Ukraine crisis. News in brief. Sunday 4 June. [Ukrainian sources]

SUNDAY

Please scroll to view news items added during the day.

NEWS:
Russian politician explained why Trump wants to make a deal with Putin.  Putin may decide on annexation of occupied Donbas, named the important date.  In the European Union not want to tighten sanctions against Russia.  In Russia,  a mass shooting of people.  In the Philippines a Chechen Russian involved within ISIL mercenaries group. Putin to meet with Flynn: I hardly talked to him.  Germany's top diplomat hopes for new Ukraine talks after meeting Putin.  

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German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel has reiterated German support for the Normandy format. He told Russian President Vladimir Putin clashes would go on until an international settlement is reached in eastern Ukraine, according to Deutsche Welle. Politics 16:02, 04 June 2017 77 READ LATER

German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel said at a meeting in St. Petersburg that new top-level negotiations talks were needed to resolve the ongoing crisis, DW reported. "We have the hope that it will continue in the Normandy format, right up to the level of the heads of state and government," Gabriel said early Saturday after meeting Putin and former German Chancellor Gerhard Schroder for dinner at Putin's residence near St. Petersburg on the Baltic Sea.

unian.info/politics

Russian President Vladimir Putin confirmed that the next US president adviser to Donald Trump General Michael Flynn sat beside him at the table, but they were unable to meet.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said that in 2015, met with US Lieutenant General Michael Flynn, retired, but they did not have of anything to talk. This was the head of the Kremlin said in an interview with US television channel the NBC.

December 10th, 2015 Flynn was sitting at a table with Russian President at a reception on the occasion of the anniversary of broadcaster Russia Today.

Putin acknowledged that he remembered "a gentleman" on a nearby chair.

"I gave a speech, and then we talked about something, and then I got up and went with him all I hardly talked..", - Putin has described the meeting with the general.

According to him, after he was told that a neighbor was an American in the past worked for the intelligence services.
NBC gives a fragment of an interview with Putin, the full version will be released on the night of June 5 in Kiev.
February 13, 2017 US President's Adviser on National Security Donald Trump Michael Flynn resigned . The reason for his departure, the White House called a "loss of confidence" with the president.

In the January edition of The Wall Street Journal reported that intelligence agencies were investigating Flynn connection with the Russian authorities . In particular, the investigation calls Flynn Ambassador of Russia to the US Sergei Kislyak committed at the end of December 2016. It is known that on the day of the introduction of additional sanctions against the Kremlin December 29 recorded five telephone conversations adviser and Kislyak.

February 10 edition of The Washington Post, citing its own sources reported that Flynn Kislyak discussed with the lifting of sanctions with Russia.

Edition of The New Yorker wrote that Flynn for attending a dinner at the same table with President Putin , the Russian side paid $ 40 thousand.

In April, The Washington Post referring to the documents published by the White House, reported that Flynn in its original declaration concealed payments received in 2015 by Russian companies , in particular TV channel RT, "Kaspersky Lab" and the airline "Volga-Dnepr".

gordonua.com , Original in Russian / На русском

A citizen of Russia, probably a native of Chechnya, was among eight foreign mercenaries were killed in southern Philippines during anti-terrorist operations.

This was announced by Deputy Defense Minister Gen. Ricardo David Philippines, reports TASS.

It is noted that in addition to Russians, among liquidated militants were citizens of Malaysia and Indonesia.

In the southern province of Mindanao, where the anti-terrorist operation "are at least 40 foreign mercenaries".

"But they get to the Philippines through the Sulu Sea, which have access to the eastern states as Malaysia," - said General Ricardo David.

According to him, 250 to 400 terrorists "Islamic State" (ISIL) are fighting with government forces in the province of Mindanao. The general added that the Philippines engaged in close coordination with other countries, particularly with Indonesia and Malaysia.

However, he denied that the anti-terrorist operation involving foreign advisers, including the United States.

apostrophe.ua , Original in Ukrainian / на українському  

The expert of the International Center for Policy Studies (ICPS) Igor Petrenko says that Russian President Vladimir Putin is ready to annexation of occupied Donbass in 2018.

This opinion was expressed by the analyst "apostrophe".

"The situation in the occupied territories remains difficult, but we need a broader look at the situation and proceed from the fact that a policy against them the Russian Federation", - said Petrenko.

According to experts, Russia's policy ORDLO indicates that the Kremlin's annexation of Donbass considered as one of the possible scenarios.

"This annexation during presidential elections in Russia in 2018. The current president of Russia Vladimir Putin will be a new term," - he said.

This retention annexed territories, in his opinion, Putin can put on businesses.



apostrophe.ua/ua , Original in Ukrainian / на українському

The village Ryedkyne Tver region of people shot and killed eight people.

It is reported by "RIA Novosti".

The offender was arrested. His victims were six men and two women. It is reported that the incident occurred in the gardening company "50 years of October" in one of the activities as a result of conflict in the household soil. One of the participants of the conflict, "took home gun, shot her with their abusers and witnesses."

The reasons underlying the conflict is not currently known. Also not disclosed and the details of the perpetrator. Investigating the incident involved Central Investigation Department of Insurance.

As reported by "Apostrophe" in Russia editor shot dead one of the regional newspapers that wrote about corruption among officials.

apostrophe.ua/ua , Original in Ukrainian / на українському

The desire of US President Donald Trump at all costs to conclude a "grand bargain" with Russian President Vladimir Putin explained his outlook during the "Cold War".

This opinion was expressed Russian opposition politician in the air , "Radio Liberty" .

"I think mentally Trump would be a new Yalta. It's place in history. Take, say, the president of Russia, with the head of China as the big three Stalin, Churchill, Roosevelt, that Trump there decides the fate of the world" - said Kasparov .

According to him, it fits into his idea of ​​how business should be done. "What is there Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Ukraine - are all negotiable, solve the big guys who have the power, that they must divide the world again," - said.

It is because the US president thinks in terms of the past, according to Kasparov, Putin he represented the ideal partner.

Earlier, expert of the International Center for Policy Studies Evgeny Yaroshenko explained why could not a big deal Trump with Putin.

apostrophe.ua/ua, Original in Ukrainian / на українському  

EU governments, including the German government, do not want to continue sanctions against Russia.
As Tsenzor.NET , told Ukraine's ambassador to Germany in an interview with Andrew Miller Allgemeine Zeitung .

"Unfortunately, we do not see now any desire, even in Berlin, increase sanctions in light of the recent round of escalation from Russia. But at least they should be continued at least at current levels. Here, we look forward to consolidating Germany's role in the EU ", - he said.

"Putin diminish somewhat, sanctions are very good and they are affected, especially close to Putin oligarchs and clans ," - said the diplomat.

ua.censor.net.ua, Original in Ukrainian / на українському

40 years after virtually all members of the newly-formed Ukrainian Helsinki Group were jailed for demanding only that the USSR honour its international commitments, a second Ukrainian has gone on trial in Russian-occupied Crimea for demanding that Russia do the same. Crimean Tatar Mejlis leader Ilmi Umerov is facing a five-year sentence for saying that Russia should leave Crimea and Donbas, with the preliminary hearing as parody-like as one would expect under such circumstances.

All four applications from the defence were rejected. If it was predictable that the request, backed by compelling grounds, to terminate the trial itself would be ignored, there was just a chance with respect to one absurdity. The defence asked that the court reject as inadmissible ‘evidence’ an empty protocol from an unlawful attempt to interrogate Umerov’s lawyer Nikolai Polozov as a ‘witness’.

Polozov met Umerov for the first time when he began representing him, and the only thing he could be questioned about is his work as a lawyer. The sole reason for claiming that Polozov is a witness is to deny Umerov his choice of lawyer, since it prevents Polozov from carrying on as his lawyer. Polozov was first summoned for questioning back in September 2016, and immediately challenged this in the court.

Since any interrogation could only be about confidential information between a lawyer and his client, it was clearly illegal. This was recognized by Judge Denis Didenko who back in September rejected the first attempt to get a court order forcing Polozov to ‘become a witness’. The FSB tolerates no judicial independence, and the investigator Igor Skripka soon got the ruling overturned by Viktor Mozhelyansky, one of the ‘judges’ who has taken part in many politically-motivated cases.

That new ruling had not come into force on Jan 25, 2017 when Polozov was effectively abducted and taken to the FSB ‘for ‘questioning’.

As well as stating that the FSB’s actions were illegal, Polozov also demanded that his lawyer be present. This was ignored, and Edem Semedlyaev, who arrived to represent his colleague was told that Skripka had gone away, with the person on duty refusing to find out where Polozov was.

All of this was a lie, and Polozov was taken to Skripka. Another man with a video recorder was present, clearly there to record the moment at which Polozov was made into a ‘witness’.

Polozov, however, took a sheet of paper, wrote “Is silent” and cited the relevant article of the Russian law on defence lawyers and of the Criminal Procedure Code which directly prohibits the questioning of lawyers about circumstances which became known to him or her when giving legal assistance.

Polozov held this up to ensure that it was recorded by the video camera and continued to point to it when Skripka tried to hold the so-called ‘interrogation’.

It was that empty sheet of paper that the defence sought to have excluded from the case on May 31. It is clearly indicative of what should be expected in this political case that the judge had no problem with using non-existent testimony as a means of depriving Umerov of one of his chosen lawyers.

The FSB may have miscalculated. Polozov commented that as a ‘witness’, he will be able to express his views loud and clear in the court, whereas as lawyer, he would need to be a bit more careful in what he said.

Several dozen people came to the court building on Wednesday to show support for Umerov. They included many members of the Crimean Tatar national movement and Ukrainian journalist Mykola Semena, who is himself facing virtually identical charges.

Preliminary hearings are always behind closed doors, and largely formal. The first open hearing is scheduled for June 7.

Ilmi Umerov was, until March 2014, the Head of the Bakhchysarai Regional Council. He left that post because he could not work with the occupiers of his Crimea, and has remained implacably opposed to Russian occupation.

The charges laid against him are under the articles of Russia’s criminal code on ‘extremism’ because of comments made in an interview to ATR TV on March 19, 2016 about Russia’s occupation of Crimea...................

Access complete text of the editorial:  khpg.org In English

In Lithuania, unknown persons attacked on four of the Armed Forces of Germany.

This is with reference to the operational command headquarters in Potsdam, Germany reported the Russian federal agency TASS.

The incident occurred at one of the restaurants in Ionava.

German troops that served in Lithuania in the operative part of the NATO forces were in civil and walking the city. In the attack they received light injuries.

Details of the incident are currently not disclosed, but the investigation involved the Lithuanian authorities.

May 21 reported that in Lithuania began military exercises NATO about 1200 soldiers.

hromadske.ua , Original in Ukrainian / на українському

This week, Parliament will consider a bill co-author where I am, on the special status of churches in Ukraine, which are controlled from the power of the aggressor - the bill number 4511 "On Especially status relіgіynih organіzatsіy, kerіvnі centerand yakih znahodyatsya in derzhavі, yak viznana Supreme Radoyu Ukraine Powers -agresorom ".

Putin's ideologues have already done a lot for this bill to fail. By the way, except only one church in the face of the UOC-MP nobody in Ukraine particularly this bill does not grieved, and create a stir UPTsMP itself confirmed its understanding that Russia - the aggressor, because the bill is not a single mention nothing about the UOC MP, nor about other the church - it is a "virtual" religious structures, which are controlled from the power of the aggressor. So congratulations to the insight, gentlemen religious figures on the FSB rate. On the thief hat off.

The main argument of the Moscow priests, Putin and Ukrainian pro-Russian "experts" and the media against this bill - say, the state wants to intervene in the affairs of the church. By the way, in an avalanche proplachennyh publications in the media (as for the coin of their printed and quite pro-Ukrainian media, Google to help) Kremlin ideologues scream that almost started the persecution of Christians (?? !!) in Ukraine. The true essence of a word bill.

The bottom line is that long before the Russian aggression of one of the congregations of religious organizations in Ukraine, with its center in Moscow in fact were and are completely legal grounds Putin zombie machines. Since the beginning of the aggression they remain hotbeds Ukrainophobia and anti-Ukrainian propaganda in our country. Temples and monasteries of the church in the Donbass in the first days of aggression was a conduit and armories terrorists and Russian invaders, and the priests of the church are not only fighting, but also led the terrorist gangs who killed the Ukrainians. This, according to kritikanov bill is obviously not the "interference" of the church in state affairs.

By the way, this church and now in the fourth year of the war, did not comment on the events in the Donbas with its active participation, not to mention an apology to the Ukrainians.

All we want from this church of the bill - is to get her to make a commitment not to carry out anti-Ukrainian activities in Ukraine. But Moscow priests in their satanic malice ready to choke a saliva at the thought that they would have to give such a promise.

glavcom.ua , Original in Ukrainian / на українському