Protests in Ukraine escalate

[walkonby]

I feel so ill with each new piece of news Natalka.......so numbing. How much more suffering will they have to endure?

[Natalka]

WOB, believe me, I know...

Was wondering why this all hadn't hit the national news the last few days, but finally there was a piece on CBC radio national news, I didn't see tv national news.
But, typical CBC, whoever their commentator was, just 'couldn't say' who was responsible for it all - he said there were conflicting reports. (sheesh!)

[Natalka]

(The link below is to an extremely well-written and informative article, if any of you have the time, please read it. I will only give a few excerpts.)

Rebels Vow New Attacks

Mr. Putin is apparently doubling down, rather than backing down, in a conflict that is now the bloodiest in Europe since the Balkan wars.With the appearance in recent weeks of what NATO calls sophisticated Russian weapons systems, newly emboldened separatist leaders have abandoned all talk of a cease-fire.

One of the top leaders of the Russian-backed rebels said Friday that his soldiers were “on the offensive” in several sectors, capitalizing on their capture of the Donetsk airport the day before.

“On our side, we won’t make an effort to talk about a cease-fire,” Mr. Zakharchenko said. “Now we’re going to watch how Kiev reacts. Kiev doesn’t understand that we can attack in three directions at once.”

The slow grind of combat in southeastern Ukraine that began in April has now killed at least 5,086 soldiers and civilians, the United Nations reported on Friday. The world body bases its estimate on official morgue and hospital reports, and analysts believe that it understates the total death toll. The report said that 262 of the deaths occurred in the past nine days, making that period the deadliest since the September cease-fire.

Signs of the new belligerence were evident across eastern Ukraine on Friday.

Indeed, fighting has also flared beyond Donetsk, including a road and rail hub northeast of the city, as well as a strategic checkpoint near Luhansk, the other main rebel stronghold. Rebel commanders claimed on Friday to have captured the village of Krasny Partizan, north of Donetsk, which would be another setback for government forces.


http://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/24/wo...ence.html?_r=0

[Natalka]

10 Killed in Mariupol Shelling







A crowded open-air market in Ukraine's strategically important coastal city of Mariupol came under rocket fire Saturday morning, killing at least 10 people, regional police said.

Mariupol lies on the Azov Sea and is the major city between mainland Russia and the Russia-annexed Crimean Peninsula. Heavy fighting in the region in the autumn raised fears that Russian-backed separatist forces would try to establish a land link between Russia and Crimea.

Rebel forces have positions within 10 kilometers (six miles) from Mariupol's eastern outskirts.

The Interior Ministry said rockets struck homes, setting them alight, as well as the market and shops. A Ukrainian military checkpoint on a road leading out of the city toward rebel-held areas was also hit, police said.

Rocket strikes on Mariupol come as separatists have declared their intention to mount a multi-pronged offensive aimed at vastly increasing the territory under their control. That would definitively upend recent European attempts to mediate an end to the fighting.

http://abcnews.go.com/International/...raine-28447614

[Natalka]

Up to date, 29 deaths among civilians in Mariupol only have been confirmed, children among them, yet till tomorrow this number is expected to be at least tripled; more than 102 people are wounded and are hospitalized. Seven underage children remain in extensive therapy and unconscious.



As for now, 50 apartment buildings, four schools, and two kindergartens have been impacted by the shelling. Currently, residents of the eastern part of the city are being evacuated to its west and central parts.


Despite the shelling, residents of Mariupol had gathered for a pro-Ukrainian rally.



http://euromaidanpress.com/2015/01/2...demands-peace/

[Natalka]

Official English Translation of Petro Poroshenko's speech in response to the Terrorist Bombing of Mariupol

Bloody murder of dozens of civilians and wounding of nearly a hundred of people by pro-Russian terrorists in Mariupol is not a terrorist attack. It is a crime against humanity that should be submitted to the Hague Tribunal.

Having opened the aimed fire on the residential areas of Mariupol, militants continued a series of terrorist attacks, among which are the shelling of the civilian bus near Volnovakha, murder of people at the bus stop and in the trolleybus in Donetsk, shelling of residential areas of many cities and villages.

I bow my head in the memory of those who died today and earlier.

The so-called offensive of terrorists is their attack against Donbas civilians. Risking their lives, Ukrainian warriors defend civilians and decently rebuff separatist bast**ds in all azimuths. (azimuth is a navigation term)

The international coalition must strictly respond to the crimes of terrorists, increase all forms of pressure on those who sponsor and support them. This is what I was talking about in Riyadh and in the course of today's phone conversations with the world leaders. Now, I am urgently coming back to Ukraine to hold the NSDC meeting and coordinate actions in response to this terrible crime.

Civilized countries must further unite efforts and stop the spread of terrorist threat. The so-called DPR and LPR must be recognized terrorist organizations.

It is time to call their patrons by name. Any assistance to militaries, the supply of weapons, equipment and well-trained manpower - isn't it a support of terrorism visible to the entire world?

We stand for peace, but we accept the enemy's challenge. We will defend our Homeland as true patriots. And to complete victory.

I address all Donbas residents, all Ukrainians who suffer from terrorists and from the aggressor: as President, I will do everything to stop the pain and suffering, to return peace to each Ukrainian family - from Lviv to Luhansk, from Chernihiv to Kerch.

Having united our efforts, we will defend our freedom!

[Natalka]

Warning - Graphic Footage of today's attack on Mariupol - bodies are shown

Servicemen go through to help the wounded/dead and survey the areas hit.

[Natalka]

A flashmob in Prague about President Putin

[Natalka]

NATO Secretary General statement on the situation in Ukraine

Fighting in eastern Ukraine has sharply escalated, with indications of a large-scale offensive by Russian-backed separatists at multiple locations in the Donetsk and Luhansk Oblasts as well as against the city of Mariupol. This is in utter disregard of the ceasefire. The shelling of residential areas in the city of Mariupol from separatist-controlled territory has cost the lives of at least 20 civilians, and injured many more.

For several months we have seen the presence of Russian forces in eastern Ukraine, as well as a substantial increase in Russian heavy equipment such as tanks, artillery and advanced air defence systems. Russian troops in eastern Ukraine are supporting these offensive operations with command and control systems, air defence systems with advanced surface-to-air missiles, unmanned aerial systems, advanced multiple rocket launcher systems, and electronic warfare systems.

I strongly urge Russia to stop its military, political and financial support for the separatists, stop destabilising Ukraine and respect its international commitments.

[Natalka]

Small gatherings on #Kiev's Maidan today in solidarity with #Mariupol #ukraine

[Natalka]

Current figures from yesterday's terrorist "Grad" MRLS strike on #Mariupol, Donetsk Oblast

[Natalka]

Yesterday
People sing the Ukrainian anthem during the Jan. 24 pray for Mariupol victims on Kyiv's Independence Square

[Natalka]

The Ukrainian band PATRIOT.UA wrote a song to support the ‪#‎FreeSavchenko‬ global day of action on January 26: DEFENSE (a ballad)

Nadiya was kidnapped in Donbas because she volunteered to defend her home from a Russian invasion as part of a volunteer battalion. Now she has become a symbol of Ukraine that is against all odds fighting against a totalitarian monster endangering all of Europe. January 26 will mark the 45th day of her hunger strike.

English subtitles on video

[Natalka]

On December 13th, after the Moscow City Court extended her arrest, Savchenko began a hunger strike, vowing not to break the strike until she is free and back in Ukraine. Now on her 40th day of hunger strike, Savchenko has lost over 14 kilos (30 pounds) in body weight, and shows no intent on breaking the strike.

World citizens in support for the protection of human rights and international law rallied for Savchenko and spoke out of concern for her gradually deteriorating health.

To such output Savchenko responded, “This is not suicide but the only method of fighting available to me.” Expanding on this idea in a public letter from January 12th, she wrote, “To all of those concerned about my fate… I am very aware of your concern and feel ashamed that from prison I myself can do almost nothing. I have therefore decided to fight in the only way available to me- though hunger strike… the loss of one fighter is a very great loss, but it is in no way a lost war! Ukraine will win!”

[Natalka]

#‎FreeSavchenko‬ Dublin

About 80 people came to protest in Dublin, Ireland on the 25th of January. First the protest was planning to support Nadiya Savchenko, but then after bombing Mariupol, people also expressed protest against Putin’s intervention in Ukraine. The people who came were mostly Ukrainians who live in Ireland, but Irish, Georgians, Polish and Russians also came to support the meeting