Ukraine

€‹Russia now enemy, so we’€™ll help Ukraine build up military – NATO chief
NATO is preparing a package deal to ramp up the Ukrainian military because it "€˜must adapt"€™ to Russia viewing it as an enemy, the outgoing chief of the military bloc said. The deal would be submitted to foreign ministers of members states later this month, NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen told El Pais in an interview. [...]
Save
Self-defense forces in Gorlovka, E.Ukraine, claim shooting down Kiev bomber jet
Self-defense forces in the town of Gorlovka, eastern Ukraine, say they have downed another plane - a Sukhoi-24 bomber jet. The pilot is alive and currently being taken for questioning, witnesses told RIA Novosti reports. [...]
Save
Cohen on Ukraine civil war: “€˜Lincoln didn’€™t call Confederates terrorists”
Historical analogies may be inaccurate, but Americans may need to look at their own civil war and compare it to what is happening in Ukraine now. Today the US supports a murderous criminal adventure that has little to do with unifying the country. [...]
Save
49 Ukrainian troops killed as transport plane downed in Lugansk (PHOTOS, VIDEO)
Forty-nine Ukrainian troops were killed when their military Il-76 transport jet was taken down by local militia forces just before it started its descent toward Lugansk Airport. Some military hardware and supplies were lost as well. [...]
Save
Ukrainian APC with troops breaches Russian border
At least one Ukrainian armored vehicle crossed the Russian border with Ukraine Friday overnight and stopped in the Rostov Region, according to Russia'€™s Security Service. The military abandoned the vehicle and returned to Ukraine. [...]
Save
€˜”No more delays”€™: Gazprom CEO sets hard deadline for Ukraine gas payment
Gazprom will not postpone Ukraine’s gas payment deadline set for Monday, CEO Aleksey Miller said. If Kiev fails to pay and therefore causes gas transit problems to Europe, Russia will pump more through the Nord Stream and Yamal-Europe pipelines. [...]
Save
‘White phosphorus’ reports: Ukraine military ‘dropped incendiary bombs’ on Slavyansk (VIDEO)
Residents of Slavyansk and its suburbs were awoken overnight on Thursday by what they say were incendiary bombs that were dropped on their city by Kiev'€™s military. Witnesses and local media reports suggested that the bombs might be phosphorous. [...]
Save
E. Ukraine warzone: Demolished houses, fires after heavy shelling (VIDEOS)
Despite President Poroshenko intention to bring about a ceasefire, Kiev’s relentless military operation in the country's east is intensifying. Slavyansk has become one of the main targets of artillery attacks, amateur videos filmed in the area show. [...]
Save
Democracy? Just business: Egyptian elections get US blessing
The recent presidential polls in Egypt proved once again that the West interprets similar events in the way they correspond to the US and EU interests, calling "€˜legitimate"€™ elections which have nothing in common with real democratic choice. On June 3 Egypt got official results of the presidential elections which took place on May 26-28. [...]
Save
Poroshenko sworn in, but can he steer Ukraine away from abyss?
Billionaire Petro Poroshenko has been sworn in as Ukraine'€™s new president at a ceremony in Kiev. He won the emergency election in the first round on a promise of change as the country faces a massive political and economic crisis. Poroshenko gave his presidential oath on Saturday at an event attended by delegations from 56 countries. [...]
Save
“€˜Bon appétit,”€™ Putin tells G7 leaders dishing the dirt on Russia in Brussels
President Putin wished "€œBon appétit"€ to G7 leaders who patronized Russia – excluded from the club over Ukraine -€“ and set conditions it has to meet to restore ties with the West. Otherwise, Obama and his allies threatened, more sanctions would follow. [...]
Save
Russian troops in Ukraine? Got any proof?’ Putin’s best quotes from French media talk – Video
Vladimir Putin faced a barrage of tricky questions from French media ahead of his meeting with world leaders at the 70th anniversary of the Normandy landings. Here are his best replies on key issues: Ukraine, Crimea and relations with the US. [...]
Save
Obama pledges $1bn for more troops, military drills in E. Europe
President Obama has announced a plan to invest $1 billion in stepping up its military presence in Eastern Europe amid the Ukrainian crisis. The White House will send more troops and equipment to the region to "€œreaffirm"€ its commitment to NATO allies. [...]
Save
Orphanage under fire as Kiev forces shell Slavyansk
Several buildings, including an orphanage, have been severely damaged by artillery fire in Slavyansk, eastern Ukraine, where fighting between self-defense troops and Kiev'€™s army renewed over the weekend. [...]
Save
80 Ukrainian soldiers surrender to self-defense forces in Lugansk
All of the 80 Ukrainian troops holed up at a Lugansk military base have surrendered to self-defense forces who stormed the military installation hosting the Ukrainian National Guard. The initial assault lasted for 10-15 minutes with almost unceasing gunfire, witnesses say. A video reportedly filmed near the attacked facility has appeared on YouTube. [...]
Save
‘Slaughterhouse’: Civilians die in Kiev’s ruthless military attacks (GRAPHIC)
Bodies are piling up in Donetsk morgues after Kiev unleashed fighter jets and artillery on the country'€™s southeast just hours after the presidential election. New leader-elect Petro Poroshenko is pushing for the crackdown to become even "€œmore effective."€ [...]
Save
‘Vote at gunpoint,’ anyone? US keen to legitimize ‘good’ election in Ukraine
A team of American lawmakers is in Ukraine to observe the presidential election which Washington has called a historic milestone and provided over US$ 11.4 million to support the vote despite ongoing violence in eastern Ukraine. [...]
Save
Indiscriminate friendly-fire reported amid Kiev military op in Lugansk region
In a military operation against breakaway Lugansk People's Republic, Kiev forces have killed at least 7 self-defence troops and injured dozens locals. The attackers also reportedly shot at their own, who refused to fulfil orders and surrendered. [...]
Save
Ukraine dangerously interfering with press freedom -€“ Human Rights Watch
Human Rights Watch (HRW) says Ukraine's military and security services are "€œdangerously interfering with press freedom"€ by detaining journalists working with Russian news agencies and denying others entry into the country. [...]
Save
Ukrainian MPs call for immediate troop withdrawal from country’€™s east
Ukrainian troops deployed in the country'€™s east should immediately return to their bases, the country'€™s parliament said in a memorandum. The freshly-adopted document also urges constitutional reforms based on the decentralization of Kiev'€™s power. [...]
Save
Russia & China: “€˜No to sanctions rhetoric, regime change in other countries”
Moscow and Beijing have rejected the imposition of sanctions as political tools and condemned attempts at "encouraging and financing"€ regime changes in other countries in a joint statement released during President Putin'€™s official visit to China. [...]
Save
Unprotected in the East: NATO Appears Toothless in Ukraine Crisis
They were big words, spoken almost as if they had been written in stone. "Our commitment to collective defence is rock solid, now and for the future," NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said more than a week ago, first in the Polish capital Warsaw and then, on the same day, in the Estonian capital Tallinn. [...]
Save