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| Vladimir Putin demands Ukraine withdraw troops from troubled eastern regions | Vladimir Putin demands Ukraine withdraw troops from troubled eastern regions |
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| MOSCOW — Russian President Vladimir Putin demanded Thursday that the Ukrainian government withdraw its troops from the troubled eastern part of the country, where pro-Russian separatists have been gaining ground. | MOSCOW — Russian President Vladimir Putin demanded Thursday that the Ukrainian government withdraw its troops from the troubled eastern part of the country, where pro-Russian separatists have been gaining ground. |
| Putin made the demand in a conversation with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who called the Russian leader Thursday about the deteriorating security situation in eastern Ukraine. She reached out to Putin a day after Ukraine’s acting president said he had lost control of that portion of his country. | Putin made the demand in a conversation with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who called the Russian leader Thursday about the deteriorating security situation in eastern Ukraine. She reached out to Putin a day after Ukraine’s acting president said he had lost control of that portion of his country. |
| Merkel, who will meet with President Obama on Friday in Washington, pressed Putin to help secure the release of seven international observers — four of them German — who have been taken hostage by separatist forces in the eastern Ukrainian city of Slovyansk, her spokesman said Thursday. | Merkel, who will meet with President Obama on Friday in Washington, pressed Putin to help secure the release of seven international observers — four of them German — who have been taken hostage by separatist forces in the eastern Ukrainian city of Slovyansk, her spokesman said Thursday. |
| Putin told her that “it was imperative today to withdraw all military units from the southeastern regions” of Ukraine, and he called for a “broad national dialogue” about reforms to Ukraine’s constitution, the Kremlin said. | Putin told her that “it was imperative today to withdraw all military units from the southeastern regions” of Ukraine, and he called for a “broad national dialogue” about reforms to Ukraine’s constitution, the Kremlin said. |
| But on the ground in Ukraine, any hope of dialogue appeared to be slipping ever further away, as protesters opposed to the Ukrainian government in Kiev stormed the general prosecutor’s office in the eastern Ukrainian regional capital of Donetsk a day after they had taken over the city council building there. | But on the ground in Ukraine, any hope of dialogue appeared to be slipping ever further away, as protesters opposed to the Ukrainian government in Kiev stormed the general prosecutor’s office in the eastern Ukrainian regional capital of Donetsk a day after they had taken over the city council building there. |
| Crowds of separatists massed in front of Donetsk’s police station Thursday, demanding that all pro-Russian activists be freed across eastern Ukraine. They waved Russian flags — and at least one banner depicting World War II-era Soviet leader Joseph Stalin and the Communist hammer and sickle symbol — and played Soviet patriotic songs. Then they turned their attention to the nearby the state prosecutor’s office, where dozens of black-clad riot police with metal shields stood in front of the entrance. | |
| A confrontation quickly ensued, as the riot police attempted to push the crowd away from the entrance with tear gas. The protesters, chanting “fascists,” threw rocks, breaking windows in the office building and demanding that the prosecutor come out. Men in black balaclavas quickly pushed the riot police away from the entrance and forced them to surrender, less than an hour after the pro-Russian protesters had arrived. | |
| In an acknowledgment of his weakness, acting President Oleksandr Turchynov on Wednesday said the Ukrainian government’s goal now was to prevent the agitation from spreading to other areas, and he called for the creation of special regional police forces so that a presidential election could take place May 25 as scheduled. | In an acknowledgment of his weakness, acting President Oleksandr Turchynov on Wednesday said the Ukrainian government’s goal now was to prevent the agitation from spreading to other areas, and he called for the creation of special regional police forces so that a presidential election could take place May 25 as scheduled. |
| Merkel’s trip to Washington will focus in large part on the security situation in eastern Ukraine in particular and in Eastern Europe more generally. NATO has sent troops and fighter jets to patrol the borders of Poland and the Baltic states. And the United States and Europe have made coordinated announcements of sanctions against Russia over its annexation of Ukraine’s autonomous Crimea region in March and the continuing violence in eastern Ukraine. | Merkel’s trip to Washington will focus in large part on the security situation in eastern Ukraine in particular and in Eastern Europe more generally. NATO has sent troops and fighter jets to patrol the borders of Poland and the Baltic states. And the United States and Europe have made coordinated announcements of sanctions against Russia over its annexation of Ukraine’s autonomous Crimea region in March and the continuing violence in eastern Ukraine. |
| Pro-Russian gunmen extended their control over that part of the country Wednesday without encountering resistance. | Pro-Russian gunmen extended their control over that part of the country Wednesday without encountering resistance. |
| Ukraine’s acting president, Oleksandr Turchynov, admitted that police and security forces were either “helpless” to prevent the unrest or were actively colluding with separatist rebels. | Ukraine’s acting president, Oleksandr Turchynov, admitted that police and security forces were either “helpless” to prevent the unrest or were actively colluding with separatist rebels. |
| But he warned that the threat of a Russian invasion was real and said his country’s armed forces have been placed on full alert. | But he warned that the threat of a Russian invasion was real and said his country’s armed forces have been placed on full alert. |
| Turchynov spoke Wednesday in the capital, Kiev, as the insurgency consolidated its control of the Donetsk region and extended its influence into the neighboring region of Luhansk. Both regions border Russia. | Turchynov spoke Wednesday in the capital, Kiev, as the insurgency consolidated its control of the Donetsk region and extended its influence into the neighboring region of Luhansk. Both regions border Russia. |
| Insurgents armed with automatic weapons took control Wednesday of the city council buildings in the cities of Horlivka in Donetsk and Alchevsk in Luhansk; the previous day, another mob seized control of the regional government headquarters in the city of Luhansk, smashing windows as they forced their way in. | Insurgents armed with automatic weapons took control Wednesday of the city council buildings in the cities of Horlivka in Donetsk and Alchevsk in Luhansk; the previous day, another mob seized control of the regional government headquarters in the city of Luhansk, smashing windows as they forced their way in. |
| The neighboring regions, collectively known as Donbass, are Ukraine’s industrial heartland, home to steel smelters, heavy industry and coal mines. An armed uprising by Russian-speaking separatists began there in April, and the insurgents plan to hold a referendum on secession in the area on May 11, two weeks before the national presidential election. | The neighboring regions, collectively known as Donbass, are Ukraine’s industrial heartland, home to steel smelters, heavy industry and coal mines. An armed uprising by Russian-speaking separatists began there in April, and the insurgents plan to hold a referendum on secession in the area on May 11, two weeks before the national presidential election. |
| Many of the insurgents apparently hope to follow Crimea’s break from Ukraine in March and subsequent annexation by Russia, although popular support for such a path is thought to be considerably lower in eastern Ukraine than it was in Crimea. | Many of the insurgents apparently hope to follow Crimea’s break from Ukraine in March and subsequent annexation by Russia, although popular support for such a path is thought to be considerably lower in eastern Ukraine than it was in Crimea. |
| In Horlivka, Anatoly Starostin, the commander of separatist forces, said they took control of a police station Tuesday evening without any problems, and he described the city’s police as “corrupt, weak and unprofessional.” | In Horlivka, Anatoly Starostin, the commander of separatist forces, said they took control of a police station Tuesday evening without any problems, and he described the city’s police as “corrupt, weak and unprofessional.” |
| The separatists then took over city hall Wednesday with the agreement of the local mayor, who said he supported their cause and would remain in his post. A flag of the self-styled Donetsk People’s Republic flew over the building Wednesday. | The separatists then took over city hall Wednesday with the agreement of the local mayor, who said he supported their cause and would remain in his post. A flag of the self-styled Donetsk People’s Republic flew over the building Wednesday. |
| “All I want is to be a citizen of Russia, and for this part of Ukraine to be part of Russia,” Starostin, 42, said in an interview in the lobby of city hall. | “All I want is to be a citizen of Russia, and for this part of Ukraine to be part of Russia,” Starostin, 42, said in an interview in the lobby of city hall. |
| Starostin said he came from the city of Slovyansk, which has been under separatist control for about two weeks, with orders to take control of the city and recruit a “self-defense force” from among the people of Horlivka. | Starostin said he came from the city of Slovyansk, which has been under separatist control for about two weeks, with orders to take control of the city and recruit a “self-defense force” from among the people of Horlivka. |
| The militiamen controlling city hall wore masks and carried automatic rifles; Starostin wore a new camouflage uniform without any insignia, and no mask. | The militiamen controlling city hall wore masks and carried automatic rifles; Starostin wore a new camouflage uniform without any insignia, and no mask. |
| “Russian soldiers do not go to war with masks on their faces,” he said, suggesting that although he is not a Russian soldier now, he aspires to be one eventually. | “Russian soldiers do not go to war with masks on their faces,” he said, suggesting that although he is not a Russian soldier now, he aspires to be one eventually. |
| Many residents of the run-down town appeared to welcome the takeover, which came as no surprise. | Many residents of the run-down town appeared to welcome the takeover, which came as no surprise. |
| “We have become enemies” with the rest of Ukraine, tailor and dressmaker Pavel Kravchenko said. “Kiev and Western regions hate the Russian residents of Ukraine. They call us Moskali” — a derogatory word for Muscovites — “and, judging by how little resistance we see by authorities, they will let us go to Russia soon.” | “We have become enemies” with the rest of Ukraine, tailor and dressmaker Pavel Kravchenko said. “Kiev and Western regions hate the Russian residents of Ukraine. They call us Moskali” — a derogatory word for Muscovites — “and, judging by how little resistance we see by authorities, they will let us go to Russia soon.” |
| In Kiev, Turchnyov, the acting president, told a meeting of regional governors that local security forces were unable to protect citizens. | In Kiev, Turchnyov, the acting president, told a meeting of regional governors that local security forces were unable to protect citizens. |
| “I will be frank: Today, security forces are unable to quickly take the situation in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions under control,” Turchynov said, according to the Interfax-Ukraine news service, calling them “helpless” and in some cases “cooperating with terrorist organizations.” | “I will be frank: Today, security forces are unable to quickly take the situation in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions under control,” Turchynov said, according to the Interfax-Ukraine news service, calling them “helpless” and in some cases “cooperating with terrorist organizations.” |
| Turchynov instructed the governors to try to prevent the threat from spreading to other regions in the central and southern parts of the country. | Turchynov instructed the governors to try to prevent the threat from spreading to other regions in the central and southern parts of the country. |
| “Our task is to stop the spread of the terrorist threat first of all in the Kharkiv and Odessa regions,” Turchynov was quoted as saying. | “Our task is to stop the spread of the terrorist threat first of all in the Kharkiv and Odessa regions,” Turchynov was quoted as saying. |
| The mayor of Kharkiv, who had been credited with keeping Ukraine’s second-largest city calm, was shot in the back this week. | The mayor of Kharkiv, who had been credited with keeping Ukraine’s second-largest city calm, was shot in the back this week. |
| The Ukrainian government and the United States accuse Russia of fomenting the unrest. | The Ukrainian government and the United States accuse Russia of fomenting the unrest. |
| “I think it’s very clear that what is happening would not be happening without Russian involvement,” Daniel Baer, the U.S. ambassador to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, told reporters in Vienna. The OSCE has 120 monitors in the region. | “I think it’s very clear that what is happening would not be happening without Russian involvement,” Daniel Baer, the U.S. ambassador to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, told reporters in Vienna. The OSCE has 120 monitors in the region. |
| Russia has massed tens of thousands of troops near its border with Ukraine, although it says it has no plans to invade. But Turchynov told the regional governors that those assurances could not be trusted. | Russia has massed tens of thousands of troops near its border with Ukraine, although it says it has no plans to invade. But Turchynov told the regional governors that those assurances could not be trusted. |
| “I once again return to the real danger of the Russian Federation beginning a land war against Ukraine,” Turchynov said. “Our armed forces have been put on full military readiness.” | “I once again return to the real danger of the Russian Federation beginning a land war against Ukraine,” Turchynov said. “Our armed forces have been put on full military readiness.” |
| The insurgents now control buildings in about a dozen cities in eastern Ukraine and are holding some activists and journalists hostage, including a group of observers from the OSCE. | The insurgents now control buildings in about a dozen cities in eastern Ukraine and are holding some activists and journalists hostage, including a group of observers from the OSCE. |
| The Donbass region was the heartland of support for Viktor Yanukovych, Ukraine’s previous president, who was ousted in February amid street protests and fled to Russia. But support for Russian annexation of the region is far from universal, even among the Russian speakers who make up the majority of the population there. | The Donbass region was the heartland of support for Viktor Yanukovych, Ukraine’s previous president, who was ousted in February amid street protests and fled to Russia. But support for Russian annexation of the region is far from universal, even among the Russian speakers who make up the majority of the population there. |
| On Wednesday, Ukraine’s richest man and the region’s most powerful oligarch, Rinat Akhmetov, said in a statement that he remained committed to Donbass remaining part of Ukraine. | On Wednesday, Ukraine’s richest man and the region’s most powerful oligarch, Rinat Akhmetov, said in a statement that he remained committed to Donbass remaining part of Ukraine. |
| Akhmetov was seen as close to Yanukovych, and his companies were seen as particularly favored by the previous government. | Akhmetov was seen as close to Yanukovych, and his companies were seen as particularly favored by the previous government. |
| Denyer reported from Donetsk. Alex Ryabchyn in Donetsk contributed to this report. | Denyer reported from Donetsk. Alex Ryabchyn in Donetsk contributed to this report. |