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| Kiev says Russia provokes trouble in eastern Ukraine, just as in Crimea | Kiev says Russia provokes trouble in eastern Ukraine, just as in Crimea |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| KIEV, Ukraine — The Ukrainian government dispatched its highest-level police and security officials to the eastern part of the country Monday in an effort to put down separatist violence described as inspired by Russia and following a script that played out in Crimea. | KIEV, Ukraine — The Ukrainian government dispatched its highest-level police and security officials to the eastern part of the country Monday in an effort to put down separatist violence described as inspired by Russia and following a script that played out in Crimea. |
| “The plan is to destabilize the situation,” Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk told an emergency cabinet meeting Monday morning. “The plan is for foreign troops to cross the border and seize the country’s territory, which we will not allow.” | “The plan is to destabilize the situation,” Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk told an emergency cabinet meeting Monday morning. “The plan is for foreign troops to cross the border and seize the country’s territory, which we will not allow.” |
| On Sunday, pro-Russian demonstrations in the eastern cities of Kharkiv, Donetsk and Luhansk that had been orderly the last few weekends turned dangerous when crowds broke off and began to occupy government buildings in the three cities. | On Sunday, pro-Russian demonstrations in the eastern cities of Kharkiv, Donetsk and Luhansk that had been orderly the last few weekends turned dangerous when crowds broke off and began to occupy government buildings in the three cities. |
| In a meeting with reporters Monday, Foreign Minister Andrii Deshchytsia said the interior minister, the heads of the Security Service and the National Security Council and a deputy prime minister had gone to eastern Ukraine to bring the situation under control. | In a meeting with reporters Monday, Foreign Minister Andrii Deshchytsia said the interior minister, the heads of the Security Service and the National Security Council and a deputy prime minister had gone to eastern Ukraine to bring the situation under control. |
| “The response will be tough,” he said, in contrast to what happened in Crimea. There, Russia sent in well-disciplined troops, in uniforms without insignia, who began to take over the peninsula by occupying the regional parliament building in Simferopol early on Feb. 27, the day the unprepared new government was taking office in Kiev following the ouster of pro-Russian president Viktor Yanukovych. | “The response will be tough,” he said, in contrast to what happened in Crimea. There, Russia sent in well-disciplined troops, in uniforms without insignia, who began to take over the peninsula by occupying the regional parliament building in Simferopol early on Feb. 27, the day the unprepared new government was taking office in Kiev following the ouster of pro-Russian president Viktor Yanukovych. |
| "I want to address the citizens of eastern Ukraine,” Yatsenyuk said. “It's obvious that the anti-Donetsk, anti-Kharkiv scenario is playing now. And all the troops still mass on Ukraine's border, but we won't let foreign troops enter Ukraine." | "I want to address the citizens of eastern Ukraine,” Yatsenyuk said. “It's obvious that the anti-Donetsk, anti-Kharkiv scenario is playing now. And all the troops still mass on Ukraine's border, but we won't let foreign troops enter Ukraine." |
| Thousands of Russian troops have been camped along the eastern Ukrainian border for days, and officials in Kiev fear that Moscow has been promoting separatist sentiment and demonstrations so it could move across the frontier on the pretext of restoring order and protecting a largely Russian-speaking population. Russian officials deny they have any intention of invading Ukraine and say their troops are on routine maneuvers. | Thousands of Russian troops have been camped along the eastern Ukrainian border for days, and officials in Kiev fear that Moscow has been promoting separatist sentiment and demonstrations so it could move across the frontier on the pretext of restoring order and protecting a largely Russian-speaking population. Russian officials deny they have any intention of invading Ukraine and say their troops are on routine maneuvers. |
| In Moscow, the head of the defense and security committee of the upper house of parliament said Russia could not send peacekeepers into Donetsk without approval from the United Nations Security Council — which is highly unlikely. | |
| Viktor Ozerov told the Interfax news agency that a country cannot simply send in peacekeeping troops at the request of local authorities. He said the Russian legislature authorized the use of troops in Crimea out of a perceived need to enhance security at Russian military bases there and under the terms of the agreement Russia signed with Ukraine to keep those bases. Ukrainian officials sharply dispute that point. | |
| Ozerov said Russian peacekeepers have been stationed in two regions that broke away from Georgia — Abkhazia and South Ossetia — under the framework of a grouping of former Soviet republics called the Commonwealth of Independent States. | |
| “Russia has no right to do this unilaterally,” he said. | |
| The Kiev government did not manage to organize any resistance to the Crimean takeover, which was backed by a Russian propaganda campaign that described Russian-speakers in the region as under threat from fascists who were on their way from Kiev to wreak havoc. In a quickly arranged referendum on March 16, Crimeans voted to join Russia, which promptly annexed the region. | The Kiev government did not manage to organize any resistance to the Crimean takeover, which was backed by a Russian propaganda campaign that described Russian-speakers in the region as under threat from fascists who were on their way from Kiev to wreak havoc. In a quickly arranged referendum on March 16, Crimeans voted to join Russia, which promptly annexed the region. |
| “We call them political tourists,” Deshchytsia said, describing the instigators of the violence in eastern Ukraine. He said the ringleaders cross the Russian border with eastern Ukraine and inspire separatist actions. “Most of these provocations were most likely done by political tourists. The number is lower than a few weeks ago, but they are more active now.” | “We call them political tourists,” Deshchytsia said, describing the instigators of the violence in eastern Ukraine. He said the ringleaders cross the Russian border with eastern Ukraine and inspire separatist actions. “Most of these provocations were most likely done by political tourists. The number is lower than a few weeks ago, but they are more active now.” |
| In Donetsk, a group of people who broke into the regional administration building spent the night there and on Monday announced that they were setting up a Donetsk People's Republic. They and others who occupied buildings in Kharkiv were demanding a Crimean-style referendum. | In Donetsk, a group of people who broke into the regional administration building spent the night there and on Monday announced that they were setting up a Donetsk People's Republic. They and others who occupied buildings in Kharkiv were demanding a Crimean-style referendum. |
| The situation in Kharkiv appeared particularly dangerous after pro-Ukrainians from Kiev reportedly headed to the city early Monday. Fights were breaking out on Kharkiv’s main square Monday, local reporters said. | The situation in Kharkiv appeared particularly dangerous after pro-Ukrainians from Kiev reportedly headed to the city early Monday. Fights were breaking out on Kharkiv’s main square Monday, local reporters said. |
| In Luhansk, police said some demonstrators entered the security services headquarters and seized guns. Police responded by setting up roadblocks around the city. | In Luhansk, police said some demonstrators entered the security services headquarters and seized guns. Police responded by setting up roadblocks around the city. |
| The new government in Kiev took over after Yanukovych fled Feb. 22. He was toppled by protesters who took to Kiev’s Independence Square, known as the Maidan, in a demonstration that began in favor of European integration and turned into a demand for good government and a fight against corruption. | The new government in Kiev took over after Yanukovych fled Feb. 22. He was toppled by protesters who took to Kiev’s Independence Square, known as the Maidan, in a demonstration that began in favor of European integration and turned into a demand for good government and a fight against corruption. |
| Yanukovych comes from Donetsk, and the foundation of his political support was built in the east. | Yanukovych comes from Donetsk, and the foundation of his political support was built in the east. |
| In Crimea, where Ukrainian troops have been withdrawing, a Russian soldier shot a Ukrainian naval officer to death, a spokesman for the Ukrainian military said Monday. The Ukrainian major reportedly was packing to leave the Mykolaev region when an argument broke out and the Russian fired, the spokesman said. | In Crimea, where Ukrainian troops have been withdrawing, a Russian soldier shot a Ukrainian naval officer to death, a spokesman for the Ukrainian military said Monday. The Ukrainian major reportedly was packing to leave the Mykolaev region when an argument broke out and the Russian fired, the spokesman said. |
| Will Englund in Moscow contributed to this report. |