Two more Ukrainian soldiers killed near Sloviansk
May 2, 10:40 p.m. — A group of armed extremists attacked the soldiers of 95th aviation squadron of Ukrainian army in Andriyivka village near Sloviansk. As of 9:30 p.m. the fighting was on. Defense Ministry reports two soldiers killed.
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At least 41 dead in clashes in Odessa
May 2, 10:20 p.m. — At least 41 people died in clashes between pro-Russian and pro-Ukrainian protesters in Odessa and another 123 were injured.
Four people were killed during the street clashes, while the rest were killed when the House of Union building was set on fire after pro-Russian protesters occupied it. Most of them died of smoke, several from jumping out of the windows, police said.
Another activist kidnapped in Horlivka
May 2, 21:35 p.m. — Basile d’Budic, a Georgian citizen and a pro-Ukrainian activist, was captured by a group of masked and armed men in Horlivka near the store at 44 Krasnoshapki Str, according to Svoboda party’s member Maja Kalnash. As she wrote on her Facebook page, d’Budic was pushed into the car and taken in the unknown direction. His whereabouts are unknown.
Turchynov: Many dead among insurgents in Sloviansk
May 2, 5:45 p.m. — Interim President Oleksandr Turchynov said the Ukrainian forces’ attack on the checkpoints in Sloviansk on May 2 left “many insurgents dead, wounded and arrested.”
“The operation doesn’t unroll as fast as we want it to, and is significantly complicated by the fact that the terrorists’ bases are located in the crowded cities and the terrorists themselves hide behind the civilians, take hostages and shoot from the windows of apartment buildings,” Turchynov said.
According to Turchynov, a group of Russian terrorists was stopped by Ukrainian border guards when it tried to get into Ukraine on the night of May 1.
The soldiers who succeeded in the operation will be rewarded by the president elected on May 25, as the interim president has no authority to do that, Turchynov added.
“The offensive on the terrorists goes on,” said Turchynov.
One protester reportedly killed in Odessa
May 2, 4:55 p.m. — One person was reportedly killed in a standoff between participants of pro-Ukrainian rally and pro-Russian activists that attacked them in Odessa. The killing is reported by Odessa news website www.o1.ua. The body lies on the ground, covered by Ukrainian flag. Channel 5 reported that up to 20 people were injured.
Kyiv denies accusations of non-fulfilling Geneva accords
May 2, 4:45 p.m. — The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry has denied Russia’s accusations of not fulfilling the Geneva agreements of April 17.
“We
reject Russia’s attempts to accuse Kyiv of allegedly not fulfilling the
agreements. We state that despite calls of the international community,
the Russian Federation has taken no steps to de-escalate the situation
and fulfill the Geneva agreements,” the ministry said in a statement on May 2.
“Russia strongly
supports the terrorist groups that operate in the eastern regions of
Ukraine, endangering civilians, seizing hostages and building the
atmosphere of terror and violence,” the ministry also said.
AntiMaidan attacks pro-Ukrainian rally in Odessa
May 2, 4:20 p.m. — Several hundred of pro-Russian activists attacked the rally for Ukraine’s unity in Odessa. The rally gathered some 1,000 participants, most of them being the fans of local football team.
The pro-Ukrainian protesters fought back.
Shots were fired, and some noise grenades were used in the clash. Police was seen interfering in the clash. Live stream showed at least one person severely injured.
Live stream of the clash in Odessa can be found here.
Separatists deny that Ukrainian forces took over Sloviansk
May 2, 4:12 p.m. — The pro-Russian protesters in Sloviansk are keeping almost the entire city under control except several streets in the suburbs, a source from the self-defense headquarters told Interfax.
“The security forces controlled by Kyiv have failed to take the city but have taken only a couple of streets in the suburbs. The city itself is still fully controlled by the self-defense forces,” he said.
Shooting is still heard in the city, but no large-scale combat activities are under way now, he said.
Insurgents release journalists captured in Sloviansk
May 2, 3:15 p.m. — Three teams of journalists, including the crews of SkyNews, BuzzFeed and CBS were released in the afternoon of May 2 after spending several hours in captivity.
According to BuzzFeed reporter Mike Giglio, who was taken captive with his Ukrainian tranlator Olena Glazunova, the reporters were held captive in the occupied central police office of Sloviansk for three hours before they were released. The insurgents took them captive as the journalists were on their way to Sloviansk.
Reuters: EU watches eastern Ukraine ‘with growing concern’
May 2, 3 p.m. — The European Union said it was watching events in eastern Ukraine with growing concern, calling on pro-Russian separatists to leave occupied buildings and release people they were holding. “We are following with growing concern the events in eastern Ukraine,” Maja Kocijancic, a spokeswoman for EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, told reporters.
National Guard: Sloviansk almost cleared
May 2, 2:40 p.m. — Ukrainian National Guard Commander Stepan Poltorak has said that the city of Sloviansk in Donetsk Oblast has been practically cleared of terrorists.
“Through their professional actions, National Guard soldiers have practically cleared Sloviansk of the terrorists, many of whom were professionally trained,” the Ukrainian Interior Ministry quoted him as saying on Friday.
Russia’s Foreign Ministry demands to stop military operation
May 2, 2:40 p.m. — Russia’s Foreign Ministry called on the West to give up the “destructive” policy on Ukraine and urged Kyiv to stop the “punitive operation” in the east of the country.
“This will allow a real process of de-escalation to begin,” the ministry said in a statement.
Suspects in shooting helicopters detained
May 2, 1:30 p.m. — Four insurgents from a roadblock in Sloviansk were detained by Ukrainian law enforcers. The men are suspected in shooting at the Ukrainian military helicopter earlier in the day.
In the morning of May 2 the pro-Russian insurgents of Sloviansk have brought down two Ukrainian military helicopters, using rocket launchers, and opened gunfire at another helicopter.
Putin’s spokesman condemns operation in Sloviansk
May 2, 1 p.m. — Dmitriy Peskov, spokesman of Russian President Vladimir Putin, told RIA Novosti that the military operation that Ukrainian authorities conducted in Sloviansk
“While Russia is taking steps to de-escalate the conflict, Kyiv authorities have launched a punitive operation that destroyed the last hope for Geneva Accords to be effective,” Peskov said.
One insurgent dead, one wounded
May 2, 11:51 a.m. — One insurgent was killed and one was wounded in Sloviansk during the Ukrainian military operation on the morning of May 2, press secretary for Sloviansk insurgents Svitlana Khorosheva told Slavgorod.com.ua website.
Insurgents’ leader in Sloviansk asks citizens to stay home
May 2, 11:40 a.m. — Self-proclaimed mayor of Sloviansk Vycheslav Ponomariov released a video address to local citizens, asking the women and children to stay home, the men who have weapons to help defend the city from Ukrainian army.
“We were attacked. Our city is sieged, there are losses,” Ponomariov says. “I think we will defend the city. Thank you for attention, thank you for help. We will win.”
Two Ukrainian soldiers killed
May 2, 11 a.m. — Defense Ministry informed that two soldiers of Ukrainian army were killed in Sloviansk during an operation that meant to block the city. The count of helicopters taken down has rised to two. Earlier it was reported that one helicopter was down and one has crash-landed in Sloviansk.
The army has blocked the entrances to Sloviansk and has retaken the local TV tower from the insurgents.
Expert warns of provocations with casualties
May 2, 10:50 a.m. — Former soldier and military expert Dmitry Tymchuk, who runs the Kyiv-based Center of Military and Political Research, has warned that the insurgents in Sloviansk plan to stage a provocation, leaving some people dead, to imitate the “crimes” of Ukrainian military.
The provocation was planned on May 1, wrote Tymchuk, and originally meant to imitate the attack of the Right Sector, the militant nationalist group that is often mentioned by Russian media and officials as a dangerous anti-Russian group.
Insurgents call citizens to appeal to Putin for help
May 2, 10:30 a.m. — Separatists’ ham radio has called citizens of Sloviansk to come to the main square and record a video appeal to Russian President Vladimir Putin for help, according to Simon Shuster, Time reporter in Moscow.
Military helicopter shot down in Sloviansk, a pilot killed
May 2, 10 a.m. — Anti-terrorist operation was resumed in Sloviansk at 4:30 a.m. on May 2, according to Interior Minister Arsen Avakov.
One Ukrainian military helicopter was taken down by the Russian-backed protesters, another crash landed in Slovyansk. One pilot was killed, another taken captive by rebels, State Security Service of Ukraine said. One Interior Troops officer was wounded.
Insurgents have also opened fire at the helicopter with medics, who came to take care of the wounded. One doctor was wounded.
Avakov reported that nine roadblocks established by the pro-Russia protesters were taken over by Ukrainian forces. Ukrainian police, National Guard and army participate in the operation.
As of now, the city is completely blocked by Ukrainian forces.
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