Tensions Mount in Ukraine's Crimea
Tensions Mount in Ukraine's Crimea
Pro-Russia demonstrators and those supporting Ukraine's new pro-Western interim leaders confronted each other in the southern city of Simferopol on Wednesday.
Small-scale clashes broke out between the shouting protesters, some of whom were bloodied in the incident, which happened in the courtyard of the local parliament building in the Crimean capital.
The Crimean peninsula is mainly made up of Russian speakers who support Moscow, though it also includes a minority Tatar group that tends to take an anti-Russia stance and largely supports Ukraine's new interim leaders.
The tensions in Crimea and confrontations along ethinc lines in other parts of Ukraine have raised the specter of an East-West divide in the nation of 46 million following the ouster of Russia-friendly president Viktor Yanukovych.
Kerry: 'No zero-sum game'
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry on Tuesday said the country should not be forced to choose between Moscow, its former Soviet master, and Washington.
"This is not a zero-sum game; it is not a West versus East, it should not be.... this is about the people of Ukraine and Ukrainians making their choice about their future," said Kerry.
The White House has sent financial experts to Ukraine to help its new leaders deal with the economic crisis, Interfax news agency quoted U.S. Deputy Secretary of State William Burns as saying on Wednesday.
Burns was also quoted as saying that the team of experts would remain in Ukraine following his departure later on Wednesday.
Ukraine's Interim leaders have also invited the International Monetary Fund to prepare a new financial aid program for the country.
Russia flexes muscle
President Vladimir Putin ordered an urgent drill to test the combat readiness of the armed forces across western Russia on Wednesday, news agencies reported, flexing Moscow's military muscle amid tension with the West over Ukraine.
“In accordance with an order from the president of the Russian Federation, forces of the Western Military District were put on alert at 1400 (1000 GMT) today,” Interfax quoted Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu as saying.
Putin has ordered several such surprise drills in various parts of Russia since he returned to the presidency in 2012, saying the military must be kept on its toes, but the geopolitical overtones could hardly have been clearer this time.
The western district borders Ukraine, which lies between NATO nations and Russia.
Putin has made no public comment on Ukraine since Yanukovych was driven from power over the weekend.
Shoigu was also quoted as saying that Russia is "carefully watching what is happening in Crimea, what is happening around the Black Sea Fleet."
Russia's Black Sea Naval Fleet is based on the Crimean coast on territory Moscow is leasing from Kyiv.
Britain offers watchful eye
Britain will take note of Russian military activities and opposes outside interference in Ukraine, British Defense Secretary Philip Hammond said on Wednesday after Moscow ordered the military drill in western Russia.
“We will certainly, obviously, want to take proper cognizance of any activities by Russian forces,” Hammond told reporters when asked about Putin's order.
“We would urge all parties to allow the Ukrainian people to settle their internal differences and then to determine their own future without external interference,” he said.
Elite security force dissolved
On Wednesday, Ukraine's interim leaders dissolved an elite security force accused of carrying out deadly attacks on protesters during the demonstrations.
In a statement on his Facebook page, acting Interior Minister Arsen Avakov said he signed a decree disbanding the feared Berkut riot police
Meanwhile, interim President Oleksandr Turchynov warned Tuesday in parliament that there are "very dangerous signs of separatism" in several parts of the country.
Turchynov has said that he plans to announce a new national unity government. Thursday. Ukrainian media are reporting that a list of ministers might be announced as early as today at 1900 p.m. local time.
Investigation, searches underway
Viktor Yanukovych's offices and other buildings in Ukraine, including the national bank, were searched on Wednesday as part of an investigation against the ousted president for suspected premeditated murder, the prosecutor-general's office said.
In a statement on its website, the office said: “Within the framework of the criminal investigation ... searches have been carried out at the premises of the presidential administration, the national security and defense council, the national bank and the former residence of Yanukovych.”
Meanwhile, Ukraine will also contact international organizations with an official request to help trace bank accounts and assets controlled by ousted president Yanukovych and his allies, the acting prosecutor general said on Wednesday.
Accusing Yanukovych and his aides of stealing “not millions but billions” of dollars, Oleh Makhnytsky told Reuters in an interview that all major commercial deals concluded during his time in power would be reviewed.
“We will check everything: all the schemes of the ex-regime ... We are doing these checks because all the activity of the former regime was built on total corruption,” he said.
Yanukovych's whereabouts are still unknown. VOA
Small-scale clashes broke out between the shouting protesters, some of whom were bloodied in the incident, which happened in the courtyard of the local parliament building in the Crimean capital.
The Crimean peninsula is mainly made up of Russian speakers who support Moscow, though it also includes a minority Tatar group that tends to take an anti-Russia stance and largely supports Ukraine's new interim leaders.
The tensions in Crimea and confrontations along ethinc lines in other parts of Ukraine have raised the specter of an East-West divide in the nation of 46 million following the ouster of Russia-friendly president Viktor Yanukovych.
Kerry: 'No zero-sum game'
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry on Tuesday said the country should not be forced to choose between Moscow, its former Soviet master, and Washington.
"This is not a zero-sum game; it is not a West versus East, it should not be.... this is about the people of Ukraine and Ukrainians making their choice about their future," said Kerry.
The White House has sent financial experts to Ukraine to help its new leaders deal with the economic crisis, Interfax news agency quoted U.S. Deputy Secretary of State William Burns as saying on Wednesday.
Burns was also quoted as saying that the team of experts would remain in Ukraine following his departure later on Wednesday.
Ukraine's Interim leaders have also invited the International Monetary Fund to prepare a new financial aid program for the country.
Russia flexes muscle
President Vladimir Putin ordered an urgent drill to test the combat readiness of the armed forces across western Russia on Wednesday, news agencies reported, flexing Moscow's military muscle amid tension with the West over Ukraine.
“In accordance with an order from the president of the Russian Federation, forces of the Western Military District were put on alert at 1400 (1000 GMT) today,” Interfax quoted Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu as saying.
Putin has ordered several such surprise drills in various parts of Russia since he returned to the presidency in 2012, saying the military must be kept on its toes, but the geopolitical overtones could hardly have been clearer this time.
The western district borders Ukraine, which lies between NATO nations and Russia.
Putin has made no public comment on Ukraine since Yanukovych was driven from power over the weekend.
Shoigu was also quoted as saying that Russia is "carefully watching what is happening in Crimea, what is happening around the Black Sea Fleet."
Russia's Black Sea Naval Fleet is based on the Crimean coast on territory Moscow is leasing from Kyiv.
Britain offers watchful eye
Britain will take note of Russian military activities and opposes outside interference in Ukraine, British Defense Secretary Philip Hammond said on Wednesday after Moscow ordered the military drill in western Russia.
“We will certainly, obviously, want to take proper cognizance of any activities by Russian forces,” Hammond told reporters when asked about Putin's order.
“We would urge all parties to allow the Ukrainian people to settle their internal differences and then to determine their own future without external interference,” he said.
Elite security force dissolved
On Wednesday, Ukraine's interim leaders dissolved an elite security force accused of carrying out deadly attacks on protesters during the demonstrations.
In a statement on his Facebook page, acting Interior Minister Arsen Avakov said he signed a decree disbanding the feared Berkut riot police
Meanwhile, interim President Oleksandr Turchynov warned Tuesday in parliament that there are "very dangerous signs of separatism" in several parts of the country.
Turchynov has said that he plans to announce a new national unity government. Thursday. Ukrainian media are reporting that a list of ministers might be announced as early as today at 1900 p.m. local time.
Investigation, searches underway
Viktor Yanukovych's offices and other buildings in Ukraine, including the national bank, were searched on Wednesday as part of an investigation against the ousted president for suspected premeditated murder, the prosecutor-general's office said.
In a statement on its website, the office said: “Within the framework of the criminal investigation ... searches have been carried out at the premises of the presidential administration, the national security and defense council, the national bank and the former residence of Yanukovych.”
Meanwhile, Ukraine will also contact international organizations with an official request to help trace bank accounts and assets controlled by ousted president Yanukovych and his allies, the acting prosecutor general said on Wednesday.
Accusing Yanukovych and his aides of stealing “not millions but billions” of dollars, Oleh Makhnytsky told Reuters in an interview that all major commercial deals concluded during his time in power would be reviewed.
“We will check everything: all the schemes of the ex-regime ... We are doing these checks because all the activity of the former regime was built on total corruption,” he said.
Yanukovych's whereabouts are still unknown. VOA
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