Following more firefights and government building seizures amid the so-called "liberation of Southeast Ukraine," the Maidan's demands that the government not "give up like in Crimea" [7]appear to be resonating woth leadership. Ukraine's interior minister Arsen Avakov has declared: "The Ukrainian authorities consider the events of the day as a display of external aggression from Russia," adding that, ""Units of the interior and defense ministries are implementing an operational response plan." Russia was quick to respond with threats of war action if Ukraine suppresses pro-Russia 'self-defense' forces. As Reuters adds, with the crisis escalating militarily, the specter of "gas wars" is looming with Ukraine's Energy Minister declaring, "we are probably steering towards Russia turning off its gas provision."
#Ukraine [8] government considers today actions as a manifestation of external aggression #Russia [9] http://t.co/6QTLDVhaAh [10]
— Ukraine Reporter (@StateOfUkraine) April 12, 2014 [11]
Armed separatists took virtual control of a city in eastern Ukraine on Saturday and Kiev prepared troops to deal with what it called an "act of aggression by Russia".
Pro-Russian activists carrying automatic weapons seized government buildings in Slaviansk and set up barricades on the outskirts of the city. Official buildings in several neighboring towns were also attacked.
...
"The Ukrainian authorities consider the events of the day as a display of external aggression from Russia," Interior Minister Arsen Avakov said in a statement.
"Units of the interior and defense ministries are implementing an operational response plan," he added.
Which it seems Russia is quick to respond to...
Adm.#Kabanenko [13]: #Moscow [14] sources confirmed start war action in #Ukraine [8] If #Ukraine [8] suppresses pro-#Kremlins [15] #Russian [16] troops will be involved
— Ukraine Reporter (@StateOfUkraine) April 12, 2014 [17]
Which leaves the threat of "gas wars" imminently hanging in the air...
With the crisis in Ukraine still unresolved, the gas dispute threatens to affect millions of people across Europe.
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Russia is demanding Kiev pay a much higher price for its gas, and settle unpaid bills. Russian state-owned gas giant Gazprom and its Ukrainian counterpart, Naftogaz, are in talks, but the chances of an agreement are slim.
"I would say we are coming nearer to a solution of the situation, but one in the direction that is bad for Ukraine," Ukrainian Energy Minister Yuri Prodan said in an interview with the German newspaper Boersenzeitung
"We are probably steering towards Russia turning off its gas provision," he was quoted as saying.
That raised the specter of a repeat of past "gas wars", when Ukraine's gas was cut off with a knock-on effect on supplies to EU states.
And The US quickly got involved...
Washington backed Kiev's assessment that Moscow was responsible. "Worrisome violence in ... Ukraine today. Russia again seems to be behind it," State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said on Twitter.
And of course, here is the YouTube proof that Washington needed...
How #Russian [16] separatists seized the building of State Security office in #Sloviansk [18], #Donetsk [19] oblast http://t.co/HQeIoD93cf [20] | PR #Ukraine [8]
— Euromaidan PR (@EuromaidanPR) April 12, 2014 [21]