29 May 2014

12 people died today, including Ukrainian general Sergiy Kulchitskiy, when a Ukrainian military helicopter was shot down by Pro-Russian separatists. The helicopter was shot down by a Russian anti-aircraft weapon. Alexander Borodai, the separatist leader of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic, told BBC reporters that 33 Russian nationals had been among those 40 pro-Russian separatists killed on Monday when they attempted to seize the Donetsk airport. 

'return our/my son' 

Russia is denying involvement in continuing clashes in Eastern Ukraine and rather is demanding that Kyiv stop it's military operation. Russia claims that Ukraine must negotiate with the rebel-separatists and end it's 'criminal actions' against civilians. It is undeniable that the population in Slovyansk and other cities and towns in Donestk region are tired of the war and angry at ongoing attacks, from both sides (government and separatists). However, who is Russia to be dictating Ukrainian internal policies when Russia themselves have a precedent of bloodshed against the people they have called 'terrorists' in their own country? Dagestan, for example, has been the site of ongoing Russian 'internal' military operations, where in January at least 7 people were killed by Russian military and Putin has vowed 'to fight terrorists until their complete annihilation.' 

Further, three ex-Soviet republics (Russia, Kazahkstan and Belarus) took the first step today to creating a trading bloc. The treaty to launch the Eurasian Economic Union spanning Russia, Kazahkstan and Belarus was signed by the countries' presidents in the Kazahk capital. The bloc will come into being next January. http://dw.de/p/1C8pb

Meanwhile, the number of Crimean Tatar refugees in the Lviv region has risen to about 1,000 from 20 since March, according to a BBC journalist's conversation with local Crimean Tatar activist Alim Aliyev. Many Tatars were forced to leave Crimea because of harassment, but they still claim that they are only in Lviv 'for a vacation'.