going to Kyiv," Matyushyn said.
Andrei Purgin, first deputy prime minister of the self-proclaimed entity, told the media, "It's not a forced seizure. It's a planned dialogue."
Separatist gunmen stood guard at the bank's main entrance while bank staff filed out of the building.
The Donetsk and Luhansk regions declared independence from Kyiv in disputed May 11 referendums whose legitimacy was rejected by Kyiv and decried as a sham by the West.
14:39
16.6.2014
Souvenir shopping in #Kiev."F*** Putin" & "Bandera & proud" fridge magnets. #Yanukovych golden loaf keyring #Ukraine pic.twitter.com/JT4odriv2x
— Harriet Salem (@HarrietSalem) June 16, 2014
14:27
16.6.2014
RFE/RL's news desk has some more details on Moscow's disquiet over the violent demonstration outside the Russian embassy in Kyiv on Saturday:
Russia's Foreign Ministry has sent a note of protest to Ukraine demanding that those responsible for the attempted storming of the Russian Embassy in Kyiv be caught and punished.
The June 15 note criticized Kyiv authorities for not preventing demonstrators from tearing down the Russian flag, throwing stones and eggs at the embassy building, and damaging several vehicles parked nearby.
Protesters, according to some accounts several hundred of them, gathered outside the Russian Embassy on June 14 after news broke that pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine had shot down a Ukrainian military transport plane, killing 49 people aboard.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the protesters "wanted to see blood."
The Kyiv police department said on June 15 that three people had been taken into custody in connection with the disturbances at the Russian Embassy.
The June 15 note criticized Kyiv authorities for not preventing demonstrators from tearing down the Russian flag, throwing stones and eggs at the embassy building, and damaging several vehicles parked nearby.
Protesters, according to some accounts several hundred of them, gathered outside the Russian Embassy on June 14 after news broke that pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine had shot down a Ukrainian military transport plane, killing 49 people aboard.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the protesters "wanted to see blood."
The Kyiv police department said on June 15 that three people had been taken into custody in connection with the disturbances at the Russian Embassy.