Ukrainian journalist Oles Buzyna, who was gunned down last week in Kyiv, was laid to rest on Sunday in a funeral attended by several hundred mourners. Some of them chanted “murderers” and “fascists” -- comments aimed at the Ukrainian authorities, whom they accuse of orchestrating Buzyna’s killing because of his pro-Russian views. An adviser to Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has suggested that Russia may have ordered the killing for propaganda purposes. (Video by RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service)
Some details from our Georgian Service about the Georgian casualty we reported here over the weekend:
Azov Volunteer Is Fourth Georgian National Killed In Ukraine Unrest
Giorgi Janelidze, who was fighting for the right-wing Azov battalion, became the third Georgian national to have been killed fighting pro-Russian forces in Ukraine when he died during mine-clearance work near Shyrokyne, in the Donetsk region, on April 18. Other fighters came under fire from separatist forces as they were trying to recover the body, and it took a full day to retrieve it, with the support of OSCE personnel.
Another Georgian national was killed in Ukraine more than a year ago, during the Maidan unrest that targeted Ukrainian government forces under then-President Viktor Yanukovych.
More than 60 Georgians, mostly former military officers, are currently estimated to be fighting on the side of various pro-Kyiv groups.
About a dozen Georgians are reportedly fighting on the side of pro-Russian separatists.
That concludes our live blogging for Sunday, April 19. Follow our continuing coverage of events in Ukraine, Russia, and throughout our broadcast region here.
From AFP:
French President Francois Hollande said Sunday that negotiations with Moscow were under way to find a solution to a dispute over the sale of two Mistral warships, frozen over the Ukraine crisis.
"We are busy negotiating a solution to the crisis," over the 1.2 billion euro ($1.5 billion) sale, Hollande said on French television.
The delivery of the first warship has been suspended for six months over Russia's role in the Ukraine conflict, straining ties between Paris and Moscow.
Russian President Vladimir Putin last week dismissed the refusal to deliver the ship, but said he expects France to repay the money paid.
From the BarentsObserver piece:
Norway will now consider reinforced measures regarding entry to Svalbard.
“From the Norwegian side we will consider reinforced measures concerning entry, also including Svalbard,” Frode Andersen says to BarentsObserver.
Rogozin’s appearance on Svalbard was unkown to Norwegian authorities before being contacted by BarentsObserver.