11:39
8.5.2014
NATO chief Anders-Fogh Rasmussen has been responding to Russian claims that it has pulled back troops from the Ukrainian border:
I have very good vision but while we've noted #Russia’s statement so far we haven't seen any - any - indication of troops pulling back
— AndersFogh Rasmussen (@AndersFoghR) May 8, 2014
If we saw visible signs of a meaningful pullback by #Russia troops I'd be the first one to welcome it
— AndersFogh Rasmussen (@AndersFoghR) May 8, 2014
11:40
8.5.2014
RT @russian_market: Referendum will be held on May 11 and not postponed any hour or any second - Separatists.
— Mark MacKinnon (@markmackinnon) May 8, 2014
11:41
8.5.2014
When you think this conflict can't get more baffling, behold the militant+the pup. What message is he trying to send? pic.twitter.com/4RhskkbMzB
— Clarissa Ward (@clarissaward) May 8, 2014
Amazing! RT @NoahSneider : @clarissaward emulating someone? pic.twitter.com/YJ5TGQVfQT”
— Clarissa Ward (@clarissaward) May 8, 2014
11:43
8.5.2014
Here's the latest update on Kyiv's operations against separatists in east Ukraine from RFE/RL's news desk:
Ukraine says the military operation against pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine will continue regardless of their decision to hold referendums.
Ukrainian National Security and Defense Council Secretary Andriy Parubiy said the "antiterrorist operation" will proceed even if the leaders of the self-declared "Donetsk People's Republic" decided to postpone plans for a referendum on self-determination due on May 11.
Ukrainian forces have retaken some of the government offices captured by the separatists in about 12 cities in eastern Ukraine.
Russian President Vladimir Pution called yesterday for separatist leaders in Ukraine's Donetsk and Luhansk regions to delay the holding of such referendums.
Separatist officials said they will consider Putin's request.
Putin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on May 8 that the Kremlin is awaiting the "results of a people's assembly in Donetsk" that he says will decide on whether to hold the referendum.
Ukrainian National Security and Defense Council Secretary Andriy Parubiy said the "antiterrorist operation" will proceed even if the leaders of the self-declared "Donetsk People's Republic" decided to postpone plans for a referendum on self-determination due on May 11.
Ukrainian forces have retaken some of the government offices captured by the separatists in about 12 cities in eastern Ukraine.
Russian President Vladimir Pution called yesterday for separatist leaders in Ukraine's Donetsk and Luhansk regions to delay the holding of such referendums.
Separatist officials said they will consider Putin's request.
Putin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on May 8 that the Kremlin is awaiting the "results of a people's assembly in Donetsk" that he says will decide on whether to hold the referendum.
11:55
8.5.2014
Pro Russian separatists say they will not cancel a referendum planned for Sunday despite a call from President Putin for a delay. #Ukraine
— Keir Simmons (@KeirSimmons) May 8, 2014
12:05
8.5.2014
So now AFP, Reuters and other agencies are confirming the tweets regarding a referendum in east Ukraine:
Pro-Russian separatist leaders in Donetsk say they will continue with a referendum on self-determination on May 11 despite calls by Russian President Vladimir Putin to postpone it. (Interfax, Reuters, AFP)
Pro-Russian separatist leaders in Donetsk say they will continue with a referendum on self-determination on May 11 despite calls by Russian President Vladimir Putin to postpone it. (Interfax, Reuters, AFP)
12:21
8.5.2014
Here's our news desk's report on some of the reaction to Russia's claims that it is pulling troops back from the Ukrainian border:
NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen has said once more that the alliance has not noticed a Russian pullback of forces from the Ukrainian border, as Russian President Vladimir Putin has claimed.
Speaking in Warsaw today after meeting with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, Rasmussen said "so far we haven't seen any indications that they are pulling back their troops."
Rasmussen made the statement after the Russian Foreign Ministry suggested he had "a blind eye" for not noticing the withdrawal.
Rasmussen said: "I have very good vision."
Tusk added that "we should approach President Putin's statement with great caution."
Putin said yesterday that some of the estimated 40,000 Russian troops massed on Ukraine's border had returned to their training grounds.
The White House and NATO said afterward they had not noticed any Russian pullback.
Speaking in Warsaw today after meeting with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, Rasmussen said "so far we haven't seen any indications that they are pulling back their troops."
Rasmussen made the statement after the Russian Foreign Ministry suggested he had "a blind eye" for not noticing the withdrawal.
Rasmussen said: "I have very good vision."
Tusk added that "we should approach President Putin's statement with great caution."
Putin said yesterday that some of the estimated 40,000 Russian troops massed on Ukraine's border had returned to their training grounds.
The White House and NATO said afterward they had not noticed any Russian pullback.
12:26
8.5.2014
Donetsk People's Republic leaders vow to go ahead with referendum on May 11 pic.twitter.com/k51Qmm8czT
— Simon Denyer (@simondenyer) May 8, 2014
12:30
8.5.2014
Here's an item from RFE/RL's news on the Donetsk and Luhansk separatists' determination to still vote on "self-determination:"
Pro-Russian separatist leaders in Donetsk and Luhansk say they will continue with a referendum on self-determination on May 11 despite calls by Russian President Vladimir Putin to postpone them.
A "coordinating committee" of the self-declared "Donetsk People's Republic" said after a meeting in a seized Ukrainian government building in the city of Donetsk today that it would hold a vote on whether to secede from Ukraine on May 11.
Denis Pushilin, the self-styled leader of the Donetsk separatist movement, said "the referendum will happen May 11."
Putin said yesterday in Moscow that the separatist movements in Ukraine's Donetsk and Luhansk regions should delay the holding of such referendums.
Oleksiy Chmylenko, a self-styled leader of the Luhansk separatist forces, told the Interfax news agency today that the "people's assembly of the self-proclaimed Luhansk People's Republic" had decided to go ahead with its independence referendum on May 11.
A "coordinating committee" of the self-declared "Donetsk People's Republic" said after a meeting in a seized Ukrainian government building in the city of Donetsk today that it would hold a vote on whether to secede from Ukraine on May 11.
Denis Pushilin, the self-styled leader of the Donetsk separatist movement, said "the referendum will happen May 11."
Putin said yesterday in Moscow that the separatist movements in Ukraine's Donetsk and Luhansk regions should delay the holding of such referendums.
Oleksiy Chmylenko, a self-styled leader of the Luhansk separatist forces, told the Interfax news agency today that the "people's assembly of the self-proclaimed Luhansk People's Republic" had decided to go ahead with its independence referendum on May 11.
12:31
8.5.2014
In related news, Reuters is reporting that the Russian ambassador to France says President Vladimir Putin will attend D-Day anniversary celebrations in France next month.