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Ukraine’s Push East Falters as Militants Seize Army Vehicles Ukraine’s Push East Falters as Militants Seize Army Vehicles
(35 minutes later)
SLOVYANSK, Ukraine — The opening phase of what the Ukrainian government has called a military operation to confront pro-Russian militants suffered a setback Wednesday morning when six armored personnel carriers flying a Russian flag drove into town here and parked in the central square. SLOVYANSK, Ukraine — A highly publicized Ukrainian Army operation to retake control of Slovyansk and other eastern cities from pro-Russia insurgents appeared to falter badly on Wednesday, with one column of armored vehicles abandoned to militant separatists and another ground to a halt by unarmed protesters blocking its path.
Ukrainian news media reported that pro-Russian militias had commandeered the vehicles from the Ukrainian Army and driven them to the central square in Slovyansk, about 120 miles from the Russian border. A crowd gathered to gape at the squat, tracked vehicles and at the red, white and blue flag of Russia flapping in the breeze. The setbacks appeared to reflect new indecision and dysfunction by the interim authorities in Kiev, the capital, who have been vowing for days to end the insurrections in the restive east that they say have been instigated by Russia. The Kremlin has massed thousands of troops near Ukraine’s eastern border, raising fears that it intends to seize more Ukrainian territory, beyond its annexation of the Crimean Peninsula in the south last month.
About 100 soldiers in unmarked green uniforms and bearing the equipment of professional infantry guarded the vehicles. They wore twirled around their right shoulder straps the red and black ribbons that are a symbol of the Soviet Union’s victory in World War II, and today of Russia’s nationalist resurgence. Some of the soldiers had grenade launchers slung over their shoulders. The developments in eastern Ukraine came against a backdrop of rising tensions across Europe over the Ukraine crisis. The NATO alliance said it would step up patrols along its entire eastern frontier, nearest to Russia and Ukraine.
Meanwhile, another Ukrainian armored column fared little better when its advance toward this city occupied by pro-Russian militants ground to a halt in a village south of here, blocked by a crowd in the road. By early afternoon, several hundred people were milling about the parked column of 15 tracked personnel carriers, drinking beer and fraternizing with the soldiers. Ukrainian news media reported that pro-Russian militias had commandeered six armored personnel carriers from the Ukrainian Army and driven them to the central square here in Slovyansk, about 120 miles from the Russian border. A crowd gathered to gape at the squat tracked vehicles and at the red, white and blue flag of Russia flapping in the breeze.
Initially, the soldiers from a military unit based in Dnepropetrovsk, in eastern Ukraine, tried to clear their path by firing in the air, residents said. A tracked armored vehicle rammed an Opel car parked in the road, shoving it aside. But the crowd did not disperse, and the soldiers adopted a passive stance, turning off their vehicles, climbing on top and removing the magazines from their rifles. About 100 soldiers in unmarked green uniforms, bearing no insignia but carrying professional infantry equipment, guarded the vehicles. They wore twirled around their right shoulder straps the red and black ribbons that are a symbol of the Soviet Union’s victory in World War II, and now of Russia’s nationalist resurgence. Some of the soldiers had grenade launchers slung over their shoulders.
“People came out of the village and stood in front of the tanks because they do not want them in their village,” Aleksei Anikov, 33, a construction worker, said. He said residents supported the pro-Russian militants, and realized quickly the Ukrainian army would not shoot unarmed people. Another Ukrainian armored column fared little better when its advance toward Slovyansk, which has been occupied by pro-Russian militants for days, was halted in a village to the south by a crowd blocking the road. By early afternoon, several hundred people were milling around the motionless column of 15 tracked personnel carriers, drinking beer and fraternizing with the soldiers.
Oleksandr Popov, a 2nd lieutenant in the Ukrainian army, said he was with a brigade of paratroopers based in Dnepropetrovsk. His orders were to shoot only if fired upon, he said, and that the column was awaiting orders on how to respond to the crowd. Initially, the soldiers tried to clear a path by firing in the air, residents said. One of the tracked vehicles rammed an Opel car parked in the road, shoving it aside. But the crowd did not disperse, and the soldiers adopted a passive stance, turning off their vehicle engines, climbing on top of their vehicles and removing the magazines from their rifles.
The vehicles seized from the Ukrainian Army had earlier in the day been similarly surrounded by a crowd near the town of Kramatorsk. An amateur video from the scene suggested the Ukrainian soldiers had surrendered the vehicles to the soldiers in unmarked uniforms, rather than fight amid the crowd: the Ukrainians walked away from their armored vehicles, then the pro-Russian soldiers entered and drove them away, headed to the central square of Slovyansk. “People came out of the village and stood in front of the tanks because they do not want them in their village,” said Aleksei Anikov, 33, a construction worker. He said residents supported the pro-Russian militants, and realized quickly that the Ukrainian Army would not shoot unarmed people.
Whether this scene suggested the Ukrainian armor was lost by force or with the collusion of defecting Ukrainian troops is unclear. Either possibility, however, would signal an escalation by Russian-backed militants in eastern Ukraine. Oleksandr Popov, a Ukrainian Army second lieutenant on the scene, said the soldiers were from a brigade of paratroopers based in Dnepropetrovsk, a major city in eastern Ukraine. He said his orders were to shoot only if fired upon, and that the column was awaiting orders on how to respond to the crowd.
Tsenzor.net, a Ukrainian news website, reported that militants seized the vehicles in a neighboring town, Kramatorsk, where Ukrainian paratroopers had landed Tuesday to secure an airfield, in what was intended to be a show of force. The vehicles seized from the Ukrainian Army and driven into the central square in Slovyansk had been similarly surrounded by a crowd earlier in the day, near the town of Kramatorsk. An amateur video clip from there suggested that the Ukrainian soldiers had surrendered the vehicles to armed men in unmarked uniforms, rather than fight with them amid the crowd of civilians. The Ukrainian soldiers are seen walking away from their armored vehicles; the pro-Russian armed men are then seen entering them and driving them away, headed for Slovyansk.
The Ukrainian general who commanded the military operation, Vasily Krutov, stood near armored personnel carriers outside the town and warned loudly that gunmen who did not surrender their weapons would be “destroyed.” Whether this scene suggested that the Ukrainian vehicles had been taken by force or with the collusion of defecting Ukrainian troops was unclear. Either possibility, however, would signal an escalation by Russian-backed militants in eastern Ukraine.
It was unclear whether the vehicles that were used Wednesday were from this same contingent. Kramatorsk is the town where Ukrainian paratroopers arrived on Tuesday to secure an airfield, in what was intended to be a show of force.
In Brussels, the head of NATO said Wednesday that the alliance would strengthen its military presence along its eastern border in response to the developments in Ukraine. Anders Fogh Rasmussen, the alliance’s secretary general, said that NATO would immediately send forces to the region as a deterrent. He did not specify how many troops or aircraft would be involved or what kind of assets would be deployed. The Ukrainian general in command of the military operation, Vasily Krutov, stood near armored personnel carriers outside the town on Tuesday and warned loudly that gunmen who did not surrender their weapons would be “destroyed.”
It was unclear whether the vehicles that were taken on Wednesday were from this same contingent.
In Brussels, the head of NATO said on Wednesday that the alliance would strengthen its military presence along its eastern border in response to the developments in Ukraine. Anders Fogh Rasmussen, the alliance’s secretary general, said that NATO would immediately send forces to the region as a deterrent. He did not specify how many troops or aircraft would be involved.
Earlier this month, the alliance ordered an end to most military cooperation with Russia because of the Kremlin’s annexation of Crimea and its threatening military posture near eastern Ukraine.Earlier this month, the alliance ordered an end to most military cooperation with Russia because of the Kremlin’s annexation of Crimea and its threatening military posture near eastern Ukraine.
In the Ukrainian capital, Kiev, Parliament met in a closed session Wednesday morning with the heads of the Ukrainian military and security forces. In Kiev, Parliament met in a closed session Wednesday morning with the heads of the Ukrainian military and security forces.
Elsewhere in Ukraine, government supporters and the police set up roadblocks outside the city of Odessa. Journalists were told that the roadblocks had been established to prevent Russian militants from entering the city and completing an arc of uprising from the east through the south of Ukraine, in the country’s predominantly Russian-speaking areas.Elsewhere in Ukraine, government supporters and the police set up roadblocks outside the city of Odessa. Journalists were told that the roadblocks had been established to prevent Russian militants from entering the city and completing an arc of uprising from the east through the south of Ukraine, in the country’s predominantly Russian-speaking areas.
In Slovyansk, the armored vehicles flying a Russian flag entered the town through a main checkpoint, coming from the direction of Kramatorsk, where they were reportedly seized, rather than from the highway to the border. The degree of support in the east for secession from Ukraine is a matter of dispute. Surveys indicate that only a minority of residents are in favor, with more respondents preferring to remain part of Ukraine with greater autonomy, the position supported by the Russian government. Talks among Russia, Ukraine, the European Union and the United States to discuss the crisis are scheduled for Thursday in Geneva.
They rumbled through the city and were parked outside City Hall. “People say these are the people’s militia,” one woman said, referring to the uniformed men carrying weapons that clearly had not been obtained from the town’s captured police station. “I don’t know these people. They are not locals.” The crowd on the central plaza of Slovyansk appeared stunned by the presence of the armed soldiers and vehicles outside City Hall on Wednesday. Breaking a silence, one woman yelled “Russia! Russia!” but the crowd did not take up the chant.
“I think we’ll live with the Russians now,” said another spectator near the armored vehicles, which resembled tanks. “People say these are the people’s militia,” another woman said, referring to the uniformed men carrying weapons that clearly had not been obtained from the town’s captured police station. “I don’t know these people. They are not locals.”
The degree of support for seceding from Ukraine in the east is a matter of dispute. Surveys indicate that a minority supports secession from Ukraine, while more favor greater autonomy within Ukraine, the position supported by the Russian government. Talks between Russia, Ukraine, the European Union and the United States are scheduled for Thursday in Geneva. “I think we’ll live with the Russians now,” said another spectator near the armored vehicles.
The crowd on the central plaza of Slovyansk appeared stunned by the presence of the armed soldiers. Breaking the silence, one woman yelled “Russia! Russia!” but the crowd did not take up the chant.