douglas herbert explains. >> in the first video you basically have the leader of this group standinghere, basically threatening to kill all christians, threatening to sell the abducted girls -- they are girls -- in the marketplace, essentially selling them into slavery, saying he will marry a woman the age of 12 and a girl the age of nine. that is the message from the first video. as you can see from the pictures and the second video, as much as a picture can tell right now, it shows all of these girls dressed hed to toe in the he job, claims to have converted them to islam in the video. the area in which they were kidnapped is an area that has a large christian population and he says that these girls have kurt -- converted to islam and he is demanding the release of prisoners, presumably in exchange for the release of these girls. what is new here, what is not? it has been exactly one year since a french family was abducted and in that case as well there was a demand for prisoner release. it was never clear whether or not those prisoners were released in exchange. what we can say is

for more on just what this means, i am joined by our editor douglas herbert. is ans through this, this economic union that has been created, but many people say that there is a very strong political agenda behind this. >> very political, let's start now with economics. the eurasian economic union, three countries, russia and belarus and kazakshstan. this is what vladimir putin wants to see as an economic force to be reckoned with on the world stage, to bring together his regional allies and integrate them. he wants to look a lot like the other heavyweights, the european union and the u.s. and china, and recognize a lot of things in this union. free trade and capital manpower across the world. this is a big market with 170 million people in these countries and they have a lot of energy resources, and 1/5 of the world's gas reserves. about one third of the world's oil reserves. is acs have said there covert agenda of putting together the soviet empire. that this isn says hogwash and he has denied this every step of the way. he says this is purely on economic bas

douglas herbert found out that he is finding no shortage of ready recruits. click the army in the southeast is recruiting. in front of this building held by pro-russian separatist, civilians of lugansk are getting lessons. >> you can kill someone like this. we do not want war. we have to know how to use this in case you need to defend yourself. in order to save your life. >> the separatist leader of this city of half a million near the russian border has served and alternated -- served an ultimatum, swear allegiance or get out. many of the young man in lugano skit need no convincing -- many of the young men of lugansk need no convincing. >> i will fight till the very end. >> even as for tool to fight are ready to heed the battle cry. >> my son has already taken a weapon in one hand. if needed, he will take one in the other. even i am ready to hurl a molotov cocktail. >> it has been a month since pro-russian militants seized control of lugansk's security agency. but the ukrainian army steps up its stride against separatist strongholds. shots ring out nearby. a

just back from eastern ukraine falls and gets douglas herbert nice to see that the cause again today. we can always join the conversation on facebook and twitter are hushed and f to four debates this was all hands on deck wednesday evening after flooding or puddings statements that you are by thursday though self proclaimed leaders in places like to get scanned regained their composure and rejected moscow's requests for a postponement. we'll have direct contact with letter to him. we found out about his proposals for the media. i think you learn about this decision in the same way now show that if the referendum is held on the eleventh of may. you'll be able to hold it all. having lost the trust of ordinary people. was your reaction when you put that statement and the reaction you've seen the reaction. i was less surprised by the reaction to the reaction on because you know over the past seventeen days in eastern ukraine on the separatists between that time again. i'm from the very hardcore ones the ones manning the checkpoints nominates a ragtag bunch in our heavily armed paramilitar