In the focus of today's press are the actions of the pro-Russian activists in Eastern Ukraine.
British newspaper The Guardian published today an article headlined "Ukraine: pro-Russia activists proclaim independent republic in Donetsk."
"Ukraine's prime minister accused Russia of sowing unrest in his country's eastern provinces as a pretext for dispatching troops across the border. Speaking at an emergency cabinet meeting on Monday, Arseniy Yatsenyuk said Russia was behind the seizure of several government buildings in eastern regions, which had led to an increase in secessionist sentiment.
'The plan is to destabilise the situation, the plan is for foreign troops to cross the border and seize the country's territory, which we will not allow,' he said, adding that people engaged in the unrest had Russian accents. Yatsenyuk said Russian troops remained stationed within 19 miles (30km) of the frontier," the paper reports.
"Kiev says Russia provokes trouble in eastern Ukraine, just as in Crimea" is an article published today by the Washington Post.
"The Kiev government did not manage to organize any resistance to the Crimean takeover, which was backed by a Russian propaganda campaign that described Russian-speakers in the region as under threat from fascists who were on their way from Kiev to wreak havoc. In a quickly arranged referendum March 16, Crimeans voted to join Russia, which promptly annexed the region," the article reads.
"The new government in Kiev took over after Yanukovych fled Feb. 22. He was toppled by protesters who took to Kiev’s Independence Square, known as the Maidan, in a demonstration that began in favor of European integration and turned into a demand for good government and a fight against corruption. Yanukovych comes from Donetsk, and the foundation of his political support was built in the east."
"Ukrainian Leaders Slam Russia for Attempt to 'Tear Country Apart'" published by the Wall Street Journal also examines the situation in Eastern Ukraine.
The article writes that "the pro-Russian protests in Donetsk, Kharkiv and Luhansk—industrial cities in eastern Ukraine where ethnic Russians make up much of the population—were the most dramatic challenges to the authority of the new central government in Kiev in weeks."
"While the overall scenario appeared similar to one that led to Russia's annexation of Crimea last month, the new protests, which began Sunday, seemed to lack the broad public support seen in the Crimean peninsula. If they continue, however, they could complicate Ukraine's plans—strongly supported by the U.S. and Europe—to hold presidential elections May 25. The Kremlin has called for delaying that vote, saying that ethnic Russian regions won't have an adequate voice. Local authorities in the eastern cities, backed by security officials from Kiev, vowed to subdue the secessionists, but as of Monday evening they appeared to be avoiding direct confrontation. Western diplomats fear that a broad crackdown could provide Moscow a pretext to use the tens of thousands of troops it has deployed just across the border. Ukraine has deployed its own forces on its side of the frontier, but they would likely be overwhelmed by the bigger and better-equipped Russian force," the article reads.
The article also touches upon the immediate economic impact of the events in Easter Ukraine: "Russian stocks fell sharply following the unrest and then again after the broadcast, with the Micex tumbling as much as 3.3% and the dollar-denominated RTS Index sliding 4.5% The ruble ended the day down almost 1% against the dollar."
