If Putin needed a pretext to finally drive across the Ukraine border, he got it following first the death of nearly 40 pro-Russian protesters in Odessa during a confrontation between pro-Russia and pro-Kiev forces, and then, what appears to be a storming in progress right now by the Ukraine national guard of yet another separatist-controlled city in east Ukraine: Kramatorsk. According to RT, Ukraine’s... 

Russia has raised concern over Ukraine’s military build-up in the region, urging members of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) to address the issue in an upcoming meeting. According to a statement released by the Russian Foreign Ministry on Monday, Kiev interim authorities have deployed 11,000 troops, 230 armored vehicles, 160 tanks and 150 artillery pieces to southeastern... 

This satellite image dated April 25 shows Ukrainian armored vehicles positioned near the city of Slavyansk, eastern Ukraine. Ukrainian tanks and armored vehicles have been stationed en masse around the Donetsk region city of Slavyansk, satellite images leaked to media reveal. A Russian defense source says that artillery and rocket systems have also been deployed to the area. RIA Novosti on Saturday... 

Ukraine’s Acting Foreign Minister Andriy Deshchytsia Ukraine acting foreign minister says Kiev is ready to fight Russian troops if Moscow deploys forces to the country. “The Ukrainian people and Ukrainian army are ready to do this. Ukraine will confront Russia. We will defend our land. We will defend our territory,” the Associated Press quoted Andriy Deshchytsia as saying. The Ukrainian official... 

Russia holds military drills near the Ukrainian border as a response to Kiev’s using armed forces against pro-Russian protestors and NATO’s recent European exercises. Russia’s military drills came on Thursday after President Vladimir Putin accused Kiev of using armed forces against protesters in Ukraine’s eastern regions. Earlier on Thursday Ukrainian troops entered the eastern city... 

Five anti-government protesters have reportedly been killed and one injured in the eastern Ukrainian town of Slavyansk after Kiev authorities sent tanks and armored vehicles against the local population. “During the antiterrorist operation, three checkpoints erected by illegal military groups have been destroyed in the northeastern part of Slavyansk,” the Ukrainian Interior Ministry said, adding:... 

Ukrainian security forces have launched a crackdown on separatist protesters in the eastern town of Slavyansk, where pro-Russian protesters have seized government buildings. “An anti-terrorist operation has begun in Slavyansk. It is being directed by the anti-terrorist center of the state security service. Forces from all the security units of the country have been brought in,” Ukraine’s Acting...