Ukraine News. Thursday 29 March. [Ukrainian sources]

THURSDAY HEADLINES:
Former intelligence officer of the Russian Federation, Ukrainian Konstantin Kilimnik, may be a contributor to the investigation into the links between the US presidential contender Donald Trump and Russia.  A meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Commission took place in Brussels, despite the threat of Hungary.  May and Merkel agreed to jointly resist the strengthening of Russian aggression.  We demand UN SC to take urgent action on peacekeepers deployment in Donbas. Savchenko trial: inductee in trident-decorated sweater calls Putin to release Ukrainian hostages.  Court of Appeal of Kiev left Savchenko in custody.  British doctors reported on the improvement of the state of Julia Skripal.  

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A former intelligence officer of the Russian Federation, Ukrainian Konstantin Kilimnik, may be a contributor to the investigation into the links between the US presidential contender Donald Trump and Russia.

This was reported by Reuters, citing sources.

In the case file there is a certain "person A" - a man who worked in the lobbyist firm of the campaign manager Trump Paul Manaforth.

According to the source of the publication, Ukrainian Kilimnik, who co-operated with Manaforth while working for the Party of Regions, is suitable for this description.

The investigation became known about contacts "person A" with partner Manaforta Rick Gates and lawyer Alex van der Zwan in the fall of 2016.

Earlier, it was reported that, headed Donald Trump's election headquarters, Manafort himself tried to contact the Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska through the close to the administration of Yanukovych Konstantin Kilimnik.

Recall Tramp confirmed his intention to testify in Russia's interference in the US election.

The United States began investigating Russia's interference in the presidential election in 2016 after the trilogue adviser to the Australian diplomat said.

At a hearing in the intelligence committee, former secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, JJ Johnson, said that Putin was personally a customer of hacker attacks during the presidential election in 2016.

Putin called the charges on Russia's contacts with Trump's campaign "a fabrication of the opposition."

hromadske.ua  In Ukrainian/український

A meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Commission at the ambassadorial level took place in Brussels, despite the promise of Hungary to block Ukraine-NATO meetings through the law on education.

This was announced by Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine Ivan Klimpush-Tsintsadze, who took part in the meeting of the commission.

The sessions were devoted to discussing the course of reforms and the security situation in Ukraine.

The Vice Prime Minister noted the importance of further political and practical support of NATO Ukraine in opposing aggression and implementation of internal reforms.

The Commission also stressed the importance of organizing a meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Commission at the level of heads of state and government during the NATO summit in Brussels in July 2018. Ambassadors of NATO member states stressed their continued support of Ukraine.

Earlier, the Hungarian Foreign Minister promised to block the Ukraine-NATO summit through an educational law.

Recall that on September 28, 2017, the Law "On Education" came into force in Ukraine . The law states that the language of the educational process in the educational institutions is the state language, but according to the educational program one or more disciplines can be taught in two or more languages.

A number of countries, in particular Hungary, criticized the law for allegedly restricting the rights of national minorities.

Hungary has stated that it will not change the position regarding the Ukrainian law on education without legal guarantees.

Now the government is proposing to continue the transitional period for the introduction of a language article on education by 2023.

On March 29, in the government, they declared an agreement with the Hungarians of Transcarpathia on the enlightening law.

hromadske.ua  In Ukrainian/український

British Prime Minister Teresa May and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, during a telephone conversation on March 28, agreed to continue the confrontation with the intensification of Russian aggression.

This is stated in the statement of the speaker of the British government.

"The Chancellor and Prime Minister agreed with the need to continue working together to confront the strengthening of Russian aggression," the report said.

May thanked Merkel for her support and solidarity after the assassination of Salisbury.

They also discussed the US's temporary release of EU countries from tariffs on steel and aluminum and the importance of a nuclear deal with Iran.

Recall that due to possible involvement of Moscow in the poisoning of the former intelligence officer Sergei Skripal, Russia's diplomats are expelled from 27 countries, in total 151 representatives of the Russian Federation will be deported.

Russia threatened to respond to the expulsion of Russian diplomats from Ukraine.

On March 27, NATO Secretary General announced the deportation of 7 Russian employees.

On March 26, Ukraine, the United States and EU countries announced that they were expelled by Russian diplomats because of the poisoning of the Violinist in Britain. The 15 countries of the European Union have stated that they are in solidarity with Britain. At the same time, a number of EU countries have not yet sent Russian diplomats.

In Russia, they said they would send at least 60 US diplomats.

Earlier, British Prime Minister Teresa May announced the expulsion of 23 Russian diplomats from the country in connection with the possible involvement of Moscow in the poisoning of the former intelligence officer Sergei Skripal. Also on March 26, it became known that Britain issued warrants for the arrest of Russian capital of dubious origin.

A 66-year-old citizen of Russia Sergey Skrypal was hit by a hospital with severe poisoning on March 4. With him was his daughter . British intelligence considers Russia involved in the poisoning of the Violinist.

Sergei Skripal, Colonel of Military Intelligence of Russia on retirement in 2006, was sentenced to 13 years in prison for espionage in favor of Britain. He was found guilty of transmitting to the Secret Intelligence of Britain evidence of Russian agents who worked under cover in the EU.

The former intelligence officer was fired in an exchange between the United States and Russia in 2010. He was pardoned by then Russian President Dmitry Medvedev. Then Russia, besides Violinist, sent Igor Sutyagin, Alexander Zaporizhzhya and Gennady Vasilenko to the United States. At the same time, 10 people were charged with espionage in favor of RF citizens, among them Anna Chapman. Soon, Violin became a political refuge in the UK.

hromadske.ua  In Ukrainian/український

Ukraine's Ambassador to the UN Volodymyr Yelchenko recalled the need to introduce peacekeepers to the Russian-occupied Donbas during the UN Security Council’s open debate on peacekeeping operations on March 28.

"The situation in and around Ukraine has been an example of UN’s untapped peacekeeping potential for 4 years now. Our request for a peacekeeping mission in the Donbas remains without proper response. We demand UN Security Council and General Assembly to take urgent action," Censor.NET reports citing the statement by Ukraine's mission to the UN.

On Sept. 5, Russian President Putin said deployment of U.N. peacekeepers in the Donbas was quite appropriate for solving of the conflict in the region, but only along the line of contact and with the aim of protecting the OSCE mission.

Ukraine's representative in Humanitarian subgroup of the Tripartite contact group in Minsk talks, deputy speaker of Ukrainian parliament Iryna Herashchenko commented on Putin's statement and said the Kremlin scenarios will fail; peacekeepers must be introduced across all Russia-occupied territories.

ua.censor.net.ua  In Ukrainian/український

The Shevchenkivskyi district court of Kyiv today hears the case of MP Nadia Savchenko charged with “plotting military takeover by means of terror.”

"They threaten to arrest my sister. I wonder if they are going to arrest my mother too!" Savchenko told reporters before the hearing, a correspondent for Censor.NET reports from the courtroom.

The MP also called on Putin to take back the Russians serving sentences in Ukrainian prisons and hand over Ukrainian political prisoners held in Russia.

The People's Deputy demanded her trial to be public and transparent by urging Ukrainians and journalists to prevent courts from hearing cases behind closed doors, especially those concerning politicians, officials, and business-owners.

"If they want to lie to the people, let them lie openly!" Savchenko said.




ua.censor.net.ua  In Ukrainian/український

The Kyiv Court of Appeal decided to leave Nadezhda Savchenko to the detainment of the People's Deputy (extra-factional) under arrest.

This is reported by the correspondent of Tsensor.NET from the courtroom.

In addition, the court partially satisfied the appeals of prosecutors - canceled the decision of the Shevchenkivsky court of Kiev in the part where it was stated that it was illegal to detain it.



"Shame" - cry supporters Savchenko.

"Ukrainian authorities are very similar to Russian, we need to change the power, so that we see an honest court. Until then," said Savchenko.





As it was reported, former People's Deputy Stepan Khmara and activist Irma Krat wanted to take Savchenko's bail.

Previously, Tsensor.NET wrote about the wishes of the Hero of Ukraine, dissident and people's deputy of several convocations of Stepan Khmara to take Nadia Savchenko on bail.

Let's remind, on the morning of March 15, the Prosecutor General Yuriy Lutsenko submitted to the Verkhovna Rada three representations about the removal of immunity, detention and arrest of People's Deputy Nadezhda Savchenko . She is suspected of attempting to organize an "armed coup by terror".

Savchenko himself, commenting on such allegations, said: "I was planning to show the authorities what it could be. I began to create surrealism."

The Standing Committee unanimously voted and recommended the Verkhovna Rada to support the submission of the Prosecutor General.

On March 22, the General Prosecutor's Office published operative audio recordings and video materials on the involvement of Nadezhda Savchenko in organizing and planning a terrorist attack in the Ukrainian parliament.

On the same day, the Rada revoked the immunity, as well as gave permission to detain and arrest Nadezhda Savchenko, a deputy.

After such a decision, Nadia Savchenko was detained in the premises of the Verkhovna Rada and taken to the SBU's investigative detention facility.

On March 23, Savchenko declared a hunger strike. On the same day, the court chose her a preventive measure in the form of detention until May 20.

At the same time Savchenko complained to the representatives of the ombudsman on video surveillance in the cell.

Commissioner for Human Rights Lyudmila Denisova exercises personal control over the observance of constitutional rights of Hope Savchenko.

ua.censor.net.ua  In Ukrainian/український

The British National Health Service (NHS) reported that the daughter of a former employee of the GRU, Sergius Skripal, Julia, who, along with her father, had undergone an attack using nerve-paralytic substance in British Salisbury, began to recover.

This is reported by Censor. NET with reference to Interfax-Ukraine.

"We are pleased to announce that Yulia Skripal is recovering and is no longer in critical condition," the statement posted Thursday to the organization's website said.

The representative of the service described the status of a woman as "stable".

At the same time, S.Crystal is still in a stable critical condition.

As previously reported, Scotland Yard experts came to the conclusion that S. Skryply and his daughter were first hit by the influence of nerve-paralytic substance at home. At the same time, according to the police, the highest concentration of poisonous substance was detected at the entrance door of the house.

Recall that an investigation into an assassination attempt by Sergei Skryptal and his daughter, Julia, continues. Sergey Skryple, former Colonel of the GRU stockpile, who lived in the United Kingdom and was convicted in 2006 for espionage in favor of British intelligence services, was hurt by the poisoning of an unknown substance at the Salisbury shopping mall.

It should also be noted that on March 12, Prime Minister Teresa May announced that the British government had come to the conclusion that the responsibility for poisoning in Salisbury, a former GRG employee Sergey Skrypala and his daughter, most likely, lies in Russia. She also reported that the victims were poisoned by the nerve-paralytic substance "Novachok", which was developed in the Russian Federation.

On Wednesday, March 14, May announced a decision London to send 23 Russian diplomats who work for intelligence: "This will be the largest single expulsion in more than 30 years. This (this measure) reflects the fact that the Russian state is not the first time acting against our country "

On March 20, 23 employees of the Russian Embassy in London, as well as their families left Great Britain.

At the EU summit, which ended March 23, the EU countries supported the United Kingdom. Some countries, including Poland, are considering the expulsion of Russian diplomats.

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said that 13 Russian diplomats are signing solidarity with their British partners and transatlantic allies and in coordination with the European Union.

The deportation of Russian diplomats was announced by the United States, Canada and 14 European countries, including Germany, France, Italy, the Czech Republic and others. In the statements of Washington and Ottawa, the expatriate diplomats who were expelled were accused of having links with Russian intelligence and "abusing diplomatic powers." In addition, the United States announced the closure of the Russian Consulate General in Seattle.

As of March 28, after the poisoning of former Russian intelligence officer Sergei Skripal and his daughter Julia in Great Britain, 28 countries and NATO have expelled 152 Russian diplomats suspected of working on Russian intelligence.

ua.censor.net.ua  In Ukrainian/український

Russia's decision on the deportation of 60 American diplomats and the closure of the Consulate General in St. Petersburg is not justified.

This was stated by the official spokeswoman for the US State Department Heather Noorte, according to CBS News.

She emphasized that the US "reserves the right to respond" to these measures.

"Russia is isolated after a brave chemical attack," added Noorte.

According to the representative of the State Department, Moscow in this situation follows the position of the victim.

"Russia should not behave as a victim. The only victims in this situation are two in a British hospital," she said, referring to Sergei and Julia Fiddlers poisoned in British Salisbury.

"Russia is isolating itself following the brazen chemical attack," Acting Under Secretary of State Heather Nauert said as Russia expels diplomats, closes U.S. consulate. https://t.co/gnhuqEijjT pic.twitter.com/a67ukZ11NE

— CBS News (@CBSNews) March 29, 2018

"Russia should not be acting like a victim. The only victims here are the two victims in the hospital in the U.K. right now," Nauert said. https://t.co/gnhuqEijjT pic.twitter.com/tMFSfvfm8P

— CBS News (@CBSNews) March 29, 2018

-Recall that on March 5, in the British city of Salisbury, a former Russian intelligence officer, Sergius Skripal and his daughter, became poorly in the mall, after which he was hospitalized with serious poisoning with an unknown substance.

-After the poisoning of Violinist and his daughter, the head of the British government announced the deportation of 23 Russian diplomats.

-March 26, US President Donald Trump ordered to send 60 Russians from the country and close the Russian Consulate in Seattle.

-Later that day, Ukraine sent 13 Russian diplomats in response to the Violinist poisoning.

-The Polish Foreign Ministry counterpart Jacek Chaputovich said that the EU countries also began to expel Russian diplomats. Among them, in particular, Germany, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and others.

-The Australian government has decided to expel two Russian spy diplomats.

-The Canadian authorities also approved the decision to expel Russian diplomats as a sign of solidarity with Britain.

-On March 27, the Bulgarian Prime Minister, Boyko Borisov, ordered to withdraw the country's ambassador from the Russian Federation for consultations.

-NATO has announced the deportation of 7 Russian diplomats, Ireland will send three, Moldova one Russian diplomat.

-From Russia, diplomats from those countries that have announced the expulsion of Russian diplomatic staff in response to the poisoning of Sergei and Julia Fiddlers are mirrored.

espreso.tv  In Ukrainian/український

Russia's propaganda channel Russia Today, on Sunday, April 1, will disappear from TV screens in Washington.

This is on Thursday, March 29, according to agency Bloomberg.

"Attention to RT was turned on after intelligence agencies investigated Russia's individual attempts to intervene in the US presidential campaign in 2016, " the report said.

RT will also cease to be available on cable television. This is due to the fact that the WNVT and WNVC repeaters in the US in March 2017 sold hammer their frequencies for $ 182 million. For this reason, they will no longer cooperate with MHZ Network, which broadcasts the content of RT, Deutsche Welle, France 24 other foreign TV companies.

"We were thrown out of the broadcast network in Washington DC devoted to all who ardently and frankly persuaded us that the label of an inactive agent would not affect the work of RT in the States," - the words of editor-in-chief RT Margaret Simonyan are presented on the official channel site.

apostrophe.ua  In Ukrainian/український

The General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces may order the restoration of massive shelling on the Donbass at a time when the issue of placing peacekeepers in the uncontrolled Ukraine's border with Russia will again arise.

This was stated in an interview with "Apostrophe" by the coordinator of the "Information Resistance" group, the People's Deputy, the military expert Dmitry Timchuk.

"Yes, but at any moment, from the same General Staff of the Armed Forces of Russia, there may be an order to continue active military operations. First of all, I can associate this with the possible start of a new stage in the discussion of the need for the introduction of a peacekeeping mission. We know that Putin already seems to have even agreed with the fact that peacekeepers can stand on an uncontrolled border with Ukraine, but we do not know how things will actually happen, "explains the expert.

According to him, it is important for Russia to divert the attention of the international community from the border. To do this will focus on the front line.

"And we know that even many representatives of European countries are also inclined to the point of view under the conditional name" if only not firing. "Just to form the idea that peacekeepers should be present only on the front line, at any moment can come a signal from the RF General Staff to continue active military operations in the first line", - suggests Timchuk.

apostrophe.ua  In Russian/русском

John Huntsman, the US ambassador to the Russian Federation, said that Russian assets in the United States could be arrested, despite the fact that the Vienna Convention applies to diplomatic property, as reported by replyua.net citing DW.

Thus, the diplomat recalled that, in addition to the Vienna Convention, which guarantees the inviolability of diplomatic property, "there are other agreements." He also stated: "There is the Vienna Convention, which guarantees inviolability. It is guided by the discussion of any situation. But also there are other agreements reached at different times, which in one way or another concern issues of diplomatic property, diplomatic facilities. So do not make assumptions about how the events will develop. "

Recall, the investigation of the attempted murder of Sergei Skripal and his daughter Julia continues. Living in the UK ex-colonel of the GRU reserve Sergei Skripal, convicted in 2006 for espionage in favor of British intelligence, was injured by poisoning with an unknown substance in the shopping center of Salisbury.

replyua.net  In Ukrainian/український