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| Russia Demands New Cease-Fire in Ukraine | Russia Demands New Cease-Fire in Ukraine |
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| MOSCOW — In a stern warning that cited civilian casualties in war-torn eastern Ukraine, Russia on Wednesday demanded that the Ukrainian government reinstate a cease-fire and halt its military operation aimed at suppressing the pro-Russian separatist insurrection that has laid siege to the region for more than three months. | MOSCOW — In a stern warning that cited civilian casualties in war-torn eastern Ukraine, Russia on Wednesday demanded that the Ukrainian government reinstate a cease-fire and halt its military operation aimed at suppressing the pro-Russian separatist insurrection that has laid siege to the region for more than three months. |
| “Again we resolutely demand that the Ukrainian authorities — provided they are still able to evaluate sensibly the consequences of the criminal policy they conduct — to stop shelling peaceful cities and villages in their own country, to return to a real cease-fire in order to save human lives,” the Foreign Ministry said. | “Again we resolutely demand that the Ukrainian authorities — provided they are still able to evaluate sensibly the consequences of the criminal policy they conduct — to stop shelling peaceful cities and villages in their own country, to return to a real cease-fire in order to save human lives,” the Foreign Ministry said. |
| The statement went on to accuse the government of President Petro O. Poroshenko of the “physical annihilation of citizens of their own country” and, citing the evacuation of an orphanage in the Luhansk region, said, “the Ukrainian authorities do not even care about the fate of small children.” | |
| Even in the context of the deeply embittered relations between the Kremlin and the government in Kiev, the Russian statement was unusually harsh and signaled blistering outrage in Moscow over the renewed military effort to end the rebellion. | Even in the context of the deeply embittered relations between the Kremlin and the government in Kiev, the Russian statement was unusually harsh and signaled blistering outrage in Moscow over the renewed military effort to end the rebellion. |
| The statement was issued as the foreign ministers of Ukraine, Russia, France and Germany were due to meet on Wednesday afternoon in Berlin to discuss the crisis and the possibility of resuming peace negotiations. | The statement was issued as the foreign ministers of Ukraine, Russia, France and Germany were due to meet on Wednesday afternoon in Berlin to discuss the crisis and the possibility of resuming peace negotiations. |
| Fighting continued across eastern Ukraine on Wednesday, including reports of an intense overnight battle near the Novoazovsk border crossing with Russia. Aleksiy Dmitrasahkovsky, a spokesman for the Ukrainian military operation, said that one soldier had been killed and 25 wounded since the resumption of full-scale fighting on Tuesday. | Fighting continued across eastern Ukraine on Wednesday, including reports of an intense overnight battle near the Novoazovsk border crossing with Russia. Aleksiy Dmitrasahkovsky, a spokesman for the Ukrainian military operation, said that one soldier had been killed and 25 wounded since the resumption of full-scale fighting on Tuesday. |
| Other Ukrainian officials have said that hundreds of rebels were killed, but casualty figures are regularly disputed and the government’s tally was impossible to verify. Mr. Dmitrasahkovsky in a telephone interview declined to comment on the number of rebels killed, captured or surrendered. | Other Ukrainian officials have said that hundreds of rebels were killed, but casualty figures are regularly disputed and the government’s tally was impossible to verify. Mr. Dmitrasahkovsky in a telephone interview declined to comment on the number of rebels killed, captured or surrendered. |
| In Kiev, the deputy chief of the presidential administration, Valeriy Chaly, said that Mr. Poroshenko was still willing to negotiate a settlement. “The president remains committed to a peaceful resolution of the situation in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions,” Mr. Chaly said. But he said Mr. Poroshenko’s previous overture, which led him to declare a unilateral cease-fire on June 20, had not received an adequate response. | In Kiev, the deputy chief of the presidential administration, Valeriy Chaly, said that Mr. Poroshenko was still willing to negotiate a settlement. “The president remains committed to a peaceful resolution of the situation in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions,” Mr. Chaly said. But he said Mr. Poroshenko’s previous overture, which led him to declare a unilateral cease-fire on June 20, had not received an adequate response. |
| The cease-fire, after a three-day extension, ended on Monday night, and Mr. Poroshenko, facing intensifying political pressure to take action, ordered the military to go back on the offensive. | The cease-fire, after a three-day extension, ended on Monday night, and Mr. Poroshenko, facing intensifying political pressure to take action, ordered the military to go back on the offensive. |
| Despite the cease-fire, fighting had never truly stopped, and that had contributed to the public anger against Mr. Poroshenko, who campaigned for office vowing to put a swift end to the insurrection. | Despite the cease-fire, fighting had never truly stopped, and that had contributed to the public anger against Mr. Poroshenko, who campaigned for office vowing to put a swift end to the insurrection. |
| On Tuesday, as open warfare enveloped eastern Ukraine, President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia reiterated his commitment to protecting “Russian people” wherever they live. | On Tuesday, as open warfare enveloped eastern Ukraine, President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia reiterated his commitment to protecting “Russian people” wherever they live. |
| “In Ukraine, as you may have seen, at threat were our compatriots, Russian people and people of other nationalities, their language, history, culture and legal rights, guaranteed, by the way, by European conventions,” Mr. Putin said in a speech to Russia’s diplomatic corps in Moscow. | “In Ukraine, as you may have seen, at threat were our compatriots, Russian people and people of other nationalities, their language, history, culture and legal rights, guaranteed, by the way, by European conventions,” Mr. Putin said in a speech to Russia’s diplomatic corps in Moscow. |
| “When I speak of Russians and Russian-speaking citizens,” Mr. Putin said, “I am referring to those people who consider themselves part of the broad Russian community. They may not necessarily be ethnic Russians, but they consider themselves Russian people.” He added, “I would like to make it clear to all: this country will continue to actively defend the rights of Russians, our compatriots abroad, using the entire range of available means.” | “When I speak of Russians and Russian-speaking citizens,” Mr. Putin said, “I am referring to those people who consider themselves part of the broad Russian community. They may not necessarily be ethnic Russians, but they consider themselves Russian people.” He added, “I would like to make it clear to all: this country will continue to actively defend the rights of Russians, our compatriots abroad, using the entire range of available means.” |
| Separately on Wednesday, a Moscow court issued an arrest warrant for Igor Kolomoisky, a billionaire businessman who is the Kiev-appointed governor of the Dnipropetrovsk region. Russian authorities had previously said that they were seeking the arrest of Mr. Kolomoisky for charges related to carrying out illegal warfare. | Separately on Wednesday, a Moscow court issued an arrest warrant for Igor Kolomoisky, a billionaire businessman who is the Kiev-appointed governor of the Dnipropetrovsk region. Russian authorities had previously said that they were seeking the arrest of Mr. Kolomoisky for charges related to carrying out illegal warfare. |
| Mr. Kolomoisky has received wide credit for preventing separatism in his region, which borders the violence-torn east. But Russia has been angered by what it says is his willingness to use his personal fortune to help finance a pro-Kiev militia force. | |
| A number of rebel leaders, including the prime minister and the speaker of Parliament of the self-declared Donetsk People’s Republic, have openly identified themselves as Russian citizens and said they traveled to eastern Ukraine to join the separatist uprising. None of them are facing criminal charges in Russia. | A number of rebel leaders, including the prime minister and the speaker of Parliament of the self-declared Donetsk People’s Republic, have openly identified themselves as Russian citizens and said they traveled to eastern Ukraine to join the separatist uprising. None of them are facing criminal charges in Russia. |
| Asked last month about the legal status of Russian citizens, including Aleksandr Borodai, the prime minister, and Denis Pushilin, the Parliament speaker, a spokeswoman for the Russian Foreign ministry, Maria Zakharova, said that their role was minimal compared with that in Ukraine of the American intelligence services, including the Central Intelligence Agency. | Asked last month about the legal status of Russian citizens, including Aleksandr Borodai, the prime minister, and Denis Pushilin, the Parliament speaker, a spokeswoman for the Russian Foreign ministry, Maria Zakharova, said that their role was minimal compared with that in Ukraine of the American intelligence services, including the Central Intelligence Agency. |
| “You better remind the audience about the role of American and other countries’ citizens in the history of two unconstitutional coups in modern Ukraine,” Ms. Zakharova wrote in response to questions. She also noted the secret visit to Kiev in April of the C.I.A. director, John O. Brennan, which was later confirmed by the White House but never fully explained. | “You better remind the audience about the role of American and other countries’ citizens in the history of two unconstitutional coups in modern Ukraine,” Ms. Zakharova wrote in response to questions. She also noted the secret visit to Kiev in April of the C.I.A. director, John O. Brennan, which was later confirmed by the White House but never fully explained. |
| “Let’s talk about such facts, not fantasies, as the role and visit of the head of the C.I.A. to Ukraine,” Ms. Zakharova wrote. “What for?” She added, “The involvement of the top official of the U.S. secret services is much more serious than two guys with Russian passports.” | “Let’s talk about such facts, not fantasies, as the role and visit of the head of the C.I.A. to Ukraine,” Ms. Zakharova wrote. “What for?” She added, “The involvement of the top official of the U.S. secret services is much more serious than two guys with Russian passports.” |