15:13
26.4.2014
A new poll by IRI shows strong opposition to Russian military intervention in Ukraine.
Western Ukraine: 97 percent opposed
Central Ukraine: 94 percent opposed
Eastern Ukraine: 69 percent opposed
Southern Ukraine: 75 percent opposed
Poll also shows voter entusiasm for May 25 presidential election is high.
84 percent say they are likely to vote nationwide (91 percent in western Ukraine, 92 percent in central Ukraine, 79 percent in eastern Ukraine, and 62 percent in southern Ukraine)
Also, acting President Oleksandr Turchynov's job approval is at 46 percent and acting Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk's job approval is at 52 percent.
You can read all the results here.
Western Ukraine: 97 percent opposed
Central Ukraine: 94 percent opposed
Eastern Ukraine: 69 percent opposed
Southern Ukraine: 75 percent opposed
Poll also shows voter entusiasm for May 25 presidential election is high.
84 percent say they are likely to vote nationwide (91 percent in western Ukraine, 92 percent in central Ukraine, 79 percent in eastern Ukraine, and 62 percent in southern Ukraine)
Also, acting President Oleksandr Turchynov's job approval is at 46 percent and acting Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk's job approval is at 52 percent.
You can read all the results here.
15:05
26.4.2014
Khodorkovsky accuses Putin of pursuing a "personal grudge" against Ukraine, "The Moscow Times" reports:
Former oil tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky has said ordinary Russians are paying the price for President Vladimir Putin's "personal grudge" against protesters in Ukraine.
Putin "is offended because of the revolution, because the thieving former President Yanukovych and his corrupt entourage have been forced into exile. The parallels hit too close to home for him," Khodorkovsky said at a conference held Thursday in Ukraine's capital Kiev.
"Once again, this time in Ukraine, he is using his office to avenge a personal grudge," the former Yukos CEO said, according to a transcript of the speech posted on his website.
Putin "is offended because of the revolution, because the thieving former President Yanukovych and his corrupt entourage have been forced into exile. The parallels hit too close to home for him," Khodorkovsky said at a conference held Thursday in Ukraine's capital Kiev.
"Once again, this time in Ukraine, he is using his office to avenge a personal grudge," the former Yukos CEO said, according to a transcript of the speech posted on his website.
14:59
26.4.2014
More from Reuters on OSCE negotiating team:
BERLIN, April 26 (Reuters) - The Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) has dispatched a negotiating team to try to secure the release of observers being held by pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine, a German government source said on Saturday.
"A negotiating team from the OSCE is on the way to the region," said the source, declining to give further details, including exactly where they were heading.
"A negotiating team from the OSCE is on the way to the region," said the source, declining to give further details, including exactly where they were heading.
14:58
26.4.2014
Reuters just issued this news alert:
OSCE NEGOTIATING TEAM ON WAY TO REGION TO TRY TO SECURE RELEASE OF DETAINED OBSERVERS IN EASTERN UKRAINE- GERMAN GOVT SOURCE
OSCE NEGOTIATING TEAM ON WAY TO REGION TO TRY TO SECURE RELEASE OF DETAINED OBSERVERS IN EASTERN UKRAINE- GERMAN GOVT SOURCE
14:57
26.4.2014
Meanwhile, the Russian Defense Ministry denies any violations of Ukrainian airspace. This, via ITAR-TASS:
MOSCOW, April 26 (Itar-Tass) - There have been no violations of Ukraine's air space by Russian warplanes, the Russian Defence Ministry has stated.
14:42
26.4.2014
14:25
26.4.2014
This just came over the Reuters wire:
(URGENT):Russia, Germany discuss possible steps to ease Ukraine crisis
MOSCOW, April 26 (Reuters) - Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and his German counterpart Frank-Walter Steinmeier discussed ways to defuse tension in Ukraine during a telephone call initiated by Berlin on Saturday, the Russian Foreign Ministry said.
Lavrov and Steinmeier "continued discussions about the development of the crisis situation in Ukraine, with an accent on possible steps to de-escalate the situation," the ministry said in a statement.
(URGENT):Russia, Germany discuss possible steps to ease Ukraine crisis
MOSCOW, April 26 (Reuters) - Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and his German counterpart Frank-Walter Steinmeier discussed ways to defuse tension in Ukraine during a telephone call initiated by Berlin on Saturday, the Russian Foreign Ministry said.
Lavrov and Steinmeier "continued discussions about the development of the crisis situation in Ukraine, with an accent on possible steps to de-escalate the situation," the ministry said in a statement.
14:23
26.4.2014
14:19
26.4.2014
Springtime on the Maidan:
Весна на Евромайдане pic.twitter.com/gpZ0npq8K0
— Белорусский партизан (@belpartisan) April 26, 2014
14:14
26.4.2014
Ukrainian presidential candidate and former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko speaking today in Kyiv at a ceremony at the Chernobyl memorial commemorating the 28th anniversary of the 1986 nuclear disaster.
"I believe that today, we must take all the necessary steps together with the European Union, the United States of America and the whole of the democratic world, to stop aggressors peacefully, to do everything to make the Russian troops pull back from Ukraine's border, to unblock our cities and administrative buildings, and free hostages, and to make those whose hands are covered in the blood of Ukrainians stand before the court."
"If Russia continues with its aggression and does not abide by the decisions taken during negotiations, including the Geneva talks, Ukraine must be strong and must repel the invader, so that he will never have such plans and intentions again."
"If Russia continues with its aggression and does not abide by the decisions taken during negotiations, including the Geneva talks, Ukraine must be strong and must repel the invader, so that he will never have such plans and intentions again."