Ukraine Arrests 39 pro-Russian ‘Terrorists’ in Odessa
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semakokal/iStock/Thinkstock(ODESSA, Ukraine) — Ukrainian security forces said Friday they arrested 39 “terrorists” in the Odessa region of Southern Ukraine, saying the group planned to launch an armed rebellion to join the city up with pro-Russian rebels in the east.
Ukrainian officials said they also seized a large number of weapons and explosives allegedly belonging to the group, one of the largest arrests of alleged Russian-sympathisers to have happened since the conflict began.
The city of Odessa is heavily Russian-speaking and has repeatedly been cited as a likely target for further Russian annexation.
The arrests came Thursday night before a visit by Ukraine’s President Petro Poroshenko.
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