Tag: Ukraine

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Kiev Pride: Hundreds Of Riot Police Swarm & Tear Gas Anti-LGBT Protesters

Kiev Pride Parade (image via Instagram/Yura Dvizhhon)

Prior to the start of Kiev’s Pride Parade today, Ukrainian police swarmed, tear-gassed and arrested 56 anti-LGBT protesters who had attempted to block a portion of the parade route.

From Reuters:

Ukrainian police said they had detained 56 members of far-right radical groups in Kiev on Sunday after scuffles before the capital’s gay pride march. Early in the morning, more than 150 far-right protesters had sought to block off the route of the march through central Kiev.

Small clashes broke out when police in riot gear moved to clear the street. “Several men who resisted and used gas canisters against law enforcement officers were detained,” the police said in a statement.

Far-right group C14 said police had surrounded its protesters, attacking them with batons and tear gas. “Look at how they protect ‘sexual minorities’ and violate the rights of regular Kiev citizens,” it said in a post on Facebook. More people were detained in a subsequent altercation near the Opera House, police said.

Fortunately, the parade then went off without any further incident. According to organizers, there were over 6,000 participants in the Pride vent.

Check out the first video below shot from a drone. No sound, but its amazing to get a clear view of how many riot police were there and how they surround and then move the protesters.

The second video shows the celebrants at the parade.

(h/t JoeMyGod)

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Ukraine: Gay Couple Attacked While Recreating “Walking While Gay” Video

From Bird In Flight:

Last week the creators of ChebuRussia TV published a video that documented how people in Moscow reacted to two young men walking around the city holding hands. The video has more than eight million views by now.

This experiment was widely discussed in Ukraine as well, and some speculated on whether the reaction to a similar couple in, say, Kyiv would be different.

Bird In Flight decided to see for themselves and filmed Zoryan and Tymur walking in crowded public spaces.

We can see that most of the people have a neutral opinion, they show no particular interest. This proves that the confrontation is between the two minorities.

The only problem is that one of the minorities is excessively aggressive. I think that law enforcement should start the so called ‘safari’ on aggressors, because the latter are discriminating against Ukrainians, popularizing violence and are making it clear with their actions and statements that law enforcement is insignificant to them and the aggression will remain unpunished.

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Over 100 AIDS experts were on Malaysia Airlines flight shot down over Ukraine

A large number of world-renowned AIDS researchers and activists heading to an international AIDS conference in Australia were on board a Malaysian jetliner that was shot down over Ukraine, officials said Friday, as news of their deaths sparked an outpouring of grief across the global scientific community.

There have been unconfirmed reports that up to 100 people on board the Boeing 777 were en route to the Victoria state capital of Melbourne to attend the 20th International AIDS conference, which starts Sunday, Victoria Premier Denis Napthine said, though he hastened to add that reports were conflicting and it was far too premature to give a precise figure.

The plane, which was flying from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, crashed Thursday with 298 people on board. American intelligence authorities believe a surface-to-air missile brought the aircraft down but it was not yet clear who fired it.

– from ABC News

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Malaysian Airlines flight shot down over eastern Ukraine

All major news sources are reporting a Malaysia Airlines flight, traveling from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur, has crashed in eastern Ukraine:

Malaysia Airlines confirmed that it lost contact with Flight 17 and that the plane’s last known position was over Ukrainian airspace, the airline said on Twitter.

The aircraft was “shot down” over Ukraine by “terrorists” operating a Buk surface-to-air missile system, according to the Facebook page of Anton Gerashchenko, adviser to the Ukrainian Interior Ministry. There were 280 passengers killed as well as 15 crew members, Gerashchenko’s post reads.

“We do not exclude that the plane was shot down and confirm that the Ukraine Armed Forces did not fire at any targets in the sky,” Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said, according to his website.

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President Obama announces sanctions against officials in the Russia for ties to unrest in Crimea

President Obama today announced sanctions against specific officials in the Russian government for their support of Crimea’s vote to secede from Ukraine in the most comprehensive sanctions against Russia since the end of the Cold War:

The sanctions are some of the most comprehensive placed on Russia since the Cold War. While they do not target Putin directly, that are aimed at individuals in his inner circle in the Russian government.

The measures are directed against 11 individuals, including Vladislav Surkov, a close adviser to Putin, Dmitry Rogozin, Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation, a Valentina Matviyenko, a senior lawmaker and chair of the upper house of parliament, and Viktor Yanukovych, the ousted former president of Ukraine.

Following a “referendum” in the region of Crimea, which has been occupied by Russian troops, Obama warned Putin in a phone call that the results, which overwhelmingly went in favor of Crimea joining Russia, would “never be recognized by the United States and the international community.”

According to a senior US official there will be further sanctions if Russia acts to formally recognize the referendum and annex Ukraine.

The European Union has announced assets freezes and travel bans for 21 individuals linked to the unrest in Crimea.

(via ABC News)

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President Obama signs executive order allowing government to “freeze” assets of Russian officials

President Obama issued an executive order on Thursday allowing his administration powers to freeze U.S.-based financial assets and property of Russian officials found to be responsible for Russia’s current military aggression against Ukraine.

Administration officials did not name specific individuals who will be targeted or how many would be sanctioned. They said the executive order will allow Treasury Department officials to freeze the assets of those who undermine democracy, peace and territorial integrity in Ukraine, those who misappropriate state assets and those who seize power without authorization from the interim government in Kiev.

A spokesman for House Speaker John A. Boehner’s office said: “We welcome this first step, but remain committed to working with the administration to give President Obama as many tools as needed to put President Putin in check as well as prevent Russia from infringing on the sovereignty of any of its other neighbors.”

The President has also called on Congress to approve a $1 billion aid package to Ukraine. The House will vote on that request on Thursday.

(via Washington Post)