16:04
15.4.2014
LIVE UPDATE Ukrainian troops storm Kramatorsk airfield, Sloviansk http://t.co/1ZNLh5bqkE #Ukraine
— KyivPost (@KyivPost) April 15, 2014
16:02
15.4.2014
NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen has been tweeting from the meeting of EU defense ministers in Luxembourg that we reported on earlier:
#NATO keeps us all secure. We should all invest to keep NATO strong. Financially & politically in building strong & effective partnerships
— AndersFogh Rasmussen (@AndersFoghR) April 15, 2014
#Russia’s aggression against #Ukraine shows that we cannot take our security for granted
— AndersFogh Rasmussen (@AndersFoghR) April 15, 2014
We are discussing a package of measures providing all allies with the security they need, in the air, at sea, and on land
— AndersFogh Rasmussen (@AndersFoghR) April 15, 2014
15:50
15.4.2014
First two helicopters are off towards Slavyansk, two others just landed here pic.twitter.com/Dl7c29LLxB
— Olaf Koens (@obk) April 15, 2014
15:49
15.4.2014
First helicopter packed with special forces now taking off. My guess is to Kramatorsk pic.twitter.com/xWKGrO6stD
— Olaf Koens (@obk) April 15, 2014
15:47
15.4.2014
Yulia Tymoshenko has been talking to RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service. We''ll be running a more extended version of the interview later, but here's brief summary from our news desk of some of the things she said:
Yulia Tymoshenko has called on Ukrainians to come together to defend the country against what she describes as a "war" launched by Russia aimed at seizing Ukrainian territory.
The presidential candidate and former prime minister spoke April 15 with RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service in Kyiv.
Tymoshenko called on authorities to "immediately announce a state of emergency" in Ukraine’s eastern regions, where pro-Moscow protesters have seized government buildings and security headquarters in around 10 towns and cities.
She also backed the creation of "brigades of territorial self-defense" forces in Zaporizhzhya Oblast, Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, and Kharkiv Oblast, and said commanders must mobilize citizens to serve in the brigades.
Tymoshenko added that the crisis should not force the postponement of the May 25 presidential election.
Russia sent forces into Ukraine's Crimea and annexed that territory in March.
But Moscow has denied Ukrainian and Western allegations that it has sent operatives into Ukraine's mostly Russia-speaking east to stir up unrest in preparation for a possible military intervention.
The presidential candidate and former prime minister spoke April 15 with RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service in Kyiv.
Tymoshenko called on authorities to "immediately announce a state of emergency" in Ukraine’s eastern regions, where pro-Moscow protesters have seized government buildings and security headquarters in around 10 towns and cities.
She also backed the creation of "brigades of territorial self-defense" forces in Zaporizhzhya Oblast, Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, and Kharkiv Oblast, and said commanders must mobilize citizens to serve in the brigades.
Tymoshenko added that the crisis should not force the postponement of the May 25 presidential election.
Russia sent forces into Ukraine's Crimea and annexed that territory in March.
But Moscow has denied Ukrainian and Western allegations that it has sent operatives into Ukraine's mostly Russia-speaking east to stir up unrest in preparation for a possible military intervention.
15:39
15.4.2014
This is an interesting blog post by Lindsey Hilsum from Britain's Channel 4, who has been reporting from a village near the Russian border.
A confrontation betwn #Ukraine forces & villagers who want them to leave:these are real locals, not Russian imports. http://t.co/EZoWFSHwL1
— Lindsey Hilsum (@lindseyhilsum) April 15, 2014
15:23
15.4.2014
Here's a bit more info from our news desk on the allegations that a Russian bank has been funneling money to separatists:
Ukraine's State Security Service (SBU) says it has opened a criminal case against officials at an unnamed Russian bank for "providing financing to terrorists."
The SBU said the bank transferred the equivalent of $3.75 million between March and April for the financing of militant groups in eastern Ukraine.
It said the bank transferred between $200 and $500 per day to individual militants, including militants involved in the takeover of SBU offices in the eastern city of Luhansk.
Meanwhile, Russia's Defense Ministry said it has suspended the handover of weapons and military equipment from Crimea, which it annexed last month, to Ukraine.
Russia's Deputy Defense Minister Anatoly Antonov said on April 15 the decision was taken to prevent the weapons being used against civilians in Ukraine's east and southeast.
The SBU said the bank transferred the equivalent of $3.75 million between March and April for the financing of militant groups in eastern Ukraine.
It said the bank transferred between $200 and $500 per day to individual militants, including militants involved in the takeover of SBU offices in the eastern city of Luhansk.
Meanwhile, Russia's Defense Ministry said it has suspended the handover of weapons and military equipment from Crimea, which it annexed last month, to Ukraine.
Russia's Deputy Defense Minister Anatoly Antonov said on April 15 the decision was taken to prevent the weapons being used against civilians in Ukraine's east and southeast.
15:20
15.4.2014
Russian Defense Ministry: Transfer of arms, military equipment to #Ukraine from #Crimea suspended http://t.co/FNNvb7R7fS
— KyivPost (@KyivPost) April 15, 2014
15:20
15.4.2014
Ukrainian fighter jet in sky over #Kramatorsk http://t.co/1SVWGsdxkv
— Myroslava Petsa (@myroslavapetsa) April 15, 2014
15:10
15.4.2014
Another update from our news desk:
European Union defense ministers are meeting in Luxembourg to discuss the Ukraine crisis.
Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen is to brief the EU ministers on April 15 on what NATO is doing to bolster member states in Eastern Europe, where the Ukraine crisis has sparked fears Russia is seeking to reestablish its former sphere of influence.
Speaking ahead of the meeting, Rasmussen said NATO plans a three-fold response: "reinforced defense plans, enhanced exercises, and appropriate deployments" to reassure its eastern European members.
He called on Russia to deescalate the crisis, saying "Russia should stop being part of the problem and start being part of the solution."
Many NATO members in Europe also belong to the 28-member European Union, but other members of the trade bloc are not part of military alliance.
Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen is to brief the EU ministers on April 15 on what NATO is doing to bolster member states in Eastern Europe, where the Ukraine crisis has sparked fears Russia is seeking to reestablish its former sphere of influence.
Speaking ahead of the meeting, Rasmussen said NATO plans a three-fold response: "reinforced defense plans, enhanced exercises, and appropriate deployments" to reassure its eastern European members.
He called on Russia to deescalate the crisis, saying "Russia should stop being part of the problem and start being part of the solution."
Many NATO members in Europe also belong to the 28-member European Union, but other members of the trade bloc are not part of military alliance.