Ukraine News in brief. Wednesday 6 September. [Ukrainian sources]

WEDNESDAY

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TODAY'S HEADLINES:
US intelligence officials pointed to a cunning move made by Putin against the West.  Germany opposes the idea of ​​Putin with peacekeepers only on the line of demarcation.  Putin told the head of South Korea about the senselessness of sanctions against the DPRK .  In the West, they said about the Russian trail in the regular cyber attacks in the United States.  UN peacekeepers in the Donbas: Putin's parliament has set a new condition.  Ukraine has set a new record for sugar exports.  The court called the two Russians the organizers of the attempt to revolution in Montenegro.  Ukraine ready to release 309 people for Donbas militants in exchange for 87 Ukrainian hostages.  Ukraine has ranked the rating of the most attractive countries for investors among the countries of Europe, the Middle East and Asia.  There are no bans on Saakashvili's entry, these are myths and speculation.

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The proposal of Russian President Vladimir Putin and the introduction of UN peacekeeping forces on Donbass is an attempt by the Russian Federation to reduce the pressure of Western countries.

This is stated in the report of the private American intelligence-analytical company Stratfor, which is at the disposal of "Apostrophe".

The report says that Russia is thus trying to pause the talks with the United States and create an image of a country that seeks to limit the level of violence in the Donbas.

"But most of all, Putin's proposal is aimed at breaking up the united position of Western countries in Russia and giving Moscow more opportunities to maneuver in relations with other countries," said Stratfor.

apostrophe.ua , Original in Ukrainian / Українською мовою

In the federal government of Germany, it is believed that in the case of sending a UN peacekeeping mission to Donbas, "blue helmets" should be placed throughout the conflict, not just on the line of collision

This was stated by Deputy Speaker of the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany Ulrika Demmer, reports DW .

In addition, there are no grounds for negotiating a peacekeeping mission in Berlin with the participation of representatives of the "DPR" and "LNR" in Berlin.

"It would be unacceptable to increase the value of the self-proclaimed leadership of so-called republics," the representative of the German government stressed.

Read also: Peacekeepers in Putin. What does the Kremlin's new tactic mean?

-September 5, Vladimir Putin supported the idea of ​​deploying peacekeepers in the zone of the Russian-Ukrainian military conflict in the Donbass. However, he insists that the peacekeeping contingent should only be placed on the demarcation line.

-Ukraine opposed such a scenario. As the first deputy head of the Verkhovna Rada Iryna Gerashchenko stated, peacekeepers should be deployed throughout the occupied Donbas area , not just on the line of demarcation.

-The Foreign Ministry of Ukraine took note of Putin's statement that UN peacekeepers could be deployed in the Donbass, but stressed that they would not allow Russians to be Ukrainians under the guise of UN peacekeepers.

espreso.tv , Original in Ukrainian / Українською мовою

Russian President Vladimir Putin in his talks with South Korean leader Munch Ching Yin reiterated his point about the senselessness of sanctions against the DPRK and the need to engage Pyongyang in a dialogue.

Thus, the press secretary of the Russian President Dmitry Peskov commented on the information from the media that the heads of the Russian Federation and South Korea disagreed on the issue of terminating the supply of crude oil and petrochemicals of the KRDD, reports Cenzor. NET with reference to TASS .

"The President of Russia has repeatedly said that the volume of economic interaction and the supply of oil or petroleum products are at a negligible, negligible level, therefore, in this case, it is unlikely that it is appropriate to [block it], there are no significant quantities there," said Peskov.

In addition, he said, Putin noted that "strongly condemns the provocative actions of Pyongyang." "We are not supportive of putting pressure on Pyongyang, on the contrary, we need to engage in dialogue, create the conditions in which Pyongyang will feel safe, and thus we must look for ways of getting out of the way," the summit said. representative of the Kremlin.

As reported, on September 3, the DPRK announced a successful test of the hydrogen bomb.

Earlier, South Korea suspected the DPRK of conducting a nuclear test after a strong underground shocks were recorded on North Korea on September 3. Chinese seismologists also recorded a strong earthquake, which was called a "possible explosion".

The Japanese authorities, which also announced a possible nuclear test of Pyongyang, insisted on the need to convene an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council.

OSCE Chairman Sebastian Kurt condemned the nuclear test of the DPRK, calling the actions of Pyongyang "a reckless and irresponsible act."

European Union has criticized a new nuclear test of the DPRK, accusing Pyongyang of violating UN Security Council resolutions and treating it as a serious threat to international security.

ua.censor.net.ua , Original in Ukrainian / Українською мовою

A group of hackers Dragonfly, Energetic Bear or Berserk Bear, associated with Russia, were suspected of gaining access to US energy company systems.

This is reported by the Financial Times with reference to the reports of the American company Symantec, which specializes in cybersecurity.

The material points out that the actions of hackers did not lead to serious consequences, but such a danger exists. Hackers regard the actions of the company as "politically motivated" against companies concentrated in the United States and Turkey. It is noted that even an attack on a small company could jeopardize the entire energy system.

"We see their activity, understand how they work, understand how they can carry out their sabotage campaign, but there is no evidence that they are breaking the job ... They are waiting for a situation when a political event will occur and then they will be a tool for a cyber attack, "said Symantec Technical Director Eric Chen.

apostrophe.ua , Original in Ukrainian / Українською мовою

The placement of the UN peacekeeping contingent in the Donbass is possible only after giving the region a special status.

This was reported by the representative of the Russian Federation in the trilateral contact group Boris Gryzlov, reports RIA Novosti news agency.

"The deployment of the UN contingent on the clash line in the Donbass will become real only after Ukraine introduces fundamentally important amendments to the law on the special status of the Donbas, which should be agreed upon in the contact group. They will concern the introduction of a special status on a permanent basis, according to the" Steinmeier formula" ", - he said.

Also, one of the conditions, according to Gryzlov, is to ensure the breeding of forces and means across the line of collision.

apostrophe.ua , Original in Ukrainian / Українською мовою

Major deliveries were made to Azerbaijan, Turkey, Georgia and Moldova

This is reported by the press center of the Association of Sugar Producers "Ukrtsukor".

"Ukrainian enterprises in the 2016-2017 marketing year (September 2016 - August 2017) exported 769.3 thousand tons of sugar, which is the record for the entire period of state independence," the statement reads.

It is noted that this indicator is 5.8 times higher than last year.

The main deliveries were made to Azerbaijan (7,800 tons), Turkey (5,2 thousand tons), Georgia (2,5 thousand tons) and Moldova (1,4 thousand tons).

Read also: 7 facts about how the Ukrainian economy is making its way into the EU

The Association announces that as of September 5, 5 sugar factories have already started working in Ukraine, which produced their first 7.3 thousand tons of products.

On August 30, deputy minister of economic development and trade Natalia Mykolska said that Ukrainian goods are still in demand in Russia.

espreso.tv , Original in Ukrainian / Українською мовою

Two Russian intelligence officers called the main organizers of the attempt to break Montenegro to prevent the country from joining NATO

It is reported by " Radio Liberty".

Such a statement was made on trial by 14 suspects in a case opened on 6 September in Podgorica.

The defendant is charged with setting up a criminal organization to undermine the constitutional order of Montenegro and prevent the country from joining NATO.

According to the prosecutor's office, the two mentioned Russians are operational officers of military intelligence. They are also accused of terrorism.

Men, who are identified as Eduard Shishmakov and Vladimir Popov, are accused of organizing and coordinating the attempted rebellion from neighboring Serbia. Citizens of Russia are wanted, they are judged absent-mindedly.

-Recall e Ls Montenegro Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic on February 21 accused Russia of trying to destabilize the situation in the Balkans and organize through pro-Russian coup attempt.

-Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that the Russian authorities were not involved in the preparation of the coup in Montenegro.

-The Parliament of Montenegro deprived Andriy Mandic and Milan Knezhevich, the leaders of the opposition "Democratic Front" , for deprivation of liberty , with a view to bringing them to justice in a case of an attempt at a coup d'etat.

-In February, information appeared that Montenegro plans to arrest former Russian diplomat and Russian intelligence officer Eduard Shishmakov, accused of creating a network of individual officers to overthrow the pro-Western government of Montenegro.

-On July 19, the Supreme Court of Montenegro began a meeting on a coup attempt during the last year's elections.

espreso.tv , Original in Ukrainian / Українською мовою

Adviser to SBU head Yurii Tandit stated that Ukraine is ready to release 309 people claimed by Donbas terrorists in exchange for 87 Ukrainian hostages held there.

He said on air of 5 Channel, Censor.NET reports citing Ukrainski Novyny.

"We have reached the point where we are discussing the formula for the release. We are discussing 87 our hostages confirmed by the Donbas terrorists, who are illegally held in Donetsk and Luhansk. We are ready to consider a release by formula "87 by 309"," he said.

Tandit added that among these 309 persons the Ukrainian side is willing to release there are no people who committed grave crimes or crimes related to the anti-terrorist operation.

ua.censor.net.ua , Original in Ukrainian / Українською мовою

Ukraine has ranked the ranking of the most attractive countries for potential investments among the countries of Europe, the Middle East and Asia.

According to Tsensor.NET , Finance Minister Oleksandr Danylyuk wrote on this page on Facebook.

"In this globalized world, we are constantly competing for capital, technology and knowledge, so the arrival of foreign investors is important for the development of our economy. We will work further to improve the business environment, simplify procedures and ensure stability and predictability for Ukrainian and foreign investors," - wrote Danyliuk.

He noted that for this purpose launched a transparent register of automatic refund of VAT, comprehensive tax and customs reforms.

ua.censor.net.ua , Original in Ukrainian / Українською мовою

The State Border Guard Service of Ukraine declares that they have no orders from law enforcement agencies to ban ex-president of Georgia, ex-chairman of the Odessa regional state administration Mikheil Saakashvili, into the territory of Ukraine.

Tsensor.NET informs about it , citing "Interfax-Ukraine".

"The State Border Guard Service did not have and has no mandate from law enforcement agencies to ban the entry of Mikheil Saakashvili into the territory of Ukraine," Vasyl Serovtiuk, First Deputy Head of the State Border Service, said at a meeting of the anti-corruption committee subcommittee on Wednesday in Kyiv.

According to him, "there is no prohibition and will never be, these are myths and pretexts."

As reported, on July 26, President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko ruled out the citizenship of Ukraine, ex-president of Georgia, ex-head of the Odessa regional state administration Mihheil Saakashvili.

Later, the People's Deputy and Freelance Advisor to the Minister of the Interior, Anton Gerashchenko, informed that the General Prosecutor's Office of Georgia handed over to Ukraine facts that were not known to her while giving Mikheil Saakashvili Ukrainian citizenship.

ua.censor.net.ua , Original in Ukrainian / Українською мовою

Corruption persists but EU support and local efforts have spurred progress elsewhere

After the lengthy saga of its signature and ratification, the Association Agreement between the European Union and Ukraine finally came fully into force on September 1.

This is, probably, the most dramatic EU deal with a non-EU country. Its earlier rejection by Ukraine’s former president Viktor Yanukovich sparked the Euromaidan protests in 2013, which in turn were “punished” by Vladimir Putin’s Russia through its annexation of Crimea and the war in Donbas. These events have transformed a bureaucratic text into a symbol of the changes that many Ukrainians are striving for.

Much of the story since 2013 is tragic. The war in Donbas has taken more than 10,000 lives and continues. Many reforms in Ukraine advanced more slowly than was needed; the economy has struggled under a huge recession and is only now recovering.

On the other hand, for the first time since independence in 1991, Ukraine is involved in genuine reforms that will empower ordinary citizens and not just the corrupt elites. The EU agreement helps, directly and indirectly. Outside pressure and incentives are key to keeping reform on track........................

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

Infrastructure projects risk turning traditional east-west bridge into an island

Last month, Russia completed a railway that bypasses Ukraine. The project was entrusted to a special military unit and completed a year ahead of schedule, underscoring its importance to the Kremlin. It is the latest of several Russian-led infrastructure projects that, coupled with the devastation wrought by the conflict with Russian-backed separatists in the Donbas region, risk turning Ukraine, historically a bridge between east and west, into an island.

Isolation from emerging east-west connectivity could be one of the most enduring and most damaging consequences of the war for Ukraine, one that both Kiev and its western partners need to pay more attention to overcoming.

Not long ago, Ukraine hoped to become a major gateway along China’s Belt and Road, a massive connectivity initiative stretching across Eurasia and beyond.

“The idea of the Great Silk Road will be actively supported by Ukraine,” then-President Viktor Yanukovich said during his visit to Beijing in 2013. Agreements promising $8bn in Chinese investment were signed, including a $3bn port in Crimea. But those deals were among the casualties of the armed conflict that erupted in early 2014.

So too were many existing connections between Ukraine and Russia, which were either damaged in the fighting or deliberately severed as a form of economic pressure.

Ukraine’s conflict also disrupted internal connections between separatist-held regions of Donetsk and Lugansk oblasts and the rest of the country. In the early days of the fighting, separatist forces targeted critical infrastructure in eastern Ukraine......................

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

The American authorities did not go beyond the law when reviewing the premises occupied by the Russian Consulate in San Francisco.

This was stated in a joint interview with Radio Liberty and the Voice of America by US Ambassador to Russia John Tefft, according to Tsensor. NET.

The announcement that the representatives of the Russian diplomatic missions allegedly pressed is false, he stressed.

Tefft also expressed hope that both sides will refrain from further reducing diplomatic missions. He noted that the withdrawal of consent for the Consulate in San Francisco was held after the Russian side demanded to reduce the number of American diplomats in the country, so that "parity" was respected both in the number of employees and in the number of consulates.

The situation with the suspension of the issuance of nonimmigrant visas in Moscow and the regions of Russia, John Tefft called the forced event, explaining that the consulates lack staff. He especially emphasized that Washington's actions were not a punishment for Russian citizens, and said that the American side was interested in developing business cooperation between the two countries.

Last Tuesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Moscow could further reduce the staff of the American diplomatic mission to 155 people, but will not do so yet.

Earlier, on August 31, the US decided to close the Russian Consulate in San Francisco and a number of consular facilities in Washington and New York in response to a reduction in US diplomatic presence in Russia. "Following the principle of parity mentioned by the Russian side, we ask the Russian authorities to close the Consulate General in San Francisco, as well as a Washington-based consulate building and another building in New York that belongs to the Consulate. "It is necessary to September 2," - said in a statement State Department spokesman Heather Noerth.

On August 28, the US embassy in Russia announced that "in connection with the measures taken by the Russian Federation to limit the number of employees of the US diplomatic mission to the Russian Federation, starting from August 23, 2017, the procedure for issuing nonimmigrant visas throughout Russia will be suspended." At the same time, as it is noted, from September 1, "the procedure for issuing nonimmigrant visas will be restored, but in a significantly reduced volume." In addition, as stated at the embassy, ​​"the change in the number of employees of the US diplomatic mission will also affect the timetable for the issuance of a number of immigrant visas."

Recall that last December, the former US government decided to send 35 Russian diplomats, as well as members of their families from the country. In addition, the Obama administration imposed a ban on visiting several diplomats by Russian diplomats.

On July 28, the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has demanded to reduce the number of diplomatic and technical staff of the US Embassy in Moscow and the Consulate General in St. Petersburg, Yekaterinburg and Vladivostok to 455 people by September 1. In addition, from August 1, the US Embassy in Moscow banned the use of a dacha in Silver Bory and warehouse premises on Road Street in Moscow.

The US State Department did not specify how many diplomats should leave the Russian Federation, but, according to The Washington Post, it is about a few hundred people.

Such decision was made by Moscow after the US Senate voted overwhelmingly for an updated package of restrictive fines against Russia, Iran and North Korea.

ua.censor.net.ua, Original in Ukrainian / Українською мовою

It is unacceptable for the United Nations to involve separatists in the negotiation process on peacekeeping in the Donbas.

As informs Tsensor.NET , this is stated in a statement transmitted to UNIAN by the German Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Martin Schaefer.

"It is not necessary to critically perceive Putin's initiative at the same time: in the end, it is a concrete proposal that is in harmony with Ukrainian, although it excludes a few key differences," he said.

"And indeed: it's only inappropriate to talk about the contact line, because the separatists are hampering the OSCE's SMM throughout the eastern part of Ukraine, and not just along the line of demarcation," said the German Foreign Ministry spokeswoman.

"For the UN unacceptable and unknown is the practice of involving separatists in the negotiation process on peacekeeping activities in a particular region," Schaeffer said.

At the same time, he noted that it is possible only to "think on the coffee grounds," which prompted the Russian President Vladimir Putin to make such a decision. "It will be seen that this will be presented in New York. The question is open to the question of the nationality of the peacekeeping mission participants," the representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Federal Republic of Germany said.

ua.censor.net.ua , Original in Ukrainian / Українською мовою

The Netherlands has decided that a lawsuit on suspects in the disaster of the Malaysian Airlines flight MN17, which was shot down in the sky over the Donbas, will be held in The Hague.

According to the Dutch media, Justice Minister Stef Block said today in parliament, reports Tsensor. NET with reference to UNIAN.

"The Minister believes that the Hague trial is the most logical option for this process, and it may also happen that the trial will not be conducted in The Hague itself, but elsewhere outside the city," the statement said.

In the past, an agreement has already been reached that suspects will be in accordance with the legislation of the Netherlands.

Meanwhile, the Netherlands would like to see the case reviewed by the UN International Court of Justice, but in the UN Security Council, Russia has exercised the right to veto. According to the media, a criminal investigation is still ongoing, and no charges have been filed yet.

Recall that the plane MN17 Amsterdam - Kuala Lumpur shot down in the sky over the occupied Donbas on July 17, 2014. There were 298 civilians on board - 283 passengers and 15 crew members. They all died.

Last autumn, the International Investigation Team (JIT) made public the findings that Malaysian "Boeing" was hit with a "ground-air" rocket from the "Beech" installation that fired from the area of ​​the Donbas town of Snignee (at that time under the control of the DPR). The investigation team has representatives from five countries - Malaysia, the Netherlands, Belgium, Australia and Ukraine. Russia refused to participate in the joint investigation.

ua.censor.net.ua , Original in Ukrainian / Українською мовою