Tension simmers

Russia issued a sharp warning yesterday that it will strike back if its "legitimate interests" in Ukraine are attacked, raising the stakes in the Cold War-like duel with the United States over the former Soviet republic's future.
"If our interests, our legitimate interests, the interests of Russians have been attacked directly, like they were in South Ossetia for example, I do not see any other way but to respond in accordance with international law," Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told state-controlled RT television, referring to Russia's armoured invasion of Georgia in 2008.
Moscow also insisted that Kiev withdraw the forces it has sent into eastern Ukraine to dislodge pro-Russian rebels who have seized control of government buildings in several towns.
Both Kiev and Washington believe the current crisis is being deliberately fuelled by Russian President Vladimir Putin in a bid to restore former Soviet glory.
The Kremlin has an estimated 40,000 Russian troops poised on Ukraine's eastern border, prompting Washington yesterday to start deploying 600 US troops to boost NATO's defences in eastern European states neighbouring Ukraine.
The first unit of 150 US soldiers arrived in Poland on Wednesday, with the remainder arriving in Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia in the coming days.
Russia said it wants Kiev to pull back its army units and start a "genuine internal Ukrainian dialogue involving all of the country's regions".
Lavrov accused the US of orchestrating the new offensive, noting that it was announced immediately after a two-day visit from US Vice President Joe Biden to Kiev.
"The Americans are running the show," he told RT.
There were no immediate reports of any confrontation between the Ukrainian military and the pro-Moscow fighters.
In Slavyansk yesterday, the streets were calm, with locals walking about as usual.
A handful of rebels wearing camouflage gear and ski masks but with no apparent weapons stood outside the barricaded town hall they are occupying.
In front of the building were three photos of militants killed in a weekend attack on a nearby roadblock that the separatists have blamed on pro-Kiev ultra-nationalists.
The local rebel leader, Vyacheslav Ponomaryov, who styles himself as Slavyansk's "mayor" told a news conference that the two journalists being held were unharmed.