Ukraine crisis. News in brief. Friday 26 August. [Ukrainian sources]

FRIDAY

Please scroll down to view news items added during the day

News:
Turchynov met with representatives of the Ukrainian World Congress. Ukraine is ready to send rescuers to Italy and a mobile hospital. In the occupied Donetsk explosion killed a man. Border guards evacuated people from KPVV "Marinka" through militant mortar attack.

Weather:
Kyiv, Ukraine
24c / 74f Hi | RealFeel® 24c /75f Precipitation 2%
Sunshine and nice

This is not the first time that militants fired at the positions of Ukrainian defenders KPVV while when not completed a pass

Today, about 19.30 terrorist forces from 80 mm mortars fired KPVV "Marinka". About this in his page in Facebook said assistant head Oleg Derzhprykoldonsluzhby Slobodyan.

"The bombardment was carried out by temporarily uncontrolled settlements Aleksandrovka. Militants fired more than 10 shells that formed a few dozen meters of office space. At this time KPVV were still people. The border guards were forced to evacuate their space and stop people and vehicles. This is not the first time that militants fired at the positions of Ukrainian defenders KPVV while when not completed a pass, "- he wrote.

Oleh Slobodyan
11 hours ago

At 19.30 the Russian-terrorist forces with 80 mm mortars fired KPVV "Marinka". The bombardment was carried out by temporarily uncontrolled settlements Aleksandrovka. Militants fired more than 10 shells that formed a few dozen meters of office space. At this time KPVV were still people. The border guards were forced to evacuate their space and stop people and vehicles. This is not the first time that militants fired at the positions of Ukrainian defenders KPVV while when not completed pass.

glavcom.ua In Ukrainian/український

In Donetsk direction adversary violated the Minsk agreement, firing at one hundred and seventy rounds of heavy artillery

During the last day the Russian occupation forces opened fire 48 times on ATO Forces units. In particular, the 18 attacks recorded in Donetsk and Mariupol on 21 and 9 at the Lugansk areas, the press center ATO Staff.

In Donetsk direction adversary violated the Minsk agreement, firing at one hundred and seventy rounds of heavy artillery: the beginning and end of day three of the fired propelled guns caliber 152 mm and 122 positions in the area Avdeevki, the shelling Archangel applied caliber 152 mm.

Also at the site boundary Avdiyivka - the northern outskirts Gorlovki not cease mortar, grenade and machine-gun attacks.

Above our positions near the industrial zone Avdeyevka observed drone. Near Kirov Luhansk and occupiers activated infantry fighting vehicles.

In Mariupol towards traditionally hot in Mar'yintsi, Shyrokynomu and water, then drove the enemy fire from grenade launchers, heavy machine guns and small arms. In Mar'yintsi moreover, as in Hnutovomu, the enemy used a 82 mm caliber mortars.

From Minsk II banned 120mm mortars opened fire on enemy fortifications in Pavlopoli and Novomyhaylivtsi. Armored recorded in this area in the vicinity of Marinka.

Lugansk region only in the daytime occupants followed the regime of silence. In Novooleksandrivtsi enemy opened fire with heavy machine automatic grenade in Trinity used heavy machine guns in the area Novozvanivky and Gold continued provocations with the use of small arms.

For positions in the village Lugansk enemy opened fire from mortars and grenade launchers, besides - has involved two BMP.

glavcom.ua In Ukrainian/український

The escalation in eastern Ukraine and provocations in Crimea indicate that Russia, unfortunately, is not ready to peacefully resolve the conflict - Ryyvas

Recent developments in the temporarily occupied territory of Ukraine indicate unavailability of a peaceful settlement. This opinion was expressed by German Chancellor Angela Merkel and the Prime Minister of Estonia Taavi Rõivas at a joint press conference in Tallinn, reports Ukrinform .

"The escalation in eastern Ukraine and provocations in Crimea indicate that Russia, unfortunately, is not ready to peacefully resolve this conflict," - said Ryyvas.

According to him, "Do not ultra-modern crystal ball" to understand that this conflict will end soon. The prime minister said that while Moscow does not adhere to Minsk II, there can be no question of sanctions znyattyay.

Merkel thanked Estonia for supporting the Minsk process. "We do not have anything other than the Minsk agreements, but their implementation is extremely difficult ... Unfortunately, there is no long results, whatever I wanted," - she admitted.

However, Merkel assured that Germany and France with the support of other European countries will continue to work on the search for a settlement. Chancellor of Germany, who was in Tallinn on 24 and 25 August, arrives today on a visit to Prague.

glavcom.ua In Ukrainian/український

No country should not use energy as a weapon, says Biden

US Vice President Joe Biden during his visit to Stockholm criticized the agreement of a number of European countries to create a gas pipeline "Nord Stream-2" wrote Reuters .

"No country should not use energy as a weapon. "Nord Stream-2" - a bad deal for Europe ", - he said at a press conference.

According to Biden, Europe should diversify energy market. Moreover, in his opinion, the project "could destabilize Ukraine."

Earlier, against the construction of the pipeline, which will increase opportunities to export gas to Europe, bypassing Ukraine, was made by US Secretary of State John Kerry. In May 2016 the State Secretary expressed "absolute confidence" that the project "North Stream-2" will have a negative impact on Ukraine, Slovakia and Eastern Europe, reports RBC .

In early August 2016 the special envoy of the US State Department on global energy Amos Hohshtayn said that the commissioning of the second stage of "Nord Stream-2" will save Ukraine $ 2 billion revenue from charging for transit of Russian gas to Europe, which could "bring Ukrainian kollapsu to the economy. "

In July 2016 the Polish antitrust regulator UOKiK refused to agree the construction of the "Nord Stream-2", explaining his decision that the planned agreement could lead to "substantial restriction of competition." Later "Gazprom" and its five European partners (Shell, OMV, ENGIE, Uniper and Wintershall) withdrew an application for a joint venture on the "North Stream-2.

glavcom.ua In Ukrainian/український

Ukrainian diplomats held a meeting with representatives of the Foreign Ministry of Italy to assist in overcoming the consequences of the earthquake

On Thursday, 25 August Embassy of Ukraine in Italy has consulted the Foreign Ministry Crisis Center in Italy, during which the Italian side, it was a proposal for specific steps to assist the Ukrainian state of the affected population of central Italian regions.

This was communicated at the Embassy of Ukraine in Italy Facebook.

"The Ukrainian side expressed willingness to send rescuers to Italy's domestic exploration work, and the mobile hospital MOE Ukraine.

This evening offers Ukrainian parties were referred to the operational headquarters of the Ministry of Civil Protection of Italy, whose leadership has expressed deep gratitude to Ukraine for solidarity and offered assistance means, "- said in a statement.

Recall that the death toll in the earthquake in central Italy has risen to 250 people.

As is known, the earthquake, according to the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology, had a magnitude of 6.0 and a depth of 4 km and has been registered at 3.36 am on August 24 with its epicenter near the town Akkumoli, the province of Rieti.

The tremors lasted for 142 seconds.

The morning of 25 August in Italy was recorded a new earthquake. Overall, seismologists registered Thursday morning to more than 470 aftershocks.

glavcom.ua In Ukrainian/український

Witnesses saw a man who fled the scene of the explosion

In the center of Donetsk occupied the street 50 years of Soviet school №9 near the explosion. Reported edition separatists.

The explosion killed one man.

The shock wave damaged the windows of a neighboring house.



"Heard an explosion, saw the bushes column of smoke, then saw the bushes from the same man ran out of a backpack and ran toward Kalmius" - told a local newspaper meshkanka.Korystuvachi social networks suggested that the bomb exploded in male hands.

glavcom.ua In Ukrainian/український

The parties discussed countering Russian aggression

Secretary of National Security and Defense of Ukraine Oleksandr Turchynov met with a delegation of the Ukrainian World Congress, the press service Turchinov.

During the meeting the parties discussed countering Russian aggression, including opposition hybrid war, which is not only on the battlefield but in the information sphere.

According to Turchynov, very important is to help Diaspora in spreading objective information about Ukraine and exposing Russian propaganda lies.

"This cooperation in this area is an important priority of building strategic communication and countering Russian aggression information", - said Turchinov.

In turn, representatives of the diaspora assured that "doing everything possible to assist Ukraine in the liberation war and the liberation of the occupied territories and dignified representation of Ukraine in the world."

glavcom.ua In Ukrainian/український

The interaction and complementarity between the economies of Eastern Europe are obvious, the politician

Head of the EU Delegation to Ukraine Ian Tombinskyy supports the initiative of the Foreign Minister of Ukraine Pavlo Klimkin to create a common economic space between countries of the "Eastern Partnership" (Ukraine, Georgia, Moldova, Belarus, Armenia and Azerbaijan).

This Tombinskyy said in an interview with "Radio EU - European station."

"The countries of Central Europe after the collapse of the Warsaw Pact and the Soviet Union first began to create a free trade zone. The same model can be tested on the territory of the Eastern Partnership. The interaction and complementarity between the economies of these countries are obvious. We saw the Central European Free Trade Association as a kind of training ground before entering the EU, where we could test how our economy and the administration will function in (of this kind) multilateral agreement ", - said Tombinskyy.

"If these agreements and the possible merger of the Eastern European countries in the economic union will comply with the general principles of open markets that have defined the World Trade Organization, as all countries except Belarus are partners in the WTO, it can also be a good training ground for future membership in the European institutions ", - he said.

As reported by the media, July 11 Klimkin raised the possibility of creating a common economic space between countries of the "Eastern Partnership".

"Today I raised the issue of the importance of fruitful discussion to determine whether we and how to create a common economic space," - Klimkin said then.

The minister pointed out that the EU Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy, Johannes Hahn during a meeting with ministers of the "Eastern Partnership" noted that the six countries are an important market, which has nearly 70 million positional users and " which can and should act on the basis of European rules. " "We have agreed on how to move, how to make assessment of the movement" - said the Foreign Minister.

glavcom.ua In Ukrainian/український

The former executive of the US Agency for Advanced Defense Research Projects Darpa, Anthony Tether has been invited to work as adviser on corporation’s strategic development, UkrOboronProm reports Aug. 26.

The American expert will help develop technological strategies. He will also help to integrate UkrOboronProm in world management practices.

Mr. Tether’s work will strengthen Ukraine’s army and independence. He will make the corporation more efficient economically and competitively.

Anthony Tether was Sequoia Group Co. president that assisted the US government and industry by drawing strategic development programs.

zik.ua

Moscow may or may not use the “LNR” or “DNR” to renew its aggression against Ukraine, but it now faces the challenge of preventing the two from going to war against each other, one it can meet, but that by itself highlights the weakness of the Novorossiya project, Nikolay Mitrokhin says.

A recent series of attacks on and murders of leaders of the Moscow puppet formations “DNR” and “LNR” in the deep rear of areas under control by them, FSB and Russian military personnel raises the question as to who is responsible, the Russian analyst at the University of Bremen says.

Officials and the media in these Russian-controlled areas in each case sought to lay the blame for these attacks on Ukrainian “diversionists.” But Mitrokhin suggests that only “naïve local residents and those who watch Russian television” can possibly accept that version of events..............

Access complete text of the editorial:  euromaidanpress.com

In its statement issued on August 26, HRW urged the Russia-backed authorities in Crimea to drop "trumped-up charges" against Ilmi Umerov and provide him with necessary medical treatment.

Umerov, the former deputy chairman of the Crimean Tatars' self-governing body, the Mejlis, was charged with separatism in May after he made public statements against Moscow's annexation of Ukraine's Crimea Peninsula in March 2014.

Umerov, 59, whose relatives and lawyers say he suffers from diabetes, Parkinson's disease, and heart problems, has been in a psychiatric hospital against his will since August 18......

rferl.org

Ukraine has successfully conducted the first test launch of the new model of a missile, Ukraine's freelance presidential adviser Yuriy Biryukov wrote on Facebook.

"The first launch of the new missile has just been conducted. Successful. Accurate," he said.

unian.info

Russian President Vladimir Putin recently did three very interesting things.

First, he fired his long-time aide and chief of staff, Sergei Ivanov, and moved him to a lower position. A few weeks earlier, Putin fired at least three regional governors and replaced them with his personal bodyguards.

Removing that many governors is a bit odd. Replacing them with bodyguards is very odd. Then removing someone like Ivanov is extremely odd.

Second, Russia raised pressure on Ukraine. The Russians claimed that Ukrainian special forces attacked Russian-held Crimea. They announced that they sent S-400 anti-air missiles to Crimea. With a 250-mile range, these missiles can reach deep into Ukraine.

Finally, Putin has shown some signs that he may force Armenia to return parts of Nagorno-Karabakh, a contested region, to Azerbaijan.

Armenia is hostile toward Turkey over what it calls the Armenian genocide and Turkey’s refusal to apologize for it. Armenia is historically a close Russian ally, and Russian troops are stationed there.

After Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s visit to Moscow, Putin met with Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan and gave him the news.

This is a radical change in Russian policy .

Putin is now seen as an aggressive absolute dictator making large foreign policy concessions at the expense of close allies—for what seems like no visible gain. But the truth has always been far more complex.

Now, it is even more convoluted.
Putin's two major problems

Putin has two huge problems.

I have already written about how Russia’s economy has been in free-fall since oil prices dropped. Russia recently released its Q2 GDP estimate that showed a slowing in economic contraction. That is good news, in a way.

The second problem is Putin’s failure in Ukraine. The West sees him as the aggressor, and he was. Yet, the tale began with Western-backed protesters ousting a pro-Russian government and replacing it with a pro-Western one.

Putin seized formal control of Crimea even though Russia had broad informal control through its large military presence. He tried to incite an uprising in eastern Ukraine but failed. The Russian-backed rebels were forced to a stalemate by Ukrainian troops. Putin became aggressive after he suffered a grievous reversal in Ukraine, but it didn’t get him what he wanted.

In Russia, the sense of a national security threat eclipsed the economic crisis. At first, such threats spawn huge support for a country’s leader (the same is seen in the US). But, support fades over time when no solutions are found.

It has been two years since the twin crises happened. Putin’s support will inevitably erode.

Two layers of support..............

Access complete text of the editorial:  businessinsider.com

The police said that Ukrainian military volunteers brought food to the front

In the Donetsk region killed Shyrokynomu volunteer man killed sniper pro fighters.

The victim - a resident of Lviv region, born in 1986, brought to the front Ukrainian military food, the press service management National Police in the Donetsk region.

"In the evening, the duty of the Central Police Department received a report from the operator spetsliniyi 102 that the Mariupol hospital medical aid from the village Shyrokyne delivered a volunteer body.

Diagnosis - through-penetrating gunshot gunshot wound of the left half of the chest with damage to the left lung and heart "- said in a statement.

Previous legal qualification - art. 115 (Murder) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.

glavcom.ua In Ukrainian/український

Russian occupants are going to build a new airport terminal

The airport of Simferopol in the Crimea occupied joined the management of "international airport of Simferopol."
Told the owner of this company Oleg Zhestkov, informs RBC.
According to the businessman, Ltd. now received all the property complex of the airport.

As the adviser "head of the Crimea" Sergei Aksenov Anatoliy Tsurkin, the agreement signed under the agreement for the construction of a new passenger terminal Simferopol airport.

Zhestkov in March 2016 became an independent director of the "Russian National Commercial Bank" (RNKB), which works in annexed Crimea.

Recall that the banks "Russia" approved the agreement and RNKB 34.9 billion rubles (about $ 540 million) for the period to 31 December 2031 of the "International Airport Simferopol" to build a new terminal.
The "Russia" one of the first, still in March 2014, fell under the sanctions imposed by the United States and Europe through the annexation of Crimea. According to media reports, based in St. Petersburg bank is closely associated with President Vladimir Putin.

glavcom.ua In Ukrainian/український

The authors of the idea believe that the "skills" of the former Ukrainian president, a fugitive necessary Volgograd region

Users sign the online petition on the appointment of the governor of the Volgograd region, Viktor Yanukovych.
The petition, addressed to Vladimir Putin, appeared on the popular social platform initiatives change.org. Thus the authors want to respond to Ukraine Mikhail Saakashvili appointment to head the Odessa area, write "Arguments and fikty."

"It is impossible to experienced manager had nothing to do, nothing to it disappeared skills so necessary now Volgograd region", - stated in the petition. The authors of the document believe that with the governor of the region will begin to flourish.

Recall, August 18, former President of Ukraine Viktor Yanukovych, who fled to Russia after the revolution in February 2014, was marked by scandalous visit to Volgograd . Media City said that Yanukovych sailed to the city on the Volga expensive yacht, and his visit caused a lot of inconvenience for local residents.

glavcom.ua In Ukrainian/український

As a result of the terrorist attack in southeastern Turkey killed 11 policemen

The militants of Kurdistan Workers' Party claimed responsibility for the attack in Turkey, which killed 11 people. It is reported by AFP.

Recall that 11 policemen were killed and 70 people were injured in an explosion in Cizre in southeast Turkey.

Note that before Turechynna launched a military operation in Syria , and made ​​the shelling Kurdish paramilitary units of YPG. Turkey believes that YPG has a relationship with the Kurdistan Workers' Party.

glavcom.ua In Ukrainian/український

The first racquet Ukraine Elina svitolina steadily made its way in the decisive match of the prestigious Tournament New Haven Open with a prize fund of $ 700,000.

In 1/2 final, our compatriot rival sorted out with the Swedish Yuhannoy Larsson - 6: 4, 6: 2. To win enough svitolina just 76 minutes.

During this time, Elina had four feed right through and committed three double error.

ukr.obozrevatel.com In Ukrainian/український

Moscow surprised the Pentagon claims about the threat to Ukraine by Russian army since the US alleged were informed that the test is conducted combat readiness of the Armed Forces of Russia.

It said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

In statements spokesman of the Pentagon Michel Baldantsy "mixed many unreasonable and Unsupported claims", said the Foreign Ministry of Russia.

Russia allegedly "strictly complies with its international obligations in the field of arms control, including the Vienna Document," the report said.

"Our foreign partners are fully informed about what the test is conducted through the Russian Defense Ministry and received all necessary explanations", - emphasized in the department.

In Moscow, argue that the Russian side "continue to ascribe fantastic, nonexistent intentions regarding Ukraine."

Also, the Russian Foreign Ministry called the government of Ukraine "clients" of Washington.

Moreover, Russian diplomats said that claims to Russia "is completely out of place against the backdrop is not flawless" track record "in the USA with regard to arms control."

As reported by the "Observer", Pentagon spokesman Michel Baldantsa said that the US knows that Russia used military training to cover the deployment of weapons in Ukraine.

ukr.obozrevatel.com In Ukrainian/український