Interfax
April 20, 2014
Moscow outraged by incident in Sloviansk, insists on Ukraine fulfilling Geneva agreement – ministry
MOSCOW: Moscow is outraged by the armed incident that occurred Saturday night in Sloviansk in which innocent civilians died as a result of an attack by Right Sector militants, the Russian Foreign Ministry says.
“The Russian side is enraged by the militant provocation which is an indication of the reluctance of the authorities in Kyiv to bridle and disarm nationalists and extremists,” a ministry statement says.
“It is surprising that the tragedy occurred after the signing on April 17 in Geneva of the final statement of the four-sided meeting of representatives of Russia, the USA, EU and Ukraine which calls for refraining from any violent actions, intimidation or provocations. The Russian side insists on the strict fulfillment by the Ukrainian side of its commitments concerning the de-escalation the situation in southeast Ukraine,” the ministry says.
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Itar-Tass
April 20, 2014
Provocation in Slavyansk proves Kiev’s not willing to disarm extremists – Russia’s FM
MOSCOW: The militants organized the provocation on the night of Sunday in Ukraine’s Slavyansk (Donetsk region). It proves the Ukrainian authorities are not willing to disarm nationalists and extremists, Russia’s foreign ministry says in a statement published on Sunday.
“At the night of Sunday, April 20, the Easter armistice was broken in Slavyansk. The attack of the armed militants from the so-called Right Sector claimed lives of innocent civilians… The Russian side is indignant at this provocation of the militants, which proves Kiev’s authorities are not willing to control and disarm the nationalists and extremists.
Russia insists on Ukraine’s strict observance of the obligations it has undertaken to de-escalate the situation in Ukraine’s south-eastern regions, Russia’s foreign ministry said commenting on the events in Slavyansk, where militants from the Right Sector had breached the Easter armistice.
“We are surprises the tragedy happened already after signing on April 17 in the Geneva the statement of the four-sided meeting featuring representatives of Russia, the US, the EU and Ukraine, which contains the urge to refrain from any force actions, threats and provocations,” the foreign ministry said.
“The Russian side is indignant at this provocation of the militants, which proves Kiev’s authorities are not willing to control and disarm the nationalists and extremists,” the foreign ministry said adding the local people found in the attackers’ cars weapons, maps of the region and symbols of the Right Sector.
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Voice of Russia
April 20, 2014
Slavyansk mayor asks Russia to send peacekeepers in wake of deadly night attack
Head of the self-defense units of Ukraine’s eastern town of Slavyansk, Vladimir Ponomaryov, who was appointed Slavyansk mayor by the town’s residents, has asked Russia to send peacekeepers to eastern Ukraine to protect civilians from National Guard and Right Sector militants.
“They kill our people. They don’t talk to us but just kill,” Ponomaryov said at an emergency press conference in the wake of last night’s armed clashes on the outskirts of Slavyansk.
“The town has actually been besieged by the Right Sector,” he said.
Only Russia can protect civilians from the Right Sector, Ponomaryov said, that’s why he decided to ask Russian President Vladimir Putin to send peacekeepers to the eastern Donetsk and Lugansk regions, the RIA Novosti news agency reports.
The leader of the self-defense forces in the eastern Ukrainian city of Slavyansk said Sunday up to seven gunmen who attacked a local checkpoint overnight were injured or killed by return fire. Vyacheslav Ponomaryov, also known as the acting Slavyansk mayor, has confirmed that one member of the self-defense forces was killed and two others were injured in the shootout.
Nevertheless, Ukraine’s Interior Ministry has stated Sunday three people, including two local citizens, were killed and three others were injured in overnight shootout at a checkpoint in the eastern city of Slavyansk, RIA reports.
Federalization supporters in Kharkov, Donetsk, Gorlovka, Slavyansk and Kramatorsk have refused to recognize the legitimacy of the current Ukrainian government and are urging interim authorities to hold referendums similar to the one held in Crimea last month, which led to the republic’s reunification with Russia. In response, Ukrainian authorities launched a special operation to crack down on the protests.
Russia outraged by deadly shootout in Slavyansk, insists on Kiev fulfilling Geneva agreement – Moscow
Moscow is outraged by the armed incident that occurred Saturday night in Slavyansk in which innocent civilians died as a result of an attack by Right Sector militants, the Russian Foreign Ministry says. “The Russian side is enraged by the militant provocation which is an indication of the reluctance of the authorities in Kiev to bridle and disarm nationalists and extremists,” a ministry statement says.
“It is surprising that the tragedy occurred after the signing on April 17 in Geneva of the final statement of the four-sided meeting of representatives of Russia, the USA, EU and Ukraine which calls for refraining from any violent actions, intimidation or provocations. The Russian side insists on the strict fulfillment by the Ukrainian side of its commitments concerning the de-escalation the situation in southeast Ukraine,” the ministry says, Interfax reports.
“The Eastern ceasefire was violated in Slavyansk on April 20. As a result of an armed attack by the so-called Right Sector innocent civilians died. Local residents seized the vehicles of the attackers in which they discovered arms, aerial maps of the area and Right Sector paraphernalia,” the statement says.
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