Ukraine crisis. News in brief. Friday 24 June. [Ukrainian sources]

FRIDAY

Please scroll down to view news items added during the day

News:
Putin attacks Ukraine 50 times. Another increase. 33 of those attacks in the Mariupol area.
Update - 5 soldiers injured.

Weather:
Hot and humid again. 27 at 10 am. High again around 30 I expect. No rain.
Forecast - more of the same for the next week or so.

Brexit:
For people with British pounds, living in Ukraine has suddenly become more expensive.
This morning the exchange rate with the hryvnia dropped from 37 to 33 to a pound.

ATO, recorded 50 cases [Russian proxies] firing mortars and assault guns
http://www.pravda.com.ua/news/2016/06/24/7112740/
Friday, June 24, 2016, 7:25

In the area of ​​ATU per day recorded 50 cases of firing at strongholds of Armed Forces of Ukraine, of which the direction Mariupol 33 - Donetsk - 15 and 2 - in Lugansk.
The press center ATO headquarters.
The positions of the Armed Forces near Shyrokynoho, Lebedinsky, Chermalyk and Talakivky that the Mariupol area came under mortar fire Russian invaders and strengthening the close Marinka, Krasnogorivka, Novotroitsk, birch and Hnutovoho - with small arms, heavy machine guns and grenade launchers....

Bellingcat experts to release new summary on MH17 crash in Donbas
http://www.unian.info/politics/1384834-bellingcat-experts-to-release-new-summary-on-mh17-crash-in-donbas.html
...Higgins said the document would be released in mid-July and would include all the details obtained by the Bellingcat team over the last two years, according to DW....

Italy's demand postpones anti-Russian sanctions extension, - Radio Liberty
http://en.censor.net.ua/news/394695/italys_demand_postpones_antirussian_sanctions_extension_radio_liberty
...EU diplomats told RFE/RL they have no doubt about the eventual extension of the sanctions, which target Russia's banking and energy sectors as well as individuals in Russia.
But Italy's latest demand means a final decision on extending the sanctions against Russia is likely to be postponed until after the gathering of EU leaders in late June.
"The review of the EU's Russia policy is likely to be held in the autumn anyway, so it is a bit strange that they want this in writing," one EU source told RFE/RL.
===
Italians grovelling up to Putin.

NBU currency reserves reach $13.6 bln
http://en.interfax.com.ua/news/economic/352248.html
....Ukraine's international reserves rose by 2.2% in May to $13.536 billion.
===
Every little bit helps, especially with regard to the stability of the country's banks.
Tymoshenko would just love to get her hands on this and transfer it to Nauru. It wouldn't be for the first time -

..its inquiry commission investigating criminal charges against Lazarenko, Tymoshenko and other UESU top executives. These STA investigators will form a special group that will focus on tax violations established by the STA.
The Deputy Prosecutor General recalled that the STA, as part of its Slovyansky Bank investigation, recently released a statement making public the fact of an illegal $1 billion transfer by the UESU to a bank based in Nauru (a thriving 8.2 mile gem of the Pacific with a population of about 11,000 — Ed.). STA audits of UESU books “have revealed transfers of payments for Russian natural gas to a fictional bank. In doing so, UESU has undertaken a commitment for debts due Gazprom and the Russian Defense Ministry,” Obikhod said....
http://day.kyiv.ua/en/article/day-after-day/prosecutor-generals-office-links-cassette-scandal-lazarenko-and-tymoshenko

===
Nothing happened then, of course. Too many "interested parties". If you are a Deputy, you can stop anything.

Yesterday in the area ATO wounded five soldiers - Staff
http://www.pravda.com.ua/news/2016/06/24/7112781/
Friday, June 24, 2016, 12:45

Yesterday in the area of counter-terrorist operations suffered wounds 5 soldiers.
Told the spokesman of the Presidential Administration on ATO Colonel Andrei Lysenko.
"For the past day no one Ukrainian soldier was killed - but five soldiers were injured," - said the colonel.
According to Lysenko, one soldier suffered as a result of hostile fire near Novoselivka and four - near Avdeevka.

Rada speaks about negative prospects for Ukraine after UK referendum
http://www.unian.info/politics/1385268-rada-speaks-about-negative-prospects-for-ukraine-after-uk-referendum.html
...The EU is hardly passing a test on migration crisis. Europe is covered by a tsunami of euroscepticism, there is growing support for radical and populist parties. Could this delay the visa-free regime for Ukraine? Yes, unfortunately," Gerashchenko wrote on Facebook. According to her, serious internal problems "kill the ratings of all current EU leaders, force them to focus on the situation within the EU, turning a blind eye to everything that is happening beyond." Gerashchenko stresses that a weakened and divided Europe, split between skeptics and optimists, a Europe that is afraid of its tomorrow, is the Kremlin's sweetest dream....

"I want to wake up [the] Ukrainians in terrorist leaders Plotnitskiy and Zakharchenko," - Savchenko
http://en.censor.net.ua/news/394719/i_want_to_wake_up_ukrainians_in_terrorist_leaders_plotnitskiy_and_zakharchenko_savchenko
..."If some do not hurt because Ukrainians are being killed, and many 'sofa troops' of Maidan and ATO [anti-terrorist operation, Kyiv's official name for the events in the east of the country - ed.] just want to discuss it while lying on sofas, they are free to do so. I will act," Savchenko added.
Earlier, Batkivshchyna MP Nadiia Savchenko proposed to hold direct talks with militants of the "DPR" and "LPR" without the Minsk process. Many Ukrainian politicians and MPs reacted negatively to this statement by Savchenko.
===

She means well. She wants the killing to stop. But, in my opinion, she is naive. She fails to understand the absolute evil that is Vladimir Putin.
When Zakharchenko says that he is going to wipe out Ukraine, he means it. He is not playing with words. You can't negotiate with somebody like that.

Rada and PACE lawmaker Nadiya Savchenko said she is not on friendly terms with Yulia Tymoshenko, Anticor reports June 24.

 “We are rather on working terms. We are not buddies, we do not drink coffee together and exchange scuttlebutt,” she said in an interview with DW June 23. 

Asked about the ambiguous reputation of her party boss [murky gas trade deals with ex-Premier Pavlo Lazarenko in the ‘90s - Ed.], Savchenko responded by saying ‘No politician is perfect.’

Tymoshenko-led Batkivshchyna made the then imprisoned Savchenko the flag of the party, bolstering her reputation sky-high.

After her swap for 2 Russian FSB agents, Savchenko, experts say, made several ill-considered statements, saying the sanctions against Russia are to be softened (‘because the Russian people are suffering’) and Ukraine shouldn’t be given lethal weapons for the country’s defense (’because it will trigger off the third world war’).

zik.ua

Ex-premier and leader of Batkivshchyna party, Yulia Tymoshenko, lashed out at Premier Grojsman for his gas policy.

Speaking on 112 Ukrayina TV June 23, Tymoshenko criticized the premier’s statement about the need for a single gas price in Ukraine.

Tymoshenko disagreed with  Grojsman’s statement that there must be a single price for the natural gas in Ukraine. “I think, it’s very bad the education of the premier is so inferior,” she said.

He has a faked diploma, believing that one year in a law school makes him a legal expert, she charged.

“Grojsman is not prepared to be a premier. He doesn’t know that all countries have several prices for gas, one for industry, one for heat plants, one for the populace and one for low-income groups,” Yulia Tymoshenko said.

zik.ua

This is hilarious!

Of all things for her to use to go after Groysman, she picks this. This is how weak she is, while trying to boost hers political position.

She's a major troublemaker and will stoop low to bring herself up. She'll fail as she has in the past. Whomever has the country's economic interest at heart wouldn't agree to a $450 gas price. Who benefited from that? Putin and her, not Ukrainians. We all know what that did to Ukraine. So whomever supports her is as greedy as she is. Open up they eyes on what she's all about, damnit!

Ukraine's President Petro Poroshenko intends to sign the bill on demobilization of soldiers drafted to compulsory military service during the fifth wave of partial mobilization.

He wrote this on his Facebook page, Censor.NET informs.

"Today the bill on demobilization of soldiers drafted to compulsory military service during the fifth wave of partial mobilization will be signed," the president wrote.

He added that in June-July of this year, 17,000 of Ukrainian defenders will return home.

censor.net.ua   In Ukrainian/український

Amid lack of motivation for further participation in Russia's armed aggression against Ukraine and deeper financial and social welfare problems, the number cases of deserting from rebel troops (the so-called 1st Army Corps, Donetsk) of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation has increased.

This was announced by the press service of the Main Intelligence Department of the Defense Ministry of Ukraine, Censor.NET informs.

"On June 23, the so-called 'border service of "DPR" ' detained a soldier of the 9th separate assault motorized rifle regiment of marine infantry (Novoazovsk) Mosyakov, who left his unit without authorization and attempted to enter the Russian Federation," the MID noted.

As reported on June 22, increased losses amid personnel caused 85 career soldiers of the Russian army and seven soldiers of the separate motorized rifle brigade (Debaltseve) of the 2nd Army Corps of the Russian Federation Armed Forces to submit resignation statements.

censor.net.ua   In Ukrainian/український

Larysa Sarhan, a spokeswoman for Ukraine's Prosecutor-General's Office, said on June 24 that the four suspects were serving on Ukraine's national police force at the time of their arrest on June 23.

The four are alleged to have used violent force to disperse protesters in Kyiv on February 18, 2014, during the final days of pro-Russia former President Viktor Yanukovych's rule.

They have been charged with abuse of power, attempted murder, and illegally preventing citizens from gathering and demonstrating.

One of the suspects was also charged with the premeditated murder of more than one person.

More than a hundred people were killed in and around Kyiv’s central Independence Square, known as the Maidan, from February 18 to 20, 2014.........

rferl.org

At the head of the Supreme Administrative Court was going to resign his deputy

President of the Supreme Administrative Court Alexander Nechitaylo and one of his deputies - Michael Turcan - will not take part in the competition as judges of the Supreme Court and retire.

This, they said at a press conference on Friday, reports UNIAN .

In particular, Nechitaylo said that his resignation had already been discussed in the section of the High Council of Justice.

Speaking of the reasons for his decision to resign and unwillingness to take part in the competition, Turcan said: "I was among those judges, which linked the establishment of the Supreme Administrative Court. And I do not wish that I associated with its closure. With 30 years of service, I have decided to resign. Probably should give way to young. "

However, two judges said they leave their posts, not in order to save judicial pensions in case they will not contest.

"Failure to pass the competition is not a single negative to the judge," - said Turcan. Another deputy chairman of the SACU - Michael Smokovych - reported that participate in the contest as a judge of the Supreme Court, which will be created within the judicial refomy.

As you know, on June 2, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine adopted a presidential law on judicial system and status of judges.

The law, among other things, found that the judicial system are the local courts, courts of appeal and the Supreme Court, which is the highest court in the judicial system.

Since the beginning of the Supreme Court of the Supreme Court, the High Specialized Court for Civil and Criminal Cases, the Supreme Economic Court, the Supreme Administrative Court stopped their activities and liquidated in accordance with the law.

The judges of the newly established Supreme Court shall be appointed for a competition.

glavcom.ua   In Ukrainian/український

At a distance of 30 nautical miles from the border of Latvia was discovered Russian submarine SS-750

Military of Latvia recorded a Russian submarine near the borders of the country.

This was reported by Twitter and the National Armed Forces of Latvia.

"June 24 at a distance of 30 nautical miles from the border of Latvia was discovered Russian submarine SS-750" - said in a statement.

Recall warships and aircraft of the Russian Federation with the beginning of the conflict in Ukraine and aggravation of relations between the West and Russia are increasingly close to record air and maritime borders of the Baltic States.

In particular, in 2015 the Russian military aircraft near the border of Latvia recorded more than 270 times.

Thus the air and sea space states they do not break, but when the aircraft comes to a threat to civil aviation.

In the Baltic States and Britain have repeatedly stated that their aircraft flights near their borders Russia demonstrates the strength and testing response NATO.

glavcom.ua   In Ukrainian/український

State of the city's beaches in occupied Russia Sevastopol serious concern, said the deputy of the local "parliament" Vyacheslav Gorelov.

"This had to deal with winter: find people to go to places for everyone to follow. Suddenly comes unexpectedly in June, the summer, and we begin to think about where people swim and do all that ... There is another hotbed of social tension ", - quotes Gorelov press service of the" parliament ".

According to the "deputy" beaches problems with the arrangement began last year, and this summer is not all beaches Sevastopol were ready for the season, some were canceled tenders for the improvement.

Vyacheslav Gorelov not rule out that without the development of the beach area in danger now existing beach. "Previously on" Sunny "lay people in two layers, and will now lie four layers. That is what we have. Will the disease, the beach will be closed, "- he said.

Environmentalists say that in the occupied Sevastopol no safe places to swim in the sea.

Experts estimate "of the All People's Front" (ONF), which cited local "deputies" to 70% of untreated sewage is now merging into coastal waters close to the traditional holiday destinations.

The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine has officially announced February 20, 2014 start of temporary occupation of Crimea and Sevastopol, Russia. October 7, 2015 President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko signed a law. International organizations have recognized the occupation and annexation of Crimea illegal and condemned Russia's actions. Western countries have introduced a series of economic sanctions. Russia denied the occupation of the peninsula and calls it a "restoration of historical justice."

glavcom.ua   In Ukrainian/український

Putin again spoke about the special status of Donbas and amnesty for militants

Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Russia is senseless to wait for execution Minsk agreements.

He stated this on Friday - writes the Russian newspaper Ria Novosti .

According to Putin, the key decision - "in the hands of the Kiev authorities."

"Key performance issues Minsk agreements - in the hands of partners Kiev, the Kiev authorities. Without them we can not do anything, we can not amend the Constitution of Ukraine, can not regulate the law of a particular form of control in the "FSC" and "DNR" can not for the President of Ukraine signed an amnesty law. These are key issues concerning the situation in Donbas, "- said Putin.

However, he said, "wait for such decisions from us just ridiculous."

"But we still worked patiently and patiently also willing to work with Ukrainian partners and with our partners in the EU. No other way but to fulfill Minsk agreements in full settlement of the situation in the Donbas does not exist "- said Putin.

As you know, before the press secretary of the President of Russia Dmitry Peskov said Russia can not fulfill Minsk agreements, since not a party to the conflict in the Donbas.

President Petro Poroshenko believes that amendments to the Constitution of Ukraine regarding decentralization and the so-called "special status" Donbass may be adopted only after the withdrawal of Russian troops from Donbas.

  In Ukrainian/український

NO special status. This is all Ukraine, not Russia.

Vizt was scheduled for June 27

Vice Chancellor of Germany by Gabriel Ziґmar results of the referendum in the UK canceled a visit to Russian President Vladimir Putin, according to DW .

The visit was scheduled for June 27.

Instead of a trip to Moscow he intends to meet with European socialists to discuss the results and consequences of the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union.

Recall referendum on Britain's membership in the EU took place on 23 June. According to the results in favor of secession from the union voted 52% of Britons. British Prime Minister David Cameron has promised to resign in three months due to the results of the referendum. He said the country needs new leaders.

The results of the referendum led to a sharp drop in the pound on the exchanges. Amid news of fallen and Asian stock exchanges. Many economists and experts warned that Brexit can cause serious damage to the British economy and drive it into recession. Meanwhile, the Bank of England promised to make "all necessary steps" to ensure monetary and financial stability UK referendum on withdrawal from the EU.

glavcom.ua   In Ukrainian/український

Funding will be allocated subject to "prior consultation with the relevant committees of Congress, as well as compliance with normal procedures of informing the Committees on Appropriations.

In the House of Representatives of the US Congress was a bill " Concerning allocations for the State Department, foreign operations and related programs in fiscal year 2017, and for other purposes " , which provides assistance to Ukraine in the amount of an additional $ 663,465,000 during the year.
It is reported Ukrinform.

" With the funds provided by the law, no less than $ 337,857,000 shall be available for assistance to Ukraine " , - stated in the 7069 draft.

This indicates that in addition to this amount as a support also allocated $ 325,608,000, including through loan guarantees. However, it is noted that funding be allocated subject to "prior consultation with the relevant committees of Congress, as well as compliance with normal procedures of informing the Committees on Appropriations " .

In addition, the document states that no US budget can not be provided by the Government of any post-Soviet country, which supported the Russian annexation of Crimea and to fund activities or programs that recognize the sovereignty of Russia over the Ukrainian peninsula.

This prescribed measures for the US administration intended to focus international financial institutions to vote against any form of support, including loans, credit guarantees, which violated the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine. These conditions will remain in effect until Ukraine will not restore its sovereignty over the Crimea, according to the draft.

glavcom.ua   In Ukrainian/український

The decision may be taken if it is voted by parliament to lift the immunity.

NABU will officially announce Onishchenko suspected only after the removal of his immunity

This is in the air "on Channel 5," said the director of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine Artem Sitnik.

"Onishchenko has invited a number of channels, began piarytys that no one accepts, although he was not summoned to the NABU in the day. Using his status of MP, which he still is, as the immune system, asked for my appointment. I accepted it. We had a conversation, he asked to declare as soon as possible suspicion, of course, it was clarified that the decision to a suspicion of parliament will not be announced. So now he, like the other 10 people, the status of the suspect can not be. The decision may be taken if it is voted by parliament to lift the immunity, "- said Sytnik.

glavcom.ua  In Ukrainian/український

Ukrainians will not need visas for visits of Saint Kitts and Nevis, located in the Caribbean.

A draft agreement Cabinet Ministers adopted at a meeting on Friday, June 24, reports RBC-Ukraine
"To visit St. Kitts and Nevis, the Ukrainians do not need a visa".

"We continue to work on establishing a visa free regime, in this case, anyone lucky enough to get to St. Kitts so lucky to get there without a visa," - commented Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Pavlo Klimkin.

obozrevatel.com   In Ukrainian/український

Russian President Vladimir Putin said it was a 'nonsense' to expect fulfillment of the Minsk agreements by Russia, because major decisions are made by Ukrainian authorities.

Censor.NET informs citing RIA Novosti.

"Restrictions are allegedly linked to fulfillment of Minsk accords; the key issues of the Minsk accords' fulfillment are now in the hands of the Kyiv partners, the Kyiv authorities. Without them, we will be able to do nothing: we will not be able to amend the Ukrainian constitution, will not be able to regulate the operation of the law on special administration on the territories of "DPR" and "LPR," will not be able to sign the law on amnesty on behalf of the Ukrainian president. These are the key issues of the Donbas situation settlement," Putin said.

"It's a nonsense to expect such decisions from us. However, we have been patiently working until now, and are willing to work as patiently with Ukrainian and EU partners. There is no other way to settle the situation in the Donbas except for fulfilling the Minsk agreements," the Russian president added.

As reported, Assistant Secretary of State Victoria Nuland visited Ukraine's capital on Wednesday, where she discussed the reforms in the country and the progress in the Minsk accords' implementation. On Thursday, Nuland held several meetings in Moscow, where she spoke mostly of implementation of the Minsk agreements.

censor.net.ua  In Ukrainian/український

One of the defendants Odesskie judge, who shot NABU representatives.

National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine reported suspicions six judges found guilty of receiving illegal benefits, Art Director NABU Sitnik, transmits "5 channel".

Asked about how many judges NABU drew to justice, Sitnik said: "It is declared a suspect for bribery six judges."

"Last - Odessa judge who, as you know, opened fire. Currently, pre-trial investigation of the case is completed, the accused acquainted with the materials of the criminal proceedings "- said Sytnik.

He expressed the hope that by the end of June this matter will be submitted to the court.

Explaining such a small number of prosecutions of judges bureau director lamented the leak - a series of planned investigative actions and decisions were disrupted, he said, because of the access to the judiciary closed part of decisions regarding the planned searches.

glavcom.ua   In Ukrainian/український

A second bout between WBA champion Tyson Fury and WBO Wladimir Klitschko and will not take place in the scheduled date of 9 July.

This was announced by British boxer himself on his page Instagram . According to him, during one of the runs he sprained ankle.

"I was told that it is not broken, but for six or seven weeks I will have to refrain from training," - said Tyson Fury.

Uncle and trainer Peter Fury posted a champion in his "Twitter" on a photo on foot athlete visible hematoma.



The new date of the match is unknown, but he just held in Manchester.

ukr.obozrevatel.com   In Ukrainian/український

There are some reasons to say that Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe Special Monitoring Mission (OSCE SMM) monitors came under mortar fire in the populated area of Vodiane, Donetsk region on June 22 not by accident, OSCE SMM Principal Deputy Chief Monitor Alexander Hug said.

The mission monitors came under mortar fire in Kyiv-controlled Vodiane, two kilometers away from the contact line, on Wednesday, he said at a news briefing in Kyiv on Friday. The mission's visit to this village was agreed upon with the Joint Center for Control and Coordination (JCCC), which is bound to provide access to monitors, Hug said. Those who opened mortar fire knew that the monitors were staying in the village, but used the mortars all the same, he said. The shells exploded 100 meters away from the monitors, Hug said....

interfax.com.ua

Oleksandr Kolchenko, the Ukrainian civic activist tried together with filmmaker Oleg Sentsov on involvement in a non-existent ‘terrorist plot’, has been refused a visit from the Ukrainian consul with the prison authorities claiming that Kolchenko is a Russian national. Most ominously, he is being put under pressure to sign a Russian passport they have already prepared.

He does not get into arguments with the prison staff and simply refuses to sign anything without speaking first with his lawyer, Svetlana Sidorkina who is planning to visit Kolchneko next week.

Information about the renewed attempts to foist Russian citizenship came from Tatyana and Nikolai Shchur, human rights activists in Chelyabinsk who have just visited Kolchenko in the prison colony. They say that he himself seems calm and unstressed, and has even put on a bit of weight and looks better for it.

Oleg Sentsov is being held in a prison in the Yakutia region which is even further east, and there is no information at present about whether he has been subjected to the same pressure.

None of this is new, but that makes it all the more disturbing since the issue was supposed to be closed. Back in March 2016 the outgoing Russian Ombudsperson Ella Panfilova wrote in her 2015 report that in response to Sentsov and Kolchenko’s complaints, “legal uncertainty regarding their citizenship has been removed and their Ukrainian citizenship recognized”...............

To read further go to this link:  khpg.org