Business Standard

Russian flag over Ukrainian vehicles

Image

Reuters
Separatists flew the Russian flag on armoured vehicles taken from the Ukrainian army on Wednesday, humiliating a Kiev government operation to recapture eastern towns controlled by pro-Moscow partisans.

The armoured personnel carriers were driven into the rebel-held town of Slaviansk to waves and shouts of "Russia! Russia!". It was not immediately clear whether they had been captured by rebels or handed to them by Ukrainian deserters.

The military setback leaves Kiev looking impotent before a peace conference in Geneva on Thursday, when its foreign minister will meet his Russian counterpart for the first time since Moscow-backed president Viktor Yanukovich was toppled in February after deadly protests.
 
Moscow has responded to the overthrow of Yanukovich by declaring the Kiev government an illegitimate gang of fascists and announcing its right to intervene militarily across the former Soviet Union to protect Russian speakers, a new doctrine that has overturned decades of post-Cold War diplomacy.

Don't miss the most important news and views of the day. Get them on our Telegram channel

First Published: Apr 17 2014 | 12:08 AM IST

Explore News