it comes a day after government forces launched a major operation in slovyansk. paul brennan is live in donetsk. tell us what the situation is in kramatorsk, and if the government has been able to retake the buildings. >> reporter: well, it's an ongoing situation, what the kiev administration is describing as an anti-terror operation began friday morning, continuing friday night into saturday. at kramatorsk, a town some 10 miles, 15-46km south of slovyansk there was an it tower on a hill. the separatists took the tower, stopped broadcasting ukranian tv channels and put russian tv channels on. what the ukranian forces have done is retake the tv tour, take off air the russian tv change and reinstate the ukranian tv channels. the importance is obvious. information is a vital tool in this battle for the east of ukraine. getting information out to the people who are in their houses - very important indeed, and so they made that tv tower an important strategic target. other things that we have been hearing as the morning progresses is that two people two ukranian troop

nick paton walsh on the line for us near slovyansk. a comprehensive update on what's happening in ukraine right now. thank you for that. as you heard, russia, of course, a major player in this unrest. russia itself has had harsh words for ukraine's interim government and its plan to hold elections later this month. on the 25th there are presidential elections expected in ukraine. let's bring in our matthew chance now. he's in moscow with the view from there. matthew, what do you think? what's the view? 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

the de facto headquarters is in the city of slovyansk.wo days ago the acting president of kiev indicated that security forces, including the police, were powerless to do anything about it. there has been an anti-terrorist operation in progress as far as kiev put it about, for the last few weeks, it's been largely unsuccessful, it has to be said. this, apparently, a new phase in that. an effort to hit the perimeter, not to overtake the city, but to get a bolt hole to make an independent in the pro-russian preps, or to blockade the city, trying to stop any weapons getting in or separatist fighters getting out. >> thank you. >> the u.s. secretary of state john kerry warns of a genocide in south sudan. john kerry is due to arriving on the next leg of an african tour, making the comments in ethiopia, which has been hosting talks between south sudan's government and rebels. we go to juba for the latest. >> reporter: john kerry is arriving in juba on the pack of some statements he meade in the capital of ethiopia. he cautioned that they were on

. >> a group of international military observers held captive in slovyansk have been freed. observers were there as part of a security operation for europe. they were seized by separatists, saying one of them was a spy. >>> ukranian government troops are involved in a new offensive against pro-russian groups in the east. they are trying to retake government buildings. that comes a day after government forces launched a major operation in the nearby rebel stronghold of slovyansk. >> paul brennan is live in donetsk. o.s.c.e. observers are freed. tell us more about what happened? the referee: what we have been told is we are on the road side in donetsk. we are awaiting the arrivals of oece observers, there's a cop contingent prepared to take them further south. security here are twitchy. we have been told that others are aware of our location here. everywhere is on a height state of alert. what we have been told in relation to the freedom of those o.s.c.e. observers is that a joint effort was made with the russian special envoy, together with the council of europe. they came he

with check points across slovyansk quickly changing hands. the wounded coming, tanks roll through the city, some with the flag of the self-styled republic of slovyansk. not all support the pro-russian movement. >> if they storm honestly i have a sharpened shovel at home and i'll come out with it. i don't have a machine gun. i asked, but they wouldn't give it to me. we have very few weapons, we're unarmed. welcome out. my wife will come who, who is russian, by the way. >> they say things on tv that they don't plan to attack us, but they have the troops. why do they have them here, so our people will kill each other? our people are killing each other. >> reporter: the government felt helpless. now it is engaged in a show of force fraught with risk. if there are many casualties that can only further stoke resentment. ukrainian troops move towards the city officer. protesters have reinforced barricades and continue to demand a referendum. nick spicer, al jazeera, kiev. >> there has been more fallout in odessa. 40 pro russian protesters were kille

correspondent nick paton walsh is near slovyansk this morning.ve been saying, it appears the ukrainian forces are not just losing the battle for territory, but also in some cases the battle for hearts and minds in that area. >> reporter: that's an extraordinarily tough battle. i mean, there's been weeks of building anger here, weeks of messaging, often based on kremlin -- pro-kremlin media here, reminding people that kiev, telling people that kiev run by extremists or have extremists carrying out their orders here. so, for the ukrainian military to move into these cities, obviously, they're going to face local civilian hostility before they have to face shots to get in there. plenty of civilians caught in the cross fire yesterday, one woman killed by a stray bullet standing on her balcony and cars shot up, simply with the ukrainian military trying to move down the highway on the outskirts of slovyansk, not into the city proper. so, it's going to be an impossible, if not extremely bloody task, to try to move further into the center of slovyansk, b

the south of slovyansk. that has been a scene yesterday of what seemed to be pretty intense fun fire. the center of the city pockmarked with burned out buses, trams. on the outskirts one barricade it seems apcs drove towards it, shot at it and moved away across a field elsewhere into that city. three killed in total. social media suggests we're looking at six maybe according to activists inside that town from that particular day's violence. the key thing, errol, despite these efforts in kramatorsk and the violence and the claims from the interior minister, they control so many key buildings there. in that city yesterday we saw no evidence of the ukrainian army maintaining their position. just the same pro-russian militants at their same headquarters, city hall. >> considering you have these multiple spots of up rest in eastern ukraine, let's not forget o dessa in the south. that large fire a few days ago which killed more than 30 people. what is ukraine's plan if there is one for preventing any interference

we saw those troops move down the main highway down the side of slovyansk.esterday morning, they moved snipers and scouts into position. then the substantial clashes, stray bullets killing one civilian woman who we saw brought into the hospital by her distraught husband. but as it stands now, the interior minister claiming dozens dead on the pro-russian militants' side and four ukrainian soldiers. we suspect potentially today people may be regrouping, but the whole region's still certainly on edge, because the donetsk airport, that's the main one, the main city in the region where i'm standing, has been closed indefinitely. no reason given by ukrainian authorities. and that will make people in this area deeply concerned. perhaps key officials know something they're not talking about. perhaps they're planning something, or maybe we're going to see a heightening of tension or violence here. people are still looking across the border at those russian troops. that's really why tensions here are so much higher. something could potentially trigger russian interven

i'm standing here to stop ukrainian troops getting into slovyansk, this woman told me. at another checkpoint nearby, they went further trying physically to block the path of armored vehicles. repeated volleys of shots fired over their heads doing very little to deter them. if they do try to move into the central slovyansk, dozens, possibly hundreds of well-organized defenders are there to meet them. they have captured armored vehicles and some are very professional-looking troops. in a city still full of civilians, it would get very ugly. and the east of ukraine, the southern city of odesa erupted in brutal fighting that left four people dead so far. here, pro-ukrainians are not a minority and are fighting back fiercely. with reports of live ammunition being used and the police nowhere to be seen, it is starting to look perilously like the early stages of a civil conflict. >> woodruff: later, there was word of 38 more deaths in odessa in a building fire linked to the fighting. at least 350 people were killed today in a massive landslide in afghanistan, and local officia

to slovyansk where the military helicopter was shot down by russian fighters. completed several of their so-called cleanup operations against what they call terrorists in this area. we have passed nothing but separatist fighters so far. in slovyansk we are hearing that areas are being mortared and they are evacuating children from the area. they also have more reports of different parts of that industrial town being shelled early this morning. so we are going into the town to find out exactly what is happening. >> another team of international observers has been detained in eastern ukraine. targeted since their arrival in ukraine. one team was held for eight days. in the lathest incident, 100 kilometers north of luhansk. separatist leaders say they are safe and will be freed soon. >>> 23 people have been arrested in spain after riots broke out in barcelona. police evicted squatters, 300 extra riot police have been deployed to keep things under control. >>> egyptian presidential candidate abdel fatah al-sisi is promising new future, 92% of the vote. hundreds who

our paul brennan reports. >> knowledge pro-russian military from slovyansk, to push past the roadblocks which are ring this staunchly separatist town and push on towards the center. there was gun fire and multiple explosions and casualties on both sides. a helicopter was brought down with heavy machine gun fire. two pilots survived and were evacuated to a military hospital. on the ground ambulances weaved through the cross fire. by midafternoon, battle was over and the town fell quiet again. after a campaign that lasted most of the day, active engagement but as you can say pro-russian elements are still in control of large parts of the town. in the area of the city we found the area littered with dozens of spent bullet casings. >> from the 25 of us that went in only five came out. we got into a circle and they started tightening it. they were moving in from the front from the right and the left. when we started retreating they also surrounded us from behind. we barely fought them off and got through. >> reporter: local residents spoke of a convoy of army vehicles and a group of 11 speci

yeah...don't kid yourself >> the system has failed me >>> two helicopters shot down in the city of slovyansk and several ukrainian soldiers are dead. it happened when kiev launched a new operation trying to take back eastern cities from pro-russian separatists. >> angela merkel and president obama meeting face to face at the whitehouse. it's her first trip to washington since it was revealed the n sachlt was spying on her cell phone. the major issues? >> got to do something. >> the long road to recovery. millions returning home, surveying the damage left behind by those devastating tornados. >> backlash being felt after brunai en acts sharia code, it has some boycotting a hotel chain. i am stephanie sy. >> this morning, ukrainian forces trying to take back several eastern cities controlled by the pro-russian separatists. >> kiev launched military operations in the city of slovyansk. >> officials saying separatists shot down two army helicopters, killing one pilot and injure others. >> in donetsk where pro-russian separatists have taken control of the city's main train system. >> it began at

nick paton walsh is live in slovyansk this morning. speaking out as many ask what happens next. what is moscow saying this morning? >> reporter: well, it's sort of remarkable, again, the lack of clarity we're getting from the kremlin, who blamed from the beginning by washington and brussels for fermenting the unrest here, after saying they wanted the referendum we saw yesterday to be delayed, it went ahead regardless. they've now released a statement saying, look, we respect the will of the donetsk and luhansk people as expressed in this referendum, but the most important way which to realize the results in the referendum in what they refer to as a civilized manner, is for negotiation between the central authorities in kiev and the self-declared separatist authorities here inside donetsk. now, that's very far from actually going to happen. at this point in slovyansk, the self-declared mayor says he wants the local militia recognized as an armed force, wants talks on the prisoner of war exchange and wants the army putway. they are all a

have now been kidnapped in slovyansk. you have a major law enforcement problem there. the international community is trying to help through the work of the osce and that's something that the united states is going to continue to support with all of our energies. >> how would you describe the u.s./russia relationship right now? have you, for example, been in touch with any russian officials? >> well, my russian counterpart, the russians have an affair here in ukraine because they withdrew their ambassador back in the winter. but the affair has been a regular participant in what had been almost daily meetings that we've held with the foreign minister and with the osce to try to manage this process. the russian sharjay was with me to see that the building had been cleared by the demonstrators, preparing for the rehabilitation of the building. >> mr. ambassador, what do you make of russia trying to withdraw ukrainian troops from ukraine's own territory sni think a l thi? i think a lot of people thought it was bizarre. >> our

the most intense fighting is reported in the dinette region and also in the nearby city of slovyansk where three civilians reportedly been killed in an army shelling attack. also coming up on the program two years of isolation in jail bahrain's key human rights activist shares details of his ordeal with r.t. after serving his term for taking part in protests against the monarchy plus. britain to leave the european union i want to leave the european union. and to e.u. parties rock the blocks parliamentary election more than doubling their seats with french and british skeptics boasting the biggest wins.

the programme - ukraine's interior minister says 30 were killed in fighting in the eastern city of slovyansk. >>> the leader of a radical group in nigeria is threatening to sell earlier 300 teenage school girls. the latest from abuja. >>> born free in south africa on the eve of the election. we hear from the post apartheid generation. >>> thailand's prime minister denies all accusations that she abused her powers. yingluck shinawatra testified before a constitution court. a group of senators filed a case. if found guilty she'll have to stand down. yingluck shinawatra has been sued in a separate case by the anticorruption party. six months of protests have so far failed to force her out of office. and we'll get from from our correspondent in bangkok. what is the case against prime minister yingluck shinawatra? >> reporter: all right, this case stems from an action in 2011, transferring her national security chief out of the post to become the prime minister of advisor, which effectively is a powerless inactive position. she accused of using that transfer and manoeuvring a relative by marriage

mission was detained in slovyansk for a week, along with five military officers. the release coming as the army sent troops into a second town in the east, in a fight against anti-government groups. >> there is significant ebb and flow in the pro-ukranian and pro-russian forces here in the east. there has, undoubtedly been success for the ukranian military operation, an anti-the terror operation happening to the north of donetsk where i am standing now. slovyansk, check points have been established around the town, ringing the whole city and controlling traffic in and out. that secured the release of the o.s.c.e. observers who had been held for more than a week. that said, in o town for kramatorsk, south of slovyansk, the battle was a little tougher. >> reporter:. >> reporter: the burning cars and debris were evidence of what looked like a day of fighting between ukranian soldiers and pro-russian separatists. vehicles and cars set alight. >> translation: there are a lot of victims from both sides. civilians and from the checkpoints. people going to work were injur

in eastern ukraine where troops launched an attack on the antigovernment protests to held city of slovyansk. nato's is second in command reportedly says russia is now considered an enemy. because of its role in the ukrainian crisis. will head to washington with a strong message from german big business siemens invokes waagner among the major. against more sanctions on russia. it's what will headlines live from moscow it's r.t. international for me in the whole crew thanks for joining us today straight to our breaking news for you this hour here on the program ukrainian troops have stormed the eastern city of stuff which is held by antigovernment protesters locals say they're blocked in and are unable to evacuate the area officials say two pilots died off the two helicopters were gunned down while local self-defense forces report one of them men has been killed interior ministry also says the army has taken several self-defense fighters hostage graham phillips has this report from stuff. here in the center of slavyansk and what we have now is these forces they've effectively now been blockad

an anti government checkpoint outside the eastern ukrainian city of slovyansk reportedly comes under mortar fire leaving up to eight people injured. shooting resumes towards a burnt in a personnel carrier is set on fire to the south pole after at least twenty were killed during a military assault on friday. in the baltic region nato kicks off massive military drills on russia's doorstep involving a record breaking six thousand troops. and the taliban announces the launch of an annual spring offensive despite the ongoing pulled out of foreign troops from afghanistan some of those whose lives have been shattered bible. says r.t. live here in moscow with you twenty four hours a day anti-government activists in the east of ukraine say they've come under artillery fire from the army a civilian checkpoint was reportedly bombarded outside the city of slavyansk the main stronghold of prove or ptolemy protesters local self-defense fighters told us that they have taken casualties there is in the region. it seems as if up to eight people have been injured what we're hearing from local self-defe

. >> purports to show what the residents are slovyansk and the pro-russian procrastinates who made the eastern city their base woke to at dawn. the ukrainian army launched what it described as a large scale antiterrorist operation. the apparent objective for now not to overrun the city but to form a blockade around it. some separatists said they were ready to fight. >>> i will fight with whatever i have, if not a rifle then i will fight with my hands and strangle them so they won't mess with my lands. >>> sophisticated surface to air missiles, something the government in kyiv points to as evidence of russian involvement on the ground. >>> this man is said to be a survivor from one of the helicopters, a ukrainian survivor, in custody of separatist survivors inside slovyansk, four men arrested at a checkpoint said to be among those responsible for the helicopter attacks. in the city center the mood was extremely tense. video posted on the internet shows the self-proclaimed mayor of slovyansk offering a message of support. >>> our town has been attacked. our town has been stormed. there a

journal left harriet salem is in slovyansk. what has it been like after the ukranian army operation? >> this evening the streets were quiet, they are empty. there's a strict curfew imposed for the last few weeks since rebels took control. the clashes obviously have scared the local population, many staying inside. >> the situation is calm, there's no gun fire but people are scared. >> are people supportive of the ukrainian military in the city? >> no, slovyansk is the stronghold of the pro-russian rebels in the region, it's been under the control of armed militia for more than two weeks now. there's strong local support for this movement, and that support is growing as the ukranian army advance. there's a perception by local people that the ukranian army are attacking. they are attacking civilians, unarmed civilians, and are seen as an unwanted so far as in the region, it's a difficult operation for the ukranian army to handle, because they have to deal with a hostile local population and ensure that there aren't civil cas uld

nick paton walsh in slovyansk.g with us. >>> it was a dangerous weekend for much of the country here and this morning the threat remains from texas all the way to the great lakes. there could be more severe thunderstorms. and folks, we are ripe for tornadoes. >> that's right. take a look at this from nebraska, a tornado on the ground near lincoln, just one of the many reported there. this one caused serious damage. look at these clouds in grafton. >> wow. >> the sky just ominous, dark gray and black. unclear if that storm caused any damage there. the damage, though, to this farm was serious. a house and barn reduced to rubble. that's in sutton, nebraska. the owners did manage to get away before the storm hit and they are now staying with relatives. >>> missouri is one of many places that could see more weather trouble today, like what it experienced over the weekend, significant damage near kansas city. the result of a tornado on the ground in the town of orrick. amazingly, no one was seriously hurt, but those who

slovyansk eastern ukraine.during the night of the army also stand with the nearby city of kramatorsk where activists have also been occupying administrative buildings at least one person has been confirmed dead and nine injured. however protest leaders there say at least ten people were killed and almost thirteen in good years interior minister says that the army has now taken control of a t.v. center in the city during the ride of fighting erupted when an armored column blocked by the protesters tried to break free this old it reportedly first started shooting in the air and then there are people who tried to stop them here but an eyewitness told us. troops have surrounded the protesters now and won't let the ambulances in the lights have been turned off on the nearby streets shorts are being heard across the city signal rockets light up the sky from time to time people say the ukrainian army is shooting at everything that moves right now. but let's take a look at this video here you see the locals in east ukr

breaking news on r t heavy shelling a reportedly resumes in the eastern ukrainian city of slovyansk as anti-government activists say their checkpoint is being bombarded by the army. gun fire breaks out once again and a personnel carrier is set on fire to the south in my opel after it at least twenty were killed during a military assault on friday. in the baltic region at nato kicks off massive military drills on russia's doorstep involving six thousand troops. and britain pulls its last troops from afghanistan helmand province while the taliban launches its spring offensive far teammates families living in the war zone . top news and commentary live from moscow this is r.t. i'm sean thomas glad to have you with us we start with breaking news right here on our team anti-government activists in east ukraine say heavy shelling has restarted outside the city of slovyansk stronghold of the pro autonomy protests the army has reportedly attacked a checkpoint with mortar fire twice in the space of a few hours palace they are reports now from the scene. earlier we were talking to pro autonomy a

>> reporter: well, we are here on the ground just outside of slovyansk. two paratroopers have been confirmed kill by the ministry of defense near a bridge where we were standing just earlier on today where a large number of ukrainian armed personnel rolled into the out skirts of slovyansk to meet a hostile reception from local residents and really in the last 24 hours have seen the situation here on the ground in slovyansk and in eastern ukraine spiral out of control. >> at dawn they finally moved in. backed by the national guard and a little lost. helicopters in support and around slovyansk, the sound that everyone had been dreading. the army piling in and russian militants fleeing on foot and fired at helicopters. the van they drove around town for days. and shell casings, one from the army's heavy weapons. nothing slowed them down except, of course, the people. this ambulance carried away an older man and his legs were run over. the welcome here, perhaps not what they expected. didn't expect to come here at all, he says. it's giving me a headache. afte

as far as we can tell no major clashes for more than a day now, almost two days around slovyansk p p in the rest of donetsk region here in eastern ukraine is extremely tense. the latest reports that we're getting suggest that in mariupol, a big port city to the south of here, also an industrial city here in donetsk region, there we understand that pro-russian forces, anti-government groups who were holding the city administration building there in mariupol, we understand they've now left the building. and that pro-kiev groups or local people there are dismantling the barricades around that building. so suggesting the situation has changed on the ground in mariupol. the circumstances of how that happened are not clear yet. so we don't think that there was much, if any, shooting in the center of mariupol last night. so it appears that for some reason those anti-government groups in mariupol city administration building left there without major clashes. here in donetsk, we also saw some very heavily armed men on the streets in donetsk yesterday. it appears they believe that military bas

slovyansk eastern ukraine while the way the e.u. views the unfolding crisis in ukraine has sparked fury in germany. oh. this is how chancellor angela merkel was greeted and her party campaign meeting in berlin and the event organized by her christian democratic union was disrupted by protesters angry at their country stance in ukraine's conflict demonstrators buda the chancellor and brandished banners demanding the arrest of analogies and a crane and call for stronger ties with russia well for more about the growing public discontent of the e.u. policies in ukraine let's talk live to john locke on director of the institute of democracy and cooperation in paris john thanks so much for being here with us in r.t. any european a what exactly is it about the e.u. policies that cause such a. stormy reaction in germany well it is interesting that the reaction in germany has been stronger i think than in any other european country obviously in germany for well known historical reasons there is a greater sensitivity to the issue of naziism t

the city of millions of people which is now being taken over, here in slovyansk. now, jake, a video we filmed nearby, one of the checkpoints we've gone through. you see a better equipped soldier. we've noticed three or four of these turning up around checkpoints around slovyansk. beer hearing calls an seeing preparation for referendum in as many as ten days here in donetsk. about potentially joining russia or ukraine here. i think people are wondering quite how fast any annexation may happen if that is indeed the goal. extraordinarily fast moving on the ground, jake. often as you saw in donetsk today, extraordinarily violent. >> ukraine just reinstated the draft. even with conscription, does that country have any chance against the pro-russian forces? >> no way, no, really. the conscription was written off a year ago, taken out of the law, taken out of ukrainian society, brought back in, very much a desperate move. the president saying yes. security forces in the east went up for the job. some of the best people are here. their army is in tatters, the most elite t

paul brennan has more from slovyansk in eastern ukraine. >> the residents of andreavka were swoen by the sounds of explosion and gunfire. in .1 skirmish, it seems they had stabbed a separatist position around a train carriage. elsewhere, the sounds of mortar bombardments as was the anger of the people here. >> we will not be pushed out of here. this is our motherland. our children and grandchildren are living and will continue to live here. why do they come here? why are they shooting at peaceful people. people can no longer live in andreevka. >> a broad co less of regional governors have convened a second round of a national dialogue sponsored by the osce. the separatist leadership which controls donetsk, luhansk and slovyansk are refusing to participate. kiev won't sit down with people it calls terrorists. within kiev, ukraine's acting prime minister remained upbeat. >> i am fully convinced distinguished ambassadors, my prime minister, we will succeed. we wi well overcom all of these difficulties. and we will become stronger than we are today. >> the separatist stronghold of slovya

they had been detained by the self-proclaimed mayor of slovyansk. the released men said he had kept his promise to protect them from harm. diplomats said any other outcome was simply was thinkable. >> taking people working for international organizations as hostages is unacceptable. so it was extremely important to get through this mission. >>reporter: the next was made more intricate by the military offensive currently ongoing around slovyansk and in other towns. there has been fierce fighting near the town of komatorsk. the military attacked a pro-russian checkpoint at done. a t.v. tower has also been recaptured. organizing a hostage handover in this environment was far from straightforward. it has taken days of delicate negotiations including the final say from the self-styled mayor. as you can see they are free and returning home. paul brennan. >> as we washed the calls drive away, paul, tell us more. you were there when the handover happened. tell us more about the detail of what happened and, also, what role the player did play, the self-procl

by all accounts what we know of the self defense forces in slovyansk is that they number. a few hundred people that they are completely supplied and that contrary to the western media reports they are not at all supplied or aided by russia itself but. the western media reports these people are insurgents and terrorists i mean does that does that sound accurate that is completely inaccurate and not only is it inaccurate according to what we assess but it is inaccurate according to the assessment of western reporters such as reporting for time magazine on the ground where he made clear that these people were not at all affiliated officially with the russian government that most of them were locals veterans. police that they were so desperate that they were trading interviews for fuel to run their cars that they were referred old hunting rifles to defend themselves and that they were relying on food supplies out of the gardens of grandmothers of slovyansk in order to feed themselves and personally i think it's a real travesty and they have these people have called on the russ

escaping the violence we speak to children evacuated from the ukrainian city of slovyansk where shelling has hit residential areas as key of presses on with its military operation in the east. the mob going to. the shows are opting for a peaceful retirement in these wires including the ex intelligence chief and the outgoing president's brother known for his reputation of brutality to find out how he's been doing in america. and asia in terms of violence to play a greater defense forward in the region promising support to all nations that in their territorial disputes in what's seen as a de get china. and welcome to our international twenty four hour news live from moscow my name is you our thanks for joining us. there's been a fresh spike of violence in the eastern ukrainian city of slavyansk where we're seeing reports of army helicopters opening fire on the city earlier local self-defense forces said two people were killed and four injured with civilians among them as ukrainian forces attacked overnight. there were around hundred thousand people is one of the main targets of caves milit

it's propaganda it strikes me as very ham fisted and frankly absurd if the people in slovyansk wanted to really make a propaganda bit out of it di would have tried to keep the civilians in emphasize their suffering to the world media it's more much more likely that they're just trying to get the children away so that they don't fall victim to this indiscriminate shelling by the government forces if you look at their record of the of these people and how they essentially defied. the oligarchy armed forces with their bare hands initially and peacefully until they had no other option but to fight i seriously think this is a spurious allegation. a thousand strong crowd has rallied in the net at the hub of pro autonomy sentiment protest as well venting their fury at key had for waging a military crackdown in the region they also demanded immediate peace in the cities also one of the main targets all the military operation and earlier there were reports of renewed fighting and its international airport and the training ground of a local football club. and these are the pictures from berlin

in slovyansk, according to the ministry of defense, two helicopters have been shot down, two military officers dead as that operation does continue. the ukrainian government reportedly capable or already having taken back a number of the barricades that the pro-russian capitalp has set up outside of slovyansk. here in donetsk, another building falling when clashes erupted between pro-russian militants and riot police, but the riot police very quickly forced to retreat from the prosecutor's office. we arrived on scene just as the pro-russian militants were ransacking the entire building, going room to room, breaking down doors, looking for anyone who they believe may be hiding out within, burning photographs of those who used to work there before them, really going through very aggressively, asserting their own authority, saying this was all part of their effort to try to ensure that a referendum did, in fact, take place on may 11th, john. >> all right, arwa, thank you so much. keep an eye on things there because we know developments are moving fast and furious this morning. >>> as for

the city of slovyansk is encircled. the fingerprintsive will continue.he criminal suffered losses during the operation as many died, were wounded and arrested. as violence escalated, the east and west were swift to react. president vladimir putin calls for an emergency meeting at the u.n. scoup -- security council , where russia is a permanent member. the president says ukraine destroyed the agreement meant to calm tensions. >> translation: if the criminal misadventures of the kiev clooek are not stopped. the catastrophic happenings cannot be avoided. >> president obama hosted german chancellor angela merkel at the white house. wrestling with ways to turn up the heat on vladimir putin whilst not hurting german's economic ties to russia, trades amounting to $100 billion. >> a word on sanction, i agree with the american president. they are not an end in itself, but combined with an of of diplomatic solutions it's a necessary second component to show that we are serious about our principals. >> it is obvious to the world that the russian-backed groups are n

the most attention districts are slovyansk where anti-terrorist operations are continuing. there are clashes with armed forces. >> they're trying to find a way out of the conflict. as many as 200 people have been killed and those clashes between the ukraine military and pro-russian separatists. we've been tracking all the developments from kiev. >> reporter: there seems no natural rhythm, no certainty to the people here as to what each day will bring. the residents here it is immensely exhausting. >> i want to stop as soon as possible. i don't want any more and the ukraine authorities have to do something because we're all tired. >> the wreckage shot down. the separatists say they brought it down with heavy machine gunfire. >> to be honest it was terrif terrifying. >> he keeps a wary watch. >> there is still some food left, but i don't know what will happen later. i don't want anything. it's time for me to die. the town has been surrounded by ukrainian military units for a week now. it certainly is not winning hearts and minds. >> it's awful that the people are fighting eac

as you say, there has been a renewed effort for a second day around slovyansk. we have seep a tv tower retaken by the ukranian military and it had been seized by pro-russian militants and had taken ukrainian channels off the air. now they are back on the air, information, of course, vital in this wide-open aridable land. it's important that the information rasps the people that -- reaches the people that live here. the end game is the etaking of the cities. >> paul brennan reporting. >> the crisis in ukraine was front and center at a white house meeting between president obama and angela merkel. michelle kai [s] [e] [r] has that store -- libby casey has that story. president obama and angela merkel stood side by side and spoke with one voice. >> if, in fact, we see the disruptions and destabilization continuing so severely that it impedes elections on may 25th, we will not have a choice but to move forward with additional more severe sanctions. >> translation: i agree with the american president. they are not an end in itself. combined with an offer that we want

so i hope the news out of slovyansk today, the terrible news out of odessa a couple of days ago will remind everybody of the tragedies of war and maybe we'll get back to a deescalation phase, which for several days now has been stuck. >> but based on your knowledge of him and your knowledge of the government that he presides over, does he want to do this? in other words, is he looking for an excuse? >> you know, charlie, i don't think so. i don't want to pretend i know, but i have watched and observed president putin for a long time. i don't think he has a master plan to annex eastern and southern ukraine. if he did, he's kept it very secret for a long, long time. i do think he is responding tactically, improvising, and if he can find a way to not do a full-scale invasion, i think he would settle for that, because he knows the cost of that. he knows it's not going to be an easy operation. it may be easy in the first days and weeks, but over the months and years, it will not. and i would hope that others around him will remind him of the economic costs as well of going into eastern an

the separatist leadership which controls donetsk, luhansk and slovyansk are refusing to participate. kiev won't sit down with people it calls terrorists n ukraine, the acting prime minister remains upbeat. >> i am fully convinced distinguished ambassadors, my friend minister, we will succeed. we wi well over come all of these difficulti difficulties, and we will become strong earn we are today. >> reporter: in the separatist strong hold of luhansk, shattered windows and worried people. >> translator: what is happening here, i don't know who to tell for help. they are killing us, our own army. >> the marketplace, of course, is the place where you deal, where you trade. but there is no expectation here, at least, for an imminent deal with the kiev government. there is the fervent desire for stability for peace, but there is no appetite for reconciliation. paul brennan, al jazeera, slovyansk. >> people in the world's largest democracy today woke up to something they haven't seen in decades. >> that's a new political party in power. the hippedew conservative bjp won elections in a landsl

. >>> more fighting in the ukrainian city of slovyansk. a military helicopter has been shot down but the pilot survived. government forces are on the ground advancing and surrounding the city, one of the main strong holds of those separatists. nick spicer has more from kyiv. >> reporter: ukraine's interior minister says it all started on an attack on ukrainian forces. checkpoints across slovyansk quickly changing hands, confusion reigns. emergency services are forced to stop outside the barricades with wounded coming to them. tanks roll through the city. with the flag of self styled republic of donetske. 800 militia men. >> the if they storm i have a sharpened shovel and i'll come out with it. we are unarmed. people will come out. my wife will come out who is russian by the way. >> they say things on tv like they don't plan to attack us but they keep the troops. your they keeping them here? simply for us to kill each other? our people are killing each other! >> reporter: ukraine's president said just a few days ago that the government felt

we have a report from slovyansk, where the situation is tense and dangerous. >> reporter: it's these me the president-elect vowed to punish, the contight of fighters defending slovyansk against kiev's assault, who brought down a military helicopter with the service-air missile killing soldiers and a general. within minutes of the team arriving. seven more tar shells were fired. above the barricades, the flags of russia and their self-declared republic. the fighters are becoming battle hardened. they built bunkers, they can take shelters when the mortars rain down. the families here are most at risk. the russians said that the ukranian government in its latest military offensive is breaking the geneva convention, failing to protect the lives of civilians. evidence here that the more tar barrages are random, not aimed at targets. this is a maternity hospital. the nurses showed me the deadly shrapnel blown through the wards after an attack on thursday night. it was a miracle that nobody was killed here. the bar ards of shell sent glass. one nurse showed me a base where the children took

>> yes. >> across town they're following events in odessa and slovyansk closely. what the army tries to come here, i ask. >> translator: what happened in slovyansk wasn't an anti-terror operation. it was a terror operation against ukrainian people. people who are unsure about the government in kiev now understand the government is abusing its power. we must protect our city. >> reporter: separatists here have well-established defensive positions and seem supremely confident they can cope with anything the ukrainian army throws at them. they say they don't need the russian army to help them at the moment. step away from the areas, and luhansk is calm and peaceful. many here cling to the hope it can stay like that. >> translator: we're trying not to be scared and stay calm. >> translator: i am a resident of the city. i was born here. it doesn't matter about being ukrainian or russian or jewish. no one is oppressed here. what are these claims that the russians are oppressed? >> reporter: back at the occupied building new volunteers practice the weapons training. they

slovyansk eastern ukraine. now the syrian opposition will be incapable of governing the country if president assad was ousted and that's the view of a top military u.s. military commander general martin dempsey says syria would remain in the grip of terror and chaos with the opposition unable to root out lng groups meanwhile fighting continues in syria and on wednesday rebels detonated sixty tons of explosives at an army base in the northwest of the country it's believed the explosives were placed in a tunnel which the rebels have been digging for seven months washington says efforts have to be redoubled in syria and has pledged more support and if she can reports. we're seeing a new push by the obama administration to fulfill a goal that he declared three years ago to topple the syrian president bashar assad has announced that syria will hold elections despite the war the us vehemently opposes those elections washington has already decided who the legitimate representatives of the syrian people are is the syri

ukrainian troops sustained heavy losses after a military helicopter was shot down near the city of slovyansk. 14 people were reported killed. >> cities in the middle east have been under the control of separatists since april, and kiev is struggling to regain control of the region. >> the helicopter was bringing troops to government checkpoint. the government about the rebels would not go unpunished. >> i am confident our armed forces and security agencies will flesh out the terrorist. all the criminals financed by the russian federation will be destroyed or will stand before a court. >> government fighter jets flying over slovyansk in a show of force. at a press conference, the city 's self-proclaimed mayor said they will soon be free. >> at present, they are in the luhansk -- in the luhansk region. they have questions for the osce team, and when they get the answers and ask -- inspect their gear, the monitors will be released. >> internet, someone hundred kilometers south, there is an atmosphere of tense calm. earlier this week, fighting left as is dead. the separatists say they will use f

most says it condemns the use of forces in the operation in the town of slovyansk in the eastern part of ukraine and also condemns the participation of the members of the right sector group ukraine's the tories all the nationalist movement in operation russia's foreign ministry also size that it is very much concerned about and could reports of participation in this operation of foreigners earlier we also heard from russia's president vladimir putin spokesperson mr peskov that this operation anti terror peroration launched by kiev in the eastern and southern part of the country killed all the hopes for geneva peace accords. and investigative journalist believes sending in the army against a civilian population could add fuel to the flames in ukraine. a spark is enough to light up for a refire on this could be the spark that likes the printer fire of the civil war in ukraine the art show king slovyansk effect which is a key city where protests are really advantaged and it's a huge provocation russia is waiting to see what's going to happen and the kremlin has already been very explicit

nick paton walsh in slovyansk, in ukraine this morning.you. >>> ballot counting under way in iraq after parliamentary elections there called mostly a success, with only limited violence reported across the country. some 12 million people -- that's about 60% of registered voters -- turned out to cast their votes in the first major election since u.s. troops left three years ago. an exit poll seems to show nuri al maliki's party as the front-runners to retain power. election results expected in about 30 days. >>> this morning the death toll has risen again as divers retrieve bodies from on board the capsized south korean ferry. today one more body was removed, raising the death toll to 213. 89 people are still missing. this as the coast guard is warning they may not be able to recover every missing body because of the conditions on that ship, which sank two weeks ago. >> and the cell phone calls from the kids to their parents were in the background, you can hear "stay where you are," it's safer if you stay where you are. just chilling. those