Ukraine military strikes rebel-held Donetsk airport

[Bosonic]

Source: AFP

Donetsk (Ukraine) (AFP) - Ukraine scrambled fighter jets and combat helicopters to strike rebel gunmen who seized control of the main airport in the eastern city of Donetsk on Monday, triggering heavy gunbattles.

Thick black smoke was seen rising from the airport complex as the sound of explosions and heavy machinegun fire rang out, AFP correspondents at the scene said.

The fierce confrontation erupted after Ukrainian oligarch Petro Poroshenko, who claimed victory in Sunday's crucial presidential election, vowed to press on with an offensive against pro-Russian separatists waging a bloody insurgency across the east.

Scores of gunmen had stormed the airport early Monday in an apparent show of defiance after the election, which was rejected as illegitimate by the rebels who thwarted polling in large parts of the east under their control. "After the expiry at 1:00 pm (1000 GMT) of an ultimatum (for the insurgents to leave) we launched an anti-terror operation," military spokesman Oleksiy Dmytrashyvskiy told AFP.

Read more: https://au.news.yahoo.com/world/a/23863036/shooting-at-ukraines-donetsk-airport-after-rebel-seizure/

[bemildred]

1. Ukraine crisis: Government carries out airstrikes against pro-Russian separatists in Donetsk

Ukrainian government warplanes have carried out airstrikes against pro-Russian rebels who seized Donetsk international airport as both sides mounted an aggressive show of force following the election of a new president.

Ukrainian government warplanes have carried out airstrikes against pro-Russian rebels who seized Donetsk international airport, as both sides mounted an aggressive show of force following the election of a new president.

Black smoke was seen billowing from the area of the airport after about two hours of repeated explosions and gunfire, while jets roared overhead.

A security official also said that paratroops had landed in one of the fiercest clashes since violence broke out in the east two months ago.

http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/international/2014-05-26/ukraine-crisis-government-carries-out-airstrikes-against-prorussian-separatists-in-donetsk/1316986

[bemildred]

4. Ukraine Launches Air Strike to Recapture Donetsk Airport

Ukrainian government warplanes carried out airstrikes against pro-Russian rebels who seized Donetsk International Airport on Monday as both sides mounted an aggressive show of force following the election of a new president.

Journalists reported black smoke billowing from the area of the airport after about two hours of repeated explosions and gunfire, while jets roared overhead. A security official also said that paratroops had landed in one of the fiercest clashes since violence broke out in the east two months ago.

Saying that a deadline had passed at 1 p.m. (1000 GMT) for separatist militants to lay down their arms, a spokesman for the Ukrainian joint forces security operation in the region said two Sukhoi Su-25 jets had carried out strafing runs, firing warning shots around Sergei Prokofiev International Airport.

"In reply, the guerrillas opened fire at random from all types of weapon," he said, before a MiG-29 jet also took part.

http://www.themoscowtimes.com/news/article/ukraine-launches-air-strike-to-recapture-donetsk-airport/500895.html

[bemildred]

2. Russia Prepared to Speak with Ukrainian Representatives After Election

http://abcnewsradioonline.com/world-news/russia-prepared-to-speak-with-ukrainian-representatives-afte.html

[bemildred]

3. 'Ukraine must pay gas debts' – EU Energy Commissioner

EU Energy Commissioner Guenther Oettinger said Ukraine needs to begin repaying its $3.5 billion gas debt to Russia and proposed a fair ‘market price’ of between $200-$400 per 1,000 cubic meters to resolve the dispute.

“The bills are on the table, and they must be paid,” Oettinger said on German radio station SWR on Monday after holding talks in Berlin with Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak and Gazprom Deputy CEO Aleksandr Medvedev.

Oettinger suggests Ukraine use some of the $3.2 billion from its first IMF aid tranche and other EU assistance programs to start paying off its debt to Gazprom.

Ukraine owes Russian state-owned Gazprom more than $3.5 billion, as it has not paid its gas bills in full since July 2013. Russia has even given Ukraine 10 billion cubic meters of gas free of charge, as much as Russia delivers to Poland in a year.

http://rt.com/business/161560-ukraine-must-pay-oettinger/

[bemildred]

5. Russia ready for talks with Kiev after pro-west victory in Ukrainian election

Moscow and Kiev promised to resume dialogue on Monday after preliminary results suggested that the pro-west businessman Petro Poroshenko had won Ukraine's presidential election – although renewed fighting in the east of the country dampened hopes of an immediate solution to the crisis.

Russia's foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, said Moscow was ready to enter talks with the new leadership, in his country's first high-level response to Saturday's election. "We shouldn't miss the chance that we have now to establish an equal dialogue of mutual respect considering the vote that has taken place, the results of which Russia is ready to respect," Lavrov said.

Pro-Russia forces who have occupied government buildings in eastern Ukraine since April followed Moscow's lead in welcoming Poroshenko's election. Denis Pushilin, supreme council chairman of the self-declared Donetsk People's Republic, said they were ready to negotiate with Ukraine's new leadership, but only with the participation of intermediaries including Russia.

Violence flared in the east on Monday morning when armed men seized Donetsk airport. There were reports of gunfire later in the day.

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/may/26/russia-talks-kiev-ukraine-election-poroshenko

[bemildred]

6. Ukraine's Poroshenko eyes meeting with Russian leaders in June

KIEV (REUTERS) - Ukraine's next president, Petro Poroshenko, said on Monday he hoped to meet Russia's leaders in the first half of June and said restoring stability in eastern regions of his country would require Moscow's involvement.

Armed pro-Russian separatists have taken control of some towns and cities in mainly Russian-speaking eastern Ukraine and they prevented many people in the region from taking part in Sunday's presidential election which exit polls show Mr Poroshenko to have won.

"I hope Russia will support efforts to tackle the situation in the east (of Ukraine)," Mr Poroshenko told a news conference.

He repeated his readiness to speak with separatists who laid down their weapons but added he would not meet "terrorists" who threatened the security of the state.

http://www.straitstimes.com/news/world/europe/story/ukraines-poroshenko-eyes-meeting-russian-leaders-june-20140526

[bemildred]

7. Ukraine and pro-Russian forces fight air battle at rebel-held airport in Donetsk

DONETSK, Ukraine

Ukrainian government warplanes carried out airstrikes against pro-Russian rebels who seized Donetsk international airport on Monday as both sides mounted an aggressive show of force following the election of a new Ukrainian president.

Reuters journalists saw black smoke billowing from the area of the airport after about two hours of repeated explosions and gunfire, while jets roared overhead. A security official also said that paratroops had landed in one of the fiercest clashes since violence broke out in the east two months ago.

Saying that a deadline had passed at 1 p.m. for separatist militants to lay down their arms, a spokesman for the Ukrainian joint forces security operation in the region said two Sukhoi Su-25 jets had carried out strafing runs, firing warning shots around Sergei Prokofiev International Airport.

"In reply, the guerrillas opened fire at random from all types of weapons," he said, before a MiG-29 jet also took part.

http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Latest-News-Wires/2014/0526/Ukraine-and-pro-Russian-forces-fight-air-battle-at-rebel-held-airport-in-Donetsk

[Ash_F]

8. Yahoo used the word oligarch.

Interesting.

[bemildred]

9. EU: Proposed solution found in Ukraine gas dispute

BERLIN (AP) — A proposed solution to a dispute over Ukrainian natural gas debts to Moscow would see Ukraine's gas company pay $2 billion to Russia's Gazprom this week and trigger talks on the price Kiev should pay for future deliveries as it tries to avert a supply cutoff, a top European Union official said Monday.

EU Energy Commissioner Guenther Oettinger said after meeting the Russian and Ukrainian energy ministers in Berlin that both sides must still consult with their political leaders and the gas companies involved, and they have until Wednesday evening to approve the deal. He stressed "we are not done" but said he is optimistic of an agreement.

The proposal calls for Ukraine's Naftogaz to make an initial $2 billion payment to Gazprom on Thursday to settle part of Kiev's outstanding bills for gas delivered between November and March. Doing so would send "a clear signal of creditworthiness," Oettinger said.

If the payment is made, Russia would be prepared to hold EU-brokered talks in Berlin on Friday with Ukraine on the price of gas delivered in April, May and in the future, Oettinger told reporters. Naftogaz would make a second payment of $500 million to Gazprom on June 7. And Gazprom would agree to continue supplying gas for June without insisting on prepayment, according to the European Commission.

https://in.news.yahoo.com/eu-proposed-solution-found-ukraine-gas-dispute-191214175--finance.html

[Comrade Grumpy]

10. "Battle of Donetsk Airport Proves Inconclusive."

http://www.smh.com.au/world/battle-of-donetsk-airport-proves-inconclusive-20140527-zrp2w.html

Donetsk, eastern Ukraine: As the smoke cleared, it seemed that the first showcase assault on eastern separatist forces under Ukraine’s newly elected President Petro Poroshenko, was a bit of a fizzer. Fighter jets wheeled over this city and choppers landed government paratroopers at the local airport – named for the composer Sergei Prokofiev, a Donetsk boy made good – ahead of an attempt by ground forces to retake the terminal, which had been occupied by separatists in the early hours of Monday.

There were great plumes of smoke and the sound of artillery and automatic gunfire could be heard for about three hours. But when the fighting eased roads to the airport remained blocked, airlines announced that all flights had been cancelled and there was no confirmation that the facility had been wrested back from separatist controls.

<snip>

Donetsk on Monday evening was filled with uncertainty. As wild thunderstorms hit the district, rebel forces were bulking up the numbers at their checkpoints and barricades and calling for blood donations to local hospitals. Later, there were reports of clashes at the city’s railway station and pictures on social media of smoke billowing from a building which locals identified as the railway station. There were also pictures of what appeared to be a woman’s body nearby on the pavement.

And late in the evening residents said they could still hear gunfire from the airport as rumours spread that separatist leaders had imposed a curfew – though steady traffic through the city left questions about that.

[Bosonic]

11. Rebel says 30 insurgents killed in eastern Ukraine

Rebel says 30 insurgents killed in eastern Ukraine

DONETSK, Ukraine (AP) — At least 30 bodies of killed fighters have been brought to a hospital following a day of heavy fighting in Donetsk in eastern Ukraine, in which government forces used combat jets against pro-Russia rebels, an insurgent said Tuesday.

The rebel fighter, who wouldn't give his name because of security concerns, said outside the hospital in Donetsk that 30 bodies of his fellow insurgents were delivered there. He said the truck carrying the bodies was still parked outside the hospital, waiting for explosives experts to check it for any unexploded ordnance.

Donetsk, a city of 1 million, was engulfed by heavy fighting Monday when rebels moved to seize the airport, Ukraine's second largest, and were repelled by government forces using combat jets and helicopter gunships. Associated Press journalists witnessed sustained intensive gun fire throughout the day and into the night. Plumes of black smoke rose in the air.

The battles came just as billionaire candy magnate Petro Poroshenko claimed victory in Sunday's presidential vote. Poroshenko, who is yet to be sworn in, has vowed to negotiate a peaceful end to an insurgency in the east, where rebels have seized government offices and fought Ukrainian troops for more than a month.

http://bigstory.ap.org/article/rebel-says-least-30-insurgents-have-been-killed-fighting-donetsk-eastern-ukraine