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| Ukrainian forces advance, then retreat in key southeastern coastal city | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| MARIUPOL, Ukraine — Ukrainian forces on Wednesday briefly recaptured a separatist-controlled government building in this southeastern coastal city, authorities said, but quickly appeared to lose control of it, as diplomats visited Kiev and Moscow in a last-ditch attempt to pull Ukraine out of spiraling chaos. | |
| The back and forth in Mariupol, a key industrial city on the Sea of Azov, dealt an embarrassing blow to Ukrainian authorities’ attempts to regain control over their territory in the restive eastern part of the country, where pro-Russian separatists are planning a Sunday referendum about the future of the eastern regions’ relationship with the central government in Kiev. | |
| Security forces started working to take back the city council building from separatists on Tuesday night and continued into the early hours of Wednesday. By 6 a.m., Ukrainian security forces were in control and flew a Ukrainian flag off the building, witnesses and the Ukrainian Interior Ministry said. | |
| But by Wednesday afternoon, the building was firmly back in the hands of separatists, who said that Ukrainian security forces gave it up to them without a fight when about 100 pro-Russian activists showed up earlier in the day. No weapons were visible among the crowd of separatists, several of whom said that security forces had simply melted away when they showed up. The Russian flag was flying over the city council building yet again, along with the black, blue and red banner that is the separatists’ emblem. Acrid tear gas still hung in the air, and the building itself was deserted. | |
| If authorities manage to gain control of Mariupol, it would deal a blow to separatists’ plans for the referendum. But with the government and separatists routinely swapping territory in the east in recent days, the rapid turnover in Mariupol on Wednesday appeared to be just the latest in the back and forth. | |
| A separatist leader in the Donetsk region said Wednesday that if residents decide in favor of independence from Kiev, he would seek to build a new state that would be independent both from Ukraine and Russia. | A separatist leader in the Donetsk region said Wednesday that if residents decide in favor of independence from Kiev, he would seek to build a new state that would be independent both from Ukraine and Russia. |
| “We plan to unite . . . on the principles of federalism to form a new state called Novorossia,” or New Russia, Miroslav Rudenko, a co-chairman of the separatist movement in the Donetsk region, told Russia’s Interfax news agency Wednesday. | |
| In Moscow, Russian President Vladimir Putin was meeting Wednesday with Didier Burkhalter, chairman of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), to discuss the situation in Ukraine. Russian officials have called for negotiations headed by the OSCE that would give a seat to the pro-Russian separatists. Ukrainian authorities have said they also want negotiations, but not with the rebels in the east. | |
| “We are extremely concerned about how the situation is developing in Ukraine, and we continue our dialogue,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Ekho Moskvy radio on Wednesday. | |
| And in Kiev, the Ukrainian central bank on Wednesday said that it had received the first $3.2 billion tranche of emergency loans from the International Monetary Fund, helping prop up the government’s teetering finances. British Foreign Secretary William Hague was meeting Ukrainian officials, continuing a visit that started Tuesday. | And in Kiev, the Ukrainian central bank on Wednesday said that it had received the first $3.2 billion tranche of emergency loans from the International Monetary Fund, helping prop up the government’s teetering finances. British Foreign Secretary William Hague was meeting Ukrainian officials, continuing a visit that started Tuesday. |
| Ukraine’s interim government took additional steps Tuesday to reassert its control by appointing a new military commander and shoring up security forces, even as some leaders made urgent calls for volunteers to take up arms against pro-Russian separatists in the eastern part of the country. | Ukraine’s interim government took additional steps Tuesday to reassert its control by appointing a new military commander and shoring up security forces, even as some leaders made urgent calls for volunteers to take up arms against pro-Russian separatists in the eastern part of the country. |
| Amid reports of fresh violence, former prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko urged the creation of a “volunteer army” because neither Ukraine’s army nor its security services have been effective in handling outbreaks of rebellion, Interfax reported Tuesday. | |
| Hers was one of many calls to form combat-ready units of “self-defense” forces ahead of May 25 presidential and mayoral elections. Andriy Tiron, battalion commander of the National Guard, told reporters in Kiev that demonstrators who helped oust the previous pro-Russian government were being urged to volunteer for military duty. But there was confusion about who would command them and what their duties would be. | Hers was one of many calls to form combat-ready units of “self-defense” forces ahead of May 25 presidential and mayoral elections. Andriy Tiron, battalion commander of the National Guard, told reporters in Kiev that demonstrators who helped oust the previous pro-Russian government were being urged to volunteer for military duty. But there was confusion about who would command them and what their duties would be. |
| In a brief statement that appeared on his official Web site, the acting president, Oleksandr Turchynov, said Lt. Gen. Anatoly Pushnyakov has been appointed to take command of the army. The statement offered no further details. Turchynov also published a decree sacking the top regional administrator in Odessa as violence continued to flare around eastern Ukraine. | In a brief statement that appeared on his official Web site, the acting president, Oleksandr Turchynov, said Lt. Gen. Anatoly Pushnyakov has been appointed to take command of the army. The statement offered no further details. Turchynov also published a decree sacking the top regional administrator in Odessa as violence continued to flare around eastern Ukraine. |
| Earlier, in the Luhansk region, about 20 armed militants destroyed a military radar station, according to the Web site of southern Ukraine’s prosecutor general. The report said the militants outnumbered Ukrainian soldiers at the installation and slipped away after the 4 a.m. attack. There was no mention of casualties. In perhaps another sign of the confusion and suspicions of mixed loyalties in parts of Ukraine, the prosecutor said there would be an investigation of the soldiers’ conduct. | Earlier, in the Luhansk region, about 20 armed militants destroyed a military radar station, according to the Web site of southern Ukraine’s prosecutor general. The report said the militants outnumbered Ukrainian soldiers at the installation and slipped away after the 4 a.m. attack. There was no mention of casualties. In perhaps another sign of the confusion and suspicions of mixed loyalties in parts of Ukraine, the prosecutor said there would be an investigation of the soldiers’ conduct. |
| Armed separatists also seized control of the main government building in the town of Debaltseve, a regional railway hub with a population of 26,000 and two large thermal power plants about 45 miles northeast of Donetsk, according to local media reports. | Armed separatists also seized control of the main government building in the town of Debaltseve, a regional railway hub with a population of 26,000 and two large thermal power plants about 45 miles northeast of Donetsk, according to local media reports. |
| In Odessa, social media appeared to be fanning tensions between pro-Russian and pro-Ukrainian activists days after 46 people died in violent clashes in the city. The Kyiv Post said late Monday that the rival groups have been using VKontakte — the Russian counterpart of Facebook — to rally supporters for demonstrations and counterdemonstrations and to single out individuals for reprisals. | In Odessa, social media appeared to be fanning tensions between pro-Russian and pro-Ukrainian activists days after 46 people died in violent clashes in the city. The Kyiv Post said late Monday that the rival groups have been using VKontakte — the Russian counterpart of Facebook — to rally supporters for demonstrations and counterdemonstrations and to single out individuals for reprisals. |
| Acting Interior Minister Arsen Avakov, Ukraine’s top security official, said Tuesday that an estimated 30 pro-Russian militants were killed and “dozens” were injured in fighting a day earlier around the eastern city of Slovyansk. Four members of Ukraine’s security forces were killed and about 20 were wounded as the interim government attempted to take control of the city. | |
| A Ukrainian diplomat charged Tuesday that Russian “meddling” in Ukraine appeared aimed at disrupting the elections, which are less than three weeks away. But Danylo Lubkivsky, deputy minister for foreign affairs, said the interim government remained intent on ensuring that ballots would be cast in all parts of the country. He also reiterated the government’s interest in talking with regional leaders in rebellious areas about more autonomy for those regions. | A Ukrainian diplomat charged Tuesday that Russian “meddling” in Ukraine appeared aimed at disrupting the elections, which are less than three weeks away. But Danylo Lubkivsky, deputy minister for foreign affairs, said the interim government remained intent on ensuring that ballots would be cast in all parts of the country. He also reiterated the government’s interest in talking with regional leaders in rebellious areas about more autonomy for those regions. |
| “However, we will not engage in negotiations with terrorists,” Lubkivsky said at a news conference in Kiev. He also called the deadly clashes in the port city of Odessa “an unspeakable tragedy” and blamed the spread of the violence | “However, we will not engage in negotiations with terrorists,” Lubkivsky said at a news conference in Kiev. He also called the deadly clashes in the port city of Odessa “an unspeakable tragedy” and blamed the spread of the violence |
| on Russia | on Russia |
| . | . |
| German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier on Tuesday called for a second round of talks in Geneva. Russian officials also called for further talks but said pro-Russian separatists should be at the table. | German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier on Tuesday called for a second round of talks in Geneva. Russian officials also called for further talks but said pro-Russian separatists should be at the table. |
| “Getting together again in the same format, with the opposition to the current Ukrainian regime being absent at the table of negotiations, is unlikely to add anything,” Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said. “It is possible, of course, but we shall be going in circles,” he told reporters at the Council of Europe in Vienna, Interfax reported. | “Getting together again in the same format, with the opposition to the current Ukrainian regime being absent at the table of negotiations, is unlikely to add anything,” Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said. “It is possible, of course, but we shall be going in circles,” he told reporters at the Council of Europe in Vienna, Interfax reported. |
| Lavrov said Ukraine’s plan to hold elections on May 25 was “highly unusual” amid a military operation aimed at regaining control over the east. | Lavrov said Ukraine’s plan to hold elections on May 25 was “highly unusual” amid a military operation aimed at regaining control over the east. |
| Meanwhile, a pro-Ukrainian activist, Nikolay Yakubovich, who was taken hostage by separatists on Thursday, was exchanged for an unspecified number of separatist prisoners on Tuesday, according to local media. | Meanwhile, a pro-Ukrainian activist, Nikolay Yakubovich, who was taken hostage by separatists on Thursday, was exchanged for an unspecified number of separatist prisoners on Tuesday, according to local media. |
| Human Rights Watch said the fate of at least two dozen other people taken captive by pro-Russian separatists remained unknown. | Human Rights Watch said the fate of at least two dozen other people taken captive by pro-Russian separatists remained unknown. |
| Kunkle reported from Kiev. Birnbaum reported from Moscow. Alex Ryabchyn in Donetsk and Anna Nemtsova in Odessa contributed to this report. |