Ukraine crisis. News in brief. Monday 07 December [Ukrainian sources]

MONDAY

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

News -
Putin's terrorists fired 51 times last night at Ukrainian people.
That's a large increase. Instructions from Moscow, obviously.
Reading of 8 wounded. Eight.
US VP Biden due to address the Rada tomorrow.
Oil price falling significantly again today. WTI at 38.5 dollars / barrel.

Weather -
Warm again today. High around 8C. Very warm for this time of year. A little cooler, nearer the average tomorrow.

http://www.bbc.com/ukrainian/news_in_brief/2015/12/151207_ko_biden_kiev

To the Ukraine to meet with authorities came to US Vice President Joseph Biden.
As reported by "Ukrainian News", Mr Biden landed at night at the airport "Borispol".
He will hold in Ukraine two days.
On Monday, US Vice President will meet with President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko, and with Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk.
On Tuesday planned his speech in the Parliament.
It is expected that one of the main themes of the visit - the struggle of the Ukrainian government corruption.
====
Notice from some photos that they sent Klitchko to meet him ))

Illarionov has predicted Russia sad future under Putin.

Russian economist Andrei Illarionov, the example of events in the history of modern Russia, explained why the Russian Federation is waiting for the brutal future under the presidency of Vladimir Putin.

About this he wrote in his LiveJournal.

Illarionov is the text in full:

"The shortest history of modern Russia

1999 - the beginning of the second Chechen war (all killed - about 25 thousand people.)., Apartment bombings in Buynaksk and Volgodonsk, Moscow (killed 307 people.).
2000 - A.Borovika murder, the death of the submarine "Kursk" (killing 130 people.).
2002 - Northeast (130/174 killed people.).
2003 - murder S.Yushenkova, Yu.Schekochihina conflict in the Tuzla Spit, the destruction of Yukos, Mikhail Khodorkovsky and Platon Lebedev arrests.
2004 - the murder of hostages in Beslan (killed 333 people.), Murder R.Tsepova, N.Girenko, gas war against Belarus.
2005 - Ethnic cleansing in the village of Borozdinovskaya (killed 12 people.).
2006 - gas war against Ukraine, the murder of Anna Politkovskaya, Alexander Litvinenko, hybrid warfare against Georgia, ethnic cleansing of Georgians in Russia.
2007 - cyberwar against Estonia, murder Yu.Chervochkina.
2008 - The attack on Georgia (killed about 1,000 people.) M.Evloeva murder.
2009 - The gas war with Ukraine, murder S.Markelova, A.Baburovoy, N. Estemirova, M.Ausheva, Magnitsky.
2010 - The murder in the village of Kushchevskaya (killed 12 people.), The crash of the Polish plane near Smolensk (killed 96 people.).
2011 - The disaster "Bulgar" aircraft in Yaroslavl and Karelia (killed 213 people.), The so-called Parliamentary elections in which stolen no less than 17 million. votes.
2012 - Flooding in Krymsk (killed 171 people.), Arrest and landing "Pussy Rayot."
2013 - the beginning of a hybrid war against Ukraine.
2014 - the beginning of a conventional war against Ukraine (total killed about 8 thousand people.), The attack against the MH-17 (killed 298 people.).
2015 - the murder of Boris Nemtsov, the beginning of a conventional war in Syria (1.5 thousand killed.), The beginning of a hybrid war against Turkey.

Is there any doubt as to what - while maintaining the current regime - will be 2016 and subsequent years? "- He wrote.



obozrevatel.com

http://www.defensenews.com/story/defense/land/vehicles/2015/12/06/turkish-ukraine-defense-firms-in-talks-for-tank-upgrades/76889304/
====
Coould be some serious contracts here.
Turkey getting worried about Russia also now.

8:56
http://gordonua.com/news/war/Teteruk-Rossiya-ne-smozhet-poyti-v-nastuplenie-protiv-Ukrainy-blagodarya-pogodnym-usloviyam-109667.html
..."To date, the Russian side can not attack due to the weather conditions, their equipment simply will be mired not only the roads that have, but also in the fields and so on. Therefore, work sabotage and reconnaissance groups, making mines, traps for , so as to neutralize our staff, "- said the MP....
====
What I've been saying for several weeks.
The ground is saturated. Even now. The snow that fell Dec 01 has all melted also. There are still pools of water all around.
But at some point - in January probably - it will freeze.

9:13
http://society.lb.ua/accidents/2015/12/07/322801_buche_muzhchina_vzorval_granatu.html
====
Police detained the guy.
No details, but - I think - good chance returning soldier from the ATO zone.
Maybe alcohol involved, gets into argument with somebody, and... We will see.
If terrorist involved, we would have heard, I think. Bucher, basically a suburb of w Kiev. Lots of commuters.

Leaders of the Turkish port of Samsun detained four Russian vessel for inspection. It is reported by Hurriyet Daily News.

According to the publication, it is a dry cargo vessels "Crystal", "Neva", "Omsk-105" and "Rusich", who were detained for further inspection.

The reason for the detention, according to employees of the port, was the lack of the necessary documents.

Currently three vessels already allowed to leave the port, while one is still detained to "eliminate all the drawbacks."

According to port director Aydin Unal, it is a "routine check".

Earlier media reported that the access of Russian ships in the Straits proved difficult after the deterioration of Russian-Turkish relations. According to the journalists, the ships have to wait long to permit the passage of the Straits, and the transport of the Russian Navy "Yauza" was welcomed in the Dardanelles the Turkish submarine.

glavcom.ua In Russian

In the Czech MEP Miroslav Ransdorfa found suspicious millions. Because of the scandal in a Swiss bank its cause party members "on the carpet".

Czech MEP, who arrived in the summer annexed Crimea, was arrested in Zurich. The Czech Foreign Ministry said that the politicians are trying to remove from the bank account of 350 million euros, using forged documents.

Along with him the police detained three citizens of Slovakia. Himself MEP argues that the money had nothing to do, insists that only wanted to act as an intermediary between the bank and his mysterious client.

glavcom.ua In Russian

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/russia/12034237/Russia-sends-its-most-advanced-tanks-to-Syria-frontline.html
Russia is deploying its most advanced battlefield tanks in Syria, in the latest sign that the Kremlin is being forced to escalate its intervention from an air to a ground war.
====
Putin getting deeper and deeper into the war in Syria.

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-ukraine-crisis-osce-monitors-idUSKBN0TP0G220151206
International monitors in eastern Ukraine said that armed people fired into the air when they tried to approach a group of howitzers ...
The mission said in a statement that the incident took place on Saturday at a field in the vicinity of Luhansk People's Republic (LPR)-controlled Yurivka, 26 km (16 miles) south-west of Luhansk. The SMM had observed 12 towed howitzers there, evidence of violation of the agreed withdrawal line.
"When the SMM further continued driving towards the howitzers and was at 80-100m distance, one of the armed individuals released a burst of fire into the air with an automatic rifle and another individual pointed his automatic rifle at the SMM," it said in the statement.
The monitors left the area and there was no injury ........
===
The Russians obviously have no intention of abiding by any agreement. Typically Russian! Liars, cheats, bandits, murderers, Russians.

What I assume is a discussion of the budget currently on Rada tv, and several other channels.
Lutsenko currently talking. Possibly the cabinet meeting, but carried live.
Rada tv, 112, etc.

www.bloomberg.com/energy/
Crude Oil & Natural Gas
INDEX UNITS PRICE CHANGE %CHANGE CONTRACT TIME ET 2 DAY
WTI Crude Oil (Nymex)
USD/bbl. 39.46 -0.51 -1.28% JAN 16 04:06:56
Brent Crude (ICE)
USD/bbl. 42.65 -0.35 -0.81% JAN 16 04:06:44

Natural Gas (Nymex)
USD/MMBtu 2.13 -0.06 -2.70% JAN 16 04:05:47
====
And now the percentage fall is significant.
When the price was 120 dollars a one dollar fall in the price was less than 1%.
But now... with a price around 40 dollars a barrel, a fall of one dollar is 2.5% .
Less money for Putin's war machines.

http://www.pravda.com.ua/news/2015/12/7/7091646/
cannot open this currently, also see
http://ua.interfax.com.ua/news/general/309432.html
"During the last day recorded 51 times shelling of our positions. Fortunately, nobody was killed, but eight of our military wounded. All of them provided medical care, their life is not threatened," - he said at a briefing in Kyiv on Monday.

www.bloomberg.com/energy/ from about 2 minutes ago

Crude Oil & Natural Gas
INDEX UNITS PRICE CHANGE %CHANGE CONTRACT TIME ET 2 DAY
CL1:COM
WTI Crude Oil (Nymex)
USD/bbl. 38.58 -1.39 -3.48% JAN 16 09:24:56
CO1:COM
Brent Crude (ICE)
USD/bbl. 41.94 -1.06 -2.47% JAN 16 09:24:44

WTI down 3.5% on the day! Putin's balance sheet will need adjusting again.
But who is left for him to take money from?
The truckers - no. The oil companies - no. Pensioners - no - his only supporters. ..
The armed forces? no. Putin needs a good war to keep the Russian peasant minds occupied. He has serious problems.

http://www.theguardian.com/business/live/2015/dec/07/oil-price-opec-production-german-factories-live
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Well - if Putin was planning to freeze Ukraine and western Europe into submission - his plan is well and truly up the spout.
It is the Russian economy now that has real real problems. Not Europe.
It looks like Ukraine again did a good move in delaying gas purchases until the New Year.
Who knows how low the oil price will be on January 01, 2016.

http://en.interfax.com.ua/news/economic/309475.html
...Demchyshyn added that the existing contract to buy coal from South Africa allows boosting the purchase volume to any level. It is restricted only by availability of funds and the capacity of the port infrastructure.
====
Thoughts. During the Yanukovich era power cuts were fairly common here in Ukraine, especially outside of the major cities.
This year has been the best I can remember for infrequency of cuts.
I'm not sure how good this price of 57 dollars is.
But saw this at yprice.com Australia Coal Price:52.54 USD/mt for Nov 2015
So price seems ok. Cheaper to ship from SA.

http://en.interfax.com.ua/news/economic/309491.html
====
Smaller dictator bows to larger dictator.

EU officials have repeatedly said they can’t block a project that abides by the region’s laws.


Commenting on Ukraine PM Yatseniuk's earlier statement that Nord Stream II has to be blocked, the EU's neighborhood commissioner Johannes Hahn reiterated that line, saying it was "important to keep competition" in the energy sector and insisted that if the project abides by EU rules, "we don't have a hook."

This is reported by Censor.NET citing The Wall Street Journal.

"But we will have a very sound and thorough assessment" of the project, he pledged.

The issue could come up at a meeting of EU leaders later this month. A letter signed by a number of EU governments was sent to the European Commission recently expressing concerns about the project.

U.S. officials have also pushed the EU not to proceed with the project, arguing it could significantly increase Russia's leverage over its neighbor.

censor.net.ua In Russian

At the request of Ukraine, NATO will continue to provide advisory support to Kyiv on defense and security reform.

As reported by Censor.NET, NATO Deputy Secretary-General Alexander Vershbow wrote in Twitter after the meeting with Ukrainian Defense Minister Stepan Poltorak.

Read more: De facto, NATO is our main partner in ensuring national security, - Poroshenko

"We discussed Ukraine's defense reforms and NATO's strong support for Ukraine through Trust Funds. Ukraine doesn't stand alone," Vershbow said.

He also notes that NATO remains seized with the situation over Ukraine and supports the peaceful end to the conflict.

censor.net.ua In Russian

At 62-year-old resident of Belgorod-Dniester seized seven weapons and 197 rounds of ammunition.

As the press service of the regional department Natspolitsii previously a man in a field of law enforcement officers did not get. Before retirement he worked in forestry ranger. The investigator, he explained that the weapons found in the forest and stored in the residence.



During the search he had found air rifles (one without a number and labeling, the other Crasna), IL-27 rifle, pistol-TECH 086, a homemade rifle with an optical device and a silencer 5.6 mm caliber gun SHMSE 9mm, homemade device for shooting bullets 12 caliber and 197 rounds of ammunition for firearms that were stored without his permission.

Criminal proceedings open for hours. 1 tbsp. 263 (illegal handling of weapons, ammunition or explosives) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. Seized weapons and ammunition intended for examination.




dumskaya.net In Russian

A quarter of Donbas refugees do not plan to return to Donbas within the next several years, a poll run by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology says, Ostriv reports Dec. 7.

54% of respondents view their present status as temporary and would like to return to Donbas, 26% have plans to return to Donbas within the next several years and the rest are undecided, the poll indicates.

Half of respondents name the following condition for their return: stop in fighting, with the other 50% expecting Donbas will become part of Ukraine.

The poll was run in cities Slovyansk, Severodonetsk, Berdyansk, Nikopol, Chuhujev and Derhachi in October of 2015.

ZIK.ua

The Russian Federation will not be able to provide power supply in annexed Crimea on its own within the next 10-12 months.

NEC Ukrenerho Acting Head Vsevolod Kovalchuk said, Censor.NET reports citing 112 Ukraine TV channel.

"We do not know the details of the construction of "power bridge" and other networks necessary for its operation in the territory of the Rostov region and in the territory of Crimea. We assessed these expenditures: they range between half a billion to two billion dollars. They have significantly accelerated activities for the construction of the "power bridge" recently but even if it is finished before the end of this month, it will nowise be able to provide even 80% of the needs of Crimea. We think that it will be able to cover 45-50% of Crimea at best during the evening peak period. Those figures, which are voiced by the representatives of their so-called "authorities", take into account the energy generated including by the solar power plants that operate at daytime only while they cannot operate at full capacity. It is impossible to restore the power supply in Crimea in full by means of additional measures including the construction of a power bridge within the next 10-12 months," Kovalchuk said.

censor.net.ua In Russian

"We with the president discussed the progress that has occurred in Ukraine during this time... We started to notice the signs of economic progress. GDP started rising, industrial production began to grow, and exports of agricultural products have increased. The Ukrainian currency has stabilized," he said at a joint briefing with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko in Kyiv.

interfax.com.ua

The United States of America will provide $190 million in financial aid for Ukraine, U.S. Vice President Joseph Biden has said.

Thus, the U.S. has and will have provided $760 million in direct support since the government change in 2014, Biden said at a briefing held jointly with Ukraine's President Petro Poroshenko in Kyiv on Monday.

interfax.com.ua

Brussels a The European Union and Ukraine say they will introduce a free trade pact next month as planned despite Russia's threat to take retaliatory trade action if its concerns aren't addressed. Ukraine Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk said on Monday that "this agreement will enter force on January 1, and this agreement is in the interests of the European Union and Ukraine."

sltrib.com

The Russian military's display of force in Ukraine and the Middle East has rattled the West. The Kremlin's troops and weapons still occupy Donbas and Moscow's airstrikes aimed at Islamic State appear to missing their said target, instead destroying other forces fighting Syrian President Assad. But these tactics to destabilize entire regions raise more questions – namely – what will President Vladimir Putin do next? And should we panic? That's a question we hope to answer in today's Press Review. To help us – Edward Lucas writing for The Daily Beast.

In the article titled 'No, we're not facing World War III' Lucas writes:

"Putin is a bully, but he is not insane. He may rattle his nuclear saber, but in any real confrontation with the West, he is the guaranteed loser. He can credibly menace the Baltic states (because in Pentagon war games, the Russians always get to the coast before the allies get to Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania). But this ignores the wider context. So long as the West responds to a geographically limited provocation with a much broader response, Putin is powerless."........................

To read further go to this link:   uatoday.tv