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            Ukraine's Yatsenyuk: 'Bandits' Will Not Disrupt Election

   by VOA News

   Ukraine's interim prime minister addressed the country Saturday on the
   eve of a crucial presidential election.
   Arseniy Yatsenyuk said Ukrainians will not allow "bandits sponsored
   from abroad" to disrupt elections - an obvious reference to Moscow's
   backing of pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine.
   His comments came one day after Russian President Vladimir Putin vowed
   to recognize the outcome of the election, while voicing hope that
   Ukraine's new president will end military operations against
   separatists in the east.
   Mr. Putin's comments came even as separatist forces ambushed a
   Ukrainian militia group near the Russian border, killing at least two
   Ukrainian volunteers and wounding nine others.  Thirteen government
   troops were killed by separatists in the same area Thursday, raising
   fears of fresh violence in the run-up to Sunday's vote.
   Hours after Mr. Putin's comments, the U.S. State Department called on
   Moscow to pressure armed pro-Russian separatists in eastern cities to
   "cease their violent activities and lay down their arms" ahead of the
   voting. Spokeswoman Marie Harf also cited instances of missing ballot
   boxes and seized voter registration lists in the east as impediments to
   successful polls.
   For its part, the interim Kyiv government has promised to halt
   anti-separatist operations to accommodate Sunday's vote, which is
   widely seen as the most important election since Ukraine gained
   independence with the 1991 dissolution of the Soviet Union.
   Some analysts are interpreting the Russian president's comments as a
   sign the Kremlin is attempting to avoid more Western sanctions first
   imposed when Russian lawmakers voted to annex Ukraine's Crimean
   peninsula in March.
   In Kyiv Friday, interim President Oleksandr Turchynov urged all voters
   to participate in Sunday's ballot -- a vote he said will "cement the
   foundation of our nation."  However, it remained unclear whether any
   voting will take place in eastern cities where separatists have seized
   buildings and declared autonomous zones free of Ukrainian rule.
   Twenty-one candidates are competing to become Ukraine's next
   president.  Polls indicate billionaire candy-maker Petro Poroshenko
   holds a commanding lead, but falling just short of the absolute
   majority needed to claim a first round win.
     ''
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   [1]http://www.voanews.com/content/interim-ukraine-pm-bandits-will-not-d
   isrupt-election/1921646.html

References

   1. http://www.voanews.com/content/interim-ukraine-pm-bandits-will-not-disrupt-election/1921646.html