Observers detained in Ukraine ‘in good health’

SLAVIANSK (Ukraine) — A group of international observers detained by pro-Russian separatists in the east Ukrainian city of Slaviansk appeared in public yesterday, giving assurances they were not being mistreated, but said they were anxious to go home soon.

Their appearance at a press briefing in the separatist-held city administration building yesterday was their first one since they were held three days ago.

The meeting with the press came ahead of new sanctions on Russia that could be announced today. Washington and Brussels are expected, as early as today, to name new people and firms close to Russian President Vladimir Putin who will be hit by punitive measures, but there is no consensus yet on wider economic sanctions, officials said.

The seven officers from the observer team and their translator spoke to journalists yesterday as guards — carrying Kalashnikov rifles and clad in camouflage fatigues and balaclavas — stood in the room.

Colonel Axel Schneider from Germany, the leader of the team, stressed they were on a diplomatic mission under the auspices of the Organization of Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) when they were detained on Friday, and were not spying for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), as the separatists claim.

“We were accommodated in a cellar. We had to set up conditions for ourselves,” said Col Schneider, describing what happened after they were seized. “Since yesterday we’ve been in a more comfortable room with heating. We have daylight, and an air-conditioner.”

Mr Schneider told reporters he had not been touched, and that there had been no physical mistreatment of the group. He said the separatist de facto mayor of Slaviansk, Mr Vyacheslav Ponomaryov, had guaranteed the group’s safety, adding that he believed the mayor’s promise.

Mr Ponomaryov, who appeared with the detained men at the news conference, had said on Saturday that they could be released in exchange for jailed pro-Russia activists.

Col Schneider said: “We wish from the bottom of our hearts to go back to our nations as soon and as quickly as possible.”

An OSCE delegation seeking the observers’ release arrived for talks with Mr Ponomaryov yesterday.

Russia’s Foreign Ministry has said it is taking measures to resolve the situation. It said the Ukrainian government, which hosted the observers, bears full responsibility for their safety.

Earlier yesterday, United States President Barack Obama applied pressure on Russia, saying it had not lifted a finger to get the pro-Russian separatist rebels in Ukraine to comply with an international agreement to defuse the crisis.

“In fact, there’s strong evidence that they’ve been encouraging the activities in eastern and southern Ukraine,” said Mr Obama, speaking during a visit to Malaysia.

Mr Obama also called on the US and Europe to join forces to impose sanctions on Russia to stop it destabilising Ukraine.

Many European countries are worried about the risks of imposing tougher sanctions, not least because Europe has extensive business ties with Moscow and imports about a quarter of its natural gas from Russia.

British Foreign Secretary William Hague said, in the coming days, there would be “an expansion of existing sanctions, measures against individuals or entities in Russia”. Mr Hague said the fresh round of sanctions expected to be imposed on Russia would be an extension of existing measures imposed last month, including travel bans and asset freezes on individuals.

Since Ukrainians demanding closer links with Europe toppled their pro-Russian President in February, Russia has annexed Ukraine’s Crimean peninsula and massed tens of thousands of troops on the country’s eastern border.

The Western-backed government in Kiev accuses the Kremlin of planning to invade the east of Ukraine, and of preparing the ground by training and supporting the armed separatists who have seized about a dozen public buildings around the region.

Moscow denies interfering. It said Ukraine’s east is rising up in a spontaneous protest against what it calls an illegitimate government in Kiev which is mounting a “criminal” operation to suppress dissent. AGENCIES