Ukrainian Military Moves Against Pro-Russia Protesters
Ukraine's acting president says his nation's military has begun "an antiterrorist operation" aimed at pushing armed pro-Russia demonstrators out of the government buildings in eastern Ukraine that they have occupied for several days.
The effort appears to have begun in the city of Slovyansk, NPR's Ari Shapiro said Tuesday on Morning Edition. He reported from the eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk, one of the places where the pro-Russia protesters have seized some government facilities.
As Ukrainian officials try to dislodge the pro-Russia demonstrators, Ari says Russia's role in support of the protests "seems much more evident." In the town of Horlivka on Monday, Ari reports, after demonstrators took control of the mayor's office "a new commander introduced himself as a lieutenant colonel in the Russian Army."