09:55
29.5.2014
With Vladimir Putin in Astana today to ink a customs union deal, Alexey Eremenko from "The Moscow Times" has been taking a timely look at the ramifications of Ukraine's decision to leave the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS):
Read the entire article here
Even President Vladimir Putin conceded in 2005 that the CIS was only a form of "civilized divorce" for former Soviet states.
The bloc has been politically inactive for years, and its disintegration was sealed by the Russian-Georgian war of 2008, which it did nothing to prevent, said Alexei Malashenko of the Carnegie Moscow Center.
Without Ukraine, the CIS is likely to be either mothballed or disbanded altogether, depending on what best suits Russia's interests, Malashenko said.
The bloc has been politically inactive for years, and its disintegration was sealed by the Russian-Georgian war of 2008, which it did nothing to prevent, said Alexei Malashenko of the Carnegie Moscow Center.
Without Ukraine, the CIS is likely to be either mothballed or disbanded altogether, depending on what best suits Russia's interests, Malashenko said.
Read the entire article here
09:37
29.5.2014
Poroshenko says he wants to sign economic deal with EU immediately after inauguration http://t.co/WUaGU2PjhB
— Kyiv Post (@KyivPost) May 29, 2014
09:37
29.5.2014
Bloomberg: Ruble bears unimpressed by rally as Putin's economy sinks http://t.co/yJBD298EbB
— Kyiv Post (@KyivPost) May 29, 2014
08:16
29.5.2014
foto alleging to show 4 missing OSCE observers in Antrasit pic.twitter.com/t7GkdfDvQy
— bruce springnote (@BSpringnote) May 29, 2014
08:13
29.5.2014
RFE/RL's news desk has this update on those missing OSCE observers:
In a statement on May 28, OSCE chief Didier Burkhalter slammed the detentions as "acts of sabotage" that "cannot be tolerated."
He called for their "immediate and unconditional release."
A second group of 11 OSCE observers was detained in the same region of Donetsk on May 28, but the OSCE later said it had managed to reestablish contact.
In late April, a team of seven OSCE observers was abducted in eastern Ukraine until eventually being released in early May.
The self-declared separatist "mayor" of the eastern Ukrainian city of Slovyansk, Vyacheslav Ponomaryov, says four observers from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) who went missing earlier this week are being held by pro-Russian rebels.
The Interfax news agency quotes Ponomaryov as saying the observers, who were last heard from on May 26, are "fine" and were detained because they were "too zealous."
He promised that the team -- which comprises a Dane, a Turk, an Estonian, and a Swiss -- will be freed soon.
The Interfax news agency quotes Ponomaryov as saying the observers, who were last heard from on May 26, are "fine" and were detained because they were "too zealous."
He promised that the team -- which comprises a Dane, a Turk, an Estonian, and a Swiss -- will be freed soon.
In a statement on May 28, OSCE chief Didier Burkhalter slammed the detentions as "acts of sabotage" that "cannot be tolerated."
He called for their "immediate and unconditional release."
A second group of 11 OSCE observers was detained in the same region of Donetsk on May 28, but the OSCE later said it had managed to reestablish contact.
In late April, a team of seven OSCE observers was abducted in eastern Ukraine until eventually being released in early May.
08:07
29.5.2014
'The aggression of Putin may have tipped a decisive majority of Ukrainians towards support for a unified country' http://t.co/bUF7xQfm4V
— Pete Josse (@PeterRadiator) May 29, 2014
08:05
29.5.2014
80 Ukrainian national guard troops surrender their post and weapons in Luhansk. Well intentioned troops poorly led and not well trained
— bruce springnote (@BSpringnote) May 29, 2014
08:00
29.5.2014
Vandalized Metro store in Donetsk pic.twitter.com/7XhaxseN6o
— bruce springnote (@BSpringnote) May 29, 2014
07:39
29.5.2014
Good morning. We'll start the live blog today with this update from RFE/RL's news desk:
Ukraine’s National Guard says it suffered fresh losses, but also killed rebels, when pro-Russian separatists raided their barracks in Luhansk late on May 28.
The violence came after Ukraine’s newly elected president, Petro Poroshenko, promised to hold crisis talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin at next week’s D-Day commemorations in France.
Meanwhile, Russian and Ukrainian diplomats traded barbs on May 28 over violence in eastern Ukraine.
Russia's UN Ambassador Vitaly Churkin said the UN Security Council should call on Ukraine to end the "military chaos.”
Ukraine's UN Ambassador Yuriy Sergeyev said the Security Council should demand that Russia withdraw all of its soldiers and paramilitary groups from Ukrainian territory.
Sergeyev said Moscow must also tell hundreds of Chechens, Cossacks, and Russian mercenaries to leave Ukraine.
Donetsk was calm on May 28 after dozens of pro-Russian separatists were killed in a battle at the city's airport the day before.
Ukraine’s National Guard says it suffered fresh losses, but also killed rebels, when pro-Russian separatists raided their barracks in Luhansk late on May 28.
The violence came after Ukraine’s newly elected president, Petro Poroshenko, promised to hold crisis talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin at next week’s D-Day commemorations in France.
Meanwhile, Russian and Ukrainian diplomats traded barbs on May 28 over violence in eastern Ukraine.
Russia's UN Ambassador Vitaly Churkin said the UN Security Council should call on Ukraine to end the "military chaos.”
Ukraine's UN Ambassador Yuriy Sergeyev said the Security Council should demand that Russia withdraw all of its soldiers and paramilitary groups from Ukrainian territory.
Sergeyev said Moscow must also tell hundreds of Chechens, Cossacks, and Russian mercenaries to leave Ukraine.
Donetsk was calm on May 28 after dozens of pro-Russian separatists were killed in a battle at the city's airport the day before.
22:07
28.5.2014
Barring any late breaking news, this ends our live-blogging for May 28. You can follow our continuing Ukraine coverage here.