Ukraine crisis. News in brief. Saturday 29 April. [Ukrainian sources]

SATURDAY

Please scroll to view news items added during the day.

NEWS:
Explosion near OSCE car reported in Donbas. In Spain, the detained Russian hacker for intervention in US elections.  Libya captures Ukrainian tanker suspected of smuggling oil.  In St. Petersburg detained members of the opposition action "Nadoel".  French presidential candidate macron proposes to introduce sanctions against Poland.  Poland pledged to rebuild the destroyed monument UPA after examination.

WEATHER:
Kyiv, Ukraine
24c / 76f HI | RealFeel® 26c / 79f
Precipitation 13%
Warm with increasing amounts of sun

Libyan naval forces captured two vessels suspected of smuggling oil from this North African country after gun battles lasting several hours west of the capital Tripoli.
This was announced by a spokesman for the Libyan naval forces Ayoub Qassem, Censor.NET reports citing Reuters.

He said that Ukraine-flagged tanker Routa and a vessel with an unspecified African nation's flag named Stark were captured early Friday.

"Clashes lasted for three hours, but the two tankers were successfully seized," Qassem said.

The incident occurred in the Sidi Said area west of Tripoli. Qassem did not report any casualties or give details on what happened to the crew of the vessels or their nationalities.

ua.censor.net.ua, Original in Ukrainian / на українській мові

Turkey cannot join the European Union if it reinstates the death penalty, German Chancellor Angela Merkel told Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan in a telephone call on Monday.

Censor.NET reports citing Reuters.

Turkey abolished capital punishment in 2004, allowing it to open EU accession talks the following year, but the negotiations have made scant progress since then.

With pro-government protesters demanding that the coup leaders be executed, Erdogan said on Sunday there could be no delay in using capital punishment and the government would discuss it with opposition parties.

Merkel told Erdogan on the phone that the European Union and Germany vehemently oppose the reinstatement of the death penalty and that such a step is "in no way compatible" with Ankara's goal of EU membership.

Merkel's spokesman Steffen Seibert told a news conference earlier on Monday that Germany and the EU categorically reject the death penalty.

ua.censor.net.ua, Original in Ukrainian / на українській мові

Explosion and small-arms fire occur close to SMM near Molodizhne and Kruta Hora on April 27.

Censor.NET reports citing the report of the OSCE SMM.

"On 28 April an SMM patrol consisting of six members and two armoured vehicles was positioned at an "LPR"-checkpoint near "LPR"-controlled Molodizhne speaking with an armed "LPR" member. At 12:17 p.m., the patrol members were proceeding to their vehicles to depart the area when the same "LPR" member began waving his hand at the SMM, indicating that the patrol should depart quickly. At 12:20 p.m., from inside their vehicles, the SMM heard an explosion assessed as an airburst about 50-100m north-west. At the same time, the SMM saw a cloud of black smoke rising above the mentioned location; no impact was observed from the distance. The SMM could not assess the cause of the explosion. The SMM immediately left the area and returned safely to its base in "LPR"-controlled Kadiivka," the OSCE report reads.

The same day, a separate SMM patrol consisting of five members and two armoured vehicles was positioned at an observation post near "LPR"-controlled Kruta Hora. At about 10:35 a.m., while all SMM patrol members were outside of their vehicles, the patrol heard a shot of small-arms fire approximately 40-50m south. The SMM could not determine the type of weapon or the direction in which it was fired. The SMM left the area immediately and returned safely to its base in Luhansk city.

As reported, a United States national was killed in OSCE SUV blast April 23 near the village of Pryshyb in the militants-held territory of Ukraine's eastern Luhansk region. Two more monitors, nationals of Germany and the Czech Republic, were injured. The U.S. State Department said the tragedy "was inexcusable" and promised to punish the guilty.

ua.censor.net.ua , Original in Ukrainian / на українській мові

In St. Petersburg during the action "Nadoel", initiated by the opposition became Mikhail Khodorkovsky, police detained dozens of people.

According to the data of "Otkrytoy Russia", police detained about 30 people. Russian TV channel "rain" reported on 40 detainees.

It is reported that representatives of the Russian riot police also detained the organizers.



"In fact, we can say that rally or march in St. Petersburg has ended" - said the correspondent channel.

Action "Nadoel" held in St. Petersburg near the metro station "Gorky".

It was reported earlier that began detention in Kemerovo .

Note that the event "Nadoel" held in many Russian cities. Its initiator is opposition Mikhail Khodorkovsky. During the event, Russian President Putin wrote letters demanding not to go for another term. The next presidential elections in Russia to be held in 2018.

Recall March 26 in several cities of Russia Rally against corruption pretext for which was investigating Navalny and his foundation corruption of Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev.

Details of what happened in Moscow and other Russian cities is available here: A ck fun c protest in Russia . Overall during the protests have been detained more than 1,000 people .

Later that court Navalny was arrested for 15 days for disobeying police during a protest in Moscow.

April 10 Alexei Navalny was released.

hromadske.ua , Original in Ukrainian / на українській мові


Dozens of people who participated in the protest action "Nadoel" detained in the Russian city of Kemerovo.

This was reported by the organizer of the action - movement "Otkrыtaya Russia. "Medyazona" reports the 16 detainees.

В Кемерове массовые задержания, людей много пришлоhttps://t.co/JZkxDIieHN pic.twitter.com/m3yjAIltf1

— Открытая Россия (@openrussia_org) April 29, 2017

Activities in the shares is scheduled on April 29 in many Russian cities.

According to the organizers, participants must write a letter to Vladimir Putin and urge him not to participate in presidential elections 2018.

Recall, April 2 in Moscow detained more than 50 people on the march of the opposition.

hromadske.ua, Original in Ukrainian / на українській мові

The Spanish Barcelona yesterday arrested Russian programmer Peter Levashov.

It is reported Reuters citing the Russian embassy in Spain.

At the moment know the exact reason for the detention of the Russians, but Russian TV channel RT said that it was based on an international arrest warrant issued by the United States. Levashova believed involved in the attack, related to possible interference in the presidential election in the US.

It is noted that in the case of intervention in US elections until the US Justice Department does not comment. The department added that is the criminal proceedings, which at the moment there is no suspicion of a threat to national security.

As reported by "Apostrophe", recently Denmark has accused Russia in hacker attacks.

apostrophe.ua, Original in Ukrainian / на українській мові

Leading French presidential candidate Emmanuel macron said that is a supporter of the European Union sanctions against Poland due to a lower tax.

He said in an interview Voix du Nord.

If they win the election, he promised to get sanctions within three months.

Macron expressed dissatisfaction with the US company Whirlpool intention to move production from Amiens French to Polish Lodz.

The EU "should not be much difference in the tax and social legislation, because it is contrary to the principles of the Union" - said the candidate, referring to the benefits received by Poland, attracting industrialists low level of salaries in their companies.

According macron, we can not accept a situation in which Member State uses existing social differences to their advantage.

Recall that the results of the first round of presidential elections in France are leading the former head of the ultra-right party "National Front" Marine Le Pen and non-party leader of "Ruhaymosya ahead" Emmanuel macron.

[url=https://hromadske.ua/posts/kandydat-v-prezydenty-frantsii-makron-vystupaie-za-vvedennia-sanktsii-proty-polshchi ]hromadske.ua , Original in Ukrainian / на українській мові[/url]

Destroyed in Hrushovychah memorial warriors promise to recover after excavations confirm that the remains in the grave is Ukrainian.

It said in a statement the Polish Institute of National Remembrance (TIN).

"The Polish side has repeatedly stressed in correspondence with Ukrainian partners, the 1994 facility, which is in a cemetery in Hrushovychah need to disassemble to conduct archaeological research aimed to confirm the presence of human remains at the monument and grave could be ordered by the Interdepartmental Commission (Ukraine - ed.), in cooperation with the Polish side and be subject to legal protection by the Polish state. We will continue to maintain its position on this issue and ready to help the Ukrainian side, "- said in a statement.

Polish side also surprised that in response to the destruction of the monument Ukraine suspended the legalization of Polish monuments on the territory of Ukraine.

Earlier it was reported that Hrushovychah dismantled monument to warriors like illegally installed. Ukraine Foreign Ministry called it a provocation.

hromadske.ua , Original in Ukrainian / на українській мові

Located in the Chelyabinsk region of Russia Kunashak lake fish died en masse and produces an unpleasant smell.

Video posted on YouTube a local resident, environmentalist Rustam Hasanov.



According to him, carp, perch and carp died through the fault of tenants lake fish are poisoned by pesticides for the purpose of stocking the lake more expensive species.

According to environmentalists, Zamora density is about one meter in depth, volume - about 100 tons.



"For a year of ecology in the wrong rashtsi" "Strict Chelyabinsk" "Horror is," "All for sale, bosota all eat," "The result of the investigation - well hye * knows what prompted the fish to suicide" - written by commentators .

As reported by "Apostrophe" Last year occupation authorities Crimea fuel oil polluted beach in Alupka .



apostrophe.ua , Original in Ukrainian / на українській мові

In the browser of the Moscow bureau of "Radio Liberty" Elena Rykovtseva, besides the basic work - the leading political programs - there is another professional interest: it monitors and analyzes how highlights the political developments in the Russian media, especially on the federal channels. Naturally, the unscrupulous propaganda, replacing journalism, it is deeply outraged by what Elena regularly (and witty) wrote on his page to Facebook.

"Observer" talked with Elena about Rykovtseva diplomats Gopnik and President Gopnik, about the reasons for "vatnost" and fundamental differences between Russians and Ukrainians.

We publish the second part of the interview. The first part - of the role of the pro-Kremlin media in the phenomenon of 86% strength "Krymnasha" and why the leading advocate for and Soloviev Kiselev did not believe his own words. - read here.

- Lena, you have some special reason to be interested in what is happening in Ukraine?

- I reacted like any journalist, then when there is an event, such as the Orange Revolution or the 2004 presidential elections, you go there to cover it. When did the Maidan in 2013, when the Russian press and television began to wet Ukraine on ideological grounds, using terrible language such as "Bandera" and "fascists", I immediately joined and began to write about it. Of course, I have a lot of friends in Ukraine, I often go there, but that's not it. The thing is monstrous machine processing of the brain that was used against the country and against his own self. At first, everything was like during the Orange Revolution, but then tightened up propaganda limitless quantities when ripe decision to grab the Crimea. New it was that at the time of Independence in 2013 on the Russian TV actively involved the topic of anti-Semitism. NTV devoted a series of searches of Jewish Korney Poroshenko, Yatseniuk, Tymoshenko Turchinov. Previously, it was not, but then began concrete incitement. Knowing baser instincts, which suffers from their people, they are happy to play it. To incite enough to call a man by his patronymic, or open an alias; later they do the same with regard to Russian journalists and writers who have condemned the annexation.

- Interestingly, no one noticed the contradiction between the statement "in Ukraine is ruled by Jews" and the statement "in Ukraine run by Bandera, fascists and anti-Semites"?

- Well, what controversy? This we can catch them on the contradictions, and the people listened, including logic. Everything whatever broadcast from the screen gives off. Jew - it sounds bad to the Russian ear, fascist - too bad, so we include both of the lever, and together will provide an explosive mixture. The propaganda war is not to the logic that comes to hand, then drag. It was and remains a tough, massive propaganda, everyone yelling - even a little bit, and come up to you! Bandera will come and cut off his head. Basically, they use half-truths, adjusting its promises under the real picture. For example, show a torchlight procession in Kiev and say that it happens in the Ukrainian capital permanently. And people believe that the city day and night walks right sector with their flags, that he occupied all the districts of Kiev.

- In some cases, there was no half-truths, was allegedly a fantasy: Bullfinches killed, crucified boy in shorts ...

- I say, pulling all that comes to hand. And how do you test it? The "box" aunt crying, talking about the boy, and you can not see whether she is telling the truth. Do you believe that the information verified by journalists. We're going back to where we started: the society got used to trust the media, accustomed to a certain level of professionalism. And when the audience began to cheat, no one was ready for it.

- How much do you think Putin is well informed about what is happening? Some people believe that he does not have all the information completeness and therefore make decisions that seem completely insane.

- I am sure that he is well informed. But about it you need to understand one important thing: Putin has their own ideas about what is happening. Its own system of beliefs and convictions. For example, Putin will assume that all stood on the Maidan for money. He is KGBshnoe idea, and I think he truly believes that America has arrived, all bought, distributed cookies, at worst fool ... But he never would believe that people came to the square on his heart. Similarly, he is speaking about the rallies against corruption in Russian cities came impostor Navalny, clocked young people promised them for 50 euros ... And then it's not that bad, inform him or good. He just does not believe in a different motivation, his nature is such.

Exactly the same way he treated the non-profit, particularly human rights organizations, which are sponsored by foreign funds. He always treated him coldly, with a large grain of salt. He believed that these people are engaged in human rights activities because it is good for them to pay the Americans.

- What do you think about Dmitry Peskov, Marii Zaharovoy - people voicing the point of view of Putin?

- Oh, they're so insignificant, I think about them I do not. This pawn soldiers hybrid war, or rather soldiers. There are interesting characters, and in the government, and Putin's entourage, but not those for sure.

- For example, anyone?

- For example, an interesting person - Sergei Kiriyenko (first deputy head of the Presidential Administration of the Russian Federation - Ed.) We have all of his "kinder-surprise" was the name, and the Kinder Surprise still brainy, I can not even predict what he will come up with next. It was mandated to define domestic policies, and even so it is interesting. Of course, he agrees with Putin some of his schemes and concepts, but it is, nevertheless, is the person who determines the internal policy of the Russian Federation. Previously, such a person was Volodin.

- A foreign policy is determined by Putin?

- Rather, it is, I do not Lavrov, of course.

- What do you think about the scandal by Russian representative to the UN Vladimir Safronikov who shouted at the British ambassador: "Look at me!"?

- It Gopnik from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. We now appeared Gopnik-presenters, Gopnik from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs ... Somehow, it became fashionable to such public rudeness. Putin, too, that sin, and his entourage with him "lick". However, in recent years he is not fond of it, and why gopnichestvo has become a trend, I do not know. Perhaps because exhausted diplomatic arguments.

By the way, I am absolutely convinced that the overwhelming majority of Russian diplomats shame-cads colleagues. I have this caste is well know, I have a father in law of this environment, I understand that this is for people with a school with a culture ... But now they are forced to endure Gopnik.

- How serious is the Russian propaganda was able to influence public opinion in Europe?

- I think that he did not succeed. That is, of course, it was able to influence the minds of the Russian diaspora. All these millions of immigrants were highly susceptible to propaganda. And now these people - loud, aggressive, with passports of citizens of different countries - are completely under the influence of Russian propaganda. You can do with it whatever you want. You can kick out 700 "Russian Germans" in Berlin at a demonstration against Syrian refugees because refugees allegedly raped a 13-year-old girl Lisa; can be hung on the Brooklyn Bridge slogans: "Long live Lavrov" ... This is a powerful force.

Putin's propaganda has formed a fifth column in Europe and the US. There lives many former Soviet people, who do not want to learn the language. And immediately a huge difference between them and their children, especially in the United States. Children - is the Americans, they are watching American channels. And their parents continue to watch the first channel. They receive benefits and are treated for US money, have insurance against Obama, and brain washes them Putin, and they love Putin. Such a split consciousness.

However, the opinion of the Western elite Russian propaganda has not affected in any way. It just did not go its way. There is, of course, there is a channel "Russia Today", the Russian authorities considered very influential. He may have a large audience reach, but it is interesting to watch this channel - I have no idea.

- What do you think makes a person "cotton" and "non-cotton"? What reasons underlie this difference?

- Parenting. If mom and dad explained that it is impossible to steal, man will not steal. It's a question of decency, not beliefs. If you know that you can not attack, you can not take away - then you look at the propaganda through the prism of his relationship to the world, and it does not affect you. But it turned out that such people in Russia is not enough.

- I recently read an interesting debate in facebook - that in Russia there are wonderful people, kind and honest, to help orphans and the sick, who do not take someone else's, but clean "Krymnash".

- Yes. I know. And how many "krymnashistov" turned out to be among the people who were standing in the Swamp! Against them was used weapons of mass destruction, it is very powerful. Resistant to these weapons do, again, education and decency. But this is not a panacea, not a guarantee. You're from the atomic bomb can not be insured. In Hiroshima, too, someone has survived, but how many people have died! It seems to me, with Putin's propaganda and "swamp" the public about the same. Someone got this famous Andersen shard of mirror in the eye, and some do not. Blind chance.

- In Ukraine, the common belief that we - originally a freedom-loving people who have never loved their leaders, unlike the Russians ...

- I have a personal definition of what distinguishes Russian from the Ukrainians. We are very impatient and demanding in everyday situations of conflict. For example, if a train is cold, or if the entire city turned off the hot water ... We are in such cases, Orem, raising scandal and what he wants. Ukrainians will be silent, to endure, his teeth, all the inconveniences. But we tolerate our government, which is just not provided us with the fifth and tenth, and they will go to the square and demolish this power. Is it because I do not know, but we are really very different. Why Ukrainians go, how to work on their Maidana every four years and take down power, which is not willing to tolerate, and we do not go ...

- Well, all went well in 1991.

- Yes, but there was a different situation! It was necessary to demolish the power and support. People then went to support their own as president. And in 1991, during the coup, and even in 1993, when Yeltsin was fighting with the Communists in the Duma.

- This means that the revolution should not be expect in Russia?

- No, the revolution will not be.

- Will Russia without Putin is possible in the foreseeable future?

- Only if with it something happens purely physical: a brick on his head, flu, heart attack. Otherwise, he will rule and reign until his death. Some hoped for a conspiracy among his entourage. It was hoped that the sanctions will press his tusovochku, and these people do not want more than anything is to endure. But Putin, as we have seen, somehow trying to compensate for the damage to his entourage. That frees them from taxes, that will bring benefits or property. So that sin they arrange a plot against this man.

- How will the military conflict between Russia and Ukraine?

- I used to believe that all this will resolve. But I do not believe anymore. Here everything depends on Putin on his policies regarding the Crimea and Donbas. They do not need to figure this Donbass, in the same way as Transnistria. But they will maintain this ulcer, the wound to prevent Ukraine feet. They do not profitable for a strong European Ukraine. They will deplete her to spend money, people were dying. This is a way to destroy Ukraine, undermining its economy.

- But you do not intend to start a major war?

- No! It is no use to anyone. Russia will not go with tanks Donbass, there is no single reason to go back and pick up the territory.

- There was talk that Russia allegedly admitted ORDLO passports, and this may be the first step towards recognition of the "Republic" or even incorporate them in its membership.

- Nothing they do not recognize. They are a politically and economically viable. So that people living in these "DNR" and "LNR" - nobody wants, they are deceived. Incidentally, it is interesting that some Russian patriots already hate Putin for what he is, in their view, has thrown, gave the population of Donbass.

- What is changing in relation to the Russian media Trump?

- As long as they are just silent. As soon as his press secretary said that America had not support the annexation of the Crimea, they immediately fell silent. Trump watering until fear: evidently hoping that he suddenly changes his mind, it will be corrected. But he did not change his mind, obviously. Sanctions have not given up, the condemnation of annexation of the Crimea are not abandoned. According to a military base Assad bombed. All waiting for nothing more.

obozrevatel.com , Original in Ukrainian / на українській мові

Why would Russia hold a Ukrainian in secret detention for 10 months if there were real grounds for his arrest? Why is it now refusing to allow an independent psychiatric examination which a renowned British psychiatric institute has recognized the need for and even offered to provide?

Historian Stanislav Klykh arrived in Oryol, Russia on August 7, 2014 to visit a woman he’d met in 2013. He disappeared the very next day and was held in Russian detention for 10 months totally incommunicado, before being put on trial on surreal charges. The ‘girlfriend’ vanished.

In a recent interview, Tamara Klykh spoke of the anguish she and her husband have gone through and the pain of watching their only son being systematically driven insane. Concerns about Stanislav’s mental health were voiced shortly after the ‘trial’ began in October 2015. Russia has rejected calls for an independent psychiatric assessment, including an offer from world-renowned psychiatrists to undertake such a study. Tamara Klykh is clear that Moscow cannot afford such an assessment which would destroy the case.

Both a psychiatric assessment and attention to this trial must, certainly, highlight the brutal cynicism and surreal insanity of the charges which have been demolished in a four-part analysis by the renowned Memorial Human Rights Centre.

How to produce a ‘Ukrainian nationalist’ show trial

Mykola Karpyuk, deputy head of Right Sector and member of the older Ukrainian National Assembly – Ukrainian Peoples’ Self Defence (UNA UNSO) had been tricked into coming to Russia and seized back in March 2014. Klykh had been fleetingly a member of UNA-UNSO while at university, but had long become disillusioned with politics.

This, however, was enough for the Russian FSB to seize both men and hold them totally incommunicado. Both men have described similar horrific torture – beatings, electric shock, psychotropic drugs, and more - since being finally allowed proper lawyers, and have retracted all ‘confessions’.

It was not for nothing that a prominent Russian human rights activist has called this Russia’s “most monstrously falsified trial”.

Russia had decided to accuse the men of having fought against Russian soldiers in Chechnya at the end of 1994 and beginning of 1995. They were alleged, together with Arseny Yatsenyuk, former Ukrainian Prime Minister and other prominent Ukrainian politicians, to have tortured and murdered a number of Russian soldiers. Klykh has told his mother that he was beaten mercilessly to get him to sign a ‘confession’ claiming that Yatsenyuk and Dmytro Yarosh, former leader of Right Sector, were in Chechnya. He says they tortured him so that he didn’t want to live.

The charges were based solely on retracted confessions from the two men and on the testimony of Oleksandr Malofeyev, who is already serving a 23-year sentence and is dependent on the prison authorities for life-saving medication.

These ‘confessions’ were allowed to override:

Proof that the men were elsewhere at the time of the alleged ‘crimes’

Historical fact, presented in a four-part analysis by the renowned Memorial Human Rights Centre. The killings had either not happened at all, or had happened in a different place and with different weapons from those the investigators claimed (details here and here)

Russia held this ‘trial’ in Chechnya, with Ramzan Kadyrov’s thugs used to intimidate witnesses and journalists, so as to minimize the coverage of this judicial farce.

Karpyuk was sentenced to 22.5 years, Klykh to 20......................

Access complete text of the editorial:  khpg.org

Russia’s Investigative Committee has initiated a criminal investigation into what it claims was Ukraine’s ‘abduction’ of Russian ‘volunteers’. Ukraine’s position in trying the men for involvement in terrorism is shared by the United Kingdom which is currently prosecuting a Briton on terrorism charges for his believed role in the fighting in Donbas. He also claims he was a ‘volunteer’.

Russia’s Investigative Committee has been initiating criminal investigations against Ukrainian politicians, military personnel and others since early in 2014, and such criminal cases seem largely pitched at a local audience. The report on April 17 gives no names, so could not in any case be verified. It accuses Ukraine’s security service [SBU] of “abducting Russian citizens” from 2014 to 2015 in order to bring “unwarranted criminal proceedings” against them.

The first such ‘abduction’ was in December 2014 at a checkpoint near Krasny Partisan in the Donetsk oblast. The report claims that the 36-year-old Russian citizen was not involved in the conflict, but “came to the Donetsk oblast to help reinstate production in the Donetsk people’s republic”. He was allegedly held in various places before being charged under Article 258-3 of Ukraine’s Criminal Code of involvement in a terrorist organization (which is how Ukraine views the so-called ‘Donetsk people’s republic’).

Russia claims that the “victim” was illegally convicted and only released after two years.

The report also asserts that in April 2015, armed men abducted volunteers from the Russian Fund for Refugees, Compatriots and the Russian-Speaking Population “WE DON’T ABANDON OUR OWN”. They were, according to the Investigative Committee bringing ‘humanitarian aid’. They were held by the SBU and later exchanged for Ukrainian soldiers. It is noticeable that, whereas Ukraine is accused of “abducting” Russians in Ukraine, the Kremlin-backed ‘republics’ are said to have “detained” Ukrainian soldiers.

A year ago, Konstantin Dolgov from Russia’s Foreign Ministry claimed that, according to their information, hundreds of Russian citizens could be facing charges in Ukraine “on political charges in connection with the armed conflict in Donbas”.

There are also a very large number of Russians who have returned home and openly talk about fighting in Donbas. While most understand that they should say that they were ‘volunteers’ and not mercenaries, they do not deny their role in the military conflict. Neo-Nazi sadist Alexei Milchakov is also on record for having admitted that he and those with him had been paid.

The United Kingdom is one of three countries thus far who have demonstrated an entirely different attitude to men willing to fight for the Kremlin-backed militants in Donbas.

Ben Stimson

The 41-year-old from outer Manchester now also claims that he was a ‘volunteer’. British prosecutors have, however, accepted that fighting on the side of the Kremlin-backed militants in eastern Ukraine falls under the UK Terrorism Act He is accused both of 5i – engaging in conduct aimed at committing acts of terrorism and of 5ii - assisting another person to commit such acts. The first carries a sentence of up to 10 years, the second up to life imprisonment. The trial is due on July 10, with Stimson remanded in custody (more details here)

Vladimir Polyakov..............

Access complete text of the editorial:  khpg.org