Ukraine crisis. News in brief. Wednesday 17 February [Ukrainian sources]

WEDNESDAY

Please scroll down to view news items added during the day

News -
Putin's terrorists fire 60 times, including using Grad, yesterday.
Update - two soldiers wounded.
Politics - Tymoshenko leaves the coalition. She was always critical of everything, even when part of it! She joins Liashko in opposition.

Weather -
Back to the cool weather, but above average for this time of year.
+1 or +2. Maybe a touch higher, for most days for the rest of the week.

Opinion -
the vote to dismiss the cabinet yesterday



Failed. Needed 226 votes. So. Now what? tymoshenko's gang and Samopomich didn't go to the meeting this morning.
Now heard that Tymoshenko's lot have withdrawn from the coalition. So -
New elections? Or a minority government?
Or -
Was it all a clever game, played out to ensure that the cabinet can stay in place for another half-year, with the support of non-aligned deputies?
A guy I know in the Azov batallion described the goings on in the Rada as "theatre".
For political games, Ukraine is perhaps the centre of the world.

I appreciate any political criticism and political rhetoric that is heard in the hall of Parliament. But the hatred and anger - it's not the feelings that must unite conscious political class. What did this government, I personally and every member of the Cabinet - we believe that this is the only right way. It is our policy, our values and our beliefs.
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You cannot disagree with what he writes.
There was hatred yesterday - yes. Very primitive. And almost no logical thought.
Yatseniuk was blamed for everything yesterday - rising communal charges, inflation, the devaluation of the hryvnia, rising gas prices, everything.
But it was the coalition as a whole that voted through all these things - all the parties in the coalition.
Who was in charge of implementing all these changes for the coalition, yes, Yatseniuk. He did what they asked him to do.
But yesterday they all turned on him. Why?
The population are obviously not happy. It is a very very difficult time. The politicians are mega- populists. And they want a scapegoat - Yatseniuk.

What now?
Samopomich have said they will not go to the Rada today. So - logical dialogue?! Paralysis maybe. The coalition should be about policies, not personalities.

Thought -
Strange that 33 Opposition block members were away. On holiday? Skiing in the Alps, beach in Thailand? It would be interesting to know.
And also -
Did BPP actually know - before the vote - that it would not be passed?
It fell over 30 votes short! And now the cabinet cannot be dismissed for another half-year or more.
Unless the coalition falls apart, and there are new elections! 100% what Putin wants.
And new elections would solve nothing. In fact, I think they would make the current situation worse. My opinion.

http://www.unian.info/economics/1267194-green-corridor-for-10-days-amid-ukraine-russia-truck-war.html
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Putin's war. On all levels.

8:41
http://www.ostro.org/general/society/news/492874/
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Bring in fake "locals" to talk to the osce.

http://nbnews.com.ua/ru/news/173452/
8:32
The ideal completion of the Russian aggression in Crimea would have full control over the Ukraine, until its entry into Russia. On Tuesday, 16 February said the former so-called "defense minister DNR" Igor Girkin (Strelkov).
"Ideally - over Kiev is the Russian flag, and Ukraine either in Russia, or a federal state. And the Crimea as the next border states, something like Transnistria or Abkhazia - it just would have been able to leave open the door, do not burn bridges ... This option is fully played out, it can never be re-implemented ", - he said in an interview Girkin the site of his "New Russia Movement".
He noted that Russia is annexing Crimea, "crossed the Rubicon".
"Now we have to or go all the way to the end, until victory, until the restoration of the sovereignty, to restore the great Russian [empire], or sooner or later it's over a shameful capitulation, the complete defeat", - said Girkin.
Recall Girkin said that Russia will not be able to make peace with the Ukraine, and the Ukrainian army will renew hostilities in Donbas.

The majority of Russians (60%) believe that the Russian leadership should strive to improve relations with the United States. This is evidenced by survey data Fund "Public opinion".

It is noted that six months ago, this point of view expressed by 49% of respondents.

The survey results also show that 13% of Russians are well refer to the United States (an increase for six months by 3 percentage points), bad - 34% (down 4 points), is basically the same (49%) of respondents report their indifference to the country .

The Fund report also notes that the majority of respondents (63%) states that between Russia and the United States is now a bad relationship, and half of Russians (56%) said their deterioration over the last year. At the same time, half of the respondents (47%) do not expect changes in US-Russia relations.

glavcom.ua In Russian

Russian President Vladimir Putin makes a statement that he is prepared to use nuclear weapons, to him did not cease to be considered. This opinion was expressed Russian political scientist Dmitry Oreshkin.

"Now Russia is satisfied with the teaching. It comes to mind the story of the annexation of the Crimea, when almost immediately after joining the peninsula Putin accidentally said he considered the possibility of bringing to the operation of nuclear weapons. What would make such statements? Ukraine was not ready for an adequate resistance. Why Putin was backdated to remember about nuclear weapons? Because he wanted to make it clear to the West that he is ready for such a step. To the West he was sitting and twitching, "- he said the apostrophe .

"Now it is necessary to remind Putin that he has a trump card in his pocket. To encourage all parties to the fact that it is time to create the Donbass Transnistria, the frozen conflict. The Kremlin resources to attack there, but he's afraid to show their weakness. Putin wants to show that he's a tough kid. This is a necessary element of its foreign policy. After all, if he will not be afraid, then it will no longer be considered. And nothing but the image of the bad boy who can hit the glass, it does not ", - says Oreshkin.

glavcom.ua In Russian

The General Staff of the Armed Forces are aware that Russian military aircraft might be used against the Ukrainian army. This was stated by Chief of Staff Viktor Muzhenko in an interview, "First National" transmit "Ukrainian News"

"We provide as an option the use of Russian aviation. It is, so to speak, one of the possible forms of warfare ", - said Muzhenko.

He noted that the Russian military pilots taking part in the fighting in Syria, they have the necessary skills, primarily psychological stability.

Ukrainian army work out options for countering the Russian aviation.

"We carry out training of personnel in the conditions of employment of aviation ... We accustom staff to aviation and was not afraid to know how to counter it," - said the head of the General Staff.

According Muzhenko, the Ukrainian army is prepared for such a development and improve its air defense system and the aircraft.

He stressed that 50% of funds allocated in the current year on defense, aimed at improving the air defense system.

glavcom.ua In Russian

http://www.unian.info/war/1267360-terrorists-fire-grads-on-ato-forces-use-antitank-guided-missile.html
....In addition, the enemy fired an antitank guided missile on the Ukrainian positions in Opytne," the report says....
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This is yet another new escalation by Putin. I haven't heard of guided missiles being used before.
Putin introducing more and more technically advanced weaponry as the months go by.

http://www.unian.info/economics/1267381-nbu-cuts-official-exchange-rate-to-uah-2701-to-dollar-uah-3017-to-euro.html
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With the current political instability I can only see the hryvnia falling further in the short term.

10:45
http://www.hromadske.tv/politics/na-zasidannya-radi-ne-priishli-fraktsiyi--samopomi/
...."I think yesterday that, on the one hand the Parliament recognized the work of the Government unsatisfactory, on the other hand - even failed to give the required number of votes to make it to dismiss, did not solve any crisis, but instead it deepened "- said the speaker.... [Groisman]

Looking at weatherspark, typical temperatures for Kiev for later February are a high of near zero, and a low of say -6.
Yesterday was exceptional, but today - a low of zero last night, high maybe of +2 today. Still above average.
Being above freezing makes a lot of difference. Freezing pipes, icy roads, frosted windows on cars - there is none of that.

Weather for the weekend looks relatively stable - pressure chart prediction from weatheronline.co.uk for Saturday



Looks like Ukraine should avoid those killer easterly winds from Russia. And that means no seriously mega-cold spells.
Today - blue sky and sunshine now, but cold. +1. 1130 am.

Opinion - maybe this will be the warmest February on record for Ukraine? I can't remember one this warm.
And particularly the first half of the month. And temperatures are still above average. No snow. In fact, very little snow on the ground this winter.
It will be interesting to see the gas consumption figures for the past couple of weeks...

https://vorobiov.wordpress.com/2016/02/17/pm-yatseniuk-keeps-his-seat-for-now/
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Interesting write up of yesterday's events. Not bad. Extract or two -

...10 a.m. She had let her hair down and bought new glasses to look beautiful on this warm February day. Yulia Tymoshenko had prepared to partake in a public flogging and eventually a dismissal of the man who she thinks had betrayed her. ..
...The failed no-confidence vote will therefore change the political dynamics in Ukraine in a different way. First, Yatseniuk has become more dependent on the President’s goodwill, perhaps even too dependent to his liking. The smaller coalition members, who were effectively taught for the second time that their voices matter nothing when it comes to really serious business (first time was the budget), will formally or effectively leave the coalition. ...\...The biggest loser of the game (at least tactically) is Yulia Tymoshenko, whose rising popularity must have clouded her thinking. Unlike many of her less experienced colleagues in this Rada, Tymoshenko is no stranger to intrigue and cunning political schemes. (Just think of the 2009 plans to set up the “grand coalition” with Yanukovych back in the day, a Machiavellian design which would come to haunt her later).
But in the evening on February 16th Tymoshenko was furious: not only had her relished revenge against Yatseniuk failed, but her faction has been used as a cheap prop in the play. ...

http://www.pravda.com.ua/news/2016/02/17/7099295/
Фракція Тимошенко виходить з коаліції
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She's dreaming of 2007. Snap elections, and then she became PM. And then tried to do a deal with Yanukovich!

Her new look - glasses, and hair down. The billionaire who declares an income of 10 dollars a day, and complains about oligarchs. Only in Ukraine. Loved by the Kyiv Post staff.

11:30
http://www.pravda.com.ua/news/2016/02/17/7099298/
MP from the BPP Sergei Leshchenko said that the Cabinet Arseniy Yatsenyuk remained in power through conspiracy and representatives of the ruling oligarchic elites.
"In the eyes of the whole country is oligarchic counter-revolution. There is a conspiracy," - he said from the rostrum of parliament, commenting on the parliamentary event Tuesday.
"This cynical members of this conspiracy is both the authorities and the opposition. Unfortunately, the Bloc Poroshenko just became a member of this conspiracy," - said Leshchenko.
"Rather than dismiss the government, we have kept this government in power. Instead of doing a reboot and clean, we create only the illusion of some sort, which only Defer collapse," - he said.
He blames the failure of some oligarchs MPs vote for the government's resignation on 16 February....
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Conspiracy theories abound. Who knows?
I don't understand why the Opposition block would not want to bring the coalition down. Surely Putin would be happy with more instability, and elections once a month.

16:50
http://www.segodnya.ua/politics/pnews/yacenyuk-zagovoril-o-pereformatirovanii-koalicii-i-vklyuchenii-v-nee-frakcii-lyashko-692518.html
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If Samopomich withdraw, just like Tymoshenko, then somebody is needed to make up 226 votes. Unless they rely on non-aligned deputies.

European Union Ambassador to Ukraine Jan Tombinski has criticized the bill adopted yesterday by the Verkhovna Rada, postponing criminal liability for filing false asset and income declarations for one year, as well as the bill granting Prosecutor General the right to twice reject a candidate for the post of head of the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office.

This was announced on EU delegation's Facebook page, Censor.NET reports.

"I welcome the adoption in the first reading of the legislation on asset recovery and management office (4056) and on assets seizure and special confiscation (4054). Both laws are in line with the EU standards, and I look forward to seeing these versions confirmed in the second reading," he said.

"The draft law on prosecution (4055) still contains too many discretional powers of the prosecutor general to reject candidates for the post of the specialized anti-corruption prosecutor nominated by an independent selection commission. Further amendments to this law should address this issue in order to ensure full independence of the specialized anti-corruption prosecutor," Tombinski stated.

"The newly adopted law on e-declarations (3755) is disappointing and not in line with anti-corruption commitments undertaken by the Ukrainian leadership. Immediate action should be undertaken in order to install an effective system of verification of asset declarations and to ensure that the National Agency for Prevention of Corruption is able to fulfil its mission to prevent and to uncover corruption," the diplomat resumed.

censor.net.ua In Russian

18:16
http://www.radiosvoboda.org/content/news/27558195.html
Leader of the "Fatherland" Yulia Tymoshenko said that her political force will initiate the introduction to the Parliament draft resolution on dismissal of the Prime Minister of Ukraine Arseniy Yatsenyuk. She said in comments to journalists after a meeting with President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko....
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She hates Yatseniuk, and wants to be President, even if she destroys Ukraine in the process.

http://ria.ru/society/20160217/1376075080.html
In Russia in 2015, it recorded 27,500 deaths from HIV
13: 2517.02.2016 (updated 13:27 02.17.2016) 757
The number who died from the human immunodeficiency virus in 2015, 13% more than in 2014, said Academician Vadim Pokrovsky, noting that the most common mode of HIV transmission is drug use....
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13% increase on the previous year. Russia in a state of denial with regard to AIDS. And expect Putin to cut any funding further in order to send more tanks to the Donbass and Syria.

http://www.brianmefford.net/ukraine-update-217-yatsenyuks-stay-of-execution/
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Quite a long blog by some ex-pat in Kiev, friendly with the Yulia Post. Last sentence -
In short, new Parliamentary elections are a bad idea for Ukraine at this time as it will result in unnecessary turmoil and instability.

http://www.pravda.com.ua/news/2016/02/17/7099376/
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Tymoshenko wants to be President, or, preferably, god.
"We could end this week to vote for the resolution on the resignation of the Prime Minister, which also entails a resignation of the government", - she said.
She is 100% out to destroy the country. All or nothing. She wants that Presidential chair.

This thread now continued for Thursday at
https://ukraine-english-news.forumotion.com/t2232-ukraine-crisis-news-in-brief-thursday-18-february-ukrainian-sources

or go to
https://ukraine-english-news.forumotion.com/
and select Ukraine news.
Today - Samopomich decide whether to stay in the coalition or not.