(VICE News, 5-28-14)
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| Vulture (Kap, La Vangardia, Spain/pri.org) |
Only
hours after Petro Poroshenko was announced the winner of Ukraine's
presidential elections, the worst violence of the two month long crisis
in eastern Ukraine exploded at Donetsk' Sergei Prokofiev Airport.
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| Topless FEMEN protesters fight police |
Early
Monday morning, gunmen of the Donetsk People's Republic arrived at the
airport and took over the terminal building, prompting the Ukrainian
military based there to issue an ultimatum to the rebels to lay down
their weapons and leave.
A massive firefight broke out during which both
fighter jets and attack helicopters were used by the Ukrainian military.
The sound of gunfire and explosions filled the air as rebels and
journalists ducked for cover along the access road to the airport
terminal.
VICE News found a small unit of DPR gunmen among the
trees along the access road who had pulled back from their earlier
positions closer to the airport. Gunfire seemed to follow them as shots
hit the wall on the other side of the road and one of their wounded
fighters, who had been shot in the upper thigh was evacuated in a
civilian car. The gunfire intensified and the unit was forced to
withdraw.
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| Mourning in Ukraine |
The next morning gunfire could still be occasionally
heard but the situation still remained unclear. Both sides claimed they
controlled the airport, though it was clear that the Ukrainians had
taken control and casualty figures were fluctuating, as more bodies were
brought into the local morgues. At least 33 DPR gunmen had been killed
in the assault, while the government was claiming 150 perished in the
fight.
Let Them Eat Cake
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