Vyacheslav Ponomarev, (foreground, in blue), the self-proclaimed mayor of Slovyansk, speaks to local citizens whose homes were demolished by shellfire, in Slovyansk, eastern Ukraine, May 20, 2014.
Russia＇s Defense Ministry says its 40,000 army troops near the Ukraine border have started dismantling their positions.
As unrest continued in eastern Ukraine Tuesday, neighboring Russia said its forces in the Bryansk, Belgorod and Rostov regions were preparing to return to their home bases.
NATO and U.S. government officials have said that they had seen no immediate sign of Russian forces withdrawing after President Vladimir Putin＇s orders.
U.S. Vice President Joe Biden said in a speech Tuesday in Romania that "Europe＇s borders should never again be changed at the point of a gun." Biden is in Bucharest as part of Washingtonn＇s campaign to reassure east European allies of U.S. support for the region.
The United Nations refugee agency said 10,000 civilians have been displaced so far by the unrest in Ukraine and the number is continuing to rise. In a statement Tuesday, the U.N. said it is providing legal assistance, cash and grants, and improved shelter for displaced people.
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Grigory Karasin said he believes Sunday＇s presidential election in Ukraine will deepen the country＇s political divisions if there is no end to hostilities. He also expressed concern about Kyiv＇s military operations in eastern Ukraine aimed at regaining control of government buildings taken over by pro-Russian separatists.
Meanwhile, thousands of people in several eastern Ukrainian cities attended peace rallies against pro-Russian separatists called by one of the country＇s richest men, Rinat Akhmetov. The metals tycoon accused the pro-Russian rebels of looting and "fighting against the citizens" of the region.
In response to Akhmetov, pro-Russian separatist leader Denis Pushilin announced that the so-called Donetsk People＇s Republic will begin nationalizing the assets of "regional oligarchs" who refuse to pay taxes to the self-declared breakaway state.
On Monday, Moscow also called for Kyiv to immediately withdraw its troops from eastern Ukraine where they have been battling a pro-Russian insurgency.
Separatists in two of Ukraine’s eastern regions have declared independence from the Kyiv government and voiced support for joining Russia. Violent skirmishes between Ukrainian security forces and the rebels have broken out in eastern cities.
The United States and its European allies have warned Moscow that they will impose new sanctions against key sectors of Russia＇s economy if it disrupts Sunday＇s election in Ukraine.
Separatist leaders in eastern Ukraine＇s Donetsk and Luhansk regions have said the presidential election will not be held there, and Ukraine＇s Central Election Commission said Saturday the unrest could prevent almost two million people from voting. |
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