Escalating Violence in Ukraine Moves Closer to Civil War, Threatens Peace in Europe
WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome back, I'm Wolf Blitzer reporting from Washington. The escalating level of violence in Ukraine now centers on Slavyansk. A Ukrainian military helicopter was shot down there in eastern Ukraine. Ambulances shuttling the wounded from battles with pro- Russian separatists. The Ukrainian military is fighting to take back land seized by the militants but the Russian foreign ministry says the escalating violence threatens peace across Europe and moves the country closer to civil war. The spreading violence in Ukraine could show an expanding Russian appetite for more of the country, so where will it end? Who's going to stop the pro-Russian militants? And all of this coming, only days away from national elections. Our own Arwa Damon is joining us from Donetsk in Ukraine. Arwa, what's the feeling on the ground? How worried are they about an all-out civil war?</s>ARWA DAMON, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Very worried, Wolf. People are absolutely terrified. Not just about the consequences of an all-out civil war but what will happen if the Ukrainian forces decide to move into these various cities and use military means to try to regain control over the various buildings in the hands of the pro- Russian separatists, many of them in residential areas, in the very center of these cities. They're also greatly worried about what the consequences will be of a potential Russian invasion. On a more day-to-day basis, there's this overwhelming sense of lawlessness. People being picked up off the streets. The pro-Russian camp acting with complete impunity. There's no authority for anyone to turn to. Basic things like turning to the police force if something happens to you, that's not an option for people here anymore. They're trying to cope with seeing the very disintegration of their entire society, and basically of their entire lives.</s>BLITZER: So what's the likely -- between now and the elections at the end of the month, what's the likelihood this is going to spread? Really, I mean, we know there's an all-out civil war in Syria. You've covered that war. What's the likelihood we could see the start of that kind of bitter awful battle going on?</s>DAMON: Well, that's difficult to tell at this stage, Wolf. And also it's an issue of various people within the society becoming more polarized against one another. The more moves the Ukrainian government makes, the more bitter people here grow against it, at least those in the pro-Russian camp. What's also of great concern is what's going to happen when this referendum takes place. The pro- Russian camp plans on moving ahead with it on May 11th. They do believe that they will get the votes, or that it's going to be something of a foregone conclusion, that they will vote to be their own federal entity at least for now. And then that's supposed to lead on to another referendum, asking people whether or not they want to be a part of Russia. So there's so many uncertainties and unknowns in the future that are keeping everyone here on edge. And of course, everyone fearing the worst-case scenario. And that is, as you've been saying, an all-out war.</s>BLITZER: An all-out civil war. Something we hope can be avoided, cooler heads will prevail. Arwa, thanks very much. Nigeria, London , D.C., all had protests over the weekend. People taking to the streets to help bring back more than 200 kidnapped schoolgirls in Nigeria. Just ahead, how the Nigerian government responded.