This article is from the source 'independent' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/ukraine-crisis-country-stares-into-the-abyss-again-as-easter-truce-is-shattered-9272441.html
The article has changed 5 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Ukraine crisis: Country stares into the abyss again as Easter truce is shattered | Ukraine crisis: Country stares into the abyss again as Easter truce is shattered |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| “Yes, we are celebrating Easter. We are Christian people. But today is also the anniversary of Hitler’s birthday, that is what these fascists were here to celebrate,” said a visibly angry Pavel Dubinin. “They came here to murder people in the memory of their Fuhrer.” | “Yes, we are celebrating Easter. We are Christian people. But today is also the anniversary of Hitler’s birthday, that is what these fascists were here to celebrate,” said a visibly angry Pavel Dubinin. “They came here to murder people in the memory of their Fuhrer.” |
| Other militant separatists agree with his charge that an attack overnight on Saturday in the village near Slovyansk was the work of ultra-nationalist gunmen with the connivance of the Ukrainian authorities. This has been vehemently denied by Kiev, but the killings immediately became the subject of angry international accusations and recriminations. | Other militant separatists agree with his charge that an attack overnight on Saturday in the village near Slovyansk was the work of ultra-nationalist gunmen with the connivance of the Ukrainian authorities. This has been vehemently denied by Kiev, but the killings immediately became the subject of angry international accusations and recriminations. |
| The attack left at least three people dead, and has put into peril an international agreement forged by world powers in Geneva that was supposed to diffuse tensions in eastern Ukraine. The deal, signed by the European Union, Russia, Ukraine and the United States, agreed that illegal armed groups would go home in a process to be overseen by the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE). | The attack left at least three people dead, and has put into peril an international agreement forged by world powers in Geneva that was supposed to diffuse tensions in eastern Ukraine. The deal, signed by the European Union, Russia, Ukraine and the United States, agreed that illegal armed groups would go home in a process to be overseen by the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE). |
| The Kremlin has now accused the Kiev government of reneging on the Geneva agreement by failing to disarm the hard-right group it blamed for carrying out the attack. | The Kremlin has now accused the Kiev government of reneging on the Geneva agreement by failing to disarm the hard-right group it blamed for carrying out the attack. |
| “The Easter truce has been violated,” the Russian foreign ministry said. “This provocation … testifies to the lack of will on the part of the Kiev authorities to rein in and disarm nationalists and extremists.” The new pro-Moscow mayor of Slovyansk, Vyacheslav Ponomarev, declared that the finger of blame pointed at Right Sector, which had been responsible for shooting three local residents dead at a checkpoint. | “The Easter truce has been violated,” the Russian foreign ministry said. “This provocation … testifies to the lack of will on the part of the Kiev authorities to rein in and disarm nationalists and extremists.” The new pro-Moscow mayor of Slovyansk, Vyacheslav Ponomarev, declared that the finger of blame pointed at Right Sector, which had been responsible for shooting three local residents dead at a checkpoint. |
| The business card of Dmytro Yarosh, the head of Right Sector, was produced, with the claim that it was being carried by one of the gunmen involved in the assault. Also found, the separatists say, were “foreign manufactured” weapons and ammunition. Orthodox Christians celebrate Easter outside a church in Lugansk, eastern Ukraine | |
| Holding up cartridges supposedly from the cache, Mr Ponomarev declared: “This is what our people are facing now: attempts to kill them. We need help. What I say to Mr Putin is that if you can’t send your peacekeepers, please send food, arms, medicine. We are under attack.” He announced that Slovyansk and the surrounding area were going to be put under a curfew because of information that further attacks were being planned on the city which has become a stronghold for pro-Russian protesters. | Holding up cartridges supposedly from the cache, Mr Ponomarev declared: “This is what our people are facing now: attempts to kill them. We need help. What I say to Mr Putin is that if you can’t send your peacekeepers, please send food, arms, medicine. We are under attack.” He announced that Slovyansk and the surrounding area were going to be put under a curfew because of information that further attacks were being planned on the city which has become a stronghold for pro-Russian protesters. |
| Two bodies, with what appeared to be gunshot wounds to the head and face, were taken away by armed militiamen in the morning. One of the bodies, in civilian clothes, was Serhiy Rudenko, a local bus driver; the other, in combat fatigues, was the “dead Nazi”, according to the protesters; his accomplices had escaped in two vehicles out of the four which had been used in the shooting. | Two bodies, with what appeared to be gunshot wounds to the head and face, were taken away by armed militiamen in the morning. One of the bodies, in civilian clothes, was Serhiy Rudenko, a local bus driver; the other, in combat fatigues, was the “dead Nazi”, according to the protesters; his accomplices had escaped in two vehicles out of the four which had been used in the shooting. |
| Yuri Zhadobin, a separatist co-ordinator, was at the checkpoint at 3am when shooting began. “We were celebrating Easter, around 15 of us, when these cars came and began shooting. We started firing back and threw Molotov cocktails,” he said. “The fighting went on for a while; at the end the others [attackers] managed to get away in the confusion. They had a lot of ammunition to cover themselves.” | Yuri Zhadobin, a separatist co-ordinator, was at the checkpoint at 3am when shooting began. “We were celebrating Easter, around 15 of us, when these cars came and began shooting. We started firing back and threw Molotov cocktails,” he said. “The fighting went on for a while; at the end the others [attackers] managed to get away in the confusion. They had a lot of ammunition to cover themselves.” |
| Mr Rudenko, 6o, was a pro-Russian activist who had helped build the barricade at his village and used to regularly volunteer for guard duty. “But he was not in any way violent, just an ordinary man,” stressed a neighbour, Anatoly Kurochka. “I have known him all my life. He wanted to play a part in making sure that we are safe from these men from western Ukraine who are being sent to harm us.” | Mr Rudenko, 6o, was a pro-Russian activist who had helped build the barricade at his village and used to regularly volunteer for guard duty. “But he was not in any way violent, just an ordinary man,” stressed a neighbour, Anatoly Kurochka. “I have known him all my life. He wanted to play a part in making sure that we are safe from these men from western Ukraine who are being sent to harm us.” |
| Pavel Dubinin, who described himself as a partisan of the people’s guard, was convinced of official complicity . “This shows how cynical they are. First of all they call a ceasefire to show how religious they are. Then they use these Nazis to carry out killings. We don’t believe that Right Sector will be able to come all this way without help from Kiev. There are people in that junta, especially in the ministry of the interior, who are determined to have a war.” | Pavel Dubinin, who described himself as a partisan of the people’s guard, was convinced of official complicity . “This shows how cynical they are. First of all they call a ceasefire to show how religious they are. Then they use these Nazis to carry out killings. We don’t believe that Right Sector will be able to come all this way without help from Kiev. There are people in that junta, especially in the ministry of the interior, who are determined to have a war.” |
| The ministry in Kiev dismissed the accusation, with one official describing Slovyansk as the “most dangerous city in Ukraine”, where it has little influence. However, hours after the shooting, Arsen Avakov, the interior minister, announced on his Facebook page that he was coming to the east to meet National Guard and special forces units. | The ministry in Kiev dismissed the accusation, with one official describing Slovyansk as the “most dangerous city in Ukraine”, where it has little influence. However, hours after the shooting, Arsen Avakov, the interior minister, announced on his Facebook page that he was coming to the east to meet National Guard and special forces units. |
| Mr Avakov has projected himself as taking a tough stance in the ongoing confrontation, repeatedly issuing deadlines to protesters occupying government buildings to disarm and depart or face attacks. The separatists, who have ignored the ultimatums, generally regard him with disdain and distaste. | Mr Avakov has projected himself as taking a tough stance in the ongoing confrontation, repeatedly issuing deadlines to protesters occupying government buildings to disarm and depart or face attacks. The separatists, who have ignored the ultimatums, generally regard him with disdain and distaste. |
| Mr Ponomarev had no doubt about what kind of reception Mr Abakov was going to get in east: “I certainly don’t want to meet him, shake hands with a criminal like him. He has a bad reputation for all kinds of things, I would not be surprised if someone puts a bullet through his head.” | Mr Ponomarev had no doubt about what kind of reception Mr Abakov was going to get in east: “I certainly don’t want to meet him, shake hands with a criminal like him. He has a bad reputation for all kinds of things, I would not be surprised if someone puts a bullet through his head.” |
| Many inhabitants of Slovyansk say they support the demands of the separatists for a referendum to decide whether the region should have autonomy within a federal Ukraine, and share a distaste for the government in Kiev. But they are also increasingly apprehensive about Slovyansk’s reputation as a pro-Russian bastion attracting violence. | Many inhabitants of Slovyansk say they support the demands of the separatists for a referendum to decide whether the region should have autonomy within a federal Ukraine, and share a distaste for the government in Kiev. But they are also increasingly apprehensive about Slovyansk’s reputation as a pro-Russian bastion attracting violence. |
| This Easter also sees the leadership of the Orthodox Church enmeshed in internecine strife. In Kiev, Patriarch Filaret, in his sermon, condemned Russian “aggression against peace loving Ukraine, which voluntarily gave up nuclear weapons” as “something which must be defeated”. | This Easter also sees the leadership of the Orthodox Church enmeshed in internecine strife. In Kiev, Patriarch Filaret, in his sermon, condemned Russian “aggression against peace loving Ukraine, which voluntarily gave up nuclear weapons” as “something which must be defeated”. |
| In Moscow, Patriarch Kirill asked for God’s help to counter “the designs of those who want to destroy Holy Russia” and hoped Ukraine would benefit from having officials who are “legitimately elected”. | In Moscow, Patriarch Kirill asked for God’s help to counter “the designs of those who want to destroy Holy Russia” and hoped Ukraine would benefit from having officials who are “legitimately elected”. |