Russia's War Against Ukraine
OP-ED
Mark Galeotti: Moscow’s role in Ukraine’s unrest is clear and increasing
: Pro-Kremlin supporters stand near their cars after a shooting between pro-Russian protesters and Ukrainian police special team on a road in the outskirts of the eastern Ukrainian city of Slavyansk on April 13, 2014. At least two people were killed and nine wounded on Sunday in gun battles between Ukrainian special forces and pro-Kremlin militias that threatened to scuttle the first international talks on the worst East-West crisis since the Cold War. The clashes across the ex-Soviet state's separatist eastern rust belt broke out a day after masked gunmen stormed a series of police and security service buildings in coordinated raids that Kiev blamed on the \"provocative activities of Russian special services\".AFP PHOTO / ANATOLIY STEPANOV
As western Ukrainian security forces reportedly seek to dislodge ethnic Russian paramilitaries from government buildings in Slaviansk (although that’s now being questioned) and anti-Kyiv forces muster in other eastern Ukrainian cities, allegations are flying thick and fast about the presence of Russian troops in these disturbances. (I should mention that The Interpreter‘s liveblog is an invaluable service in keeping track of all the claims, counterclaims and reports on the ground.)
