Posted on July 29, 2013, MondayKYIV: Vladimir Putin urged Ukraine to join forces with Russia Saturday during a visit to Kyiv which saw feminist group Femen claim three of its activists were “abducted” ahead of a protest.The Russian president said the inhabitants of the two former Soviet states were “one people”, highlighting an ongoing tug-of-war Moscow has with Brussels over Ukraine’s moves to seek closer ties with the EU.In Ukraine to celebrate the 1025th anniversary of the arrival of Christianity in what was once known as Kyivan Rus, a vast territory comprising modern-day Ukraine >>>

KYIV, Ukraine, July 28 (UPI) -- A Ukrainian feminist group says three of its members and a photographer were kidnapped shortly before a protest in Kyiv, but police say they were arrested. The alleged kidnapping of activists Oksana Shashko, Alexander Shevchenko and Yana Zhdanova, as well as photographer Dmitry Kostyukov happened Saturday in Kyiv, RIA Novosti reported. The feminist group Femen -- which calls itself "sextremist" -- said the four were "severely" beaten and forced into a vehicle. The group said the kidnapping was organized by Russian and Ukrainian security services to prevent the >>>

Femen, which originated in Ukraine, sends attractive young women out to remove their tops at protests, exposing slogans written across their breasts and backs.But this approach has riled right wingers in Kyiv, who recently assaulted Femen supporter and political scientist Viktor Svyatsky.According to a report in the Mail Online, he was attacked close to Femen's headquarters and may have suffered a broken jaw.His assailants allegedly declared that "the girls will be next" if there were any Femen protests when Russian president Vladimir Putin visited the city.The following day, Femen posted a notice >>>

Russian President Vladimir Putin (right) and his Ukrainian counterpart Viktor Yanukovich attend a ceremony celebrating Navy Day in Sevastopol yesterday.AFP/KyivA photographer and three members of the feminist movement Femen known for their bare-breasted protests were illegally held in police custody overnight after being abducted by unknown assailants during Vladimir Putin’s visit to Ukraine, the group said yesterday. Police denied the four were snatched off the streets of the Ukranian capital Kyiv in broad daylight on Saturday. A police spokesman said they were detained when the topless >>>