Ukraine News. Monday 3 September. [Ukrainian sources]

MONDAY HEADLINES:
The EU has continued sanctions against Russian politicians and businessmen.  In the DPR panic: US military is preparing the Armed Forces to offensive.  French president says Putin dreams of 'dismantling' Europe.  Ecumenical Patriarchate's decision grants Ukraine right to establish Local Orthodox Church.  Merkel discussed with Putin the issue of the liberation of Sentsov.  Poroshenko: 89 percent of Ukrainians ready to engage in combat to defend their homeland.  Poroshenko proposes to rename the street of Cheka Ivan Kudri in honor of Senator McCain in Kyiv.  The US Army received the Ukrainian 3D aerial defense station.

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In the European Union, on September 5, it will announce the official decision to extend sanctions against the 154 people and 44 entrepreneurs from Russia, which are involved in the situation in the Donbas and Crimea.

This was written by Ricard Yosvyak, a journalist from Radio Liberty on his Twitter page.

"Today, EU diplomats have decided to extend the visa ban and freeze assets for six months against Russian politicians and separatists in the Crimea and on the Donbass. Obviously, Zakharchenko will be removed (from the list - Ed.)" - wrote Yosvyak.

According to him, the decision will be officially promulgated on September 5.



Recall that in July the European Union imposed sanctions through the Kerch Bridge, as well as prolonged sanctions against Russia until January 31, 2019.

As reported by the "Apostrophe", four more countries joined the continued EU sanctions against Russia, imposed for violation of the territorial integrity of Ukraine.

apostrophe.ua  In Ukrainian/український

A large number of foreign mercenaries, including high-ranking military personnel from the United States and Canada, have allegedly arrived on the territory of Donbas.

This was stated by the head of the so-called "press service" of the operational command of the so-called "DPR" Danylo Bessonov.

According to him, allegedly mercenaries came to the subdivision of the 56th motorized infantry and 406th artillery brigades located in the settlement of Urzuf. In addition, they allegedly arrived at the headquarters of the OTG "East".

"We do not rule out that the arrived troops of foreign armed forces will be directly involved in planning and carrying out an offensive operation," said Bessonov.

As reported by the "Apostrophe", previously appeared a forecast for Donbas after the assassination of Zakharchenko . It is not excluded that the liquidation of Zakharchenko is a plan of Moscow, which will result in a gradual freezing of the conflict in the Donbas.

apostrophe.ua  In Ukrainian/український

President of France Emmanuel Macron believes that Putin’s vision is to dismantle Europe.

As reported by Censor.NET citing Bloomberg, in a Sunday interview with Swedish SVT Television, the French leader weighed in on Sweden’s looming election, condemning the nationalist candidate who threatens an upset in next weekend’s vote.

"This person is not compliant with your story and your values," Macron said.

He was referring to a statement by Sweden’s nationalist figure and chief of the Sweden Democrats, Jimmie Akesson, who declined to differentiate between Macron and Russian President Vladimir Putin in an earlier radio interview.

Sweden’s general election on Sept. 9 could rewrite the political rule book with the rise of the Sweden Democrats, a nationalist party with roots in the country’s white supremacy movement. Despite having been ostracized by the mainstream parties, the group’s message of halting immigration has resonated with voters after a record inflow of foreigners over the past few years.

"I think it’s for your voters and your people to react to that. I think it says a lot," Macron said of Akesson’s stance on Putin. The Swedish politician "doesn’t know the right ranking of values and interests," Macron said.

In his interview, Macron said that Putin’s vision is to dismantle Europe, and that Sweden’s eastern neighbor doesn’t share the same human rights values as the rest of the Continent.

"I do respect Vladimir Putin and I am one of the leaders who says we need to construct a new security and defense architecture with Russia. We need this discussion with Russia. But Putin’s dream is the dismantling of the European Union," Macron said.

ua.censor.net.ua  In Ukrainian/український

Ukraine's President Petro Poroshenko believes the decision of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople authorizing it to grant autocephaly without any consent from other churches gives Ukraine the right to establish the Autocephalous Orthodox Ukrainian Church.

"The Ecumenical Patriarchate made a decision about its right to provide all states and, in the first place, Ukraine, with the right to establish the Autocephalous Orthodox Ukrainian Church without Moscow's opinion," the head of state tweeted on Monday, Sept. 3, Censor.NET reports.

On Sept. 1, the hierarchs who arrived in Istanbul marked the beginning of the ecclesiastical year (the Orthodox churches start a new year on September 1).

The Synaxis in Istanbul started on Sept. 1 and will last until Sept. 3.

Providing autocephaly to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church was on its agenda on Sept. 2.

ua.censor.net.ua  In Ukrainian/український

German Chancellor Angela Merkel during the last meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin raised the issue of dismissal of Ukrainian director Oleg Sentsov, said Ambassador of Ukraine to Germany Andriy Melnyk

"The theme of Oleg Sentsov was violated ... There is no result at the moment, but we hope that the pressure will increase," the diplomat said in an interview to the Gromadsky .

According to the ambassador, on the eve of the meeting Merkel agreed with the President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko positions during the telephone conversation on August 16. After the meeting with Putin, the German Chancellor informed Poroshenko about the results of the talks.

"Merkel, from the very first hour, told our president about how this conversation took place, which was an agreement, and of course, what to do next," Melnik said.

The Ukrainian ambassador expressed hope that due to Merkel's actions, which Putin simply can not ignore, Oleg Sentsov will be released. "We all believe that this miracle will happen," he added.

Recall Putin's and Merkel's talks were held on Aug. 18 at the residence of Mezeburg near Berlin. One of the main issues at the talks was the conflict resolution issue in the Donbass. Another important topic of the conversation was the issue of the construction of the North Stream 2 gas pipeline.

Ukrainian director Oleg Sentsov was arrested by Russian security forces in Crimea on May 11, 2014. He was accused of preparing for attacks on the peninsula during the occupation of Russia and the storage of weapons and explosives.

On August 25, 2015, the North Caucasus District Military Court in Rostov-on-Don sentenced Sentsova to 20 years of strict regime. He was trafficked to a prison in the city of Labitnangi.

Oleg Sentsov May 14, 2018, declared a hunger strike demanding the release of all Ukrainian political prisoners detained by Russia. Within three months, he has experienced several hunger strikes, but ceases to protest.

espreso.tv  In Ukrainian/український

Ukraine's President Petro Poroshenko says a few years ago only 20 percent of Ukrainians were willing to take up arms to defend their homeland.

"Imagine, only a few years ago, only 20 percent of Ukrainians were ready to take up arms to defend our land. And today, it's 89 percent," he told a student government's debate club at the Naukova Zmina (Scholar Change) lyceum in Kyiv, Censor.NET reports citing UNIAN.

As reported, 51 percent of Ukrainians support Ukraine's accession to the European Union, while 41 percent back Ukraine's membership in NATO.

ua.censor.net.ua  In Ukrainian/український

President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko proposes to the Kyiv City Council to rename the Ivano Kudri metropolitan street (Pechersk district) in honor of US Senator John McCain.

This was announced by the representative of the president in parliament Iryna Lutsenko, reports Censor.NET with reference to Interfax-Ukraine.

"The President of Ukraine appeals and asks to support all parliamentary factions in an appeal to the Kyiv City Council to rename Ivan Kudri, a terrorist, securityist, operative who acted against the Ukrainian national liberation movement in honor of Senator John McCain," said I. Lutsenko at meeting of the Verkhovna Rada Conciliation Council on Monday.

McCain died at the age of 81 on August 25, the day after his family announced that the senator had refused to treat the tumor of the brain that he had discovered in 2017.

McCain wrote a letter to his compatriots before his death.

ua.censor.net.ua  In Ukrainian/український

The United States Department of Defense Contracts Management has received from the Ukrainian state enterprise "Specialized Foreign Trade Firm PROGRESS" a radar 3D anti-aircraft defense station.

According to Censor.NET with reference to Ukrinform , according to the portal Defense-blog.

"US Department of Defense contract management has received from Ukraine a radar 3D station for air defense," the statement said.



It is noted that the shipper was the State Enterprise "Specialized Foreign Trade Firm" PROGRESS".

The 36D6M1-1 type radar station itself is intended for detection, recognition and support of air targets at medium and low altitudes in conditions of intensive use by the enemy of active and passive obstacles.

The station is also capable of high-efficiency detection of flying at high altitudes, and can be used both autonomously and in the form of automated air defense / air force control systems.

It is noted that previously the company "KIT", which is associated with Russia, has repeatedly tried to prevent the delivery of the Ukrainian radiological station to the United States.

ua.censor.net.ua  In Ukrainian/український