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| Pro-Russian Rebels Seize Airport in Ukraine | Pro-Russian Rebels Seize Airport in Ukraine |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| DONETSK, Ukraine — This city erupted with the din of war on Monday, as the Ukrainian military used fighter jets, helicopters and artillery in what appeared to be a successful attempt to rid the airport of separatist fighters who seized it in the aftermath of national elections that seemed to marginalize them. | |
| Fighter jets screamed and automatic gunfire popped throughout the afternoon as Ukrainian soldiers fought a ground battle around the airport against the separatists, who have taken over two eastern Ukrainian provinces. | |
| After fighting that lasted into a rainy evening, the military appeared to have evicted the separatists from the airport, cordoning off the area with roadblocks. The airport remained closed. | |
| The fighting began shortly after 1 p.m., when gunfire tore through a grassy area in front of the airport near a Toyota dealership, and a man in a blue uniform ran for cover as the fighting cascaded out the airport’s main gate. Thick black smoke dotted the sky. | |
| A spokesman for the military said the operation had been intended to “clear the territory.” | |
| There was no immediate indication that the Ukrainian offensive extended further than the strategically important airport area. | There was no immediate indication that the Ukrainian offensive extended further than the strategically important airport area. |
| The fighting erupted a day after Petro O. Poroshenko, a Ukrainian billionaire, was elected president in a landslide. Mr. Poroshenko has pledged to calm the separatist violence in the east, which, despite Sunday’s election success, still represents a resilient threat to the country’s future stability. | |
| The military had been conducting an offensive to rid the areas of separatists but had suffered more setbacks than victories. Most residents, who want Ukraine to remain whole, have expressed disdain over the military’s ineffectiveness. | The military had been conducting an offensive to rid the areas of separatists but had suffered more setbacks than victories. Most residents, who want Ukraine to remain whole, have expressed disdain over the military’s ineffectiveness. |
| The seizure of the airport suggested a new, perhaps desperate, escalation by the militants who in recent days have appeared to lose the political support of the Kremlin, which indicated that it would respect the results of Sunday’s election. | The seizure of the airport suggested a new, perhaps desperate, escalation by the militants who in recent days have appeared to lose the political support of the Kremlin, which indicated that it would respect the results of Sunday’s election. |
| The militants are unlikely to survive long without the backing of Russia. But support can come in many ways, and it is far from clear that President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia intends to give up what appears to be a useful geopolitical lever: violence and instability in Ukraine’s east that has left the West flustered. | The militants are unlikely to survive long without the backing of Russia. But support can come in many ways, and it is far from clear that President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia intends to give up what appears to be a useful geopolitical lever: violence and instability in Ukraine’s east that has left the West flustered. |
| “What Putin wants is for Ukraine to be weak,” said Lucan A. Way, a political scientist at the University of Toronto, who specializes in Ukraine and has lived in Donetsk. “Just because he gives verbal support for the new Ukrainian government does not mean that he will stop trying to foment unrest in the east.” | “What Putin wants is for Ukraine to be weak,” said Lucan A. Way, a political scientist at the University of Toronto, who specializes in Ukraine and has lived in Donetsk. “Just because he gives verbal support for the new Ukrainian government does not mean that he will stop trying to foment unrest in the east.” |
| In the current situation, Mr. Putin “gets to look like a statesman,” and blame the new government for whatever problems emerge. At the same time, Mr. Putin does not directly control events on the ground. “He has created a Frankenstein that he cannot control, and may not even want to,” Mr. Way said. | In the current situation, Mr. Putin “gets to look like a statesman,” and blame the new government for whatever problems emerge. At the same time, Mr. Putin does not directly control events on the ground. “He has created a Frankenstein that he cannot control, and may not even want to,” Mr. Way said. |
| Still, rebels seemed shaken by their isolation. At the Donetsk government headquarters that they have occupied and fortified with barbed wire and old tires, nervous separatists briefed journalists. | Still, rebels seemed shaken by their isolation. At the Donetsk government headquarters that they have occupied and fortified with barbed wire and old tires, nervous separatists briefed journalists. |
| Denis Pushilin, the speaker of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic, said that the rebel troops posted on Sunday night to guard the building against attack had been fired upon by government forces. | Denis Pushilin, the speaker of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic, said that the rebel troops posted on Sunday night to guard the building against attack had been fired upon by government forces. |
| “We must defend ourselves,” Mr. Pushilin said. “This is an important attack against a strategically important building.” | “We must defend ourselves,” Mr. Pushilin said. “This is an important attack against a strategically important building.” |
| He said he did not expect an immediate attack on the headquarters, but called on Mr. Putin directly for help. | He said he did not expect an immediate attack on the headquarters, but called on Mr. Putin directly for help. |
| “I am forced to appeal directly to Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin for any possible aid,” he said. When asked what kind of aid – military or economic — he said, “Any.” | “I am forced to appeal directly to Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin for any possible aid,” he said. When asked what kind of aid – military or economic — he said, “Any.” |
| Shortly before the airport fighting began, a female passenger carrying a single suitcase tried to cross the police checkpoint to go into the terminal, but turned away and left the area. | Shortly before the airport fighting began, a female passenger carrying a single suitcase tried to cross the police checkpoint to go into the terminal, but turned away and left the area. |
| Soon after, three army helicopters flew low from the main road to the west side of the airport. Then, the shooting began. During the firefight, the separatists got reinforcements: a brown minivan arrived with six heavily armed men carrying two rockets and rifles, and others in civilian clothes. | Soon after, three army helicopters flew low from the main road to the west side of the airport. Then, the shooting began. During the firefight, the separatists got reinforcements: a brown minivan arrived with six heavily armed men carrying two rockets and rifles, and others in civilian clothes. |
| More than three and a half hours later, gunfire continued to crackle. Schools were closed and stores were shut with metal gates. Eduard, a taxi driver who had been waiting outside the airport entrance, said that the Metro supermarket nearby had asked all the shoppers to leave, and that he saw a stream of people leaving the store. | More than three and a half hours later, gunfire continued to crackle. Schools were closed and stores were shut with metal gates. Eduard, a taxi driver who had been waiting outside the airport entrance, said that the Metro supermarket nearby had asked all the shoppers to leave, and that he saw a stream of people leaving the store. |
| “We heard this ‘oooooooo boom,’ like a bomb falling from a large height,” said Sergei Tansura, an electrician at the airport still in his blue work overalls. | “We heard this ‘oooooooo boom,’ like a bomb falling from a large height,” said Sergei Tansura, an electrician at the airport still in his blue work overalls. |
| In the Kievsky neighborhood in the northern part of Donetsk, the boom of artillery startled pedestrians, unsure of the source of the shelling. A small gathering of neighbors on Krupskaya Street, a few minutes’ drive from the airport entrance, were discussing the events as fighter jets made a loud scraping sound over the small brick houses and lush yards planted with roses. | In the Kievsky neighborhood in the northern part of Donetsk, the boom of artillery startled pedestrians, unsure of the source of the shelling. A small gathering of neighbors on Krupskaya Street, a few minutes’ drive from the airport entrance, were discussing the events as fighter jets made a loud scraping sound over the small brick houses and lush yards planted with roses. |
| “It’s a mess, it’s anarchy,” said Yevgeny Kaplenko, a retired welder. “This is going to be a second Transnistria,” he said, referring to the breakaway area within Moldova, on Ukraine’s southwestern border. “That’s what awaits us.” | “It’s a mess, it’s anarchy,” said Yevgeny Kaplenko, a retired welder. “This is going to be a second Transnistria,” he said, referring to the breakaway area within Moldova, on Ukraine’s southwestern border. “That’s what awaits us.” |
| Mr. Poroshenko’s election by a wide margin sent a clear message that Ukraine was prepared to move forward as a united, if besieged, country, with no indication of military action by Russia, or any prospect of secession and annexation as occurred with Crimea. Militants prevented voting throughout much of the east on Sunday, prompting accusations from some observers, including a United States senator, Kelly Ayotte, Republican of New Hampshire, that Russia had failed to honor a demand that it not interfere with the balloting. | Mr. Poroshenko’s election by a wide margin sent a clear message that Ukraine was prepared to move forward as a united, if besieged, country, with no indication of military action by Russia, or any prospect of secession and annexation as occurred with Crimea. Militants prevented voting throughout much of the east on Sunday, prompting accusations from some observers, including a United States senator, Kelly Ayotte, Republican of New Hampshire, that Russia had failed to honor a demand that it not interfere with the balloting. |
| In Moscow, Sergey V. Lavrov, the foreign minister, said that Russia saw the vote in Ukraine as a positive step, albeit with problems. | In Moscow, Sergey V. Lavrov, the foreign minister, said that Russia saw the vote in Ukraine as a positive step, albeit with problems. |
| “The fact that the elections were organized in most of the regions in Ukraine is generally positive,” Mr. Lavrov said at a news conference, echoing remarks by Mr. Putin that Russia would respect the outcome. | “The fact that the elections were organized in most of the regions in Ukraine is generally positive,” Mr. Lavrov said at a news conference, echoing remarks by Mr. Putin that Russia would respect the outcome. |
| The new government needs to engage all citizens, Mr. Lavrov said, negotiating compromises to address the interests of all political forces, all ethnic groups and all faiths. “There will be little result without this,” Mr. Lavrov said, adding that continuing military operations in the southeast would be “a huge mistake.” | The new government needs to engage all citizens, Mr. Lavrov said, negotiating compromises to address the interests of all political forces, all ethnic groups and all faiths. “There will be little result without this,” Mr. Lavrov said, adding that continuing military operations in the southeast would be “a huge mistake.” |
| He also endorsed Mr. Poroshenko’s plan to make his first visit to the heavily industrialized Donbass region where Russia is widely spoken, saying that Kiev needed to establish a dialogue with all the regions. | He also endorsed Mr. Poroshenko’s plan to make his first visit to the heavily industrialized Donbass region where Russia is widely spoken, saying that Kiev needed to establish a dialogue with all the regions. |
| Mr. Lavrov welcomed Mr. Poroshenko’s statements, saying that he was eager to engage with Moscow, but he rejected the idea that the United States and Europe needed to be involved. “We don’t need intermediaries,” Mr. Lavrov said. | Mr. Lavrov welcomed Mr. Poroshenko’s statements, saying that he was eager to engage with Moscow, but he rejected the idea that the United States and Europe needed to be involved. “We don’t need intermediaries,” Mr. Lavrov said. |
| Ukraine’s deposed president, Viktor F. Yanukovych, issued a statement from his Russian exile saying that the new government in Kiev should withdraw all government troops from southeastern Ukraine to end the standoff and restore peace. | Ukraine’s deposed president, Viktor F. Yanukovych, issued a statement from his Russian exile saying that the new government in Kiev should withdraw all government troops from southeastern Ukraine to end the standoff and restore peace. |
| Mr. Yanukovych, who established himself in the southern Russian city of Rostov-on-Don after he was forced from office by the uprising in Ukraine in February, said that he respected the election of Mr. Poroshenko, a former ally, as legitimate. | Mr. Yanukovych, who established himself in the southern Russian city of Rostov-on-Don after he was forced from office by the uprising in Ukraine in February, said that he respected the election of Mr. Poroshenko, a former ally, as legitimate. |
| “An early presidential election has taken place in Ukraine,” Mr. Yanukovych’s statement said. “No matter what region has had what turnout and what choice has been made, I respect the choice made during such a difficult time for our motherland.” | “An early presidential election has taken place in Ukraine,” Mr. Yanukovych’s statement said. “No matter what region has had what turnout and what choice has been made, I respect the choice made during such a difficult time for our motherland.” |
| Mr. Yanukovych said the main priority of the government should be “to stop the bloody war against their own people,” adding that “for the legitimacy of the elections and the legitimacy of the president himself, the engagement of the southeast of our country is essential.” | Mr. Yanukovych said the main priority of the government should be “to stop the bloody war against their own people,” adding that “for the legitimacy of the elections and the legitimacy of the president himself, the engagement of the southeast of our country is essential.” |