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| New Ukrainian leader prepares to take power, vowing peace in eastern Ukraine | New Ukrainian leader prepares to take power, vowing peace in eastern Ukraine |
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| KIEV, Ukraine – Ukrainian billionaire Petro Poroshenko prepared to take over as Ukraine’s leader Monday, vowing to end hostilities in the east with Moscow’s cooperation, as pro-Russian separatists fought gun battles with Ukrainian forces at Donetsk’s international airport. | KIEV, Ukraine – Ukrainian billionaire Petro Poroshenko prepared to take over as Ukraine’s leader Monday, vowing to end hostilities in the east with Moscow’s cooperation, as pro-Russian separatists fought gun battles with Ukrainian forces at Donetsk’s international airport. |
| As Poroshenko, 48, was speaking at a press conference in Kiev, heavy fighting between separatists and Ukrainian forces around Donetsk International Airport forced local police to seal off the main road to the airport after the airport was closed Monday morning. There were two bursts of machine-gun fire from the direction of the terminal just after 1 p.m. followed by heavy fighting. | As Poroshenko, 48, was speaking at a press conference in Kiev, heavy fighting between separatists and Ukrainian forces around Donetsk International Airport forced local police to seal off the main road to the airport after the airport was closed Monday morning. There were two bursts of machine-gun fire from the direction of the terminal just after 1 p.m. followed by heavy fighting. |
| Ukrainian military helicopters flew overhead. | Ukrainian military helicopters flew overhead. |
| The separatists prevented millions of people from voting in most parts of troubled eastern Ukraine, shuttering polling stations, stealing ballots and threatening, and even kidnapping, elections officials. | The separatists prevented millions of people from voting in most parts of troubled eastern Ukraine, shuttering polling stations, stealing ballots and threatening, and even kidnapping, elections officials. |
| Poroshenko faces the immediate, huge task of trying to stem a separatist rebellion in the east of the country that has created the greatest tension between the West and Russia since the Cold War. He has said that his first official act will be to visit the heart of the rebellion in the industrial Donets Basin. | Poroshenko faces the immediate, huge task of trying to stem a separatist rebellion in the east of the country that has created the greatest tension between the West and Russia since the Cold War. He has said that his first official act will be to visit the heart of the rebellion in the industrial Donets Basin. |
| Speaking at a press conference Monday in Kiev, Poroshenko, 48, one of the country’s biggest tycoons, said he plans talks with Moscow during the first half of June. He said he and Russian President Vladimir Putin “know each other quite well.” | Speaking at a press conference Monday in Kiev, Poroshenko, 48, one of the country’s biggest tycoons, said he plans talks with Moscow during the first half of June. He said he and Russian President Vladimir Putin “know each other quite well.” |
| “Russia is our biggest neighbor,” Poroshenko said. “Stopping the war and bringing stability to all Ukraine, bringing peace to eastern Ukraine, that would be impossible” without Russia. | “Russia is our biggest neighbor,” Poroshenko said. “Stopping the war and bringing stability to all Ukraine, bringing peace to eastern Ukraine, that would be impossible” without Russia. |
| Putin has said he will “cooperate” with the new authorities in Kiev. | Putin has said he will “cooperate” with the new authorities in Kiev. |
| Russia’s foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, told reporters in Moscow on Monday that Russia will “respect the will expressed by the Ukrainian people.” | |
| “We, as our president said repeatedly, are ready for a dialogue with Kyiv representatives, ready for a dialogue with Petro Poroshenko,” he told a press conference in Moscow, according to the Interfax news agency. | “We, as our president said repeatedly, are ready for a dialogue with Kyiv representatives, ready for a dialogue with Petro Poroshenko,” he told a press conference in Moscow, according to the Interfax news agency. |
| Poroshenko, who was speaking a day after the country handed him a commanding victory in its presidential election, said the Ukrainian people were waiting for “these results” and that with every day of delay, “Ukraine pays a huge price.” | Poroshenko, who was speaking a day after the country handed him a commanding victory in its presidential election, said the Ukrainian people were waiting for “these results” and that with every day of delay, “Ukraine pays a huge price.” |
| Exit polls show Poroshenko won some 55% of the vote Sunday, not having to resort to a second round of voting. Turn-out appeared to be high everywhere except the embattled east. Final results were expected Monday. | Exit polls show Poroshenko won some 55% of the vote Sunday, not having to resort to a second round of voting. Turn-out appeared to be high everywhere except the embattled east. Final results were expected Monday. |
| International election observers praised Sunday’s elections in a preliminary statement Monday, saying they were characterized by high turn-out and a “clear resolve by the authorities to hold what was a genuine election largely in line with international commitments and that respected fundamental freedoms, despite the hostile security environment in two eastern regions of the country.” | International election observers praised Sunday’s elections in a preliminary statement Monday, saying they were characterized by high turn-out and a “clear resolve by the authorities to hold what was a genuine election largely in line with international commitments and that respected fundamental freedoms, despite the hostile security environment in two eastern regions of the country.” |
| Election monitors were not present in restive eastern regions, where pro-Russian separatists prevented most people from voting. | Election monitors were not present in restive eastern regions, where pro-Russian separatists prevented most people from voting. |
| The statement came from the OSCE, the Organization for the Security and Cooperation in Europe, which sent monitors to Ukraine’s elections. Joao Soares, the special coordinator who led the short-term OSCE observer mission to Ukraine, said Ukrainian authorities should be commended for their efforts under extraordinary circumstances. | The statement came from the OSCE, the Organization for the Security and Cooperation in Europe, which sent monitors to Ukraine’s elections. Joao Soares, the special coordinator who led the short-term OSCE observer mission to Ukraine, said Ukrainian authorities should be commended for their efforts under extraordinary circumstances. |
| Earlier this month, the separatists declared autonomous regions in Donetsk and Luhansk after holding chaotic referendums there that showed a majority of voters wanting some form of self-rule in the regions. | Earlier this month, the separatists declared autonomous regions in Donetsk and Luhansk after holding chaotic referendums there that showed a majority of voters wanting some form of self-rule in the regions. |
| Even though millions of voters did not get to cast their votes in eastern Ukraine, the election was hailed as a success by the West. | Even though millions of voters did not get to cast their votes in eastern Ukraine, the election was hailed as a success by the West. |
| The poll, which will likely determine the future make-up of the country, was “a huge victory for the people of Ukraine,” U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine, Geoffrey Pyatt, told theBBC. He said that although voting was severely disrupted in the east, “significant polling” took place in the eastern Ukrainian city of Mariupol, which had been rocked by violent clashes. | The poll, which will likely determine the future make-up of the country, was “a huge victory for the people of Ukraine,” U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine, Geoffrey Pyatt, told theBBC. He said that although voting was severely disrupted in the east, “significant polling” took place in the eastern Ukrainian city of Mariupol, which had been rocked by violent clashes. |
| The U.S. diplomat welcomed Poroshenko’s announcement that he will travel to the heart of the rebellion. | The U.S. diplomat welcomed Poroshenko’s announcement that he will travel to the heart of the rebellion. |
| The new leader takes the office once held by pro-Kremlin Viktor Yanukovych, who was ousted in February after anti-government protests. That revolt led to Russia’s annexation of the Crimean Peninsula, and the torrent of violence that increasingly looked like a low-grade civil war. | The new leader takes the office once held by pro-Kremlin Viktor Yanukovych, who was ousted in February after anti-government protests. That revolt led to Russia’s annexation of the Crimean Peninsula, and the torrent of violence that increasingly looked like a low-grade civil war. |
| Poroshenko has also said he wants to lead Ukraine to closer ties with the European Union. | Poroshenko has also said he wants to lead Ukraine to closer ties with the European Union. |
| The Central Election Commission estimated final voter turnout nationwide at 60 percent, a spokesman said. Turnout in the 2010 election — in which residents of eastern Ukraine and Crimea could vote freely — was 67 percent. A regional breakdown of the final turnout figures was not immediately available, but 14 percent of the country’s registered voters live in the two eastern regions were voting was impeded Sunday. | The Central Election Commission estimated final voter turnout nationwide at 60 percent, a spokesman said. Turnout in the 2010 election — in which residents of eastern Ukraine and Crimea could vote freely — was 67 percent. A regional breakdown of the final turnout figures was not immediately available, but 14 percent of the country’s registered voters live in the two eastern regions were voting was impeded Sunday. |
| Poroshenko, 48, is a soft-spoken businessman who built a candy empire out of the ashes of Ukraine’s post-Soviet economy. Forbes estimates his wealth at $1.3 billion. He has worked on both sides of the country’s political divide, as foreign minister during the pro-Western presidency of Viktor Yushchenko and briefly as economy minister under Yanukovych. But Poroshenko allied himself with protesters shortly after Yanukovych rejected a deal in November to move toward integration with the European Union. | Poroshenko, 48, is a soft-spoken businessman who built a candy empire out of the ashes of Ukraine’s post-Soviet economy. Forbes estimates his wealth at $1.3 billion. He has worked on both sides of the country’s political divide, as foreign minister during the pro-Western presidency of Viktor Yushchenko and briefly as economy minister under Yanukovych. But Poroshenko allied himself with protesters shortly after Yanukovych rejected a deal in November to move toward integration with the European Union. |
| Many of the anti-corruption civil society groups that occupied Kiev’s Independence Square in opposition to Yanukovich fear that the country’s new president could be an old-style representative of rule by Ukraine’s wealthiest. | Many of the anti-corruption civil society groups that occupied Kiev’s Independence Square in opposition to Yanukovich fear that the country’s new president could be an old-style representative of rule by Ukraine’s wealthiest. |
| Poroshenko said Sunday that he wants to hold new parliamentary elections this year, a move that would pave the way for a full revamp of the government. Yanukovich’s pro-Russian Party of Regions still holds a plurality of seats in the legislature. | Poroshenko said Sunday that he wants to hold new parliamentary elections this year, a move that would pave the way for a full revamp of the government. Yanukovich’s pro-Russian Party of Regions still holds a plurality of seats in the legislature. |
| Problems beyond the capital | Problems beyond the capital |
| In Kiev on Sunday, voters stood in long lines as they waited to fill out the large paper ballots for president. Many said they were choosing Poroshenko as a conciliatory figure. | In Kiev on Sunday, voters stood in long lines as they waited to fill out the large paper ballots for president. Many said they were choosing Poroshenko as a conciliatory figure. |
| Poroshenko “is the one person who is actually neutral,” said Alexander Stelmakh, 36, a construction worker who came with his 3-year-old son to vote at School No. 15 in the leafy Holoseevsky neighborhood on the outskirts of the city. | Poroshenko “is the one person who is actually neutral,” said Alexander Stelmakh, 36, a construction worker who came with his 3-year-old son to vote at School No. 15 in the leafy Holoseevsky neighborhood on the outskirts of the city. |
| But in Ukraine’s troubled east, problems with voting were widespread, and pro-Russian separatists attacked polling places, according to the office of Donetsk’s governor, Serhiy Taruta. Only 426 polling stations out of 2,430 were open in the region, and none in the city of Donetsk, which has 1 million residents, the Donetsk Regional Administration said. | But in Ukraine’s troubled east, problems with voting were widespread, and pro-Russian separatists attacked polling places, according to the office of Donetsk’s governor, Serhiy Taruta. Only 426 polling stations out of 2,430 were open in the region, and none in the city of Donetsk, which has 1 million residents, the Donetsk Regional Administration said. |
| There were difficulties even in areas nominally under government control. Sunday morning, people started trickling into a polling station in Veliko Novoselovka, a town where Ukrainian troops backed by armored personnel carriers operated a roadblock along the highway leading to Donetsk, 60 miles east. A second roadblock was just outside town. | There were difficulties even in areas nominally under government control. Sunday morning, people started trickling into a polling station in Veliko Novoselovka, a town where Ukrainian troops backed by armored personnel carriers operated a roadblock along the highway leading to Donetsk, 60 miles east. A second roadblock was just outside town. |
| But voters were initially turned away because of a lack of ballots. The district’s top election official had been abducted Saturday and the ballots stolen, said the election official in charge of the polling station, who would give his name only as Oleksandr. By mid-afternoon, ballots arrived under army escort. But officials were still numbering and affixing official stamps to them more than three hours later, and no one in town had been able to vote. | But voters were initially turned away because of a lack of ballots. The district’s top election official had been abducted Saturday and the ballots stolen, said the election official in charge of the polling station, who would give his name only as Oleksandr. By mid-afternoon, ballots arrived under army escort. But officials were still numbering and affixing official stamps to them more than three hours later, and no one in town had been able to vote. |
| “We very much wanted to vote. We want to end this disorder,” said one woman, a retired schoolteacher with tears in her eyes who gave only her first name, Tatyana. | “We very much wanted to vote. We want to end this disorder,” said one woman, a retired schoolteacher with tears in her eyes who gave only her first name, Tatyana. |
| In Krasnoarmiisk, a town 30 miles northwest of Donetsk, voting proceeded normally at School No. 9, but with only about 10 percent turnout, Natalyia Tyrhaninova, the head of the district election commission, said late Sunday. | In Krasnoarmiisk, a town 30 miles northwest of Donetsk, voting proceeded normally at School No. 9, but with only about 10 percent turnout, Natalyia Tyrhaninova, the head of the district election commission, said late Sunday. |
| Violence continues | Violence continues |
| The latest violence Sunday was a reminder of the challenges facing Ukraine’s new leader. One man was killed and another wounded in a skirmish near the town of Novoaidar, Deputy Interior Minister Serhiy Yarovoi told reporters, without giving details. Interfax reported that the victims were separatists. In Mariupol, a special police unit apprehended top separatist leader Denis Kuzmenko and killed one of his bodyguards, the Ministry of Internal Affairs said in a statement. | The latest violence Sunday was a reminder of the challenges facing Ukraine’s new leader. One man was killed and another wounded in a skirmish near the town of Novoaidar, Deputy Interior Minister Serhiy Yarovoi told reporters, without giving details. Interfax reported that the victims were separatists. In Mariupol, a special police unit apprehended top separatist leader Denis Kuzmenko and killed one of his bodyguards, the Ministry of Internal Affairs said in a statement. |
| Also Sunday, the deaths of Italian photojournalist Andrea Rocchelli, 30, and his Russian interpreter, Andrei Mironov, 60, were confirmed by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. The group said the two were killed the previous day by mortar fire near the rebel-held city of Slovyansk, but the exact circumstances remain unclear. Mironov, a former dissident who was imprisoned during the waning years of the Soviet Union, was a longtime fixture in Moscow’s journalism community and worked for many Western news outlets there, including The Washington Post. | Also Sunday, the deaths of Italian photojournalist Andrea Rocchelli, 30, and his Russian interpreter, Andrei Mironov, 60, were confirmed by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. The group said the two were killed the previous day by mortar fire near the rebel-held city of Slovyansk, but the exact circumstances remain unclear. Mironov, a former dissident who was imprisoned during the waning years of the Soviet Union, was a longtime fixture in Moscow’s journalism community and worked for many Western news outlets there, including The Washington Post. |
| Birnbaum reported from Kiev, Kunkle from Donetsk and Daniela Deane from London. Abigail Hauslohner contributed from Moscow. | Birnbaum reported from Kiev, Kunkle from Donetsk and Daniela Deane from London. Abigail Hauslohner contributed from Moscow. |