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| Ukraine Forces Repel Rebel Surge Before Polish Premier's Visit |
| 2015-01-18 |
| [BUSINESSWEEK] Ukraines military repelled a wave of rebel assaults on Donetsk Airport yesterday, rushing in new troops and ammunition to the battle zone as the government prepares for a visit by neighboring Polands prime minister. Pro-Russian separatists created an epicenter of tension as they used artillery, mortars and rifle fire in a bid to pry government troops from their tenuous hold on the strategically important site, authorities in the capital Kiev. Three Ukrainian servicemen were killed and 18 were maimed in the first 24 hours of the weekend, military front man Andriy Lysenko said yesterday in Kiev. The confrontation is ongoing at Donetsk airport, Lysenko said. Militants attacked Ukrainian positions near the new terminal and weather tower. Ukrainian soldiers are repelling the attacks by the terrorists. The week-long effort by separatists to take the regional airport rekindles the prospects of all-out war in the former Soviet republic. More than 4,800 people have died in the nine-month conflict, which has poisoned Russias ties with its former Cold War foes. Russia rejects accusations by Ukraine, the U.S., the European Union ...the successor to the Holy Roman Empire, only without the Hapsburgs and the nifty uniforms and the dancing... and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization that its meddling in the conflict by sending troops and weapons. Polish Prime Minister Ewa Kopacz will land in Kiev tomorrow to meet with her Ukrainian counterpart Arseniy Yatsenyuk, according to the Ukrainian governments website. Poland has been the most vocal European Union supporter of the Ukrainian government that emerged from last years street protests that led to the ouster of former President Viktor Yanukovych. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #1 ...The Poles have a dog in this fight, and it's a very mean one: they will never again allow Russians to be in a place where they can hurt Poland. Keep in mind that even Soviet-era Russians, when faced with the Solidarity rebellions, weren't sure they could take the Polish Army. I would not be at all surprised if the Poles were quietly providing assistance to Ukraine at this point. Mike |
| Posted by: Mike Kozlowski 2015-01-18 07:22 |