KIEV, May 26 (RIA Novosti) – The Donetsk International Airport in southeastern Ukraine has indefinitely halted all arriving and departing flights after local self-defense forces demanded the pullout of Kiev’s troops from the facility, the local newspaper Novosti Donbassa newspaper reported Monday citing an airport spokesman.
“Several dozen armed DPR [Donetsk People’s Republic] representatives showed up on the airport’s territory at about 3 a.m. (12 p.m. GMT) and ordered Ukrainian servicemen guarding the inner perimeter of the airport to vacate the premises. There were neither gunshots nor an armed confrontation,” airport spokesman Dmitro Kosinov said.
Earlier reports cited airport management as saying there was a freeze on flights at the airport starting at 7 a.m. (4 a.m. GMT).
Kosinov noted the airfield "is not controlled by the DPR, the perimeter hasn’t been breached." He added there were no outsiders in secure areas.
The self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic earlier declared martial law starting Monday, according to chief Denis Pushilin.
The incidents followed an election day in Ukraine on Sunday, when the majority of the country went to the polls to vote for a new president. The vote was carried out against a backdrop of a deep political rift and a massive military crackdown on the country’s east that has killed scores of civilians.
