14:37
14.4.2014
Some more sanctions info from our news desk:
European Union foreign ministers have agreed to hit four more people with asset freezes for their involvement in misappropriating Ukrainian state funds.
The ministers took the decision at a meeting in Luxembourg today.
The names of the people subject to sanctions will be made public tomorrow.
It will bring the total number of persons subject to an EU asset freeze in connection with embezzlement of Ukrainian public funds to 22.
The EU ministers also adopted trade measures providing temporary tariff preferences for Ukraine.
The trade preferences, which are expected to enter into force in two weeks' time, will apply to November at the latest.
They will remove about 500 million euros of EU customs tariffs a year.
They cover nearly 95 percent of current EU tariffs imports of industrial goods from Ukraine and all EU tariffs on Ukraine’s agricultural produce exports to the EU.
The ministers took the decision at a meeting in Luxembourg today.
The names of the people subject to sanctions will be made public tomorrow.
It will bring the total number of persons subject to an EU asset freeze in connection with embezzlement of Ukrainian public funds to 22.
The EU ministers also adopted trade measures providing temporary tariff preferences for Ukraine.
The trade preferences, which are expected to enter into force in two weeks' time, will apply to November at the latest.
They will remove about 500 million euros of EU customs tariffs a year.
They cover nearly 95 percent of current EU tariffs imports of industrial goods from Ukraine and all EU tariffs on Ukraine’s agricultural produce exports to the EU.
15:10
14.4.2014
This video of local police in Horlivka joining the separatist militia is particularly interesting because one of the men adressing them is introduced as a lieutenant colonel in the Russian Army:
Watch #Gorlivka police in Donetsk province joining local separatist militia this morning https://t.co/2OyInC53XP
— Maxim Eristavi (@MaximEristavi) April 14, 2014
15:56
14.4.2014
That "lieutenant colonel from the Russian Army" who featured in the previous video, also makes an appearance in this footage of at least 100 separatists storming the police headquarters in Horlivka and hoisted a Russian flag above the building earlier today:
16:05
14.4.2014
!!! BREAKING NEWS !!!
The Kremlin says Russian President Vladimir Putin is watching the situation in eastern Ukraine with "great anxiety." Presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov also said Putin has been receiving "many appeals" from people in eastern Ukraine asking for Russian help.
16:20
14.4.2014
Banks are shutting down in eastern Ukraine. Raiffeisen Bank-Aval has closed its branches in Donetsk, Slovyansk, Yenakiyene, and Kramatorsk. First Ukrainian International Bank and Alfa-Bank have closed their offices in Slovyansk. Platinum Bank has closed its branch in Mariupol. Russia's Sberbank continues its operation across the Donetsk region.
"Райффайзен банк - Аваль" закрыл 5 отделений в Енакиево, Краматорске, Славянске, а также центральный офис в Донецке http://t.co/CzEbJBeZ8i
— Радио Свобода (@SvobodaRadio) April 14, 2014
16:22
14.4.2014
Our news desk has issued a longer piece of further EU sanctions and a special assistance package for Kyiv, which you can read here.
16:25
14.4.2014
Pro-Russian forces have reportedly abducted the editor-in-chief of Horlivka city hall's website.
Российские боевики похитили главного редактора городского сайта Горловки http://t.co/VXomj3TJH1 #Горловка #Украина #Україна #РФ #Россия
— Євромайдан (@Dbnmjr) April 14, 2014
16:26
14.4.2014
Acting President @Turchynov calls for deployment of United Nations peacekeepers to eastern #Ukraine http://t.co/U1KKCn9lbG
— KyivPost (@KyivPost) April 14, 2014
16:29
14.4.2014
Some interesting news just in from RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service:
The Ukrainian foreign minister says Ukraine has evidence of Russian involvement in the separatist unrest in the east of the country.
Acting Foreign Minister Andriy Deshchytsya told RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service today that the evidence was "based on several elements."
He said the separatists were armed with weapons used by the Russian army, they were wearing the same uniforms that were used by Russian troops when they occupied Ukraine's Crimea, and they also used Russian in their communications.
The United States and other Western nations have also accused Russia of being behind the separatist unrest.
Russia has repeatedly rejected the allegations.
Deshchytsya also said Ukraine had evidence ousted President Viktor Yanukovych helped finance the unrest but did not provide details.
Acting Foreign Minister Andriy Deshchytsya told RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service today that the evidence was "based on several elements."
He said the separatists were armed with weapons used by the Russian army, they were wearing the same uniforms that were used by Russian troops when they occupied Ukraine's Crimea, and they also used Russian in their communications.
The United States and other Western nations have also accused Russia of being behind the separatist unrest.
Russia has repeatedly rejected the allegations.
Deshchytsya also said Ukraine had evidence ousted President Viktor Yanukovych helped finance the unrest but did not provide details.
16:41
14.4.2014
SBU leaks convo of alleged Russian agents in Slavyansk arranging to go on @lifenews_ru and pretend to be Ukrainian https://t.co/g7BZcUKsD3
— max seddon (@maxseddon) April 14, 2014