Ukraine crisis. News in brief. Saturday 12 September [Ukrainian sources]

SATURDAY

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

News -
Putin attacked Ukrainian people 5 times yesterday.
Revolting ex Italian leader, right-winger Berlusconi, close friend of Putin, visits Crimea.
Pravi Sector to merge with Svoboda?

Weather -
Overcast. Cool. High here around Kiev of 18 today. A little warmer further south.
But forecast is for it to warm up to the mid-lower 20s by the middle of next week. Good.
Tornado reported in Poltava oblast. Shock to me. Very quiet where I am.

http://censor.net.ua/news/351634/terroristy_5_raz_narushali_peremirie_posle_polunochi_nastupilo_zatishe_presstsentr_ato
About 1820 hours gangs with grenade launchers, heavy machine guns and small arms fired on the outpost forces ATO near Avdeevka.
Also, around 6 pm, under the fire of enemy rocket-propelled grenades and small arms were Ukrainian position in Opitnoe.
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report from 0815 this morning.

9:05
http://newsoboz.org/proisshestviya/smerch-nanes-selu-pronozovka-na-poltavshchine-nemalye-ubytki-12092015051836
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Quite a bit of damage.
When I see the word Смерч Smerch - I normally think of Putin's "humanitarian aid"- it is a very nasty multiple missile system. Worse than Grad.
But in this case it was a natural tornado.

9:06
http://obozrevatel.com/abroad/62754-mid-litvyi-nazval-zhalkim-postupkom-vizit-berluskoni-v-kryim.htm
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Berlusconi - Italian right wing fascist dreaming ex PM - popular with the idiotic Italians dreaming of a new Roman empire - is indeed a pathetic figure.
With dictator Putin he is in similar company.

9:24
http://gazeta.ua/articles/politics/_arosh-zaproponuvav-svobodi-obyednatis/647022
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Amazing. He distances himself from the stupidity of Svoboda killing unarmed Ukrainian soldiers in Kiev, and then..
a week later proposed merging with them...
Everybody I know of now speaks of Svoboda with disgust. And the Pravi Sector will likely move into the same category.
Maybe they think that a new name will help them in elections?

9:15
http://politics.puls.kiev.ua/abroad_politic/349192.html
Peskov once again tried to prove that Russia is not a party to the conflict.
A spokesman for the Russian president, Dmitry Peskov, said about the absurdity of the accusations against Moscow's failure to Minsk Agreement.
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The Kremlin propaganda still existing in its labyrinth of lies.

http://news.yahoo.com/ukraine-says-sealing-border-russia-condition-peace-151151928.html
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko says the withdrawal of Russian forces from the east and the sealing of the nation's border with Russia are key conditions for peace in Ukraine.
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Very short article. 4 or 5 sentences only.

Putin made his remarks on September 12 while visiting the archaeological complex at Khersones, in the Ukrainian region of Crimea that was annexed by Russia in March 2014, with former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi.

The Russian leader said that it could be possible to consider extending the implementation of the Minsk agreements beyond the end of the year, but that it would be better to find ways to meet existing deadlines.

In February, Ukraine and the self-proclaimed separatist enclaves in the east agreed to a cease-fire and steps to end the conflict, including some form of autonomy for the separatist areas and full control for Kyiv over Ukraine's borders.

Putin said Russia cannot decide the fate of the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine and that the most important thing to do now is to establish direct contacts between Kyiv and the separatist leaders.

On September 11, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said in Kyiv that he has ruled out extending the deadlines for the implementation of the Minsk agreements.......

rferl.org

Russian President Vladimir Putin has personally ordered to send up to 40,000 soldiers, including the regular Russian troops, to the territory of Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

Prime Minister of Ukraine Arseniy Yatsenyuk stated this at the XII annual meeting of the Yalta European Strategy (YES), the government portal reports.

"President Putin has personally ordered to send 40,000 soldiers, including Russian regular troops, to the territory of Donetsk and Luhansk regions," Yatsenyuk said............

ukrinform.ua

“Putin does not respect our president whatsoever” Trump tells Ukraine audience during speech via video link.

By Cathy Burke for Newsmax, Sep 11, 2015

Front-running GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump — on the stump in Ukraine via video link to a gathering of European leaders — lashed out at President Barack Obama's foreign policy and vowed to make the U.S. military very, very strong.

Our president is not strong, and he is not doing what he should be doing for the Ukraine, Trump, speaking from New York, declared to the Yalta European Strategy Forum, told an annual gathering of politicians and business people organized by Ukrainian businessman Viktor Pinchuk, Politico reports.

He added, [Russian President Vladimir] Putin does not respect our president whatsoever.

It's just one of those things where it's just not happening, and we're talking about many, many different elements, Trump told the gathering, Politico reports. And it is a big problem, and it is a problem that is taking place all over the world with respect to the United States. You have a problem, but many other countries have a problem and frankly, the United States has a problem.

To read further go to this link: newsmax.com

Not a word how he would help Ukraine with those troops. Typical political rhetoric (BS).

I also take it, he hasn't bothered to look into a one-on-one how the US would perform against the tattered Russian military. Russia military aircraft's are falling from the sky, as we've seen recently. Nothing to write home about. Do some research before you start blabbing.

Moscow has “shifted from the logic of a dispute to the logic of isolation” and is seeking to convince Russians that Western sanctions imposed following the Crimean Anschluss and Russian invasion of the Donbas have nothing to do with those events but rather reflect permanent Western hostility to Russia, Nezavisimaya Gazeta says.

In a lead article today, the editors of that Moscow paper draw that conclusion on the basis of a recent declaration by Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov that sanctions will remain in place for a long time because they are intended to limit Russia’s ability to act independently (ng.ru/editorial/2015-09-11/2_red.html).

Ryabkov’s words, the paper says, “reflect a transition to the completely isolationist logic in which the Russian authorities act today;” and that in turn reflects the conclusions of Presidential advisor Sergey Glazyev that Russia must move in the direction of “still greater economic isolation from the West.”

“Initially, immediately after the flight of Viktor Yanukovych, the annexation of Crimea, and the beginning of the conflict in the Donbas,” the editors say, “the logic of the Russian authorities was somewhat different.” Then, it stressed Russia’s “right to defend its ‘own,’ that is the Russian speakers” and drew parallels between Crimea and Kosovo.

No one spoke then, the paper continues, about sanctions remaining in force for any length of time apparently because the Kremlin believed that the West would “recognize their senselessness and cancel them not being able to live without Russia.” Now, the worsening of the economic situation has led to “a change in logic.”

For the Kremlin now, “citizens must be convinced that sanctions are not the result of Crimea or the Donbas.” Instead, a new “’correct’” interpretation is being offered: “the West and especially the United States cannot deal with our stormy growth, wants to slow it, and Ukraine is the occasion for doing so.”

In the former interpretation, there is great room for diplomacy; in the new one, there is little room left because Russian diplomats must soon follow politicians and television commentators in insisting that “’the West always hates us, it wants to ruin us, there is nothing to talk about with it.”

But such a shift raises some questions, the paper’s editors say. “For example, if the Russian authorities always knew that the West would not allow the strengthening of Russia, then why did they so poorly prepare the country for the present and as they assert inevitable pressure on it?”

Other questions also arise: Why didn’t the Russian authorities try to make the ruble less dependent on the price of oil? Why didn’t they try to find alternative sources of credit? And perhaps most important, because of the enormous support they enjoy from the population, why didn’t they use “this resource to carry out systemic reforms?”

If the authorities were not willing to do that in the “fat” years, they certainly will not do so in the “lean” ones now, Nezavisimaya Gazeta concludes.

Of course, there are at least two other explanations for Ryabkov’s statement, one domestic and one foreign political. Domestically, the Kremlin may fear that ever more Russians will draw a direct line between what Putin has been doing in Ukraine and their current suffering. Such a shift in opinion could threaten the regime.

ukrainebusiness.com.ua

Fear of further losing his country's support. Typical USSR propaganda. "OH! We can't act independently."      

The current Ukrainian Government managed to move toward free-floating exchange rate regime, to negotiate with private creditors on debt restructuring, and to reform the gas and banking sectors for the short period time during the crisis, making the unheard-off efforts.

World Bank Country Director for Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova Qimiao Fan stated this at the XII annual meeting of the Yalta European Strategy (YES), an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

"We need to realize the challenges, which the National Bank and the entire Government have faced. These challenges are unexampled. The authorities have made extraordinary steps and unheard-of measures to conduct reforms," the World Bank Country Director said.

According to him, the Government managed to move toward free-floating exchange rate regime, to negotiate with private creditors on foreign debt restructuring, and to reform the gas and banking sectors. "No country has liquidated one-third of its banks in such a short period of time," Qimiao Fan stressed.

ukrinform.ua

Less than one third of residents of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) terrorist organization are supporting separatists, according to the results of a survey carried out on request of the local authorities.

According to the survey, only 29% of the population supports the DPR. Earlier, the figure was even lower - 22%.

The vast minority of citizens agreed to consider themselves patriots of Russia. According to the results of sociologists, these are 11% in the town of Ilovaisk and 12% in the town of Debaltseve. In general, only 10% of citizens in the DPR consider themselves patriots of Russia.

Most people consider themselves patriots of Donbas. From 34% to 48% of respondents gave a positive answer to this question in different towns of the DPR....

unian.info

Ukraine will never accept concession to federalize the country, Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk said during an investment conference in Kyiv on Saturday, according to an UNIAN correspondent.

"Ukraine will never accept concession to federalize the country, because it is an issue of the dismemberment of Ukraine," he said.

unian.info

The US is ready to impose new sanctions against Russia in case the Minsk agreements are violated.

Assistant Secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs Victoria Nuland has said at the 12th Yalta European Strategy (YES) annual meeting today, Sept. 12, Censor.NET reports citing Radio Svoboda.

"The sanctions will stay in force until the Minsk Agreements are met. In this case, if Ukrainian sovereignty and the national borders are restored, then we can start easing some sanctions. In case of violation of the Minsk agreements, additional sanctions can be introduced," she said.

Nuland stressed that sanctions against the Crimea will remain in force until Ukraine restores its sovereignty over the peninsula.

Assistant Secretary of State said that Washington calls on the EU to stick to the same position.

censor.net.ua In Russian

Ukrainian Ambassador to Canada, will be ex-MP Andriy Shevchenko.

This "Ukrainian Truth" informed sources.

In particular, it is known that Canada's prior consent to its adoption as the head of the diplomatic mission of Ukraine (agrement) Shevchenko has already received.

glavcom.ua In Russian

Military Prosecutor's Office suspects that the assassination attempt on the Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine Arsen Avakov and explosion during a riot at Parliament on August 31 related.

This military prosecutor Anatoly Matios wrote on his page on Facebook.

According to him, among the weapons seized from the group, which was preparing an attempt on Avakov, they were the same as the grenades and blow up the walls of the Verkhovna Rada of August 31.

"Yesterday a military colleagues from the Security Service headquarters in ATU military prosecutor's investigators have completed a 4-month painstaking combination of operational and investigative. Detained the organizer of assassinations - the commander of a battalion of militia "Sloboda". Raided and confiscated evidence, "- wrote Matios.

According to him, among the seized: machetes, night vision devices, explosives, grenades RGO.

"Same as vzrvannaya the walls of BP. We will check the investigative means. We continue to work "- said Matios.

Recall September 11, a spokesman for the SBU said that the Security Service, together with the Chief Military Prosecutor's Office prevented the murder of the Minister of Internal Affairs Avakov and a series of other assassinations in Kiev and Kharkov. As a result of the special operation law enforcers have exposed a criminal group which prepared the assassination of high-ranking officials of the police, the MP, volunteers and businessmen.

Also on September 11 in Kharkov detained one of the organizers of the group - the head of the battalion "Sloboda" Andrew Yangolenko.

August 31 under the Verkhovna Rada after the adoption of the first reading of amendments to the Constitution in terms of decentralization clashes between demonstrators and law enforcement officials. Aggressive protesters began to storm the BP throwing paving stones, smoke bombs. There was also thrown grenade. Killed three soldiers National Guard under. Another 150 people were injured.

glavcom.ua In Russian

In the area of ​​border department "Melovoye" (Lugansk region.) Arrested two men, dressed in military uniform without insignia, who were citizens of the Russian Federation.

According to September 12 the State Border Service, a violation of the state border guards fixed with the help of night vision device.

"The detainees were dressed in military uniforms and found no signs of citizens of the Russian Federation. During the test one of the men was carrying a Russian internal passport, while the other - the military card, according to which it is a military Russian Armed with one of the military units of the Voronezh region, "- said in a statement.

Violators were taken to the border units, informed the Security Service and Interior Ministry employees. On this fact notified the Russian side.

glavcom.ua In Russian

Former head of "Ukrtransnafta" Alexander Lazorko wanted.

A message appeared on the site Miniisterstva Interior.

According to the report, Lazorko accused of hours. 5 Article 191 of the Criminal Code - "appropriation, embezzlement of property or seizure of them by malpractice" acts committed in large scale or an organized group.

Sanction article provides imprisonment for a term of 7 to 12 years, with disqualification to hold certain positions or engage in certain activities for up to 3 years and confiscation of property.

The date of the disappearance of the former head of "Ukrtransnafta" is the August 18, 2015.

As you know, the prosecutor's office in Kiev September 4 announced Lazorko suspicion.

According to sources, accounts and property Lazorko arrested and charged with suspicion on four counts: Pumping oil process, the signing of free transactions per year for storage of oil; insurance costs; Reservations pipeline Kremenchug - Odessa company "Synthesis of Oil," which stands for "Privat" Igor Kolomoisky - writes "Ukrainian Truth".

We also know that Lazorko, who is considered a person Kolomoisky, is now in London. As you know, it was removed from the scandal leadership "Ukrtransnafta", where he lobbied for the interests of the oligarchy.

glavcom.ua In Russian

The meeting of the Council of National Security and Defense of Ukraine with the participation of NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg could take place on September 22.

It is reported by "Ukrainian Truth" referring to "Interfax-Ukraine".

"September 22 is planned a meeting of the National Security Council, which will attend the NATO secretary general Jens Stoltenberg," - said in a statement.

Earlier, Foreign Minister of Ukraine Pavlo Klimkin said that the NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg will attend the meeting of the National Security Council, as well as with the president of Petro Poroshenko open joint exercises with NATO, planned for September 21-25.

glavcom.ua In Russian

The number of Ukrainian army for the year increased from 146 to 280 thousand. Man.

This was during a working trip to the zone of the antiterrorist operation (ATO) said Defense Minister Stepan Poltorak, said the press service of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine.

"It is not easy today to restore the Armed Forces of Ukraine, but we do everything that depends on us. Only in the last year increased the number of Ukrainian army - from 146 to 280 thousand ", - he said.

However, he noted that the Ministry of Defense feels the problem with the budget and power.

"But, I am sure, we need patience and we will create an army, no matter how proud Ukrainians that our army did not fear, but respect all the other countries", - the minister said.

glavcom.ua In Russian