Moscow ‘deeply concerned’ about Ukraine operation

Moscow ‘deeply concerned’ about Ukraine operation

... Excerpt

Moscow says it is "deeply concerned" about reports of casualties in eastern Ukraine following the Kiev government’s military operation.

 

"The reports we are getting cause deep concern. To all appearances, events [in Ukraine] are beginning to develop under the worst case scenario," Konstantin Dolgov, the Russian Foreign Ministry's human rights representative, said on Tuesday.

 

Earlier in the day, Ukraine’s acting president announced “an anti-terror operation” in the east of the country amid escalating pro-Russian protests in the region.

 

Oleksandr Turchynov said the operation was being conducted in the “north of Donetsk region” to root out protests in eastern Ukraine.

Meanwhile, in a telephone conversation with United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, Russian President Vladimir Putin said he expects the UN to condemn Ukraine's approach in dealing with the unrest in the country’s east.

 

Putin "underscored that the Russian side expects a clear condemnation from the United Nations and the international community of these anti-constitutional actions", the Kremlin said in a statement issued on Tuesday.

 

Washington, however, praised the operation as “measured”.

 

White House spokesman Jay Carney said Ukraine is facing “an untenable situation”, adding that Washington is coordinating further steps with its allies.

 

Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov warned the acting government in Kiev of using “criminal force” against pro-Moscow protesters who are seeking to join Russia.

 

Pro-Russian rallies gained momentum in Ukraine after Crimea declared independence from the former Soviet state and formally applied to become part of the Russian Federation following a referendum on March 16, in which nearly 97 percent of the participants voted for reunion with Russia.