All Is Not Well on Ukraine’s Eastern Front. Russia turns off the gas to Ukraine after failing to reach deal sparking EU price hike fears. Analysts warn that decision could disrupt gas stockpiles for the winterUkraine's pipelines also carry gas being sold to countries further westGazprom warns of 'disruption' in case Ukraine decides to siphon off gas By Associated Press Published: 10:40 GMT, 16 June 2014 | Updated: 18:22 GMT, 16 June 2014 Ukraine had gas supplies from Russia turned off today after it missed a deadline to pay nearly £1.2billion in overdue bills.
A spokesman for Gazprom, Russia's state-controlled energy giant, said that from now on the company would demand that Kiev pay in advance for gas. While the decision does not immediately affect gas flow to the rest of Europe, analysts warned it could disrupt the whole region's long-term energy supply. Any shortage could see heating bills rocket.
Scroll down for video A Gazprom worker at gas measuring station Sudzha, in Kursk, Russia just 200 metres from the Ukrainian border. Ukraine military helicopter is shot down by pro-Russian 'terrorists' killing 14. Helicopter shot down with Russian anti-aircraft missiles, says acting PMArmy General Serhiy Kulchytskiy among the dead in attack in SlovyanskKulchytskiy once served in Soviet army and was head of combat training for Ukraine's National GuardsPro-Moscow rebels impose curfew in Donetsk after declaring martial lawReports suggest Kiev has sent armoured vehicles to the embattled cityRebel to residents: 'We aren't Germans, we won't kill you immediately'Insurgent says fighters captured four security monitors but will free them By Simon Tomlinson Published: 08:28 GMT, 29 May 2014 | Updated: 16:06 GMT, 29 May 2014 A Ukrainian military helicopter has been shot down by rebels over Slovyansk, killing 14 troops on board, including a general.
Acting President Oleksandr Turchynov told the parliament in Kiev that insurgents used a portable air defense missile to down the helicopter. Turchynov said army General Serhiy Kulchytskiy was among the dead. Russia accuses the West of pushing Ukraine into 'fratricidal war' as Chechen leader denies sending troops to help pro-Moscow forces. Sergei Lavrov repeats calls to end Ukrainian strikes on pro-Kremlin forcesKiev troops have killed dozens of insurgents in east of country this weekUkrainian president-elect vows to end insurgency and put rebels on trialChechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov denies claim he sent troops to help rebels By Simon Tomlinson Published: 15:00 GMT, 28 May 2014 | Updated: 17:24 GMT, 28 May 2014 Russia today accused the West of pushing Ukraine into a 'fratricidal war' and repeated Moscow's calls for an end to the interim Ukrainian government's military action against pro-Kremlin separatists.
The remarks from Sergei Lavrov, the foreign minister, were in line with frequent Russian statements placing blame on the United States and EU for the turmoil in Ukraine, where government forces killed dozens of rebels in the eastern Donetsk province on Monday and Tuesday. Analysis: Russia's Crimea move poses West huge questions. 18 March 2014Last updated at 13:56 GMT By Jonathan Marcus BBC diplomatic correspondent Nato now faces perhaps its greatest post-Cold War challenge It may not be Belgium's answer to the Sochi Winter Olympics but the roof-line of Nato's shiny new headquarters in Brussels looks like several giant ski-jumps fused together.
The new headquarters - as yet unfinished and over-budget - seemed to many critics a costly extravagance at a time when the alliance was searching for a role. Even more so since cost-cutting was forcing Nato countries to reduce staffing levels significantly. The echo of Sochi is coincidental, but the upsurge of tensions between Russia and the West may have given Nato new purpose. Though much of the rhetoric and the cast of characters may be reminiscent of earlier times, this will not simply be a reprise of the Cold War. But nobody should be under any illusions.
Hopes dashed Such views were quickly seen as premature. Narratives are important here. Taste of the future. Minutes from war: Ukraine claims Russian forces have demanded the crews of two warships surrender within the hour or face being attacked. Ukraine admits pro-Russian troops have seized Crimean military bases16,000 Russian troops have been deployed to the region, Kiev's UN Ambassador told an emergency meeting Russia claims ousted Ukrainian president asked the country to send troops Moscow's UN envoy says Viktor Yanukovych wanted citizens 'protected'Russian troops also seized border posts and a key ferry terminal at KerchKremlin aide suggests Russia may refuse to pay loans if US issues sanctionsUkrainian acting Prime Minister says his nation will 'never' give up Crimea By David Williams and Will Stewart In Moscow and Sam Webb and Ted Thornhill and Mia De Graaf and Lizzie Edmonds.
Blood-soaked Crimea, crucible of war for centuries. By Edward Lucas PUBLISHED: 00:45 GMT, 3 March 2014 | UPDATED: 11:16 GMT, 3 March 2014 Back in the days when British schools taught history and poetry properly, every child knew about the Charge of the Light Brigade.
The epitome of military foolishness, when the flower of the British cavalry attacked Russia’s artillery batteries in the Battle of Balaclava in 1854. The blundering diplomacy which caused that war is less well known. Alfred, Lord Tennyson, whose poem immortalised the fiasco, would have struggled to versify the complex Anglo-French attempts to shore up the Ottoman empire, amid an obscure squabble about religious privileges in the Holy Land. The Crimea, setting for that most infamous calamity, is a peninsula with a blood-soaked and tragic history.