(PAGE 2)Ukraine crisis. News in Brief. Wednesday 22 July [Ukrainian sources]

A squadron of TU-22M3 strategic bombers is to be deployed to Crimea, a source told TCH July 21.

The deployment will raise Russia’s control of the Black Sea area, the source said.

The move is a retaliation for moving to Romania a US AA defense missiles, the source said.

Soon the number of TU-22s will be increased to a regiment, TCH reports.

Following the annexation of Crimea, Russia has turned the tourist haven into a military base.

zik.ua: In Russian

Ukrainians oppose giving special status to the Russian-controlled Donbas 56.1 percent to 26.4 percent and transforming their country into a federal state as a whole 59.1 percent to 21 percent

By Paul Goble* for “Windows on Eurasia”:

July 21 – Even if such steps would bring peace, Ukrainians oppose giving special status to the Russian-controlled Donbas 56.1 percent to 26.4 percent and transforming their country into a federal state as a whole 59.1 percent to 21 percent, according to a new poll conducted by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology.

The agency surveyed 2044 people in 110 population points throughout Ukraine except in Russian-occupied Crimea and the Donbas. The margin of error, the sociologists said, does not exceed 3.3 percent (nr2.ru/News/Kiev_and_regions/Opros-Ukraincy-ne-gotovy-otdavat-Donbass-i-Krym-radi-mira-101844.html).

In this way, Ukrainians have rejected the steps Moscow has pushed for, the West has promoted, and their president Petro Poroshenko has been pushing through as amendments to the Ukrainian Constitution. Their opinion should be determinative except for those who believe that decisions about Ukraine should be taken without reference to Ukraine.

Ukrainians were also asked what other steps they might agree to in exchange for peace with Russia:

· Exchanging Crimea for peace: 33.3 percent agree; 50.6 percent do not.

· Handing over the Donbas to Russia for peace: 15.3 percent agree; 72.1 percent do not.

· Recognizing “the People’s Republics” for peace: 18.7 percent agree; 63.7 percent do not.

· Giving Russia all the eastern and southern parts of Ukraine along the Dniepr for peace: 5.8 percent agree; 83.7 percent do not.

· End the pursuit of European integration for the sake of peace: 33.9 percent agree; 48.8 percent do not.

· Enter the Russian-dominated Customs Union to end the war: 28 percent agree; 50.6 percent do not.

· End the pursuit of NATO membership for peace: 40.7 percent agree; 41 percent do not.

· Offer the Russian language the status of a second state language: 47.7 percent agree; 38 percent do not.

The head of United States Senate Committee on Armed Services John McCain during his speech at the Hudson Institute in Washington again called to provide Ukraine with a lethal weapon. It is reported by the "Voice of America" ​​.

"To our shame, we have not given Ukrainians weapons that they could defend themselves. We must give them the Javelin - this is a very effective anti-tank weapons. And I guarantee that this will significantly increase the price that Russia pays for his actions ... The Ukrainians are fighting weapons of the 20th century, the Russians used the weapon of the 21st, "- said McCain.

He is convinced that if Putin does not stop now, the whole Euro-Atlantic security system is waiting for the debacle. McCain also said that in the future Russia offers significant economic challenges due to the fall in oil prices.

glavcom.ua: In Russian

US to immediately impose sanctions against Russia if it escalated aggression from Russia. This on Facebook wrote the former head of the Security Service of Ukraine Valentyn Nalyvaychenko.

"Actually, I think the main result is that all the US partners confirmed the support of our team efforts in the fight against corruption" at the highest levels. " The US side is our ally in this fight, "- he wrote.

Nalyvaychenko also said that the list of additional sanctions against Russia is ready, all the mechanisms are designed and ready for use.

"I had the opportunity to make sure that in case of an escalation of aggression by Russia, the US response will be decisive, and the sanction imposed for the Russian Federation to immediately", - he said.

At the same time, the ex-head of the SBU, in the United States have stated that they are ready and will help Ukraine, but no one but herself unable to overcome internal and external aggressor and reform.

glavcom.ua: In Russian