April 3, 2014 -- Updated 1340 GMT (2140 HKT)
The killings of protesters in the Ukrainian capital during
anti-government demonstrations in February took place under the order of
ousted President Viktor Yanukovich, a report said on Thursday. FULL STORY
Kiev report blames ex-Ukraine leader Yanukovych for protest deaths
April 3, 2014 -- Updated 1255 GMT (2055 HKT)
NATO chief: Russia could invade 12 hours after order
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
- Ukraine report implicates ousted President Viktor Yanukovych in sniper attacks on protesters
- Yanukovych, who's in Russia, has denied personal responsibility for the bloodshed
- NATO to draw up plans to boost defenses in Eastern Europe
- NATO military chief: Russian forces could move swiftly into Ukraine
The preliminary report by
the Ukrainian government implicated pro-Moscow Yanukovych in the covert
planning of a series of sniper attacks in Kiev, backed by Russia,
during the rallies that eventually led him to flee across the border.
Presenting the findings
at a news conference, Interior Minister Arsen Avakov said evidence
showed Yanukovych had directly ordered snipers to open fire on
protesters. Yanukovych, now in Russia, has denied personal
responsibility for the bloodshed.
Twelve members of the feared Berkut special security forces have been detained as part of the investigation, Prosecutor General Oleh Makhnytsky announced.
The inquiry looked into
the shootings on Instytutska Street in Kiev, where dozens were killed on
February 18-20. Around 100 people are now known to have died in Ukraine
since the unrest began in November following Yanukovych's last-minute
U-turn over a deal with the European Union in favor of closer ties with
Russia.
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The new government in Kiev has since signed the political part of the association agreement with the EU.
The report also said
Russian Federal Security Service operatives had been involved in
planning operations against the protesters. Ukrainian
Security Service chief Valentyn Nalyvaychenko said the Russian agency
had sent "tons" of explosives and weapons by plane to Ukraine.
Moscow has claimed far-right protesters were behind the shootings in an effort to stir up anger against Yanukovych.
Moscow questions NATO
Earlier, Russian Foreign
Minister Sergey Lavrov said Moscow wanted answers from NATO regarding
activities in Eastern Europe after the Western military alliance said it
would step up defenses for its eastern members.
Russia's move to annex
the Crimea region from Ukraine last month has sparked the worst
East-West crisis since the Cold War and raised fears among its Eastern
European neighbors.
At a meeting this week,
NATO foreign ministers decided the alliance would draw up plans for
reinforcing NATO's defenses following Moscow's move -- which the West
deems illegal.
These would possibly
include measures such as sending NATO soldiers and equipment to allies
in Eastern Europe, holding more exercises and ensuring NATO's
rapid-reaction force could deploy more quickly, a NATO official said. It
could also include a possible review of NATO's military plans.
"We have posed these
questions to the North Atlantic Alliance. We are expecting not just any
answer but an answer fully respectful of the rules we have coordinated,"
Lavrov told a joint news briefing with his Kazakh counterpart.
Responding to criticism
from Kiev and the West over the presence of Russian troops along the
border with Ukraine, Lavrov said Russia had the right to move forces on
its territory and said they would return to their permanent bases after
completing military exercises.
"Russian troops in the
Rostov region will return to their bases after completing military
exercises," he said, referring to an area near the Ukrainian border.
NATO's military chief
warned Wednesday that Russian troops could begin moving on Ukraine
within 12 hours of being given an order.
Gen. Philip Breedlove,
NATO's supreme allied commander Europe, also said that with 40,000
troops massed near the border, Russia has all the components necessary
to move on Ukraine.
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