Section: The Washington Free Beacon (USA)
Ukraine Forces, Separatists Fight First Serious Battles in Months
By Alessandra Prentice and Pavel Polityuk KIEV (Reuters) – Ukrainian troops and pro-Russian separatists on Wednesday fought their first serious battles in months and Ukraine’s defense minister said an attempt by rebels to take the eastern town of Maryinka had been thwarted. The Ukrainian military said the Russian-backed rebels had tried to...
Ukraine Minister Says East Ukraine Fighting Could Resume Soon
PANEVEZYS, Lithuania (Reuters) – Ukraine’s defense minister said on Thursday Russia had moved forces into eastern Ukraine and there was a risk of fighting resuming between the army and pro-Russian separatists in coming months. Violence has been less intense in Ukraine’s east since a ceasefire was brokered in Minsk in February, but the...
Russia Masses Heavy Firepower on Border with Ukraine
By Maria Tsvetkova KHUTOR CHKALOVA, Russia (Reuters) – Russia’s army is massing troops and hundreds of pieces of weaponry including mobile rocket launchers, tanks and artillery at a makeshift base near the border with Ukraine, a Reuters reporter saw this week. Many of the vehicles have number plates and identifying marks removed while many...
Battle Erupts in Eastern Ukraine, Four Ukrainian Soldiers Killed
KIEV (Reuters) – Fighting erupted between Ukrainian government forces and Russian-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine on Tuesday and four Ukrainian servicemen were killed, the regional administration chief said. Gennady Moskal, governor of Luhansk region on the border with Russia, said on his Facebook page that separatists opened fire on...
NATO: Russia Has Equipped Ukraine Rebels to Attack at Short Notice
By Adrian Croft BRUSSELS (Reuters) – NATO’s chief said on Monday that Russia had built up forces on the border with Ukraine and sent more military hardware into eastern Ukraine, enabling pro-Russia separatists to launch attacks with little warning if they chose. “There has been a Russian build-up, both along the borders between Russia and...
Polling Shows Russian Worries Over Economy
Two new opinion polls indicate that concern is growing among Russians that sanctions imposed by the United States and European Union in response to the Ukraine crisis could trigger financial upheaval in their country. The Russia-based National Financial Research Agency reported that 61 percent of Russians surveyed believed that sanctions...
Russian Volunteer: Separatists in Eastern Ukraine Are ‘Bandits’ and ‘Cutthroats’
The pro-Russian rebels fighting in eastern Ukraine receive significant weaponry from the Kremlin and have committed atrocities against Ukrainian forces, according to a former Russian volunteer for the insurgents. In an interview with Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Russian businessman Bondo Dorovskikh said he decided to volunteer for the...
Kerry Told Russia in Phone Call to Pull Forces from Ukraine
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry told his Russian counterpart in a phone call on Wednesday that Russia must withdraw its forces from eastern Ukraine, a senior State Department official said on Thursday. During the call with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Kerry also urged Russia to press pro-Russian rebels to...
Pentagon Denies ‘Ridiculous’ Claim U.S. Troops in Eastern Ukraine Combat Zone
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The Pentagon on Thursday denied Russian allegations that U.S. troops are in the conflict zone in eastern Ukraine, calling Moscow’s claims a “ridiculous attempt to shift the focus” from its own activities in the region. “Russia continues to supply lethal weapons, training and command and control support for armed...
Russian Defense Ministry Says U.S. Troops in East Ukraine
MOSCOW (Reuters) – U.S. troops are in the conflict zone in eastern Ukraine and are training Ukrainian forces, Interfax news agency quoted a spokesman for Russia’s Defense Ministry as saying on Thursday. A day earlier, Washington accused Russia of building up air defense systems inside eastern Ukraine and of involvement in training exercises...
