Ukraine crisis. News in brief. Tuesday 08 March. [Ukrainian sources]

TUESDAY

Please scroll down to view news items added during the day

News -
Putin strikes Ukraine with 54 attacks, using mortars and tanks.
Update - 3 soldiers wounded yesterday.
More and more rumours that Yatseniuk has agreed to resign. Jaresko - US born - rumoured to be his replacement. Currently finance minister.

Weather -
Looks like being a lovely day. Some blue sky and sunshine. +5 at 0700. High maybe of 12. Turn the gas down.

International Women's Day -
A major holiday today in many of the former Soviet territories. Ukraine, Russia, Belarus, Armenia, China, Vietnam, Cambodia, Cuba, Moldova etc etc.
In Ukraine - from what I have seen, the men tend to give women presents, and then many go and get drunk.

22:22
http://www.pravda.com.ua/news/2016/03/7/7101369/
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Quite common, from what I've heard. People then sell the ammo, guns, on to a third party.
But this guy had rather a lot - 600 rounds, and 21 grenades. You don't use those for hunting!

http://www.pravda.com.ua/news/2016/03/7/7101366/
In Moscow detained the protesters in support Savchenko
Monday, March 7, 2016, 20:42
Moscow security forces detained five protesters in support of the Ukrainian pilots Hope Savchenko, which illegally detained in Russia.
It is reported "Hran.ru."
About 1900 hours before the FSB building in Lubyanka Square in Moscow, came about 10 activists.
They unfurled Ukrainian flag and began to sing the anthem of Ukraine.
Immediately after the start of the action it tightened and Russian police started to detain members.
As a result, five activists were arrested.
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Cut the head off a child, and shout "Alla Akhbar", and nobody does anything for an hour.
Carry an Ukrainian flag - and arrested in a minute or two! Russia today.
Don't expect Shaun Walker or the RIA Novosti Russian "journalists" to comment on that point.

http://www.unian.info/politics/1284633-eu-calls-for-savchenkos-immediate-release.html
The officials statement is published on the EU spokesperson site.
"Reports on Nadia Savchenko's hunger and thirst strike are extremely worrisome," the statement says.
The European Union continues to call for Nadia Savchenko's immediate release.
"This would also be in keeping with the package of measures for the implementation of the Minsk Agreements and the commitments therein to release all hostages and illegally detained persons related to the conflict in eastern Ukraine," a noted in the statement....
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Putin is excellent at creating fear - he learnt this from his years and years working in East Germany. The Stasi tactics.
But he is hopeless at almost everything else - except perhaps filling his own coffers and those of his friends.
Savchenko - well - he has given Ukraine and the free world a hero. And she becomes more famous by the day.

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/mar/05/europe-vladimir-putin-russia-social-media-trolls
Russia is deploying social media trolls in an attempt to effect political change, and Britain is not immune...
Five types of troll were found: the “blame the US conspiracy trolls”; the “bikini trolls” (adorned with images of young women who would gently ask targets to rethink their views); “aggressive trolls” determined to drive people off the web; “Wikipedia trolls” working to edit blogs and web pages to Russia’s advantage; and “attachment trolls”, who would post link after link to articles and videos from Russian news platforms....
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Not a bad read.
Clearly not from the pen of Guardian "journalist" Moscow resident and Russiaprofile correspondent (Kremlin propaganda) Shaun Walker. Or Seamus Milne, the millionaire Stalinist and Corbyn sidekick.

https://meduza.io/en/feature/2016/03/07/locked-up-in-the-donbas
...Chudnetsov's family and friends say he gave his confession for the cameras after being tortured by the republic's Security Ministry. They said he had 16 of his teeth pulled out with pliers. In an interview with a reporter for Russia 24, Chudnetsov appears to have no teeth and a black eye....
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A long article. Disturbing. The Russians are barbaric; truly barbaric. Recommended.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3478556/Britain-s-secret-dossier-Putin-s-war-crimes-Syria-doctors-war-torn-country-say-Russia-targeting-hospitals-air-strikes-despite-ceasefire.html
MI6 and British police are investigating alleged attacks on civilians by Russian war planes in Syria – with a view to prosecuting President Vladimir Putin for war crimes, The Mail on Sunday can reveal.
Scotland Yard detectives have flown to Lebanon to monitor air strikes in neighbouring Syria – amid claims that Russian bombers have caused hundreds of casualties by targeting hospitals and schools.......
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Putin has turned Russia into the most barbaric uncivilised nation on the planet.

High quality global journalism requires investment. Please share this article with others using the link below, do not cut & paste the article. See our Ts&Cs and Copyright Policy for more detail. Email ftsales.support@ft.com to buy additional rights.

Natalie Jaresko, Ukraine’s US-born finance minister, has held talks on leading a new technocratic, reformist government amid intense high-level political manoeuvring.
Ms Jaresko was offered the prime minister’s position more than 10 days ago by representatives of Petro Poroshenko, the president, and Arseny Yatseniuk, the incumbent. Both offered the support of their parliamentary parties and freedom from interference, said people familiar with the matter.................

To read further go to this link:  ft.com

President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko donated 58,429 UAH ($2,180) from his salary to his own charity fund in the first two months of 2016.

As reported by Censor.NET citing Radio Svoboda, this information has been posted on the portal of public funds use e-data.

In January 2016, the State administration of affairs has transferred 9,354 UAH to the account of the Petro Poroshenko Charity Fund. Another 49,075 UAH were transferred in late February.

ua.censor.net.ua   In Ukrainian

After briefing relatives of the 298 people killed in the July 2014 crash, Fred Westerbeke, the prosecutor leading the international probe, said the investigators had obtained all the information they needed from the United States.

While the exact launch site of the missile should be known by summer, Westerbeke said he did not know when the criminal investigation would be completed.

But he pledged to finish the investigation "as quickly as possible, if only because of the frustration among the families.".....

rferl.org

A prominent Russian historian and political scientist, Andrey Zubov was dismissed from his post of Professor at the MGIMO (Moscow State Institute of International Relations ) after criticizing Putin’s military intervention in Ukraine. Two years after the annexation of Crimea, I meet him in Stockholm where he was taking part in a seminar about Russia’s domestic policy at the Swedish Institute of International Affairs.
“I rarely refuse an interview to Ukrainian journalists. As a Russian, I feel guilty,” says Zubov and shares that bad relations between Russia and Ukraine are painful for him and, he believes, the majority of Russians.

You’ve been predicting that Russia will eventually give Crimea back. But the proceedings against Crimean activists are gaining momentum, Crimean land has recently been surveyed for a Russian property register. That does not happen to a land that is to be returned.

This is a usual political demonstration of ownership. When the time comes, Russia will give Crimea back. Prosecutions (related to the anti-annexation protests) of 26th February, those against Oleh Sentsov, Haiser Dzhemilev are considered as bills of exchange that will be used later as a pay off  (for the annexation of Crimea – ed. ) -but I don’t think anyone will speak about paying anyone off. Russia will just need to give back what it took......................

To read further go to this link:  euromaidanpress.com

March 15 may be the date of reformatting the Ukrainian Cabinet, according to Novoye Vremya magazine citing its sources, as Natalie Jaresko is reported to have agreed to lead a “technocratic government.”

The information that the Ukrainian government may see drastic changes in a week was provided to Novoye Vremya by one of the MPs from pro-Yatsenyuk’s Popular Front faction, close to the National Security Council chief Oleksandr Turchynov, referring to the latter. The source says the agreement has already been reached on the matter.

According to an MP from another faction, who recently left the coalition, there the necessary number of votes for Yatsenyuk’s resignation has already been secured in the Rada, and now the work is underway to ensure that Natalie Jaresko’s nomination will be endorsed.
Read more on U..................

unian.info

Russian authorities have detained a camera crew from Ukrainian STB TV channel, who were in Russia to cover the trial of Ukrainian pilot and MP Nadiya Savchenko.

Journalists' car was stopped by the Russian police in Kursk region ‘because of an unpaid fine for unspecified traffic rules violation'

Ukrainians were brought to the nearest police station. Their documents were taken away.

The camera crew members all have obtained official press accreditation from the Russian Foreign Ministry. They were released after having spent some 1.5 hours at the police station...........

uatoday.tv

http://www.pravda.com.ua/news/2016/03/8/7101407/
Headquarters: 3 soldiers wounded ATO forces repelled the attack militants DRG
Tuesday, March 8, 2016, 14:55
In the area of ​​ATU on the last day of hostilities among the dead Ukrainian soldiers there, three soldiers wounded.
This at a briefing on March 8 AP spokesman for the ATO Alexander Motuzyanyk.
According to him, the Donetsk area took place 41 shelling of the NFP and one militant clashes. The epicenter of the fighting remain Avdeevka and Pisky.
"The enemy has repeatedly used the heavy weapons - 82-mm and 120-mm mortars and tanks. After one of the attacks Ukrainian positions ahead hostile DRG, which moved from Yasinovataya. The attack repulsed," - said Motuzyanyk.
In addition nearly 4-hour fire positions took place near Ukrainian Luhansk.
"The enemy used BMP. ATO forces opened fire in response and stop the aggressive actions of the occupiers. A similar fire occurred at positions near Lozovoy" - said a spokesman for the AP.
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If, like me, you are wondering what a DRG is -
Диверсионно-разведывательная группа (ДРГ)
Wiki - Russian -
Sabotage and reconnaissance groups (DRGs) - unit for special purposes, used for reconnaissance and sabotage behind enemy lines ..

16:40
PHOTOS Moscow have detained 35 people for their support Savchenko
http://www.pravda.com.ua/news/2016/03/8/7101412/
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Brave people protesting in fascist Russia.

http://www.pravda.com.ua/articles/2016/03/8/7101127/
Exactly one month ago, on February 4, President Poroshenko said about the need to restart the government. Since then, nothing has changed. Acting Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk still needs to be persuaded to voluntarily resign.
Despite the seeming political lull prevailing in Ukraine the last two weeks, between the AP and the camp of the prime minister continuing difficult negotiations.
On Friday evening, February 26 three sources "Ukrainian Truth" in the government and the coalition reported that Yatsenyuk agreed to resign as prime minister following specifications may be the current Minister of Finance Natalia Yaresko.
Press-service of the president and the prime minister denied this information, as well as MPs close to the Prime Minister.
But there is no smoke without fire...
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Long long article.
Headline in Ukrainian. Article in Russian.

In St. Petersburg, Russia party members Eduard Limonov "Other Russia", the well-known recruiting volunteers to participate in the war in Donbass on the side of rebels attacked the Consulate of Ukraine.

This is the website of "APN. Northwest".



Protesters pelted the building with eggs, smoke bombs and flares. Activists while chanting "Death to the Kiev junta!", "Glory of New Russia!", "Savchenko - burn in hell!" and unfurled the party flag and the so-called "New Russia".

It is noted that this action was carried out in response to an incident in front of the Russian Embassy in Kiev.

During the action of the Russian police had arrested 4 people. One of them - Russian Andrei Vorontsov, who fought on the side of the militants in the Donbas.





glavcom.ua In Russian

http://en.censor.net.ua/news/378030/nine_russian_soldiers_destroyed_13_wounded_in_combat_near_avdiivka_defense_intelligence
...."In the outcome, the enemy failed to reach significant results, while suffering considerable losses: nine Russian soldiers were killed, 13 more were injured, including heavily wounded Lieutenant Dmitry Protopopov and Sergeant Maxim Isenov," the statement notes.
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The Ukrainians really seem to have their intelligence working - even the names of the wounded.

http://en.censor.net.ua/news/378019/putin_underestimated_ukrainian_women_and_most_of_all_savchenko_us_ambassador_pyatt
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Intelligent statement to make today - Women's Day in Ukraine.
Incidentally - walking home from the hospital, after visiting a soldier there - lots of people having BBQs outside! Yes - 08 March, but - really warm today. +12 or more.
And shopping centres are full of people wandering around. Also - I discovered - the ATMs are out of money!

Russian group of journalists came under attack today near a checkpoint on the road into town Yasinovataya area north of Donetsk. It is reported by the Russian news agency TASS reported with reference to the Donetsk news agency.

Allegedly, at the moment a group of journalists who had come to the place to cover the events, was able to get out of the fire zone.

Now members of the media are in a safe place, DAN correspondent reports.

Among the journalists - TV employees RussiaToday, Channel One, Channel Five, as well as writing reports. None of them was hurt.

glavcom.ua In Russian

http://www.rferl.org/content/ukraine-journalist-talks-419-days-separatist-captivity/27595944.html
Ukrainian journalist Maria Varfolomeyeva spent 419 days in Russia-backed separatists' captivity in eastern Ukraine, where the 30-year-old woman was accused of spying...
Fighters from the group's security arm claimed not to beat people up, Varfolomeyeva said. "But those who left for interrogations would come back with broken ribs, hematomas. The halls were just 'very slippery; people fell,'" she said she was told.
The separatists tortured some captives by attaching generators to their ears, Varfolomeyeva said. "They call it 'phoning [U.S. President Barack] Obama.'"...



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Tv report in Ukrainian. Barbaric treatment, as always, by the Russian animals. You simply can no longer call the Russians "people". That's an insult to normal people.

Large community of Syrian and Iraqi refugees in Europe, who had fled from Russian bombs could become a powerful interest group, which is able to change the (relatively) pro-Russian sentiment in Europe. This writes an American of Forbes . "At present, compared with the US Europe belongs to Russia much more friendly, since the volume of trade between them is much higher. But we have already seen how small interest groups have successfully influenced the foreign policy of countries in certain matters - remember, what has been the impact of the US -Izrailsky public Affairs Committee in the US policy towards Israel "- the newspaper notes.

In 2015, Putin used the Greek financial crisis, to sow discord in the European Union. By January of 2016 as a result of Russian air strikes in Syria killed nearly 1.4 thousand civilians. Last year in Europe profit of 250 thousand Syrian refugees. The rate of departure of Syrians from Syria continue to rise. Tuesday, 1 March, Chief of the combined forces of NATO in Europe Philip Breedlove (Philip Breedlove) said that Putin and Assad deliberately bombed civilian targets in order to increase the flow of Syrian refugees in Europe. According to his estimates, together with refugees in Europe penetrated up to 1.5 thousand foreign fighters - a needle in a haystack, which can trigger a lot of problems.

"Let us for a moment distract from the fact that the use of refugees as a weapon leads to humanitarian catastrophe, and, in fact, constitutes a war crime. These arguments will have no effect on Putin, who regularly disregard of international law. But if Putin uses refugees as a weapon against Europe, he makes a strategic mistake ", I'm sure the author.

Millions of new EU citizens fleeing from Russian bombs in Syria and Iraq, may establish a European anti-Putin political associations, as soon as they receive a residence permit. Refugees in Europe has gradually attached to the policy, including the use of peaceful methods of civil disobedience.

Of course, some terrorist needle in a haystack refugees and terrorists will remain and can cause harm to the residents of the European Union. However, these refugees could affect EU policy towards Putin and ultimately to achieve a much more resolute military response to Putin's actions and Assad in Syria, including the establishment of no-fly zones and safe areas for refugees in Syrian territory. Interest groups of refugees in the European Union can not be confined to a struggle with Putin in Syria and Iraq and focused on its interests in the Crimea, in the east of Ukraine or the Baltic States. These refugees are unlikely to support the removal of sanctions against Russia, while Putin will bomb their fellow citizens in Syria and Iraq.

Greece and Hungary, which in 2015 treated the most friendly Russia is now forced to cope with a huge influx of refugees. It spoils their relations with Moscow. Although Prime Minister Viktor Orban maintains friendly relations with Moscow, within his ruling coalition is already showing signs of discontent. Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Siyyarto (Peter Szijjarto) recently publicly supported the expansion of NATO. For Putin, his words sounded like a provocation.

Refugees fleeing to Syria and Iraq, remain largely in Turkey, whose relations with Russia have deteriorated badly in recent years. Before the collapse of the Russian bomber shot down by the Turkish Air Force, Turkish President Erdogan to treat Russia as a friend. Many even feared that Putin's influence on Erdogan could force Turkey to turn off the democratic path in a more authoritarian direction. This would distance the country from achieving its goal of accession to the European Union, and would force her to withdraw from NATO, which would be a great victory for Putin.

However, once arrived in Turkey, millions of refugees fleeing Putin and Assad attacks on Sunni insurgents, predominantly Sunni Turkey has started to change its attitude to Russia.

glavcom.ua In Russian

http://m.nv.ua/ukraine/politics/ft-poroshenko-i-jatsenjuk-nashli-alternativu-jaresko-po-post-premera-102058.html
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Speaker Groisman.
Frankly - I don't see this happening.
Whatever, the post of PM is a poisoned chalice. Nobody will want that job.
Groisman is ok, but... rather woody, in my opinion. He does, however, make a good speaker.
I just noticed, at the link above, they are holding a poll of who people want to be PM - results so far are

Кого вы хотите видеть премьером?
Яресько72 Гройсмана2 Яценюка4 другого (пишите в комментариях)22
Yareshko 72% Groisman 2% Yatseniuk 4% Others 22%.
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Ft.com have
Ukraine’s US-born finance minister in talks on top post

http://linkis.com/www.newsweek.com/q91Ph
...The foreign press presented Abromavicius’s resignation as the trigger of the current political crisis in Ukraine, but the truth is it was only a catalyst for public dissatisfaction with old-style corruption practices. The crisis in Ukraine had started brewing a long time before, but for many months it stayed undercover, behind the walls of the cabinet, parliament (Verkhovna Rada) and the president’s office. Abromavicius’s announcement finally brought it out into the open....
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Not a bad article.

Three days later - MH17 shot down.

http://web.archive.org/web/20150217193739/http://vk.com/wall-35276355_301081
Jul 14, 2014 at 7:26 pm
ANNA-news, официальная группа
Седня откатали 9К37М1 (ну кто типа не знает это «Бук-М1») вообще вещь поймали 4 цели в разных местах пойманные от 3400 - 6200 м. В общем у нас все классно, укропов дальше продолжаем кошмарить.
ANNA-news, official group
Today say 9K37M1 (well, who does not know the type of a "Buk-M1") locked 4 times in different places captured from 3400 -. 6200 m In general, we all cool, dill [derog. for Ukrainians] have continuing nightmare.


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For Russian "journalists" - it is all good fun, shooting down civilian airliners. Putin's heroes.

20:16
http://expres.ua/news/2016/03/08/176731-rozlyucheni-meshkanci-donbasu-porizaly-rosiyskyh-viyskovyh
In the occupied Gorlovka in the Donetsk region residents dealt with Russian military who tried to rob and rape a woman. According to the Defense Intelligence, March 6 residents detained two Russian servicemen in a state of extreme intoxication who attempted to rape and rob a young woman. "In the commission of the Russian military mob got serious stab wounds" - the intelligence, transmits 24 channels. Express online
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Quite possibly true. Very difficult to verify in occupied Donbass. Like North Korea.

Pope Francis met with leaders of the Permanent Synod of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church (UGCC) on Saturday, according to Catholic News Agency.

The audience coincided with the anniversary of the 1946 pseudo-synod of Lviv, a council orchestrated by Josef Stalin's regime as part of the forcible absorption of the UGCC into the Russian Orthodox Church, reads the report published Monday.

The Pope expressed his deep gratitude for the loyalty of Ukrainian Greek-Catholics and renewed solidarity with the pastors and faithful for all they do in "this difficult time marked by the hardships of war, to alleviate the suffering of the population and to seek the ways of peace for the beloved Ukrainian land.”

The Permanent Synod of the UGCC issued a statement after the meeting with Pope Francis, reiterating their unity with the Bishop of Rome. The statement also condemned the violence and atrocities against human dignity which has taken place in Ukraine, especially against religious communities and ethnic groups..............

To read further go to this link:  unian.info

The Committee of Permanent Representatives in the European Union (COREPER) will approve the decision to extend the sanctions against 146 individuals and 37 entities from Russia and Ukraine for six months at its meeting in Brussels on Wednesday, a European diplomatic source has told Interfax.

He said COREPER would make the decision on March 9 and he was expecting the Council of the European Union to approve it on March 10.

Three persons who died during the period of sanctions were excluded from the blacklist of individuals suspected by the EU of actions undermining or threatening Ukraine's territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence, the source said.

The targeted sanctions put a freeze on assets of blacklisted individuals and entities in EU banks and banned their travel to the European Union......

interfax.com.ua

When a terrorist attack with a knife on passersby in Tel Aviv suffered two Russian citizens, reports "RIA Novosti" .

"It is established that at this hour (among the victims) has two Russian tourists", - said the head of the consular department of the Russian Embassy in Israel Ruslan Kandaurov.

Earlier, US Vice President Joe Biden condemned the terrorist attack in Tel Aviv. At the time of the attack, Biden met with the former President of Israel Shimon Peres in Tel Aviv, Peres Center for Peace.

According to law enforcement, a man with a knife attacked people near the port of the ancient city of Jaffa, after which wounded several bystanders in the popular tourist spot. The terrorist was killed by police officers.

glavcom.ua In Russian

In Chernihiv region was an attempt to break the blockade of Russian trucks, reports the press service of the party VO "Svoboda".

It also reported that last night near the village Svobodovtsy Kipti in Chernihiv region blocked the movement of two Russian trucks.

The press service noted that about 30 people took part in an attempt to break the blockade.

"Liberate" Russian carriers arrived about 30 "titushek", - reported in the "Freedom", adding that the people who came to the activists demand to stop blocking.

The head of the Chernihiv Oblast organization "Freedom" Ruslan Andriyko said that activists will "continue to block Russia's freight."

glavcom.ua In Russian