Video: Ukrainian Prisoners Abandoned By Their Guards
A prison in eastern Ukraine was abandoned by the guards when the area was captured by Russian-backed separatists, leaving the inmates to fend for themselves. Some took the opportunity to run away. But many others stayed -- and are now baking bread for local people. (From RFE/RL’s Current Time)
German lieutenant general: NATO exercise not directed against Russia
Ulm, Germany (dpa) -- A major NATO military exercise planned for the autumn and involving 35,000 troops from 30 nations is not expected to sour relations with Russia, the German general overseeing the exercise said Thursday.
"Theoretically, we could have moved this exercise to the east of Europe if we had wanted to escalate [the situation with Russia]. We did not do that," said Lieutenant General Richard Rossmanith, commander of the Multinational Command Opertaive Leadership, at a press conference in the southern city of Ulm.
Preparatory exercises for the autumn manoeuvres in Italy, Spain and Portugal are currently taking place in the German city against the background of heightened tensions with Russia over its annexation of Crimea and support for rebels in eastern Ukraine.
The autumn exercises are the largest for a decade and are intended to flex NATO's muscles on the world stage.
"It is the case that the exercise has strategic messages
comparatively independent of the location of the scenario with reference to the capability of what the alliance can do," Rossmanith said. "And this message will also reach Mister (Vladimir) Putin," he said in reference to the Russian president.
Putin says Russia will stand firm in standoff with West
MOSCOW (AP) -- President Vladimir Putin has vowed that Russia will stand firm in the face of what he described as Western attempts to isolate the country politically and pressurize its economy.
Speaking Thursday before officials of the Federal Security Service, Putin said Moscow has no intention to "make concessions or bend down" and that "no one has succeeded in scaring or pressuring our country, and no one will."
Russia, he added, will respond to any threats.
Russia's relations with the West have deteriorated to levels unmatched since the end of the Cold War around a quarter of a century ago over the Ukrainian crisis. The United States and the European Union have slapped economic sanctions against Russia over its annexation of Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula and support for insurgents in eastern Ukraine.
Here is today's map of the security situation in eastern Ukraine, according to the National Security and Defense Council (CLICK TO ENLARGE):
Video: U.S. Humvees Arrive In Ukraine
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko welcomed the first 10 Humvees provided by the U.S. as part of nonlethal military aid. The vehicles were handed over to units which are fighting Russian-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine. It's expected that a total of 230 Humvees will be delivered within the next 45 days. (RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service)
Video: Clashes Erupt Near Donetsk During Soldiers' Rescue Effort
Ukrainian soldiers traded heavy fire with separatists as they tried to evacuate a wounded soldier from the no-man's-land between the two sides. The fighting broke out on March 25 in the village of Pisky north of separatist-held Donetsk. (Reuters)
Russia threatens to prosecute MP who opposed Crimea annexation
Moscow, March 26, 2015 (AFP) -- Russian prosecutors have asked parliament to lift the immunity from prosecution of the only member of Russia's legislature who voted against the annexation of Crimea from Ukraine, parliamentary officials said Thursday.
That position made Ilya Ponomaryov, now living in exile in the United States, become a pariah in a legislature that has become little more than a rubber stamp for President Vladimir Putin.
The March 2014 takeover of Crimea, which sparked a deep crisis between Moscow and Western capitals, was portrayed by the Kremlin as a patriotic mission to restore control over historic Russian lands and was highly popular with the public.
In addition to opposing the annexation, the 39-year-old politician was also a prominent organiser and speaker at mass rallies against Putin's return to the presidency in 2012 after a period as prime minister.
He has been living in the United States since last year, saying he was forced to leave after being accused in a civil suit of improperly taking money from a state innovation project.
A senior parliamentary official, Yury Shuvalov, confirmed Thursday that prosecutors requested to lift Ponomaryov's immunity.