Protests in Ukraine escalate

[gryphon]

Reported in KyivPost

Petro Poroshenko wins Ukraine's presidency in the first round, according to the results of two national exit polls, with approximately 56 percent of the vote.

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But these are just exit poll numbers, will wait to see real results - should be tomorrow.

Is this a good thing?

[Natalka]

Hopefully, gryphon.

He's 48, big businessman (owns Roshen, a confectionery company known for its chocolate; also owns a major tv news station), has served in Ukraine's parliament, so he has experience - has been known as a practical politician. He's unaffiliated with any political party.
He helped organize Maidan - and sees Ukraine's future as being with Europe.

[Natalka]

Canadian observers conclude "election is a genuine reflection of the will of the people of Ukraine."

http://caneom.ca/2014/05/canadian-mi...-peoples-will/

[Natalka]

No better place to hold a wedding than Ukrainian elections in London!

[Natalka]

BREAKING. Shooting in Donetsk airport, air traffic controllers evacuated, 2 military airplanes and 4 military helicopters flying above the city, reports of a Ukrainian helicopter being shot down. Smoke is seen from the vicinity of the airport.

On the day after a presidential election, gunmen forced the closure of the airport to flights and took over the terminal, demanding the withdrawal of Ukrainian forces from the facility. Starting from 7AM the Donetsk international airport has not been operating.

ATO (anti-terrorist operation) starting in #Donetsk. At 13:00 an ultimatum to hand in arms and surrender to the ATO forces has been given to the terrorists that got into Donetsk airport.



Heavy gunfire is now reported there, with thick black smoke rising from the area. Military aircraft have been seen overhead.


May 26, 2:55 p.m. -- The Donetsk International Airport, closed on May 26 by the Kremlin-backed separatists, is a scene of chaos and gunfire today. At least two fighter jets are overhead and three helicopters, apparently part of the Ukrainian anti-terrorist operation against the armed separatist gument. The jets were firing anti-missile flares. Smoke was rising from the airport and repeated bursts of gunfire could be heard. The airport, built for the Euro 2012 football championships, cost the state $266 million to build.

http://www.kyivpost.com/content/ukra...es-349211.html



Flights were suspended at Sergei Prokofiev airport in Donetsk after several dozen separatists from the self-declared Donetsk People's Republic demanded Ukrainian troops guarding the inner perimeter be removed.


Officials said there had been "shots and confrontation".


The head of Donetsk airport's press service, Dmitry Kosinov, said: "On the territory of the airport there are armed people, this is ample reason to halt our work on security grounds."


Ukrainian TV is also reporting clashes in the villages of Semenivka and Andriyivka near the separatist stronghold of Sloviansk.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-27573622

[Darth Penguin]

I`m wondering how the new EU parliment is going to react with all the Euroscepti MEPs being elecced.

[Natalka]

I don't know, Darth - but I had to google eurosceptic.

Oh, found this for you

http://www.kyivpost.com/content/poli...ne-349512.html

[Natalka]

At the Donetsk airport, the antiaircraft gun used by terrorists to fire on the Antiterrorist Operation (ATO) forces was destroyed by fire from an army helicopter, Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense reports

The terrorists did not comply with the demands of Ukrainian law enforcement. As a result, after expiration of the ultimatum, airstrikes were launched on the positions of the militants. The aircraft Su-25 executed the warning shots to force the terrorists to comply with ATO demands, after which the MiG-29 aircraft fired at locations where the militants were assembled.
Currently the Mi-24 helicopters of the Army Aviation Forces of Ukraine are active in the area. They are providing fire support for the units that have landed at the airport.
At 14.40 strikes from the helicopters of the Army Aviation destroyed the anti-aircraft unit used by terrorists to fire on ATO forces.

http://euromaidanpr.com/2014/05/26/f...ort/#more-9974


The military pushed the rebels south into a residential area a less than a quarter mile from the city's central train station.
Rebels and ukraine troops exchanged gunfire from their positions behind trees and bus stops.
At least one rebel was injured and carried to a car and driven away.
As the fighting moved toward te train station, an announcement to evacuate blared from loudspeakers


In the afternoon, one civilian -- a male parking lot attendant -- was killed by stray bullet at Donetsk train station.
Many shops and restaurants in Donetsk closed, including the large shopping mall Donetsk City, as the Russian-backed insurgents appear to have taken control of the railway station by 5:30 p.m.

http://www.kyivpost.com/content/ukra...es-349211.html

[Natalka]

latest report -

A representative of the Ukrainian armed forces has stated that the Donetsk airport is once again under the control of Ukrainian forces and that the separatists fighters "have neither the strength, nor the means to take the airport back". To keep control of the situation, Ukrainian forces have also limited access to certain roads in the area.

[Darth Penguin]

I don't know, Darth - but I had to google eurosceptic.

Oh, found this for you

http://www.kyivpost.com/content/poli...ne-349512.html

Thanks..I knew about both Farage and Le Pen's positions but not the others. That must be worrying for the new Ukraine president.

[Natalka]

Central Election Commission Chairman Mykhailo Okhendovsky has announced that Petro Poroshenko has been elected president of Ukraine.



He said his first step as president would be to visit the eastern Donbass region where pro-Russian separatists have seized control in many areas.
He also said Kiev would never recognise Russia's "occupation" of Crimea.


"My first decisive step will be aimed at ending the war, ending chaos, and bringing peace to a united and free Ukraine," Mr Poroshenko said at a press conference in Kiev.
"I am certain that our decisive actions will bring fairly quick results."
He also promised a dialogue with people in eastern Ukraine if he is elected.
"For those people who don't take (up) weapons, we are always ready for negotiations to guarantee them security, to guarantee their rights, including speaking the language they want," he said in English.
Mr Poroshenko said he would also like to negotiate a new security treaty with Moscow.
Although he strongly backs closer ties with the EU, Mr Poroshenko also stresses the need to normalise ties with Russia.

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Facebook message from Petro Poroshenko, president-elect of Ukraine to Ukrainian citizens:

"I respect and value your vote. It does not matter who you voted for because your active participation yesterday and throughout the night at the voting polls showed that Ukrainians are not apathetic towards the fate of their country. We have a new country, conscious and active citizens, and a new stage in the development of the country."

[Natalka]

Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk will keep his position. This was stated today at the press-conference, by the candidate of presidential elections in Ukraine – Petro Poroshenko.

According to him, the priority of Ukraine’s foreign policy will be European integration, whereas that of domestic policy will be the fight against corruption, establishing an independent judiciary, solving the “Crimean question”.

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I'm glad of this - the PM has done a great job over these last trying months.

[Natalka]

Fighting rages in eastern Ukraine city, dozens dead

http://ca.reuters.com/article/topNew...BrandChannel=0

Ukrainian Forces Inflict Rebel Losses After Poroshenko Win - Bloomberg - May 27, 2014

Ukraine’s government said it inflicted “significant” losses on pro-Russian rebels in the east and retook Donetsk airport a day after President-elect Petro Poroshenko vowed to wipe out the separatists.

Troops killed “dozens” of rebels without suffering any losses, Interior Minister Arsen Avakov said, while the mayor’s office in Donetsk said 40 people died and 31 were wounded. Gunmen also broke through the border from Russia after a firefight with government forces overnight, and the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic asked Russian President Vladimir Putin for humanitarian and military help, according to separatist leader Denis Pushilin.

“The anti-terrorist operation is in an active phase now,” First Deputy Prime Minister Vitaliy Yarema told reporters in Kiev today. “We’ll continue this operation until there are no terrorists on Ukraine’s territory.”

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-05-27/ukraine-forces-inflict-rebel-losses-after-poroshenko-win.html

[Natalka]

On the night of the 26-27th armed terrorists from the Donetsk Republic stormed, looted, and torched the 'Friendship Arena' in Donetsk. The arena is home to the HC Donbass hockey team, Ukraine's top professional / international team. The gunmen stole plasma TVs, equipment, safety deposit boxes, a company car, and surveillance equipment.

The team is owned by Boris Kolesnykov, a close ally of Rinat Akhmetov and the Party of Regions.

The arena is the only professional capacity arena in the country.

The team issued a statement saying it was deeply angered by what happened and emphasized: "We call on those people who still sympathize with the rebels of the so-called Donetsk People's Republic, terrorizing East Ukraine - think: Is this a "future" they want for themselves and their children?

[Natalka]

Ukrainian voters in Ottawa on May 25




Ukrainians queuing to vote in Malaga, Spain. About 400-600 people, possibly more.



Activists held a rally of support for Ukraine in Miami:

Miami, FL 5-25-14 — at Assumption of Blessed Virgin Mary Ukrainian Catholic Church, Miami



Ukrainians abroad voted at 114 polling stations. One of the highest turnouts was at a polling station in Serbia, where 144 out of 145 registered voters participated (this is a military unit). Another high turnout was in Macedonia, where 47 out of 54 registered voters participated. Naples saw a 71% turnout, with 4,249 votes cast, while 3,106 out of 4,617 voters participated in Warsaw. The lowest turnout rates were in Russia; only 31 out of 9,976 registered were able to vote in Rostov-on-Don.