Ukraine Government Forces, Separatists Battle for Airport
A Ukrainian helicopter Mi-24 gunship fires its cannons against rebels at the main terminal building at the airport in Donetsk, Ukraine, May 26, 2014
Heavy fighting was reported in eastern Ukraine Monday as government forces battled pro-Russian separatists who seized parts of the main airport in the city of Donetsk.
Ukrainian officials said the military had carried out an airstrike on armed rebels at the airport.
A military truck with armed pro-Russian militants drives through a police checkpoint toward the airport at Donetsk, Ukraine, May 26, 2014.A military truck with armed pro-Russian militants drives through a police checkpoint toward the airport at Donetsk, Ukraine, May 26, 2014.
There was no immediate confirmed report on damage or casualties.
A Ukrainian military spokesman, Vladislav Seleznyov, said Monday that an Su-25 fighter jet fired warning shots, and then a MiG-29 fighter jet carried out an airstrike.
Later Monday, witnesses reported that Ukrainian Mi-24 attack helicopters also fired on the rebels.
Heavy shelling was heard from Donetsk airport and dense black smoke rose in the air.
Officials also said that paratroopers had been deployed to the airport. Witnesses reported hearing heavy gunfire and explosions.
Poroshenko, who holds a commanding lead in Ukraine’s presidential election with more than half the ballots counted, told reporters that he hoped Russia would “support efforts to tackle the situation in the east [of Ukraine].”
He repeated his readiness to speak with separatists who laid down their weapons but added he would not meet “terrorists” who threatened the security of the state.
Poroshenko also said he would use all legal means to secure the return to Ukraine of the Crimea region, annexed by Russia in March.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Monday that Russia respects the choice of the Ukrainian people and is ready for dialogue with Poroshenko.
He added, however, that he doubted that any “mediators” would be needed for talks with Ukraine’s new leadership.
A leader of the rebel Donetsk People’s Republic, Denis Pushilin, said Monday that the separatists are ready for a “dialogue” with Poroshenko, but only concerning exchanging prisoners and withdrawing government troops from eastern Ukraine, and only if Russia mediates the talks.
Election results
Ukraine’s election commission reported Poroshenko had earned about 54 percent of the vote in Sunday’s election with ballots counted from more than half of the country’s precincts.
Former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko was in second place with 13 percent.
Poroshenko, a billionaire candy maker and former foreign minister, claimed victory Sunday without needing a runoff vote, and said he was ready to negotiate with Russian officials.
“I really hope that the current election which was really free, really fair, the level of the activity of Ukrainian people and Ukrainian voters clearly demonstrate that Ukraine are decisive in building up their future,” Poroshenko said. “And I think that Russia is our neighbor, and without Russia it would be much less effective or almost impossible to speak about the security in the whole region or maybe about the global security.”
US, German reaction
U.S. President Barack Obama congratulated the Ukrainian people for making their voices heard over the violence and provocations. He said Ukrainians have repeatedly shown their desire to choose their own leaders and live in a democracy.
Chancellor Angela Merkel on Monday welcomed the preliminary results in Ukraine’s election showing Poroshenko could win enough support to avert a run-off election, though she said that could only be confirmed when full results are in.
“We can only comment on the result when we have the final result of the election,” Merkel said. “But if there is a decision for Mr. Poroshenko in the first round, that would certainly be good news.”
Merkel said she hoped that first step would lead to a constitutional process in Ukraine and parliamentary elections. She vowed Germany would help accompany that, if desired, and hoped the European Union can help resolve a gas dispute between Russia and Ukraine this week.
“The talks about gas prices [for Ukraine] are very important for us,” said Merkel. “I hope it will be possible to get an agreement this week. It’s very, very important.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin has promised to recognize the outcome of the election, despite expressing misgivings about its legitimacy. He also said he hopes Ukraine’s new president will end military operations against separatists in the east.