Agence France-Presse (AFP) cites the Atlantic Council for honoring Ukrainian singer and activist Ruslana Lyzhychko at its annual Distinguished Leadership Awards dinner:

Ukrainian pop star Ruslana, who spent months singing for protestors in Kiev, made an impassioned plea to US President Barack Obama to take “resolute action” and show “courage” to end the crisis in her homeland.

It came after Ukraine said its armed forces were on “full combat alert” against a possible Russian invasion and as authorities admitted they were helpless to prevent pro-Kremlin insurgents tightening their grip on the increasingly chaotic east of Ukraine.

“People of the world, I scream for help. I’m shocked. This is a tragedy of the 21st Century, this is the biggest crisis since World War II,” Ruslana told the Atlantic Council think tank in Washington, as she was awarded the “Distinguished Humanitarian Leadership Award.”

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