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Ukraine sent armored vehicles and artillery to retake Slovyansk, a stronghold for pro-separatist forces, defying President Vladimir Putin’s demand to pull back troops with Russia’s army massed across the border.
Interior Ministry forces were dispatched at 4:30 a.m. local time to drive out militants and free hostages, including eight international monitors, minister Arsen Avakov said on Facebook. Rebels shot down two helicopters, killing two pilots, the Defense Ministry said. Acting Ukrainian President Oleksandr Turchynov said in a statement “many” rebels were killed, wounded or captured.’’ The United Nations Security Council is preparing to hold an emergency meeting at Russia’s request.
“We’re ready to hold talks with protesters or their representatives,” Avakov said on the government website as troops surrounded Slovyansk. “But terrorists and armed separatists will only get the inevitable payback.”
The U.S. and the European Union blame Russia for fomenting unrest in Ukraine’s easternmost, largely Russian-speaking regions and have threatened wider sanctions to target Russia’s economy unless Putin helps ease tensions. Putin yesterday urged Ukraine to withdraw forces from the east, as the regions of Donetsk and Luhansk slip out of the Kiev government’s control.
Photographer: Vasily Maximov/AFP/Getty Images
An armed pro-Russian activist stands guard at a checkpoint near the south eastern... Read More
Markets React
The yield on Ukraine’s government debt rose 25 basis points to a six-week high of 10.90 percent as of 3:31 p.m. in Kiev, data compiled by Bloomberg show. Russian bonds fell, with the yield on ruble-denominated government debt due February 2027 jumping 20 basis points to 9.67 percent, four basis points from the record on March 14, the last trading day before Crimeans voted to join Russia. The ruble slid 0.4 percent to 42.0047 versus the central bank’s target dollar-euro basket by 5:37 p.m. in Moscow.
Today’s operation marked the most
Interior Ministry forces were dispatched at 4:30 a.m. local time to drive out militants and free hostages, including eight international monitors, minister Arsen Avakov said on Facebook. Rebels shot down two helicopters, killing two pilots, the Defense Ministry said. Acting Ukrainian President Oleksandr Turchynov said in a statement “many” rebels were killed, wounded or captured.’’ The United Nations Security Council is preparing to hold an emergency meeting at Russia’s request.
“We’re ready to hold talks with protesters or their representatives,” Avakov said on the government website as troops surrounded Slovyansk. “But terrorists and armed separatists will only get the inevitable payback.”
The U.S. and the European Union blame Russia for fomenting unrest in Ukraine’s easternmost, largely Russian-speaking regions and have threatened wider sanctions to target Russia’s economy unless Putin helps ease tensions. Putin yesterday urged Ukraine to withdraw forces from the east, as the regions of Donetsk and Luhansk slip out of the Kiev government’s control.
Photographer: Vasily Maximov/AFP/Getty Images
An armed pro-Russian activist stands guard at a checkpoint near the south eastern... Read More
Markets React
The yield on Ukraine’s government debt rose 25 basis points to a six-week high of 10.90 percent as of 3:31 p.m. in Kiev, data compiled by Bloomberg show. Russian bonds fell, with the yield on ruble-denominated government debt due February 2027 jumping 20 basis points to 9.67 percent, four basis points from the record on March 14, the last trading day before Crimeans voted to join Russia. The ruble slid 0.4 percent to 42.0047 versus the central bank’s target dollar-euro basket by 5:37 p.m. in Moscow.
Today’s operation marked the most