16:31
19.4.2014
A pro-Russia rally in Kramatorsk:
And a pro-unity rally in Krivoi Rog:
Small crowd in the end here in #Kramatorsk,despite hopes for more.Get the sense people are pretty exhausted. #Ukraine pic.twitter.com/UVAAHoMOmw
— GrahamWPhillips (@GrahamWP_UK) April 19, 2014
And a pro-unity rally in Krivoi Rog:
6000 Ukrainians march in Krivoi Rog in support of unity. First time I have seen fotos from here pic.twitter.com/g5enqtoG9q
— bruce springnote (@BSpringnote) April 19, 2014
16:28
19.4.2014
Makeshift monuments in Dnipropetrovsk honoring activists killed in Euromaidan uprising have been removed.
Report by Ukrainska Pravda
And a video from RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service (in Ukrainian and Russian):
Report by Ukrainska Pravda
And a video from RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service (in Ukrainian and Russian):
15:59
19.4.2014
Meanwhile, in Crimea...
Ukraine is evacuating its warships from Crimea following the peninsula's annexation by Russia last month.
The office of Ukrainian acting President Oleksandr Turchynov said today that the country's vessels, including the "Kirovohrad" landing ship, the "Vinnytsya" corvette, and the "Zolotonosha" floating base are heading to a naval base in the Ukrainian port city of Odesa.
Ukraine is also withdrawing the rest of its military hardware, including military helicopters, from Crimea. (Via RFE/RL's news desk)
The office of Ukrainian acting President Oleksandr Turchynov said today that the country's vessels, including the "Kirovohrad" landing ship, the "Vinnytsya" corvette, and the "Zolotonosha" floating base are heading to a naval base in the Ukrainian port city of Odesa.
Ukraine is also withdrawing the rest of its military hardware, including military helicopters, from Crimea. (Via RFE/RL's news desk)
15:37
19.4.2014
Thousands rally for a unified #Ukraine in Kryvyi Rih http://t.co/KtBtnxcyAt
— KyivPost (@KyivPost) April 19, 2014
15:32
19.4.2014
Latest from the Special Monitoring Mission in Ukraine – info provided up until 18 April 2014, 20:00 (Kyiv time) https://t.co/2nCUdgPtE5
— OSCE (@OSCE) April 19, 2014
15:28
19.4.2014
According to our news desk, it looks like Kyiv, at least, is putting the eastern standoff "on hold" until the end of the Easter festivities. (Incidentally, both the Western and Eastern Christian churches are celebrating Easter on the same day this year, which is quite a rare occurrence):
Ukraine's Foreign Minister says operations against insurgents in the country's Russian-leaning east have been suspended over Easter.
Andriy Deshchytsia told the BBC today that Ukrainian forces would resume military action after the Easter break if the separatists continued to occupy government buildings.
The Ukrainian interim government, which came to power after antigovernment protests ousted Russia-friendly President Viktor Yanukovych, launched military operations against pro-Moscow groups in eastern regions this week.
Militants have seized government buildings in a dozen cities since April 6.
On April 18, acting President Oleksandr Turchynov and acting Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk called on the insurgents to vacate official buildings.
They pledged amnesty to all militants who leave the buildings, except those guilty of capital offenses.
Andriy Deshchytsia told the BBC today that Ukrainian forces would resume military action after the Easter break if the separatists continued to occupy government buildings.
The Ukrainian interim government, which came to power after antigovernment protests ousted Russia-friendly President Viktor Yanukovych, launched military operations against pro-Moscow groups in eastern regions this week.
Militants have seized government buildings in a dozen cities since April 6.
On April 18, acting President Oleksandr Turchynov and acting Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk called on the insurgents to vacate official buildings.
They pledged amnesty to all militants who leave the buildings, except those guilty of capital offenses.
15:25
19.4.2014
Don't really know what to say about this, but its a cute photo:
In a surreal twist, baby rabbits and chicks have appeared in Donetsk Hotel lobby pic.twitter.com/NKIuFNuWoa
— Kevin Bishop (@bishopk) April 19, 2014
15:05
19.4.2014
RFE/RL's news desk has the latest word from Moscow:
Russia has pledged the "widest support" in helping solve the crisis in Ukraine, but said the fate of Ukraine ultimately lies in the hands of its own people.
In a statement issued today, the Russian Foreign Ministry said "the questions of resolving the internal political crisis should be decided by Ukrainians themselves in close cooperation with a special monitoring mission" of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).
The ministry said Russian deputy minister Grigory Karasin had met with Oleh Tsaryov, a pro-Russia candidate in the Ukrainian presidential election scheduled for May 25.
The statement comes two days after top diplomats from Ukraine, Russia, the United States, and the European Union reached an agreement outlining a series of steps to restore order in Ukraine, where pro-Russian separatists occupy a dozen government buildings in the country's east.
In a statement issued today, the Russian Foreign Ministry said "the questions of resolving the internal political crisis should be decided by Ukrainians themselves in close cooperation with a special monitoring mission" of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).
The ministry said Russian deputy minister Grigory Karasin had met with Oleh Tsaryov, a pro-Russia candidate in the Ukrainian presidential election scheduled for May 25.
The statement comes two days after top diplomats from Ukraine, Russia, the United States, and the European Union reached an agreement outlining a series of steps to restore order in Ukraine, where pro-Russian separatists occupy a dozen government buildings in the country's east.
15:02
19.4.2014
Link to full data for public opinion poll on attitudes in southeastern Ukraine.
Hat tip to Myroslava Petsa for Tweeting:
Hat tip to Myroslava Petsa for Tweeting:
Full public opinion poll done by KIIS in Southeastern #Ukraine [in Russia] --> http://t.co/WpfF09PGnE
— Myroslava Petsa (@myroslavapetsa) April 19, 2014
14:59
19.4.2014
Purported deputy for the "Peoples' Republic of Donetsk" is actually an actor from Moscow, crime.in.ua reports.
Депутат «Донецкой народной республики»-актеришка из Москвы http://t.co/uLpW8PvAkI #Україна #Росія #Донбасс #Донецк
— Євромайдан (@Dbnmjr) April 19, 2014