Ukraine News in brief. Friday 15 September. [Ukrainian sources]

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TODAY'S HEADLINES:
Russia has stated evidence of US intervention in the Russian election. Giving Ukraine lethal weapons: The US made an intriguing statement.  EU Renews Russia Sanctions, Keeps Ban On New U.S. Envoy Antonov.  Among the militants in the Donbass, panic spreads.  Kaspersky agreed to provide testimony in the US Congress.  Putin's spokesman said that Russia would not abandon "humanitarian aid" to Donbas. Russia refuses to continue humanitarian support of Donbas terrorists.  Peacekeepers in Donbas should have mandate up to Russia border.  Putin urged Macron to support the initiative of the Russian Federation on the UN mission in the Donbas.

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The Federation Council said there was evidence of US attempts to influence the elections in Russia, including the regional September 10.

This is the head of the commission of the Federation Council for the protection of state sovereignty Senator Andriy Klimov, reports RBC.

The official claims that money was transferred to certain organizations through the country's member of the Customs Union. He did not name the country itself, but sources of the publication say that it is about Kazakhstan.

Klimov assures that the commission has facts confirming the data on the intervention. They, according to him, received from Rosfinmonitoringa. The press service of the department refused to comment. Klimov said that foreign states were transferring money to Russian election-related funds to support a certain candidate for governors.

According to him, several states took part in it, but "the USA is the most powerful center out of which this kind of activity comes out." Klimov added that the money was transferred "in cash, and in money surrogates, and in crying currency".

Earlier it was reported that the FBI suspected Russia of distributing fake money on the day of the US presidential election. The FBI has begun investigating Russia's interference with the US elections in February 2017.

At the beginning of September, Facebook said they had revealed a US-based advertising campaign sent from Russian accounts.

hromadske.ua , Original in Ukrainian / Українською мовою

The US can make a decision to supply lethal weapons to Ukraine next week.

This opinion was voiced by former Congressman Newt Gingrich on the sidelines of the international forum "Yalta European Strategy", writes Gazeta.ua.

"Ukraine should have first-class weapons, and now it's about discussing it in Washington. I think that after the meeting next week we will make certain announcements," said the politician.

Earlier, the ambassador of Ukraine to the United States Valery Chalyi said that in the near future, US partners intend to hand over a batch of Army Humvee SUVs to Kyiv . He also noted that the Pentagon and the US Department of State have support for the issue of lethal weapons to Ukraine.

apostrophe.ua , Original in Ukrainian / Українською мовою

The European Union has prolonged its asset freezes and travel bans on Russian officials and Moscow-backed separatists in Ukraine for another six months, with Russia's new ambassador to the United States remaining on the list, diplomats said.

Interior ministers from the 28 EU member states decided to renew the restrictive measures until March 2018 at a meeting on September 14 in Brussels -- one day before they were due to expire.

In a statement, the European Council said an assessment of the situation in Ukraine “did not justify a change in the sanctions regime.”

Asset freezes and visa bans were first imposed by the EU on people responsible for actions against Ukraine's territorial integrity in March 2014, after Russia occupied and seized control of Crimea. Those sanctions have been extended every six months.

The EU diplomats said that Russia's new ambassador to the United States, Anatoly Antonov, remains on the EU sanctions list as no country asked for his removal.

Antonov, a former deputy defense minister and deputy foreign minister who arrived in Washington on August 31 to take up his post, is under EU and Canadian sanctions but not U.S. sanctions....................

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

Tuka said that militants are afraid of losing Moscow's help

Among the layers of militants, panic spreads due to the possibility of peacekeepers entering the Donbas.

This was stated by the deputy minister for the temporarily occupied territories Georgiy Tuk, reports Inforesist .

"Yesterday was with the French senators at Majorsky (checkpoint Majorsky, ed.). While their official delegation told them all sorts of official things, I went and talked with people. It was told to me that there was really a panic mood on the side, among the militants, especially among the members of the public, "Tuka said.

He also commented on media reports that Russia could abandon the "humanitarian support" of militants and said that this help for militants is critically important.

"If we take solely the economic component, then this is up to 80 percent of the material security of these pseudo-comrades. And if you take a military component, that's 100 percent, "he said.

glavcom.ua , Original in Ukrainian / Українською мовою

Co-founder and executive director of the Russian antivirus company "Kaspersky Lab" Eugene Kaspersky, agreed to give evidence at a hearing in the US Congress.

This is stated in a letter from Kaspersky, reports Reuters.

The topic of discussion in the technology committee will be the security of software used by the Russian company.

"I appreciate and accept the invitation to testify to the US House of Representatives committee on science, space and technology, and if I can get an expedited visa, I look forward to public discussion of allegations about my company and its products," wrote Kaspersky.

The procedure for giving evidence must be September 27. In addition to Kaspersky, it will be attended by independent American cyber security experts.

Kaspersky's intention to testify against US lawmakers has already been announced in early July, when he first heard allegations of cooperation between his company and the Russian authorities.

The US Congress suggests that Kaspersky Lab, a Russian company established in Russia, may be controlled by the Kremlin .

On September 15, the founder of Kaspersky Labs was asked to give evidence in the US Congress.

On the eve of the United States Department of Homeland Security announced the introduction of a ban on the use of Russian Kaspersky Lab's products in US state agencies .

On September 12, it was reported that Kaspersky Lab closed the United States unit that cooperated with the government.

The largest American consumer electronics store Best Buy has announced the release of Kaspersky Anti-Virus .

The administration of the US president has eliminated Russian Kaspersky Lab from two lists of approved service providers and software for government agencies.

Bloomberg reported that Kaspersky Lab had attacked hackers along with the FSB.

On June 28, the staff of Kaspersky Lab interviewed FBI agents at their home.

hromadske.ua , Original in Ukrainian / Українською мовою

The Russian government intends to stop providing humanitarian aid to certain areas of the Donbas. The order was given to the Russian Finance Ministry after a meeting with VP Dmitry Kozak on Sept. 1.

Russian news outlet RBK reports citing sources close to the Kremlin, Censor.NET reports.

The instruction to the Finance Ministry says to "exclude from the draft federal budget for 2018 and for the planned period of 2019 and 2020 the full cost of providing humanitarian assistance to certain territories in 2019-2020."

In open documents concerning the formation of the budget of the Russian Federation there is no wording "humanitarian support of certain territories." According to a federal official and two sources of RBK close to the Kremlin, behind this wording is financial assistance to self-proclaimed authorities of Donetsk and Luhansk in the Donbas.

The protocol of the meeting at the office of Kozak reads that the funds will be redirected to infrastructure projects in annexed Crimea and in the Kaliningrad region.

Together, these projects are estimated at 165 billion rubles ($2.9 billion). However it's not possible to estimate, based on these data, how much money is spent from the budget on the Donbas republics, the outlet says.

In addition, RBK's sources in the State Duma and in the government emphasize that even if the authorities decided to stop spending on humanitarian aid to the Donbas, this does not mean that funds will stop coming to Donetsk and Luhansk.

Financing of the Donbas 'republics' is completely classified, described by secret government regulations and closed lines in the budget, said one of the sources of RBK. "Humanitarian support", in his opinion, was only one of several funding channels.

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

The Russian government intends to refuse to provide humanitarian support to certain areas of the Donbas. The corresponding order was received by the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation on the basis of the meeting of Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Kozak, which took place on September 1.

As Tsensor.NET reports , the Russian edition of RBC writes with reference to the source close to the Kremlin .

The order of the Ministry of Finance obliges "to exclude from the project of the federal budget for 2018 and for the planning period 2019 and 2020 in full the expenses for providing in the 2019-2020 years of humanitarian support to separate territories."

In the open documents relating to the formation of the budget of, there is no wording "humanitarian support of individual territories." According to the federal official and two sources of RBC, close to the Kremlin, this formulation covers financial assistance to the self-proclaimed authorities of Donetsk and Luhansk.

From the minutes of the meeting in Kozak, it can be concluded that funds will be redirected to infrastructure projects in the occupied Crimea and in the Kaliningrad region.

Taken together, these projects are estimated at 165 billion rubles ($ 2.9 billion). However, to estimate, based on these data, how much money is spent from the budget on "DPR-LNR", it is impossible, says the publication.

In addition, RBC interlocutors in the State Duma and in the government emphasize that even if the authorities decided to stop spending on humanitarian assistance to Donbass, this does not mean that finance will stop coming to Donetsk and Lugansk.

The financing of the "DPR-LNR" is completely classified, is described by secret government regulations, closed lines in the budget, said one of the sources of RBC. "Humanitarian support", in his opinion, was only one of several funding channels.

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

The spokeswoman for the Russian president, Dmitry Peskov, said that Russia would not abandon "humanitarian aid" to Donbass either now or in the future.

At the same time, he did not report the amount of funding for such assistance, reports RIA Novosti.

Peskov also refused to answer the question of the amount of funding spent by Russia on "assistance" self-titled "DPR" and "LNR".

Previously there was information that the government of Russia intends to abandon "humanitarian support of separate territories" in favor of financing projects in the annexed Crimea and Kaliningrad.

hromadske.ua , Original in Ukrainian / Українською мовою

Introduction of peacekeepers mission in the Donbas will protect citizens from armed violence and will help restore sovereignty and territorial integrity of the state.

This was announced by U.S. Department of State spokesperson Heather Nauert on Wednesday in Washington, D.C., answering a question by Ukrinform correspondent, Censor.NET reports.

"We consider that a possible means of protecting Ukrainian citizens regardless of their ethnicity, their nationality," she said.

Nauert added that the United States saw it potentially as a pathway to restoring Ukrainian sovereignty and territorial integrity. The spokesperson added that the mandate of the mission should extend to the entire territory under the control of pro-Russian forces.

"Any such [peacekeeping] force should have a broad mandate for peace and security throughout the occupied territory of Ukraine up to and including the border with Russia in order to avoid deepening or institutionalizing the divisions inside Ukraine," she said.

In this regard, Nauert emphasized that other countries, in particular Germany, agreed with the United States on this matter. She said that Washington supports the efforts of the Normandy format countries to implement the Minsk accords. She recalled that U.S. Special Envoy Kurt Volker was making direct efforts in this area. According to her, the goal of these steps is to restore Ukraine's territorial integrity and also protect Ukrainians regardless of their religion, ethnicity, or language.

Nauert said that it was important to improve the security situation in the Donbas as a first step.

"We've called repeatedly for Russia to ensure a real and durable cease-fire," Nauert said.

She also stressed the need to withdraw heavy weapons and allow full, unfettered, and safe access to the international monitors, including the international border with Russia.

"[We want to] make sure that monitors who can provide full, fair information in the field have the ability to operate in a dangerous environment safely," Nauert said.

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

Russian President Vladimir Putin in a telephone conversation called on French President Emmanuel Macron to support the proposal of the Russian Federation on "the introduction of a UN mission to support the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission" on Donbas.

This is reported by the Kremlin press service.

Recall that the United States acted for UN peacekeepers in the Donbass with a broad mandate and on the border with Russia

September 5 Putin instructed the Russian Foreign Ministry to bring to the UN Security Council a draft resolution on peacekeepers in the Donbass . Putin called the peacekeeping mission exclusively on the clash line.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine called Putin's statement an attempt to introduce aggression with the Ukrainian-Ukrainian conflict.

Subsequently, Ukraine brought to the attention of the UN Secretary-General the position on peacekeepers in the Donbas.

hromadske.ua , Original in Ukrainian / Українською мовою

At present, the London police are operating at the site of the explosion - the Parsons Green subway station.
The Embassy of Ukraine in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland finds out information about the possible presence of Ukrainians among those who suffered at the London subway blast, according to Tsensor. NET , referring to UNIAN.

"Important: The London police are operating at the site of the explosion (metro station), Parsons Green. The Embassy checks the presence of Ukrainian citizens among the victims," ​​the statement reads in the embassy of Ukraine.

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

The head of Russia's sales representative in the Netherlands Alexander Cherevko died.

As the Censor tells. NO , what exactly was a cranberry - do not report.

We know only that he got into the hospital in early August. During treatment, his condition deteriorated, several days ago he was transferred to the ward of intensive care and connected to the life support apparatus. Soon, the Dutch doctors recognized the hopeless struggle for the life of the Cranium, as reported to the Russian authorities. Yesterday the trade representative of the Special Emergency Ministry was taken to Moscow, but doctors still failed to save his life.

Russia's trade union in the Netherlands has become the eighth diplomat who died since the end of last year, reminiscent of Echo of Moscow . So, in December 2016, the ambassador in Turkey Andriy Karlov died from terrorist attacks, and in February this year, Russia's representative in the UN Vitaly Churkin died.

According to TASS , the funeral of Alexander Cherevka will take place in Tomsk.

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

The 58th Speaker of the US House of Representatives, New Guingrich, believes that the Russian Federation is exhaling during the conflict with Ukraine and eventually losing it.

As Tsensor.NET informs with reference to "Interfax-Ukraine", he stated this during the 14th annual meeting of the Yalta European Strategy "Is the world a new one and what does it mean for Ukraine?" in Kiev on Friday.

"I think that the Russians will lose from exhaustion. I think that they lose because they have clearly broken international norms," ​​he said.

At the same Gingrich noted that in the question of conflict in Ukraine, the world community does not retreat.

"I think that he (Vladimir Putin, Russian President, ed.) First loses in eastern Ukraine, then loses in the Crimea," said the former speaker of the US House of Representatives.

He expressed the conviction that the current aggression does not bring greatness or prosperity to Russia, but only more and more isolates it from the rest of the world.

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

Russia, conducting large-scale training "West-2017", seeks to show the US and NATO their willingness to war, as well as weaken them, says General of the American Army Jack Kinn.

He expressed such an opinion in exclusive comments during a meeting of the Yalta European Strategy in Kyiv, reports Tsensor. NET with reference to 112 Ukraine.

"These exercises take place every 4 years, the last time it was, Russia invaded the Georgian territory, they invaded and annexed the Crimea in 2014. Indeed, there is a threat to these exercises, it's like some kind of cover up of such operations, plans for the Baltic. I do not think that something really is worth it, but I think that the purpose of these exercises is to demonstrate NATO and the United States that Russia is ready for war and it wants to break NATO and divide Europe in order to weaken it, "he assumes.

Recall that yesterday, these exercises started on the territory of Belarus. In total, they have about 12,700 troops involved.

According to the Ministry of Defense of Belarus, about 10,200 people are involved in the territory of their country (from the Republic of Belarus - more than 7 thousand, from the Russian Federation - about 3 thousand), as well as 370 units of armored vehicles, in particular about 140 tanks; up to 150 units of artillery and RCC; more than 40 planes and helicopters.

According to the plan of exercises, Belarus seeks to prevent the resolution of an armed conflict, destabilization of the situation in the region, and Russia provides it with political support, financial, military-technical and military assistance.

Earlier, the head of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Belarus, Oleg Belokoniev, said that the Russian and Byelorussian troops would oppose the fictional countries of Vesbaria, Lubny and Vejshnia under the scenario of exercises. The first two are located in the territories of Poland, Lithuania and Latvia, and Weihnrii - in the western part of Belarus.

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

Pavlo Gryb, kidnapped by Russian special services, was taken to hospital.

The spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Marian Bets, informed the Public about this.

"We have information that they were taken to one of the specialized medical institutions. Where and when when we clarify, "she said.

Beta added that the Ukrainian consuls were granted permission to meet with Paul Gryb on September 18.

Griba's sister told UP that he was allegedly taken to the survey.

"We know that he was transferred from a SIZO to a hospital, like a survey. But to what exactly and why, we do not know. They are not allowed by either Ukrainian consuls or independent doctors, "said Olga Grib.

Ukrainian lawyer reported that Mushroom got things and products .

Pavlova Mushroom was arrested in Krasnodar by October 17.

On August 28, Ukrainian officer Igor Gryb announced about the kidnapping of his son by special services of the Russian Federation in Belarus. According to him, the FSB lured Paul to Gomel, under the guise of meeting with the girl and detained.

Chernihiv prosecutor's office initiated a criminal investigation into the abduction of a son of a Ukrainian officer . A Belarusian edition of "Euroradio", referring to its sources, said that Gryb was kept under the control of the FSB in Krasnodar.

Subsequently, the Foreign Ministry confirmed that Pavlo Gryb, who disappeared in the Belarusian city of Gomel, is in the administration of the FSB of Russia in Krasnodar.

On September 11, a Russian lawyer said that she was able to meet with Gryb in SIZO of Krasnodar.

hromadske.ua , Original in Ukrainian / Українською мовою

The idea to introduce U.N. peacekeepers in the conflict zone in the Donbas, so unexpectedly supported by Russian President Vladimir Putin, should be thoroughly analyzed and supported with additional guarantees.

Former U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said at the 14th Annual Meeting of Yalta European Strategy (YES) in Kyiv on Friday, Censor.NET reports citing Ukrinform.

"You have to be really careful that it [the Russian proposal - ed.] is not a trap. If you've got this exclusively on the line of contact, then this can conceivably become the de facto recognition of this line of contact as meaning something. It has to be comprehensive throughout Donbas and particularly on the external border. We've got to test the legitimacy of this offer," Kerry said.

He added that over the period of his work as U.S. secretary of state (2013-2017) he was disappointed with the course of the Minsk process.

"In my meetings with [Russian President Vladimir] Putin in Moscow we outlined several times ways we thought that Minsk [process] could have advanced significantly faster and more effectively. And then weeks would go by and there was no meeting," he said.

At the same time, Kerry said that the United States would continue to provide active assistance to Ukraine amid Russian aggression.

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