Ukraine crisis. News in brief. Saturday 16 July. [Ukrainian sources]

SATURDAY

Please scroll down to view news items added during the day

News:
65 attacks by Putin's Russian forces on Ukraine yesterday.
Reading of no deaths, but six Ukrainians wounded.

Weather:
Not too bad today. 25 or so at noon. Maybe get up to 27 or so.
Sunshine, and humid.

HQ - ATO forces repelled two attacks by enemy groups
http://www.pravda.com.ua/news/2016/07/16/7114944/

Headquarters: ATU forces repelled two attacks DRG militants
Saturday, July 16, 2016, 7:33

Over the past 65 days the militants again fired units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
The press center ATO Staff reports page on Facebook.
In Donetsk area recorded 38 cases of firing militants.
For reference points along with Nevelskym terrorists used a 122 mm artillery.
Near Avdeevki activated 120 militants and 82 mm mortars, grenade launchers and small arms. Next to Zaitsev, questionnaire, mines and sand Module militants fired mortar shells of caliber 82 mm.
In Mariupol direction gunmen opened fire 20 times on the ATO forces.
Around 23.00 in the Ukrainian base of operations near Bogdanivka came DRG militants of 10 people.
"With 250 meters occupants opened fire with small arms. In response, Ukrainian defenders have used grenade launchers and small arms and forced the enemy to withdraw," - said in a statement.
Another DRG terrorists tried to attack a stronghold of the forces ATO in Mar'yintsi, but was rebuffed, departed.
With mortars and 82-caliber 120 mm militants hit on Krasnohorivtsi, but with grenade launchers and heavy machine guns - on Shyrokynomu and Hnutovomu.
In Luhansk recorded 7 attacks Ukrainian positions. In Novozvanivtsi and Novooleksandrivtsi fighters were mortar fire. Stanitsa Luganskaya was fired from grenade launchers and small arms.

ATO zone - no dead, six injured, one captured
http://www.pravda.com.ua/news/2016/07/16/7114967/

Saturday, 16 July 2016 12:57

Over the past day in the area ATO 6 Ukrainian soldiers were wounded who died there.
This was announced at a briefing on Saturday a spokesman for the presidential administration on ATO Andrei Lysenko.
"Also one day soldier who was seriously wounded at Krimski on July 13 due to undermining of explosive devices, died in hospital," - said Lysenko.
In addition, he said, one soldier was captured.
"Yesterday afternoon in Mar'yintsi at the request of local residents group of Ukrainian troops went on patrol to detect explosive devices on the road, where civilians go. When patrolling our group got ambushed, resulting in one soldier was captured. The Ukrainian government and military command endeavor to release him "- said the spokesman.
As for the losses of the enemy, according to Lysenko, the last day 4 invaders were killed, 5 - were injured....

12:55
Spanish police showed how Chernovetsky's son was detained (video)
http://www.pravda.com.ua/news/2016/07/16/7114968/
Spanish police announced the detention of Stepan Chernovetsky - the son of former Kyiv Mayor Leonid Chernovetsky.
In a video, which was shown to the Spanish media, the police stormed the estate, then detained several persons, including Stepan Chernovetsky, .... He can be recognized by blue shirt...
Leonid Chernovetsky said that Spanish police did not detain his son, he is at home and the police responsible for issues related to another person.
He also demanded that the Spanish media reporting the detention of his son, denial, threatening to sue them.
On Wednesday, media published photos of Stepan Chernovetsky detention, which leads the police handcuffed him.
Prosecutor General Yuri Lutsenko said that the GPO does not yet have official information about the detention of Stepan Chernovetsky in Spain..



5 minute vid. Some serious cars in the video - reminds me a little of my visit to Mizhygoriya - Yanukovich's mansion.
I thought he was arrested at a restaurant, but maybe not. I understand the restaurant business was used as a cover for money laundering.
Interesting that the former mayor denies the arrest of his son! Who knows....

Ukraine boosts gas imports from Slovakia fourfold
http://www.unian.info/economics/1419409-ukraine-boosts-gas-imports-from-slovakia-fourfold.html
....Ukraine’s gas reserves on July 2-9 increased by 1.2%, or 115 million cubic meters, rising from 9.729 billion cubic meters to 9.844 billion cubic meters. Read also Russia offers Ukraine cheaper gas, putting forward unacceptable conditions – Ukraine MP Ahead of the upcoming heating season, NSJC Naftogaz of Ukraine intends to accumulate some 14.5 billion cubic meters of natural gas in the country's underground storage facilities.

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9.8 billion c m. - Ukraine already has significant gas reserves. Not a bad time to buy now. I don't see the price changing massively over the next few months.

MH17 Anniversary [Russian manipulation of data]
http://www.armscontrolwonk.com/archive/1201635/mh17-anniversary/

....Despite the poor quality of the images, however, it is clear that the images have been significantly modified or altered. These alterations are not limited to the addition of labels, callouts, and other explanatory features, but include changes to the underlying satellite images themselves including the clouds and vehicles. These are important details in the images....
The “Cloud” Slide: In terms of the image purporting to show a Ukrainian Buk surface-to-air missile launcher absent from a Ukrainian military base on the day of the shoot-down, someone appears to have modified or even added the cloud cover. Others have argued that Russia has provided a false date for the image and altered the clouds to obscure terrain features that might correctly date the image. We agree that the clouds have been altered. We cannot think of another motive for adding a cloud to this satellite image....
The “Two Buks” Slide: In terms of the image purporting to show two Ukrainian Buk surface-to-air missile launchers, the launchers appear to have been modified or altered in the underlying satellite image. The changes could range from attempting to sharpen the launchers to digitally adding them. The presence of the two launchers is the central fact of the image; the signs of overt manipulation to this portion of the image renders it totally unreliable as evidence.

In the 1 August analysis posted on its website, the Russian Ministry of Defense accused the Ukrainian SBU of “presenting hastily doctored evidence to the international community” regarding who was responsible for shooting down MH17. Yet it is the Russian evidence presented to the international community that appears to have been surgically enhanced.....

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Quite a detailed report.
Further clear evidence that Russia deliberately fabricated "evidence" relating to the downing of MH17.
Then one asks the question, "why has Russia presented obviously fake "evidence"? "
And the answer is logical - they did indeed shoot down MH17.

IMF to consider Ukrainian issue after country fulfills certain obligations
http://en.interfax.com.ua/news/economic/357637.html
....The IMF head has not specified what requirements were mentioned. At the same time, she noted Ukraine is very close to the end of the second revision ...
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Rather vague...

Russian Images of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 Were Altered, Report Finds
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/16/world/europe/malaysia-airlines-flight-17-russia.html?_r=0
MOSCOW — A group of arms control researchers have determined that two images released by the Russian government, ostensibly to help clarify why a civilian airliner was shot down two years ago, were digitally altered using Photoshop before being posted online.

Parts of one Russian military satellite image simply vanished, according to researchers at the Middlebury Institute for International Studies at Monterey, in California, behind a suspect-looking cloud.

In another image, two chunky, tracked antiaircraft weapons appear in sharper focus than the surrounding landscape, the researchers said in the report posted online on Friday....

MH17 – The Open Source Investigation, Two Years Later
https://www.bellingcat.com/news/uk-and-europe/2016/07/15/mh17-the-open-source-investigation-two-years-later/
July 15, 2016 By Bellingcat
Today Bellingcat releases its latest report, “MH17 – The Open Source Investigation, Two Years Later”, bringing together two years of research by Bellingcat into the fate of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 on July 17, 2014. As part of this release Bellingcat communicated with experts in various fields for their analysis and opinions of MH17 related evidence....

Based on Bellingcat’s online open source investigation we believe the following events occurred:

Between June 23-25 2014 the 53rd Anti-Aircraft Missile Brigade transported vehicles within Russia to positions close to the Russian border with Ukraine. This includes Buk 332, later sighted in Ukraine on July 17 and 18 2014.
On July 17 2014 Buk 332 left Donetsk in the morning loaded onto a low-loader, travelling eastwards through separatist held territory, until it reached the town of Snizhe in the early afternoon.
After arriving in Snizhne Buk 332 unloaded and drove under its own town south out of the town.
Buk 332 arrived at a field south of Snizhne and fired a missile that resulted in the destruction of Flight MH17.
Buk 332 was next filmed travelling east through the separatist controlled city of Luhansk on the morning of July 18 2014.
On July 21 2014 the Russian Defence Ministry presented a series of false and fake information. This included lying about the flight path of MH17, lying about radar data, lying about the location of the July 18 2014 Luhansk video, and misdating and heavily manipulating satellite imagery,....
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Full report is in the form of a pdf download - either in English, or Russian.
Interesting that they have translated into Russian...

Centrenergo may buy UAH 1.6 bln of coal from Akhmetov
http://www.unian.info/economics/1420022-centrenergo-may-buy-uah-16-bln-of-coal-from-akhmetov.html
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Rather unclear where some of this coal is coming from; occupied Donbass, or S Africa?

Russia's RBC Loses 20 Employees in Two Months
http://www.themoscowtimes.com/news/article/russias-rbc-loses-20-employees-in-two-months/575295.html
....Following the announcement of the dismissal of RBC editor-in-chief Yelizaveta Osetinskaya, newspaper editor Maxim Solus, and web editor Roman Badanin in May, there has been a mass exodus of employees from the news outlet....

RBC announced last week that Yelizaveta Golikova and Igor Trosnikov, both recruited from state-run news agency TASS, would take over as a joint editorial team. Golikova's first day at the outlet was yesterday.
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The end of RBC. Now it's just another Putin news media outlet.

http://www.eltiempo.com/mundo/europa/capturan-a-hijo-de-banquero-y-exalcalde-de-kiev-por-lavado-de-dinero-en-espana/16642711

....Stepan Chernovetsky, hijo de Leonid Chernovetsky, fundador de uno de los principales bancos ucranianos Pravex y alcalde de Kiev entre 2006 y 2012, fue detenido junto con diez otras personas, según estas mismas fuentes.....
El dinero ilícito también afloraba a través de un conocido restaurante japonés de lujo en Barcelona, Yubari, frecuentado por jugadores del FC Barcelona como el argentino Lionel Messi o el brasileño Neymar.....

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Apparently Chernovetsky has employed a very very expensive lawyer, who represented some Spanish royal family member in a tax case... no money spared there.
I read this elsewhere.
I love the Spanish phrase - por lavado de dinero
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Found this also -

El hijo del exalcalde de Kiev y el dueño del lujoso restaurante Kubari, a prisión
http://www.elespanol.com/espana/20160715/140235996_0.html

Odesa Governor Mikheil Saakashvili accused ex-Premier Arseny Yatseniuk of using corrupt schemes at the Odesa Port Plant to enrich himself, Korrespondent reports July 16.

During his 2 years as premier, Yatseniuk walked away with $8 billion, Saakashvili charged.

 “It’s appalling that Interior Minister Avakov who covered the corrupt scheme is still in the cabinet,” Saakashvili said.
 
“I won’t budge until Yatseniuk is held responsible by the law because his cabinet had made an $8 bn dent in the budget. However, this is only a small part of what they had stolen,” Saakashvili said.

Prosecutors detained OPP supervisory board chairman Pereloma and first deputy director Shchurykov suspecting them to head the corrupt scheme.

zik.ua

To understand their motivation, the Russian commentator suggests, one should recall Soviet-era dissident Leonid Borodin’s remarks that he tried to escape communist propaganda to which he was “almost physically alienated” by withdrawing into the taiga. As a Russian nationalist, he didn’t want to leave the country (com/p/1JO64).

But many can’t achieve what they want by retreating to a village: there are no jobs there, and Russian propaganda will reach them anyway. Consequently, ever more of them are leaving not as political emigres but as people who are fleeing from the politics of Vladimir Putin during his third term.

The number who want to leave, especially among the most creative people, is likely far higher than polls suggest, Eidman continues. Many who do may be ashamed or fearful to say so but they are going anyway. As a result, “the typical Russian working in the US is a programmer,” while “the typical gastarbeiter in Russia is a janitor.”

Eidman shares the story of a friend of his who recently turned over his business to his partners, bought a house near Riga and with his family moved to Latvia. “He did not have any personal reasons for being dissatisfied with life in Russia. On the contrary, things were going to all appearances very successfully.”

But “at a certain moment,” the man felt that “the psychological atmosphere in the country had become unbearable for him.” One can turn off the television, he noted, but “the filth” is everywhere – and in any case, he wanted his children to be educated somewhere where they would not be taught to hate enemies and be slavishly obedient to the powers that be.

Russians are “leaving the country also because they feel they have no rights,” that the FSB can take everything they have at any moment for any reason or no reason at all. But perhaps the largest number are leaving because they cannot be creative in a place without freedom. Their departure spells doom for Russia’s future development in a positive direction.

Vladimir Putin is angry that foreign companies and foundations are attracting Russians with higher incomes, but he is losing them to these institutions not because of money but because he cannot offer the creative class what is most important to them – “economic and spiritual freedom.” Until he or his successor can, they will continue to leave.

Indeed, as long as things stay as they are, Russians will leave. It isn’t possible in today’s world to “build a wall” and keep them from going...............

ukrainebusiness.com.ua

Much time meetings against Donetsk "Shakhtar" ended in a draw - 1: 1, penalties were stronger Kiev - 4: 3

Footballers Kiev "Dynamo" for the sixth time in its history won the Super Cup of Ukraine. Much time meetings against Donetsk "Shakhtar" ended in a draw - 1: 1, penalties were stronger Kiev - 4: 3.

As part of "Shakhtar" ball on 58 minutes to put Fred. In Dynamo scored Domagoj Vida (80).

Meeting midfielder missed through suspension "Dynamo" and the national team of Ukraine Andriy Yarmolenko. Football Federation of Ukraine on May 6, eliminated player for three matches for a fight in a match of the 24th round of the championship between "" Dynamo "and" Miner ".


To mentor "Shakhtar" Paulo Fonseca this was the first official match as head coach of Donetsk club. By this "Shakhtar" within 12 years headed the expert Romanian Mircea Lucescu, who moved to the off-season in the Russian "Zenit".

Ukraine Championship kicks off July 22.

glavcom.ua In Ukrainian/український

Despite the sanctions, the company is ready to develop business and invest in it, Deputy Minister of Housing of the Russian Federation Andrey Chybis

Deputy Minister of Construction and Housing and Communal Services of Russia Andrei Chybis headed the working group on preparation of projects to attract investment in housing facilities occupied Crimea.

He said on his page on Facebook .

"We started preparing projects to attract investments in facilities housing region (Russia occupied Crimea - Ed.), Relevant project working group created a week ago, led personally," - wrote the deputy head of the Ministry of Construction Code.

The aim of this work Chybis said - "to modernize the water supply, sewerage and heating using private capital and partially funds the budget" ..

The official also said that in the Crimea are already examples of foreign investors in the housing projects and public utilities. "Visited the facilities of waste management, the operator - the French Veolia. Despite the sanctions, the company is ready to develop business and invest in it, "- wrote the deputy minister.

He noted that the theme of attracting investment in housing occupied the peninsula was raised within the meetings that held in Crimea Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Kozak. "We talked also about the implementation of the programs and the overhaul of emergency resettlement housing. While on the peninsula contributions have not entered overhaul, repair buildings from the federal budget, but the fall program will be launched in full, "- said Chybis.

glavcom.ua In Ukrainian/український

The head of the US Anti-Doping Agency Travis Tayhert Olympic Committee will ask the president to suspend the Russian national team to participate in the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Brazil

The head of the US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) Travis Tayhert intends to request the President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Thomas Bach to decide on the removal of the Russian national team to participate in the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Brazil.

He believes that this decision must be taken no later than 26 July. This is stated in the draft letter Tayherta, who was at the disposal of the Russian agency Tass.

Monday will be published the report of an independent commission chaired by WADA Canadian lawyer Richard McLaren on the results of investigation of allegations of fraud doping at the Olympic Games 2014 in Sochi.

In the draft letter Tayherta said that the investigation McLaren has confirmed the availability of state support doping in Russia.

"An independent investigation has confirmed ... shocking picture of the long-term incentive scheme doping authorities and interference in the anti-doping process. Evidence including deliberate undermining of anti-doping at the Olympics 2014 in Sochi, many other events, and systematic interference in collecting doping tests Russian athletes for many years. McLaren's report confirms that these activities are conducted under the supervision of the Ministry of Sport and supported by the Russian special services. Thus Russia deliberately violated the fundamental principles of the Olympic movement, Olympic Charter and Code of Ethics WADA », - said in the letter.

Therefore, the head of USADA says that "full suspension is the only fair solution, taking into account all the findings mentioned in the report."

"Due to the rapid start of the Olympic Games, we urge the IOC no later than July 26, 2016 to take action and confirm that Russia, its Olympic and Paralympic Committee and all Russian sports federations do not take part in the Olympic Games in Rio de -Zhaneyro "- said in the letter.

glavcom.ua In Ukrainian/український

The work of the Joint investigative teams and law enforcement agencies

The United States continues to cooperate with the international investigation, which found that the flight MH-17 was shot down by a missile surface-to-air and insist that the missile was fired from the territory controlled by separatists supported by Russia.

It said in a statement the US State Department on the occasion of the second anniversary of the tragedy in the skies over Ukraine, reports Ukrinform .

"In October 2015 we welcomed the findings of the Commission on Security of the Netherlands in its final report on the causes of the accident MH-17. The report confirmed that the MH-17 was shot down by a missile surface-to-air. Our own assessment has not changed - the missile was fired from territory under the control of separatist forces supported by Russia in the east of Ukraine ", - the document.

It is emphasized that the United States continues to work with the Joint investigative teams and law enforcement.

"We are fully confident that these experts carry out an objective, fair and comprehensive investigation that would form the basis of an independent prosecution of individuals to bring those responsible for this tragedy to justice", - stressed in the Foreign Ministry of the United States.

As is known, the aircraft Boeing 777 airline Malaysia Airlines, flying from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur was shot down July 17, 2014 in Donetsk region.

Killed 298 people were on board. The passengers were citizens of 10 countries. The majority of victims (196 persons) - Citizens of the Netherlands.

glavcom.ua In Ukrainian/український

According to the historian to prevent this necessary international conference and adaptation period

In Crimea there is a danger of genocide. Such an opinion in an interview with "Commander" was expressed by Russian historian Andrei Zubov.

" You see, there is a UN resolution, it seems, 1976 year. This resolution, which is determined by the situation compactness of genocide, the right of nations to self-determination and national and religious groups, which may be subject to genocide. So, this right prevails over the principle of the integrity of the territory. That is the immutability of borders. It is a principle of international law ", - he said.

According to the historian, the Crimea is a danger of genocide.

"To eliminate it, prevent it needed international conference and the period of adaptation. When you want to be in the Crimea and international forces. Otherwise it may be a situation that you eventually lose really Crimea. Well, there is a fear of "settling scores". You can not fully control the situation. And this (settling) would be qualified as genocide. Therefore, to avoid this, once the necessary international control and then gradually calm down people, the Ukrainian new authorities get used again, "- he said.

"To be quite disgusting, they will go voluntarily (the Crimea). Others somehow adapt to this situation and I am sure that everything will be fine. Even if Russia and the UN will demand a referendum, then the referendum will be held for the benefit of Ukraine. Russia will not demand anything. That may require only international organizations ", - concluded Zubov.

glavcom.ua In Ukrainian/український