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| Clashes in Eastern Ukraine as Moscow Issues New Warnings | Clashes in Eastern Ukraine as Moscow Issues New Warnings |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| SLOVYANSK, Ukraine — Two days after Ukraine’s interim government declared itself all but helpless to control events in eastern Ukraine, Ukrainian military and police forces on Friday resumed their effort to retake this rebel-controlled city, forcing armed separatists from the city’s outskirts with armored vehicles, helicopters and ground troops. | SLOVYANSK, Ukraine — Two days after Ukraine’s interim government declared itself all but helpless to control events in eastern Ukraine, Ukrainian military and police forces on Friday resumed their effort to retake this rebel-controlled city, forcing armed separatists from the city’s outskirts with armored vehicles, helicopters and ground troops. |
| When clashes drew to a close by early afternoon, the Ukrainian troops had advanced, capturing separatist checkpoints and posting infantry and armored vehicles on a bridge overlooking rail lines beside the city’s southern border. | |
| In the previously tranquil port city of Odessa, on the Black Sea, 38 people died in a fire related to clashes that broke out between protesters holding a march for Ukrainian unity and pro-Russian activists. The fighting itself left four dead and 12 wounded, Ukraine’s Interior Ministry said. Ukrainian and Russian news media showed images of buildings and debris burning, fire bombs being put together and men armed with pistols. | |
| The deaths expanded the increasingly violent struggle for control over Ukraine’s Black Sea port, which had been relatively quiet until last week, when seven people were wounded in a roadside bombing. | |
| In Slovyansk, Ukrainian units did not seem eager to engage the militants more fully, and appeared to limit their activities to tightening a cordon around the militant stronghold. The city’s center remained under the control of antigovernment militias, who manned barricades as streets fell nearly silent ahead of what residents feared could become a general assault. | |
| “They are coming at us from all sides,” said one fighter in camouflage and sneakers, who gave his name as Sergei, and who held a Kalashnikov assault rifle and said he was a veteran of the Soviet Army. | “They are coming at us from all sides,” said one fighter in camouflage and sneakers, who gave his name as Sergei, and who held a Kalashnikov assault rifle and said he was a veteran of the Soviet Army. |
| Both the government and the separatist forces said that two helicopters were downed in the fighting, with at least one crew member killed. But the reports could not be verified, and hours later the wreckage had not been found by independent observers. | Both the government and the separatist forces said that two helicopters were downed in the fighting, with at least one crew member killed. But the reports could not be verified, and hours later the wreckage had not been found by independent observers. |
| The government’s action drew an immediate and indignant protest from the Kremlin, which said Ukraine had effectively destroyed a plan negotiated last month with the United States, Russia, Ukraine and the European Union intended to de-escalate tensions. | The government’s action drew an immediate and indignant protest from the Kremlin, which said Ukraine had effectively destroyed a plan negotiated last month with the United States, Russia, Ukraine and the European Union intended to de-escalate tensions. |
| Blaming the authorities in Kiev, Ukraine’s capital, a spokesman for President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia, Dmitri S. Peskov, told Russian news agencies that “the Kiev regime ordered combat aircraft to fire at civilian towns and villages, launching a ‘punitive operation.' ” | Blaming the authorities in Kiev, Ukraine’s capital, a spokesman for President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia, Dmitri S. Peskov, told Russian news agencies that “the Kiev regime ordered combat aircraft to fire at civilian towns and villages, launching a ‘punitive operation.' ” |
| By early afternoon, the military movements in Slovyansk appeared to have ceased, and Ukrainian troops were posted at their newly captured positions in the villages of Bylbasovka and Andreyevka, where local residents flocked to their lines to argue with them and urge them not to fight. | By early afternoon, the military movements in Slovyansk appeared to have ceased, and Ukrainian troops were posted at their newly captured positions in the villages of Bylbasovka and Andreyevka, where local residents flocked to their lines to argue with them and urge them not to fight. |
| In Bylbasovka, a Ukrainian officer who identified himself as a staff officer for one of the battalions participating in the operation stood with troops facing about 75 angry residents who demanded they leave. | In Bylbasovka, a Ukrainian officer who identified himself as a staff officer for one of the battalions participating in the operation stood with troops facing about 75 angry residents who demanded they leave. |
| “We came to prevent further destabilization of the situation,” said the officer, who gave a first name, Vitaly. “We have nothing against peaceful citizens.” | “We came to prevent further destabilization of the situation,” said the officer, who gave a first name, Vitaly. “We have nothing against peaceful citizens.” |
| The residents argued with the troops standing at the front rank, at one point chanting “Shame! Shame! Shame!” | The residents argued with the troops standing at the front rank, at one point chanting “Shame! Shame! Shame!” |
| Three more busloads of troops stood behind sandbags and watched warily. | Three more busloads of troops stood behind sandbags and watched warily. |
| The scene was similar at the bridge in Andreyevka, though on a much larger scale. There roughly 10 Ukrainian armored personnel carriers and a few trucks had captured the bridge, where they were met by 200 or more unarmed residents who came out to defy them or urge them to defect. The front rank of troops faced verbal abuse, but held its position, looking weary and under stress. | The scene was similar at the bridge in Andreyevka, though on a much larger scale. There roughly 10 Ukrainian armored personnel carriers and a few trucks had captured the bridge, where they were met by 200 or more unarmed residents who came out to defy them or urge them to defect. The front rank of troops faced verbal abuse, but held its position, looking weary and under stress. |
| One woman scolded the soldiers unrelentingly. | One woman scolded the soldiers unrelentingly. |
| “You came with weapons and tanks!” she shouted, her face only a few feet from theirs. “What, you can’t talk to us like normal people?” | “You came with weapons and tanks!” she shouted, her face only a few feet from theirs. “What, you can’t talk to us like normal people?” |
| Nearby, a man demanded to know who had ordered the operation. | Nearby, a man demanded to know who had ordered the operation. |
| “Who called you here?” he asked. | “Who called you here?” he asked. |
| “There are illegal weapons being used here,” the soldier replied. | “There are illegal weapons being used here,” the soldier replied. |
| Both sides asserted a right to their presence beside the bridge. | Both sides asserted a right to their presence beside the bridge. |
| “I live here!” the man said. | “I live here!” the man said. |
| “And I serve here!” the soldier answered. | “And I serve here!” the soldier answered. |
| Moscow repeated its warning that it reserved the right to intervene to protect its interests and Russian-leaning residents of eastern Ukraine. But there were no signs of an imminent move across the border. | Moscow repeated its warning that it reserved the right to intervene to protect its interests and Russian-leaning residents of eastern Ukraine. But there were no signs of an imminent move across the border. |
| Much of eastern Ukraine slipped beyond the control of the authorities in Kiev as militants began taking control of a string of official buildings more than three weeks ago. | Much of eastern Ukraine slipped beyond the control of the authorities in Kiev as militants began taking control of a string of official buildings more than three weeks ago. |
| They have also captured a German-led team of military observers affiliated with the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. Russia has massed tens of thousands of troops just across the border on what it has called training maneuvers. | They have also captured a German-led team of military observers affiliated with the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. Russia has massed tens of thousands of troops just across the border on what it has called training maneuvers. |
| The clashes on Friday seemed to sharpen the East-West confrontation. | The clashes on Friday seemed to sharpen the East-West confrontation. |
| While the European Commission in Brussels said it was watching the situation in Ukraine with growing concern, the Russian Foreign Ministry said it was “outraged” by the attack and demanded the government in Kiev, along with its Western backers, immediately halt its military operation. | While the European Commission in Brussels said it was watching the situation in Ukraine with growing concern, the Russian Foreign Ministry said it was “outraged” by the attack and demanded the government in Kiev, along with its Western backers, immediately halt its military operation. |
| As with every such statement, the Foreign Ministry said the attack was being carried out by “Right Sector and other ultranationalistic organizations.” Right Sector and other far-right organizations are aggressively anti-Russian, and Moscow habitually blames them for fomenting any sort of violence in Ukraine, some of it performed in front of cameras by unidentified men for the benefit of the state-controlled Russian news media. | As with every such statement, the Foreign Ministry said the attack was being carried out by “Right Sector and other ultranationalistic organizations.” Right Sector and other far-right organizations are aggressively anti-Russian, and Moscow habitually blames them for fomenting any sort of violence in Ukraine, some of it performed in front of cameras by unidentified men for the benefit of the state-controlled Russian news media. |
| The Foreign Ministry statement repeated previous warnings from Moscow that any attack on civilians would have consequences, triggering “a catastrophe” in Ukraine. | The Foreign Ministry statement repeated previous warnings from Moscow that any attack on civilians would have consequences, triggering “a catastrophe” in Ukraine. |
| Russia has been pushing for constitutional changes in Ukraine to create a federal system that devolves real authority to the regions — effectively keeping them in Moscow’s orbit. | Russia has been pushing for constitutional changes in Ukraine to create a federal system that devolves real authority to the regions — effectively keeping them in Moscow’s orbit. |
| Russia has repeatedly said it might intervene militarily in Ukraine if needed to protect the ethnic Russian minority, although many analysts believe it would prefer to try to influence events from across the border. | Russia has repeatedly said it might intervene militarily in Ukraine if needed to protect the ethnic Russian minority, although many analysts believe it would prefer to try to influence events from across the border. |
| The Russian Foreign Ministry and state-run media also repeated an accusation, presented without evidence, that there were “English-speaking officers” among the attackers. The ministry said that American mercenaries could not be working in Ukraine without State Department approval. | The Russian Foreign Ministry and state-run media also repeated an accusation, presented without evidence, that there were “English-speaking officers” among the attackers. The ministry said that American mercenaries could not be working in Ukraine without State Department approval. |
| Both sides of the fighting said at least two Ukrainian helicopters had been struck by ground fire. | Both sides of the fighting said at least two Ukrainian helicopters had been struck by ground fire. |
| The Defense Ministry in Kiev, Ukraine’s capital, acknowledged the loss of one military helicopter and damage to another. The Ukrainian authorities said that two Mi-24 attack helicopters were shot down, killing at least two airmen. | The Defense Ministry in Kiev, Ukraine’s capital, acknowledged the loss of one military helicopter and damage to another. The Ukrainian authorities said that two Mi-24 attack helicopters were shot down, killing at least two airmen. |
| The Ukrainian domestic-intelligence agency, S.B.U., said that one of these helicopters had been downed with a heat-seeking, shoulder-fired missile, and suggested that the presence of such a weapon in the conflict showed that the separatists had outside support. | The Ukrainian domestic-intelligence agency, S.B.U., said that one of these helicopters had been downed with a heat-seeking, shoulder-fired missile, and suggested that the presence of such a weapon in the conflict showed that the separatists had outside support. |
| By the evening in Ukraine neither side had shown clear evidence of heat-seeking missiles or downed aircraft, although one pro-Russian television station showed footage of what it said was a captured pilot. | By the evening in Ukraine neither side had shown clear evidence of heat-seeking missiles or downed aircraft, although one pro-Russian television station showed footage of what it said was a captured pilot. |
| Vyachislav Ponomaryov, the self-appointed mayor of Slovyansk, said that four or five members of the city’s antigovernment militias had been killed, and at least three others wounded. The number of Ukrainian military and police casualties was unclear. | Vyachislav Ponomaryov, the self-appointed mayor of Slovyansk, said that four or five members of the city’s antigovernment militias had been killed, and at least three others wounded. The number of Ukrainian military and police casualties was unclear. |