Ukraine plans war in east Pro-Russian rebels given ultimatum till Monday to lay down weapons Risk of ‘gas war’ grows
Kiev, April 13: Ukraine’s armed forces plan to launch a “full-scale anti-terrorist operation” against pro-Russian separatists, acting president Oleksander Turchinov said on Sunday, raising the risk of a military confrontation with Moscow. Russia has 40,000 troops massed on Ukraine’s eastern border and has warned Kiev against using force.
Angered by the death of a state security officer and the wounding of two of his comrades near the flashpoint eastern city of Slaviansk, Mr Turchinov gave rebels occupying state buildings until Monday morning to lay down their weapons.
He blamed Russia for being behind the rash of rebellions across Russian-speaking towns in eastern Ukraine. “The blood of Ukrainian heroes has been shed in a war which the Russian Federation is waging against Ukraine,” he said in an address to the nation. “The aggressor has not stopped and is continuing to sow disorder in the east of the country.”
One Ukrainian state security officer was killed and five were wounded on the government side in Sunday’s operation in Slaviansk, interior minister Arsen Avakov said.
The Russian news agency RIA reported that one pro-Moscow activist was killed in Slaviansk
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon called on all sides to “exercise maximum restraint” and engage in dialogue to calm a situation that has a “growing potential for violent clashes”
in clashes with forces loyal to the Kiev government.
Meanwhile, Samantha Power, the US envoy to the United Nations said the attacks by proRussian gunmen bore “tell-tale signs of Moscow’s involvement”. “It’s professional, coordinated. Nothing grassroots about it,” Ms Power said. — Reuters Kiev: Ukraine said it was suspending payments to Russia for deliveries of gas, ratcheting up the tension in a standoff that has the potential to leave European Union states cut off from the Russian gas supplies on which they depend.
Europe may now feel the impact of the confontration between Russia and Ukraine as gas dispute may spread across the continent. A large proportion of the gas which EU buys from Russia is pumped via Ukraine and the non-payment of $500 million may affect West. — Agencies