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| Ukraine Says Its Efforts to Regain Control of East Will Continue | |
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| KIEV, Ukraine — Defying warnings from Moscow not to confront pro-Russian militants entrenched in towns across eastern Ukraine, the interim government in Kiev on Friday threatened to maintain efforts to regain control by force that have so far produced little beyond Russian military drills on Ukraine’s border and heightened concerns about Moscow’s next move. | KIEV, Ukraine — Defying warnings from Moscow not to confront pro-Russian militants entrenched in towns across eastern Ukraine, the interim government in Kiev on Friday threatened to maintain efforts to regain control by force that have so far produced little beyond Russian military drills on Ukraine’s border and heightened concerns about Moscow’s next move. |
| Sounding increasingly strident alarms, Ukraine’s interim prime minister, Arseniy P. Yatsenyuk, accused Moscow on Friday of seeking to create a wider conflict. “Attempts at military conflict in Ukraine will lead to a military conflict in Europe,” Mr. Yatsenyuk told the interim cabinet in remarks broadcast live, according to Reuters. “The world has not yet forgotten World War II, but Russia already wants to start World War III.” | Sounding increasingly strident alarms, Ukraine’s interim prime minister, Arseniy P. Yatsenyuk, accused Moscow on Friday of seeking to create a wider conflict. “Attempts at military conflict in Ukraine will lead to a military conflict in Europe,” Mr. Yatsenyuk told the interim cabinet in remarks broadcast live, according to Reuters. “The world has not yet forgotten World War II, but Russia already wants to start World War III.” |
| In a posting on Facebook, Interior Minister Arsen Avakov declared that Ukraine’s military operations in the east — known as “ATO,” meaning Anti-Terrorist Operation — had not been suspended. | In a posting on Facebook, Interior Minister Arsen Avakov declared that Ukraine’s military operations in the east — known as “ATO,” meaning Anti-Terrorist Operation — had not been suspended. |
| “There has been no suspension of the ATO in connection to the threat of invasion by Russia’s armed forces,” Mr. Avakov said, apparently responding to local news reports saying the operation had been called off because of the “heightened risk” of a Russian invasion. “The ATO goes on. The terrorists should be on their guard around the clock. Civilians have nothing to fear.” | “There has been no suspension of the ATO in connection to the threat of invasion by Russia’s armed forces,” Mr. Avakov said, apparently responding to local news reports saying the operation had been called off because of the “heightened risk” of a Russian invasion. “The ATO goes on. The terrorists should be on their guard around the clock. Civilians have nothing to fear.” |
| Despite the minister’s warning, there have been no reports of renewed conflict since Ukrainian forces moved briefly against pro-Russian positions on Thursday in what Mr. Avakov, apparently playing down the action, described on Friday as an operation by “insignificant” government forces that had deployed “without the use of tanks or other heavy armor.” | Despite the minister’s warning, there have been no reports of renewed conflict since Ukrainian forces moved briefly against pro-Russian positions on Thursday in what Mr. Avakov, apparently playing down the action, described on Friday as an operation by “insignificant” government forces that had deployed “without the use of tanks or other heavy armor.” |
| Russia has repeatedly denied having a hand in the unrest convulsing eastern Ukraine or any intention to invade. But an announcement on Thursday by Moscow that it would immediately start military maneuvers along the border with Ukraine, and a threat by Russia’s president, Vladimir V. Putin, of unspecified consequences for Ukraine as a result of what he called a “serious crime,” signaled a combustible new phase in a geopolitical struggle set off by the overthrow of Ukraine’s government in February. | Russia has repeatedly denied having a hand in the unrest convulsing eastern Ukraine or any intention to invade. But an announcement on Thursday by Moscow that it would immediately start military maneuvers along the border with Ukraine, and a threat by Russia’s president, Vladimir V. Putin, of unspecified consequences for Ukraine as a result of what he called a “serious crime,” signaled a combustible new phase in a geopolitical struggle set off by the overthrow of Ukraine’s government in February. |
| Ukraine’s interim defense minister, Mykhailo Koval, was quoted by the Interfax-Ukraine news agency on Friday as saying Russian troops on maneuvers had approached to within 1,100 yards, or one kilometer, of the border but had not crossed. There was no independent corroboration of the minster’s account. | Ukraine’s interim defense minister, Mykhailo Koval, was quoted by the Interfax-Ukraine news agency on Friday as saying Russian troops on maneuvers had approached to within 1,100 yards, or one kilometer, of the border but had not crossed. There was no independent corroboration of the minster’s account. |
| The heightened tensions have buried already faint hopes that a deal reached last Thursday in Geneva by diplomats from the European Union, Russia, Ukraine and the United States might calm a crisis, stirring fears of a wider conflict over Ukraine, a nation of 46 million on a volatile fault line between Europe and Russia. | The heightened tensions have buried already faint hopes that a deal reached last Thursday in Geneva by diplomats from the European Union, Russia, Ukraine and the United States might calm a crisis, stirring fears of a wider conflict over Ukraine, a nation of 46 million on a volatile fault line between Europe and Russia. |
| In Washington, Secretary of State John Kerry warned Russia on Thursday night that it would face additional economic sanctions if it failed to carry out that agreement. “The window to change course is closing,” he said. Sanctions could be announced as soon as Friday if the Russians do not respond, said one administration official who asked not to be identified while discussing internal planning. | In Washington, Secretary of State John Kerry warned Russia on Thursday night that it would face additional economic sanctions if it failed to carry out that agreement. “The window to change course is closing,” he said. Sanctions could be announced as soon as Friday if the Russians do not respond, said one administration official who asked not to be identified while discussing internal planning. |
| The threat of intensified sanctions was under underscored on Friday when the rating agency Standard & Poor’s downgraded its assessment of Russia. | The threat of intensified sanctions was under underscored on Friday when the rating agency Standard & Poor’s downgraded its assessment of Russia. |
| “In our view, the tense geopolitical situation between Russia and Ukraine could see additional significant outflows of both foreign and domestic capital from the Russian economy and hence further undermine already weakening growth prospects,” the agency wrote. | “In our view, the tense geopolitical situation between Russia and Ukraine could see additional significant outflows of both foreign and domestic capital from the Russian economy and hence further undermine already weakening growth prospects,” the agency wrote. |
| In his most detailed accusation of Russian interference to date, Mr. Kerry said that American intelligence services had concluded that Russia’s “military intelligence services and special operators are playing an active role in destabilizing eastern Ukraine with personnel, weapons, operational planning and coordination.” | In his most detailed accusation of Russian interference to date, Mr. Kerry said that American intelligence services had concluded that Russia’s “military intelligence services and special operators are playing an active role in destabilizing eastern Ukraine with personnel, weapons, operational planning and coordination.” |
| “Some of the individual Special Operations personnel who were active on Russia’s behalf in Chechnya, Georgia and Crimea have been photographed in Slovyansk, Donetsk and Luhansk,” Mr. Kerry said. “Some are even bragging about it by themselves on their Russian social media sites.” | “Some of the individual Special Operations personnel who were active on Russia’s behalf in Chechnya, Georgia and Crimea have been photographed in Slovyansk, Donetsk and Luhansk,” Mr. Kerry said. “Some are even bragging about it by themselves on their Russian social media sites.” |
| On Friday, Mr. Kerry’s Russian counterpart, Sergey V. Lavrov, hit back, accusing Washington of seeking only to further its interests in Ukraine. | On Friday, Mr. Kerry’s Russian counterpart, Sergey V. Lavrov, hit back, accusing Washington of seeking only to further its interests in Ukraine. |
| “The West wants to take control of Ukraine while exclusively putting its geopolitical interests, not the interests of the Ukrainian people, at the forefront,” Mr. Lavrov told a conference of young diplomats from former Soviet republics. | “The West wants to take control of Ukraine while exclusively putting its geopolitical interests, not the interests of the Ukrainian people, at the forefront,” Mr. Lavrov told a conference of young diplomats from former Soviet republics. |
| “We are talking about the methods that Americans use with states of different regions,” Mr. Lavrov said. “This is not our method. We will not blackmail, we will not threaten, we are all polite people,” he said. | “We are talking about the methods that Americans use with states of different regions,” Mr. Lavrov said. “This is not our method. We will not blackmail, we will not threaten, we are all polite people,” he said. |
| “Without batting an eye, our Western partners keep demanding day after day that Russia stop interfering in Ukrainian affairs, pull out troops and remove certain agents who have reportedly been caught in the southeast and who are reportedly guiding these processes,” Mr. Lavrov said, adding, “I even find it difficult to respond. I try to make the conversation constructive.” | “Without batting an eye, our Western partners keep demanding day after day that Russia stop interfering in Ukrainian affairs, pull out troops and remove certain agents who have reportedly been caught in the southeast and who are reportedly guiding these processes,” Mr. Lavrov said, adding, “I even find it difficult to respond. I try to make the conversation constructive.” |
| Vyachislav Ponomaryov, the de facto mayor of Slovyansk, who was installed by pro-Russian militants, said Tuesday that armed men had come to his town from outside Ukraine but insisted they were friends and volunteers, not Russian Special Forces. | Vyachislav Ponomaryov, the de facto mayor of Slovyansk, who was installed by pro-Russian militants, said Tuesday that armed men had come to his town from outside Ukraine but insisted they were friends and volunteers, not Russian Special Forces. |
| While the United States and its allies cheered the ouster of Ukraine’s pro-Moscow president, Viktor F. Yanukovych, who fled Kiev on Feb. 21 and is now sheltering in Russia, Moscow deplored his removal as an armed putsch led by fascists. | While the United States and its allies cheered the ouster of Ukraine’s pro-Moscow president, Viktor F. Yanukovych, who fled Kiev on Feb. 21 and is now sheltering in Russia, Moscow deplored his removal as an armed putsch led by fascists. |
| President Obama and other Western leaders have repeatedly demanded that Russia halt all support for the rebels, exert its influence to get them to leave occupied government buildings in Slovyansk and other towns, and pull back its 40,000 troops deployed along the border. | President Obama and other Western leaders have repeatedly demanded that Russia halt all support for the rebels, exert its influence to get them to leave occupied government buildings in Slovyansk and other towns, and pull back its 40,000 troops deployed along the border. |
| Last week’s agreement called for armed pro-Russian groups in eastern Ukraine to surrender the government buildings. | Last week’s agreement called for armed pro-Russian groups in eastern Ukraine to surrender the government buildings. |
| On Thursday Sergei K. Shoigu, Russia’s defense minister, said drills would begin immediately involving troops in southern and western Russia, the areas surrounding Ukraine. The drills, which would also involve the air force, will include flights along the border, Mr. Shoigu said at a meeting of Russia’s top military council. | On Thursday Sergei K. Shoigu, Russia’s defense minister, said drills would begin immediately involving troops in southern and western Russia, the areas surrounding Ukraine. The drills, which would also involve the air force, will include flights along the border, Mr. Shoigu said at a meeting of Russia’s top military council. |
| “We have to react to such developments,” he said of the Ukrainian attacks, declaring that Russia had a duty to stop “this military machine.” | “We have to react to such developments,” he said of the Ukrainian attacks, declaring that Russia had a duty to stop “this military machine.” |
| However, the most violent Ukrainian operation on Thursday, against checkpoints north of Slovyansk, a small eastern city, raised new questions about the competence of Ukraine’s forces and the interim government’s thinking. | However, the most violent Ukrainian operation on Thursday, against checkpoints north of Slovyansk, a small eastern city, raised new questions about the competence of Ukraine’s forces and the interim government’s thinking. |
| With armored vehicles and helicopter support, Ukrainian troops attacked crudely built checkpoints on a narrow access road. After a brief round of fighting, the forces — which the government said were a mix of regular infantry and Interior Ministry troops — withdrew, leaving rubble and burning tires behind. | With armored vehicles and helicopter support, Ukrainian troops attacked crudely built checkpoints on a narrow access road. After a brief round of fighting, the forces — which the government said were a mix of regular infantry and Interior Ministry troops — withdrew, leaving rubble and burning tires behind. |
| Russia’s seizing of Crimea has for weeks fueled debate about whether Russian forces might again take advantage of the weakness of Ukraine’s military and roll across the border to seize more territory. Western diplomats and other analysts speculated until recently that Mr. Putin had perhaps not decided. | Russia’s seizing of Crimea has for weeks fueled debate about whether Russian forces might again take advantage of the weakness of Ukraine’s military and roll across the border to seize more territory. Western diplomats and other analysts speculated until recently that Mr. Putin had perhaps not decided. |
| But a series of harsh warnings from Moscow over the past week against the use of force by Ukraine to dislodge separatist militants has added to worries that Russia may be preparing the ground for a military intervention to “protect” ethnic Russians and Russian speakers it says are in danger. | But a series of harsh warnings from Moscow over the past week against the use of force by Ukraine to dislodge separatist militants has added to worries that Russia may be preparing the ground for a military intervention to “protect” ethnic Russians and Russian speakers it says are in danger. |
| Mr. Putin drew a direct parallel between events in Crimea and eastern Ukraine on Thursday and spoke of the value of swift action. | Mr. Putin drew a direct parallel between events in Crimea and eastern Ukraine on Thursday and spoke of the value of swift action. |
| “What we can see in Ukraine’s east, undoubtedly, would have happened in Crimea, had we not taken certain timely measures to protect the interests of the people in Crimea,” he said. | “What we can see in Ukraine’s east, undoubtedly, would have happened in Crimea, had we not taken certain timely measures to protect the interests of the people in Crimea,” he said. |
| With relations between Moscow and the West at their most distrustful and tense since the height of the Cold War, Russia’s defense minister, Mr. Shoigu cited not only the unrest in Ukraine in his announcement of military drills but also NATO’s planned exercises in Poland and the Baltic States. | With relations between Moscow and the West at their most distrustful and tense since the height of the Cold War, Russia’s defense minister, Mr. Shoigu cited not only the unrest in Ukraine in his announcement of military drills but also NATO’s planned exercises in Poland and the Baltic States. |
| Ukrainian officials teetered between declarations of determination to purge rebels from the east and alarm that Moscow might try to protect its separatist proxies with a military push across the border. | Ukrainian officials teetered between declarations of determination to purge rebels from the east and alarm that Moscow might try to protect its separatist proxies with a military push across the border. |
| The Ukrainian authorities said that up to five pro-Russian activists had been killed near Slovyansk. Mr. Ponomaryov, however, said that one pro-Russian separatist had been killed and one wounded. He identified the dead man as Aleksandr V. Lubenets, in his early 20s, and said the Ukrainian assault had involved as many as 150 troops and had been stopped in part by a minefield that separatists had laid. | The Ukrainian authorities said that up to five pro-Russian activists had been killed near Slovyansk. Mr. Ponomaryov, however, said that one pro-Russian separatist had been killed and one wounded. He identified the dead man as Aleksandr V. Lubenets, in his early 20s, and said the Ukrainian assault had involved as many as 150 troops and had been stopped in part by a minefield that separatists had laid. |
| That account of the assault could not be independently verified, and one separatist who claimed to have participated in the fighting said he saw three of his colleagues killed. But whatever the number of dead, it was clear after the shooting stopped that the Ukrainian operation had achieved little tactical effect. | That account of the assault could not be independently verified, and one separatist who claimed to have participated in the fighting said he saw three of his colleagues killed. But whatever the number of dead, it was clear after the shooting stopped that the Ukrainian operation had achieved little tactical effect. |
| It did not change the disposition of forces, and rather than show the Ukrainian government’s strength, it appeared to have fanned local tensions and invited the Kremlin reaction — further exposing the government’s precarious position. | It did not change the disposition of forces, and rather than show the Ukrainian government’s strength, it appeared to have fanned local tensions and invited the Kremlin reaction — further exposing the government’s precarious position. |
| By midafternoon the separatists still firmly controlled this city, and Mr. Ponomaryov said he had 2,500 armed men at his disposal. More successful, according to the Ukrainian authorities, was a parallel operation Thursday in southeastern Mariupol. Ukraine’s interim interior minister said early Thursday that “civilian activists” had regained control of Mariupol’s City Hall and forced pro-Russian protesters to leave without bloodshed. | By midafternoon the separatists still firmly controlled this city, and Mr. Ponomaryov said he had 2,500 armed men at his disposal. More successful, according to the Ukrainian authorities, was a parallel operation Thursday in southeastern Mariupol. Ukraine’s interim interior minister said early Thursday that “civilian activists” had regained control of Mariupol’s City Hall and forced pro-Russian protesters to leave without bloodshed. |
| A small contingent of Ukrainian forces also swept into Artemivsk, where one of the world’s largest known depots of infantry arms has been stored in former mine shafts since Soviet times. | A small contingent of Ukrainian forces also swept into Artemivsk, where one of the world’s largest known depots of infantry arms has been stored in former mine shafts since Soviet times. |