World Press on Ukrainian Crisis (August 25, 2014)

 

World Press on Ukrainian Crisis (August 25, 2014)The Wall Street Journal published an article by Anton Troianovski and Alan Cullison headlined "Ukraine Showcases Military Might in Independence Day Celebration" devoted to the ongoing crisis in Eastern Ukraine"Soldiers, rockets and armored vehicles paraded through central Kiev on Sunday, some of them on their way to the front lines in the east, as Ukraine celebrated its Independence Day with a crisp display of military might that stood in contrast to a grinding conflict in which the Ukrainian offensive appears to be losing momentum," the article begins."Meanwhile, separatists marched Ukrainian prisoners of war at bayonet-point through their stronghold of Donetsk, as both sides girded for a continuing battle despite Western efforts at diplomacy," the article reads."The parade in Kiev stirred apprehension as well as pride. Casualties are mounting in the government's campaign against separatists and troops face the difficult and dangerous task of capturing the chief remaining rebel strongholds: the cities of Donetsk and Luhansk. Ukrainian troops have the cities almost completely surrounded, but risk heavy losses and civilian casualties in street fighting if the rebels try to stand their ground," the authors write.The parade came amid a fresh Western push for diplomacy to resolve the ongoing crisis, the authors note. However there were few signs that Ukraine, Russia and pro-Russia separatists were finding common ground. Mr. Poroshenko on Saturday met with visiting German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who said Russia needed to stop the flow of weapons to the separatists across the border for peace to be possible, they write."In rebel-held Donetsk, separatists marked Independence Day by parading dozens of Ukrainian prisoners of war through the city. Video footage from the scene, including some aired on Russian state television, showed prisoners with hands bound and heads bowed being marched past jeering onlookers by men with bayonets. The crowd chanted "Fascists! Fascists!" according to the footage," the article reads."Parading POWs would run counter to the Geneva Convention, which prohibits "outrages upon personal dignity, in particular humiliating and degrading treatment," of war prisoners. But a separatist official dismissed that accusation in a TV interview, saying he wasn't interested in interpreting the convention while his and his mother's house were under attack," the authors write.The New York Times published an article by Andrew Kramer and Andrew Higgins entitled "In Eastern Ukraine, Rebel Mockery Amid Independence Celebration.""On a day when Ukrainians celebrated their independence from the Soviet Union with parades and speeches, pro-Russia separatists in the eastern part of the country staged a grim counter-spectacle: a parade that mocked the national army and celebrated the deaths and imprisonment of its soldiers," the article reads."Leading the procession was an attractive young blond woman carrying an assault rifle, followed by several dozen captured Ukrainian soldiers, filthy, bruised and unkempt, their heads shaved, wearing fetid camouflage uniforms and looking down at their feet," the article reads."Onlookers shouted that the men should be shot, and pelted the prisoners with empty beer bottles, eggs and tomatoes as they stumbled down Artyomovsk Street, Donetsk’s main thoroughfare. A loudspeaker played Tchaikovsky’s “Slavonic March,” a familiar Russian patriotic piece. Behind the prisoners were two tanker trucks spraying soapy water, demonstratively cleaning the pavement where the Ukrainian soldiers had passed," the authors of the article write. "People in the crowd shouted “fascists!” and “perverts!” and separatist fighters held back a man who tried to punch a prisoner."

 

The Wall Street Journal published an article by Anton Troianovski and Alan Cullison headlined "Ukraine Showcases Military Might in Independence Day Celebration" devoted to the ongoing crisis in Eastern Ukraine.

 

"Soldiers, rockets and armored vehicles paraded through central Kiev on Sunday, some of them on their way to the front lines in the east, as Ukraine celebrated its Independence Day with a crisp display of military might that stood in contrast to a grinding conflict in which the Ukrainian offensive appears to be losing momentum," the article begins.

 

"Meanwhile, separatists marched Ukrainian prisoners of war at bayonet-point through their stronghold of Donetsk, as both sides girded for a continuing battle despite Western efforts at diplomacy," the article reads.

 

"The parade in Kiev stirred apprehension as well as pride. Casualties are mounting in the government's campaign against separatists and troops face the difficult and dangerous task of capturing the chief remaining rebel strongholds: the cities of Donetsk and Luhansk. Ukrainian troops have the cities almost completely surrounded, but risk heavy losses and civilian casualties in street fighting if the rebels try to stand their ground," the authors write.

 

The parade came amid a fresh Western push for diplomacy to resolve the ongoing crisis, the authors note. However there were few signs that Ukraine, Russia and pro-Russia separatists were finding common ground. Mr. Poroshenko on Saturday met with visiting German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who said Russia needed to stop the flow of weapons to the separatists across the border for peace to be possible, they write.

 

"In rebel-held Donetsk, separatists marked Independence Day by parading dozens of Ukrainian prisoners of war through the city. Video footage from the scene, including some aired on Russian state television, showed prisoners with hands bound and heads bowed being marched past jeering onlookers by men with bayonets. The crowd chanted "Fascists! Fascists!" according to the footage," the article reads.

 

"Parading POWs would run counter to the Geneva Convention, which prohibits "outrages upon personal dignity, in particular humiliating and degrading treatment," of war prisoners. But a separatist official dismissed that accusation in a TV interview, saying he wasn't interested in interpreting the convention while his and his mother's house were under attack," the authors write.

 

The New York Times published an article by Andrew Kramer and Andrew Higgins entitled "In Eastern Ukraine, Rebel Mockery Amid Independence Celebration."

 

"On a day when Ukrainians celebrated their independence from the Soviet Union with parades and speeches, pro-Russia separatists in the eastern part of the country staged a grim counter-spectacle: a parade that mocked the national army and celebrated the deaths and imprisonment of its soldiers," the article reads.

 

"Leading the procession was an attractive young blond woman carrying an assault rifle, followed by several dozen captured Ukrainian soldiers, filthy, bruised and unkempt, their heads shaved, wearing fetid camouflage uniforms and looking down at their feet," the article reads.

 

"Onlookers shouted that the men should be shot, and pelted the prisoners with empty beer bottles, eggs and tomatoes as they stumbled down Artyomovsk Street, Donetsk’s main thoroughfare. A loudspeaker played Tchaikovsky’s “Slavonic March,” a familiar Russian patriotic piece. Behind the prisoners were two tanker trucks spraying soapy water, demonstratively cleaning the pavement where the Ukrainian soldiers had passed," the authors of the article write.

 

"People in the crowd shouted “fascists!” and “perverts!” and separatist fighters held back a man who tried to punch a prisoner."