Gunfire at east Ukraine airport as troops move in (UPDATE Ukraine: Military recaptures airport!)

[Omaha Steve]

Last edited Tue Apr 15, 2014, 12:59 PM - Edit history (1)

Source: AP-EXCITE

By YURAS KARMANAU

KRAMATORSK, Ukraine (AP) - Ukraine's acting president says army troops have restored control over a small airport in eastern Ukraine that had been occupied by pro-Russian militiamen.

It was the first military action taken by the government after acting President Oleksandr Turchynov announced an "anti-terrorist operation" against the separatists who have seized control of numerous buildings in the east of the country.

Heavy gunfire rang out at the airport near Kramatorsk on Tuesday, but there was no immediate confirmation of any casualties.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.


Read more: http://apnews.excite.com/article/20140415/DAD6L8CG0.html

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Ukrainian Army troops receive munitions at a field on the outskirts of Izyum, Eastern Ukraine, Tuesday, April 15, 2014. An Associated Press reporter saw at least 14 armored personnel carriers with Ukrainian flags, one helicopter and military trucks parked 40 kilometers (24 miles) north of the city on Tuesday. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits)

Original story here: http://apnews.excite.com/article/20140415/DAD6KV4O2.html

By YURAS KARMANAU

IZYUM, Ukraine (AP) - An Associated Press reporter has heard heavy gunfire at an airport in eastern Ukraine after the government sent in army troops to retake control from pro-Russian militiamen.

The mayor of Kramatorsk said Ukrainian troops have now occupied the military airport and are blocking its entrance.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.

Busloads of Ukrainian troops and a handful of tanks set up Tuesday outside an eastern city controlled by armed pro-Russian militiamen as the country's acting president announced an "anti-terrorist operation" to root out the separatists.

FULL story at link.

[TwilightGardener]

1. I'm sure some Putinistas will be along here shortly to tell us why Ukraine is

wrong for securing its own airports.

[lanlady]

19. Too true. The gall of those Ukrainians defending their country from outside aggression!

I'm appalled by the number of Putin apologists on DU.

[snooper2]

2. It's about time these pro RUS-SI-A assholes get put down

[another_liberal]

3. Yeah! Just like we did those firebomb throwers back in Kiev . . .

We really shut down those anti-"RUS-SI-A assholes" back then! We did, didn't we?

Oh yeah, maybe not.

[Sammy Glick]

10. +1

[joshcryer]

11. Idiots with Molotovs are not the same as armed paramilitary groups.

Highly trained and taking orders from Moscow.

[penultimate]

21. One key difference is that they were not looking to join another country...

There are other differences too. Such as these pro-russians being more of a paramilitary force in uniform, and with military grade weapons. Whereas at worst the Kiev protesters were a rag-tag group with sticks and perhaps the occasional hunting rifle (claimed to have not been brought out until after the police fired on protesters) However, the key difference to me is that the Ukrainians in Kiev were protesting to change the internal government of Ukraine. These ones want to join another country that already shown that it's willing to annex land and directly involve itself in Ukrainian internal affairs. You and many others speak of the US and EU's meddling in Ukrainian affairs, but seem to fully support Russia's heavy handed and readily apparent meddling that is many times worse.

I see it like this. Let's say citizens of the US decide to protest immigration reform in southern LA, but then the police went in and began shooting people. That would be considered unacceptable on the part of the police. Whereas in this situation, it would be like armed paramilitary forces storming and occupying airports and government buildings in Southern CA demanding that larges parts of CA be annexed by mexico. That would bring about an armed police/military response in any country. If heavily armed protesters in Venezuela occupied government buildings and airports on Colombian border, and demanded to be annexed by Colombia, VZ would have every right to use force against those people.

[another_liberal]

23. It's a little late to split hairs.

Last edited Wed Apr 16, 2014, 11:50 AM - Edit history (1)

Ukrainian tank crews are already defecting to the protesters. Soon there won't even be an interim government in Kiev for you to support.

[cosmicone]

4. This proves the protesters occupying the premises

were not Russian soldiers. If they were, the Ukrainians would have been toast.

[muriel_volestrangler]

5. Da! Russian superman soldier is unbeatable!

Man fighting for glorious Mother Russia is invulnerable!

[7962]

7. Good one!

[7962]

6. Odd that they're all outfitted and armed the same as Russians though.

The insignia is the only think missing. Not to mention the fact that last week others stormed a theater thinking it was the city hall, which should tell us that they werent locals.

[joshcryer]

12. Um, no. Putin never wanted a shooting war.

[christx30]

15. You're right.

He wanted to take over totally unopposed.

[LanternWaste]

17. Still struggling with the relevant difference between "proof" and "evidence", eh?

Still struggling with the relevant difference between "proof" and "evidence", eh?

(Although your statements of prophecy are almost as good as Exidor's...)

[Codeine]

18. Ridiculous. nt

[lanlady]

20. Who said they were Russian soldiers?

The men taking over facilities in eastern Ukraine are trained special intelligence forces from Russia but not wearing any national insignia. They are not members of the regular Russian Army.

[CreekDog]

8. Gun story, local news, please lock.

[Sammy Glick]

9. This is a very small airport in a very small town.

Check it out on Google Earth: Kramatorsk.

[jakeXT]

13. People got a Sukhoi show

What appear to be Sukhoi Su-27 fighter jets have been spotted flying over Kramatorsk, Tuesday. The sighting follows the presidential decree for "anti-terror" operations, to contain the restive southeastern regions of Ukraine who are demanding more autonomy from Kiev.

The Ukrainian airforce have an inventory of 50 Su-27s, based on evidence gathered in 2013 by the World Military Aircraft Inventory.

[okaawhatever]

14. +1,000 Good for them. I'm glad Ukraine is flexing a little muscle. nt

[jakeXT]

16. I wonder who paid for the fuel this time

March 27, 2014

...

One of the country’s leading businessmen, billionaire Gennady Bogolyubov, has signed a document saying that he will personally take up arms against Russia.

Another Dnepropetrovsk businessman and community leader, Igor Kolomoisky, returned to his home city two weeks ago in a new role as regional governor.

On Monday Mr Kolomoisky announced a $25 million donation to the Ukrainian army’s southern command to pay for fuel for military vehicles and aircraft.

http://www.thejc.com/news/world-news/116914/ukraine-community-ready-%EF%AC%81ght-russian-invasion

Ukraine’s oligarchs are a force to be reckoned with. Though less notorious than their Russian counterparts, Ukraine’s billionaires together command a greater share of their country’s wealth than their Russian counterparts. The wealth of only a dozen Ukrainian oligarchs makes up roughly one-fifth of the country’s GDP. Having, for the most part, made their fortunes in the lawless transition period between Soviet and capitalist economies, these oligarchs thrive in the shadows, far away from the rule of law.

Indeed, in the rough and tumble Ukrainian business world, the term ‘violent takeover’ takes on a much more literal meaning. Controversial billionaires like Igor Kolomoisky and Gennady Bogolyubov of the Privat Group, known colloquially in the Ukrainian business world as ‘The Raiders’, have perfected their own brand hostile takeovers. A minimum stake in a company is acquired by one of the many companies Kolomoisky and Bogolyubov control and then a mix of phony court orders (often involving corrupt judges and/or registrars) and strong-arm tactics are deployed to replace the existing members of the board of directors with men loyal to Privat. In the takeover of the Kremenchuk steel factory in 2006, Privat’s raid was literal, with Kolomoisky and Bogolyubov hiring an army of thugs to descend upon the plant with baseball bats, gas and rubber pistols, iron bars and chainsaws. Needless to say, Kremenchuk’s steel production was soon under Privat’s control.

Read more: http://thehill.com/blogs/congress-blog/foreign-policy/195549-ukraines-real-problem-crony-capitalism

[Bodhi BloodWave]

22. That kinda news actually worry me a bit

Now i am not an American but with most here being so(i think), using the US makes for a better example.

How would most of DU have reacted if your highlighted line instead read like this:

On Monday the Koch brothers announced a $250 million donation to the US army’s central command to pay for military expenses in /blacked out/.

*

I could have added a place but since I'm unsure what kinda area would make sense i decided to just 'black' it out.

addendum 2: unrelated but i came across this shortly after posting and couldn't resist adding it since it fits.(supposedly from back in 75)

[jakeXT]

24. It's just the shadow government

Ms. Tymoshenko, who met late Saturday with Mr. Turchynov and the prime minister, Arseniy P. Yatsenyuk, who are both members of the Fatherland party that she leads, is a savvy operative in Ukrainian politics and was a wealthy businesswoman before entering politics in the late 1990s. A spokeswoman for Ms. Tymoshenko declined to discuss her role in devising the strategy.

After the meeting, the government began asking the oligarchs to take the positions in the regional governments.

“It was a plan for stabilization,” an aide to one of the leaders, who was not authorized to discuss it publicly, said of the decision.

The ultra-wealthy industrialists wield such power in Ukraine that they form what amounts to a shadow government, with empires of steel and coal, telecoms and media, and armies of workers. Persuading some to serve as governors in the east was a small victory for the new government in Kiev.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/03/world/europe/ukraine-turns-to-its-oligarchs-for-political-help.html?_r=0