Ukraine crisis: Russia's Putin 'backs 25 May election'

(BBC) Russia's President Vladimir Putin says Ukraine's presidential election on 25 May is a step "in the right direction".

But he said the vote would decide nothing unless the rights of "all citizens" were protected.

Ukraine's PM described as "hot air" Mr Putin's call for an independence referendum, planned this weekend by separatists in the east, to be delayed.

Mr Putin also said that Russia had pulled back its troops from the border, as tension remains high.

Moscow has said it will protect the rights of the largely Russian-speaking people in the south and east against what it calls an undemocratic government in Kiev.

Full story: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-27314816


-- BBC 2014-05-08

Russia WILL take Ukraine, one way or another! If the outcome is not good for Putin, he will just invade.....

I hope Thailand has enough backbone to send ALL Russians back and boycott Russia as well!

The whole world will just watch and moan, but will do nothing as they are too scared of Putin....

I, for one, will boycott anything Russian! Only Absolut wodka from now on :-)

Thailand will ban Russians when they run out of money, if they are spending they will be fine. Say the word Ukraine to a thai and they will look askance. They are not in the world game like the US and Europe.

When I heard this I wondered whether Putin has established in advance that he probably has the numbers? Is he saying he welcomes the election because its a bit like Thailand with the red shirts being such a huge number of voters and they cant stop them ( pro Russian )from winning? Yanukovych won last time with 35.8% of the vote.

It seems American mercenaries are operating in the Ukraine and have been credited with killing civilians which should be no surprise as Blackwater has a long history of doing so.

The Yanks should keep in mind that Russia is no Iraq (and they couldn't even win there).

Marc Burleigh @marcburleigh

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Rebels in Donetsk in east #Ukraine give press conference & claim 89% of voters in province cast ballots in favour of self-rule @AFP

the Kremlin said Monday "it respects the secession referendum in eastern Ukraine and hopes for a "civilized implementation" of the results through talks between Kiev and representatives in the east."

but

Head of Defense and Security Council Andriy Parubiy as saying in interview Should Russia recognize referendums and take active steps against its neighbor, “I reiterate once again that Ukraine will defend its territory."