The reports keeping coming in from the east and the news doesn’t seem to be getting better. It has been reported recently that 40 people have been killed in Ukraine. The government employed fighter jets as a last means effort to repel pro-Russian rebels who attempted to seize the airport in Donetsk. The mayor pleaded with residents to stay home until an all clear was given that the fighting had officially ceased. According to journalists from the Associated Press the fighting lasted the duration of the day and spilled into the night. It is sadly being reported that two of the deaths were private citizens who were caught in the cross hairs.
Separatist from the Donetsk People’s Republic claim that many of the rebels killed were militants already injured in the battle, and were attacked by government forces while being transported in trucks to receive further treatment. They claim their side has suffered from hundreds of injuries at the hands of the Ukrainian government, though AP reporters were unable to confirm the statement at the time. Donetsk’s main ice hockey arena was also set on fire during the violent affair, which was owned by a Ukrainian lawmaker.
At this time the airport the rebels had seeked to control is now back squarely in the governments hands. Though the rebels may have suffered great casualties, the Ukrainian military is reporting no deaths on their side. Those in power in Kiev have vowed to squash those who seek to take over the country even if it angers locals who see the government as nationalists hell bent on silencing pro-Russian speakers.
Petro Poroshenko, Ukrainian candy billionaire, has recently claimed victory as Ukraine’s new president, and immediately stated that he would be open to holding talks with Russia to end the violence. Ukraine’s acting Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk has said however, that there will be no peace talks with Russia in the foreseeable future. He was stated as saying “The government’s stance is unchanged: bilateral talks without the presence of the United States and the European Union do not seem possible under current conditions.” It appears as if things will have to get even worse in Ukraine before they get better. The question is how many people will have to die before one or both sides say that enough is enough.
Photo: Euronews
