UKRAINE: Self-declared Mayor of east Ukrainian city of Slaviansk says he has had contact with OSCE mediators, appeals to Russia for help

Record ID: 450868

  • Title: UKRAINE: Self-declared Mayor of east Ukrainian city of Slaviansk says he has had contact with OSCE mediators, appeals to Russia for help
  • Date: 20th April 2014
  • Summary: SLAVIANSK, UKRAINE (APRIL 20, 2014) (REUTERS) SELF-DECLARED MAYOR OF EAST UKRAINIAN CITY OF SLAVIANSK VYACHESLAV PONOMARYOV ARRIVING FOR NEWS CONFERENCE AT OCCUPIED CITY ADMINISTRATION BUILDING NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) SELF-DECLARED MAYOR OF EAST UKRAINIAN CITY OF SLAVIANSK VYACHESLAV PONOMARYOV, SAYING: "They (attackers) left one dead behind, or rather badly wounded, who died later when we delivered him here (Slaviansk). So far we have one corpse of a militant, and according to reports from our self-defence unit, we have destroyed two more and wounded around five." JOURNALISTS (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) SELF-DECLARED MAYOR OF EAST UKRAINIAN CITY OF SLAVIANSK VYACHESLAV PONOMARYOV, SAYING: "I was at morgue today to identify three corpses who were discovered by police in the river Seversky Donets with marks of torture, cut open bellies. We identified them as ours and we are currently checking data on them." PHOTOGRAPHER (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) SELF-DECLARED MAYOR OF EAST UKRAINIAN CITY OF SLAVIANSK VYACHESLAV PONOMARYOV, ANSWERING JOURNALIST'S QUESTION IF HE HAD TALKS WITH OSCE, SAYING: "Yes, I talked with their representatives yesterday. They looked like normal decent people." JOURNALISTS (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) SELF-DECLARED MAYOR OF EAST UKRAINIAN CITY OF SLAVIANSK VYACHESLAV PONOMARYOV, SAYING: "We did not have talks as such. We just had a conversation. I presented them our vision of our future, touched upon the issues which are of concern to us." NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) SELF-DECLARED MAYOR OF EAST UKRAINIAN CITY OF SLAVIANSK VYACHESLAV PONOMARYOV, SAYING: "I would like once again to appeal to the government of the Russian Federation, personally to Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin. We ask for help. If you can't send peace-keeping troops, please, help with food, arms, help with whatever you can. Our people are ready to stay till the end to defend our land from the fascist invasion." NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) SELF-DECLARED MAYOR OF EAST UKRAINIAN CITY OF SLAVIANSK VYACHESLAV PONOMARYOV, SAYING: "We need weapons. We don't have enough. New people come to us who want to stand up for their rights but what we managed to get so far is already not enough. We need more." JOURNALISTS (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) SELF-DECLARED MAYOR OF EAST UKRAINIAN CITY OF SLAVIANSK VYACHESLAV PONOMARYOV, SAYING: "So far I've only been appealing through media. We don't have any direct links or communication." JOURNALISTS (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) SELF-DECLARED MAYOR OF EAST UKRAINIAN CITY OF SLAVIANSK VYACHESLAV PONOMARYOV, SAYING: "We plan to hold the referendum on May 11 whatever the weather will be." STATUE OF LENIN OUTSIDE CITY ADMINISTRATION MAN GUARDING ENTRANCE POSING FOR PHOTOGRAPH WITH A BOY, LETTING HIM HOLD HIS WEAPON BOY'S FAMILY ANOTHER BOY HOLDING WEAPON
  • Embargoed: 5th May 2014 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Ukraine
  • Country: Ukraine
  • Topics: Conflict,International Relations
  • Reuters ID: LVA8PI8K8RV3JNQ4DR1HYLBNO3DM
  • Story Text: Self-declared mayor of east Ukrainian city of Slaviansk Vyacheslav Ponomaryov held a news conference on Sunday (April 20) where he accused Ukrainian far-right nationalists for carrying out a deadly attack early on Sunday.
    Pro-Russian separatists said attackers had driven up to the barricaded checkpoint in the early hours and begun shooting.
    They said three of their number had been killed, adding that in a subsequent exchange of fire two of the attackers were killed. They said the attackers were from the nationalist Right Sector.

    "They (attackers) left one dead behind, rather badly wounded, who died later when we delivered him here (Slaviansk). So far we have one corpse of a militant, and according to reports from our self-defence unit, we have destroyed two more and wounded around five," Ponomaryov told journalists at a news conference at the occupied city administration.
    It was the first time members of Right Sector, which was at the forefront of pro-Western demonstrations in Kiev, have been accused of involvement in any deadly violence in the east, where Russia has repeatedly said it fears civil war.
    A spokesman for the group denied any role.
    The nationalists and authorities in Kiev said it was a staged display to conceal the hand of Russian secret services in the gunfight, in which at least three people were killed.
    The truth, as in so much of the standoff over Ukraine between Moscow and Kiev, was hard to establish.
    Ponomaryov also accused the nationalists of committing atrocities against the separatist protesters.

    "I was at morgue today to identify three corpses who were discovered by police in the river Seversky Donets with marks of torture, cut open bellies. We identified them as ours and we are currently checking data on them," he said.
    The incident occurred as monitors from the OSCE human rights organisation, in a follow-up move to the Geneva agreement, moved into eastern Ukraine to attempt to persuade separatists to put down their arms and come out of state buildings they have occupied in the region.
    Asked if OSCE representatives have been to see him, Ponomaryov said: "Yes, I talked with their representatives yesterday. They looked like normal decent people. We did not have talks as such. We just had a conversation. I presented them our vision of our future, touched upon the issues which are of concern to us."
    The pro-separatist self-declared mayor urged Moscow to send weapons, complicating efforts to defuse the standoff between Ukraine's pro-Western leaders and Russia.

    "I would like once again to appeal to the government of the Russian Federation, personally to Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin. We ask for help. If you can't send peace-keeping troops, please, help with food, arms, help with whatever you can. Our people are ready to stay till the end to defend our land from the fascist invasion," he said.

    "We need weapons. We don't have enough. New people come to us who want to stand up for their rights but what we managed to get so far is already not enough. We need more," he added.
    Ponomaryov denied he had any direct contacts with the Russian authorities.

    "So far I've only been appealing through media. We don't have any direct links or communication," he said.
    Ponomaryov also confirmed the date of the planned referendum in the region.

    "We plan to hold the referendum on May 11 whatever the weather will be," he said.
    Ponomaryov, who was installed by separatists when they took over the town on April 12, announced a curfew for the town to run between the midnight and 6 a.m.
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