Your support helps us to tell the story
As your White House correspondent, I ask the tough questions and seek the answers that matter.
Your support enables me to be in the room, pressing for transparency and accountability. Without your contributions, we wouldn't have the resources to challenge those in power.
Your donation makes it possible for us to keep doing this important work, keeping you informed every step of the way to the November election
Andrew Feinberg
White House Correspondent
Pro-Russian separatists have freed seven international military observers in eastern Ukraine, according to Russian media.
The observers, associated with the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), were captured in the town of Sloviansk on 25 April.
This morning pro-Russian separatist leader Vyacheslav Ponomaryo confirmed that seven observers and five Ukrainian officers had been released.
They had been accused of espionage by anti-Kiev protesters and were held as “prisoners of war”, according to Ponomaryo.
The news comes after Ukrainian forces staged a dawn raid against a rebel stronghold in the town of Kramatorsk in eastern Ukraine, seizing a television tower on the outskirts of the city.
Last night Ukraine’s interior minister Arsem Avakov vowed that they “will not stop”.
"Overnight, forces participating in the anti-terrorist operation in Kramatorsk took control of the TV tower that was previously held by the terrorists," he added.
Kramatorsk lies about 17 kilometres (10 miles) south of the city of Slovyansk, which was the centre of a major Ukrainian-led offensive against Russian separatists on Friday.
Last week, Russian officials said the clashes in Slovyansk had destroyed last month’s Geneva Pact intended to defuse the crisis.
Last week the interim government in Kiev reintroduced military conscription, in response to what the government views as an intensifying security threat from Russia.
It is understood that Russia is believed to have some 40,000 troops on its border with Ukraine.
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments