11:41
1.5.2014
I would treat as unconfirmed this Russian report of a prisoner swap between Ukrainian government and separatists in Slovyansk. Still haven't seen it anywhere but Interfax. The three Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) employees -- blindfolded and looking bruised -- were "interviewed" by assembled Russian media in a video clip that raised fears last weekend. Interfax:
An SBU spokeswoman had suggested the gunmen who abducted the SBU men were acting on a tip from inside the security service.
The self-defense forces of Slovyansk, eastern Ukraine, have released two of the three detained soldiers of the Ukrainian Security Service's Alfa special operations unit in exchange for their activists.
"We managed to agree with the opposite site to swap two of these special operations unit soldiers for our supporters. We freed them afterwards," a self-defense forces spokesman told Interfax over the phone.
The freed soldiers pledged not to take part in any military operations in southeastern Ukraine, he added.
"We managed to agree with the opposite site to swap two of these special operations unit soldiers for our supporters. We freed them afterwards," a self-defense forces spokesman told Interfax over the phone.
The freed soldiers pledged not to take part in any military operations in southeastern Ukraine, he added.
An SBU spokeswoman had suggested the gunmen who abducted the SBU men were acting on a tip from inside the security service.
12:21
1.5.2014
The Kremlin says German Chancellor Angela Merkel has asked Russian President Vladimir Putin to help free the OSCE military observers being held by separatists in eastern Ukraine.
12:40
1.5.2014
The ultranationalist All-Ukrainian Union Svoboda party says that its local party leader in the eastern town of Kostyantynivka has been kidnapped. They claim it is the second such abduction there in as many days.
12:42
1.5.2014
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13:06
1.5.2014
Here is video of a moving speech by Maidan activist and pop star Ruslana Lyzhychko as she accepted the Atlantic Council's Distinguished Humanitarian Leadership award last night in Washington. "It's not for myself, but for all the people of Ukraine -- those who are still free," she said, offering an impassioned appeal to the United States and the international community to "stop Putin's aggression."
"A fixture of the Euromaidan during Ukrainian protests, Ruslana -- who originally gained fame as winner of the Eurovision song contest -- has been dedicated to advancing democracy and human rights in her country and beyond," the council said.
Ruslana concluded with a Ukrainian-English rendition of the Ukrainian national anthem.
"A fixture of the Euromaidan during Ukrainian protests, Ruslana -- who originally gained fame as winner of the Eurovision song contest -- has been dedicated to advancing democracy and human rights in her country and beyond," the council said.
Ruslana concluded with a Ukrainian-English rendition of the Ukrainian national anthem.
13:09
1.5.2014
Our Ukrainian Service is livestreaming its coverage of what looks to be a sparsely attended pro-Russian rally in Kharkiv on its homepage.