Russian Provocation (sigh) Again

"It is a blasphemous provocation from Russia, blasphemous because it took place on a holy night for Christians, on Easter night. This was clearly carried out by Russian special forces."
Artem Skoropadsky, spokesman, Pravy Sektor

"They drove right up to the barricade and started shooting from the vehicles. Those who could get away did so. But they killed my friend. He was 22."
"They promised a ceasefire for (Sunday), and then they do this. Why?"
Unnamed witness

"There was no organization in Slavyansk other than the saboteurs and criminals who are supported and armed by officers of the GRU, Russia's military intelligence agency."
Ukraine state intelligence agency statement

"Innocent civilians were killed as a result of an armed attack by militants from the so-called Pravy Sektor."
Russian Foreign Ministry statement

The great mystery; who could have driven four vehicles up to a pro-Russian blockade protected by "self defence" units from Slavyansk, to attack the innocent and unarmed civilian activists -- peaceful protesters armed with sticks only manning the barricades -- with the obvious intention of killing them, and destroying the integrity of a peace agreement signed by Ukraine and Russia.

Those who were attacked and who managed to have units from Slavyansk arrive to return fire, insist this was a dastardly but typical Ukrainian plot.

The barricade with its peaceful protesters were set upon by black-clad snipers who would have murdered them all had it not been for the timely intervention of the "self defence" units. The tire barricaded checkpoint bore the presence of two burnt-out vehicles with bullet holes in the rear vehicle caused by having been fired upon from the opposite direction to the barricade. Both appeared to have been moved since they had caught fire.

Moscow, along with the separatist militia controlling Slavyansk blame Pravy Sektor -- the far right Ukrainian militia not quite favoured by the temporary Ukrainian government for its right-wing views, but whose support at the Maidan which helped bring down the government of Viktor Yanukovych was critical at the time -- for the micro-battle. It is a charge denied by Pravy Sektor and by Ukrainian authorities who are convinced they know the genesis of the situation.

LifeNews publishing of a video purportedly giving evidence of Pravy Sektor involvement comprised of items captured from the attackers which included American greenbacks, a Second World War-era machine gun, and the business card of Dmytro Yarosh, head of Pravy Sektor was meant to cement the contention of Ukrainian bedevilment. The pro-Kremlin Russian tabloid hardly presents as a neutral arbiter of news and proof, and the government of Ukraine went them one better.

A dossier obtained by CNN courtesy of Ukrainian officials contains images that demonstrate convincingly enough Russian "sabotage-reconnaissance groups" actively engaged to promote unrest and disinformation, and to engage in incitement to action against the Ukrainian authority on the part of Russians infiltrating Ukrainian towns. Proof-positive of Russian activity regionally.

Ukrainian officials have interpreted the images of weapons-equipped gunmen in eastern Ukraine. They match images of Russian forces taken earlier in Crimea, in Russia itself, and during Russia's invasion of Georgia in 2008. Moreover, security officials in Ukraine informed CNN they had arrested a woman whom Ukrainian officials identify as a Russian intelligence agent, as well as another, Russian military officer.

But the pro-Russian activists have appealed to Russia to send in "peacekeeping" troops, to protect them from the violently malign intentions of the Ukrainian militias they claim are shadowing them, meaning to inflict harm upon the innocent civilians of the area who only want, after all, to have their mission to achieve autonomy and a sheltering relationship with Russia assured in their future.

The "people's mayor" of Slavyansk, Vyacheslav Ponomarev, head of the Slavyansk separatists, wants Russia to send weapons, food and medicine if it hesitates to directly send in troops. He favours, he says, a peaceful solution to the crisis, but would not speak directly with the government in Kyiv, since it is an an "illegitimate junta."

While he and his new Russian aligned regime are quite legitimate in their secessionist aspirations as proud ethnic Russians who just happen to be occupying Ukrainian geography.