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Ukraine Crisis: Kiev attacks ahead of international talks

Ukranian APCs, tanks and soldiers disarmed; Pro-Russians take six troopers hostage

Slavyansk: An operation by Ukrainian forces to reassert control over its eastern regions floundered on Wednesday in the face of pro-Russian resistance, a day ahead of international talks on the escalating crisis.

A concerned Nato said it planned to deploy more forces in eastern Europe and called for Russia to stop “destabilising” the former Soviet satellite, which has been in deep turmoil since the ouster of the pro-Kremlin leadership in February.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned that Kiev’s decision to send in troops this week to put down a separatist uprising in its industrial heartland had dragged the country to the brink of civil war.

In a sign that its plan was backfiring, Ukraine’s defence ministry said Moscow-backed militants blocked and seized six armoured vehicles that had been deployed on Tuesday in a bid to oust the separatists.

The commandeered vehicles, some flying Russian flags, were then stationed in the centre of the town of Slavyansk surrounded by dozens of armed men in camouflage claiming to be volunteers and Ukrainian army defectors, an AFP reporter said.

In another apparent humbling climbdown in the nearby town of Kra-matorsk, Ukrainian troops — some weeping — handed over the firing mechanisms of their rifles to pro-Moscow protesters who had surrounded their column of 14 APCs in return for a promise that they could leave in their vehicles, an AFP reporter said.

The authorities in Kiev ratcheted up the verbal attacks on Russia, with Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk accusing Moscow of trying to build “a new Berlin wall”.

Yatsenyuk demanded Moscow halt its alleged support for the separatists but said Kiev remained committed to Thursday's crunch talks between the top diplomats of Russia, the European Union, the United States and Ukraine.

“There is only one directive for the Ukrainian foreign ministry — the Russian government has to immediately withdraw its commando groups, condemn the terrorists and demand they leave the installations,” he said.

Ukraine’s acting defence minister Mykhailo Koval headed out to the east to check on the progress of Kiev’s seemingly stalled bid against the separatists.

The military also pledged a firm response after two serviceman were allegedly taken hostage by pro-Russian forces in the Lugansk region as the crisis seemed to spin out of control.

( Source : AFP )
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