Section: AsiaOne (Singapore)
US furious over Russia’s ‘lies’ on Ukraine
KIEV – The United States expressed fury at Russia’s “lies” over Ukraine after European powers urged a frayed ceasefire be respected, while a rare overnight calm was reported in the war zone on Wednesday.But the crisis still simmered dangerously. Britain said it was dispatching a team of soldiers to Ukraine for...
Fears for truce as attacking rebels mass near Ukraine port city
KIEV – Pro-Russian forces massing near Ukraine’s port city of Mariupol are continuing to attack government troop positions, Kiev said on Monday, fuelling concerns for the fate of a UN-backed ceasefire.Continued hostilities meant a pull-back of heavy weapons could not go ahead as agreed, Ukrainian officials said.”As Ukrainian...
Pro-Russia rebels violate truce outside port city Ukraine
KIEV – Pro-Russian forces massing near Ukraine’s port city of Mariupol are continuing to attack government troop positions, Kiev said on Monday, fuelling concerns for the fate of an internationally brokered ceasefire.Tensions were also high following a bomb blast Sunday in the normally peaceful eastern city of Kharkiv. In their latest...
Putin surveys the map as he ponders next move on Ukraine
MOSCOW – In Russia, Vladimir Putin likes to portray himself as the saviour of the nation. In Europe and the United States he has come to be seen as a threat to the new world order.What the Russian president does next in Ukraine is key to the country’s future, as well as that of Europe and his own.Putin looks to have the upper hand at...
Ukraine says no weapons pull-back until full ceasefire
KIEV – Ukraine’s military said Monday that it is waiting for a full ceasefire with pro-Russian rebels before withdrawing heavy weapons from the frontline, a key next step in a tattered peace plan.”As Ukrainian positions are still being fired upon there can be no talk yet of a withdrawal of weapons,” military spokesman...
Pro-Russian rebels agree to pull back weapons
NIZHNYAYA KRYNKA, Ukraine – A senior pro-Russian rebel commander said separatist forces were due to begin withdrawing heavy weapons from the front line in eastern Ukraine yesterday, a sign that the rebels may be prepared to halt their advance, as part of an internationally brokered peace deal.Fighting has eased in many areas since a...
Pro-Russian rebels say agree to withdraw weapons in east Ukraine
A senior pro-Russian rebel commander said separatist forces were due to begin withdrawing heavy weapons from the front line in east Ukraine on Sunday, a sign rebels may be prepared to halt their advance as part of an internationally brokered peace deal.Fighting has eased in many areas since a ceasefire came into effect a week ago, but the truce...
Major prisoner swap in Ukraine bolsters shaky truce
ZHOLOBOK, Ukraine – Ukrainian forces and rebel separatists traded dozens of prisoners in a frontline eastern town on Saturday, the first clear sign of progress for an otherwise shaky truce signed a week ago.The rare glint of optimism came on the heels of a pro-Russian rebel offensive in the east, capturing a major town from loyalists and...
Russia ‘undermining’ global world order: US
WASHINGTON – In some of its sharpest criticism to date, Washington accused Moscow on Friday of “undermining” the global order by supporting rebels in eastern Ukraine.Germany and France also demanded that a crumbling Ukraine truce be “fully respected,” but the words appeared hollow as pro-Russian rebels celebrated a...
Power cable through the Pyrenees marks step to EU energy union
BRUSSELS – France and Spain’s link to carry power across the Pyrenees mountains launched on Friday is one step towards a grand EU plan for the single energy market the European Commission will work towards relentlessly, the EU’s energy and climate boss said.The joint project by RTE, a unit of French utility EDF , and...
