Ukraine crisis. News in brief. Tuesday 06 October [Ukrainian sources]

TUESDAY

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


Our Editor on the go, Nelson will return soon. I sent him on vacation to a big island which is well deserved.  I gave him a 20 Ruble bonus which should suffice.  He's the pro at the opening comments, but I'll give it a shot.

NEWS:

One Ukrainian soldier wounded yesterday. Fortunately no deaths recorded. Recent talks brewing again with additional sanctions being placed by the US.  Foreign contract soldiers are being allowed to serve in the Ukrainian military. DNR and LNR have called off elections till 2016 which is a surprise, as that is one of the key goals Putin wanted. This is a very big gain for Ukraine and an indication that Putin's giving up on taking any part of Ukraine. At the same time though, it drags out this conflict.

For these topics and more of these articles, visit: http://www.ukraineenglishnews.com

Donetsk And Luhansk are seen as a positive point that the "Normandy four" (Russia, France, Germany And Ukraine) have taken into account the LNR proposal to postpone the elections in the Donbass on February 21, 2016, told in the special statement of the Authorized DNR AND LNR in the Contact group Denis Pushilin And Vladislav dainego.

"We are pleased to note that the LPR initiative to postpone the elections in the Donbas on February 21, 2016 with full implementation by the Kiev political points "Minsk-2" is considered the " Normandy Quartet ". We have studied the statements And advice of Mrs. Merkel And Mr. Hollande. Held here today, in Minsk, meetings of the commissioners of the OSCE And Russia. Received orders from our leaders Alexander Zakharchenko And Igor Carpenter ", - stated in the text of the statement, which cites " Donetsk news Agency ".

"the results of this work inform about the consent of the DNR AND LPR on the postponement of elections on October 18 And November 1 for the following year ", - emphasized in this regard. The deinega And Putilin stated that Kyiv must fulfill if it is all taken on their own shoulders in Minsk agreements obligations. That is, to provide the Donbass special status, to prevent the prosecution And judgment of persons?participants of events within the Donetsk And Luhansk regions, as well as vote to clarify the Constitution in a new, agreed with DND AND LNR editions." We believe that the draft special law on the elections, like the draft amendments to the Constitution of Ukraine And other acts required to preferoutline all participants of the Minsk talks ", - stated in the text....................

To read further go to this link: news.rin.ru

Consider the source and don't read too much into this, as the elections were vitally important for Putin to acquire. I looked for other sources on the subject but only found LNR media which is not a good source for the truth.

If this is a fact, there are good points and bad points. It's good because Putin was defeated in repeating what happened in Crimea, at least for now. The bad point is, this will extend the deterioration of the area and the local morale.

For the first time Russia President Putin agreed to the full access of OSCE to entire rebel-held territories in Donbas during the Paris talks, Ukraine Foreign Minister Klimkin said Oct. 5 on ICTV, Ukrayinska Pravda reported.

“That was for the first time that I heard Putin agree to the full access of OSCE to entire rebel-held territories. Without the access we cannot evaluate any progress in the pull-out of weapons and troops,” the minister said.

The full access is crucial to the implementation of all other agreements to be implemented with the help of the OSCE – demining the rebel-held territories and withdrawal by the Russians of radars quashing OSCE drones.

Putin’s agreement to the full access opens the way to further progress, Klimkin said.

zik.ua

A power pylon supplying electricity to Russia-occupied Crimea was damaged last night by unidentified persons.
As reported by Censor.NET, this was announced by deputy head of the Kherson regional police department Illia Kyva on his Facebook page.

"This night, a power pylon supplying electricity to the occupied territory of Crimea was damaged. An investigative group is operating on site, Emergency Services are there, the territory is cordoned off by Kherson battalion of the Interior Ministry," he wrote.

See more: Blockade impact: price of vegetables, fruit, dairy products, and meat went up in Crimea.




censor.net.ua In Russian

Moscow expected to amp up the stakes using threats and pressure during meeting in Paris on Oct. 2 to bring Ukraine to terms of the Russian Federation.

Commissioner for the President on peaceful settlement of the situation in the Donbas, Petro Poroshenko bloc MP Iryna Herashchenko said in the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine on Tuesday, Censor.NET reports.

However, according to her, it was possible to say 'no' to Russia on several issues thanks to the diplomatic efforts of the Ukrainian delegation.

"In particular, Ukraine has rejected the demands of the Russian side regarding the revision of the amendments to the Constitution in terms of decentralization. We have as well refused to adopt the new law on the special order of the local government and the new law on local elections in the temporarily occupied territories, which would contradict the Ukrainian legislation," Herashchenko said.

In addition, Ukraine has also rejected Russia's demands to adopt the new amnesty law and said a firm 'no' to amnesty before the end of the conflict in the Donbas.

"Ukraine also refused to comply with the demand of the Russian Federation to establish direct dialogue with the criminals, who have been blackmailing the Donbas for half a year doing the Kremlin's bidding and refused to hold fake militants' elections. In addition, the Ukrainian side has rejected the demands of the Russian Federation to lift sanctions against the aggressor state," Herashchenko said.

According to her, an agreement on the OSCE monitoring of the territory occupied by the pro-Russian militants as well as holding of scheduled local elections according to the OSCE standards was also reached.

censor.net.ua In Russian

Poroshenko knows Putin doesn't have a foot to stand on, as he's been on the losing side throughout this conflict and he has enough room with confidence to deny the Kremlin of their desires. Elections was vitally important to him and that was a big failure.

As since the first cease-fire, the terrorists have broken the stipulations over and over again. No matter what the Kremlin says, the terrorists are going to continue doing whatever they want to continue destabilizing the region and of course, continue to blame Ukraine. This kind of news is meant to be heard in Russia. They must continue to be seen as the innocent victims.

According to a poll run by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology, 78% of Ukrainians believe the conflict should be settled via peaceful negotiations, ZN.UA reports Oct. 5.

Merely 12.6% of respondents were for intensifying military actions, with 9.5% undecided.

Those who favored peaceful settlement were asked additional questions about the format of talks:

• of these, 19.5% were for continuing the talks in their present Normandy format (Ukraine, Germany, France and Russia);

• 33.6% support a new format with the United States, EU and Russia;

• 20.8% believe the peace talks should be conducted by Ukraine and Russia;

• 11.7% of respondents believe the talks should be held between Ukraine and leaders of the two breakaway republics without any international negotiators;

zik.ua

Russian President Vladimir Putin is strengthening his negotiating power with the European Union, and the United States, in the standoff around Ukraine by backing Bashar al-Assad in Syria and bombing rebel militants there, even if they do not belong to Islamic State.

Not only is Russia now setting the pace in the conflict in Syria, he is also forcing the western allies to put a lower priority on the removal of the Syrian president as part of the military and political solution of the conflict, Marcel Michelson of Forbes wrote in the article titled "Poker Player Putin Raises Stakes On Syria, Ukraine. Can The European Union Call His Bluff?" published on October 5.

For the western European countries, fighting Daesh/Islamic State in Iraq and Syria aims to remove a source of terrorist attacks on their own soil and to combat a radical and strict form of Islam that is gaining power over more moderate Muslim movements.

An end to the conflict and push back of Daesh could also remove the reasons for hundreds of thousands of people to flee the country and go to Western Europe as migrants. The sheer numbers of migrants are testing Europe's humanitarian solidarity and are boosting outspoken populist politicians that want to shut the borders.

Russia's open role in Syria is not only disrupting the western' allies policy of fighting IS while supporting moderate Syrian rebels who want to remove al-Assad, it also forces them to deal with Russia and Putin................................

To read further go to this link: unian.info

Russia's ambassador to Poland, Sergey Andreev spoke against the dismantling of the city Tsibinka bas-relief of Joseph Stalin - the latest sign of a memorial to the Soviet dictator to Poland. The diplomat said in an interview with TVN24, the channel is unveiled fully in response to the accusations of the Russian Embassy in Poland in manipulative use quotes a diplomat and wresting certain phrases out of context.

"In my opinion, especially in the current circumstances it is not necessary to do (to dismantle the bas-relief of Stalin. - Ed.)" - Said Andreev.

In the case that Stalin personally responsible for the death of millions of people both in Poland and in the Soviet Union, in particular for the Holodomor in Ukraine, the ambassador said it was not true. "As the famine, it is not political repression, and such statements are speculation," - said Andreev.

He added that Stalin can be blamed for the death of 668 thousand shot. People in the period from 1934 to 1953, but a few million.

According to him, in Poland should also remove monuments to Soviet hammers and sickles, because this is history.

Recall that in Poland conscious propaganda and demonstrations in public places of symbols of totalitarianism, including Soviet - the hammer and sickle, Soviet Star - is punishable by law.

Earlier, Russia negatively reacted to the dismantling of the city Pieniężno in northeastern Poland bust of Soviet General Ivan Chernyakhovsky, calling "on the carpet" the ambassador of Poland in Moscow Katarzyna Pełczyński-Nałęcz. A few days in the Polish Foreign Ministry summoned the Russian ambassador was, in particular, for the words on the responsibility of Poland for the outbreak of World War II. He also rejected allegations that the Soviet invasion of the territory of Poland September 17, 1939 is aggression.

glavcom.ua In Russian

On the establishment of the Russian airbase in Belarus no question. This was announced on Tuesday, October 6, the Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko.

Responding to questions from representatives of labor collectives and residents of Minsk Region during a visit to the new site of the Minsk second ring road, Lukashenka said that recently there has been "cries our opposition on the deployment of Russian air base in Belarus." "I do not know about that. The person who has to make that decision - I about it do not know "- he said.

Lukashenko also complained that false, he said, about the creation of the Air Force issued a Russian base. "I am surprised and even somewhat outraged and offended, why it was the Russians now throw in the media? Perhaps worried that we do in the West care to throw this topic to the West have started to ask or doubt that we want them to normalize relations? "- Said the Belarusian leader.

He explained that Belarus today "want the planes, but not the base," since it has a good school of military pilots. "Why would I come today to deliver the planes and pilots of other countries? - he said. - We should not base today. Especially the air force. We need some weapons. What I said publicly, too (Russian President Vladimir) Putin before - (Russian Prime Minister Dmitry) Medvedev, "- said the Belarusian leader.

He also warned that "there are all sorts of provocations from either side." "Be very careful. Do not relax, "- he said.

In October, 2014 Chief of the Russian Air Force Viktor Bondarev said that in 2016 the Belarusian Bobruisk Russian airbase where to place the Su-27. They will be based at the military airport, the reconstruction of which has already prepared the terms of reference, then said Bondarev.

In September this year, Vladimir Putin ordered the Defense Ministry to hold talks with Belarus and sign an agreement on the establishment of a Russian air base in the country.

Initially it was reported that the Russian Air Force Base is located in the town of Lida, near the border with Poland and Lithuania, and will be operational in 2013.

On the weekend the Belarusian opposition held an action in Minsk against the creation of a Russian airbase. It was attended by several hundred people. Their protest oppositionists explain, in particular, developments in the Crimea, where even before the accession to Russia was the base of the Russian fleet.

tvrain.ru In Russian

The International Criminal Court in The Hague asked the Russian material about war crimes in South Ossetia during the 2008 conflict. Told the head of the Investigative Committee Alexander Bastrykin, reports RBC referring to "Interfax".

Bastrykin said that earlier this criminal case from more than 500 volumes, which is investigating the TFR, not to take over any international authority. "Only a few days ago the International Criminal Court in The Hague, for some reason, suddenly became interested in this matter," - he said, speaking to students at Moscow State Institute.

"In the absence of immediate measures such unfavorable situation may arise in criminal cases of war crimes committed on the territory of Donetsk and Lugansk," - added the head of the UK.

glavcom.ua In Russian

One of the main separatist Crimea, head of the Russian State Council occupied the peninsula Vladimir Konstantinov called "crime" civil campaign to blockade of transportation of goods in Crimea, organized by the activists of the Kherson region. He stated this at a meeting of the presidium of the Crimean parliament on October 6, the press-service agency.

"The blockade, the wish of death - is not just a call to the crime, and the threat of genocide. These are the real intentions of fascist paramilitary groups, and they do not hesitate. Their crime, the public purpose - to destroy the people ", - quotes Konstantinov his press office.

He also called on the Russian prosecutor's office of the Crimea "give a legal assessment of the actions of Ukrainian politicians."

Recall September 20 began a perpetual campaign to block the trucks heading to the Crimea with the products and goods, initiated by the leaders of the Crimean Tatars. Participants of "civilian" blockade, still, do not miss the truck to the peninsula.

glavcom.ua In Russian

The Kremlin wanted it, so they're responsible, not Ukraine. If there is a genocide, the Kremlin will be culprit.

For the first time since the beginning of the Donbas war, separatist leaders voiced an option of their controlled territories to remain part of Ukraine.
VICE News' Simon Ostrovsky said in his On The Line show posted on the website, Censor.NET reports.

In his show, Ostrovsky discussed several issues concerning Russia, including its bombing of Syria, Ukraine's cease-fire, Minsk talks, and other matters.



"It was very surprising for me, having done this interview, to hear a representative of the Luhansk People's Republic talk about his area under their control remaining, at least officially, as a part of Ukraine. That's the kind of language that those sort of officials haven't been using in the past," Ostrovsky said.

He also confirmed that the cease-fire in Ukraine is holding.

Read more: Russia stroke ISIL positions for the first time, targeting ancient city of Palmira, - Syrian TV

"While I was there [the Luhansk region - ed.] for five days, I din't hear a single shot fired or an explosion or artillery come down anywhere. Basically, the cease-fire is holding," Ostrovsky said, answering one of the callers' question.

Commenting on Russia's activities in Syria, the reporter said that Russia's actual strategy was to support Assad's regime, not to fight ISIS. This is very telling of Russian methods of "doing business" in the world - say one thing and do another, Ostrovsky commented.

censor.net.ua

Admin wrote:

He added that Stalin can be blamed for the death of 668 thousand shot. People in the period from 1934 to 1953, but a few million.

What absolute gob sheet. Typical Kremlin approved garbage.

The cancellation of illegal elections in the rebel-held territories is another evidence of Putin’s plans’ collapse, says renowned analyst Vitali Portnykov in Facebook Oct. 6.

“The cancellation of fake elections is another evidence of the collapse of Putin’s plan to create the so-called Novorosiya in Ukraine’s eastern and southern oblasts.

It shows that Putin has to backtrack under pressure of West’s sanctions and Ukraine’s refusal to recognize the legitimacy of the breakaway republics.

However, Putin cannot withdraw from Donbas without a devastating blow to his reputation. So, he will continue to live with the sanctions,” Portnykov says.

Putin’s position can be describes as “the rat in a trap,” he says.

zik.ua

Fragments of a Buk surface-to-air missile have been found in the bodies of those killed in the Malaysian Boeing tragedy in the Donbas last year.

As reported by Censor.NET citing Yevropeiska Pravda, these are the results of preliminary investigation by the group of international experts into the MH17 catastrophe, Dutch medium NOS.nl writes referring to former head of group's Ukrainian side Vasyl Vovk.

"Missile fragments, as well as plane parts, were found in the bodies of the victims. These elements are similar to the samples provided to the experts for a comparative analysis," Vovk said.

In August, it was established that the fragments found at the MH17 crash site were presumably the fragments of a Buk missile. If the investigation determines that the fragments really belong to a Buk missile, it could be another evidence of Russia's involvement in the catastrophe. Although, as the medium notes, there is no absolute certainty, because Ukraine also possesses a number of Buk surface-to-air missile systems - a heritage of the Soviet era. In order to determine Buk's origin, the experts dismantled the missile and compared it with the fragments found at the crash site and in the bodies of the victims.

"No one doubts that the Malaysian Boeing was hit by a missile fired from Buk which was brought from the territory of the Russian Federation and taken back after the crime with the help of terrorists," Vovk stated.

He also argues that the system was delivered with a conscious assistance of Russia's Defense Ministry. At the same time, the group of international experts confirms that Vasyl Vovk has recently been a part of it, though, saying he has provided inaccurate information. "We are considering different scenarios, including the most probable where MH17 was hit by a Buk missile. However, other scenarios should not be ruled out," the group noted.

As reported earlier, the Dutch Safety Board is to publish the final report on the cause of the crash of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 on Oct. 13.

censor.net.ua In Russian