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REBELS IN EAST Ukraine appeared to have seized swathes of territory from government forces who abandoned vehicles and ammunition as they left, as Western intelligence said Russian army units were operating inside the country.
After weeks of successful military operations that have seen government forces push deep into the last rebel bastions, the tide appears to be turning once again in the four-month conflict, prompting a nervous government in Kiev to call on NATO for help.
AFP journalists saw no signs of government troops south of the rebel-held city of Donetsk, with road blocks on the entire 100-kilometre (60-mile) stretch to the Azov Sea manned by pro-Russian rebels.
Prime Minister of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic Alexander Zakharchenko, centre, leaves a news conference in Donetsk. AP / Press Association Images
AP / Press Association Images / Press Association Images
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov responded that the Kremlin was “not interested in breaking up” Ukraine, although it does respect two independence referendums from May — in Crimea and the Russian-speaking eastern regions of Lugansk and Donetsk.
Lavrov also confirmed that Russia will send a second aid convoy into Ukraine “in the nearest future” which will be followed by others. A first convoy was sent to Lugansk last week, and Kiev fears they could provide cover for smuggling military support to the rebels.
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Geography can be tough. Here’s a guide for Russian soldiers who keep getting lost & ‘accidentally’ entering #Ukrainepic.twitter.com/RF3H4IXGSp
Poroshenko and Putin held marathon talks in the Belarus capital Minsk yesterday alongside top EU officials to try to find ways to end the conflict that has claimed over 2,200 lives.
The Ukrainian president said all sides had “without exception” agreed to his peace plan, and that he and Putin had discussed the “necessity of closing Ukraine’s borders” to prevent the movement of “equipment, mercenaries, and ammunition”.
Ukrainian soldiers park their hardware on roadside as they wait for the start of the march into the town of Mariupol, eastern Ukraine. AP / Press Association Images
AP / Press Association Images / Press Association Images
Putin again insisted Russia had no role in the fighting, saying: “We cannot discuss any ceasefire conditions. It’s not our business, it’s Ukraine’s internal business.”
He played down reports that 10 Russian paratroopers had been captured 20 kilometres inside Ukrainian territory, backing his military’s claims that they had strayed across the border by accident.
Seriously though…. Russian forces are kicking Ukrainian ass these past few days.
Russia opening up the a new front to the south by attacking Mariupol could be the game changer.
The elephant in the room is the coup itself. The chocolate king and his backers surely cannot be trusted. Why would anybody put Ukraine at their disposal? Didn’t the Russians experience the same thing first hand with Yeltsin who handed over state assets to a variety of oligarchs (something they are still trying to reverse)
There is also the issue, not unrelated , of people like Joe Biden’s son suddenly developing an interest in investing in Ukraine.
And why would Russia be agreeable to the west extending its military capabilities to its border? We have seen in Israel how the whole arms market, and the Cold War/War on Terror that sustains it, is vital to USA business. I wouldn’t be too sure that the USA aren’t creating and exploiting a volatile situation in Ukraine (militarily and economically)
@ Robin Hillard … Robin, there have always been Russians in Ukraine, it’s where Russia has it’s roots
. ” How many more people have to die their violent, bloody deaths ” That sounds like a threat !
No one, except a few neo Nazis, like yourself asked NATO to instigate a coup, it is up to America and NATO to stop murdering people. Why this interest in Russians helping their people in east Ukraine ? America and NATO have openly been helping an illegal coup regime that they installed with the intent of starting war with Russia, they are in no moral position to say anything about Russia or the freedom fighters.
The Ukrainian army is a shambles. The New York Times are saying they have now been completely broken south of Donetsk and are fully retreating if not out right deserting. Only Right Sector and the Donbass battalion seem to be putting up a fight.
Yeah but mercenaries fight for the money, right? But if they are there because of traditional animosity among Poles towards Russia then it would at least sound more noble a cause.
@ Weslo .. Hopefully they will be caught, NATO mercenaries should never be allowed return home, they will be used again by NATO to start murder and genocide in some other unfortunate country.
This damned US soldiers are every where , they are in about 35 countries at the last count helping Juntas, dictators , military governments kings and despots to stay in power Oh ,sorry its Russian in Ukraine trying to help their fellow Russians that what this report is about
Oh Jesus Christ Declan, enough is enough from you, you clearly like to lick windows, all you do is come on here to insult and troll people, and when you actually try and be serious, it’s this semi ret@rded bullshit from the US state dept via the Cartoon News Network, please fuhk off.
Declan Noonan .. wouldn’t believe that.. Moderate Rebels, ISIS are all the one… US / CIA generated Christian murdering head hacking terrorist group with an agenda to fear monger and divide the middle east.
There is only a hand full of countries left in the world without a Rothschild central bank and these are the countries that the West (Zi0nist puppet nations) have a problem with… Most notably Syria, DPNK IRAN and Cuba.
As I said before what’s the point of going to these key countries ie Iran, Syria and Russia most notably if America is going to soon carpet bomb the hell out of them.. Its only a matter of time before Obama drums up another false flag and excuse…. 9/11 all over again (More than likely 7/11 this time)
Frank, so you will only go to a country without banks ?
Do you use a bank now? Have you ever thought about not using a bank?
Ask your boss, if you have a job to pay you in cash only. If you are on unemployment assistance just remember that you get more money then in those countries you mentioned.
Unfortunately, Stephen, he is serious. He thinks numbers have magical properties. He needs help as soon as possible. His heart is in the right place, but his head is, well, f*cked….
Nikola Tesla also had an obsession with certain numbers Brian, and tbh I find numerology a fascinating subject meself, as do many, you’ve got to admit, the dates and numbers all bear significance somehow, plenty of Masonic stuff involves numbers as well.
Declan Noonan .. The Rothschild Central Banks would have us all micro chipped if they had the chance and that day is coming. .. only a matter of time before their poison infiltrates Iran, Syria, DPNK and Cuba.
Over more than two centuries, the Rothschild family has frequently been the subject of conspiracy theories. These theories take differing forms, such as claiming that the family controls the world’s wealth and financial institutions, or encouraged or discouraged wars between governments. Discussing this and similar views, the historian Niall Ferguson wrote, “As we have seen, however, wars tended to hit the price of existing bonds by increasing the risk that a debtor state would fail to meet its interest payments in the event of defeat and losses of territory. By the middle of the 19th century, the Rothschilds had evolved from traders into fund managers, carefully tending to their own vast portfolio of government bonds. Now having made their money, they stood to lose more than they gained from conflict. The Rothschilds had decided the outcome of the Napoleonic Wars by putting their financial weight behind Britain. Now they would sit on the sidelines.Many conspiracy theories about the Rothschild family have been identified as a result of anti-Semitic prejudice reaching back several hundred years, including the era of the Napoleonic wars, and not as a result of valid evidence.
@ Business Cat … I have a much better idea, why not have a regime change in the west ? Like the coup in Ukraine, or allow the people democracy, then you and all the business cats can go live in the country’s our CIA and NATO are destroying.
It’s one thing for the west to make a claim.
It’s another thing for them to back up the claim …… Talk is cheap Obama show the world the evidence before you drag us all closer to another world war.
What are we heading for here Robin? A police world state whereby we are all like the residents of Ferguson? And if we resist it we end up like the people of Gaza? Cop yourself on youngfella!
Try resisting authority in Moscow and see where that gets you Joe! Horse whipped if you’re an ordinary JoeSoap, Polonium poisoning if you’re a political opponent.
2 sides of the same coin Avina, I’m not one fooled by the East west paradigm, they’re both as bad as each other, only Russia doesn’t go to great lengths to hide it.
@ Robin Hillard .. This war is everyone’s business, we have to stop NATO causing trouble in other country’s, we can start by supporting politicians like Putin and refusing to allow NATO to act as a protection racket.
Why can’t the rebels have their own country ? Of course they can’t bring the country in the Russian territory tile that in the terms and have conditions. I can’t see why they won’t give them it, if they want peace let them away you’ll spare a lot of lives on both sides
Why were pro Russians burnt alive, why was there a pregnant woman choked to death and there is even videos showing pro Ukraine troops shooting those who tired escape, if you think I’m lying you can find the videos with ease why didn’t make news here ? Oh if you think it was the pro Russians then why would they have blue and yellow around them
I honestly just don’t support a country with a system like the NDAA. But you’re just some guy or girl pretending the be a cat. You don’t understand anything other than food or sleep.
@ Sean O Brian.. Russia began in Kiev, Ukraine should be returned to Russia, many Ukrainians want a free bite of the American dream, let them go there. Peace on Russia’s border is good for the world and loosing a bunch of free loaders is no loss to anyone.
Russia is now sending its SECOND large food convoy to Eastern Ukraine..
Its kind of ironic.. The US sends arms and finance to terrorists and countries like Israel to carry out genocide but Russia is the country ending up getting all the sanctions.
Btw, funny how the bodies of dead Russian troops started to show up in Russia (after suffering “heart attacks” apparently) shortly after the last convoy left Ukraine…
@ Lavina Laaf … Yes I could have, and chosen a better link, what do you want me to do, send you a link about Ukraine mothers protesting the war ? I’ll pass.
Anyway, Porky has been told autonomy is not on the table anymore, only independence for the east now. Americas and Israel’s new colony is dead in the water, WW 3 averted thanks to Putin, no wonder the west hates himI do think of all the American, Polish and Lithuanian mothers that don’t even know where there sons ar, but that’s war !
ok we can all agree that a conflict between nato forces and russian forces could spill out of this, there are many other elements of this armchair warriors across the land can fight over.
remember back at the fine gael ard fheis our fearless leader enda kenny wanted us to join nato. http://www.thejournal.ie/fine-gael-ard-fheis-motions-1336230-Feb2014/
this would end our neutrality and make us a target for a nuclear armed country. like the puppet on a string he is kenny will try again.
this is an area that can be addressed and discussed here with some changes either way. make noise annoy your local td with your views.
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