Ukraine crisis. News in brief. Sunday 18 December. [Ukrainian sources]

SUNDAY

Please scroll to view news items added during the day.

NEWS:
Russia’s Patriarch Kiril: war in Syria is just, defensive and holy.  More police moved to Warsaw ahead of Sunday protests.  Baltic states decided to disconnect from joint electrical system with Russia and Belarus.  The number of Russian troops in occupied territories revealed.  Pentagon says China to return drone; Trump says they can keep it. Presidents Assad and Putin have ordered their forces to again liberate "The Jewel of the Desert". UK to keep training Ukrainian military for another year. Anti-fascist protest turns violent in Brussels.

WEATHER:
Kyiv, Ukraine
-3c / 27f | RealFeel® -10c / 14f
Cloudy

500 police officers from all over the country are joining municipal forces to patrol the streets of Polish capital on December 18

Protests are to renew at noon by local time (GMT+1). The opposition Committee on Protecting Democracy (Komitet Obrony Demokracji) calls its supporters to gather near the Constitutional court.

Moreover, there will be a football game at the stadium..........

uatoday.tv

The head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kiril, says the war waged by Russia in Syria is just, defensive and holy, Radio Svoboda reports Dec. 18.

Russia’s enemies declared the war on Russia trying to destroy it. Kiril said.

Following the annexation of Crimea in 2014, Kiril backed up Putin’s aggression.

zik.ua

Poroshenko said that Taras Kolodii spent two years in captivity.

President Poroshenko announced the release of another prisoner, Taras Kolodii, one of the so-called ''cyborgs'' who defended Donetsk airport, Censor.NET reports citing the president's Facebook.

"The head of the SBU just reported on the release of our cyborg Taras Kolodii. He is free now, after nearly two years of captivity. Thanks everyone who contributed to this fact," the president wrote.

ua.censor.net.ua , In Ukrainian / на українській мові

The authorities of the Baltic countries made the decision to disconnect from the joint electricity BRELL, which connects Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Belarus and Russia.

Baltic electricity system will be synchronized with the European network, Censor.NET reports citing Delfi.

The Baltic States have decided to disconnect from BRELL by 2025.

ua.censor.net.ua , In Ukrainian / на українській мові

Defense Secretary Michael Fallon says the UK is committed to supporting Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity in the light of Russian belligerent actions

Britain will continue training the Ukrainian military for another year in the face of a "provocative" Russia, the Defence Secretary has announced, according to British TV network iTV.

UK personnel will now remain in the country until early 2018 in order to teach their skills to the Ukrainian Armed Forces (UAF).

uatoday.tv

MEP Jacek Saryusz-Wolski showed the scale of Russian troops' deployment in occupied territories of Crimea, Donbas, Transnistria and Caucasus

A member of the European Parliament Jacek Saryusz-Wolski published on his Twitter page the infographics demonstrating the scale of the Kremlin's aggressive policy.........

Russian military occupation in Eastern Europe.
via @dpjankowski pic.twitter.com/k71Vdau3EM

— Jacek Saryusz-Wolski (@JSaryuszWolski) December 17, 2016

uatoday.tv

The international community is still debating how to resolve the ongoing conflict in Syria

On December 18, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg warned of the dangers of military escalation in war zones such as Syria, the same day the UN Security Council planned to meet to discuss the worsening crisis in the city of Aleppo, as reported by DW.

Stoltenberg told the German newspaper "Bild am Sonntag" that a military mission in the country, which has been embroiled in an increasingly brutal civil war for more than six years, could have made an already bad situation worse..............

uatoday.tv

70 people detained by riot police

The protest against the European far-right Alliance for Peace and Freedom party (APF) turned violent on Saturday in Brussels, Belgium.The organization is a European movement that brings together several other European nationalist parties. This Alliance includes Greek Golden Dawn, Italian Forza Nuova, Spanish Democracia Nacional, German NPD and Belgian Nation. Protesters were outraged that the European Parliament funded their congress.................

uatoday.tv

It's a god-awful situation today in Palmyra. How much of our priceless cultural heritage will be destroyed during the expanding re-occupation by Islamic State (IS)?

This observer has received more than two dozen emails in the past 72 hours asking for details of what is happening in Palmyra. Many scholars and citizens interested in Palmyra and our cultural heritage here is Syria, who I have had the honor to communicate with these past three years while doing research for the volume, Syria's Endangered Heritage: An International Responsibly to Preserve and Protect are, like most of us, abjectly horrified by Palmyra's recapture by IS last weekend.

I spoke this morning with my friend W.N. who works with Syria's Directorate of Antiquities and Museums (DGAM) in Homs and who accompanied me during my last visit to Palmyra when we were given detailed briefings from Syrian Military Intelligence. W was last working in the Palmyra National Museum on Thursday 12/8/2016 two days before the first units of what soon became approximately 4000-5000 IS fighters started invading. He reports that none of his colleagues had any idea that ISIS was in the area and apparently neither did the Syrian and Russian army who were caught by surprise, abandoned their base and heavy weapons stores and moved to the West toward Homs. Like all of us, officials and citizens here hope that ISIS will be expelled before they can do serious damage.

The fears of this observer and many archeologists globally, are many and distressing. One is that we will once again see televised executions in the ancient city to strengthen IS positions and create more publicity. Russian, Syrian and Iranian soldiers, taken prisoners, may become the first victims. On 12/15.2016 the government of Iran reported that two of its IRGC officers were killed a couple of days earlier fighting IS near the key Syrian military base, T4. The IRGC armed and funded Afghan Fatemiyoun Division was rushed back to Palmyra once IS re-entered the area on Saturday, 12/10/2016..............

Access complete text of the editorial:  opednews.com In English

Scientists at institutions in the US and Australia on Friday published a set of unprecedented ocean observations near the largest glacier of the largest ice sheet in the world: Totten glacier, East Antarctica. And the result was a troubling confirmation of what scientists already feared – Totten is melting from below.

The measurements, sampling ocean temperatures in seas over a kilometre deep in some places right at the edge of Totten glacier's floating ice shelf, affirmed that warm ocean water is flowing in towards the glacier at the rate of 220,000 cubic metres per second.

These waters, the paper asserts, are causing the ice shelf to lose between 63 and 80 billion tonnes of its mass to the ocean per year, and to lose about 10 metres of thickness annually, a reduction that has been previously noted based on satellite measurements.

This matters because more of East Antarctica flows out towards the sea through the Totten glacier region than for any other glacier in the entirety of the East Antarctic ice sheet. Its entire "catchment", or the region of ice that slowly flows outward through Totten glacier and its ice shelf, is larger than California. If all of this ice were to end up in the ocean somehow, seas would raise by about 3.5 metres...........

Access complete text of the editorial:  theage.com.au In English

The Pentagon said China will return a U.S. Navy underwater drone after its military scooped up the submersible in the South China Sea late this week and sparked a row that drew in President-elect Donald Trump, who said on Twitter the Chinese stole it, so they can keep it, according to Bloomberg.

"Through direct engagement with Chinese authorities, we have secured an understanding that the Chinese will return the UUV to the United States," Pentagon spokesman Peter Cook said in a statement on Saturday, referring to the unmanned underwater vehicle the U.S. said had been operating in international waters, Bloomberg reported.

China's ministry of defense pledged an "appropriate" return of the drone on its Weibo social media account, while also criticizing the U.S. for hyping the incident into a diplomatic row. It followed assurances from Beijing that the governments were working to resolve the spat, punctuated by a tweet from Trump denouncing the seizure as "unprecedented." Trump slammed the Chinese navy's capture of the vehicle in a message to his 17.4 million Twitter followers. "China steals United States Navy research drone in international waters – rips it out of water and takes it to China in unprecedented act," Trump wrote Saturday hours after the Chinese government said it had been in touch with the U.S. military about the incident. In a follow-up Twitter message, the president-elect said: "We should tell China that we don't want the drone they stole back – let them keep it!".............

unian.info

Moscow is ready to use its veto to block the French resolution on sending UN observers to Aleppo

According to Russia's permanent representative to the UN Vitaly Churkin, Moscow can not adopt the French resolution on Aleppo because it would be "a disaster", writes "Deutsche Welle" .

Permanent Representative of Russia to the UN Vitaly Churkin on Sunday, December 18, said that Moscow is ready to use its veto to block the French resolution on sending UN observers to Aleppo to control the evacuation and protection of civilians. "We can not approve it because it's a disaster" - quoted Churkin agency AFP. He also said that Russia put forward its proposals for monitoring the situation in Aleppo. Thus Vitaly Churkin declined to detail.

Earlier, the representative of France to the UN Francois Delattr said that if the arrangements for the evacuation of civilians and delivery of humanitarian aid to Aleppo under the supervision of international observers is reached at the UN Security Council, France and its partners may convene a special session of the General Assembly.

glavcom.ua , In Ukrainian / на українській мові

In Dnipropetrovsk region was flagged

Observers civic network "Support" section at №120465 (Lozuvatka Pyatihatskoy Dnipropetrovsk district) recorded the lack of a large ballot box. This was reported in the press service of the civic network "Support" .

According to the polling station election commission Tatiana Malook when started collecting box, we saw that there is no bottom. On the recommendation of the observer "resistance" promised to draw up a statement on the matter and contact your local authorities. The number of voters this section is average.

In addition, the station in the morning session were not kept record of the vote count. Observers "resistance" made up of acts of infringement.

Recall December 18 in Ukraine is voting for the first local elections in 144 municipalities combined. The results of voting will be selected 76 village heads, village heads - 46 mayors - 21 as well as the relevant local council and one elder.

glavcom.ua , In Ukrainian / на українській мові

In SBU hope for the future participation of Ukrainian Orthodox Church in the liberation of prisoners

From the beginning of the conflict in Donbas priests Moscow patriarchate managed to release several dozen prisoners. About this on his page in Facebook reported First Deputy Speaker of Parliament, representative of Ukraine at the talks in Minsk Irina Gerashchenko.

"Taras log on freedom and already goes to Kyiv. Thanks again to all clergy and church that are involved in the release Taras. By the way, the conflict priests managed to release several dozen prisoners, "- she said.



Translation
Long Way Home! Taras log on freedom and already goes to Kyiv. Thanks again to all clergy and church, Bishop Onuphrius that involved RELEASE Taras. By the way, the conflict priests managed to release several dozen prisoners.

In turn, the SBU said that hope for the future participation of Ukrainian Orthodox Church in the liberation war. "The Council of Churches in Kramatorsk, Head of the Security Service of Art. Hrycak personally delivered by His Beatitude Metropolitan Augustine request Onuphry affect the liberation of the hostages. We hope that the future Ukrainian Orthodox Church will help our common cause - the return of our heroes home to their families", - said on its Facebook page Security Advisor to the Chairman Yuri Tandit.

In turn, the SBU said that hope for the future participation of Ukrainian Orthodox Church in the liberation war. "The Council of Churches in Kramatorsk, Head of the Security Service of Art. Hrycak personally delivered by His Beatitude Metropolitan Augustine request Onuphry affect the liberation of the hostages. We hope that the future Ukrainian Orthodox Church will help our common cause - the return of our heroes home to their families", - said on its Facebook page Security Advisor to the Chairman Yuri Tandit.

As reported, President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko said that the captivity of the militants fired defender Taras Kolodiy Donetsk airport.

Taras Kolodiy mobilized in August 2014 first paratrooper 80th airborne brigade served in Konstantinovka, then defended the Donetsk airport. There were a year ago, fell into the hands of militants so-called "DNR." Logs - the last of the "cyborg" who were held captive by the militants.

glavcom.ua , In Ukrainian / на українській мові

Former leader of the terrorists "DNR" Igor girkin said that his plan was not only to create so-called "New Russia", and the accession of Ukraine to Russia.

"For me personally, New Russia was the first step in the liberation of Ukraine from the so-called Ukrainian nation. I believe it must involve a return of almost the entire territory of Ukraine, except the West, where anti-Russian sentiment is especially strong, the Russian state", - he said.

"We should go on the return of all of Ukraine in the sludge to some degree, can kick the exception of Western Europe, where anti-Russian sentiment is most strongly, the Russian state ... New Russia would beat the first stage of liberation of Ukraine from here etoy so nazivaemoy Ukrainian nation," - Girkin quoted in social networks activist Sergei Osnach.

In his view, "the end of Russian occupation clearly Nazi, and nobody hides. And most importantly, the enemy recognizes that anti-Russian sentiments is a major obstacle to the occupation of all Ukraine, and ready for this reason refuse from Western Ukraine. Why? Because there most Ukrainian, they say Ukrainian and Russian stranger there. Obviously, the best defense from invaders would refill Ukraine Ukrainian primarily Ukrainian language. "

Now tell me, who are the people who during the Russian aggression in order to seize and destroy all Ukraine Ukrainian nation, pushed through a Russian product on TV and radio, a Russian-language newspaper, create Russian sites and arrange yazykosraniya by request to also Ukrainian version? - Wrote on social networks activist.

glavcom.ua , In Ukrainian / на українській мові

PrivatBank move to ‘preserve stability of country’s financial system’

Ukraine’s government moved late on Sunday to nationalize PrivatBank, the war-scarred country’s largest and most systemically important commercial bank, amid concerns over the state of its balance sheet.

The government pledged to fully protect depositors and said the takeover, proposed by the central bank and approved by the nation’s national security council, was needed to “preserve stability of the country’s financial system”.

The transaction, which placed 100 per cent of the bank into state ownership, was agreed with the outspoken Igor Kolomoisky and Gennady Bogolubov, PrivatBank’s oligarch majority co-owners, the government said. The two control a diversified portfolio of assets spanning oil production, ferroalloys, media and chemicals.

The development follows growing concerns that have spread in government and banking circles over related party lending, and PrivatBank’s ability to keep commitments to clean up its loan book and meet capital ratio requirements. All are central to a bank sector clean-up plan being implemented as part of a $17.5bn International Monetary Fund loan program.

“These actions are taking place in strict co-ordination with international financial institutions and with their support,” the government said, adding that its actions would “save PrivatBank and the entire bank sector”.

The bank controls more than a third of private deposits, reportedly amounting to $6bn. Unconfirmed domestic news reports citing officials suggest the government plans to infuse fresh capital into the bank through a domestic bond issue purchased by the central bank..............

Access complete text of the editorial:  Financial Times In English

Syrian girls living in Russia, and whose photos appeared in the calendar "From Syria with love", say they did not expect that the photos would be provided with captions, glorifying the war and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Censor.NET reports citing Radio Liberty.

The calendar was made with the participation of the pro-Kremlin youth movement "Set." It was financed under the presidential grant aimed at state support of youth initiatives. Authors of the project say that the calendar is going to be printed and sent to the Russian military in Syria.

Photos of Syrian students were provided with captions like "The fate of my Palmyra is in your hands" or "I feel calm when you control my homeland."

One of the girls, whose photo appeared in the calendar, Yana Hasan wrote on Facebook that they were not warned that the photos will be provided with the captions.

"We were shocked when we saw the calendar on the Internet with these silly phrases <...> reaction in Syria is terrible. All are angry because of these phrases," she said in Tjournal interview.

Russia launched a military operation in Syria last September. Russian planes struck forces of the Syrian President Bashar al-Assad opponents. Because of the attacks on the city of Aleppo, human rights activists and some Western politicians accused Russia of war crimes.

ua.censor.net.ua , In Ukrainian / на українській мові

The vote is expected to take place on December 19 at 16:00 Kyiv time

In the UN Security Council reached a compromise draft resolution on the presence of observers in Aleppo Syria.

This information was confirmed by the US permanent representative to the UN Samantha Power, reported Reuters.

"We expect the unanimous vote on the text tomorrow," - she said.

On approval of the compromise draft resolution regarding the presence of observers in Aleppo said and permanent representative of Russia to the UN Vitaly Churkin, Russian federal media.

"There is a good draft resolution we have agreed to vote tomorrow," - he said at the consultations, which lasted more than three hours

Asked whether international observers will be allowed in Aleppo, he said that "everything will be fine."

The vote is expected to take place on December 19 at 16:00 Kyiv time.

glavcom.ua , In Ukrainian / на українській мові