Putin gives mixed message on Ukraine as key vote approaches amid clashes

May 23, 2014

Kiev , Ukraine - New clashes in Ukraine exploded in the east as a divided country , the United States and its European allies would trigger the pro - Russians searched quickly to disrupt the vote , raising the question of whether , in the presidential elections in Moscow this weekend to prepare for the harsh penalties .
Russian President Vladimir Putin said his government would respect the will of the Ukrainian people on Friday , said Sunday's vote , but Russia says it is closely monitoring developments .
In a speech at the International Economic Forum in St. Petersburg, Putin also grabbed the "West , the United States supports the " completed " coup " What is happening in Ukraine after a leading " dangerous war " pro- Russian warned that the country earlier this year.Former heavyweight champion for MayorUkrainian troops in the deadliest day forMemory Kiev squarePhotos : Crisis in Ukraine : Ukraine Crisis
The last battle
At least 32 people , according to the spokesman for the country's counterterrorism office Vladislav Seleznev Ukrainian military and pro-Russian separatists in the Luhansk region killed and 44 were injured in the clashes.
The clash took place on Thursday afternoon and lasted for a couple of hours , Seleznev told CNN on Friday .
Seven Ukrainian separatists and injured 37 soldiers , while 30 pro-Russian separatists and a total of two Ukrainian soldiers were among the dead , said Seleznev .
Ministry of Defense of Ukraine more than 20, with 30 wounded insurgents , Luhansk died in clashes on its website .
The reports could not be independently confirmed , and the previous damage claims by Ukrainian formula has proven to be unreliable .
Friday, Donetsk region was the title of a PRO -PRO- Ukrainian militia Russian checkpoint , according to a regional Ukrainian authorities, was attacked and an activist group called the Wright sector .
Donetsk regional authorities the right public sector PRO- fighters four Ukrainians are trapped and may have been killed or captured , said one person was killed and nine were wounded.
There were no further details of the victims, and the reports could not be independently confirmed it too.
Sunday's elections , the ethnic Russian population of the Crimea and the eastern regions of the country , condemned the aggression of the takeover of Russia conflict Russian- PRO divided by PRO -Moscow President Viktor Yanukovych for the overthrow of country elect a successor.
Valentyn Nalyvaychenko , head of Ukraine 's security service said on Friday that military operations are planned for the election. But centers safe alternative voting, Donetsk and Lugansk regions of the Separatist threat will be arranged for some people.
confrontation
Crisis in Ukraine, Russian President Putin U.S. Barack Obama and the West on what it calls illegal expansionist movements at the end allies.
Obama and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, recently voted to disrupt the Russian economy in Russia, Ukraine By targeting specific sectors will bring more sanctions. So far, the U.S. and European sanctions have targeted individuals and some of the banks and other entities.
On Friday, Putin overthrown by the constitution of Ukraine Yanukovich speech reiterated that Russia is still the legitimate president. He was given the violence in eastern Ukraine , now the question is whether or not out .
The state media in Russia, which is carried out only after the Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexei Meshkov Ukraine will decide whether or not to recognize the votes , said Friday.
" Waiting for the first election. Russia ( validation) to consider this question , of course , we will take into account all factors ," the official was quoted by the news agency ITAR -Tass Meshkov .
The latest violence in Moscow dedicated to the Ukrainian government in Kiev with the ethnic Russian population in the area increased in recent weeks , the unrest in eastern Ukraine , he added.
Crimea and eastern Ukraine , near the border with Putin after the Russian takeover of about 40,000 or more Russian soldiers were gathered . This week , he is known by Obama and NATO allies , the troops began to withdraw .
Friday, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby in eight rear promises not to suggest that their troops from the border area of ​​the base of the back or home has been seen in a small number of Russian troops .
Kirby " not great" and is defined as the number of hundreds of thousands of Russian soldiers stood near the border . According to Kirby, it is "too early to tell withdrawal wholesale" , Putin said he had ordered the troops.
Donetsk violence
According to Wright, the Chief of Staff Andriy Sector Denysenko Friday Donetsk Karlivka violence approaching a checkpoint PRO -PRO- Russian is an attempt by the Ukrainian militia. The pro forces - Ukrainian were attacked by separatists , and was forced to return to a military checkpoint Ukrainian Denysenko CNN.
PRO- Ukrainian militiamen are trapped in a cafe and four are killed or captured by the PRO -Ukrainian militias have been possible , he said.
According to the State Administration of Donetsk , the war left one dead and nine wounded.
Disturbances also Slovyansk , a stronghold of insurgent groups in eastern Donetsk region was reported Friday . Almost overnight bombing of a team Slovyansk CNN after an insurgent barricade , about 10 explosions heard what sounded like the outskirts of the city.
Slovyansk , Vyacheslav statement, the self-proclaimed mayor who tried to vote in the presidential election had been arrested .
On Friday, the statement was obtained on the black market in the 1990s and is now the military aircraft of the Civil War in Ukraine can be used in the event that the pitchers portable air defense systems (MANPADS ) missiles known showed a CNN crew .
Small Arms Survey, an independent expert on weapons who saw the pictures on CNN, Matt Schroeder , shoulders - ground-air - launched , heat-seeking missiles were confirmed with use. However, Schroeder said were functional , were not able to tell from the picture of the model.
In another indication of the additional stress , the Border Service of the Ukrainian border guard on illegal weapons and ammunition from Russia to thwarted attempt by gunmen , said Friday.
The media attacks
Meanwhile, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe , a loss of freedom of the media in Ukraine is detailed in a report released Friday .
Dunja Mijatovic , the representative of media freedom in the team , he was " alarmed by the rapidly deteriorating situation and climate of the media . " Has
14-page report last November until Friday 28 events killings , abductions , arrests and intimidation of events, such as seizure and destruction of equipment from more than 300 cases of attacks on journalists, including quoted .
" The attacks on journalists and serious violations of fundamental human rights is no less crude" Mijatovic said. "Journalists are intentionally taking place in Ukraine is trying to say that the events of the outside world , is being targeted for doing their job ."
In his speech to business leaders , Putin said Ukraine could not resolve the crisis, "optimistic " was.
He and his actions to prevent violence in a democratic referendum expressed his desire to join Russia in the "possibility of free will of human beings ," says insurance Crimea defended recent controversial annexation of Moscow.
United States and its European allies to make it respected the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine for their needs is still an unsolved problem , refusing to accept the annexation of Crimea.
Unpaid gas bills
The difficult economic situation in Russia in Putin also tried to help Ukraine , but Kiev , Russian energy giant Gazprom for natural gas should pay the arrears were strong.
"The risk of delivery of gas supply today is not our fault, but honestly , this is because transit countries Ukraine has abused his position , you understand ," he said .
"We offer free gas to Ukraine with 10 billion cubic meters," he says . "This is not sensible, this is really stupid, and you have to have limits . "
Ukraine pays $ 3.5 billion it owes - Petro Poroshenko , Sunday's elections , seen as a front-runner , led by an experienced politicians billionaire businessman and can work with the Ukrainian government , if asked , Putin joked he could.
Kiev and the European Union leaders have asked Russia not to use energy supplies as a weapon.
Putin also did not take Russia's interests into account by Washington understood so far , on the crisis in Ukraine called for a dialogue between Russia and the United States .Putin 's party to get rid of the big nameUkraine Poroshenko candidate leads pollPutin also promised to withdraw the troops
He is a " boomerang " effect and come to the United States and the European Union warning , was criticized sanctions imposed by the West on Russia.
The Russian president also give a competitive advantage to U.S. sanctions , U.S. companies in Europe to offer a job can be.