Ukraine crisis. News in brief. Monday 25 January [Ukrainian sources]

MONDAY

Please scroll down to view news items added during the day

News -
Russian forces fire 29 times yesterday at the Ukrainian people.
No Ukrainian dead or injured. Slava Ukraini.

Weather -
Amazing rise in temperature overnight. Change of wind direction I presume.
Was -14. Now -8. Should get to zero by late afternoon! And predicted warm for the next week or more. (Plus temperatures every day.)
See my detailed predictions, with weather charts, a few posts' down.
Update - 1400. -1, a lot of snow falling at the moment. Touch and go whether it will get to zero today.

Observation -
Saw Tymoshenko on Inter TV last night. In one sense, an amazing woman. She never stops fighting to be President. I am sure she would be happy for another Maidan and another 10,000 deaths, if the end result was her being President. She is part of the coalition, and yet working against it by calling for the entire government to resign. Personally I think the government have done an excellent job in impossible conditions.
Tymoshenko, for me, represents pure selfishness and greed, - and this has plagued Ukraine for far too long.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/russia/12115968/Now-that-Litvinenkos-murder-probably-points-to-Putin-whats-next-for-British-relations-with-Russia.html
...[re the British reaction....] Such behaviour does not just corrupt our own system. It sends a dreadful message to Russia, too. It makes the Russian leadership believe that our system is not essentially different from theirs. Money rules and might is right. We just disguise it better with a lot of talk about democracy and the rule of law....
===
Substantial article.

The Administration of the President of Ukraine is preparing a decree on dismissal of 28 other judges who have committed crimes in judicial decisions during the Revolution Benefits. The president of Petro Poroshenko said in an interview to Ukrainian TV channels.

"We are now preparing a decree on dismissal of 28 other judges who have committed crimes (I can not call a spade a spade) in judicial decisions during the Maidan. And for that to be responsible, "- said Poroshenko.

He recalled that last week were dismissed 4 judges.

"Nobody is going to continue to put up with the situation that we have in the judiciary continue to have immunity from prosecution, will not be allowed to demonstrate on such irresponsible behavior in judicial decisions", - said the head of state, adding that the judicial reform is a priority.

glavcom.ua In Russian

7:49
http://tyzhden.ua/News/156791
MP from the "People's Front" agreed to vote for changes to Constitution of Ukraine only after a referendum. This was stated by Interior Minister Arsen Avakov on the page in the network Facebook.
"The only condition for voting faction" Popular Front "with the most important issues of the Constitution of Ukraine may be a verdict Ukrainian referendum. Nothing else! "- Wrote Avakov.
He also called essential, in his view, "accents" a possible referendum.
"1) The integrity of Ukraine, the status of certain areas (?) 2) The real judicial reform of restarting all courts and judges; 3) Go to full parliamentary republic and eliminate dualism and competition powers; 4) Decentralization - as the basis of a unitary state; 5) The geopolitical course - the EU, NATO, "- said the Minister....
===
In a sense, true democracy. Let the people decide.

8:15
http://www.ostro.org/general/society/news/491079/
Currently 60 for men, and 57 for women.
In Ukraine the retirement age is to be increased gradually to 60 years for women and 62 years for men-civil servants by 2021.[37] wiki.
===
I'm not sure if this change to 60/ 62 still applies. I would think so.
A relatively low retirement age, but then... life expectancy is also low, particularly for men.
Life expectancy 69.37 years Decrease (2015)
• male 64.73 Decrease years
• female 74.64 Decrease years wiki

8:15
http://minprom.ua/news/202405.html
Ukraine as of January 24, reduced natural gas reserves in underground storage to 32.06%, or 5 471.09 to 11 593.02 million cubic meters. m, compared with reserves of 30 October 2015, when the operator of the gas transportation system company "Ukrtransgaz" began its selection of UGS (November 30, UGS was 17 064 110 000 cu. m)...
===
Not bad really. November, December, up to 24 January. And the forecast for this week looks to be very very good. Time will tell.
Can Ukraine survive the winter without Russian gas? Good chance, I think !!

Here is the predicted pressure chart for Wednesday for Europe from www.weatheronline.co.uk



And the British Met Office show a similar prediction -



Wind from the west - it will be warm, above zero. Maybe even above zero during the night. Unreal.
Late January should be the coldest part of the year for Ukraine.
Expect the snow to melt, for it to be very wet everywhere, and for gas usage to fall dramatically.

Here the typical average temperatures for the capital, Kiev, for January.



And here the prediction from Gismeteo - normally fairly reliable forecasts for Ukraine - this for Kiev. But warmer still the further west you go.
Вт Tuesday
26.01
Пасмурно, небольшой снег Пасмурно, небольшой снег −1 Пасмурно Пасмурно −3
Ср Wednesday
27.01
Пасмурно, небольшой снег Пасмурно, небольшой снег −2 Пасмурно Пасмурно +2
Чт Thursday
28.01
Пасмурно Пасмурно +2 Пасмурно, небольшой дождь Пасмурно, небольшой дождь +3
Пт Friday
29.01 Облачно Облачно +3 Пасмурно Пасмурно +1
Сб Saturday
30.01 Ясно Ясно −5 Пасмурно Пасмурно +2
Вс Sunday
31.01 Малооблачно Малооблачно +1 Ясно Ясно +3
Пн Monday
1.02 Ясно Ясно −1 Пасмурно Пасмурно +1
Вт Tuesday
2.02 Пасмурно Пасмурно 0 Пасмурно, небольшой дождь Пасмурно, небольшой дождь +4

Putin was hoping again to freeze Ukraine into submission, by only offering high gas prices (233). Ukraine declined Putin's "discount", getting cheaper gas from western Europe.
With higher than usual temperatures also in Europe, judging by the charts above, there will also be reduced demand from countries that have helped Ukraine out during Putin's latest gas war. That also is good.

American military expert, Dr. Philip Carbury announced the successful military operation that carried soldiers ATO in Donbas. This he told "Radio Liberty".

"Let's start with the content in Kramatorsk Airport. After that - the release of Slavyansk, albeit with some remarks. Also successful was the raid of paratroopers under the command of Zabrodskii - one of the deepest in military history, "- said the expert.

Also added Carbury, a successful operation was a military paratroopers August 2014, when they repulsed the attack of the Russian troops.

"Then the commander of the 95th Brigade Mikhail Zabrodskii conducted an offensive along the river Mius, and 79 Brigade entered the Donetsk-Mariupol highway. I would compare it to a breakthrough offensive Panzer General Ariel Sharon during the Arab-Israeli war of 1973, "- said the expert.

He also said the defense of the Lugansk airport.

"Departures are generally very difficult to carry out under pressure, and then on no one remembers them as a successful operation. There were also successful operations the Air Force, for example, the bombing of the art, which Russians were sent across the border to the separatists, the evacuation of the wounded from the battlefield forces helicopter units, "- said Carbury.

glavcom.ua In Russian

The well-known Russian political scientist and publicist Andrei Piontkovsky said that Putin is now called the West murderer, mentioning his involvement in the death of former FSB officer Alexander Litvinenko, as President of the Russian Federation has passed all possible red lines. About this he wrote in an article on apostrophe.

"The natural question: why London court was silent for 10 years? After all, it is clear that they are there and everyone knew before. The answer is political, too: I think the solution adopted is not one (the British prime minister. - Ed.) Cameron, he consulted with Obama and other leaders of the G7. Putin moved all possible red line - is the annexation of the Crimea War in Donbas, nuclear blackmail. And they decided that it is time to finally translate into the category of shake hands. Russia is still a major power, and they have long hoped that it can be something to negotiate, that he can change, "- said Piontkovsky.

According to him, the fact that after the 10-year-old thinking in the West finally decided to call Putin a murderer, means that on any long-term relationship with him is no longer calculated.

"In February, will report on Boeing. In addition, the new Polish government to reopen the investigation of the crash of the Polish plane, killing 100 members of the Polish political elite higher (in 2010 in Russia, including President Lech Kaczynski, - Ed.). Putin appears in a circle untouchable. The head of state enjoys immunity, and legal charges against him will not get any, "- he wrote a Russian political scientist, adding that this is a serious signal to the Russian political elite, among whom are now seeing some signs of a split. "That, of course, reduces the life that Putin will still be in power. And after he loses power, he faces a lot of things, "- said Piontkovsky.

glavcom.ua In Russian

9:13
http://apostrophe.com.ua/news/politics/2016-01-25/kuchma-o-donbasse-esli-net-nashey-granitsyi-to-eto-ne-nasha-territoriya/47889
===
Fair point. If Ukraine does not control the border, why should it pay for the Donbass?

I've never seen this before.
www.bloomberg.com/energy/  1 minute ago.

Crude Oil & Natural Gas
INDEX UNITS PRICE CHANGE %CHANGE CONTRACT TIME ET 2 DAY
WTI Crude Oil (Nymex)
USD/bbl. 32.52 +0.33 +1.03% MAR 16 01:55:02
Brent Crude (ICE)
USD/bbl. 32.52 +0.34 +1.06% MAR 16 01:55:10

Looks like the oil price has stabilized a little, after falling to 28. Still - not a bad price.
And the related gas price should fall again for Ukraine in the Spring. I think prices adjust each quarter.
If Ukraine can survive until the end of March with what it has in reserves - but note it is also topping up a little with Slovakian gas - then it can buy cheaper gas in April.

http://en.interfax.com.ua/news/general/319841.html
In English.

http://en.interfax.com.ua/news/general/319691.html
===
I agree. Now - what will Liashko and Tymoshenko and Samopomich do??
Liashko - is already out of the coalition, and his ratings have dropped and dropped.
Tymoshenko is playing games. She wants to be President, so she wants to distance herself from the coalition, but she's afraid that if she does so then she will lose popularity. For Liashko, and Tymoshenko life is about being powerful; not about helping Ukraine and its citizens. Populists.
Samopomich. I don't honestly know what they are doing.

http://www.rferl.org/content/daily-vertical-fear-regime/27509356.html
What country is he talking about?
Clue - it is not North Korea. And that leaves...

http://hvylya.net/news/digest/referendum-pro-osobyiy-status-donbassa-ne-nuzhen-groysman.html
====
Groisman from BPP. Guy from Narodni Front suggested a referendum.
Tymoshenko will conduct a poll before she decides which side of the fence to sit on.

http://nv.ua/ukr/ukraine/politics/sered-deputativ-jakim-rada-kompensuje-orendu-zhitla-opinilisja-miljoneri-vilkul-ta-dobkin-93189.html
Серед депутатів, яким Рада компенсує оренду житла, опинилися мільйонери Вілкул та Добкін
===
Revolting. Pensioners are really struggling to make ends meet, and scumballs like Dobkin claim rent for hotels and the like.
Note - online translation often changes uah to usd. Figures in the article are in hrvynia.

International investors are exiting their investments in some of the most liquid Russian companies as soaring volatility in the country’s stocks and currency push them to turn to less risky assets.

As reported by Censor.NET, this was announced by Bloomberg.

They are getting out of Russian stocks faster than local traders are selling shares on the Moscow Exchange, causing the valuation gap between onshore and offshore-traded equities to narrow to levels not seen in as long as a year. The asset dump comes after oil, the country's main source of revenue, plunged to a 12-year low last week and the ruble retreated the most among developing-nation peers.

The spread between the London-traded global depositary receipts of food retailer Magnit PJSC and local shares shrank to almost the narrowest in a year -- 22 percent as of Thursday. The GDRs of mobile phone carrier Megafon PJSC and oil producer Gazprom Neft PJSC, which have both traded at a premium to their Moscow listings in the past 12 months, are now priced at a discount in London.

"Foreigners can quickly sell Russian shares and go somewhere else in emerging markets where they can get relatively good returns for less risk," Anastasia Levashova, a money manager who helps oversee $450 million in emerging-market equities at Blackfriars Asset Management Ltd. in London, said by phone last week. "Local investors are more resilient to the roller-coaster in the Russian market and more willing to hold on to their shares, as they have much fewer alternative tools."

This thinking bears out in how Russian stocks perform abroad versus at home.

Magnit has dropped 12 percent in London in 2016, while the stock was unchanged in Moscow in that same time span, impervious to the selloff in the ruble and oil. Megafon has fallen 13 percent in London, twice as much as in Moscow. Gazprom Neft has lost 14 percent in London and 6.3 percent in Moscow this year.

censor.net.ua In Russian

According to Ukraine army intelligence, Jan. 24 a column of trucks arrived at Dmytrivka, Donetsk oblast, carrying weapons and ammunition.

In another intelligence report, trains with heavy weapons, tanks, fuel and ammunition arrived at railways stations in Ilovajsk and Khartsyzk Jan. 23.

By doing so, Russia has again violated Ukraine’s border, the army intelligence says.

zik.ua

There was lots of noise over the weekend about constitutional reform plans in Ukraine.

Constitutional reform was a key part of the Minsk II ceasefire agreement back last February, but the problem is that it was never clearly defined in the Minsk agreement what exactly this entailed. Partly this was the fault of the Western Normandy powers (France and Germany) who after an all-night session with Putin and Poroshenko appeared just eager to get the two sides to sign anything that might bring a moderation in fighting, and to buy time for more substantive peace talks to bear fruit – classic can kicking. These talks have followed in the Contact Group format in Minsk, but with little progress, and news that former President Leonid Kuchma now wants to resign as the Ukrainian representative is hardly encouraging, and a sign that little progress has been made.

That said, at Minsk there was general acceptance that more power should be given to Ukraine’s regions, but there is a broad spectrum of possibilities from modest decentralization as talked about favored by Poroshenko, to the Federal solution as supported by Moscow, and something in between which now appears to be favored by the Opposition Party in Ukraine, and perhaps also by other oligarchic groups in Ukraine (who think they can dominate local government again, if not national politics). Essentially Moscow wants a solution where regions have some veto over national policy – as in effect Moscow wants influence over national policy in Ukraine, to stall its further Western orientation and to keep Ukraine within its sphere of influence...................

To read further go to this link:   ukrainebusiness.com.ua

Admin sent me out for a couple of photos in the snow.
Here - a couple of huts selling snacks - coffee at 7 hryvnia. Not a bad price. 25 cents. I like the Ukrainian flag also!



A street scene - the trees look lovely at the moment in the snow. Beautiful really. Close to zero, so "warm", as people are saying here!



And this photo, more.. "artistic"? Branches backlit in the snow.



Tomorrow or Wednesday it should all melt, if the forecast is correct - and then it will be mega-water everywhere!

Russia's agricultural watchdog said on Monday Moscow may ban corn shipments from the United States over the systematic Diplodia stalk rot infection, according to Russian news agency TASS.

The Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance (Rosselkhoznadzor) sent a request to the U.S. side asking it "to exclude supplies to Russia's territory of the infected American corn," TASS wrote.

This comes for phytosanitary reasons and "especially in conditions of import replacement of quarantined goods," the Russian watchdog said in a statement.

"In case the supplies of infected goods continue, Rosselkhoznadzor has the right to consider the issue of introducing temporary restrictions on the supplies of corn from America," the statement says.

Now the infected corn is only used in Russia for the production of popcorn....................

To read further go to this link:  unian.info

The newly elected President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe Pedro Agramunt urged Russia to help restore control over the territory of Ukraine. It is reported by Radio "Liberty"

"The situation in Ukraine is very dangerous. In areas controlled by separatists, have reported serious violations of human rights. The Council of Europe should provide access to these areas for further investigation, "- he said at a meeting of the PACE Agramunt.

"The conflict in Ukraine, which has already claimed more than nine thousand of lives and destroyed hundreds of families, must cease, and it is our responsibility as Europeans to resolve it. Europe needs now and genuine reconciliation, because the confrontation is contrary to our interests. Russia plays an important role in this process and should demonstrate respect for the values ​​and standards that we share ", - he added.

PACE President also stressed the need for the release of the PACE delegate from Ukraine hopes Savchenko, who is on trial in Russia.

Recall, the new chairman of the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly elected Spanish MP Pedro Agramunt, who is known for statements in support of Ukraine.

glavcom.ua In Russian

In Los Angeles in the first competitions of the Olympic cycle at the gym, which took place this weekend, Ukrainian gymnast and team leader Anne Rizatdinova won five gold medals. It is reported by the press center of the Ukrainian Gymnastics Federation.

Anna Rizatdinova won the all-around and all the individual species - 5 gold medals out of a possible 5. At this tournament the gymnast showed 2 new exercise: with the ball and ribbon under the fiery samba.

The coaching staff decided to leave last year exercise with a hoop that is placed almost in front of the World Cup itself, where Anya with him won the bronze.

Rizatdinova In addition, our team defended Victoria Mazur, the best juniors of the country Alain Dyachenko.

The first all-around showed 10th result and became the third with one of their strongest forms - the ball and great exercise with a ribbon, which was left with last year - 2 bronze. Dyachenko was the second in the all-around, won gold in the exercise with a skipping rope and a ball.



glavcom.ua In Russian

On Monday evening at the house of ex-deputy of the Lviv regional council of the Party of Regions, the director of "Getmanm" Oleg Balyasha explosion. This "Ukrainian News" said the representative of the Main Directorate of the National Police in the Lviv region.

According to him, the explosion occurred under the trailer, which stood near the house.

No casualties were reported.

At the scene works investigative team.

glavcom.ua In Russian

This thread now continued for Tuesday at
https://ukraine-english-news.forumotion.com/t2166-ukraine-crisis-news-in-brief-tuesday-26-january-ukrainian-sources

or go to
https://ukraine-english-news.forumotion.com/
and select as you wish

The new head of the PACE Pedro Agramunt will soon offer a mechanism for the settlement of the conflict in the Donbass. This was said in the commentary "UNN" People's deputy of Ukraine, member of the Ukrainian delegation to PACE Borislav Birch.

"Pedro Agramund a political supporter of the Ukrainian delegation. And we hope that it is now not only will support us morally, but also propose a mechanism to resolve the conflict in the east of Ukraine. In the near future he will announce his plan. The fact that these problems require surgery, he said today, "- said Birch.

In addition, he noted that the monitoring report on the situation in Ukraine has not been canceled.

"It (the report - ed.) Would be in the fall. Who should be in between. But because of the change of the speaker, it was canceled, "- said the deputy.

Recall, the newly appointed head of the PACE Pedro Agramunt said that among these urgent issues for Europe, the security situation in the east of Ukraine took third place in importance after international terrorism and migration crisis.

glavcom.ua In Russian

The assessment mission of the United Nations will evaluate the effect of contamination by mines and explosive devices and provide technical advice on the future of humanitarian mine action. This is stated in the statement of the UN Office in Ukraine.

"Because of the conflict in the eastern part of Ukraine, many civilians have undergone considerable suffering. In particular, the civilian population has increased the number of deaths and injuries caused by mines and other explosive devices. There is a clear need to increase the scale of the humanitarian mine action in order to ensure safe living conditions for the inhabitants of the areas affected by the conflict, as well as the safe delivery of humanitarian aid. At the request of the Government of Ukraine and the decision of the UN Secretary General, the United Nations began a technical mission to assess the needs for Mine Action, which runs from January 23 to February 5, 2016. The mission will assess the impact of contamination by mines and explosive devices and provide technical advice on the future of humanitarian mine action, "- said in a statement.

In addition, in the Delegation noted that the composition of the joint mission included technical experts from United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) and United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS), the mandate of which is coordination of international mine activities within the UN system. The mission supports pidklaster Mine Action, which operates within the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, headed by the United Nations. The experts will work in close collaboration with the Ministries of Defence, Education, Interior and Foreign Affairs, the State Service for Emergency Situations and other relevant national and local levels, NGOs, the OSCE, the Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining and other organizations in Kiev and in the east of Ukraine.

"Because of the conflict, which erupted in the spring of 2014, in some areas affected by the conflict, there were many mines and exploded ordnance. In recent months, more than 80 percent of civilian deaths were caused by explosive devices - such cases underscore the urgent need to address the issue of awareness of mine risk education and other mine action activities that will help to minimize the number of casualties on both sides of the line of contact, "- said Coordinator of the UN system Ukraine and Humanitarian Coordinator Neal Walker.

The Representation also noted that while the primary responsibility for demining efforts rests with the parties to the conflict, the UN mission will have an auxiliary character and assistance in assessing the United Nations scale of current needs in the field and the current efforts of other involved parties.

Recall the United Nations assessment mission on January 23 started its work in Ukraine.

glavcom.ua In Russian