Ukraine crisis. News in brief. Wednesday 20 April [Ukrainian sources]

WEDNESDAY

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News -
23 attacks by Putin on Ukraine yesterday.
Update - sadly 3 soldiers killed, 5 wounded. Madness that is Putin and Russia.

Weather -
Another nice morning. Sunshine. 10 at 0930 hrs. But high only of maybe 14 today. Cooler basically now for the rest of the week. But not bad.
I've had the heating off now for 2 weeks. Hopefully I won't need to put it back on.

http://www.pravda.com.ua/news/2016/04/20/7106100/
ATO: 23 shelling in Donetsk and Mariupol directions
Wednesday, April 20, 2016, 7:12
In total, during the last day recorded 23 episodes of abuse by terrorists pro-Russian regime "complete silence", 11 of them with weapons prohibited by the Minsk agreements.
The press center ATO headquarters.
Thus, hybrid gangs activity recorded in Donetsk and Mariupol directions. Fire strikes with mortars caliber 120mm invaders inflicted towards the strongholds of the Armed Forces and the mine near Avdeevki Module. A gauge of 82 mm - in areas Lenina, Opitnoe, Shyrokynoho, Mayorska, Berdyansk and Marinka.
The greatest number of enemy attacks carried out in the direction of Marinka, where in addition to mortars, the positions forces ATO militants fired with heavy machine guns, grenade launchers and small arms. Total this village made 6 attacks.
In order to counter the enemy forces ATO had 9 times open fire in response, to prevent militants approaching a dangerous distance from Sahanky areas, and Trudovskaya ..

http://www.epravda.com.ua/news/2016/04/19/590071/
23:10
For three years, trade between Ukraine and Russia declined by 98 billion dollars
Tuesday, April 19, 2016, 20:09
The volume of trade between Ukraine and Russia in the years 2012-2015 total declined by 98 billion dollars mainly due to the introduction of illegal and discriminatory restrictions to trade.
It says Ukraine in the review of trade policy, submitted to the World Trade Organization, says "Interfax-Ukraine".
"The decline in the supply of metals and products from them, and mineral products caused a decline in exports to EU countries. However, the share of exports to the EU increased from 22.3% in 2012 to 34.1% in 2015," - the document says .
According to him, while the share of exports declined from 24.3% to 12.7% in 2016.
In general, Ukraine finds high dependence of its economy on exports, which in 2014 amounted to 48.6% of GDP, which leads to increased dependence on external economic conditions.
According to the State Statistics Service, the volume of trade of Ukraine with Russia peaked in 2011, exports amounted to 19.82 billion dollars, and imports - US $ 29.13 billion, in the next four years are rapidly declining.
In particular, exports of goods in 2012 fell by 11%, imports - by 5.9% in 2013 accelerated their fall respectively to 14.5% and 15.3%, in 2014 it reached 35% and 45.4% ...
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Ukraine now has free-trade with the EU. As for Russia - I see only decline while Putin's KGB brain is washed with paranoia.

http://www.pravda.com.ua/news/2016/04/19/7106086/
The Council must approve 19 draft laws for IMF tranche - Shymkiv
Tuesday, April 19, 2016, 23:10
Ukraine to receive the next tranche of the International Monetary Fund must approve 19 bills.
This was announced by deputy head of the Presidential Administration of Ukraine Dmytro Shymkiv at a briefing following the meeting of the National Council reform in Kiev on Tuesday.
"As for the IMF, we need to pass 19 bills. Their decision reveals receive the next tranche of the Fund in the amount of $ 1.7 billion, as well as additional guarantees of the US government for another $ 1 billion," - said Shymkiv.
In particular, a bill already introduced the President of Ukraine to the Verkhovna Rada, four - Parliament approved on first reading, two - Needing withdrawn and the government, another 12 - in need of re-introduction due to changes in government.
As for cooperation with the EU is at stake EUR105 million under the third tranche of macro-financial assistance. "It is necessary to pass five bills" - said Shymkiv.
According to him, all these 24 bills (19 + 5) should be adopted by the end of May. In addition, the end of 2016 as part of the program of association with the EU should take 129 bills....
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It will be interesting to see if the Tymoshenko block and Liashko Radical Party support any of this.
Probably not. I expect them to go mega populist.
Demand lower taxes, the hryvnia back to 8 to a dollar, free gas and electricity, free Mercedes for all babushkas, and whatever else will win some votes.

http://www.eurointegration.com.ua/news/2016/04/19/7048082/
Poroshenko expects the European Commission on Wednesday to submit a legislative initiative to free regime
President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko hopes that this will give the European Commission Wednesday to the European Parliament and the EU Council recommendation to grant Ukraine visa-free regime with the EU.
This Poroshenko said at a meeting of the National Council reform, Interfax-Ukraine.
"Tomorrow I will talk with European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, European Commissioner tomorrow will visit Ghana and we hope that tomorrow we will hear the news that the issue of visa-free regime will be transferred Eurocom...
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Big issue for many Ukrainians. They have never had the opportunity to travel to the west. Hopefully this will not be denied them.

http://censor.net.ua/news/385250/radikalnaya_partiya_ne_budet_golosovat_za_naznachenie_lutsenko_genprokurorom_vopros_zameny_kuma_na_kuma
10:31
Radical Party will not vote for the appointment of the public prosecutor Lutsenko: Question replacement godfather to godmother guards (Tsenzor.Net)
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Frankly I'm shocked Lutsenko has agreed to this position. He is much better in the Rada. He speaks well there - common sense.
Liashko - mega-populist.

http://novosti.dn.ua/details/273174/
Under Rada rally supporters of "traditional values" and defenders of LGBT rights PHOTOS
9:41 / 04/20/2016 - Donbass News
Today in Kyiv in the Verkhovna Rada passes the action entitled "Do not cut the family." It brought together about 120 representatives of Christian denominations that are aside of traditional families.
They demand to withdraw from the "National Strategy in the field of human rights for the period until 2020" items, and activities aimed at the legalization of same-sex partnerships and the promotion of homosexuality in Ukraine.
Also next to your meeting spend homosexuals, who are also fighting for their right to equality.
The action takes place peacefully. At the same time representative of the LGBT Zorian Kis it suggests that the representatives of sexual minorities after the end of the promotion can be attacked by right-wing radicals....





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Let's hope it stays peaceful. Right-wing nutters don't promote the image of Ukraine in Europe.

http://tsn.ua/politika/u-radi-zareyestruvali-zakon-yakiy-dozvolit-priznachati-genprokuroriv-bez-yuridichnoyi-osviti-634403.html
11:20
In parliament filed a law which will appoint Attorney General without legal education (TSN)
===
Looking like Lutsenko is going to be Prosecutor General.

http://www.unian.info/war/1324507-osce-records-militant-heavy-weapons-in-luhansk-donetsk.html
...."In violation of the respective withdrawal lines, the SMM saw seven multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS; BM-21 Grad, 122mm), seven self-propelled howitzers (2S1 Gvozdika, 122mm), and ten towed howitzers (five 2A65 Msta-B, 152mm, and five D-30 Lyagushka, 122mm) in Luhansk city," the OSCE SMM said in its daily update based on information received as of 19:30 local time on Monday, April 18, 2016.
READ ALSOOSCE SMM says pro-Russian militants threaten to open fire at monitors if close to Ukraine Army
At the same time, at a military-type compound in Leninskyi district of DPR-controlled Donetsk city, the SMM observed five surface-to-air missile systems (9K35 Strela-10, 120mm). The SMM also observed one surface-to-air missile system (9K33 Osa, 120mm) in an area east of Avdiyivka.....
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Putin preparing for a major offensive?

http://censor.net.ua/news/385276/rossiya_razvorachivaet_moschnye_peredatchiki_televizionnogo_i_radioveschaniya_na_granitse_s_harkovschinoyi
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Propaganda and propaganda. Russia today.

Dangerous - especially in Kiev. Quiet country roads are ok. Kiev needs cycle lanes.

http://www.unian.info/war/1325251-another-20-prisoners-returned-to-ukraine-from-uncontrolled-donbas.html#ad-image-0
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Unclear where they were convicted of crimes.

http://www.unian.info/war/1325370-osce-nearly-4700-ceasefire-violations-in-ukraine-per-day.html
====
4700 per day....
Putin's ceasefire.

http://en.censor.net.ua/news/385373/russia_tries_to_portray_crisis_in_ukraine_as_civil_war_nato_secretary_general
.... "This is Russia destabilizing Eastern Ukraine, providing support for separatists, ammunition, funding equipment and also command and control." ...
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Not only Russia. The BBC also.

http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-16-1490_en.htm
European Commission - Press release
European Commission proposes visa-free travel for citizens of Ukraine
Brussels, 20 April 2016
European Commission proposes visa-free travel for citizens of Ukraine
The European Commission is today proposing to the Council of the European Union and the European Parliament to lift visa requirements for the citizens of Ukraine by transferring Ukraine to the list of countries whose citizens can travel without a visa to the Schengen area.
This proposal comes after the Commission gave a positive assessment last December, confirming that Ukraine successfully met all benchmarks under the Visa Liberalisation Action Plan (VLAP)....
Once the proposal will be adopted by the European Parliament and the Council, Ukrainian citizens with biometric passports will no longer require visas when travelling for short stays of up to 90 days to the Schengen area. The visa-free travel will apply to all EU Member States except for Ireland and the UK, as well as the four Schengen associated countries (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland). The exemption concerns only short-stay visas valid for up to 90 days of travel in any 180-day period for business, tourist or family purposes. The visa exemption does not provide for the right to work in the EU.
Other entry conditions for accessing the Schengen area will continue to apply, including the need to be able to prove sufficient financial means and the purpose of the travel....

Ahead of May 9 Victory Day, the Russian command plans to launch a propaganda offensive of the Russian troops and rebels to demonstrate their successes in training the rebel units, Ukraine army intelligence says Apr. 20.

The Russians plan to capture small towns in the grey zone near Donetsk and Mariupol.

To beef up the propaganda impact, the offensive operations will take place while pro-Russian parties and movements invited to mark the V-Day are in Donetsk.

zik.ua

Director of the Center for Army, Conversion and Disarmament Valentine Badrak in an interview with "Commander in Chief" said that Russia has used and uses the territory of Ukraine as a testing ground to keep the rivalry or debate with the West.

"Under certain conditions, if the situation comes to a standstill, the maximum happen aggravation of relations between Russia and the United States, Russia and the West in general, the Moscow in compensation can demonstrate its strength by Ukraine as a weak target," - said Badrak.

The expert also said that Ukraine may at any moment be attacked by Russia. "I mean not only the Russian-provoking terrorist groups in Donbas, which nurture Russia, making it a small professional army, opposed to Ukraine. I am referring to a large-scale military operation on the part of the Russian Federation ", - said Badrak.

glavcom.ua In Russian/русский

SBU exposed the facts obtaining almost two dozen officials feykovye structure of the terrorist organization "DNI" pension and social payments from the state budget.

This informs the press service department.

Law enforcers have found that nineteen officials "Ministry of Social Policy" and other social institutions of the so-called "DNR" registered as IDPs in areas controlled by the Ukrainian authorities. Accomplice "settlers" and withdraw money couriers ferrying them separatists.

SBU informed of the facts revealed the Pension Fund, the social security authorities of Population and Social Security Fund, which suspended the pension and social payments to officials of the terrorist organization.

glavcom.ua In Russian/русский

Secretary General of North Atlantic Treaty Organization Jens Stoltenberg said that the crisis in Ukraine - it's not the Civil War and the destabilization from Russia.

This Stoltenberg said after the Russia-NATO Council.

The Secretary-General said that during the meeting it was reaffirmed that the Alliance and Russia at the same time a divergence of opinion when it comes to facts and understanding of who is responsible for the crisis in Ukraine.

"Many allies also passed a very strong message that we do not agree that Russia is trying to portray it (the crisis) as a civil war. This destabilizes the Russian eastern Ukraine by supporting the separatists ammunition, money, equipment, and also provides management and control. Therefore, we have deep differences related to the crisis in Ukraine, but we agreed on the importance of rapid and full implementation of the Minsk agreements, which means respect for the ceasefire, the withdrawal of all heavy weapons, and also, no doubt, (providing) full access to international observers for monitoring the situation on the ground, "- said Stoltenberg.

In this regard, he said that it is a clear signal to Russia, and in respect of which the NATO-Russia Council agreed: "We need to be able to see that this is not something in what was (only) stated at the meeting, but also put into practice. and Russia has a special responsibility, because Russia continues to support separatists in eastern Ukraine. "

glavcom.ua In Russian/русский

According to well-known Russian businessman Yevgeny Chichvarkin, the Russians began a hangover after the annexation of the Crimea. This he said in an interview to "TSN" .

According Chichvarkin, Putin and his entourage have deprived Russia of the future.

"Putin and his associates stole the idea of ​​the future. They deprived the country of the future and prospects. Their stability is actually pronounced nekrofilichnost. This is the power of the dead. Now the authorities are simply dead who simply want to preserve, just shut out the iron curtain on the sides, top and bottom, and to deprive the laws and rights. Here the fear of private initiative - is, in fact, the fear of all life ", - the businessman said.

He noted that the Russians do not live as good as at the time of the capture of the Crimea, but the euphoria has passed and people are only now realized that did something wrong.

"At a time when the Ukrainian company raised its head, the average Russian has historically never lived so well as he lived at the time of the capture of the Crimea or the victory in the Olympic Games. 600 billion of foreign exchange reserves - just think about this figure. And the average per capita income was the largest in history, starting with the Kievan Rus. All signs of the economic, political, sporting success were available. Therefore, the opposition to do something in this country - it is the void. Nobody is in a state of intoxication strengthened, not hear that alcohol destroys the liver and brain. And now comes a heavy hangover after these seizures. Here one is able to hear what he had done something wrong, that he was somewhere, probably wrong. But while the blame all around, except for him ", - Mr. Chichvarkin said.

glavcom.ua In Russian/русский

Employees of the Security Service of Ukraine together with the prosecution of bribery exposed detective fighting crime control in the economy of the Slavic city department of police. It is reported by the press service of the SBU.

Major demanded money from Kramatorsk entrepreneur for assistance in closing the criminal proceedings. Businessman accused of supplying in kindergartens food products at inflated prices.

Law enforcers arrested the blackmailer in his car in Kramatorsk during the production of 75 thousand. Hryvnia.

Open criminal proceedings in h. 3 tbsp. 368 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. Detective detained under Art. 208 of the Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine.

Continue pressing operational and investigative.

glavcom.ua In Russian/русский

The initiators of the referendum on the Agreement on the EU-Ukraine Association in the Netherlands want to sue the state in connection with the decision to abandon the immediate cancellation of the Agreement, and give the government more time to negotiate. This was reported by the Dutch public broadcaster NOS.

"Organization" Forum for Democracy ", which was one of the initiators of the referendum, wants to preliminary injunctive relief in connection with the decision taken on the eve of the decision of the parliament", - the newspaper writes.

The organizations believe that the item was broken the law according to which the government should "as soon as possible" to determine the decision as to whether to accept or reject the results of the referendum.

glavcom.ua In Russian/русский

Ukrainian Ambassador to Austria Oleksandr Shcherba informed that the police had searched the house owned by Ukrainian oligarch Dmytro Firtash in Vienna.

Shcherba wrote on Twitter, Censor.NET reports.

He wrote: "Firtash's house in Vienna raided by the police. The search operation lasted three hours. Apparently the new charges were filed. This time by Germany not by the United States..."

censor.net.ua   In Ukrainian/український