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| In Ukraine, pro-Russia rebels launch new offensive in port city of Mariupol | In Ukraine, pro-Russia rebels launch new offensive in port city of Mariupol |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| MOSCOW — The leader of the pro-Russian rebels in Donetsk was quoted Saturday declaring that militias had launched a new offensive in Mariupol, a strategic port city in eastern Ukraine that is the final bastion of Ukrainian control separating Russia from the newly-annexed territory of Crimea. | MOSCOW — The leader of the pro-Russian rebels in Donetsk was quoted Saturday declaring that militias had launched a new offensive in Mariupol, a strategic port city in eastern Ukraine that is the final bastion of Ukrainian control separating Russia from the newly-annexed territory of Crimea. |
| Alexander Zakharchenko reportedly made the announcement just one day after Donetsk rebel leaders rejected a cease-fire agreement struck in September and promised to push their offensive all the way to the borders of the Donetsk region. | Alexander Zakharchenko reportedly made the announcement just one day after Donetsk rebel leaders rejected a cease-fire agreement struck in September and promised to push their offensive all the way to the borders of the Donetsk region. |
| “We have started an offensive on Mariupol,” Zakharchenko was quoted by Russian news service Interfax as saying during a flower-laying ceremony in Donetsk, at the site of a bus stop shelling that killed 13 people earlier this week. | “We have started an offensive on Mariupol,” Zakharchenko was quoted by Russian news service Interfax as saying during a flower-laying ceremony in Donetsk, at the site of a bus stop shelling that killed 13 people earlier this week. |
| Zakharchenko later added that the rebels’ intention was to suppress Ukrainian troops to the east of the city, but not to storm Mariupol. | |
| Ukrainian officials had earlier accused pro-Russian rebels of launching a deadly shelling Saturday against Mariupol. The shelling killed 27 civilians and wounded 99, Andrey Fedai of the Mariupol City Council posted on his Facebook page. | Ukrainian officials had earlier accused pro-Russian rebels of launching a deadly shelling Saturday against Mariupol. The shelling killed 27 civilians and wounded 99, Andrey Fedai of the Mariupol City Council posted on his Facebook page. |
| Rebel leaders were quoted on one of their Web sites saying Kiev’s reports of militants shelling were “misinformation and lies.” | Rebel leaders were quoted on one of their Web sites saying Kiev’s reports of militants shelling were “misinformation and lies.” |
| “The militias did not open fire in the direction of Mariupol, especially the residential areas,” the rebels’ defense ministry said, according to the Web site, while Eduard Basurin, deputy commander of the Donetsk rebels, told Russian news service Interfax that government forces had shelled Mariupol in “an act of provocation.” | “The militias did not open fire in the direction of Mariupol, especially the residential areas,” the rebels’ defense ministry said, according to the Web site, while Eduard Basurin, deputy commander of the Donetsk rebels, told Russian news service Interfax that government forces had shelled Mariupol in “an act of provocation.” |
| Pro-Kiev forces in Mariupol said Saturday on its VKontake page that the shelling had come from rebel-held territory, while Col. Andriy Lysenko, a spokesman for the Ukrainian National Security and Defense Council, said that “at least three Grad systems” — referring to rocket-launchers — were used in the shelling. | Pro-Kiev forces in Mariupol said Saturday on its VKontake page that the shelling had come from rebel-held territory, while Col. Andriy Lysenko, a spokesman for the Ukrainian National Security and Defense Council, said that “at least three Grad systems” — referring to rocket-launchers — were used in the shelling. |
| Mariupol has been under the control of the Ukrainian government, save for a brief period during the early months of fighting when it was under the control of pro-Russian rebels frustrated with the country’s pro-Western leadership in Kiev. In June, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko even declared it the temporary capital of the Donetsk region, while the separatists were in control of Donetsk city. | Mariupol has been under the control of the Ukrainian government, save for a brief period during the early months of fighting when it was under the control of pro-Russian rebels frustrated with the country’s pro-Western leadership in Kiev. In June, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko even declared it the temporary capital of the Donetsk region, while the separatists were in control of Donetsk city. |
| The area around Mariupol was the scene of intense fighting between Ukrainian troops and pro-Russian rebels during the late summer, as rebels — backed by Russian support, Ukrainian officials maintained — made a push for the city, shortly before the two sides agreed to a cease-fire in Minsk, Belarus, in early September. | The area around Mariupol was the scene of intense fighting between Ukrainian troops and pro-Russian rebels during the late summer, as rebels — backed by Russian support, Ukrainian officials maintained — made a push for the city, shortly before the two sides agreed to a cease-fire in Minsk, Belarus, in early September. |
| But that cease-fire is now effectively dead, after pro-Russian rebel leaders in Donetsk said Friday they were no longer recognizing it and would not initiate any new peace talks. | But that cease-fire is now effectively dead, after pro-Russian rebel leaders in Donetsk said Friday they were no longer recognizing it and would not initiate any new peace talks. |
| Ukrainian officials, backed by their Western allies, said that they saw the hand of Russia behind Saturday’s reported shelling of Mariupol, warning that the shelling could be part of a larger plan. | Ukrainian officials, backed by their Western allies, said that they saw the hand of Russia behind Saturday’s reported shelling of Mariupol, warning that the shelling could be part of a larger plan. |
| “Today’s indiscriminate shelling of Mariupol [is] part of an apparently Russian-backed general offensive in complete violation of Minsk agreements,” U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Geoffrey Pyatt tweeted Saturday morning. | “Today’s indiscriminate shelling of Mariupol [is] part of an apparently Russian-backed general offensive in complete violation of Minsk agreements,” U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Geoffrey Pyatt tweeted Saturday morning. |
| Oleksandr Turchynov, secretary of Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council, called the shelling a “bloody crime against humanity” and said that “Putin is directly responsible” — even accusing him of having ordered the shelling at a Friday meeting with the Russian Security Council. | Oleksandr Turchynov, secretary of Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council, called the shelling a “bloody crime against humanity” and said that “Putin is directly responsible” — even accusing him of having ordered the shelling at a Friday meeting with the Russian Security Council. |
| By midday Saturday, neither the Kremlin nor the Foreign Ministry had yet reacted to the reports of shelling in Mariupol. But Russian officials have routinely denied Western accusations that they have sent troops and weapons into eastern Ukraine to support the pro-Russian rebels fighting there. | By midday Saturday, neither the Kremlin nor the Foreign Ministry had yet reacted to the reports of shelling in Mariupol. But Russian officials have routinely denied Western accusations that they have sent troops and weapons into eastern Ukraine to support the pro-Russian rebels fighting there. |
| “Concerning the ‘flow of troops and weapons,’ we are constantly hearing this,” Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said during a news conference Wednesday. “Every time I say: ‘If you say this with such confidence, show us the facts.’ ” | “Concerning the ‘flow of troops and weapons,’ we are constantly hearing this,” Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said during a news conference Wednesday. “Every time I say: ‘If you say this with such confidence, show us the facts.’ ” |
| Putin blamed Kiev for ignoring a new peace proposal he had drafted and sent to Poroshenko last week and instead, starting “large-scale fighting on almost the entire perimeter of contact between the opposing sides,” he said Friday, in comments made during a meeting of the Russian Security Council. | Putin blamed Kiev for ignoring a new peace proposal he had drafted and sent to Poroshenko last week and instead, starting “large-scale fighting on almost the entire perimeter of contact between the opposing sides,” he said Friday, in comments made during a meeting of the Russian Security Council. |
| Earlier this week, U.S. Secretary of State John F. Kerry accused “Russian-backed separatists” of trying to pull off “a very blatant land grab” in eastern Ukraine. | Earlier this week, U.S. Secretary of State John F. Kerry accused “Russian-backed separatists” of trying to pull off “a very blatant land grab” in eastern Ukraine. |
| Ukrainian officials said this week that more than 9,000 Russian troops are operating in Ukrainian territory. NATO’s top commander could not verify that number Thursday, though he said NATO had observed some signs consistent with “past Russian troop movements into Ukraine.” | Ukrainian officials said this week that more than 9,000 Russian troops are operating in Ukrainian territory. NATO’s top commander could not verify that number Thursday, though he said NATO had observed some signs consistent with “past Russian troop movements into Ukraine.” |
| The United Nations estimated Friday that almost 5,100 people have died in Ukraine since the fighting began last April — 262 in the past nine days before the updated figure was published, making it the deadliest period since this summer, before the Minsk cease-fire agreement was signed. | The United Nations estimated Friday that almost 5,100 people have died in Ukraine since the fighting began last April — 262 in the past nine days before the updated figure was published, making it the deadliest period since this summer, before the Minsk cease-fire agreement was signed. |