KIEV, April 15 (Xinhua) -- The Ukrainian government launched an "anti-terror" operation Tuesday against pro-Russia activists in the eastern city of Donetsk, acting President Oleksandr Turchynov said.
"The main purpose of these actions is to protect Ukrainian citizens, to stop terror, crime and the attempts to tear apart our country," Turchynov told the parliament.
He pledged the government would take a "balanced and responsible approach" to the operation to avoid grave consequences.
Turchynov again accused Russia of fomenting the unrest in Ukraine, saying the Kremlin planned "to set on fire the country's eastern and southern regions."
The pro-Moscow movement began on the Crimea peninsula late February and spread this month to Donetsk and several other eastern cities with large Russian-speaking populations.
Pro-Moscow activists have seized government buildings in the cities, demanding a referendum on autonomy and closer ties with Russia.
During a recent operation in the industrial town of Slavyansk, Ukrainian security forces exchanged gunfire with pro-Russia protesters, causing heavy casualties on both sides.
KIEV, April 14 (Xinhua) -- The Ukrainian government is considering the possibility to hold a nationwide referendum on the country's federalization to ease the tension in the east, acting President Oleksandr Turchynov said on Monday.
"We are not against holding the referendum," Turchynov told the lawmakers, referring to the Ukrainian interim authorities. Full story
LONDON, April 14 (Xinhua) -- British Prime Minister David Cameron on Monday spoke to German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollande in separate phone calls to discuss the ongoing situation in Ukraine, a Downing Street spokesperson said Monday.
"They agreed that the Contact Group meeting due to take place on Thursday would be an important opportunity for the Russian government to demonstrate a commitment to dialogue and de-escalation," the spokesperson said in a statement. Full story
VIENNA, April 14 (Xinhua) -- Russia is concerned about the use of armed force against pro-Russian protesters in eastern Ukraine, Moscow's ambassador to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) said on Monday.
Speaking to reporters after an OSCE Permanent Council meeting on the situation in Ukraine, Andrey Kelin said the use of armed force against pro-Russian protestors in eastern Ukraine is "dangerous." Full story
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