Ukraine crisis. News in brief. Sunday 27 December. [Ukrainian sources]

SUNDAY

Please scroll down to view news items added during the course of the day

News -
Putin shelling Ukraine 66 times yesterday. So much for the "Christmas ceasefire".
Update - one soldier killed, three wounded yesterday. Also one woman civilian killed.

Weather -
Raining. Amazing. December 27 and rain. +4 now. Comfortable. Will be warm also tomorrow, and then...
forecast is for minus temperatures for a week or more.

http://www.themoscowtimes.com/business/article/ukraine-mps-approve-tit-for-tat-russian-trade-embargo/553805.html
KIEV — Ukraine's parliament voted on Thursday to give the government the right to impose a trade embargo against Russia, which said last week that it would suspend a free trade zone with Ukraine from Jan. 1.
The law, supported by 291 of parliament's 420 lawmakers, will come into force when it has been signed by the president.
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Story from Thursday, but in English.

9:15
http://kriminal.tv/news/zaharchenko_sdelal_gromkoe_zajavlkenie.html
"Knowing the level of training of our forces, technical equipment, high morale and proficiency, we can say: troops of the DNR can not only beat the army of Ukraine, but also to resist almost any European army. I would even say otherwise: few in Europe are able to withstand our troops, "- said Zakharchenko.
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Substitute DNR for Russia. And he sounds just like Putin. A clone.

Please scroll up or down to view news items added during the course of the day.

from
http://www.radiosvoboda.org/media/photogallery/27451654.html

Pres Putin’s rule is, apparently, running out, and one of Russia’s scenarios for the future is collapse, Russian journalist Sasha Sotnik writes for The Apostrof Dec. 27.

He says, “Even if pedestrians on the streets would tell before the camera that “Russia under Putin became a more respected country” or “we will stomach anything – important that Putin is with us” it does not mean anything. They are just aping what television tells them.

In fact, Russians think differently.

An average Russian citizen realizes quite well that Putin’s time is running out, and there’s nothing good in the cards for 2016. Putin has gone too far and can hardly avoid the collapse awaiting Russia and punishment for what he did.

West’s sanctions, ruble decline, empty state coffers, redistribution of country’s assets – these are just some of the problems to befall Russians in 2016.

Former crooks and thugs of the 90s have moved into offices and ministries, banks, becoming thriving businessmen, judges, prosecutors, etc.

Now, when the money will become scarce a big battle for cash will get under way, causing chaos, panic and dilapidation.

Whether Putin will be carved physically or removed from power, he won’t be able to stop the redistribution. The apparat will just ignore him as it is self-supporting.

Unlike the USSR collapse, the falling apart of Russia will take more cruel forms.

By tightening the screws, Putin excludes the return to a civilized Russia. It is the same as when a cancer tumor acquires control over the patient’s body. However, for Kremlin’s rulers there is no other way as they are aware that the future options for them are either death or criminal liability for their crimes.

That is why I predict that 2016 will either become the last year of Putin’s regime or indicate that Russia is headed for a collapse. No third alternative is in sight.”

zik.ua

Just how many countries can you sanction simultaneously? Well, if you're Russia, it seems the list is pretty much endless.

'Merry Christmas and a happy new set of sanctions to you' is Russia’s message to Ukraine from January 1. Fiona Clark wonders what will be left to eat in Moscow come the New Year.

First, in retaliation for Western sanctions imposed on Moscow over its actions in Crimea and western Ukraine, Russia banned the import of a long list of products from the EU, US, Canada, Australia and Norway.

Then other countries were added to the list, including Liechtenstein, Albania, Montenegro and Iceland, as punishment for their support of the West's sanctions. The ban of imports from the EU and US is said to be costing them somewhere between $9 and $11 billion (8 -10 billion euros),with products ranging from milk and cheese to meat, fruit and vegetables cut from the list of approved goods.

The next to be added to the sanctioned list was Turkey for the downing of Russia's fighter jet that allegedly flew into Turkish airspace a few weeks ago. Bans on imports of a host of products from Turkey, including meat, fruit and vegetables, will come into effect on January 1. And now - bringing the grand total of sanctioned countries to 38 - products from Ukraine,which used to be known as the "bread basket" of the Soviet Union, will also be banned as Russia punishes it for its bid to join a European trade agreement. It's not clear at the moment exactly what products will be affected, but whatever they are, they won't be crossing the border after December 31.

Empty shelves?

All of this makes you wonder what exactly will be left on supermarket shelves in Russia come the New Year. They aren't empty at the moment, but the assortment of products is significantly reduced, especially when it comes to dairy products. There used to be a myriad of yogurts and cheeses, but now the varieties are extremely limited, and even though Russia is making copies of popular types of cheese such as Gouda or mozzarella, the majority are made with palm oil because Russia can't produce enough milk to satisfy demand. About the only ones who are benefiting from the situation are the artisanal producers who have launched their own lines of goat cheese or soft varieties such as brie, but you have to be pretty well-off to afford them.

Russia has already warned of food shortages in the New Year as it struggles to find new markets in Africa, South America and Asia to fill the void while the products that used to come from Turkeydisappear from the shelves - tomatoes, cucumbers and citrus fruits will be especially difficult to find. Russia has already said that 15 percent of products from Turkey fail to meet sanitary standards - a standard line employed when Russia is angry with a country.

Let them eat cake?

In the meantime, analysts ponder why Putin is hurting his own people by imposing sanctions that limit their food supply.Well, only the wealthy are really affected. With a minimum wage about to rise to $87 or about 6,200 rubles (80 euros) a month, and an average salary of 31,000 rubles ($435, 400 euros ), the vast majority of Russians aren't eating Australian lamb or French brie. They're eating potatoes, beetroot and cabbage - just as they always have. And with real wages expected to fall by about 7.5 percent next year, it's unlikely they'll be developing gourmet tastes anytime soon.

Strangely, though, as the list of sanctioned countries grows, so does President Vladimir Putin's popularity. And with anti-Ukrainian sentiments still running high, this latest addition certainly won't hurt him. The only ones who will feel the bite are the wealthier, but ever less numerous, middle and upper-class earners - but without a decent flow of fruit and vegetables, perhaps they can eat cake?..................

To read further go to this link:   time-ua.com

Judge Oksana Beers denied a defense motion Dill leader Gennady Korban in the case against him regarding the disqualification of a judge Nicholas Chaus.

Recall, on Sunday, December 27 Dnipro district court of Kiev decided to forcibly drive the party leader Gennady Korban Ill to the meeting.

Earlier it was reported that the results of coronary angiography, doctors Amosov Institute insisted on immediate surgery politics - double stenting.

Subsequently, the state of health of Korban supposedly deteriorated and after heart surgery he was prescribed a stay on hospitalization up to 10 days.

At the same time, according to the head physician on medical matters of the National Institute of Cardiovascular Surgery. N.Amosova Intracoastal Alexander, leader of the party holding Ill minimally invasive intervention on the heart allowing its transportation to court.

glavcom.ua In Russian


Advocates leader Gennady Korban Dill said about another disqualification of judge Oksana Beers.

During the meeting at which the application of the protection leader Gennady Korban Dill recusal Chaus, the investigating judge Oksana Beers for the second time rejected the petition of the lawyers appointed forensic examination and the deposition of the meeting.

Therefore, the lawyers request the disqualification Bierce. But she refused the request.

glavcom.ua In Russian