Ukraine crisis. News in Brief. Monday 27 July [Ukrainian sources]

MONDAY

Please scroll down to view news items added during the course of the day.

News -
Putin steadily upping the number of military attacks by his forces. 86 yesterday.
A couple of weeks' ago it was 30 or 40, then 60... now 86. Gradually increasing the shelling.
And using more illegal weapons than ever.
Update now - UPravda now saying one soldier killed, 7 wounded in the fighting yesterday

Weather -
Relief this morning. After the rain overnight, it is cloudy and only 16C now, at 0700.
It feels cold. Forecast for mid-20s. More comfortable.
I spoke to a friend on the phone last night. She lives near the Moldova border. Said it was 42 on her thermometer in the shade yesterday.

Footie -
World cup draw for Russia 2018 yesterday. Lots of tweets after the photo of Blatter and Putin together.
Some great quotes, like
"and then I said that we must erradicate corruption" - with both of them laughing hysterically ...
Ukraine - chances, but not easy. Recently Iceland have been very strong. Turkey have been poor, but will bounce back maybe.
GROUP I
TEAMS MP W D L GF GA +/- Pts
Croatia
Iceland
Ukraine
Turkey
Finland

The last day in the ATO area, the situation has deteriorated (Ukrinform)
http://www.ukrinform.ua/ukr/news/doba_v_ato_obstanovka_rizko_zagostrilasya_2078648
During the last day, July 26, the Russian-terrorist forces carried out 86 attacks position forces ATU and peaceful settlements. More than 50 of them took place from 18 th to 24 th hour.
[All the usual targets along the frontline. Some info about today - ]
Today, July 27, from midnight to 6 am, a record number of violations of the Minsk agreements and agreements on the part of militants. In addition, Russian terrorists brazenly and deliberately fired settlements where people still live peace.
On the 1st night with 152-mm artillery shelled towns Svetlodarsk. From 01.10, for half an hour .... From 02.15 in the direction of Donetsk and Spartak - NP The Opitnoe. Almost 5 am in this village shot of the MLRS BM-21 "Grad", 120-mm mortars and tanks.
Also MLRS BM-21 "Grad" at 02.30 from 04.15 Donetsk and Spartak fired from our positions near towns Vodnoe. From 02.20, more than an hour of "Grad" tanks, 122 mm howitzers and 120-mm mortars occupants fired our positions near towns Opitnoe.
With 152's and 122-mm artillery, 120mm mortars pro gang hatyly on towns Stanitsa Luganskaya, Mayorsk, Chastye, Nikolaevka, Opitnoe, Pisky, Granitna, Starohnativka. With tanks - nearby towns Opitnoe and Krasnogorovka.

7:35
In Lugansk, a mass poisoning amongst four groups of militants (Kriminal.TV)
http://kriminal.tv/news/v-luganske-massovoe-otravlenie-srazu-v-chetireh-gruppirovkah-boevikov.html
[Likely poor quality food from Russia. ]

7:42
Officially in the war died 2370 Ukrainian military in the Donbass (infographics) (Glavnoe.ua)
http://glavnoe.ua/news/n235519

[Remember this is officially.
Unofficially, the figure is much higher. Particularly if you take into account deaths of volunteers.

A couple of maps below, showing the deaths - by area. Dneprpetrovsk, Zhitomir, Lviv the worst affected.
The second chart shows deaths over the months, up to June 2015. ]







The site from which these maps are taken is worth noting. Translated called,
Memory Book
http://memorybook.org.ua/index.htm

The oil price continues to fall slowly.
It is difficult to say what effect this will have on Putin in his war against Ukraine.
He relies very heavily on the income from Gazprom. So this puts the squeeze on him. Two roads -
1. Slowly back down, and return to diplomacy, or
2. All out war, and take all the territory he can, in fear that Russia will turn against him as the economy gets worse and worse.

This morning's prices from Bloomberg,
www.bloomberg.com/energy/

Crude Oil & Natural Gas
INDEX UNITS PRICE CHANGE %CHANGE CONTRACT TIME ET 2 DAY
CL1:COM
WTI Crude Oil (Nymex)
USD/bbl. 47.93 -0.21 -0.44% SEP 15 01:14:34
CO1:COM
Brent Crude (ICE)
USD/bbl. 54.53 -0.09 -0.16% SEP 15 01:13:05

Ukraine: An evening on the frontline with troops in Donetsk [in English]
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-33665706

Video report from Tom Burridge. I'm not sure what to make of him. He likes to sit on the fence.
He does, at least, say that there is absolutely no ceasefire in Ukraine.
He seems to know only one word - "Zdrasvutche" - hello... but has an interpreter with him. 2 minute vid

14:48
Storm warning deckared for Odessa (Vіkna)
http://viknaodessa.od.ua/news/?news=119472

In the early hours of July 27, unidentified persons attacked the office of Sberbank Rosiji in downtown Lviv with a Molotov cocktail, ZIK reports July 27.

There were no victims and no substantial damage to the office, police spokeswoman said later.

The windows of two other offices of the Russian bank were smashed.

The police have opened a criminal investigation into the accident.

zik.ua

15:00
At Avdeevka shelling by separatists killed a resident (Gordonua.com)
http://gordonua.com/news/war/MVD-V-rezultate-obstrela-Avdeevki-boevikami-pogibla-mirnaya-zhitelnica-91507.html

Locla news mentioned, we might see in the US, a possible drop of local petrol down to $2.00/gallon. That would be nice.

Scroll up for today's latest and earlier UKRAINE interesting headlines.

Eremeeva condition improves, he is ready for transportation abroad
http://interfax.com.ua/news/general/280409.html
[Quite a lot of Ukraine deputies keep horses. One of the pastimes of the rich. And Ukrainian deputies are certainly rich.
This guy apparently fell from a horse during a holiday in Zakapathia.
Interesting also - he goes abroad for treatment. But Ukrainian soldiers?
I know some who have got out of hospital to find out that they have not been paid - because there commanding officer has decided that they are absent.
I presume this saves him money, which he can then pocket. ]

15:45
The probability of a full-scale invasion of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation remains high - the General Staff (Tsenzor.Net)
http://censor.net.ua/news/345446/veroyatnost_polnomasshtabnogo_vtorjeniya_voorujennyh_sil_rossiyiskoyi_federatsii_ostaetsya_vysokoyi

15:39
Communists will go to elections, with the "opposition" party, - analyst (channel 24)
http://24tv.ua/news/showNews.do?komunisti_pidut_na_vibori_z_opozitsiynim_blokom__politolog&objectId=596944

[It makes sense for them. They always supported Yanukovich, as long as he gave them enough money, so - what has changed?
Look at this photo! There are still a few crazed babkas left yet in Ukraine, pining for the days of subservience to Comrade Stalin, and hoping he didn't starve your entire town to death.. ]

Weather in Kiev breaks another record
http://comments.ua/life/520193-pogoda-kieve-bet-rekordi.html
The heat, which was at the weekend in Kiev, has updated temperature records
On this, as reported by the "Comments", today, July 27, the press service of the Central Geophysical Observatory.
For the first time in 135 years, the maximum temperature reached 35.3 degrees.
"According to the observations of the meteorological station of the Central Geophysical Observatory July 25 the maximum temperature in the capital exceeded the previous highest value that was recorded in 1929 by 0.9 C", said the press service.
The CGO is also noted that this is the ninth temperature record in Kiev since the beginning of the year.

[I did say that it was "smokin'"!!

16:00
In the area of ​​ATO a tank battle took place (Svidok.ua)
http://svidok.ua/ua/news/article/17867-u-zoni-ato-vidbuvsja-tankovij-bij
[Marinka area, this morning]

15:57
Guards detained in Mariupol "DNR" worker [at checkpoint, in bus] (Channel 5)
http://www.5.ua/ato-na-shodi/Hvardiitsi-zatrymaly-u-Mariupoli-boiovyka-DNR-88577.html
July 26 National Guard soldiers Ukraine conducted verification of documents of passengers by bus at one of the roadblocks at the entrance to the Mariupol. The attention of law enforcement officers caught a young man who visibly nervous. Documents to be posvidchuvaly his identity, he was missing, which led to clarification of the circumstances.
Senior military attire was decided to inspect personal belongings. The man was found symbols "DNR". A personal notebook, which was also decorated with the symbols "DNR" found records and digital codes.

Consul of the Russian Federation discarded Russian Major Vladimir Starkov, who had been detained by Ukrainian border guards with a KamAZ truck full of ammunition at Berezove control point in the Donetsk region.

As reported by Censor.NET, this was announced by volunteer Kateryna Yaresko on her Facebook page.
"The detained Russian Major was discarded by consul today. We had no doubts! Maybe someone could spread the information to his wife, relatives, and friends, since the state has abandoned him," she wrote.

Read more: KAMAZ with Russian serviceman and ammo detained at Berezove checkpoint. PHOTOS

The volunteer also published details of the detained Major.

"Vladimir Alexandrovich Starkov. Born in 1979 in the Kirov region, village of Zuevka. His most recent unit is in Novocherkassk, the Rostov region. Married, has a child," she specified.

It was reported earlier that officers of the State Border Service detained a KamAZ truck with a Russian serviceman and ammunition at Berezove checkpoint. It was announced later that the detainee is Russian Army Major.

censor.net.ua: In Russian

Oleksandr Yanukovych, the son of fugitive Ukraine's president Viktor Yanukovych, continues doing business in Donbas.

Head of the Donetsk Regional Military and Civilian Administration Pavlo Zhebrivsky said this in an interview with LigaBusinessInform.

"There are businesses which are directly or indirectly owned by the MAKO [the corporation of Oleksandr Yanukovych]," Zhebrivsky said.

When asked whether the state intends to return the illegally privatized processing plants and coal deposits, owned by Oleksandr Yanukovych, into its property, the governor said, "The process is running. The prosecutor's office and the Security Service are involved in the process. But nothing happens by magic. I hope we will speed up these things and return [the assets]."

Zhebrivsky added that he had already given appropriate instructions to the prosecutor's office and the Security Service of Ukraine.

time-ua.com

The President said this during the meeting of the country's leadership with the volunteers of the Defense Ministry of Ukraine, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

"Landing troops, marines, artillery are now concentrated there. Mariupol is not a part of the buffer zone. Each unit stays in its in place. Only heavy artillery and multiple rocket launchers are withdrawn, but will be immediately returned to their disposition if the conflict escalates. Do not listen to panic-mongers," Poroshenko said.

In particular, the President informed about strengthening of Mariupol defense line with the elite units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

ukrinform.ua: In Ukrainian

Electricity supplies from Russia began after the repair has begun a number of energy generating capacity in Ukraine.

The Russian Federation currently supplies to Ukraine about 900 MW of electricity for contracts of parallel operation of power systems between countries.

According to an UNIAN correspondent, at a briefing in the Cabinet said the Minister of Energy and Coal Industry of Ukraine Volodymyr Demchyshyn.

"800-900 MW receives parallel operation of our northern neighbors - Russia", - said Demchyshyn, adding that this power is not issued and no imports paid.

The Minister added that, most likely, Ukraine will have to pay at the end of the month to the grid of the same amount of electricity........

economics.unian.ua: In Ukrainian

The shelling of Vrublyovka, Luhansk oblast, by the rebels from Grad missile system failed to appear on OSCE report on that day, Luhansk News Today reports July 27.

The OSCE mission task is to monitor and report objectively on the military situation in Donbas. However, Ukrainian servicemen say the mission officers are biased in their reporting.

They explain this by the fact that there are many Russian observers on its staff.

Says speaker of the Pravy Sector Corps Andry Sharashkin, "The OSCE mission in Ukraine has discredited itself as independent observers. There is a lot of evidence that it is staffed by numerous former and present FSB officers who relay information and positions of the Ukrainian army to the rebels. "

"When OSCE observers come to our positions we know for sure there will not be any shelling. We can walk about without bullet-proof jackets and helmets. As soon as they leave, the shelling comes, "says Mykola Tyhonov, officer of the 93rd Brigade.

zik.ua

The Russian Federation, which has lodged war against Ukraine, stands for the territorial integrity of Ukraine "in view of the decisions taken on Crimea."

This position was announced by Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev at a press conference following Russian-Slovenian talks, Censor.NET informs citing RIA Novosti.

"We believe that this conflict has no military solution, that this conflict should be resolved by peaceful means, first of all, through negotiations between all the parties to the conflict. I mean both the official powers and the authorities currently existing in the south-east (in the Donbas - Ed.)," Medvedev stated.

"The Russian Federation also stands for the territorial integrity of Ukraine but, of course, taking into account last year's decisions taken on Crimea. We are ready to continue holding our consultations on this issue. I think that they will be useful in any case," the Russian prime minister said.

It should be reminded that the Russian Federation occupied Crimea in 2014 through holding of fake referendum that was followed by the Kremlin's strong support of the terrorists in the Donbas ranging from political statements to the supply of food and weapons. There are Russian career soldiers among the terrorists as well.

censor.net.ua: In Russian

The Ukrainian servicemen have moved their positions 12 kilometers closer to occupied Horlivka enforcing the Minsk accords. They managed to pass through the mine fields and reoccupy the village of Zaitseve.

Censor.NET reports that the Ukrainian military have outflanked the minefields and suddenly appeared in the village. The militants retreated from their positions having no support of heavy weapons. They tried to fight the positions back later but all their attacks were repulsed.

The terrorists have been committing strikes on Zaitseve from heavy artillery every night since then. The Ukrainian servicemen are confident that the attacks are carried out blindly - without a spotter while the militants care two hoots if they hit civilian targets.

The Ukrainian soldiers failed to take the whole village under control. Its part is still under the control of the "DPR" militants headed by the terrorist with the call sign Tagil.



censor.net.ua: In Russian

IMF management has endorsed the second tranche of its Extended Fund Facility (EFF) loan program with the Ukrainian government, Concorde Capital informed clients in an onlne advisory today.

The report originated with the Bloomberg news agency, which reported this news on July 24, citing an anonymous source. On July 2, Ukraine reached a staff-level agreement with an IMF mission for the second tranche, which amounts to nearly USD 1.7 bln. The meeting of IMF’s executive board to consider approval of the second tranche is scheduled for July 31.

Ukraine has fulfilled all IMF requirements except the debt operation, said on July 23 Gerry Rice, the IMF communications director. He mentioned “good progress” on the debt talks; however, more work is needed for “narrowing the gaps” between creditors and Ukraine’s official position. So far, no agreement has been reached.

Concorde analyst Alexander Paraschiy added: “The IMF management endorsement means that approval of the second installment is in the IMF pipeline. The wild card for Ukraine receiving the second EFF tranche remains its debt operation. It’s very unlikely the Ukrainian government will be able to reach some agreement with bondholders on debt restructuring this week, but reports of some progress in their talks will be vital for a positive IMF decision, we believe..............

ukrainebusiness.com.ua

Southern Ukraine can produce top end crops at low cost, according to Colin Galbraith, sales and marketing director of UK-based importer-exporter Moorhouse and Mohan, who recently joined the board of Ukraine’s biggest horticultural and root production company Green Team Ukraine, Produce Business UK reports.

“There are 33 million hectares of very, very high quality land in the Ukraine, especially in the south,” said Galbraith while uncovering the potential the eastern European nation has to supply the United Kingdom, “It’s beautiful soil – some of the most fertile in Europe. In the south around Kherson some two million hectares is irrigable, which is an enormous area. But of that total, only a portion is being used. There’s a lot of land lying fallow – it’s been left for so long it could even be described as virgin land.”

Galbraith believes there is “huge” potential for the area to supply Europe with high quality root vegetables such as onions, cabbage, carrots and potatoes.
He claims that Ukraine “has the capability to produce low cost, high quality crops for the processing market first of all, and retail”. “The country is not encumbered by very high labour rates. At the moment, wages are about one tenth of the cost of the UK. Infrastructure and diesel costs are very low too,” he says................

unian.info

If Russia and the United States will give way to the Ukraine Donbass, it will lose the occupied Crimea.

Such an assumption is expressed by the former leader of the militants DNI Igor Girkin (arrows), reports edition of "Zodiac."

"Yielding to the Donbas, Russia will be forced to give way to the Crimea, concede there - it will press on. They will pursue their goal at all times. Only by force, confidence and willingness to confront hard you can achieve something by the Anglo-Saxons, their politicians," - Gunmen said.

According to him, Russia has two options - either to surrender unconditionally or win.

As reported, March 22 Gunmen said that Russian President Vladimir Putin is no turning back, and he will capture new territories.

glavnoe.ua: In Russian

Russia threatens Ukraine Yugoslav scenario, but in our country it is unlikely. This commentary portal "Home" said the director of the Ukrainian Institute of Policy Analysis and Management Ruslan Bortnik.

"Premier Russia warned Ukraine Yugoslav scenario, but I do not think it's possible. Yugoslavian scenario is possible if fundamental differences in the ethnic and religious composition of regions. On the basis of these differences, and the conflict was formed, and then the new boundaries. In Ukraine, it is not, the vast majority of the population are members of one nation and religion, "- says Bortnik.

According to him, Ukraine will threaten Spanish scenario of 1936-1939.

glavnoe.ua: In Russian

One member of the OSCE mission in Ukraine was wounded by gunfire in Shirokino. This is stated in the report of the mission, transfers "UNN" .

According to the report, the observers recorded the shootout, while the fire was coming from the north-east, north-west and south Shirokino. After the Mission heard sniper shots, head of the group ordered to leave the territory of the village. Then, observers noted three people hiding in the 50 meters to the north of their position. There was the sound of the shot, and then an explosion occurred in 5 meters from the patrol leader of the OSCE, which fell to the ground. He was wounded by a fragment of concrete, and his helmet was broken.

After the incident, the mission went to Mariupol, paramedic had wounded medical treatment. In Mariupol in the hospital he was diagnosed with a concussion and injured his legs, and later a member of the mission was discharged from the hospital.

Recall, the representatives of the OSCE mission in Ukraine fell near the town of Lugansk region Happiness under attack from the north. Later it became known that the monitoring mission of the OSCE special review its monitoring activities as a result of security incidents near Happiness.

glavcom.ua: In Russian

On the restoration of Donbass after fighting all need more than 1.8 billion dollars. This is in the air "on Channel 5," said the head of the State Agency for the Reconstruction of Donbass Vadim Sandpiper, transfers "UNN" .

"The state has not made full payment of what was destroyed during the fighting in the Donbas. But it made international partners. Approximate amount - 1 billion 200 million. Dollars. On infrastructure and $ 300 million. To restore peace. There is also a plan for humanitarian losses. Only humanitarian needs will further $ 316 million. "- He said.

In early June, the President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko expressed his hope that in 2016 Ukraine will begin the restoration.

Recall, May 29, President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko promised that the infrastructure of Donbass will be restored with the assistance of international partners.

glavcom.ua: In Russian