The individuals are Valery Bolotov, the self-proclaimed leader of the "Luhansk People's Republic"; Igor Girkin (aka Strelkov), who commands the Donbas People's Militia; Valery Kaurov, leader of the Union of Orthodox Citizens of Ukraine; Sergei Menyailo, the acting governor of Sevastopol; Vyacheslav Ponomaryov, the self-proclaimed mayor of the city of Slovyansk; Andrey Purgin, a leader in the self-declared "Donetsk People's Republic"; and Denis Pushilin, the self-declared chairman of the Supreme Soviet of the "Donetsk People's Republic."
NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said on Thursday that at least a few thousand more Russian troops were now at the frontier, and called it a regrettable step backwards following an earlier withdrawal from the border.
"There has been no build-up," Yuri Ushakov, President Vladimir Putin's foreign policy adviser, told reporters.
He said Russia was concerned about security at the border and added: "This means just the border guards are getting a few reinforcements, and troops have been withdrawn."
On @lifenews_ru, batty MP Elena Mizulina declares Ukraine "accounts for 70% of child porn". HT @buu3a pic.twitter.com/D3aRJLj2t6
— Oliver Carroll (@olliecarroll) June 18, 2014
Spent time @ Army SOS in Kiev, grassroots initiative providing Ukr soldiers w basic eqipmt. Generals r still sending units 2 front w/o armor
— Oliver Carroll (@olliecarroll) June 20, 2014
I saw them take a dozen calls pleading for assistance. They say their main problem not money or ppl willing 2 help, but govt bureaucracy.
— Oliver Carroll (@olliecarroll) June 20, 2014
400 flak helmets being held up by Ukrainian customs, say Army SOS. (!)
— Oliver Carroll (@olliecarroll) June 20, 2014
Officials say Poltava pipeline explosion likely sabotage. Why? Gazprom set to bid on a part of Nord Stream on July 15 http://t.co/6rtXHrwFXM
— Isaac Webb (@isaacdwebb) June 20, 2014
Ukraine peace plan to call for 10-km buffer zone on Russia border http://t.co/BsrUDJczZE
— Alessandra Prentice (@alessaprentice) June 20, 2014
#Putin publicly ignoring pleas for help from separatists in #Ukraine - signaling they are on their own, but also not trying to stop them.
— Douglas Herbert (@dougf24) June 20, 2014