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WORLD NEWS Thursday 2 March 2017
Russia-backed rebels take over factories, mines in Ukraine

NATALIYA VASILYEVA flict and find themselves on
Associated Press the verge of survival in the
MOSCOW (AP) — Russian- heart of Europe in the 21st
backed rebels are taking century.”
over scores of factories and The foundation says it has
mines in eastern Ukraine, given away more than 11
many of them belonging million food packages to
to a tycoon whose founda- local residents. The sepa-
tion has been the largest ratists do not allow Ukrai-
provider of humanitarian nian aid in, and in recent
aid to a war-battered pop- months have barred virtu-
ulation. ally all international orga-
The moves announced nizations from operating
Wednesday by the rebels there.
came after a weekslong Russia has been delivering
blockade of the east by aid to the rebel-controlled
Ukrainian nationalists and east too, but some of the
right-wingers. deliveries have ended up
The blockade has seriously in the fighters’ hands. Un-
disrupted trade on both like Akhmetov’s food pack-
sides, cutting off much of ages, Russian aid was not
the coal shipments to gov- distributed directly to the
ernment-controlled territory population.
and impeding shipments Russian Foreign Minister
from the mills and factories Sergey Lavrov said, in view
that are the east’s eco- Members of nationalist groups shout slogans during protests outside the Ukrainian Parliament in of the blockade, the rebel
nomic backbone. Kiev, Ukraine. (AP Photo/Sergei Chuzavkov) authorities “hardly had any
Ukrainian President Petro other choice” other than to
Poroshenko’s government to challenge the nationalist tions against those involved ropean soccer champion- seize the businesses.
has spoken against the groups. in the assets’ seizure. ships and now serves as a Kremlin spokesman Dmi-
blockade, saying it hurts Poroshenko on Wednesday Akhmetov’s foundation warehouse for the relief ef- try Peskov told reporters
ordinary Ukrainians in the described the rebel take- said in a statement that its fort. on Wednesday that Mos-
rest of the country by cut- over of the industrial assets work in the region was par- Efforts to block the founda- cow is concerned about
ting off coal shipments in the east as a de-facto alyzed after rebels blocked tion’s access to its facilities a worsening humanitarian
from separatist regions and confiscation and a sign of access to Akhmetov’s in Donetsk “is a threat to situation in the east and
creating power shortages. Russia’s “occupation” of Shakhtar FC arena in the the lives of Donbass civilians pledged that it “will do its
However, it has taken no the separatist territories. rebel capital of Donetsk, who have become hos- best to contribute to a de-
action to break it, fearing He called for Western sanc- which hosted the 2012 Eu- tages of the armed con- escalation” in the area. q

German foreign minister skeptical

on NATO defense spending boost

JARI TANNER said during a visit to the
Associated Press Estonian capital of Tal-
TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — linn. “I think our neighbors
Germany’s foreign minis- wouldn’t like to see this in
ter voiced his skepticism 10 to 15 years.”
Wednesday about plans Estonia is one of a handful
to increase the country’s NATO members meeting
defense spending to meet the NATO target, though
NATO targets, saying it its spend is clearly dwarfed
could raise concerns in Eu- by Germany’s. Estonia’s
rope by turning Germany spend of 2.2 percent of its
into “a military suprema- GDP amounts to around
cy.” 477 million euros, far less
Sigmar Gabriel, whose than the 35.1 billion euros
Social Democratic Par- ($38 billion) that Germany
ty is Chancellor Angela spent last year.
Merkel’s junior coalition Germany is a lead nation
partner, said a decision by in NATO’s effort to reassure
Germany to raise defense the Baltics, commanding a
spending from around 1.3 brigade that has recently
percent of its gross do- been stationed in Lithu-
mestic product today to ania.
NATO’s target of 2 percent Britain commands a similar
could cause angst else- multi-national brigade in
where in Europe, given the Estonia, while Canada has
country’s militaristic past. command of one in Latvia
“This would be a defense and the United States an-
supremacy, a military su- other in Poland.
premacy in Europe,” he q