Ukraine crisis. News in brief. Monday 26 October [Ukrainian sources]

MONDAY

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


NEWS:

Quite a bit of articles regarding the elections. Not a big turnout, which would be an indication, either they're mostly satisfied with the current status of the country's government or they given up. Mariupol Didn't turn out well and they're asking to reschedule the election. Reports that voting was calm and peaceful in Lviv and Odessa. The Kremlin's still trying to manipulate the elections in Lugansk.

Some of the results have been posted. Will post the latest results during the day.

WEATHER:

Rain in Kyiv with -3c. In the south, it's around +11c and some clouds.

The meeting of representatives of the Presidential Administration and the Federal Security Service (FSB) was held in Moscow, to discuss ways of resolving the "political and administrative crisis in the Luhansk People's Republic (LPR) terrorist organization," head of the Information Resistance Group and MP Dmytro Tymchuk wrote on Facebook on Monday.

"The FSB chiefs insist on a joint "supervisory control," together with the Presidential Administration, of all areas of the ‘LPR' activities and raises the issue of dismissal of Igor Plotnitsky as ‘head of the LPR' due to obtaining compromising information (on his participation in corruption schemes, embezzlement of ‘government' means and ‘aid' from the Russian Federation, etc.)," the report reads...............

Dmitry Tymchuk 7 hrs · Operational data group ICs Russian-terrorist forces continue to conduct active exploration of combat forces ATO orders, including using DRG (within 2 days recorded at least 4 attempts DRG militants "leak" in the tactical rear of Ukrainian troops). Terrorists continue their positions engineering equipment and mining areas. In the area of ​​the seaside n.p.Granitnoe and direction (for Zaichenko village and near the waterfront) terrorist forces of several ne ... wrote:

To read further go to this link: uatoday.tv

The ballot papers that never had a chance of reaching the ballot box [Photo: EPA]

The head of the OPORA election watchdog warns that the elections sabotaged in Mariupol and Krasnoarmiysk on Sunday cannot be repeated before the New Year. Who was to blame should be the subject of a criminal investigation.

OPORA has reported a surreal sequel to the squalid sabotage of the local elections in Mariupol. According to the OPORA and Committee of Voters of Ukraine [CVU] representative, the Mariupol election commission gathered at 20.00 and accepted the oaths given by two replacement members. With 16 members present, they formally acknowledged that:

1. The voting papers had not been given to the precinct electoral commissions;

2. The elections in Mariupol had not taken place

The disruption to the elections, both in Mariupol and in Krasnoarmiysk, had been predicted. It is less clear whether it could have been prevented. The signs of trouble had been present for some time, yet just a few days ago OPORA stated that it saw no reason for the elections not to be held.

Commentator Adrian Karatnycky from the Atlantic Council was scathing about the mess. He wrote that “weeks of manipulations and scandalously irresponsible behaviour by affiliates of Ukraine’s ruling parties in the Donbas, has disenfranchised the voters of Mariupol and Krasnoarmiysk.”. He attributed a fair share of the blame to the Donetsk governor Pavlo Zhebrivsky, asserting that he had been trying for weeks to disrupt the vote.

Mykhailo Okhendovsky, Head of the Central Election Commission, is reported to have approached the police and suggested that the actions of some members of the Mariupol Territorial Election Commission [TEC] bear the hallmarks of obstruction of the electoral process (Article 157 of the Criminal Code).

The previous night at the printing company responsible for the ballot papers, the TEC passed a decision to declare the papers invalid and to block them from being delivered to polling stations.

The Deutsche Welle Ukrainian Service notes that the scandals over the TEC began two weeks ago, with the members changed three times, and the chair replaced twice.

Members of the TEC worked without the proper documents and candidates were not issued with ID. Serhiy Zakharov, the Donetsk artist twice held hostage by Kremlin-backed militants and now candidate for mayor of Mariupol, drew his own ID document in order to demonstrate how the law was being infringed even in such details as ID.

There are conflicting stories about 22 ballot papers which either had the same party on the list twice, or had been opened. Whatever the fault, it was with 22 papers only, yet was was used to block all ballot papers leaving the press.

The printing press is owned by millionaire Rinat Akhmetov, former ally of Viktor Yanukovych and seen as close to the Opposition Bloc (the successor to the former ruling Party of the Regions). Members of the TEC noted that the same printing press was printing Opposition Bloc campaign material...............

To read further go to this link: khpg.org

The voting day was generally calm and the voting went well, with the exception of some deviations from the rules, Gudrun Mosler-Tornstrom told a press conference in Kyiv on Monday

She said election commission members on most polling stations were able to effectively fulfill their duties, despite the complex legislation and procedures that needed to be followed. Additionally, voters were able to vote freely, without intimidation, Gudrun Mosler-Tornstrom said.

interfax.com.ua

At a press conference in Kyiv on Monday, Tana de Zulueta said she believes the elections were well-organized and transparent. However, the complexity of the legislation, the dominance of powerful groups and commercial ads emphasize the need for further improvement of the electoral process, she said.

Tana de Zulueta also said these elections are very important because 540 short-term observers (forty teams all in all) took part in the observation. In some sense it was a barometer for measuring the fulfillment by the administration of its obligations after the presidential and parliamentary elections, she said.

The international mission monitoring the local elections in Ukraine comprises of representatives of the OSCE ODIHR, the Council of Europe and the European Parliament. The mission consists of almost 750 observes, of which 675 are long-term and short-term observers from the OSCE ODIHR, 57 are observers from the Congress of Local & Regional Authorities to the Council of Europe, and 12 are representatives of the European Parliament. The mission generally comprises of observers from 44 countries of the world.

interfax.com.ua

The Ukrainian government held elections nationally on Oct. 25 for local councils and their heads, with voter turnout reaching 46.6 percent, as reported by the Central Election Commission several hours after polls closed, Concorde Capital informed clients in an online advisory today.

In the election for mayor of Kyiv, incumbent Vitali Klitschko – a close ally to President Petro Poroshenko – won 40.4 percent of the vote, compared to 8.7 percent for the runner up, Volodymyr Bondarenko of the Fatherland party, according to an exit poll conducted by the Committee of Voters of Ukraine. For Kyiv City Council, the Solidarity Poroshenko Bloc stood at 28.0%, the Self-Reliance party at 10.3%, the Fatherland party at 10.1%, the Freedom nationalist party at 9.7% and the Unity party at 8.5%. Hennadiy Kernes is reported to have won Ukraine’s second-largest city, Kharkiv, with a landslide, not requiring a second round runoff.

As expected, numerous incidents of fraud and errors were reported, with the Opora election-monitoring organization reporting 1,052 violations as of the close of elections. Violations included procedural errors such as voting precincts failing to open in time and voters participating without showing identification; the emergence of premarked, invalid, destroyed or stuffed ballots; and political parties transporting voters. The Russian-oriented Opposition Bloc party accused Odesa Mayor Hennadiy Trukhanov and Odesa Regional Administration Head Mikheil Saakashvili of colluding in vote fraud. The Opposition Bloc also said it won’t recognize the results in those districts of the Kharkiv region where its candidates were denied the opportunity to compete.

Elections in numerous districts and even cities were entirely disrupted. The strategic port city of Mariupol (pre-war population 458,500), located near the separation line in the Donetsk region, canceled its elections after voting ballots were printed with many errors. Another Donetsk town, Kransoarmiysk (pre-war population 64,533) also canceled its elections after problems related to the printing and distribution of ballots. In the Luhansk region, the towns of Lysychansk (pre-war population 103,460) and Svatove (pre-war population 18,000) could not establish their results, with the looming threat that those in Severodonetsk (pre-war population 109,000) and Rubizhne (pre-war population 60,000) would also be canceled.

ukrainebusiness.com.ua

Local elections held across much of Ukraine are shaping up as a test of the strength of President Petro Poroshenko's government against oligarchs used to running their own regions.

Final results from the election for mayors and municipal council members are not expected before October 28, with runoff votes in mid-November for mayoral contests that produce no immediate winner.

The October 25 local elections had been due to be held throughout Ukraine, with the exception of eastern areas controlled by Russian-backed separatists, some government-held territory nearby, and Crimea, which was taken over by Russia last year.

But polls never even opened in Mariupol, a big port city that is strategically located between rebel-held areas and Crimea, due to a dispute over ballots.

The meltdown in Mariupol highlighted the power struggle between the central government and regional tycoons. Kyiv wants to strengthen democracy and move Ukraine toward European integration, while the priority for many tycoons is to maintain their grip on regional power, or strengthen it. The situation has also traditionally provided Moscow with a window for interfering in Ukrainian politics by buying influence with the oligarchs, who are often linked to Russia through business activities.

The government-controlled electoral commission ordered the poll delayed in Mariupol after what it said was "improper" printing of ballots by a company controlled by industrialist Rinat Akhmetov, Ukraine's richest man.

The elections in Mariupol "were aborted... due to the improper preparation of election ballots, the absence of control over their printing and number, and reliable storage,” Poroshenko's Solidarity party said in a statement.

Ukraine's Opposition Bloc, which fielded a official from Akhmetov's company Metinvest as its mayoral candidate in Mariupol, accused the government of suspending the local election because it feared defeat.

The Mariupol vote has not yet been rescheduled....................

To read further go to this link: rferl.org

The results of Oct. 25 local elections in Ukraine indicate that Russia has failed to create its fifth column in Ukraine, Pres Poroshenko said Oct. 26.

The comeback of undemocratic forces did not happen. I wish to thank the Ukrainian people for his support of democratic aspirations.

The divide of Ukraine predicted by our enemies went up in smoke, Poroshenko said.

The disruption of the voting in Mariupol is unacceptable and lawmakers will have to pass the law to reschedule the voting there.

In the local councils the majority belongs to pro-Ukrainian patriots, the president said.

zik.ua

NGO rep Ina Borzylo called filthy the election campaign and voting in Kharkiv, Radio Svoboda reports Oct. 26.

“The campaign has been traditionally very dirty. It is difficult for new parties to counter the administrative and financial resources held by the current city mayor Henady Kernes,” she said.

According to the exit poll, the current Mayor Kernes scored 59.3% of the vote. The runner-up is Samopomich Taras Sitenko with 16.4%, followed by Yury Sapronov, independent, with 6.3%, and Poroshenko party-nominated Oleksandr Davtyan with 4.5%.

The 5% barrier to the city council was cleared by Vidrodzhenya, Samopomich and Petro Poroshenko Bloc.

zik.ua

As Petro Poroshenko-led Solidarnist party is losing ground after the Oct. 25 elections, Yury Lutsenko, the party’s faction head, speaking on 112 Ukrayina TV late Oct. 25 did not rule out that some of the party’s local organizations may be disbanded and its representatives in state bodies dismissed, Interfax-Ukrayina reports Oct. 26.

Meeting with the party leaders late on Oct. 25, Pres Poroshenko said the party is to be purged and those members who had discredited it must be dismissed.

There are a number organizational and personnel failures in the Kharkiv oblast and Dnipropetrovsk, Lutsenko said.

zik.ua

The local elections of Oct. 25 in Ukraine have almost destroyed the political base for promotion of pro-Russian interests in Ukraine. Pro-Ukrainian forces have significantly increased their presence in local authorities in the south-east of the country. In many regions, "Opposition Bloc" is absent at all.
Censor.NET Chief Editor Yurii Butusov wrote on his Facebook page.

"Split in the votership of the Party of Regions [party of former president Yanukovych - ed.] and defeat of the Opposition Bloc [Party of Region's successor - ed.] are a positive outcome of these local elections. Vidrodzhennia and Nash Krai parties have split the Party of Regions' voters between them efficiently. Thus, the political base for promotion of pro-Russian interests in Ukraine has been destroyed. We have to do justice to Poroshenko and Kolomoiskyi, who operated simultaneously in this case," Butusov wrote.

According to him, the one-party system and total control by the Party of Regions of all regions of the south-east of Ukraine were the main reason why Putin was able to legitimate the invasion and paralyze any resistance.

"The Party of Regions was a breeding ground for Russian agents, from which the enemy could easily recruit its supporters. The Opposition Bloc became the Party of Regions' successor. But now the monopoly to control local councils in the south-east has been broken.

"Presence of pro-Ukrainian powers has significantly increased in local governments, and the Opposition Bloc is literally absent in many regions. Good results of pro-Ukrainian parties in the Dnipropetrovsk region are of great importance. Filatov's winning over Vilkul in Dnipropetrosk mayor elections is also a milestone event.

"The defeat of the Akhmetov's candidate, who gave it all to win and who organized the defeat of the Dnipropetrovsk Euromaidan in January-February of 2014, will be be crucial and cement pro-Ukrainian interests in Dnipropetrovsk," Butusov believes.

He also noted that the Party of Regions' monopoly for powers in the Dnipropetrovsk regional council has been violated.

"The progress is obvious," Butusov said. "It is obvious, that this trend will be definitely cemented in the next elections with the support of the society."

censor.net.ua In Russian

The EU placed Andriy Portnov for a year from March 2014 on a blacklist of individuals suspected of stealing Ukrainian public funds before Yanukovych was brought down by street protests.

The EU's General Court said on October 26 that Portnov's inclusion on the list was based solely on a letter from the Ukrainian Prosecutor-General's Office that an investigation into Portnov and others had shown a sizeable misappropriation of state funds and their illegal transfer out of Ukraine.

The letter "fails to provide any details concerning either the facts alleged against Mr. Portnov or his responsibility in that regard," the Luxembourg-based judges argued............

rferl.org

Palpatine Dmitry Viktorovich, born in 1990, works in the company by the emperor "Palpatine Finance Group", held in the city council of the party list of "trust business." It is reported by local newspaper "Duma".

In its 57th district in the village Kotovsky he scored 54.4%, far ahead of the competition.

Reference: Emperor Palpatine and Darth Vader - Emperor of the Galaxy. It is a negative character in "Star Wars."

glavcom.ua In Russian

In general, the US side welcomed the holding of local elections in Ukraine and noted that they have gone through a democratic process. Where they are not held, the vote must pass on 15 November. This was stated by a spokesman for the US State Department, John Kirby, transfers "UNN".

"According to preliminary reports from international observers, the elections generally reflect the will of the Ukrainian people and were generally in line with the democratic process," - said in a statement.

The US hopes that disrupt the elections in Mariupol and other cities will be held on 15 November.

"We expect the success of the second round of elections on November 15, where the mayor of the city has not been defined in the first round by an overwhelming majority. In addition, we expect that in Mariupol and other areas where voting did not take place, will be held local elections on November 15, "- said John Kirby.

He added the importance of internally displaced persons and people living in the conflict zone in the east of Ukraine had the opportunity to exercise their right to vote in local elections in accordance with the Ukrainian legislation, the OSCE standards in accordance with the Minsk agreements.

glavcom.ua In Russian

Sir, I am of the opinion Martin Wolf usually approaches subjects comparatively neutrally without bowing to conventional political wisdom. But his article “Resist Russian blackmail over Ukraine’s debt” (Comment, October 21) echoes a typical anti-Russian rant, without taking into consideration fundamental historical context.

I hold no candle for Vladimir Putin or his authoritarian regime. No doubt Russia is partly responsible for the civil war in Ukraine (along with some imprudent EU representatives that colossally misjudged the ethnic tensions that have been bubbling in Ukraine for decades). But for Mr Wolf to write “the west poses no military danger” to Russia contravenes Nato’s eastern expansion since the Soviet Union ended. The west promised Moscow that when Germany reunited Nato would not expand its troops to the old East Germany. Of course Nato has done so, but, more importantly, has expanded east in the capitals of the defunct Warsaw Pact. Additionally, states bordering Russia, such as Georgia and even Ukraine itself, have been named as “aspiring members” without contemplation of unintended consequences................

To read further go to this link: ft.com

In the Odessa region in the area discovered s.Kamennoe Savranski African swine fever virus. This was reported in the press service of GSCHS Ukraine in Odessa region.

Today, 26 October, the General Directorate of Medicine in Odessa region reported that the examination of pathological material from two pigs from households s.Kamennoe Savranski district of Odessa region confirmed the diagnosis of "African swine fever".

At a meeting with the participation of experts GU GSCHS Ukraine in the Odessa region, the Office of Emergency Management regional state administration and representatives of the Main Directorate of Veterinary Medicine in the Odessa area has been set up headquarters on the Elimination of emergency.

The RGA Savranskaya a meeting of the district emergency anti-epizootic committee, which developed a plan of action to prevent the spread of disease and emergency response. Commission's decision to set up a quarantine zone, the protection and surveillance zone.

At the scene attracted forces and means GSCHS State departments of Ukraine in the Odessa region, and specialized services of civil protection.

glavcom.ua In Russian

Ukrainians Nicholas Karpyuk Klyha and Stanislaus, which in Russia is judged on false cases, tortured. About this in his Facebook wrote ATO party and public figure Oleg Mezentsev. He, along with his sister Hope Savchenko Vera arrived at the court hearing on the Ukrainians in the Chechen capital, Grozny, to give moral support to our boys.

"Terrible, 10/26/2015. The trial Karpyuk and Klyhom. The boys showed signs of electric shocks on hands and knees. Very happy our arrival. I feel fine "- wrote Mezentsev.



It is also reported that Karpyuk and asked to convey very Klyh shirts themselves and other prisoners.

"Tomorrow will give food, embroidery later. Today, for the first half of the year allowed the consul to them, going on a date. Vera Savchenko attached to the case as a public defender. The guys wanted to Ukrainians do not give up! "- Said Mezentsev.

glavcom.ua In Russian

The organization "International Partnership for Human Rights" on October 23 handed over to the Hague Tribunal with respect to the materials of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Ukraine.

This was reported on the organization's website.

It is a collection of more than 300 testimonies from victims and witnesses of such events. They were collected as part of a project aimed at preventing impunity for serious crimes during the conflict in eastern Ukraine.

Project coordinator and lawyer Simon Papuashvili, during a meeting with representatives of the Tribunal declared that all was carried out 32 missions and collected more than 300 certificates. Regarding every episode collected supporting information, additional details, and information about the alleged offender.

According to him, although the documented crimes on both sides of the conflict, though mostly we are talking about crimes committed by separatists from the danger of staying in the territory under their control in Ukraine.



In turn, the program director for Human Rights and Justice in the International Fund "Renaissance" Roman Romanov told about the results and proposals of the criminal proceedings initiated by the Ukrainian authorities. According to him, the Ukrainian authorities are not able to provide an effective investigation of all reported crimes.

He stressed, in particular, the lack of transparency in the activities of Ukrainian officials separatists controlled territories, highly politicized context of investigations and indigenous issues in the work of Ukrainian justice.

Field Mission Coordinator Svetlana Valko, in turn, said that the evidence classified by geography and are divided into five major categories of crimes: torture, killings, shelling, deprivation of property and the maintenance of prisoners of war.

According to her, the mission expects to gather more evidence about the crimes of the Ukrainian side, where victims will be less afraid to talk about their experiences.

The mission recalls that the Ukrainian government on Sept. 8, 2015 gave it jurisdiction over all international crimes committed in the territory of Ukraine. On the basis of the collected materials Hague tribunal mission to carry out the initial examination of the situation in Ukraine and can initiate a full investigation of international crimes, which took place in eastern Ukraine.

glavcom.ua In Russian

It is better to restart the electoral process in Mariupol and Krasnoarmiisk and hold the elections there in 2016.

This was announced by Executive Director of the Donetsk regional branch of the Committee of Voters of Ukraine NGO Serhii Tkachenko during a press conference on Monday, Censor.NET informs citing Interfax-Ukraine.

"We urge not to hold elections in Mariupol and Krasnoarmiisk Nov. 15. It's a common misconception that the cause of the elections' derailing is only the voting papers that have been printed but not brought to the precinct election commissions. In fact, the procedural errors and violations by the territorial election commissions repeatedly took place for a long period time," Tkachenko said.
According to Tkachenko, the reasons for disruption of elections in Mariupol and Krasnoarmiisk were "political, but not procedural."

"The acute political infighting between different electoral subjects created obstacles at different stages of the electoral process, which could not be overcome in legal way. It should be started all over again here including formation of committees, nomination and campaigning, and the like. Otherwise, we risk rectifying or repeating the same mistakes that have been made," the expert said.

According to him, the law stipulates that the new elections must already be held by the expense of the local budgets. Although Tkachenko stressed that the final decision was still to be taken by the Central Election Commission and the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine.

censor.net.ua In Russian

Ukraine Russia will suspend payments on debt of $ 3 billion if Moscow will not agree to restructure the loan. This was stated by Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk told the German edition of Handelsblatt, transmit "Details".

If Moscow until October 29, will not make concessions, Ukraine will refuse to repay the loan, said Ukrainian Prime Minister.

"We introduce a moratorium on the payment of the debt and simply cease to repay the loan. We can not treat Russia differently from the rest of the international lenders, "- said Yatsenyuk, who called Ukraine a loan received" bribe Yanukovych "for that course has not given the Association Agreement with the European Union.

glavcom.ua In Russian