Ukraine crisis. News in brief. Tuesday 22 September. [Ukrainian sources]

TUESDAY

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

News -
No reports of shelling by madman Putin yesterday. But several incidents of provocative fire from his warmongers.
Update - 1300. No soldiers killed, none injured. Slava Ukraini.
Poro said that there will be a referendum on Nato.
Blockade of Crimea continues.

Weather -
A cool start, but sunshine. High near 20 for most of Ukraine.
Warmer tomorrow.

http://zn.ua/WORLD/rossiya-trebuet-ot-yaponii-priznat-poteryu-yuzhnyh-kuril-189467_.html
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The Russian empire grows and grows under Putin. Just like the Third Reich under Hitler.
And everybody is too scared to do anything about it.

8:57
http://www.facenews.ua/news/2015/291723/

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-09-22/foreign-fighters-join-pro-russian-rebels-in-eastern-ukraine/6792696
...The Donetsk People's Republic likes to portray its fight as a war against fascism — and it is an ideological definition that has drawn hundreds of foreign fighters eager to take up arms for its cause.
One of the more unusual recruits is American Russell Bentley, a 56-year-old convicted drug smuggler from Texas...
"We've already got many guys from Finland here," he says.
"We have Spaniards, we have guys from Columbia, India, Italy, France. I'm not the only American here either. There are also many Serbian fighters. ..
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Interesting report from ABC.

9:44
http://censor.net.ua/news/352885/odin_voennoslujaschih_pogib_esche_odin_ranen_v_rezultate_detonatsii_rastyajki_na_luganschine_oga
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Demining. One killed, one injured by shrapnel.

9:44
http://hvylya.net/news/exclusive/v-dnr-i-lnr-nachalas-panika-posle-prikaza-genshtaba-vs-rf-o-vyivode-iz-donbassa-rossiyskih-voennyih-is.html

English version: hvylya.net

9:56
http://fraza.ua/news/22.09.15/231262/syn_tjagniboka_na_modnoj_inomarke_popal_v_dtp.html
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When the average salary in Ukraine is probably less than 200 dollars a month, how do these young kids afford 50,000 dollar cars?
Corruption.
Meanwhile Tiagnibok won't even condemn the attack by his Svoboda supporter which killed three young men at the Rada.

10:03
http://interfax.com.ua/news/general/291643.html
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Do you see Ukraine reclaiming control of the border before then? I don't.
Probably it will all depend upon the oil price. Can Putin afford to create another "Transdniestr" / South Ossetia region?
Or will he be short of $$$?
February is realistic IF Putin withdraws his tanks. And Ukraine reclaims control of the border.
But I personally don't expect this.

10:09
http://tyzhden.ua/News/146820
September 29 - 74th anniversary of the tragedy.
In Kiev will be held September 29 funeral procession in memory of the victims of Babi Yar. Organized by the West Memorial United Jewish Community of Ukraine.
This year, the funeral procession will be held within the 74 th anniversary of the tragic events. People will be so-called road death of the memorial sign at the monument to fallen Menorah.
We note at the end of September 1941 the Nazis began the mass shooting Jewish population of Kyiv. Only two days at Babi Yar was killed 34 thousand. Jews. Overall, for the three years of occupation at least 100 thousand.
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Should we expect scumball Guardian - RussiaProfile reporter Shaun Walker who always writes about Ukrainians being nazis?
I doubt it. This doesn't fit in with the Kremlin - Seumas Milne- picture of the fascists in western Europe.

http://www.buzzfeed.com/maxseddon/the-state-department-has-finally-learned-how-to-use-twitter?utm_term=.taaKzjo8zL#.goaRKJ5r3
The photo, the embassy replied, was a crude fake. “Ambassador Tefft spent his day off yesterday at home,” it tweeted. “But thanks to Photoshop, he could be anywhere.” ....landing in the Philippines with Douglas MacArthur....
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Humorous. But with a very serious point. The Russian media fake everything now.

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/sep/21/russian-spy-jailed-treason-sweden-job-letter?CMP=share_btn_tw
A court in Moscow has sentenced a Russian former intelligence radio engineer to 14 years in prison after he wrote to a Swedish company looking for work....
The state prosecutor sought 15 years, but the judge said Kravtsov’s young son and daughter were mitigating factors.
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Mitigating... reduced from 15 to 14 years? Unreal in RuZZia now. Madness.
This article, obviously not from Shaun Walker - Kremlin scumball.

http://www.unian.info/war/1130488-osce-militants-redeploy-heavy-weapons-in-donbas.html
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And bear in mind that Putin has not allowed the OSCE in most areas of occupied Donbas.

http://asn.in.ua/ru/news/news/13907-prezident-rasskazal-kogda-projjdet-referendum-o-vs.html
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No other path now, with madman Putin always killing Ukrainians.

http://zn.ua/UKRAINE/mer-grecheskogo-korinfa-posetil-krym-i-podpisal-soglashenie-189483_.html
The Greek official has arrived to strengthen "friendly relations". Mayor of Corinth (center) visited the Crimea Twitter Russian Embassy in Greece, the Greek city of Corinth Mayor paid an "official" visit to Russia annexed the Crimea, which was signed in the framework of a memorandum of cooperation between the cities of Corinth and Sevastopol. As the press service of the local authorities of Sevastopol and the Russian Embassy in Greece, arrived in the city "delegation" from Greece, headed by the mayor Alexandros Pnevmatikosom. "The signing of the Memorandum of Cooperation will strengthen the friendly relations between our peoples and to establish cooperation in the economic, tourism and other spheres", - quote the words of the representative of the Sevastopol sites Greek local authorities.
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The Greeks are, without doubt, the lowest forms of human life in Europe.
You can guarantee this scumball Greek got a big fat bonus from Putin for his visit.

http://www.themoscowtimes.com/business/article/russian-railroad-circumvents-ukrainian-territory/532370.html
Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev has signed an order authorizing construction of a railroad detour circumventing Ukrainian territory and passing through southern Russia.
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$$$

www.bloomberg.com/energy/

WTI Crude Oil (Nymex)
USD/bbl. 45.52 -1.16 -2.48% OCT 15 05:32:54
Brent Crude (ICE)
USD/bbl. 48.09 -0.83 -1.70% NOV 15 05:40:16
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The one thing that can control a madman - his access to funds for weapons - money from oil.
I notice several new taxes being introduced in Russia now.
Perhaps a new oil extraction tax being considered, increasing the current rate by 30%.
Also introducing toll roads. A new one from St P to Moscow. Quite expensive for trucks. 14 dollars.
It will all simply add to inflation.
====
Short 2 minute video from the WSJ from earlier this month -

Greg Ip: Cheap Oil Is Killing Russia's Economy
http://www.wsj.com/video/greg-ip-cheap-oil-is-killing-russia-economy/47F49E27-BE87-4E70-8382-180D92EAA11B.html

NATO may provide Ukraine with defensive, non-lethal weapons.

President Petro Poroshenko said during joint press conference with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, Censor.NET reports citing Ukrainska Pravda.

"We are partners with NATO, which gives us the opportunity to acquire defensive weapons: UAVs, electronic equipment - they are defensive, non-lethal weapons. But this assistance will strengthen our defense capability," Poroshenko said.

He also noted that Ukraine was exchanging information with the Aliance.

censor.net.ua In Russian

“The Svoboda party is openly playing into Kremlin’s hands,” Interior Minister Arsen Avakon told journalists in Cherkasy Sept. 21.

Aug. 31, following Rada’s first reading positive vote on the decentralization law, angry protesters near the legislature led by Svoboda and Radical parties beat the police, hurled stones and smoke grenades at police cordons in an attempt to storm the building.

During the turmoil, a combat grenade was thrown, killing 3 police and wounding 146 police and civilians.

A Svoboda member, Ihor Humeniuk, was arrested soon after the protest and accused of throwing the grenade. He had another grenade which he intended to throw in the Kyiv subway.

The police detained 17 protesters and pressed charges against 4 Svoboda leaders.

zik.ua

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said this at the meeting of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine in Kyiv, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

"In these difficult times, Ukraine can rely on NATO. NATO provides Ukraine with political and practical support. We support your independence and your territorial integrity. And we support the full implementation of the Minsk agreements," Stoltenberg said.

The Secretary General stressed that Russia had annexed Crimea illegally and continued to support separatists in Donbas, providing them with arms and troops, undermining the international rules-based order.

"It is important that you [Ukraine] continue on the path of full implementation of the Minsk agreements as a prerequisite for peace and for Ukraine to restore sovereign control of its own boarder. I commend you all that you have done. Your efforts, the fact that the ceasefire is mainly holding, and renewed attempts to find a political solution, are encouraging. The onus is now on Moscow and the separatists to respect their Minsk commitments," the NATO Secretary General noted.

He added that any parallel local 'elections' in Donbas that were not fully compliant with Ukrainian law would be supported by neither the international community, nor NATO.

ukrinform.ua

An economic blockade of Crimea organised by the peninsula's native Tatars has ented its third day - with the protests spreading to another border - the Russia-backed territory of Transnistria.

Tatar and Ukrainian activists say they will permanently block trade to occupied Crimea until the Russian occupation ends.

The majority of the some 300,000 Crimean Tatars living on the peninsula's opposed the Russian annexation in March 2014, which followed the overthrow of a Moscow-compliant president in Kyiv.

They say the cross-border trade is legitimising the illegal occupation of the peninsula and enriching corrupt officials there.

"Everyone was warned about this action that it (border) will be blocked starting from September 20. Yesterday we came here and saw that 170 trucks were already stationed here because the Russian side is not getting customs clearance for anyone. That's it. We think they made it on purpose so that a lot of cars would gather here on September 20," a Ukrainian border guard said...................

To read further go to this link: uatoday.tv

http://af.reuters.com/article/commoditiesNews/idAFL5N11S1L820150922
Demchyshyn said last week that Ukraine expected to reach a winter gas deal with Moscow by the end of this week and that $220 per 1,000 cubic metres (tcm) was an acceptable price for supplies from Russia.
Moscow, which offers the price at around $250 per tcm, has said it will not give Ukraine any additional gas price discount for winter deliveries and the price will be calculated based on the formula agreed in a contract between Moscow and Kiev.
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I was wondering about this this morning.
Quite a difference there. 220 v 250. Apparently they are talking.

http://www.themoscowtimes.com/news/article/ukraines-richest-man-plays-both-sides-of-wars-front-line/533898.html
...His steel products, which are finished in rebel territory, are then shipped to the West — where they bring in billions in revenue for Akhmetov that then indirectly props up the separatist government....
After separatist leaders occupied parts of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, the Ukrainian government said anything that is produced there should be classified as contraband. But Kiev gave the green light for Akhmetov's empire — which stretches from coal mines and metal smelters to power plants — to trade with the rebel-held areas and export its products just as it did before the war....
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Quite a long article. Interesting...
Only Akhmetov seems allowed to trade on both sides of the war zone.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov said that no Malaysian Tribunal for Boeing's bypassing the UN Security Council can not be. He stated this at a press conference.

"No, we believe that no tribunal, bypassing the UN Security Council can not be created. In principle, we believe that the establishment of some courts at this stage is premature, "- said Gatilov.

"The challenge now is to complete the investigation into the tragic incident and to carry out a very thorough transparent and objective investigation of what happened. Unfortunately, I must say that not all those who are involved in the investigation, adhere to this approach. Therefore, the creation of some tribunals and courts, besides the fact that it can not be done without the decision of the UN Security Council - it is counterproductive from the point of view of the incompleteness of the investigation of the tragedy ", - said the deputy head of the Russian Foreign Ministry.

Gatilov also noted that it was necessary to wait for the completion of the investigation, but "then we need to look, what further action will be taken." "So far, all that has been associated with the promotion of UN Security Council resolution on the establishment of the tribunal, had a very serious political overtones," - said a senior Russian diplomat said.

glavcom.ua In Russian

https://in.news.yahoo.com/estonias-top-pro-russian-politician-142726877.html
Savisaar allegedly took bribes in 2014-15 in the form of "assets and favours for himself and other persons, valued at several hundred thousand euros (dollars)."...
Commanding 27 seats in parliament, his party is mainly backed by the ethnic Russian minority, accounting for one quarter of the country's population....
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Expect the Russian FM to say the charges are political. Savisaar is an "ex-communist". So corruption and bribes run in his blood.
Many previous charges relating to his party concerning money laundering.

A 25-storey office building in the center of Kyiv near Arsenalna subway station is in flames.

State Emergency Service Main Directorate in Kyiv informed, Censor.NET reports citing Ukrainski Novyny.

The cause of the fire has not been specified for it is yet unknown.

The office building is located on Moskovska Street. The suppression of fire is underway.

censor.net.ua In Russian

Republican Senator and US presidential hopeful takes aim at Obama's misguided policies on September 21st in a 900-word op-ed appearing in the influential conservative National Review e-zine.

"The consequences of six years of failed U.S. policy toward Russia have played out in the annexation of Crimea and the battlefields of eastern Ukraine. This policy has also helped prolong the humanitarian and strategic nightmare that Syria has become".

According to Rubio, Obama still does not understand Putin's goals. They include the recognition of Russia as a geopolitical force, an achievement, he has already achieved this in Europe. At least, according to Rubio.

As for Syria ...

"Obama worked with Putin to negotiate a deal whereby Assad agreed to give up his chemical weapons in return for an American commitment not to bomb him. The result was a deal that Assad did not fully honor."..................

To read further go to this link: uatoday.tv

Nice point, but what would he really do different, get our men/women in a direct war with Russia, when sanctions are kicking their ass?

http://www.themoscowtimes.com/business/article/russian-imports-plunge-39-percent-as-recession-takes-hold/532468.html
Not all countries suffered equal losses in sales to Russia. Customs data from January-July showed that the European Union — Russia's biggest trading partner — saw the largest drop-off in exports to Russia, with the value of its deliveries falling 45 percent compared to the same period a year before.
The Netherlands, Britain and France — in the top five European exporters to Russia — saw sales to the country cut in half. Germany and Italy saw exports fall around 40 percent, while former Soviet republics Estonia and Lithuania suffered falls of 57.1 percent and 55.5 percent, respectively.
Russian imports from the U.S. and Japan fell by just over 40 percent, while those from China — with which Russia is trying to boost trade — declined by 34.1 percent.
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Business with China down over 30%... wow... That really shows the scale of the problem. No sanctions there. Russia is simply hurting..

Export data not available, but around 30% decline.
The Russian economy is shrinking very very rapidly.
It all helps put a dent in the funds going into Putin's war machine.

http://www.worldaffairsjournal.org/blog/alexander-j-motyl/fool-russia-and-ukraine
With The Fool (Durak), 34-year-old Russian film director Yuri Bykov has officially become his country’s Cassandra.
The New York Times says the film is about corruption in a squalid Russia. Bykov’s 2014 film is about much more than that. The Fool is an obvious allegory of the rottenness—and coming collapse—of Vladimir Putin’s Russia.
Dima Nikitin, a plumber, notices that a building occupied by the dregs of society in his hometown has a large crack running from top to bottom and concludes that, since the foundation is shifting and the building is tilting some 10 percent, its collapse is inevitable....
Needless to say, the building stands for Putin’s Russia...
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Could be an interesting film to see.
Incidentally, "Durak" is a derogatory term in Russia.
Sort of like saying "twat", "nutcase"....
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Motyl. Not a journalist. Studied at Columbia. Ivy league. Professor somewhere in NYC environs.
But nice little articles from him at times.

21:35
http://interfax.com.ua/news/general/291912.html
Members of the Contact Group on Ukraine at a meeting in Minsk, could not reach a consensus agreement on the withdrawal of weapons caliber of less than 100 mm in the Donbass region, "Interfax" on Tuesday a source in the subgroup on safety.

21:32
http://zaxid.net/news/showNews.do?obyednannya_samopomich_ofitsiyno_visunulo_andriya_sadovogo_kandidatom_na_meri_lvova&objectId=1366578
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Sadovy - very VERY popular in Lviv. Many were unhappy when he decided to run as an MP in the Rada.
He decided to stay as Mayor of Lviv. Lviv - super, beautiful city. Well run.
He will win, hands down. A well-known face on tv during the last year. But doesn't go seeking publicity unlike some e.g. Tymoshenko... uuuhhh..

Next week, when Russian President Vladimir Putin will arrive in New York, will climax in relations between Russia and the West. This opinion was in the "Left Bank" with Sonia Koshkina expressed the Foreign Minister of Ukraine Pavlo Klimkin.

According to him, Putin will be a few days to negotiate with Western leaders, so they agreed to favorable conditions for him in matters of Ukraine and Syria.

"I agree that in case the situation on Syria, and some other issues will not find a particular continuing to talk in the first place, with Washington, is less than, of course, with the European Union, Russia, and Putin may consciously decide to destabilize the situation Donbas "- Klimkin said.

However, as the Minister said, "to destabilize the situation as it was done a year ago, just in the usual way," Putin will not succeed.

"Russia has understood that now further military successes possible. That without the use of any new large-scale weapons like aircraft, Missiles, it is in principle impossible, since the Ukrainian army is able to reflect this, "- the diplomat said.

glavcom.ua In Russian

Minsk agreement operate exactly as it was intended in the West - providing the ceasefire and the ability to maintain and strengthen sanctions. Russia will not retain tension in the zone of ATO in Donbas, without breaking them.

This writes the journalist Vitaly Portnikov in his blog for Liga.net.

"Observer" published his views in full:

"The fact that the" head of the DNI "Alexander Zakharchenko sign a decree on holding of" local elections "in the NPT, it was clear a few days before this promising document. Its signing announced himself Zakharchenko. A day before the signing, at a meeting in Arkhangelsk, secretary of the Russian Security Council Nikolai Patrushev attacked the Ukraine with harsh criticism and said that Minsk agreements can not be made. But it's not the case.

The fact that the local elections are not under Ukrainian law due to the logic of the Russian understanding of the Minsk Agreement. And so the decision to hold the elections could not be accepted.

I often have to meet with people who sincerely believe in Minsk if not Merkel Hollande, then in any case, Putin wanted to lure into the trap of Poroshenko - and enticed. That "special order of management" of certain areas of Donbass, and even indicated in the Constitution - it is such a trap. I would like to ask these people: if this is such a trap, why Putin did not slam it? Why not oblige Zakharchenko and carpentry to hold elections by the Ukrainian legislation and under the supervision of the OSCE? After all, it is clear who will win in these elections - they also win. And the pro-Russian Donbass become perpetual irritant and the brake of the Ukrainian state, and yesterday's secessionists - the arbiters of the fate of her. Not to mention the destabilization, which may occur when the volunteers and volunteers yesterday and yesterday's proponents of "independent Donbass" will be in the same country, and even in the same parliament. Why Putin is doing the opposite? And just when it warned that feykovye elections could become a pretext for new sanctions against Russia?

And because Putin, in contrast to the Ukrainian fans of traps, a single second does not believe in the power of words - even when the word is approved by a constitutional majority. He is well aware that the implementation of such agreements Minsk really. It is not just the local elections in the Ukrainian legislation. It is also the withdrawal of troops and mercenaries. This return to Kiev control of the border. This is a clear understanding of all who live in Donbas - the local elites to the last homeless - that no Russian here will never be that Russia has gone and will not return. To throw all these people? For Putin and Patrushev for the new regulations? Or to Poroshenko and Yatsenyuk for the money for the restoration of the region, pensions and budgetary salaries? What is the difference that in the political force wins the Donbass in the local elections? On the day when the last Russian mercenary leaves the Ukrainian land, the Party of selfless love for Russia renamed the Party of the revival of Ukrainian Donbass. Is Putin before his eyes there is an example of the Crimean - politicians who have visited pro-Russian, pro-Ukrainian, purely Ukrainian and Russian are now such that the seals have nowhere to put it? Is his own Crimean Gauleiter Aksenov did not say a few years ago, that Crimea is part of Ukraine, and will develop its political field? Does not he know about the throwing of the Crimean Speaker Konstantinov, who was sleeping with two flags under the pillow? So it - politicians, businessmen. A Donbass is now run by Ball, who seem born to betray.

Putin is well aware that the world, for which he still has the effect of controls is not the constitution and law, and the money and a Kalashnikov. Extra money he no longer has. The machine was offered to bury in the ground. From his point of view, this means - forget about the destabilization of Ukraine's Donbass and give Poroshenko. And with what order management - minor matters. Special order will end at the very moment when the next mayor of the town of Donetsk go to Kiev to sit in line at the office of a minister in the hope to get money to rebuild schools, hospitals and sanitation.

That is why Putin is trapped and not Poroshenko. Trapped because the proposal "can not execute pardon" for it no longer exists commas. Putin can not hold local elections in Donbass of Ukrainian legislation, because it would mean for him the beginning of the dismantling of "LDNR." But he can not hold local elections feykovye - because it would mean for him to gain or retain sanctions. That is why Zakharchenko prepared crazy "multi" decree on elections stretching indefinitely - and explained this budget problems, but in Russia the introduction of a single day of voting earlier explained by the need to save the budget and does not hold elections for a hundred times. But this "multi" decree - a chance to jump in at any time, if need be. Or will happen some miracle in the form of recognition of Ukraine "DNR" and "LC" - in fact the same Patrushev, judging by his statements, is waiting for a miracle. However, it is not important. It is important that Russia can not violate the Minsk Agreement, if he wants to keep the focus of tension in the region - and Putin is just and necessary. It is important that the Minsk agreement operate exactly as it was intended in the West - providing the ceasefire and the ability to maintain and strengthen sanctions. Merkel has trumped all.

And Putin? Putin is rushing. As a child I loved the book Vsevolod Nestayko "In Kraїnі Sonyachna Zaychikіv." Its main negative hero was Morok Pan, head of the Office of nightmares - being remarkably similar to Putin. And the sunbeams could not figure out what to do, how to win. And in the end they built for him a mirror maze and let him just a single beam of light. Morok and pan, for all his magic power can not find a way out of this maze of glittering.

Ukrainian resistance to aggression, sanctions, flight of investors and capital, the fall in oil prices and the crisis of the Russian economy - all these were the mirror. A Minsk Agreement, for all its apparent meaninglessness and contradictory, in the presence of these articles in combating who made his career score and more than one Ukrainian "patriot" - it was the same the only ray of light.

He was caught. "

obozrevatel.com In Russian

Representatives of temporarily occupied by Russian-terrorist forces of Donbass and territories of the Russian Federation at the talks in Minsk put forward an ultimatum to Ukraine, which poses a threat to further negotiations on the conflict settlement.

This was the TV channel "112 Ukraine", said the representative of Ukraine in political subgroup Tripartite Liaison Group Roman Immortal.

According to him, during the talks the representatives of the Russian Federation presented a document which dates was painted, when and what kind of commitment must fulfill Ukraine, and then, perhaps, 21 February to Ukrainian legislation on individual regions of Donetsk and Lugansk regions will be elections to village councils .

"It led to shock and such an experienced diplomat as Mr. Pierre Morel. Take a break and all this brought to the meeting of the tripartite contact group. We decided at a meeting of the tripartite contract group, subgroup tomorrow (Wednesday, 23 September. - Ed.) Will continue these laboratory studies "- he said, adding that such an approach has got another deadlock in the negotiations.

Immortal told about the document, there are detailed steps as the Ukrainian president and parliament.

"The issue of the modalities of elections and within the framework of the modalities of our counterparts, another word I can not use, babahnulo, introduced the document, which generally resulted in a shock first Report, and then all the participants, as in this document has been painted in what order, to what date should perform Ukraine (with its obligations. - Ed.) "- he said.

"Our counterparts in the negotiations is the Russian side", - summed up the Immortal.

obozrevatel.com In Russian