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Use of force in Ukraine could start civil war-Russian envoy

by Reuters
Monday, 14 April 2014 16:31 GMT

VIENNA, April 14 (Reuters) - Any use of armed force against pro-Russian demonstrators in eastern Ukraine could spark a civil war, Moscow's envoy to the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) said on Monday.

"The (Ukrainian) acting minister of the interior has said that armed forces will be used against those who are in the manifestations and also there are units being organised of paramilitary people who will be given weapons and who will be under command of the officers. It will be, as we heard, nearly 12,000 of these people. This is dangerous," Andrey Kelin told reporters, speaking in English.

"In Moscow we strongly believe it might lead to a civil war. We are very worried," he said after an OSCE Permanent Council meeting to discuss the situation in Ukraine. (Reporting by Michael Shields; Editing by Robin Pomeroy)

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