Ukraine crisis. News in brief. Tuesday 15 November. [Ukrainian sources]

TUESDAY

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NEWS:
Putin congratulates pro-Russian president-elect of Moldova, invites him to Moscow. NATO will never change position on Crimea.  Hague report points at Russia-Ukraine armed conflict.  Ukraine bans imports of poultry from Bulgaria, Hungary over Newcastle disease, bird flu outbreaks. Moldova to stop restricting exports from Ukraine from 2017.


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Russia's president Vladimir Putin congratulated the Moldovan president-elect Igor Dodon on his victory at the country's elections, the UNIAN agency reports.

"The president of Russia expressed an aspiration towards the functional dialogue and active mutual work on the development of the Russia-Moldova relations in accordance with provisions of the Treaty of friendship and cooperation, the fifteenth anniversary of which is celebrated this year,"the Kremlin press service noted.

Also, Putin invited Dodon to visit Russia.

uatoday.tv

The fact that the Russian president Putin has spoken to the U.S. president-elect Donald Trump is regular and must not be bothering, although NATO will never recognise violation of territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine, the Alliance secretary general Jens Stoltenberg claimed on Tuesday, the UNIAN agency reports.

"Above all, I think this is very normal when the president-elect Donald Trump speaks to the world leaders, including the Russian leader. And the NATO message was on whether we want a dialogue with Russia," Stoltenberg claimed in Brussels while answering the question if the time has come to normalise relations with Russian.

Russia is a largest NATO's neighbour and will stay being it, he also said.......

uatoday.tv

Reports of the sudden arrest of longstanding Economic Development Minister Alexei Ulyukayev in the early hours of Tuesday have come as a shock to Kremlin insiders and pundits.

Ulyukayev was detained late on Monday for allegedly accepting a $2-million bribe to approve a bid by the state-controlled oil giant Rosneft to acquire government shares in Bashneft, Russia's Investigative Committee said Tuesday.

Kremlin officials quickly jumped on the news as evidence of Russia's fair law enforcement system, while independent commentators scratched their heads over what had caused the prominent politician to fall foul of the Kremlin.

Here's a compilation of reactions from Kremlin officials, analysts and commentators that will be updated throughout the day.

Dmitry Peskov, Kremlin spokesman:

“The president, of course, has been aware since the beginning of the operation, that is, he received all the information.”

“These are very serious charges, that demand very serious proof. In any case, only the court can decide.”...........

Access complete text of the editorial:  themoscowtimes.com In English

The available information suggests that the situation within Crimea amounts to an international armed conflict between Ukraine and Russia.

This is according to the annual report, issued by the Prosecutor of the Hague-based International Criminal Court, Fatou Bensouda on November 14, 2016.

‘This international armed conflict began at the latest on 26 February when the Russian Federation deployed members of its armed forces to gain control over parts of the Ukrainian territory without the consent of the Ukrainian Government', the report reads........

uatoday.tv

Ukraine's State Service for Food Safety and Consumers' Rights Protection has imposed a ban on imports of birds, poultry and by-products from Bulgaria and Hungary.

According to a posting on its website, referring to information from the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE), cases of Newcastle disease in Bulgaria and bird flu cases in Hungary were recorded.

Bird flu and Newcastle disease outbreaks among wild birds were recorded in the following European countries: Romania, Poland, Hungary, Bulgaria, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Austria and Germany....

en.interfax.com.ua

Trade restrictions imposed by Moldova to protect the domestic market in May 2016 making obstacles for Ukrainian exports will be annulled from January 1, 2017, First Deputy Prime Minister and Economic Development and Trade Minister of Ukraine Stepan Kubiv has said with the reference to Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy of Moldova Octavian Calmac.

"Moldova has confirmed that the country would not expand the quotas from January 1, 2017," Kubiv said on Facebook from Chisinau where he jointly with Calmac held a meeting of the intergovernmental Ukraine-Moldova mixed commission for trade and economic cooperation....

en.interfax.com.ua

In the factions do not intend to raise the issue to exclude Savchenko therefore

In the parliamentary faction of "Fatherland" do not exclude that their MP Hope Savchenko begins his political project or can join another project.

In the comments the agency "Interfax-Ukraine" on Tuesday on the sidelines of the parliament deputy head of the "Fatherland" Sergey Sobolev, explaining his words, uttered on the eve on one of the channels that Savchenko begins his political project, said: "Maybe. It's like an assumption."

According to him, the issue at a meeting of the faction "Motherland" was not discussed.

To clarify, if there were questions in the group to Savchenko in connection with its participation in events organized by the party "for life" Vadim Rabinovich and Yevgeny Murayeva, he said: "There were. Unfortunately, we can not understand. So I suggested as an option. " "Perhaps this is another project to some other prospects that a person sees," - said Sobolev.

He recalled that Savchenko was nominated the party "Motherland" as the first number in the electoral list for parliamentary elections at a time when it was illegally detained in Russia: "We have done everything to her release."

At the same time Sobolev said that in the group does not intend to raise the issue to exclude Savchenko in this regard. "No. Without a doubt, no", - said the deputy, when asked whether the question is to exclude Savchenko faction" Fatherland".

glavcom.ua In Ukrainian / на українській мові

Here we go again. A repeat of when Tymoshenko doing everything she can to usurp Yushchenko's presidency. I remember it QUITE WELL. There shouldn't be ONE Ukrainian that doesn't remember how far she went, due to her obsessive greed for power at the cost of others.

She is VERY BAD news for Ukraine and Ukrainians. Mark my words, as I remember the things she did and said, to ruin Yushchenko. The BIG problem IMO is, there are many Ukrainians that are turning a blind eye to her vicious propaganda. How many have forgotten of the $400 gas price she agreed to with Putin? Oh! That was then. BULLSHYTE! She hasn't changed.

NOW! She's getting concerned that with the popularity Savchenko has, she'll get in her way to become president and thief. I hope ALL Ukrainians are smarter than that and don't fall for it, and get NEW faces in Ukraine's government. There's still a lot of trash in it that has to be removed, but to return to the old days of Tymoshenko and Yanukovich will be self inflicted suicide.

IMO, and I recall well, I was always a fan of Vyacheslav Kyrylenko @KyrylenkoVyach. I went to his public speeches. I wish he'd run for the presidency. A man of the people.

But don't return to the old Tymoshenko "gas queen" days. Does it take a hammer to the side of the head to remember? Look at what she'll do to Savchenko now. Let Savchenko prove herself, without having Tymoshenko propaganda ruin her also.

Mark my words. Don't say you weren't warned.

Chairman of the National Bank of Ukraine Valeriy Gontareva declared political attack on the NBU

She recorded a video in which accused Yulia Tymoshenko and some MPs that they are deceiving depositors of failed banks and intentionally collect them at rallies.

In particular, the NBU ochilnytsya explained: facts and figures in ahitmaterialah Tymoshenko false. She said the slogans of politicians favorable to the owners of failed banks, which the National Bank prevented to exercise their machinations, withdraw money from bank deposits and lend depositors alone business.

glavcom.ua In Ukrainian / на українській мові

Tymnoshenko repeating the old Yushchenko days, to cause more division within Ukraine. This is just another example. For her own power obsession and greed.

Paruby four times tried to include in the agenda a bill on sanctions against the former president, but in vain

People's deputies have tried four times to include in the agenda a draft resolution on the use of personal sanctions against the former president and his inner circle, but a decision has not been taken.

During the morning session of the Verkhovna Rada parliament speaker Andrew Paruby corresponding decision was put to a vote three times, but for a decision every few votes not enough. In the afternoon session the Speaker again put to the vote the question, but again was supported by only 216 deputies of the necessary 226.



According to a draft resolution 5350 "On measures to protect national interests, national security, sovereignty and national integrity of Ukraine, combating terrorism" Parliament plans to approve and submit to the National Security Council proposals for the use of personal sanctions for the establishment of actual and / or potential threats to national interests, national security, sovereignty and national integrity of Ukraine, promoting terrorist activities. The list of persons to whom the proposed sanctions included former president Viktor Yanukovych, his son Alexander, ex-Prime Minister Mykola Azarov and Vitaliy Zakharchenko, Viktor Pshonka, Klyuev brothers, Sergei Kurchenko, Dmitry Firtash, etc., all - 21 people.

glavcom.ua In Ukrainian / на українській мові

The capital flooded the participants of various protests. From the morning to 15 o'clock center of the capital was paralyzed

In the government quarter rallied defrauded depositors of banks and consumers dissatisfied with the new tariffs. Movement blocked. Kyiv patrol the streets brought 5,000 police officers.



Recall that in the capital there are events . Public Safety provides about 5,000 police officers and military National Guard of Ukraine.

In the morning it was blocked Khreshchatyk street and Institutskaya part , so traffic was limited.

The police claim that in the center of Kyiv is quiet.

glavcom.ua In Ukrainian / на українській мові

Socialist leader wins presidential vote after campaigning to pursue closer ties with Russia rather than the EU.

A pro-Russian politician has won Moldova's presidential election, according to final results released on Monday.

In the full count, Igor Dodon won 52.2 percent of Sunday's vote. His opponent in the race, Maia Sandu, who ran on an anti-corruption ticket, had 47.8 percent.

Speaking after his win, Dodon, the leader of the Socialist Party, said he would push for early parliamentary elections in 2017 to force out a government that favours closer ties with the European Union.

"A very serious combat is ahead but we are ready for this combat," he told Russian state TV, referring to an election he wants to bring forward by a year.

Voters had "united and voted for friendship with Russia, for neutrality", said Dodon, who campaigned for the scrapping of a trade deal the former Soviet state signed with Brussels in 2014.

Russian President Vladimir Putin invited Dodon to visit Moscow and said he looked forward to developing bilateral relations.



But in her first comments after the final results, Sandu said the elections were neither free nor fair. and accused opponents of using "dirty methods", including the media and administrative resources, against her.

She called for the resignation of authorities responsible for organising the elections.

International election observers said on Monday "fundamental freedoms (were) respected, but polarised media coverage, harsh rhetoric detracted from the process".

On Monday, up to 3,000 mostly young Moldovans marched to the offices of the Central Election Committee in Chisinau, shouting "Down with the Mafia!"

Anger had also flared on Sunday after Moldovans voting in Britain, Ireland, France, Italy and elsewhere lined up for hours and ballot papers ran out. Sandu said the elections had been badly organised.

Dodon's victory was celebrated with fireworks early on Monday in the semi-autonomous Gagauzia region, home of many ethnic Russians.

Dodon announced himself the victor at midnight on Sunday and called for calm, vowing to be a president for all Moldovans, regardless of their political views. He said he seeks good relations with the nation's neighbours, Romania and Ukraine.

Moldova's president represents the country abroad, sets foreign policy and appoints judges, but needs parliamentary approval for major decisions.

However, the office is expected to gain authority because Dodon is the first president in 20 years to be directly elected rather than being chosen by parliament.

The 41-year-old Dodon, who painted himself as a traditional Moldovan with conservative values, tapped into popular anger over the approximately $1bn that went missing from Moldovan banks before the 2014 parliamentary elections.

Dodon says he will move to rescind a law which obliges taxpayers to reimburse the $1bn, but parliament would have to agree. He has not called for a thorough investigation or to find those responsible for the heist.

He wants to restore ties with Russia, which placed a trade embargo on Moldovan wine, fruit and vegetables in 2014 after Moldova signed an association agreement with the EU.

However, the president cannot cancel the association agreement, which was ratified by parliament.

On Sunday, Prime Minister Pavel Filip said the government and new president would need to work together, but added that Moldova's path towards greater EU integration "cannot be reversed".

aljazeera.com

During the weekend, he was quoted as saying that he would be the president of the pro-EU and pro-Russia supporters. Seems that was a TRUMP tactic of lies to the people.

Kremlin resumes air strikes in Syria hours after talks with president-elect

Vladimir Putin has urged Donald Trump to co-operate on the war in Syria and develop economic ties in his first push to improve strained Russian relations with the US following America’s election.

The Russian president spoke by telephone with Mr Trump, the US president-elect, late on Monday and expressed a “willingness to build a dialogue between partners with the new administration based on the principles of equality, mutual respect and non-interference in each others’ internal affairs”, the Kremlin said.

Within hours of the call Russia said it had resumed attacks on rebel positions in Syria. The first air strikes in three weeks included aircraft launched from the Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft carrier, and cruise missiles fired from another warship with the battle group in the eastern Mediterranean.

Sergei Shoigu, Russian defence minister, told Russian government television Moscow had launched a “large-scale operation against the positions of Islamic State and al-Nusra in the provinces of Idlib and Homs”, targeting factories and arms depots used by the rebels.

He made no mention of air strikes on the besieged city of Aleppo, which is in neighbouring Aleppo province to Idlib, where the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based agency, reported air strikes had also resumed for the first time in weeks...............

Access complete text of the editorial:  ft.com In English

‘Pre-clearance’ levy modelled on US scheme as Brussels moves to boost border security

Travellers from countries that enjoy visa-free travel in the EU’s passport-free Schengen zone — including potentially post-Brexit Britain — face having to pay a €5 fee for “pre-clearance” to enter as part of measures to increase the bloc’s border security.

Under the European Commission proposal, to be unveiled on Wednesday, visitors entering the zone from visa-waiver countries will have to be vetted as part of a new EU travel information and authorisation system (ETIAS).

Brussels has launched a range of measures aimed at tightening border security following a series of terror attacks across the continent and mass unauthorised entry of migrants during 2015.

The scheme, which is based on the similar US ESTA system, would cover the 30m people who enter the EU every year from 60 visa-waiver countries, including the US, Canada, New Zealand and Australia. This list could soon include others such as Ukraine and Georgia, which are in the process of being approved............

Access complete text of the editorial:  ft.com In English

Moscow’s posturing and potential for loose talk in the US alarm Nato defence chiefs

A month before the US election, as tension flared between Moscow and Washington over the war in Syria, Russia moved nuclear-capable Iskander cruise missiles into Kaliningrad, the Russian enclave between Lithuania and Poland. Two days later, Dmitry Kiselyov, Russia’s unofficial propaganda chief, warned that any clash of US-Russian forces in Syria could escalate dangerously. “Impudent behaviour by America,” he declared in his current affairs television show, “has a nuclear dimension.”

The moves came amid the most intense nuclear posturing by Moscow since the Soviet era. Over three weeks, Russia cancelled three nuclear deals with the US. The city of Moscow ordered checks on its fallout shelters as 40m Russians held civil defence drills. State TV warned the US was about to start a war, comparing tension over Syria with the Cuban missile crisis.

The sabre-rattling appeared to be elaborate theatre aimed at deterring any US effort to counter Russia’s bombardment of Aleppo, intimidating any incoming US administration, and bolstering President Vladimir Putin ahead of elections in 2018.

Yet Russia’s willingness to use its nuclear capabilities to exert pressure leads to an alarming conclusion: the spectre of nuclear war is back 25 years after the world believed it had been buried by the end of the cold war..............

Access complete text of the editorial:  ft.com In English


Chart from UEN source:

Senator accused Russia of supporting Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, as well as strikes in the provinces of Idlib and Homs

The Senator from Arizona John McCain issued a statement devoted to Russian-US relations and Russia's actions in Syria. The text of the statement the press service McCain.

Senator accused Russia of supporting Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, as well as strikes in the provinces of Idlib and Homs.

"While the US is the change of presidential power, Putin says he wants to improve relations. We must believe these statements just as much as him and other former KGB agent ... "- he said.

In addition, he again accused Russia of trying to intervene in the presidential election.

glavcom.ua In Ukrainian / на українській мові

Today the co-authors of the draft resolution is 41 Member Nations

According to Ukrainian draft resolution "Situation of human rights in the Crimea and the city of Sevastopol (Ukraine)" UN 33 members of the organization voted "against", 73 - "for", 76 Member State abstained.

Russian delegation said it would not accept Ukrainian resolution and believes it empty waste of time. Russian Crimea is not be concerned about Ukraine. Representatives of the Russian Federation said that the project presented by the state, ostensibly to which human rights violations - the norm. It was announced at the Donbas atrocities of violence against journalists and others.

Belarusian delegation also opposed the resolution.



Recall, November 15 around 23:30 hours. Kyiv time the Third Committee (focused on the subject of human rights) UN General Assembly began voting on the draft resolution "Situation of human rights in the Crimea and the city of Sevastopol (Ukraine)", initiated by Ukraine.

The Ukrainian delegation, who now works in New York on promoting the draft resolution included Commissioner President of Ukraine on the Crimean Tatar people Mustafa Dzhemilev, Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Kyslytsia and First Deputy Minister of Information Policy Emine Dzhaparova.

The draft resolution also stresses the need to release illegally detained citizens of Russia, Ukraine and the cancellation of the decision to ban the Crimean Tatar Mejlis.

The document also calls on Russia to grant international human rights mechanisms, especially the UN mission monitoring the human rights situation in Ukraine, unimpeded access to the Crimea in order to monitor the human rights situation, and appeals to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to prepare a separate thematic report on the situation in the occupied peninsula.

Today the co-authors of the draft resolution is 41 UN member states.

glavcom.ua In Ukrainian / на українській мові

Savchenko asks journalists not to dream and not to collect gossip bazaar

People's deputy of Ukraine faction "Motherland" Hope Savchenko TV channel "112 Ukraine" commented on rumors that its going to be excluded from the faction.

" I've always really fun to hear a bunch of gossip about me before I decide anything or decide anything fraction. I am not a slave of any faction or ideology certain people " , - said Savchenko.

People's Deputy said that will inform all the news when something decides to invent everything yourself and not advised.

" As for any future? And stop you, journalists, to dream. When I decide something, you know about it. But go and collect gossip around the market and come up with yourself, I advise you not " - she said.

glavcom.ua In Ukrainian / на українській мові

Look further up, for an earlier report on Tymoshenko starting shyte about her.

The number of those who do not want Putin's fourth term, four years fell from 40 to 19%

The number of Russians who would like to see the current Russian President Vladimir Putin president after 2018 peaked in October 2012 - 63%.

This is reported by " Vedomosti " referring to the "Levada Center".

The number of those who do not want Putin's fourth term, four years fell from 40 to 19%. However, only 26% (against 49% in 2012) believe that by 2018 Russia could be the leader that can replace Putin.



ua.112.ua In Ukrainian / на українській мові

Antonio Guterres said that in case of confirmation should seek punishment of those responsible

The UN demand to investigate the allegations of xenophobia in the US after the recent presidential elections, reports " Interfax".

"UN Secretary-General strongly condemns all forms of discrimination, including racial discrimination based on gender or ethnicity or sexual orientation, or religion" - said the deputy press secretary of the UN Farhan Haq.

He said the UN Secretary General António Guterres called for a thorough investigation of all reports of hate crimes in the US and, in the case of confirmation, to seek punishment of the perpetrators.

ua.112.ua In Ukrainian / на українській мові

Is Vladimir Putin secretly financing Donald Trump and backing his campaign?

Was Russian intelligence behind the break-in of the Democratic National Committee’s email servers?

Outside of the Trump inner circle and the Kremlin, nobody knows for certain. Accusations were flying after the attack on the DNC.

But here’s one thing we do know for certain: Whether or not President Donald Trump would make America great again, he’d certainly make Russia great again.

The Republican who has a number of ties with Russia, has announced positions that would enormously help Putin, Russia’s sinister and sociopathic dictator, at the expense of the West and countries in Asia. And when challenged, he’s doubled down.

“Obsolete” NATO

He’d be the first U.S. president of either party to question the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), the cornerstone of western security since 1945 and by far the strongest check to Putin’s international power.

Trump calls it “obsolete,” and he stunned America’s allies around the world when he promised that as president he would weaken its support for countries in the Baltics — countries that Putin considers part of “Greater Russia.”

Meanwhile, Trump has made a cornerstone of his campaign the promise of dividing America from other countries, including allies, with trade wars. (There is really no other appropriate term.) He’s portrayed many of them as villains who are “laughing” at America and has promised to hit back, with currency devaluations and tariffs.

Few things could do more to foment division within the western alliance or to help Russia.

Trump has promised to be especially tough on China and Japan, whom he has repeatedly targeted in his speeches. Those two countries are, of course, Russia’s main rivals in Asia. Dividing them from America, and each other, would be a gift to the Kremlin.

I always thought that if Trump looked like he was winning in November, we’d all need to invest in gold bullion, as Trump has promised to use dollar devaluation as a major tool against other countries. But maybe we need to invest in Russian stocks as well. They would surely benefit.

Luckily, there are a number of U.S.-traded exchange traded funds that will let you invest in the Russian stock market easily, such as the iShares MSCI Russia Capped ETF ERUS, +2.52%

Yes, it may seem fanciful to suggest the Republican nominee for president is in cahoots with the Kremlin.

But we already know for certain of a number of ties between Trump and Putin, and others are strongly suspected. Trump has gone out of his way to praise Putin in public, and Putin has returned the compliment.

Strange bedfellows

On July 24, Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort went on ABC’s “This Week with George Stephanopoulos” to call the accusations “absurd.”

“There’s no basis to it,” he said. It’s “pure obfuscation.”

Unfortunately, this is the same Paul Manafort who himself admitted on Fox News as recently as April that he had received a lot of money from a Putin proxy in eastern Europe.

Manafort confirmed he had worked as a lobbyist for Viktor Yanukovych, the pro-Putin president of the Ukraine who was ousted in a revolution in 2014 — and who now lives in exile in Putin’s Russia.......

marketwatch.com