Ukraine crisis. News in brief. Tuesday 28 February. [Ukrainian sources]

TUESDAY

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NEWS:
Angela Merkel tries ‘strategic patience’ with Donald Trump. US reiterates its resolute support for Ukraine as Russia's occupation of Crimea enters its 4th year.  Russia’s former Deputy Prime Minister Koch: "Putin ordered Nemtsov’s hit".  Russian army corps in Donbas get rookie fighters as commanders due to deficit of chieftains.  "Crimea is USA," – Ukrainian MP Artemenko voices grounds for peninsula’s ownership transfer to Americans.  Russian militants shelled Ukrainian positions with mortars, tank and IFV weapon, committed 84 cases of cease-fire violations.  Pro-Kremlin newspaper article confirms Russian involvement in Crimea in 2014.   

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U.S. remains resolute in its support for Ukraine as Russia's occupation of Crimea enters its 4th year.

Censor.NET reports citing the statement by the U.S. Embassy in Ukraine on Twitter.

As Russia's occupation of #Crimea enters its 4th year, we remain resolute in our support for a united & sovereign #Ukraine. #CrimeaIsUkraine pic.twitter.com/rmuu9oWOyy

— U.S. Embassy Kyiv (@USEmbassyKyiv) February 27, 2017

As reported, on the morning of Feb. 27, 2014, Crimea's parliament and government buildings were seized by armed men who were later identified as disguised Russian servicemen.

ua.censor.net.ua , Original in Ukrainian / на українській мові

Former Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alfred Koch believes that the murder of Boris Nemtsov was ordered by Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Russian writer, mathematician-economist and businessman of German origin who served as a deputy prime minister under President Boris Yeltsin wrote on Facebook, Censor.NET reports.

"Today, on the day of Boris Nemtsov's murder, I'm not going to get soft and tell touching stories about him. I'd rather talk about his killers, those who ordered his hit, to be precise. I mean Vladimir Putin," Koch wrote.

Koch believes "fear and envy" became the motives of the murder. According to him, Putin was afraid of Nemtsov because the latter had the right to run for the State Duma in majority districts of Yaroslavl without collecting signatures being a deputy of the Yaroslavl Regional Duma and then run for president without collecting signatures already as a member of the State Duma, forcing Putin face meaningful competition in the second round.

The former Russian senior official also rejected the version of the "Chechen and Islamic motives."

"The investigation proved that the Chechens started shadowing Boris back in fall, which means that Charly Hebdo motive is wrong.... Boris had actually left for Israel with intention to become a permanent immigrant, since he reasonably assumed that he definitely faced prison term for calling Putin 'f*сked-up.' Any lawyer can confirm this. It was a real gift to the authorities: the obvious insult captured on camera and so on. Some eager beaver from among the lawmakers had already lodged his inquiry to the Investigation Committee. It seemed that further developments were just a matter of skills.

"But the proceedings were suddenly discontinued. It is now clear that a "different" decision was taken then. But at that moment Boris boarded a plane and flew back. It was fall of 2014, when he started being shadowed by the Chechens in addition to the FSB. Surprisingly concerted actions of the Chechens and the Investigative Committee leaves no room for "purely Chechen" version so much-loved by some of my friends.

"Their cooperation lasted up to and came to its peak at the time of the murder: disabled surveillance cameras on the bridge; FSB operatives who started running every which way; the snowplow that appeared on the bridge at a surprisingly suitable moment given the absence of snow on that day (was it also orchestrated by the Chechens?) etc.," Koch wrote.

He believes that only the Kremlin was able to organize the murder so carefully.

"If that was indeed the case, here's the answer: Russian President Putin ordered Nemtsov's hit," Koch summed up.

ua.censor.net.ua, Original in Ukrainian / на українській мові

Steve Rosenberg of BBC News in Moscow reveals how pro-Kremlin media no longer hide their involvement in spring 2014 events in Crimea that subsequently led to the peninsula's annexation by Russia.

Rosenberg posted a relevant video on Twitter, Censor.NET reports.

"This pro-Kremlin Russian paper leaves little doubt that it was Russian "Special Operations Forces" who were sent into Crimea 3 years ago," Rosenberg wrote in his post.



On the video, he translates bits of an article in the Russian Komsomolskaya Pravda that prove his statement.

en.censor.net.ua/

After the most well-known field commanders of the Russian troops in the Donbas -- Arsen 'Motorola' Pavlov and Mikhail 'Givi' Tolstykh -- were eliminated, it developed that not many want to take their places.

Censor.NET's Chief Editor Yurii Butusov wrote on his Facebook page.

"The post of the commander of Sparta recon battalion has been taken by 23-year-old Vladimir Zhoga, callsign Vokha, who earlier served as a driver and assistant to Pavlov and never as an independent commander of platoon-company level. Similar personnel crisis arose in Somali separate assault battalion of the 1st army corps of Russian Armed Forces in the Donbas. On Feb. 8, Givi was eliminated, who had no assistant. His deputy, 30-year-old Anton Sidorov, callsign Konsul, was killed on Jan. 31 near Avdiivka by units of the 72nd Mechanized Brigade. Konsul was the closest commander to Givi, who fought alongside with him back in Ilovaisk," Butusov wrote.

As a result, 26-year-old Yegor Volchkov, callsign Synok, was appointed Somali commander. Volchkov was a deputy battalion chief of staff and never before held independent commanding positions.

After the two terrorist chieftains were eliminated, inflow of personnel to Sparta and Somali drained, Butusov wrote. The units are understaffed, and new appointments indicate serious personnel problems. They are also experiencing problems with combat capabilities, as back in February they were attacking Ukrainian positions near Avdiivka with a joint group of three units -- Somali, Sparta and Vostok, commanded by Givi, Butusov wrote.

"This shows that real combat personnel of both advertised enemy battalions, who are promoted aggressively online, is poor. The combat readiness of the enemy infantry in contact fighting is low. Givi said his group had been dispersed and could not fulfill its task; he himself was wounded in leg. Konsul and three more fighters were killed. Possibly, other assaulting units incurred losses as well," Censor.NET's chief editor said.

ua.censor.net.ua , Original in Ukrainian / на українській мові

Over the past 24-hour period, Russian troops opened fire upon Ukraine's Army positions in the anti-terrorist operation (ATO) area 84 times.

As reported by Censor.NET, this was announced by the ATO Staff's press center in a report posted on Facebook.

"Russian occupation troops persist in unilateral violation of the Minsk agreement with aggressive cynicism, using artillery and mortars," the report says.

In Mariupol direction, Shyrokyne came under 122 mm artillery fire. Mortats of 120 mm and 82 mm caliber were used to shell Vodiane, Hnutove, Novotroitske, and Pavlopil. Grenade launchers, large-caliber machine guns and small arms fired upon Talakivka, Pavlopol, Vodiane, Novotroitske, Shyrokyne and Hnutove. The militants' IFVs operated upon Shyrokyne, Vodiane and Lebedynske. A sniper was active in Talakivka area.

In Donetsk direction, a tank was firing occasionally upon Avdiivka.

In Donetsk direction, 120 mm and 82 mm mortars were firing upon Troitske, Novoluhanske, Luhanske, Verkhniotoretske, Opytne, Avdiivka, Butivka mine, and Vodiane. Grenade launchers and small arms impacted Pisky, Zaitseve, Luhanske, Kamianka, and Troitske.

In Luhansk direction, Novooleksandrivka, Stanytsia Luhanska and Valuiske came under grenade launchers and large caliber machine guns fire. An enemy sniper was operating upon Lobacheve.

"A total of 84 cases of fire were recorded," the report reads.

ua.censor.net.ua , Original in Ukrainian / на українській мові

Member of the Ukrainian parliament Andrii Artemenko says there are documents allowing the U.S. government to lay claims to the territory of Russian-occupied Crimea.

As reported by Censor.NET citing 112 Ukraine TV channel, the MP told a briefing that Crimea was collateral for a loan the Soviet Russia obtained from the U.S. in 1920 and has never paid off.

"In 1920, Russia obtained a loan from the U.S. government worth $50 million. The territory of Crimea was collateral for this loan. The agreement stipulated transferring the peninsula's ownership to the U.S. in case the loan and interest on it is not repaid. The received money should have been paid off by 1954," the lawmaker said.

"There was a project called New California. My friends, if someone does not know, New California is the territory of Crimea. I am convinced that Crimea was transferred to Ukraine for the Soviet Union to retain this territory. I am convinced that Crimea was transferred to Ukraine in the status of an autonomous republic precisely in order to evade loan payoff," Artemenko said.



ua.censor.net.ua , Original in Ukrainian / на українській мові

German chancellor watching and waiting to see if president will soften stance

While Theresa May and other world leaders have rushed to respond to Donald Trump, Germany’s Angela Merkel is practising what her foreign affairs adviser calls “strategic patience”.

The German chancellor is watching and waiting: her first face-to-face meeting with the US president is not scheduled until he visits Germany in July for the G20 summit (though it might come sooner, as she has an open invitation to visit the White House).

But the outlines of her approach are clear: she is sticking to her principles. While dismissing as absurd calls for her to lead the liberal world, Ms Merkel has made clear she shares liberal concerns about Mr Trump’s isolationist, protectionist and nationalist tendencies.

She has made transatlantic co-operation conditional on common values, including democracy, freedom and the rule of law. She has backed multilateral organisations, notably three criticised by Mr Trump — the UN, Nato and the EU. She told the Munich Security Conference: “The challenges of our world today are not to be managed by any individual state.”

Her officials were somewhat reassured by vice-president Mike Pence who, on a visit to Europe last week, backed Nato and co-operating with the EU..............

Access complete text of the editorial: Financial Times In English

The Russian Federation and China used their veto in the UN Security Council vote on sanctions against Syria on chemical weapons. It is reported by Reuters.

Sanctions on the proposal of the United Kingdom and France, proposed to introduce eleven representatives of the Syrian authorities, as well as a dozen companies involved in chemical attacks in the 2014-15 biennium.

In addition, sanctions have introduced a ban on the supply of chlorine Damascus, helicopters and all types of weapons.

Russia is already the seventh time exercise its right of veto by voting against sanctions on Syria and China blocked sanctions against Damascus for the sixth time.

Against sanctions but Russia and China voted Bolivia abstained Ethiopia, Egypt and Kazakhstan.

Earlier, the Defense Ministry denied the information of the international human rights organization Human Rights Watch about the use of chemical weapons in Syria.

apostrophe.ua, Original in Ukrainian / на українській мові

Russia will take appropriate action in the event of continued economic blockade of Donbass. This was stated by the representative of Russia to the Trilateral contact group Boris Gryzlov.

He argues that the agreements Kyiv Minsk pledged to support socio-economic development of Donbas.

"In fact, we are seeing increasing traffic blockade. These actions actually aimed at economic and social exclusion inevitably lead to a response" - quoted Gryzlov RIA Novosti.

He hinted that Russia might go to a closer economic relationship with its occupied part of Donbas.

"I recall that Donbas - not an island enclave not" - said Gryzlov.

Recall, today, 28 February, at the station Krivoy Butt police detained 37 people who participated in the attack on the participants of the blockade.

apostrophe.ua/ua , Original in Ukrainian / на українській мові

Profile Committee of the European Parliament approved the deprivation of parliamentary immunity of MEP candidate for president of France from the pro-Russian party "National Front" Marine Le Pen. It is reported by Reuters .

Parliamentary immunity of Le Pen decided to select due to the fact that the policy published in the Twitter photo violence militant terrorist group "Islamic state".

Verdict Committee further European Parliament must approve the general vote.

According to the parliamentarian Laura Ferrara, in charge of the case, the date of the vote in plenary has not yet been appointed.

Recall that in France, Le Pen is under investigation for publishing graphic images of three holding lih executions. Due to its immunity French judicial authorities appealed to the European Parliament.

As reported, "Apostrophe" on Feb. 22 arrested the head of election headquarters Grisi Catherine and Thierry Le Pen guard Lezh'ye suspected fraud.

apostrophe.ua/ua, Original in Ukrainian / на українській мові

In France, a police sniper accidentally opened fire and wounded two people during a speech President Francois Hollande at the opening of high-speed railway line Tours-Bordeaux in the territory of the commune Villognon.

Coup de feu pendant le discours de François Hollande à Villognon lors de l'inauguration de la LGV Tours Bordeaux pic.twitter.com/c0Sp5dpLty

— F3 Poitou-Charentes (@F3PoitouChtes) February 28, 2017

It is reported that the victims were slightly injured, probably at his feet. For some reason there was a shot, unknown. How to suggest a weapon was not put on the fuse.

Hollande himself heard shots, expressed hope that "nothing bad will happen," and continued performance.

Recall that on February 26 during a mass protest against the ultra-right leader visits the party "National Front" presidential candidate Marine Le Pen of Francein Nantes for more than ten policemen injured.

The demonstrators behaved aggressively, throwing into force of law "Molotov cocktails" and used the pyrotechnics.

Source: Medusa

apostrophe.ua/ua , Original in Ukrainian / на українській мові