ninety one ukrainian authorities accused moscow of courtney's unrest in east ukraine and called on the kremlin to pull back troops from the russian ukrainian border. i was. he should get a better deal wrap the middle ages the job i work with the pitocin with reasonable. i was in the day with no nothing. i won. on my blog. let's look at all. he did. that big. it was. twenty one. one new one. yesterday the eastern ukraine sparked an armed separatists has led to divide among donetsk president speaking those who want a referendum and joined the russian federation and those who did not speak but we just thank the eleventh of may but the russian protesters has provoked a variety of opinions from locals. silica mud the news is you never predictable as the freedom should be held to the people contented themselves caught in a system that country has got to be a parliamentary presidential political system and we can elect only has eyes that all the pollen get outdoors to the page again today but beyond that the tamil problem which was teaching us all up i think we are in the utilities country we should

to stop supporting armed insurgents in eastern and southern ukraine a charge kremlin leaders did not despite evidence to the contrary provided by different state security service a kremlin backed rebellion in eastern ukraine has raised the prospect that ukraine could be carved up for even descended into civil war pitting russian speaking east and are against pro european ukrainian speakers in the west the un. i did. and one. since things. which is to put it. so when i was due to the bone connected to the truth. you know according to champion them into ukraine propaganda is back in the spotlight after claims of atrocities and anti semitism fall into deadly violence the council last week looked as though they were fabricated. peaceful group of ukrainians march to the dentist in support of ukraine in unity. they were attacked by a group of pro russian demonstrators and the ensuing violence and massive player in this that these trades union building led to the deaths of over forty people. it's a local doctor claimed she was trying to save a dying man's life during the lunch box he was st

he too has been stepping up its operations around russia since the kremlin annex the crimean peninsula last month and began to state come dressed in eastern ukraine one of eight for the ball to foreigners who may feel uneasy about what happened regular readers are the lions they haven't always been and will respond beyond that our message is simple. that's what happened did you go to work together i was told that the two reissue in eighteen m base east and europe that they will be protected. the us has deployed some one hundred and fifty pear tree pits to lithuania and the hundreds of soldiers to poland and latvia an american warship is stationed in the romanian port on the black sea was a french vessel is now based in georgia native has stated that make no promises for russia regarding expansion into eastern europe. it is also a widely suspected that the allowances sharing information with ukraine in what is being seen as a message to the kremlin the white house last month confirmed that c i a director john brennan made a trip to kiev to meet with the interim authorities that can disc

there have been reports of renewed fighting year so don't get eastern ukraine where kremlin backed insurgents are battling ukrainian troops for control of the bridge and separatism occupied since early april according to french defence ministry a group of insurgents unsuccessfully attempted to leave the city. the latest development comes four days before temperatures in the region plan on holding a local referendum on recognizing that kidnapped the region a republic and a day after videos posted to the internet announced the arrival of russian cossacks and chechen fighters in the region the united states european union and japan have declared the local plebiscite which will be held in ukraine to logan's can get that province's as illegal and bogus us secretary of state john kerry and eu foreign policy chief catherine ashton have called the margin leaders to stop fomenting unrest in the region. the diplomat said russia would potentially face further sanctions if it interferes with ukraine's national elections scheduled for may twenty fifth japanese prime minister shinzo ave has again urged rus

the fudging between the ukraine in a tree and kremlin backed militants is continuing in several eastern towns of ukraine. several people were reportedly killed in clashes around the rebel stronghold of study and score south bank as the army continued to circle the heavily armed separatists the government says it is also a week after the tv tower and security services building from ripples in the nearby town of commercials and onions in a balanced and several smaller towns. the rebels remain in control of key state security and administrative buildings he's been criticized for not caring of a few tees and many police leaders have defected to the rebels was going toward it at the ups and kidnappings in mud is to become commonplace international community has condemned russia for sticking to separatism and accuses moscow of planning to repeat it's an extension of crimea in eastern and southern parts of ukraine. on the lawn. the operation worst government in kiev has been gaining traction as the korean military has recaptured a television tower entrance building from russian separatists in

. >> they have subject the kremlin has been sharply critical, condemning the violence in eastern and southern ukraine. vladmir putin is sending his condolences to the 40 people who died in the southern ukrainian city of odessa in which the building in which they were taking renew jersey and protesting inside was burned down. so a huge tragedy there. it's been greeted with a lot of anger by the pro-russian groups inside ukraine and by the kremlin here as well. also the kremlin saying they're receiving thousands of requests for help from southern and eastern ukraine. that's interesting and important. the russians have said all along, they reserve the right to intervene militarily, if they believe russian interests speakers are at risk. so there is a growing concern that russia could use the army. it's got position to cross the border from you kra into intervene and take areas, further areas of ukraine if it chooses to do so. at the moment, no such order has been given, there has been a telephone conversation between the russian foreman and u.s. secretary of state john kerry in which th

those are words of kremlin. there was also a call for dialogue between kiev and donetsk and luhansk for the results of referendum and the organization in europe could be part of a dialogue. >> is moscow going to be worried if there are more sanctions from the eu? >> i don't think moscow will like the idea of more sanctions. will it be worried, i don't think so. so far the kremlin hasn't shown it's concerned about the sanctions from the eu or united states. certainly not concerned enough to make it change course on ukraine. >> steve rosenburg. >>> india's five week election, longest in the country's history has ended the final day of po pollipol polling. the scale of the vote is immense. 814 million are registered to vote in the world's largest democratic elections. that's 100 million more than the last in 2009. the party needs a minimum of 272 seats if it's going to form a majority government. today focuses on the fortunes of this man, opposition bjp leader narenda modi. he is the man many believe will now becom

we are waiting for that reaction from the kremlin.e, butt have much beijing has confirmed that president putin is going to be going to china on a state visit. is this a russian pivot to the east? can the east replace western europe and western countries in a sort of business relationship with russia? it might pivot to the east, specifically the headline could be a big gas contract to china. china could be importing more gas from russia. a slight pivot. absolutely, everybody accepts that china cannot replace european and western companies in terms of investment partnership. needs partnership, the expertise and the knowledge. bp exxon has the technology to explore the arctic. the chinese do not. east, most people would regard as a long-term disaster for the economy. >> chris, thank you. we'll speak to you soon. chris weaver there, senior partner at macro advisory amah and our very own ryan chilcote. will tell you why apple may be closing in on the beats brand. that is coming up next. ♪ minutes into the european trading session. the top

we did that we have to wait in seo which influence the kremlin really has. on the separatist movement in eastern ukraine and which in theory can see he would have on the grounds of because of intentions of very high altitude. the data caches in the death of the hatred and to tensions increased done between the pro russian and ukrainian of people on the ground and its idea of indomitable of whether the kremlin can buy in to get control of the streets in ukraine. that is the question how much influence do you think that the kremlin really has on the separatists in the east. i suppose they have from an influence on the as separate as pro russian movement of awesome scary. oh we are ago one of the separatist leaders of the so call it done it's deep it's republicans pushing him as saying. the russian news agency that they would discuss the president to proteins their own proposal on thursday. they respected this proposal and to maybe they are ready to postpone by marcus ran joining us from moscow thanks very much note to eastern ukraine to donate square of course

and now, new response from the kremlin itself. what are they saying?what's happening on the ground and in moscow, next. welcome back to "early start," everyone. i'm john berman. >> i'm christine romans. it's monday morning. it's 5:30 in the east. >>> we are hearing this morning from donald sterling, the los angeles clipper owner, sitting down exclusively with anderson cooper and speaking on the record for the first time about the racist comments that got him banned for life from the nba. as the league moves to force him to sell, sterling says he's sorry, that what he said was a mistake, that he hopes his fellow owners give him another chance and that v. stiviano tricked him into saying she couldn't be seen with black people, including magic johnson, who sterling says he has spoken to on the phone. now, he calls magic johnson a good person but not a good example for the children of los angeles. sterling called himself foolish, saying he was diluting himself into thinking stiviano cared for him, and she tricked him. now, we're also hearing from sterling'

the kremlin steps back. president reagan appointee and called separatists in eastern ukraine to defraud the so called referendum to the back that i can make such a statement after his meeting with the president of the osce reading a book contest in moscow. i read that he called the upcoming presidential elections in ukraine the right direction at the same time the russian president once again xd and to still be anti operation in the east. immediately you it means that no one was him a new and awesome to see august of that allegation he's trained me to do for the referhe settled on a new happens. went to kosher with the uk and still not get to play in the senate conditions but the style of teaching the presidential actions intended to keep our eye in the nhs. as for up to get the correct direction and isn't it. we will not solve anything. in all citizens of ukraine cannot understand how the price will be getting cleaned up today's presidential me the directions to you. mcrae who received the highest amount of

we're live in moscow with how the kremlin could be getting involvedno

the russian media have marched to the kremlin's beat. they have the medals to show for it. buckle up india for a different kind of web video. it's been 20s years since south africa held the first truly democratic election that brought nelson mandela to power. under jacob zuma, the anc has won it's fifth term. it has blamed political problems on the country's media, particularly the printed press, which the ruling party says is fixated on the negative and not the anc's accomplishments. switch on the state-owned broadcaster where most get their news and it's usually a different story. the sabc came under fire for refusing to air campaign as of the main opposition party, the democratic aliance, the da. the network dismissed the ads as a publicblicity stunt that violated broadcast regulations. the da accused the sabc of censorship. 20 years into the new south africa, there are racial sub plots. the country remains divided just not the way that it once was. our starting point this week is pretoria. . >> the people in this country depend on the sabc for news. it isn't easy to put

rt is russia's kremlin-funded channel.s made news in its coverage of the ukraine story. >> the propaganda bullhorn that is the state-sponsored russia today program has been deployed to promote president putin's fantasy about what is playing out on the ground. >> had ukraine erupted 20 years ago, washington could have controlled the narrative much more easily because at the time, all global english-language news channels were based in the west. but times have changed. >> people in russia th rt is a well-financed propaganda operation and directed toward the west because there has been decades of this type of first soviet and russian propaganda directed against the west. so i don't think anybody in russia is surprised. they know how the russian government treats its own journalists and western journalists. as for calling rt a propaganda bullhorn, i don't know that it necessarily solves anything to state the obvious, but on the other hand, it does get ab oiling when people pose as legitimate journalists when, in fact, they are

does the kremlin head say, you made your point. maybe we should consider your desire for independence. we heard from the interim president, who said this referendum is a fars, a cover for murders, killings, kidnapping. bodies turning up in the river. a violent place. the pro-militant said they had to push out kiev authority, clearly this is a town surrounded by the military. 30 minutes of explosions on the out skirts of the town, coming about dawn. clearly, a tense atmosphere. i think people are askin asking,questionable legitimacy, at giving overwhelming endorsement of the state of independence, do they let it go or move n that is the question. >> the opinion poll said those in eastern ukraine wanted to keep the country united. now, the dramatic turn-around, almost the same number of people, if you believe the vote, want to break away. how do the pro-separatists explain that? . >> it is, that poll suggesting 70% pro unity, it is in some areas, this has been hit harder by the violence the last couple of years. simplians, in the cro

that it is lost if the mercy of the area contains many many bits of security forces have defected or kremlin activex control much of that in its province where they kept thinking independent people's republic and declared a referendum on secession from the eleventh is you. grace she prosecuted the case the country's former president did see an exhibit of having a mafia style syndicates prescribes cos the food was so bitter up to one hundred billion dollars and cents of the stolen money was now being used to fund the russian backed separatists a limited states that some of the money stolen by a convict and his aides is now in western europe that summer is in russian the comments came following a conference in london with us and british officials to find ways to recover assets stolen from ukraine the country's economy has taken a turn for the west amid the turmoil of recent months which mechanic to be to abandon the presidency and need to rush to the international monetary fund has decided to extend to kiev to seventeen point one billion dollar bailout package but it hinges on the government b

the sanctions which he put down on the kremlin, and he is persuaded europe to put down on the kremlins been an obstacle for mr. putin in his policies towards ukraine. i think our response, president 's response could be stronger. we could put down additional sections, we should be providing military assistance to ukraine. but obama's record on this crisis is not bad. host: we will hear more from the president on wednesday, there is preview today in the new york times. his speech at west point, the class of 2014 in new york. he outlines with a administration is calling a agenda,reign-policy likely to focus on ukraine and syria, and other international hot spots. the speech will be covered on the c-span networks. another viewer from great britain, gordon is joining us from england. caller: good afternoon. host: go ahead, you are on the air. caller: i would like to comment on what is being said about the crimea business, i think there are a lot of lies being told by western politicians. if you recall, crimea was given to ukraine by christoph, without a referendum. don't recall western po

i think the kremlin made no secret about their objectives. they say what they want in ukraine isn't to occupy or to annex eastern ukraine, for instance as in crimea. instead, they want the country to adopt a federal constitution. that would give the russian speaking areas of the eastern and the south of the country a greater say. the reason for that, according to the kremlin and to those on the ground, they need to have their language and their rights guaranteed in the ukrainian constitution. but, you know, i think the analysis of it is that potentially it would open the door for the kremlin to essentially control that russian-speaking, ethnic russian area of the ukraine. you see people here in moscow extremely enthusiastic. got it. okay. donetsk is the area where the people here are from. everybody is voting yes to break the autonomy. and of course, that leads to later on down the line to perhaps a union with russian which of course is what people here in eastern ukraine want. many others want to say within a federal ukraine. errol? >> there

putin or senior members of the kremlin.seeming to be doing the right thing rather than doing the right thing. all those corporations who haven't sent their ceos have sent senior dell gags of employees to shore up their interest in this country. we know the germans, for instance, have something extraordinary, like 6,000 companies with huge interest in russia. we know the energy sector has enormous bilateral trade. it's not just the energy sector as well. it is consumer products, it is across the board as well, in the pharmaceutical space. it's interesting there's a lack at the ceo level. i have a sneaking feeling that there's a bigger representation at the juan yore level as well. people are talking about this long awaited deal between china and russia. people are beginning to talk now about the pivot east. actually, whether putin's kremlin is trying to negate the role of the west in financing and creating investment opportunities in russia. >> that was interesting, john kerry making comments that he did, saying he didn't th

>> i would distinguish between the kremlin and russia and the russian people. the kremlin's desire is to prevent a ukraine which has an open society, which has democratic and fair elections, which looks to the west for at least economic and political inspiration. this is something which for some reason the kremlin does not want, even though a ukraine which merges with eu -- not necessarily becomes part of the eu but the -- but establishes close relations with the eu would not be good for russia. >> is there a historical precedent for russian behavior in ukraine? >> it is certainly true that for many russians, ukraine is not a real country, that the ukrainian people, to the extent that they have an illegitimacy, are real russians or partners with russia this historical understanding which does not match the reality of the ukraine of the past 25 years, provides some support within russia for mr. putin's progressive policies. >> is there a reaction to russia's activity in other countries of eastern europe? whether it is belarus, poland, or the baltic nations? >> t

it did not take long for the kremlin to react to events in ukraine this friday. >> that is right. they have called the special operation. if. -- the vladimir putin spokesman said this operation is killed off any hope for the geneva agreement. he also said vladimir putin is receiving all the information on the latest developments in ukraine. putin appears to be following developments closely. they insist they continue to take steps toward escalation of the conflict and work towards the release of the observers held in slaviansk. russia spent the special envoy to the area. he is in the region right now. contact with him has been real established. >> vladimir putin warned of consequences against ukraine for acting against its own citizens. what consequences could flow from today's events? >> that is right. vladimir putin has one of consequences in ukraine. he did not give exact details of what the consequences might entail. the russian foreign ministry said the assault in the region would have catastrophic consequences. all of this talk has made it clear russia may be taking military

we're live in moscow with how the kremlin could be getting involved now. >>> and breaking news overnight. a new arrest in the deadly south korean ferry disaster. the ceo of the company that operated the ferry is behind bars this morning. we are live with all the latest developments. good morning. great to see everyone. welcome to "early start." i'm john berman. >> i'm christine romans. it's thursday, may 8th, 4:00 a.m. on the nose in the east. >>> let's begin this morning in nigeria, where this morning it seems the terror group boko haram is on the offensive, unfazed by the international calls to release hundreds of kidnapped girls, including a call from first lady michelle obama. the terrorists launching a brazen, grisly attack on a northern village, an attack that left at least 150 people dead. the details of that attack almost too disturbing to mention. some of the victims were burned to death. vladimir duthiers is in nigeria for us and joins us on the phone. vlad, we understand this village was a staging ground for the military, the military out looking for those girls. tell us what

people are calling into the kremlin in despair, that's what they're saying. >> the kremlin says they're getting thousands of calls from your cranium seeking help. >> they would say that, wouldn't they? they said they are there to help to help their people in ukraine. the u.s. as troops are being mobilized. more russian troops are there on the border. the concern is where this will go. the could change export-import outlook. definitely a concern and thenitely escalating violence again. tempers flaring. a city where, again, one third are pro-russian, ethnic russians. will be getting very intense. >> to anand angela merkel have been talking on the phone. >> david cameron talk to him on the phone and has been calls for a second geneva meeting. portugal going to exit the bailout program without putting any cautionary credit measures in place. lisbon has its first bond auction since requesting a rescue in 2011. they said they have recovered credibility. greece is the only euro-area country still part of an eight group graham. has decided went will exit the bailout program without requesting a

a 30-year oil and gas contract that would pump hundreds of billions into kremlin coffers. >> it's far more than simply a trade pact. >> it was more than a decade in the making, and it is a political triumph for president vladimir putin, who was courting partners in asia as the west seeks to isolate him over his ukraine policy. >> russia's president vladimir putin was determined not to end his visit to china without a big deal. a few strokes of a pen by the two countries signal successful conclusion. the agreement with china's national petroleum organization will run over 30 years. the russian president hailed the agreement. >> this is the biggest contract in the history of the gas industry in the former ussr and the russian federation in terms of volume. >> i want to note that this was indeed a difficult job at a specialized level. our chinese friends are difficult and tough negotiators. >> it is a contract of compromises. a relatively cheaper price offered by russia and a pledge from china not to impose an import tax on it. analysts say a global drop in gas prices likely pushed russi

if you are the kremlin and smart, you realise that a full-scale invasion could raise problems. they could confront an insurgency, but they don't need a full-scale invasion to achieve their foreign policy. there's no easy future. >> that instability is an upintending structure to help keep mostly peace for the past couple of decades, more if you don't consider the breaking up of the soviet union as something that is peaceful. wouldn't is reward vladimir putin if the u.s. rewards them to do what they want and negotiate with a gun to their head, with the rebels. >> if the u.s. urged kiev and the authorities to enter into that negotiation, it would be advantageous. >> now, it's important for a presidential elizabeth on may the 25th enhancing the legitimacy of the government of ukraine. and it should include election activities. i think the short-term goal will be to disrupt the possibility of elections in the east, by squaring people from going out to vote in the elections, and after the elections russians would claim they were not legitimate, because they didn't have many voters i

the kremlin hasn't confirmed that just yet. it is unlikely to. until he does arrive, the celebrations that are planned here today certainly suggest that will happen. now if he does, it will be viewed as a very triumphant statement by many members of the international community. many russians believe putin took back territory that was believed to have been an unquestionable part of them. >> thank you some phil black. errol? >> there's some perspective from crimea. what about russia? today is victory day. it's an annual celebration and always brings what you'll see now, spectacular display of russian pride and military might there in moscow's red square. matthew has been speaking to people in the crowds and observing this. matthew, russia's president putin said he was celebrating russia's all conquering presence. this is when russia is celebrated. putin is already very popular. tell us what you've been seeing and hearing so far already today. >> reporter: yeah. very dramatic parade for victory day as it is most years here in russia. i've witnessed

that the geneva agreements must be implemented through the lunch was a bomb already told that the kremlin at chilly and we still want with ukraine said that prime minister donald tusk. lots has also started a hat of the german foreign ministry from my first time my aunt called on to my taste a citizen of the station's table in his opinion to handle it into a tonic for a week celebrates the situation people kill a dance with asic and sixteen contracts the number of ukrainian soldiers when did this on to losses as a result of their anti operations in slow downs. the terrorists losses she has clarified its only known me and eunice and on ukrainian troops and against tommy this cd captured by the occupants of the development of events during d day in the study. it was to breaching his duty in progress. this would ask him to muslims. i want useful to begin due to forces to keep all the twelve checkpoints this lead to premature and talented. aye. as you work eight. we have will the couple won a trial although i'm not in the olive to watch and used in the darkness of this eighteen yet still goin

not that easy the rest of the security and defense council and ukraine or is that in this way the kremlin is getting ready for the may holidays. so they decided to start from the ideal picture on the fence is in the capital of ukraine. maybe for a column starts this was supposed to reach the parliament of ukraine still the self defense by just stayed until late the block to devote to find out in front of the decades according to witnesses they still explosives and file expected just into the crowds some of the activists brain come across that nutcase mosques on an almost obvious in their hands up to go see since the disappearance and its brutality much as i opened it he says and will be laid from pentagon. the event was a nice shade it's just a memory of the heavenly hundreds by that fact of ukraine and the ruling organizations to my guns self defense leaders and the rights act a sad day when not involved in these events the risk is taken by separatists in particular they captured the days of the regional state administration percentages office at the court of appeal the militants up real

bean pot the kremlin has an answer represents to the president who has been traveling to the eastern ukraine for negotiations. a spokesman on the stinky assault saying is that killed off the east west to beat the court. thompson has more on events. manning barricades on the outskirts of some don't. this all ukrainian national forces launched an operation to retake the eastern town from for russia medicines interior minister on some of the cult pasted on facebook that's the country streets had reclaimed a number of checkpoints and surrounding walls he called the terrorists. this point the report again. it's been confirmed that two ukrainian helicopters have been shot down. russian tv take pictures to post in the oven and pilots. they say was on board one and on that front the political fold or identical to the buying of the disease can understand it and that was the point that it flipped over to that he was flying ruby tuesday the company was taken down to earth. one rocket missed it because he was hit by the second best herbal tea he trains a picture of something or that multiply on

. >>> the new message from the kremlin and what is putin planning now after the deadliest 24 hours in the crises in ukraine. what will president obama do? our chief white house correspondent standing by. >>> close watch tonight over the american patient in quarantine after the deadly mers virus arrives in america. what is it and can it be stopped. our medical team reporting in. >>> and the belle of the ball. the high school sports star who stunned everyone at the prom with his date. >> our next couple of the evening, dolores pendleton escorted by austin pendleton. >> the great grandmother, the greatest date of all? >>> good evening tonight from washington and it's great to have you with us here on a saturday night. we begin with that exclusive interview with the mystery woman at the center of that racial firestorm. v. stiviano who hid behind a visor after recording a conversation with l.a. clippers owner donald sterling now coming forward for the first time, taking off the visor and answering the questions so many of you have had. what was her motive for recording sterling and what wi

he was accompanying a dig terry from the opposition and asked him how come russian's kremlin-run tv stationng along the bottom of its out put on the air last night advice on locations where people can vote. how is it possible if russia says it's not involved? he said he didn't know about that. and reminded me that vladimir put tin said -- there were precise locations for how a town would vote in a referendum in ukraine, that advice being given out by a kremlin-run 24-hour news network. evidence that many in washington will seize upon. actually russia is involved in fermenting what's going on here. >> clear contradiction there. >> nick paton walsh in slavyansk. thank you so much. >>> pope francis is now among the growing legion of supporters using #bringbackourgirls. he tweeted let's all join in prayer for the immediate release of the girls kidnapped in nigeria. >> first lady michelle obama and others have joined this social media campaign. if you can believe it, #bringbackourgirls has been shared more than a million times. >> first lady michelle obama, as we said, joined into that campaign.

that is was the european union is seeking from the kremlin. no politician express balances as the us to pursue a teacher but was called to her as gifted as to the european union. it was unrealistic and a percentage of white sketch has to watch the trailer to his existing one of hollywood's elite to make useful for us. is that you'll come over more scope to these bison. for a week is this cute pic or two will hold consultations this issue of the primaries as an intern or european ambassador. it is a very important and a mile and stops the ocean and all dubai deal gives. we understand that ukraine is lost and residents have different views. so what would indicate is that silly themselves. i wasn't in the result is guaranteed on a plane during the court could dramatically from what the feminists support his position to discuss the crisis seems that its importance was the president of brazil and the cable car to leave and go into battle. given that one or two point two one two weeks before the distance without them harmful to humans or the genial

they don't want to be ruled by putin and his men from the kremlin. >> those who are pro-russian, are they also pro-putin, or is there an interesting distinction there? >> not at all. i think they are pro-culturally russian. they speak the russian language. they worship in the russian orthodox church. they use the cyrlic alf better but they are not necessarily one. they don't want to be ruled by t the. it was ruled by the kremlin in which they had very little say. >> david andelman thank you for joining us, editors of wat coordin policy journal". >>> a nigerian military expert says boko haram may haveplationed land mines in a forest where teens are -- teams are searching for 276 missing school girls. the search for the girls has largely focused on the nearby forest which is a known boko haram hideout. despite this, the demand to find the girls has not wavered. churches and mosques all across nigeria have been holding special prayers and fasting for their release. al jazeera has those details. >> almost a month after the abductorn, nigerians are praying for their savory lease. the cath

this time, it's a specific order coming from the kremlin down through the proper chains of command. all the troops there have been on exercise to essentially go back to their bases. it does feel a little bit different. why might putin have done that? >> there are a few reasons that i can see as being potentially significant. one of them is logistics. the russian army works basically on a system of con description, and that has a one year cycle. we're getting to the end of that cycle. essentially, there are a whole lot of troops who have to be demobilized and that could be one reason why they're being pulled back. another reason is possibly that putin feels he is getting what he wants in ukraine without that military threat. western leaders would like to think it's the sanctions making a difference and that it is those making mr. putin think again. >> meanwhile, president putin is also calling on ukraine to immediately end its operations and withdraw troops from the southeast of the country. what you are hearing about that? >> well, was if russia is going to pull its forces back from

that's why i want to say our crisis is in the kremlin.have to understand the crisis of ukraine is a global crisis and the whole world has to unit in an anti-putin coalition to stop him because if we don't stop him today, it's unknown where his aggressive plans will be directed tomorrow. >> reporter: yesterday three days before the election you had 16 ukrainian soldiers killed in eastern ukraine. today one of your battalions got caught in a terrible firefighting, lots of wounded. are you losing control in the east? >> no, in this situation, it is the opposite, we are closing a ring of containment around these groups of terrorists who acted today in some regions. yesterday, they tried to break through the rink but had to retreat. now before the elections, they are trying to intensify their actions but in fact putin's overall plan regarding ukraine is failing. >> reporter: now, we were just in that region, in donetsk and, just yesterday, we filmed the takeover by armed men of one of these election commission officers. thankfu-- half of them

any official word from the kremlin or from moscow on the release of these osce observers? >> reporter: well, there's been official word that it was the russian presidential envoy, vlad mire liukin, that secured the release of those seven osce observe observers, reported in the state news agency, but there's been much more reaction when it comes to the spiraling violence in eastern ukraine from the kremlin. the spokesperson for vladimir putin, the russian president, has said that president putin extends his deep condolences to the victims of the families of those killed in odessa, and he's also crucially said this, that moscow has received thousands of requests from southeastern ukraine for help. it's a cry of despair, according to dmitri peskov, a plea for help, and that's important, because the russians for a long time now have been reserving the right to protect the interests of ethnic russians and russian speakers, especially in ukraine, if they come under attack from the ukrainian military. and so, while on one hand, the ukrainian military have moved to -- or the ukrai

it is a pivotal component of the kremlin's goal. as ukraine's inclusion within this union, i would project russia's power into central europe and europe as a whole and in the union a strong european component. without ukraine, the union becomes more of an asian construct. at present they are on to sign the treaty. it is going to be a fairly limited structure. i think the kremlin's big fear is ukraine will spill out of its grasp with the victory of the pro- western president and government leader this year and parliamentary elections that will pursue closer ties with the european union and united states. this would damage the agenda in assembling this imperial union. moscow is also anxious about the democratic contagion and the reformist ukraine that may challenge the authoritarian system or seek the allie alliesd other post-soviet states including those that are say in the winds during the union. hence in this respect the key of success could become the failure or let's say putin's failure. in allegedly defending against a western s

we take place on the eleventh in the in the announcement comes after sean change obtained from the kremlin and the gbp to signal the pool but confrontational wednesday calling for the date of independence to be detained but despite the two nd try to prevent increases will not be recognized by the way it's milky and the floor preparations for a referendum and tanya going to ask. because the conner be a referendum about. it is impossible to lead the council stunning it doesn't exist. it is not recognize minus two propaganda operation coordinated by the russian federation. the problem of course not. eu foreign ministers gather in brussels on monday in jail to the referendum. and disliked and dismal sanctions on russia has sent ukrainians you can lead to his stupidity continues. moscow by the way blowing hot and cold for mr said the law frost warning is french counterpart it would be quote senseless up for ukraine to hold in the twenty fifth presidential action omelette skip all that government forces from the east and starts a dialogue on a new constitution. here in france v e day commemorate

they also feel isolated from the traditional support they got from the kremlin. the kremlin seems to be changing its tune and wishing to open negotiations with the new government and with the new president. also, because the military mission will continue until the last terrorist is gone in the words of the president, that manes they fear fighting could start on any front in the eastern ukraine. what reaction will we get from the kremlin if we see this sort of bloodshed again tomorrow? will it mean they will bring troops forward to the border again? really everything is hanging in the balance at the moment about exactly what happens as far as a military mission is concerned. where will the fighting break out next, because it's sure to. >> he's reporting live from donetsk in eastern ukraine. >>> to egypt now where voting has been extended for a third day. it's part of a drive to ensure a strong show of support for want front-runner, former army chief sisi. omar bring us the story. >> reporter: despite the buildup for the election, a low voter turnout has them exte

the kremlin has said they accepted the preliminary results. they were happy to see the referendum going ahead without much violence. but they haven't said whether or not they're going to accept donetsk and luhansk, these two portions of eastern ukraine, as part of the russian federation. in fact, the kremlin said that they should sit down to the negotiating table to come up with a solution, but nobody seems to be doing that yet, deborah. >> absolutely, and clearly the destabilization of that country and that region continuing. thank you. >>> now to nigeria, where this morning u.s. planes are helping hunt for hundreds of girls an ducked by terrorists. the u.s. is searching the sky and sharing satellite images in hopes of figuring out just where those girls are being hidden and whether it's them in this new video, purportedly put out by boko haram, which is promise not to release them unless prisoners from that terror group are set free. vladimir duthiers is live in abuja, nigeria. vlad, are the jie northeasterns, the nigerian government, are th

is constant talks with the kremlin last year the it is scarce trade deals digits thus the end. to the association agreement on russia and russia at no time until the very end made any critical comments or remarks about it . so this idea that somehow the e.u. russia in the dark is utter nonsense i'm not saying that the e.u. kept russia in the dark but mr burr also is on record saying that he has no intention of bringing moscow into discussing the possible impact of the association agreement on the russian and ukrainian economy he is on record refusing saying that russia has to have absolutely no part to play in discussing economic ties between the european union and ukraine again taken out of context because mr barroso has set up a task force to actually look at the whole trade relationship between the e.u. and russia and the eurasia union is very conscious of the potential impact of any agreement with ukraine and russia the reality is that any agreement is obviously w.t. compatible and there would be no knock on effect in russia with flooded by cheap imports from the e.u. this

that outcome will be closely watched by both the white house and the kremlin.information between russia and ukraine reaches its peak, cnbc's julie chatterley has been paying a visit to one independent online broadcaster in a sleepy residential area of the capital, kiev. >> we're in the headquarters of espresso tv inside a soviet era nuclear bunker. it's an apartment owned and a channel financed by a former tv star here who turned into a member of parliament in order to get parliamentary immunity from any government interference here. the channel began on the first day of the euro midon protests. i spoke to the main anchor here. i asked him about the importance of social media and channels like this in driving the revolution forward. >> translator: i would say that facebook and twitter have helped but the main number of ukrainians stilt watch tv. we can see this, for example, in the russian propaganda. it's not just journalism, it's propaganda. people are watching tv and believe what putin, russia and kremlin are telling them. this is a big problem. people in th

the kremlin is saying they don't know what to do. they're trying to assess what their next move will be. there has been a conversation between john kerry and his counterparts here. he is calling on secretary of state kerry to do everything to do to stop that military infiltration in western ukraine. >> thanks very much. all right, back in this country hollywood has the oscars. tonight the washington correspondence dinner. plus, flight 370 will look different. what that will likely involve in this next phase next. [ hypnotist ] you are feeling satisfied . o a u.s. military tells the bluefin drone looking for flight 370 will be used until the end of may. meantime, it's moving into a new stage. >> reporter: after all the urgency of getting to hear the pings within that 30-day little, then having the bluefin underground to sigh what it could see in this limited area, the search is nowf moving into what the australian prime minister last week called the few phase. it's going to be a lot longer between eight months and a year. it's going t