14 Apr 2014
Ukraine set to take military action against rebels
FXStreet (Bali) - The crisis in Ukraine could soon escalate to new levels, with Ukraine armed forces given orders to launch a 'full-scale anti-terrorist operation' against pro-Russian militants, unless they lay down their arms by Monday 6GMT.
The decision by the government in Kiev to call its troops ready for combat follows new incidents in the Eastern Ukrainian region near Slaviansk over the weekend, after Russian separatist occupied state buildings and shot to death a state security officer and injured two other comrades.
The orders given by the Ukrainian government raises concerns of more aggressive confrontations, in which the Russian military could also step in to protect interests of pro-Russia supporters.
Acting president Oleksander Turchinov, warned that rebels should abandon state buildings by 06.00 GMT Monday, or else, as Turchinov notes, "the National Security and Defence Council has decided to launch a full-scale anti-terrorist operation involving the armed forces of Ukraine."
"We will not allow Russia to repeat the Crimean scenario in the eastern regions of Ukraine," Turchinov said.
As Reuters reports: "Russia's foreign ministry called the planned military operation a 'criminal order' and said the West should bring its allies in Ukraine's government under control."
"It is now the West's responsibility to prevent civil war in Ukraine," the ministry added, via Reuters.
The decision by the government in Kiev to call its troops ready for combat follows new incidents in the Eastern Ukrainian region near Slaviansk over the weekend, after Russian separatist occupied state buildings and shot to death a state security officer and injured two other comrades.
The orders given by the Ukrainian government raises concerns of more aggressive confrontations, in which the Russian military could also step in to protect interests of pro-Russia supporters.
Acting president Oleksander Turchinov, warned that rebels should abandon state buildings by 06.00 GMT Monday, or else, as Turchinov notes, "the National Security and Defence Council has decided to launch a full-scale anti-terrorist operation involving the armed forces of Ukraine."
"We will not allow Russia to repeat the Crimean scenario in the eastern regions of Ukraine," Turchinov said.
As Reuters reports: "Russia's foreign ministry called the planned military operation a 'criminal order' and said the West should bring its allies in Ukraine's government under control."
"It is now the West's responsibility to prevent civil war in Ukraine," the ministry added, via Reuters.