Ukraine crisis. News in brief. Sunday 19 February. [Ukrainian sources]

SUNDAY

Please scroll to view news items added during the day.

NEWS:
Republican Senator referring to Lavrov vowed that Congress "will give Russia Kick Ass".  In Russia Trump threatened severe punishment. Reuters reported on contacts with the secret police team Trump Putin.  Poroshenko: Russia's recognition of "DNR/LNR" passports another proof of violation of international law.  The United States will transfer to Poland a thousand soldiers.  French Foreign Minister accused Russia of cyber attacks on the mechanisms of presidential elections.  In the United States realized that the Russian did not change - the former NATO Secretary General Rasmussen.  Russia alarms Kiev and west with Ukraine ID recognition.

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The senator recalled making both Democrats and Republicans draft law on the introduction of new sanctions against Russia

Republican Senator Lindsey Graham warned Russia last year about the consequences of hacker attacks on computer networks in the United States. According DW.com , is what he said on Sunday, February 19, during his speech at the Munich security conference.

"2017 will be the year that Congress give Russia Kick Ass" - said Graham, referring to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia Sergey Lavrov. Graham also stressed the need to respect Administration Donald Trump hard line towards Russia - including by hacking attacks on the US Democratic Party.

The senator also said the introduction of both Democrats and Republicans draft law on the introduction of new sanctions against Russia. Graham hopes that the current US president would support the idea of ​​strengthening the restrictive measures "to punish Russia." In the ranks of the Republican Party Graham is one of the most influential critics Trump.

As reported previously the supreme representative of EU foreign and security policy Federica Mogherini pointed out during a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on the responsibility for the implementation of the Minsk agreements to resolve the conflict in the Donbas.

glavcom.ua , In Ukrainian / на українській мові

Sources in US government circles confirmed the information repeated contacts with the special services of the Russian Federation of the election campaign of Donald Trump.

It is reported by Reuters.

Contacts have been recorded over the last year and took place before the November US presidential election. The agency does not disclose the names of the sources, noting that it is the five former and current government employees, "directly familiar with the situation."

Earlier, the New York Times, citing four former and current US officials announced the election team Trump ties with Putin's secret services. According to the newspaper, US intelligence intercepted a conversation Trump representatives of staff with senior representatives of Russian and Russian intelligence officials that they were in 2016. Reported that contacts were observed around the time when the intelligence gathered evidence linking Russian hackers hacking servers for the US Democratic Party.

Reuters reports that the FBI is conducting just three different investigations concerning the impact of the attacks of Russian hackers on the election results in the US.

In particular, in Pittsburgh held the identification of people hacking the computer system of the Democratic Party in the years 2015-2016. In San Francisco, the FBI is trying to identify the hackers from the group calling itself Guccifer 2.0, which published the electronic correspondence head of election headquarters of Hillary Clinton, John Podesta.

Also rozliduyutsya cases of financial transactions of Russian companies and individuals suspected of links with Trump. This agency does not name specific names.

As reported, "Apostrophe", adviser of US President Donald Trump of National Security Michael Flynn resigned after secret talks with Ambassador of Russia to the lifting of sanctions.

apostrophe.ua , In Ukrainian / на українській мові

President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko says Putin's decision to recognize the passports issued by the pseudo-authorities of the so-called "DPR" and "LPR" (Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics) is another evidence of Russian occupation and violation of international law, journalist quoted him as saying after talks with U.S. Vice President Mike Pence at the Munich Security Conference on Saturday, February 18.

"I informed the Vice President about the recent decision of President Putin to recognise the "passports "of the occupied territories of the so-called "LPR" and "DPR." For me it is another evidence of Russian occupation and violation of international law," Poroshenko told the journalists.

"It is very symbolical and cynical that it happened during the Munich Security Conference," Poroshenko said......

unian.info

The connection will be sent to the city Orzysz in the northeast of Poland in late March with Vilsek base in Germany.

In April this year the United States will transfer about thousand troops on the eastern border of NATO to Poland. As the Tsenzor.NET citing " 112 Ukraine ", stated on the page in the Twitter command of US forces in Europe.

In particular, the connection will be sent to the city Orzysz in the northeast of Poland in late March with Vilsek base in Germany. It will consist of several armored personnel carriers, self-propelled howitzers and mortars.

During the relocation American military will come to Poland through Germany and the Czech Republic.

It should be noted that such a decision is the epitome of the Pentagon adopted in July 2016 at the NATO summit steps to enhance NATO's eastern flank, which include sending NATO compounds in Eastern Europe and Baltic countries to curb Russia's aggressive policy.

Notably, with the US military contingents deployed in these countries, Germany, Canada and the UK. At the same time, NATO is not going to stop the negotiations with Russia.

ua.censor.net.ua , In Ukrainian / на українській мові

Unacceptable called French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault alleged attempt by Russian cyber attacks on the website and email presidential candidate Emmanuel Makron.

As the Tsenzor.NET , informs the " Interfax-Ukraine".

"Just look what the candidates - Marine Le Pen or Francois Fillon - Russia in preference to the French presidential campaign," - the minister said in an interview with Journal du Dimanche.


He stressed: "A cyber attack exposed Emmanuel Macron, which is pro-European candidate This form of intervention in the democratic life of France is unacceptable, and I am. I reject it."

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, "Russia should first declare that the non-interference in internal affairs is the main rule, and I understand." He added that "France will not allow her choice was made under dictation".

ua.censor.net.ua , In Ukrainian / на українській мові

Europe, it is time to reconsider its relations with the United States on joint security and realize that "freedom is not free."

As the Tsenzor.NET with reference to the DW , this former NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said at the Munich security conference boxes on Saturday, February 18.

He believes that both Brussels and Washington should pay more attention and resources to the implementation of the Minsk agreements to resolve the conflict in Donbas.

"Norman format - the best that we have now I would like to attract more Americans." Minsk "and" Norman "formats (...) Both the EU and the US should work more with the implementation of the Minsk agreements," - said the Danish politician.

He also commented on the statement by US Vice President Mike Pence. According to him, a word about that "Russia will answer for their actions in Ukraine", - "a very clear statement." Rasmussen noted that the administration of President Donald Trump will repeat the path of predecessors, Barack Obama, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton. They attempted to reset relations with Russia, said the former secretary general of NATO, however, understood that "Russian still will not change."

censor.net.ua , In Russian / На русском

Move applies to self-declared ‘people’s republics’ amid shaky ceasefire attempt

A move by Russia to recognise identity documents issued in separatist-held areas of eastern Ukraine has raised concern in Kiev and western governments over Moscow’s intentions, even as efforts were under way to reinforce a shaky ceasefire in the region.

Vladimir Putin, Russia’s president, has ordered the government to temporarily recognise identification, education and qualification documents and other certificates as well as car licence plates issued in the self-declared ‘people’s republics’, parts of the Donetsk and Lugansk regions that are not under Kiev’s control.

Petro Poroshenko, Ukraine’s president, said that the Kremlin’s announcement on Saturday was further “evidence of Russian occupation and violation of international law”. Moscow’s move was “troubling and inconsistent with [the] agreed goals” of the faltering Minsk peace accords, the US embassy in Kiev wrote on Twitter on Sunday.

Mr Putin’s surprise order came as the foreign ministers of Russia, Ukraine, France and Germany met on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference to try to salvage the badly-shaken Minsk deal. Sergei Lavrov, Russia’s foreign minister, backed a new promise for both sides to cease fire as of Monday.

European diplomats see the Kremlin’s move as a warning to Ukraine and the west, amid disappointment in Moscow that the new US administration has failed to side with Russia in the conflict. US vice-president Mike Pence met Mr Poroshenko in Munich on Saturday and reaffirmed US support for Ukraine and Washington’s insistence on the implementation of the Minsk agreement..............

Access complete text of the editorial:   (Financial Times) In English

Republican Senator Lindsey Graham expressed confidence that 2017 will be imposed new sanctions on Russia
He said this in a speech at the Munich security conference.

Among the actions of Russia to be punished, senator mentioned intervention in elections in the US and annexation of Crimea

Graham believes that such sanctions will support both Republicans and Democrats.

"We will vote. It will be a bipartisan vote, we rack up more than 75 votes. And I am sure that President Trump agree with our measures to punish Russia," - he said

"I hope that in 2017 Russia will feel the consequences of their actions, including in Crimea", - he added.

The senator did not specify the expected content of the new sanctions.

Earlier, another Republican Senator John McCain called on President Trump Ukraine to lethal weapons.

espreso.tv, In Ukrainian / на українській мові