Kiev launches military operation in northern Donetsk region - media reports
15 April 2014, 11:53 -- Ukraine's coup-appointed acting President Aleksander Turchynov has announced that an 'anti-terrorist operation' was launched in the northern parts of the Donetsk region early on Tuesday morning, Interfax reports.'The anti-terrorist operation started overnight Monday,'Turchinov said. The aim of the full-scale action is 'to protect the citizens of Ukraine', the acting president claimed.
'An anti-terrorist operation was launched in the north of the Donetsk region early this morning. It will be conducted in a stage-by-stage, balanced and responsible manner. I would like to emphasize once again that the goal of these measures is to protect the citizens of Ukraine,' he said in the Verkhovna Rada on Tuesday.
Putin urges Obama to help prevent bloodshed in Ukraine
Russian President Vladimir Putin urged on Monday his US counterpart Barack Obama to use all available leverage to prevent the looming bloodshed in Ukraine, the Kremlin said. Putin and Obama discussed in a phone conversation various aspects of the current Ukrainian crisis in light of the recent escalation of tensions in southern and eastern regions of the country.
'Putin has urged Barack Obama to use to the full extend the means available to the US in order to prevent violence and bloodshed [in Ukraine],' the Kremlin said in a statement. 'In response to US concerns over Russia's alleged involvement in south-eastern Ukraine, the Russian president stressed that these allegations are based on false reports,' the statement said.
The two sides agreed to continue efforts aimed at finding a diplomatic solution to the current stalemate prior to the upcoming four-party meeting (the EU, Russia, the US and Ukraine) in Geneva slated for April 17. Ukraine faced a regime change in February when the countrya's parliament backed by far-right movements ousted President Viktor Yanukovych, amended the constitution and scheduled early presidential elections for May 25.
Ukraine crisis: Kiev calls for 'full-scale antiterrorist operation' in south east
Ukraine's acting president demands that 'armed separatists' in the country's south-east put down arms. The 'antiterrorist operation' that Kiev called for yesterday can start on Monday morning. At the weekend armed people took hold of local city halls in a number of towns outside Donetsk, also there were a number of clashes in the Zaporozhie area.
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