Ukraine crisis. News in brief. Saturday 07 May [Ukrainian sources]

SATURDAY

Please scroll down to view news items added during the day

News -
Putin hits Ukrainians 7 times yesterday.
3 injured, but returned to their unit. Slava Ukraini!

Weather -
A little cooler this morning. Only 10 at 0800.
High maybe only of 16. Warmer next week.

Annual Salo Gathering -
Admin has called for a meeting in Kiev today. So news service may be reduced for a few days.
Understand he plans for a tour of Ukraine, and to check out the salo production in various oblasts.

Update - we had a walk around Maidan. I walked up Institutska. Looked at the various memorials.
It still shocks me - all the dead. When you see the photos. And such a variety of ages.

http://www.unian.info/economics/1338864-ukraines-intl-reserves-grow-41-in-april-to-132-billion-nbu.html
...The April growth of reserves was primarily due to the purchase by the NBU of foreign currency to smooth excessive fluctuations in the interbank market, reads the report. Thus, the net purchase of foreign currency by the National Bank in the past month amounted to $675.8 million....
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Basically good news.
As long as Tymoshenko doesn't get her hands on this money. And send it to Nauru.

http://www.unian.info/economics/1338790-inflation-in-ukraine-accelerates-to-35-in-april.html
...According to the data released, April saw prices increased most for natural gas - by 48.4%, fuel and oil - by 5.4%, and railway passenger transport - by 3.3% compared to the previous month
In annual terms, the biggest increase in prices was for hot water and central heating - by 77.7%, electricity - by 56.4%, water supply - by 37.2%.....
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Some massive increases here.
The government needs to stop them now. With the fall in gas prices, I would think costs are near enough real to be ok for a year or two.
Gas consumption has fallen massively. And prices have risen massively. And the government is massively unpopular, as one would expect.
The people need to see some benefits of their suffering. Like a visa-free regime. And an increase in business with the west. My opinion.

http://112.international/conflict-in-eastern-ukraine/kuchma-elections-in-donbas-impossible-until-security-issues-are-solved-4623.html
.....“I stated at the previous meeting of the Trilateral contact group, that discussions concerning elections and political reform must stop until the entire block of security issues is solved… First of all, all items of Minsk agreements must be implemented. Only after that, we can start thinking about elections”, - Kuchma claimed.
According to Kuchma, the “40-thousand army” located in Donbas must be withdrawn and Ukraine must regain control over the border so that the election could be held....
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Of course, Putin wants "Shaun Walker" elections - at the point of a gun. His gun.

http://www.unian.info/society/1338923-control-of-donbas-mission-impossible.html
...Moreover, given that Russia formally, from the point of view of international law, is still not an occupier and aggressor in relation to Ukraine, it can also take part in all possible peacekeeping missions in the Ukrainian territory, including in the additional OSCE mission. "Russia already has good experience in Abkhazia and Transnistria, where its armed forces have sported "blue helmets," representing some kind of an international mission," he said.

Yaremenko does not rule out that Russia is considering the idea of establishing the OSCE police mission "as an opportunity to legitimize its military presence in Donbas."...
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Quite a long read. Not bad.

http://en.interfax.com.ua/news/general/341994.html
Hit a mine -

....After receiving medical aid, the servicemen returned to their unit, he said.
No shooting has been recorded in the Luhansk sector over the past 24 hours, he said.
Low-intensity fighting is continuing in the Donetsk sector, he said.
The militia "are provoking Ukrainian servicemen into returning fire near Avdiyivka by shelling their positions with grenade launchers and firearms. The enemy also violated the ceasefire near the Svitlodar water reservoir and the Donetsk airport," Lysenko said.
The situation in the Mariupol sector has somewhat stabilized, he said.
"The enemy has not used heavy weapons. Brief enemy provocations were recorded in Hranitne, Hnutove, and Shyrokyne," Lysenko said.

http://en.interfax.com.ua/news/general/342007.html
May 09 is Victory Day.
Today - May 07 - Maidan is closed to traffic. To be honest, fairly quiet, due to earlier quite heavy rain.
But setting up stages in various places, Kreshatik, near the Philharmonia, for the festivities.
We'll see what happens. Hopefully nothing significant!

http://en.interfax.com.ua/news/general/342011.html
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Continuing the pattern of harrassment of the Crimean population by the Russian occupiers.

http://hvylya.net/news/exclusive/rossiya-perebrosila-na-donbass-chechentsev-i-tanki.html
Россия перебросила на Донбасс чеченцев и танки
Afraid my translator isn't working, but this headline I can just about translate at sight.
Photo at link.

Russia's tank company has been secretly deployed in the Donetsk region.

As reported by Censor.NET referring to Ukraine's Defense Intelligence, T-80 battle tanks (up to a company) of the 6th Separate Tank Brigade (Mulino), the 1st Tank Army (Bakovka/Odintsovo ) of Russia's Western military district (St. Petersburg) have been deployed in the vicinity of Dokuchaievsk (in the territory of the fire station). Brigade's battalion tactical group is stationed near Amvrosiivka. The brigade is commanded by Major General of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation Vladimir Omelyanovich (on photo).



censor.net.ua   In Ukrainian/український

The Russian delegation to the UN blocked at the last minute on Friday the adoption of Security Council draft statement to the press about attacks on refugee camps in the north of Syria.

This was announced by Ukraine's Permanent Mission to the UN, Censor.NET reports referring to Ukrinform.

"Russia has blocked the UN Security Council draft statement to the press about the air strikes on refugee camps in the Syrian province of Idlib, which occurred on May 5," the Ukrainian side noted.

Russia is said to see uncertainty about the situation among the reasons behind such a step.

The draft statement, in particular expresses deep concern about the reports of killing civilians in air strikes on Syrian refugee camps on May 5. The document also calls on all parties to respect international humanitarian law and human rights, avoid indiscriminate attacks on civilians, and immediately begin the investigation of the tragic incident.

As earlier reported, Ukraine initiated a draft statement of the UN Security Council about the air strikes on refugee camps in the north of Syria.

censor.net.ua  In Ukrainian/український

In the Czech Republic Russian bikers "Night Wolves" were met with posters of Putin-Hitler, inflatable "green men" and Ukrainian flags. Write about it, bloggers, pereda.t Ukrainian News

In addition, a group of activists holding a green inflatable dolls, which are attached to the head photo Russian politicians and activists.





Also, some of the protesters took to the streets with flags of the Mejlis, Ukraine, the US and NATO.

"Vіtaєmo" Nіchnih vovkіv in Prazі "- said Ukrainian Elena Ivantsov, a resident of Prague.

glavcom.ua In Russian/русский