17:35
24.3.2014
Remember a few weeks ago when Arseniy Yatsenyuk alleged the Yanukovych regime had stolen $70 billion from state coffers? A new article by Christopher Miller in the "Kyiv Post" shows how just a portion of that was done, and how it was used.
The article cites prosecutors as alleging that Serhiy Kurchenko, Ukraine's youngest billionaire, ran a criminal ring that siphoned off nearly $100 million from state companies and used the money to pay thousands of Berkut riot police and titushki, or hired thugs, to crack down on Euromaidan protesters.
The heads of several government ministries are alleged to have been members of the Kurchenko ring.
Kurchenko, the owner of the VETEK energy conglomerate and Kharkiv's Metalist football club, as well as the publisher of "Forbes" magazine in Ukraine, is on an international wanted list for embezzlement. He has fled Ukraine and is believed to be living in Russia.
Read the entire article HERE:
17:07
24.3.2014
Prime Minister David Cameron says there will be no G8 summit in Russia this year
— Sky News Newsdesk (@SkyNewsBreak) March 24, 2014
17:00
24.3.2014
Sergey #Lavrov and John Kerry's meeting in Hague @RusEmbUSA pic.twitter.com/4OphBGKZek
— MFA Russia (@mfa_russia) March 24, 2014
16:58
24.3.2014
In 2006 when asked if he could help with the "Crimean Tatar problem", Putin said they cannot interfere with the affairs of another country
— Посольство США в РФ (@USEmbRu) March 24, 2014
16:53
24.3.2014
Might be time politicians in Ukraine just stopped using the phone. #tymoshenko
— Andrew (@amgilmore) March 24, 2014
16:53
24.3.2014
From the wires. Russia's Foreign Ministry has imposed sanctions on 12 Canadian politicians and the president of the Canadian-Ukrainian congress in response to sanctions the Canadian government imposed on 14 Russian citizens and a Russian bank.
Russia's Foreign Ministry released the list Monday that included advisors to Prime Minister, members of Canada's parliament and Paul Grod, the president of the Canadian-Ukrainian Congress, all of whom are now prohibited from entering Russian territory.
Russia's Foreign Minister said sanctions were being imposed on the 13 in retaliation for the Canada's sanctions against Russia. Canada imposed its sanctions after Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine.
Canadian media has noted Canada has the third largest population of ethnic Ukrainians and was the first Western power to recognize Ukraine's independence after the collapse of the Soviet Union.
Russia's Foreign Minister said sanctions were being imposed on the 13 in retaliation for the Canada's sanctions against Russia. Canada imposed its sanctions after Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine.
Canadian media has noted Canada has the third largest population of ethnic Ukrainians and was the first Western power to recognize Ukraine's independence after the collapse of the Soviet Union.
16:04
24.3.2014
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A grainy recording has been posted on YouTube that appears to catch Yulia Tymoshenko using salty language and calling for all Russians remaining on Ukrainian territory to be killed with an atomic weapon.
The publisher, "Sergiy Vechirko," alleges the call took place on March 18 -- two days after Crimea's referendum calling for reunification with Russia. He also identifies the speakers as Tymoshenko and the former deputy secretary of Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council, Nestor Shufrych.
As Shufrych bemoans the state of affairs in Crimea, Tymoshenko brusquely cuts him off, saying, "Screw it, we should take up arms and kill the goddamned katsaps" -- a derogatory word for Russians -- "along with their leader."
She adds, "I'm sorry I'm not there right now -- there's no way they would have gotten Crimea away from me."
Shufrych goes on to say that a mutual acquaintance, "Viktor," asked what Kyiv should do about the 8 million Russians still living on Ukrainian territory.
"We should hit them with an atomic weapon," Tymoshenko answers back.
Tymoshenko has ackowledged on Twitter that the phone call was real but that the content was edited to appear virulently anti-Russian. Regarding the 8 million Russians, Tymoshenko claims her actual statement was "Russians in Ukraine are Ukrainians themselves." She added: "Hi FSB.: )"
The sudden appearance of the recording YouTube is reminiscent of last month's scandal in which two high-level diplomatic calls were recorded and leaked on social media, including one in which Assistant U.S. Secretary of State Victoria Nuland was caught saying, "F**k the EU."
Tymoshenko's disclaimers aside, the video is certain to play into Russia's hands by further amplifying the notion that Ukraine's ethnic Russians are in imminent danger of attack.
15:13
24.3.2014
15:03
24.3.2014
EU sells out Ukrainian gays, withdraws gay rights requirement in visa talks with Ukraine. via Justice Min Petrenko http://t.co/pDuaJexjm4
— Maxim Eristavi (@MaximEristavi) March 24, 2014
14:55
24.3.2014
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Crimea's pro-Russian PM Rustam Temirgaliev calls on Russians to be patriotic and vacation in Crimea this year...