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Ukraine Presses Rebels as Events Spiral in East Ukraine Presses Rebels as Events Spiral in East
(about 1 hour later)
KIEV, Ukraine — Ukraine’s security forces pressed their assault on pro-Russia militants in and around the separatist stronghold of Slovyansk on Saturday, even as the rebels freed seven European military observers and the Kremlin cited the deaths of dozens of people in Odessa as proof that Ukraine can no longer protect its citizens. KIEV, Ukraine — Ukraine’s security forces pressed their assault on pro-Russia militants in and around the separatist stronghold of Slovyansk on Saturday, even as the rebels freed seven European military observers and the Kremlin cited the deaths of dozens of people in Odessa as proof that Ukraine could no longer protect its citizens.
The Ukrainian forces built on their recent advances into Slovyansk’s outskirts, entering the nearby town of Kramatorsk, where the Interior Ministry said the main state security building had been recaptured. The Ukrainian troops built on recent advances into Slovyansk’s outskirts, entering the nearby town of Kramatorsk, where the Interior Ministry said they had recaptured the main state security building.
But even with that reported success after earlier military setbacks, the events in Odessa on Friday were a measure of how far events have spiraled out of the authorities’ control and added to pressure from Russia. Odessa’s population includes many Russian speakers sympathetic to Moscow, but it is far west of the restive eastern region where most fighting has occurred. But even with that reported success after earlier military setbacks, the violence in Odessa on Friday was a measure of how far events have spiraled out of the authorities’ control, and added to the pressure from Russia. Odessa’s population includes many Russian speakers sympathetic to Moscow, but it is far west of the restive eastern region where most fighting has occurred.
An official in Odessa said 46 people had died in the street battles between pro-Russia and pro-Ukraine groups and in a fire in a building held by pro-Russia militants. If confirmed, the death toll would be the highest since February during struggles between pro-Europe groups and the pro-Russia government of ousted President Viktor F. Yanukovych. An official in Odessa said 46 people had died in street battles between pro-Russia and pro-Ukraine groups, and in a fire in a building held by pro-Russia militants. If confirmed, the death toll would be the highest since the struggles in February between pro-Europe demonstrators and the pro-Russia government of ousted President Viktor F. Yanukovych.
Until Friday, Odessa, a Black Sea port in southern Ukraine, had been mostly calm. The police were apparently unable or unwilling to restore order as the battles raged on Friday. Until Friday, Odessa, a Black Sea port in southern Ukraine, had been mostly calm. But as the battles raged, the police were apparently unable or unwilling to restore order.
Near the end of the day, the pro-Russia militants had retreated to the local House of Unions, which was then set on fire as the two groups continued to battle. Amid the lobbing of firebombs, it was impossible to know who had started the blaze. Most victims were apparently overcome by smoke or burned, but eight were said to have died leaping from the flames. The Odessa authorities said 214 people were injured in the various events, including 88 who were hospitalized. Three days of mourning were declared. Near the end of the day, the pro-Russia militants had retreated to the local House of Trade Unions, which was then set on fire as the two sides continued to battle. Amid the lobbing of firebombs, it was impossible to know who had started the blaze. Most victims were apparently overcome by smoke or burned, but eight were said to have died leaping from the flames. The Odessa authorities said 214 people had been injured in the various events, including 88 who were hospitalized. Three days of mourning were declared.
The death toll came from the Odessa regional prosecutor, Ihor Borshulyak, who spoke to reporters on Saturday, the Interfax news agency said. He also announced that 144 people had been arrested and that one of several inquiries would look into whether the police had failed to execute their duties. The local police chief, appointed in March with a view to ending corruption and mismanagement, appealed for calm in the town of some one million people, but was fired shortly afterward by Interior Minister Arsen Avakov. The official death toll came from the regional prosecutor, Ihor Borshulyak, who spoke to reporters on Saturday, the Interfax news agency said. He also announced that 144 people had been arrested and that one of several inquiries would look into whether the police had failed to execute their duties. The local police chief, appointed in March with a view to ending corruption and mismanagement, appealed for calm in Odessa, a city of some one million people, but was fired shortly afterward by Interior Minister Arsen Avakov.
In Moscow, a Kremlin spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, said Russia would no longer be able to tell hundreds of ethnic Russians who he said were calling for help not to take up arms. “The authorities in Kiev are not only directly responsible, they are direct accomplices in these criminal actions,” Mr. Peskov said. “Their hands are full of blood.” In Moscow, a Kremlin spokesman, Dmitry S. Peskov, said Russia would no longer be able to tell the hundreds of ethnic Russians who he said were calling for help not to take up arms. “The authorities in Kiev are not only directly responsible, they are direct accomplices in these criminal actions,” Mr. Peskov said. “Their hands are full of blood.”
He added that Russia had “lost its influence on those people, because it would be impossible to persuade them to disarm amid a direct threat to their lives.”He added that Russia had “lost its influence on those people, because it would be impossible to persuade them to disarm amid a direct threat to their lives.”
Mr. Peskov also said Russia regretted that the United States and the European Union had endorsed Ukraine’s military operations in the southeast, saying they, too, bore responsibility for fueling more violence. Mr. Peskov also said Russia regretted that the United States and the European Union had endorsed Ukraine’s military operations in the southeast, saying they, too, bore responsibility for fueling violence.
Russia’s state-run television maintained a running, belligerent tone on Saturday when reporting about events in Ukraine, with leading politicians and commentators saying repeatedly that war crimes were being committed and that victims there needed protection. The Rossiya 24 satellite channel turned its onscreen titles to black and gray in mourning for the people in Odessa. Russian state-run television maintained a belligerent tone on Saturday when reporting about events in Ukraine, with leading politicians and commentators saying repeatedly that war crimes were being committed and that victims there needed protection. The Rossiya 24 satellite channel turned its onscreen titles to black and gray in mourning for the people in Odessa.
But despite that steady public drumbeat and the vigor of Mr. Peskov’s statements, analysts said the Kremlin did not seem poised to intervene militarily yet. But despite that steady public drumbeat and the vigor of Mr. Peskov’s statements, analysts said the Kremlin did not seem poised to intervene militarily at this point.
A day after two Ukrainian helicopters were reported to have been shot down as Ukraine moved to retake positions in and around Slovyansk, the authorities said the operation was continuing in Kramatorsk. “We are not stopping,” Mr. Avakov said Saturday on his Facebook page. A day after two Ukrainian helicopters were reported to have been shot down as the government moved to retake positions in and around Slovyansk, the Ukrainian authorities said the operation was continuing in Kramatorsk. “We are not stopping,” Mr. Avakov said Saturday on his Facebook page.
In the one diplomatic success of the day, the European military observers — four Germans, a Czech, a Pole and a Dane — were freed. That followed the arrival of a Kremlin envoy, Vladimir Lukin, in Donetsk, the regional center south of Slovyansk. In the one diplomatic success of the day, the European military observers — four Germans, a Czech, a Dane and a Pole — were freed. That followed the arrival of a Kremlin envoy, Vladimir P. Lukin, in Donetsk, the regional center south of Slovyansk.
Thorbjorn Jagland, secretary general of the Council of Europe, said in a phone interview from a checkpoint outside Slovyansk where he met the German-led team that Mr. Lukin, a friend, had secured the release of the group. Mr. Jagland said the group and Mr. Lukin had encountered fighting en route to the checkpoint, delaying their arrival. Thorbjorn Jagland, secretary general of the Council of Europe, said in a phone interview from the checkpoint outside Slovyansk where he met the German-led team that Mr. Lukin, a friend, had secured the observers’ release. Mr. Jagland said they and Mr. Lukin had encountered fighting en route to the checkpoint, delaying their arrival.
The German-led team was detained April 25 while working, under Ukrainian military invitation, to assess security conditions in eastern Ukraine. The mission was part of a process approved by the 57-nation Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, to which Russia, Ukraine and the United States belong. The team had been detained April 25 while working, at the Ukrainian military’s invitation, to assess security conditions in eastern Ukraine. The mission was part of a process approved by the 57-nation Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, to which Russia, Ukraine and the United States belong. One observer, a Swede with diabetes, was released last weekend, but the others were paraded before reporters in a spectacle that the German foreign minister, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, called “disgusting.”
Germany is seen as a key player in trying to resolve the crisis, and President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia, who values relations with Germany, had previously spoken of the need to release the observers. The degree to which the Kremlin holds sway over the militants holding the center of Slovyansk is not clear, but it clearly took Kremlin intervention to get the observers freed. Germany is seen as a central player in trying to resolve the crisis, and President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia, who values relations with Germany, had spoken of the need to release the observers. The degree to which the Kremlin holds sway over the militants in Slovyansk is not clear, but it clearly took Russian intervention to get the observers freed.
A spokeswoman for the self-declared authorities in Slovyansk would not comment on whether the militants still saw the observers as NATO spies, what led to the resolution, or whether prisoners held by Ukraine’s government had been freed in exchange. A spokeswoman for the self-declared authorities in Slovyansk would not comment on whether the militants still saw the observers as NATO spies, on what led to the resolution or on whether prisoners held by Ukraine’s government had been freed in exchange.
As the reports from Ukraine dominated the news in Russia, Dmitri V. Trenin, the head of the Carnegie Moscow Center, said he believed Mr. Putin was extremely aware of the high costs in terms of Russian lives and treasure if he were to fight a full-scale war to take control of economically troubled Ukraine. As the reports from Ukraine dominated the news in Russia, Dmitri V. Trenin, director of the Carnegie Moscow Center, said he believed that Mr. Putin was extremely aware of the high costs in terms of Russian lives and treasure if he were to fight a full-scale war to take control of economically troubled Ukraine.
“He is much more likely to wait rather than jump the gun to intervene,” Mr. Trenin said. By pressuring Kiev to put off the May 25 presidential election, as Mr. Peskov did today, the Kremlin has a chance of waiting for the West to grow weary of the Ukrainian problem. Then, in a few months, Russia could use its influence to shape a government more to its liking, he said. “He is much more likely to wait rather than jump the gun to intervene,” Mr. Trenin said. In pressuring Ukraine to put off the presidential election scheduled for May 25, as Mr. Peskov did on Saturday, the Kremlin may be aiming to wait for the West to grow weary of the Ukrainian problem. Then, in a few months, Russia could use its influence to shape a government more to its liking, he said.
But there is always a chance that the spiraling violence will reach a point where Russia feels it must do something. “It can all easily escalate without any decisions from the Russian government,” said Sergei A. Karaganov, dean of the School of International Economics and Foreign Affairs here and an occasional Kremlin consultant. But there is always a chance that the violence will reach a point where Russia feels it must do something. “It can all easily escalate without any decisions from the Russian government,” said Sergei A. Karaganov, dean of the School of International Economics and Foreign Affairs in Moscow and an occasional Kremlin consultant.