Ukraine crisis. News in Brief. Thursday 06 August [Ukrainian sources]

THURSDAY

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

News -
Reading that the Russians violated the ceasefire 65 times yesterday. Lower than some figures of late - over 100 for several days.
They also used prohibited weapons. No surprise here. Russians.
Update -
Sadly reading of 5 (five) soldiers killed yesterday. 6 injured.

Weather -
19C at 0630. It is going to be fairly hot today. Forecast is for 32, but I expect it to go higher.
And similar throughout the weekend. 34, 35 or so. Nearing 100 again.

Footie -
Shakhtar managed to win in Lviv. 3-0 . A chance there may be two Ukrainian teams in the group stages of the Champions League.
Dynamo are already through as League Champions in Ukraine.
Shakhtar face one more team, but are seeded in the draw on Friday, so they will avoid the likes of Manchester United.
They have a chance. I watched the game last night. They played quite well, but were lucky once or twice not to concede.
Also - two teams playing in the Europa League tonight. See 6 posts down for details.

Militants fired mortars at Leninsko and Mayorsk - headquarters of ATO (Commander)
http://glavcom.ua/news/314986.html

It is noted that on this night, in the area of ​​the ATO, the enemy reduced the number of attacks on several positions of Ukrainian troops.
"However, following their insidious tactics the Russian-terrorist forces continue to more actively use prohibited weapons Minsk Agreement in the dark" - noted in the headquarters of the ATO.

Champions League, "Shakhtar" defeated "Fenerbahce" (Radio Liberty)
http://www.radiosvoboda.org/content/news/27173277.html

7:44
The separatists used prohibited weapons in two directions - Press Center ATO (RL)
http://www.radiosvoboda.org/content/news/27173325.html
Pro-Russian militants in eastern Ukraine in the evening and at night on August 5 August 6 agreements MINSK used banned weapons in two directions - Donetsk and Artemivsk. This stated in the morning on August 6 the press-center headquarters of the antiterrorist operation....
The situation in the Luhansk region Mariupol and Ukrainian military described as "relative calm".
Generally during the August 5 the separatists 65 times violated the ceasefire, noted in the press center of the ATO headquarters.

8:00
Near Kiev, where tens of thousands of pigs are burned, people suffocate from the smoke (Comments.ua)
http://comments.ua/life/520858-pod-kievom-gde-szhigayut-desyatki-tisyach.html
Veterinarians recorded outbreak of African swine fever (ASF) in several areas
So, after the Chernihiv, Rivne, Sumy and Zhytomyr regions most ambitious outbreak occurred in the village of Kalita Kyiv region on one of the largest in the region agrokombinats "Kalita", he writes "Segodnya.ua."
According to the protocol security is now more than 60 thousand pigs in Kalita subject to total destruction, and this is now engaged in plant employees, veterinary services and the Ministry of Emergency Situations. "If in other regions were exclusively cases of ASF in wild birds, then after the event in Kalita can talk about a large-scale epidemic that without precautions can spread like lightning to other mills! The main carrier - the clothes and the food of man, as well as small fauna....
[This was on the news last night.
In 2012 there was also an outbreak in Ukraine.
In 2014, in Poland. Also Latvia, Lithuania.]

8:16
In Donets'k people startled by an explosion, black smoke over the city - video (at gunpoint)
http://p-p.com.ua/articles/74108/
On Wednesday, August 5, around 19:20 Donetsk startled by a powerful explosion that occurred near the shop ninth state factory of chemical products. It was reported eyewitnesses in social networks, - informs "Media Ukraine."

Two Ukrainian teams playing in the Europa League tonight
Some info here -
http://www.uefa.com/uefaeuropaleague/
1.
Stadion Dynamo im. Valeriy Lobanovskiy - Kyiv 06/08/2015 - 20:00CET (21:00 local time)
Third qualifying round, Second leg
Zorya - Charleroi

Zorya are from Lugansk, but playing in Kiev tonight. They lead 2-0 on the first leg.

2.
Stadion Vorskla im. Olexiy Butovskiy - Poltava 06/08/2015 - 19:00CET (20:00 local time)
Third qualifying round, Second leg
Vorskla - Žilina  Down 2-0 on the first leg.
====
Update - as if on queue, found this posted a few minutes ago -
Сегодня в Лиге Европы «Ворскла» сыграет с «Жилиной», а «Заря» – с «Шарлеруа»
http://nbnews.com.ua/ru/news/157253/
Both games on Football1 and Football2 tv channels tonight )

8:40
In Lugansk investigators arrived from Russia to catch drunken fighters (Pulse of Kiev)
http://society.puls.kiev.ua/incident/342914.html
In Lugansk from Russia arrived panel of seven persons to investigate the incident with drunken militants, the press center of the ATO.
It is noted that local fighters as a result of non-payment of "wages" has worsened the discipline. Therefore, the Russians are planning to replace them with military personnel from Russia.
[I think in Lugansk a large operation is going on to remove the particularly violent Russian mercenary- terrorists, those who commit multiple murder and rape of civilians, and replace them with Russian regular conscripts. ]

Yesterday in the area ATO 5 soldiers killed, 6 wounded - Staff
Thursday, August 6, 2015, 12:41
http://www.pravda.com.ua/news/2015/08/6/7076940/
at a traditional briefing on Thursday said a spokesman for the presidential administration Alexander Motuzyanyk ATO.
"For the past day by fighting five Ukrainian soldiers were killed and six wounded," - he said.

The volume of reverse gas from Slovakia to Ukraine increased by 33% (UNN)
http://www.unn.com.ua/uk/news/1489036-obsyag-reversu-gazu-zi-slovachchini-v-ukrayinu-zbilshivsya-na-33-ukrtransgaz
[I understand Ukraine has stopped buying from Russia. ]

12:52
Putin is not prepared for Ukraine to unite with the EU - Poroshenko (Segodnya.ua)
http://www.segodnya.ua/politics/pnews/putin-ne-byl-gotov-k-tomu-chto-ukraina-obedinitsya-s-es-poroshenko-638407.html

13:22
In the area of ​​Kremenchug a refinery explosion (Politeka.net)
http://politeka.net/58170-v-rajone-kremenchugskogo-npz-proizoshel-vzryv/
To eliminate the consequences of the accident sent five pieces of equipment and 20 personnel. Currently, measures are being taken for draining oil in an underground tank and an emergency prevention of occurrence of its combustion.

[Apparently, an explosion, but no fire. ]

13:23
Lawyer published evidence that at the time of the murder of journalists Savchenko was already in captivity (Channel 5)
http://www.5.ua/Sprava-Savchenko/Advokat-opryliudnyv-dokaz-toho-shcho-na-moment-ubyvstva-zhurnalistiv-Savchenko-vzhe-bula-v-poloni-89534.html
[In a Russian court, it doesn't matter what is true or false.
What matters is what Putin orders. Complete dictatorial control. ]

Markets today -
Oil price, after rising slightly yesterday, has fallen more this morning.
www.bloomberg.com/energy/  now - everything is down -

Crude Oil & Natural Gas
INDEX UNITS PRICE CHANGE %CHANGE CONTRACT TIME ET 2 DAY
WTI Crude Oil (Nymex)
USD/bbl. 44.90 -0.25 -0.55% SEP 15 06:03:33
Brent Crude (ICE)
USD/bbl. 49.57 -0.02 -0.04% SEP 15 06:04:00
Crude Oil (Tokyo)
JPY/kl 39,830.00 -50.00 -0.13% JAN 16 06:01:14
Natural Gas (Nymex)
USD/MMBtu 2.77 -0.03 -1.18% SEP 15 06:03:48
====

As you would expect, the ruble is falling again.
It was near 60 to a dollar a week ago, but today,

64.3669 RUB / one usd  +0.8919  +1.41%
A fall of about 7% on the week.
http://www.bloomberg.com/quote/USDRUB:CUR

This on www.xe.com
Rubles to one .. dollar . euro . pound
Inverse: 64.3841 70.1535 100.494
Over 100 rubles to a pound.

The Ukrainian hryvnia, on the other hand, has strengthened,
UAH to one   dollar    euro     pound
Inverse: 21.4489 23.3721 33.4811

The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine is currently seeking opportunities to raise the minimum wage in the country.

Prime Minister of Ukraine Arsenii Yatseniuk announced today at the meeting with heads of regional state administrations in the course of his work visit to Khmelnytskyi, Censor.NET reports citing the Cabinet's press service.

"We are currently thinking where to get resources, and about the level of increment of the minimum pay," he added.

"It will be a real answer for people on how the state cares about every citizen. The support of people and clarification of our innovation policy in the country is the task of every manager in the country, from the top to the bottom," he said.

Yatseniuk stressed that the Government pays out all the pensions: "They are small, but we are paying them off, despite the fact that the country lost 20% of the economy and is under the Russian Federation's aggression."
Also, according to Yatseniuk, the Cabinet of Ministers also pays out 100% of salaries.

censor.net.ua: In Russian

There are still about 200 Ukrainian army prisoners held by the Donbas rebels. Contrary to the Minsk agreements, the rebels refuse to exchange them for their POW in Ukraine, ZIK reports Aug. 6.

Still, the rebels say they are ready to exchange 20 Ukrainian servicemen for one Russian POWE.

Exchange negotiations are very slow because rebels are stalling them, Ukraine army officials say.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian POWs are Kept in abominable conditions,
some wastage in the system tunnels.

zik.ua:

Georgia has no plans to join another round of sanctions introduced by the European Union against Russia, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili said while commenting on the extension of economic sanctions against Russia by some European countries, according to Georgian independent news service Democracy and Freedom Watch.

The sanctions were imposed by European countries as punishment for the annexation of Crimea by Russia last year, Democracy and Freedom Watch wrote.

"I was and I am against Georgia's joining the EU sanctions against Russia now. That was our position last year, and it hasn't changed now," he said.

"We cherish the achievements we have made in the form of restoring trade relations between Russia and Georgia," Garibashvili said explaining his country's position.

"Through a pragmatic policy, by negotiations, we've managed to reopen [the Russian] market," the prime minister said.............

unian.ua: In Ukrainian

Informnapalm.org team conducted another investigation in identifying concentrations of Russian military equipment in the city of Krasny Luch.

Russian-terrorist forces threatening to use its artillery in case of resumption of the response of the armed forces of Ukraine to the Russian daily frustrations militants Minsk Agreement, and their offensive will continue until the full occupation of the territories of the Lugansk and Donetsk regions, at least.



Recall that in early May 2015 in the course of OSINT-intelligence team InformNapalm.org in the profile of one of the Russian militants, who lit up a staging post in the city of Rostov-on-Don before sending to Ukraine , were found a couple of photos from April 2015. with great accumulation of military equipment, but the exact location has not been established then.................

informnapalm.org: In Russian

So the analyst commented Peter Oleshuk Gazeta.ua information extradition of Russian passports to residents of the occupied territories.

"They create an environment in which they will have to accept. For example, if you want to receive humanitarian assistance or special payments from the self-proclaimed republics, then take Russian citizenship. If that is how it will be organized, many will agree," - he said.

"Thus Russia wants to gain a foothold in the Donbas, use this as an argument for intervention in the Ukrainian national affairs, to put pressure on Ukraine and the world community. The purpose - such as always - an attempt to keep Ukraine under its geopolitical influence" - added Oleshuk.

Earlier media reported that Russia intends to start issuing passports to residents of the territory of Ukraine occupied by militants, "DNR" and "LC". One of the goals of such action - "legitimizing" the invasion of Russian troops in the Donbas.

en.glavnoe.ua:

Top European leaders would likely have handed Moscow more concessions over Ukraine, had it not been for pressure from Washington. That's according to Mykola Vorobiov, Ukrainian journalist, blogger and director of the US-based Center for Eastern European Perspectives.

He said that the Kremlin was putting maximum effort into splitting the united transatlantic policy towards Ukraine and sanctions against Moscow through a broad range of channels, including propaganda and energy.

Despite this pressure, Vorobiov argues a broad US-EU front remains towards Ukraine, based on the principles of western values and ideology, of freedom and democracy.

24today.net(VIDEO REPORT):

Valery Gerasimov is accused of giving orders to shell Ukrainian army positions with rockets from the territory of Russia

Russia's top general Valery Gerasimov has been accused of ‘organising an armed conflict' in Ukraine which is making plans to put him on trial.

Ukrainian authorities hold Gerasimov responsible in particular for a battle last summer around the town of Ilovaysk in which government forces were encircled and suffered heavy losses.

Many hundreds are feared to have been killed.

uatoday.tv:

Elections will not be held in certain areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions, until they are controlled by Ukrainian authorities - officials say

UNIAN: Local elections will not be held in Crimea and in the militant-occupied territories of Donbas, Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration Vitaliy Kovalchuk said at a briefing in Kyiv on Thursday, August 6.

"The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine adopted a resolution on local elections on July 17. It is clearly defined where local elections are to be held. At the moment, it is impossible to hold elections on the temporarily occupied territories of Crimea and Sevastopol. In addition, according to the law on special order of the local government, these elections will not be held in certain areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions,until they are controlled by the Ukrainian authorities and the elections are held in accordance with the OSCE standards," Kovalchuk said...............

uatoday.tv: Click to read further

UT Press Review looks into the archives to see how Leon Aron envisioned Moscow's aggression

"Russia's next target could be Ukraine".

Those words were written nearly seven years ago by Leon Aron in the Wall Street Journal. The article was recently unearthed and has been causing much discussion on social media.

In today's press review we'll look at the piece to see where Aron was right and how his predictions compare to the current situation in Ukraine - where in the east of the country militants backed up by Russian troops have been fighting Ukrainian forces for 15 months.

As Aron wrote his article in 2008, Russian forces were waging war in Georgia. He wrote: "This short war is likely to be remembered as the beginning of a decisive shift in Russia's national priorities. The most compelling of these new priorities today seems to be recovery of the assets lost in the Soviet Union's collapse in 1991, which Vladimir Putin has called the "greatest geopolitical catastrophe of the 20th century."

From what we've seen of Russia's aggression in Ukraine, we can say that the evidence supports the hypothesis Aron made of a shift in Russia's priorities. He went on to say that anything in post-Soviet countries which went against Russia interests would prompt a response from the Kremlin. Once again we have to say that Aron has been proven correct.

It was after all last year's pro-EU uprising in Ukraine and move away from closer ties with Russia which triggered the current conflict with the Kremlin. Aron even predicted the freeze in ties between Moscow and the West which we are living through today.

He wrote: "If, in the process, Russia must sacrifice most or even all of the fruits of the post-Soviet rapprochement with the West -- including membership in the G8, entry to the World Trade Organization or ties to the EU -- so be it."..................

uatoday.tv: Click to read further. Included a VIDEO report

Swedish police investigating the case of war crimes, which could make a citizen of the country, fighting in Ukraine in 2014. This writes the Swedish newspaper Svenska Dagbladet.

"I can confirm that continuing the investigation in respect of a citizen of Sweden. He is suspected of committing a series of war crimes in Ukraine in 2014 ", - said the prosecutor of the International Chamber of Stockholm prosecutor Tora Holst.

However, she did not specify precisely which crimes in question. According to her, the suspect did not show the charges, the investigation does not need this.

Edition with reference to the Swedish Security Police said that many Swedes are taking part in the hostilities in the east of Ukraine, especially on the side of government forces. Analysts security police say that on the whole these people are driven by a craving for violence and interest in weapons and explosives.

It should be noted that the prosecutor's office did not specify on which side fought suspect a Swedish citizen.

glavcom.ua: In Russian

In Donbass among the officers of the Russian-terrorist forces is growing dissatisfaction with the actions of management. This was Facebook the press center of the ATO, recalling its operational data.

"The reason for this is the housing problem of mercenaries, which informally sent to the war in Georgia. In particular, this applies to Russian officers, who were part of the 7th Motorized Infantry and 6th Tank Brigade of the criminal association DNI. Occupants in the officers' uniforms say that from August 1, their families should be free service housing for the military, which will be served at the official place of deployment units. Learning about this, the militants often refuse to command units and service equipment ", - informs the press center of the ATO.

glavcom.ua: In Russian

Head of State Administration of Pervomayskaya (Mykolaiv region) Victor Orphan Wednesday scandal and uproar after special forces "Cobra" stopped his car, law enforcement officers insulted and threatened with dismissal. This is evidenced by the video recording, which is available NikVestey .

The conflict between officials and law enforcers occurred on the highway not far from Pervomaisk after the staff "Cobra" stopped the car head of RGA, which was moving at a speed of 160 km / h and passenger "fell out" of the window, in order to carry out preventive conversation about avoiding traffic violations.

"I'll put these assholes in their place", - said Victor Orphan passenger named Alexander. He added that tomorrow (today. - Ed.) Will explain everything a policeman in his office.

After that Sirota said that the law enforcers, officials stopped the car, come illegally "as the bandits on the streets." "You do not work, you know. Petition tomorrow I'll give Avakov. You are breaking the law. You are bandits on the road. You are doing is illegal. I finished a dialogue with you, "- he said.

Orphan demanded to move away from the car in which he was, threatening to use weapons.



glavcom.ua: In Russian

Military expert, zamglavreda "Daily Journal" Alexander Goltz said that the opposition in the Donbas not lead to global war, since nuclear weapons play a deterrent role. He said this in an interview with "Commander in Chief" .

In his view, the scenarios are vast. "But, in general, continues to operate the factor of nuclear weapons. Like it or not, nuclear weapons are the last 70 years played a deterrent role of any conflicts, "- said the expert.

"The fact that Russia and the United States have this weapon in large numbers, is more or less effective guarantee that the global conflict is not going to happen. When each party has the ability to destroy all life on the planet in the event of conflict, when none of the parties does not have a guaranteed opportunity to suppress the nuclear forces of the other side, and will not have such a possibility in the foreseeable future, it is obvious that such a war today is not possible ", - Goltz said.

glavcom.ua: In Russian

Ukraine's Prosecutor General's Office has already submitted documents for the extradition of former Prime Minister Mykola Azarov, and now is trying to get permission for the production of correspondence. This was reported by Ukrainian Pravda Chief of the Special Investigations Unit of the Prosecutor General Sergei Gorbatyuk.

He explained that the briefing did not misunderstand. "The documents on extradition Azarov filed with the documents for the extradition of Yanukovych. And now preparing documents for permission to carry out a special pre-trial investigation procedure in relation to Azarov, ie part-time production ", - said Gorbatyuk.

Recall, the former Prosecutor General Vitaly Yarema said about the preparation of these documents as early as mid-January, a few days after the announcement Azarov is wanted by Interpol.

In Ukraine, Azarov investigation against several criminal cases, in particular, embezzlement of another's property, abuse of office, illegal financing of the construction and other special communication network.

Today the media reported that Gorbatyuk at the briefing said about the preparation of documents that will be transferred to Russia for the extradition Azarov.

glavcom.ua: In Russian

A woman who tried to collide with the patrol police in Kiev during the inspection of documents and the minutes for parking police threatened with dismissal. It is reported by the press service of the Interior Ministry.

The incident occurred in the area of ​​Birch. The driver parked his crossover too close to a bus stop. When police arrived, the woman argued with the law enforcers, and then tried to leave the scene.

However, she ran over a policeman who was standing in front of the car, a ride on the hood. This woman in the car was a little kid.

Violator stated that tells everything to her husband, who works in the police and the police fired.

Now women will have to answer before the law for several violations - willful disobedience to a police officer of the accident and improper parking.



glavcom.ua: In Russian

Russia's FSB Federal Security Service uses smuggling in the Donbas conflict zone as bait to recruit Ukrainian soldiers, employing the same methods as during the Chechen wars, which may turn into mass treason, Chairman of Luhansk Regional Military and Civil Administration Heorhiy Tuka said in an interview with Ukrainian newspaper Ukrainska Pravda.

"Highly professional FSB officers are working there. They have experienced the same tricks during the two Chechen wars. Chechens used these methods against them, when the poor officers were bribed, and ended up blatantly betraying troops, when the commanders deliberately sent whole battalions under artillery fire," Tuka told Ukrainska Pravda.

Tuka described the model in the following way: at first, a person is allowed to earn some money, after that he is squeezed for handing over secret information, after that he is under control.

"It comes to such ridiculous things that our boneheaded officers do not even realize what risk they are at when they get some money for their services in cash and the rest is transferred onto their bank cards with their names on them," he said...................

unian.info:

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https://ukraine-english-news.forumotion.com/t842-ukraine-crisis-news-in-brief-friday-07-august-ukrainian-sources

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