June 9, 2014

A picture shows a burning house in the aftermath of combats between anti-government and Ukrainian forces in Slavyansk, southeastern Ukraine, on June 8, 2014. (AFP Photo/Andrey Krasnoschekov)

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has called on fighters to lay down their arms as the crisis deepens, with dozens dead, hundreds wounded and tens of thousands of refugees. In the last few days, 20,000 people have crossed the border into Russia.

Monday, June 9

Four journalists of the Itar-Tass news agency and two employees of the Defense Ministry’s Zvezda TV Channel have been denied entry to Ukraine. A representative of Ukraine’s State Border Service said that it was due to the fact that the journalists “hadn’t presented the documents to confirm the aim of their stay in the country.”

The journalists were put on a plane going to Russia, and their passports were handed to the cabin crew.

The representatives of Itar-Tass news agency in Kiev have sent an official complaint to the Border Service, but has received no reply.

 

Kiev’s new mayor, Vitaly Klitschko, suggested that city council members and local businessmen take part in community work days aimed at restoring the City Hall, which was severely damaged during the Euromaidan protests.

Politicians and businessmen can also offer money as “there is no money in the city budget,” Klitschko said.

About 20,000 women and children from Ukraine’s southeast have crossed the border into Russia’s Rostov Region in the last three days, regional authorities in Rostov say. At least 7,335 Ukrainian citizens have entered the Rostov Region in the last 24 hours, they add.

Overall, over 12,000 people from the crisis-torn country have arrived in Russia, according to data from June 6.

Meanwhile, RT’s Paula Slier spoke to refugees from the eastern Ukrainian city of Lugansk who have been forced to leave their troubled country since Kiev intensified the military crackdown on the country’s east. Now families are leaving for an uncertain future.

 

Ukrainian forces have resumed their artillery fire in the city of Slavyansk in the Donetsk Region, a member of the city’s militia told Itar-Tass. Fighter jets have been flying above the city, he added.

Sunday, June 8

Clashes in the south-east of Ukraine should be stopped this week, President Petro Poroshenko said, adding that for him “each day when people die” is “unacceptable”.

 

“First of all the state border guard service should be restored to guarantee the security of all Ukrainian citizens who live in Donbass, regardless of what political alignment they have,” Poroshenko said as he took part in a three-member “working group discussion.”

 

Four people, were reportedly killed as the result of shelling, in the city of Slavyansk on Sunday. Among the buildings hit by the artillery fire was a children's center. Emergency services are working non-stop in the city. Many factories are reported to be on fire, including the "Alpha" furniture maker.

 

A 4-year-old girl is reportedly killed in eastern Ukraine as Kiev’s artillery has resumed shelling the rebellious city of Slavyansk. Locals tell RT they have been without running water and power for days, and that hope is fading.

 

 

A three-way meeting between Russia, Ukraine and the EU will take place in Brussels on Monday, an official from Russia’s Energy Ministry told Itar-Tass. The meeting will focus on the Ukrainian gas debt to Russia and a possible discount. Russia wants the gas conflict settled by Tuesday, and is threatening to cut off supplies unless Kiev starts paying for the gas

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http://rt.com/news/eastern-ukraine-army-operation-680/