Ukraine crisis. News in brief. Monday 23 May [Ukrainian sources]

MONDAY

Please scroll down to view news items added during the day

NEWS:

Continued reports that Savchenko and two other captives in Russia will be released, as reported by end of May.

Continued attacks into ATO postions. 31 yesterday and using illegal calibers that was agreed upon not to use.

WEATHER:

Odessa 22°
RealFeel® 26°Sunny

Kyiv 20°
RealFeel® 22°Sunny

Positive information about the process of returning several Ukrainian citizens convicted in Russia to the homeland is expected already in a few days, the Petro Poroshenko Bloc press service reported on Sunday.

"Good news about the political prisoners in Russia [Nadia Savchenko, Yury Soloshenko, Hennadiy Afanasyev] can appear already before the end of May," the Petro Poroshenko Bloc quoted Verkhovna Rada First Deputy Speaker, Ukrainian representative in the Trilateral Contact Group's humanitarian subgroup Iryna Gerashchenko as saying.

She said that the Ukrainian humanitarian subgroup had been conducting a very large amount of work to return the Ukrainians at the Minsk talks. "I want to note that the president is personally controlling the issue of the release of hostages," Gerashchenko said.

"If speaking about the release of hostages, which are being held in occupied Donbas, there are 112 Ukrainians there today: these are the military and civilians. And the process of their freeing is still blocked: militants demand the amnesty be declared," she said................

To read further go to this link:  interfax.com.ua

About half of Ukrainians believe that their country should first carry out reforms and only then think about European Union membership; a mere 6% of Ukrainians currently support the idea of Ukraine's integration into the EU and NATO, as is seen from the findings of a poll of 2,000 respondents GfK Ukraine conducted in all regions of Ukraine, except the areas in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions currently not controlled by Kyiv, under a contract with the Institute of World Politics.

The findings are available on the Yevropeiska Pravda (European Truth) website.

Asked what the Ukrainian leadership should do if the European Union does not grant Ukraine a membership perspective in the near future, 46% said "it's necessary first to carry out reforms and only then talk about European Union membership."

Another 16% believe Ukraine should rely only on itself ("Ukraine doesn't need to join anything, we will do on our own"), a mere 6% supported integration with the EU and NATO, 7% suggested that "the European Union will break apart anyway," 1% chose something else, and 21% were undecided.

In terms of age, a mere 9% of older Ukrainians believe that, if the negotiations with the EU fail, Ukraine should join the Eurasian Economic Union, 18% of such respondents support Ukraine's self-isolation, and about a quarter of them were undecided.

There are significantly more supporters of the idea that reforms should precede membership among younger respondents: about half of those aged between 18 and 34 hold this view.

In geographical terms, more than half of Ukrainians living in the western (58%) and northern (51%) parts of the country and also in Kyiv (56%) give priority to reforms. This figure is somewhat lower in the center (42%), at the same time, quite a lot of respondents – 25% - are undecided there. In the southern and eastern regions, 36% and 34% of respondents respectively prioritize reforms. The share of those undecided is significantly lower in the south (17%). Only about 23% of those living in southern Ukraine believe their country should not join any association or alliance. The number of those who believe that Ukraine should not integrate into the EU because it will break up is also the highest there (13%).

Asked whether the signing of an association agreement with the EU was the right step, 41% said yes, 25% said this was a mistake, 11% did not care, and 23% were undecided.

The share of those supporting the agreement is the highest among the young (49%) and middle-aged (45%) respondents and the lowest among those aged 65 or older (31%). The share of the EU association agreement supporters is higher among men (48%) than among women (36%); as many as 26% of women are undecided.

The highest number of those approving of the signature of the agreement is in western (74%) and northern (53%) parts of Ukraine and in Kyiv (52%). Only 14% share this view in eastern and 19% in southern Ukraine...................

To read further go to this link: interfax.com.ua 

IMO, I believe Ukrainian focus should be on reforms. Being an EU member won't benefit it as much as many think.

If being an EU member was so beneficial, then why is the UK considering leaving it? Not all EU members are benefiting economically from being a member. We all know there are members that are having heavy economic and budgetary issues.

The legal defense of Russian citizens Alexander Alexandrov and Yevgeny Yerofeyev will not appeal their sentence but may file a pardon appeal after the Ukrainian court's judgment takes effect, Alexandrov's lawyer Valentyn Rybin told Interfax on Monday.

"We have made a decision not to lodge the appeal," the lawyer said, adding that the appeal deadline would expire on May 23 and the sentence would take effect in the small hours of May 24.

The defense team plans to use legal mechanisms, Rybin said. "A pardon appeal may be filed with Ukrainian President [Petro Poroshenko]," he said.

In his words, this appeal may be filed on behalf of the convicts or their lawyers.

In turn, Yerofeyev's lawyer Oksana Sokolovska told Interfax that the sentence had actually taken effect on May 23..........

interfax.com.ua

The combined Russian-separatist forces attacked Ukrainian army positions in eastern Ukraine 31 times in the past 24 hours, using banned weapons, according to the press center of the Anti-Terrorist Operation (ATO).

"The militants used heavy artillery systems, which is prohibited by the Minsk agreements," the report says.

"The invaders continued to attack the town of Avdiyivka and its vicinities. Last night, they fired heavy machine guns, grenade launchers and 82mm mortars on our fortified positions in the area," the press center said.

The Russian-backed mercenaries fired the same types of weapons on the Ukrainian units near the town of Krasnohorivka. They also opened fire from anti-aircraft guns.

"The situation was most tense in the Mariupol sector last night, in particular near the village of Shyrokyne. Having fired rocket-propelled grenades several times on our fortified positions near this village, the Russian-backed gangs attacked the Ukrainian defenders, using 152mm artillery systems," the press center said..........

unian.info/war

The verdict of Kyiv's Holosiyivskyi District Court against Russian military intelligence servicemen Yevgeny Yerofeyev and Alexander Alexandrov is coming into force today, May 23, according to their lawyers.

"It will come into force at 23:59 on May 23, we can say that in fact it will happen on May 24," Alexandrov's lawyer Valentyn Rybin said.

He said that the lawyers had another full day to decide on the appeal against the verdict. At the same time, he noted that "no decisions had been taken so far."..........

unian.info

Gorbachev supported the annexation of Crimea

MP from the faction "People's Front" Anton Gerashchenko send to the EU Delegation to Ukraine a proposal to deny admission to the EU and former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev.

"Today will be sent request to the EU Delegation to Ukraine with a proposal to ban Gorbachev in 'Congress to the EU due to its position, which undermines the Ukrainian-Russian relations. I believe that the European Union take worthless people like it ", - the deputy said in comments the agency " Interfax-Ukraine ".

According to him, Gorbachev also be blacklisted in Ukraine. "We already have a list of people who are calling for a violation of the territorial integrity of Ukraine, it has, for example, Zhirinovsky (LDPR party leader Vladimir Zhirinovsky. - Ed.). I propose to include there SBU and Gorbachev "- said Gerashchenko.

" However, he has not been particularly and aims. But we have to show its position on such issues ", - he added.

Earlier, some media quoted Gorbachev interview with The Sunday Times that he supports the decision of Russian President Vladimir Putin's Russia and the reunification of the Crimea . The former Soviet president said that would have done in his place as well. "I'm always on the free will of the people, and in the Crimea most wanted reunification with Russia," - he said.

glavcom.ua In Russian/русский

Schultz believes that Turkey is on course creation "of one man"

On the eve of the meeting, Chancellor Angela Merkel with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan head of the European Parliament Martin Schulz criticized the Ankara. According to Schultz, in Turkey there is a "dramatic departure from European values."

"The Chancellor and the heads of other European governments should make it clear to the Turkish president that his policies are not consistent with European fundamental values, and thus it is not conducive to substantive negotiations on the accession of Turkey to the EU, and makes it almost impossible", - said Schultz on Monday, May 23, the newspaper «Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger».

On Monday, Merkel is scheduled to meet with Erdogan on the way out of the protracted dispute over the "Covenant of refugees" between the EU and Turkey. At the same time, Merkel might affect the recent decision to get rid of almost a quarter of the Turkish MPs immunity and their subsequent prosecution. According to experts, it is primarily touches Kurdish politicians.

Schultz also said that Turkey is on course creation "of one person" under the leadership of Erdogan. According to the head of the European Parliament, is a "combination of unprecedented political pressure under which Parliament adopted a decision to deprive deputies of immunity and withdrawal of the former prime minister."

At that Schultz does not see agreements on refugees from Turkey as false, because otherwise "the final price paid to refugees." "We need a good contract. Therefore, we will continue to work with Turkey, but more silent and we can not "- summed up the head of the European Parliament.

glavcom.ua  In Ukrainian/український

The Russian blogger Illya Varlamov posted a photo on his blog showing how Crimean authorities are painting mud green to make it look like grass.

In doing so, the authorities want to butter up Premier Dmitri Medvedev who is to visit Sevastopol on a visit, the blogger says.

The same trick was frequently used in the USSR.

zik.ua

The leading world countries have decided to extend economic sanctions against Russia.

This was stated by Polish Foreign Minister Witold Waszczykowski prior to the next meeting of the European Union Foreign Affairs Council on Monday, Censor.NET reports referring to Ukrinform.

"Informally, we [Poland] know that several weeks ago there was a meeting of the major countries that acknowledged the Minsk agreements are not implemented by Russia in full, and that's why it is natural that they [sanctions] will be extended. During bilateral talks, the major countries state that the issue has actually been settled," the Polish foreign minister said.

Read more: Russia has not abandoned its desire to seize Ukraine, - Minister Poltorak

As reported, the six-month long economic sanctions against Russia expire this summer. The issue of possible extension of sanctions will be considered during a meeting of the G7 countries, which is to be held next week.

censor.net.ua  In Ukrainian/український

"We are back on the verge of a major hostility. It's not a hostility between 'the west' and 'the rest.' It's the hostility between those who seek harmony and those who seek domination. It's the hostility between those who play by the rules and those who believe that the rules don't really exist," Poroshenko said at a roundtable meeting at the UN World Humanitarian summit in Istanbul, Turkey, on Monday.

"We see it very clearly in today's Russia – a nuclear nation that sees democracy as a threat and freedom as a poison. This situation is not about a different interpretation. It’s about different goals," Poroshenko added.

According to him, freedom, democracy, free speech, basic human rights are "the invaluable assets, not commodities."...........

interfax.com.ua

The Russian Ministry of Economic Development together with the relevant agencies have offered to deal with the dominance of foreign software in the market by fining officials for purchasing foreign soft if there are equivalent Russian-made software products, Russian information agency Rosbalt reports, with reference to the agreed draft report to Russian President Vladimir Putin..............

uatoday.tv

Russian President Vladimir Putin intends to visit Greece - the first E.U. member-country for the past half year - on 27-28 May.

According to Kremlin's press service, Putin "will meet with Greece's President Prokopios Pavlopoulos and Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras. At the summit, the leaders are expected to discuss key bilateral trade-economic and investment cooperation issues, including joint projects in energy and transport sectors."..................

uatoday.tv

Aformer NATO deputy supreme commander is warning that the alliance could find itself in a full-fledged armed conflict with Russia within a year if it does not strongly step up its presence in the Baltic states.

Retired British General Richard Shirreff set out the stark scenario in a book published this week, 2017 War With Russia, which has raised eyebrows with its suggestion that what some are calling a "new Cold War" could turn hot in a hurry.

In an interview with RFE/RL, Shirreff stressed that the book - which describes Russian forces invading Latvia next May and piling into Ukraine in a bid to open a land corridor to illegally annexed Crimea - is a "work of fiction. "

But he says he wants to send a "very strong signal" that NATO must act to ensure it stays that way..................

uatoday.tv

Russia launched its first sovereign debt offering since the Ukraine crisis on Monday in a move designed to show that Moscow can still access western capital markets despite US and EU sanctions.

The 10-year dollar-denominated bond could price to yield about 4.65-4.9 per cent. VTB Capital, part of the state-run giant VTB, is the sole bookrunner on the deal.

Russia last tapped international markets in 2013, raising $7bn. The country was placed under sectoral sanctions by the US and EU in 2014 after Moscow annexed Crimea and fomented a separatist conflict in eastern Ukraine...............

To read further go to this link:  ft.com

Around rename Dnipropetrovsk on the Dnieper debatable. Some politicians called cosmic amounts that have to spend the city in connection with the name change. However, according to Filatov, millions are not talking

Dnipropetrovsk Mayor Boris Filatov at a press conference addressed the Speaker Andrew Parubiya Ukraine asking them not to sign the decree on renaming the city, the press service of the City Council.

"The only thing that remains the Mayor - Mr. Parubiya request not to sign this resolution. I turned to him with such a request. Let's see whether perform "- said Filatov.

He added that he is still mayor of Dnipropetrovsk, not Dnieper.

Filatov said that the city government appealed to the Cabinet of Ministers and relevant state institutions asking for clarification of what to do with the renaming.

The mayor added that the situation with the renaming, could be avoided if the former composition of the City Council adopted an appropriate decision without delay with him until the transfer of these powers to the Parliament.

"While the city council has not done so deliberately. And it left happy as the current time bomb, "- said the mayor.

"I collected the board meeting where the orders were given appropriate services - and work out the most comfortable mode of savings for our countrymen that they have not spent a penny on renaming" - said the mayor.

Filatov also said that the adoption of the budget for next year Dnipropetrovsk Dnipropetrovsk will remain as it is written in the Law of Ukraine "On names."

In particular, Article 7 of the Act states that the renaming of geographical objects come into force simultaneously with the entry into force of the state and local budgets. After all, the estimate should be laid money on the name change.

Recall, May 19, three resolutions Parliament renamed the 9 districts and 291 settlements, including seven cities.

Decree number 3864 was renamed the Dnipropetrovsk Dnipro. "For" vote 247 deputies. Also today, utilities removed the letters "Petrovsky" from the ceiling at the entrance to the Dnieper.

glavcom.ua   In Ukrainian/український

The injured child is in intensive care

Employees HSCHS arrived at Posmitnogo 20, which rocked tonight explosion, twenty minutes after the call.
This writes the "Duma" , with the message of local residents.

"They came after the police and ambulance," - noted the source publication.

Recall that the explosion occurred in the Primorsky district of Odessa about 17:30 on Monday.

According to preliminary data, killed one person and injured five.

Among the wounded - a girl of 6 years. Now she is in the burn department of a hospital. Another victim - 25-year-old boy - in the clinic Filatov.

The explosion in Odessa on the street Posmitnogo destroyed seven apartments.

The victim - 67-year-old man with a disability who was lying in an apartment adjacent to the room where the explosion. Grandmother-owner of the latter survived but received serious wounds.

"The girl suffered burns 10% of the body - head, neck, torso, is in intensive care. In the 90-year-old owner of the apartment - skalpovana sore right shin. Stable condition. The victim has yet to be drawn from the rubble, "- said in a statement.

glavcom.ua   In Ukrainian/український

If Europe Ukraine will throw in trouble, then the Old World will pay severely for it - writes Die Welt

The West has long must admit that in occupied Crimea and eastern regions of Ukraine are grossly violated human rights. This conclusion came Die Welt correspondent Richard Hertsynher.

Thus, international human rights group recently presented the report, which provided more than four thousand cases of torture of prisoners in the "People's Republic" which controls the Kremlin. The Ukrainian side also reported cases of kidnappings, but much less. And Ukraine always allow UN representatives to the prison for inspection, writes Richard Hertsynher.

Militants "DNR" / "FSC" killed and tortured prisoners and do not fear punishment. They hope for amnesty, provided that the Minsk agreements. "This once again indicates that the development of the Minsk agreements were made ​​fatal mistakes. In particular, it refers to the internal Ukrainian conflict between the sides that you want to reach peace agreements ", - the correspondent of Die Welt.

Russia has had to acknowledge the presence of its troops in Ukraine, but Russia is in no hurry to withdraw troops from the territory of others. And the "militia" and continue to receive weapons, equipment and manpower.

That Moscow is responsible not only for the continuation of the war, but also for numerous human rights violations from its eastern "puppets." But politicians in the West speak loudly about the successful implementation of the Minsk agreements. Russia is strengthening its control over the territories ousted in Ukraine.

And while politicians do not believe that is a "people's republics" may go free elections, conclusion no one does. On the contrary: many influential people in the Old World insists on the lifting of sanctions against Russia.

"If the Old World will throw Ukraine into trouble, then he will forfeit severely for it. This would be a precedent that would open "gates" for further redistribution of national borders and the use of violence in violation of the foundations of peaceful coexistence in Europe. Old World should actively assist Ukraine in the fight with Russian aggressors - is in its own interests, "said the correspondent.

glavcom.ua  In Ukrainian/український

Discussion will conduct Civil Liberties Committee of the European Parliament

Civil Liberties Committee of the European Parliament on May 26 to discuss visa-free regime with Ukraine and Kosovo.
This was announced by the Brussels correspondent of "Radio Liberty" Rickard Yozvyak at Twitter.

"Civil Liberties Committee of the European Parliament will hold a first discussion on visa liberalization for Ukraine and Kosovo on May 26," - he wrote.

As reported, the speaker of the profile committee of the European Parliament for a visa-free regime between Ukraine and YeSpryznacheno the representative of the EPP Mary Gabriel.

The European Commission announced on April 20 to submit a legislative proposal on visa liberalization for Ukraine.

The procedure for the preparation and review of the document in the European Parliament takes at least a month. After approval by the European Parliament, it must be approved by the EU.

glavcom.ua   In Ukrainian/український