Ukraine crisis. News in Brief. Tuesday 30 June [Ukrainian sources]

TUESDAY

Please scroll down to view news items added during the course of he day

News -
Reading that the Russians fired 83 times at the Ukrainian troops during the past 24 hours.
Not much detail as of yet regarding fatalities, or injured.
Update - reading no deaths, 3 injured. See posting some way down.
The long weekend ends. People are heading back to work. The car parks that were half full were packed early this morning.
People must have gone to their dachas or visiting relatives at the weekend. And now all have returned.

Western papers are flooded with Greece. Who knows what will happen?
They are sure to default, but want to sue the EU also.
They owe the Germans 50 billion dollars, and they plan to sue! Unbelievable. Such are the Greeks.
Never, ever, go there on holiday. They'll take the shirt off your back!
Reading of Putin building up forces near Stanitsa Lugansk. Presumably going to press again.
This town is located north east of lugansk - very close to the theoretical Russian border.

Weather -
Pleasant. Blue sky. 15 at 0600 this morning. Now near 20. But the weekend could move towards 30C.

8:29
The militants are preparing large-scale provocations at Stanitsa Lugansk - ATO headquarters (Tyzhden.ua)
http://tyzhden.ua/News/139687

8:45
All civilians have left Shirokino - OSCE (Gazeta.ua)
http://gazeta.ua/articles/np/_z-sirokinogo-viyihali-vsi-mirni-zhiteli-obse/634355
[the town close to Mariupol - Putin's route to occupied Crimea]

8:47
Gunmen opened fire 83 times on the Ukrainian military for Monday - the press center of the ATO (Interfax-Ukraine)
http://interfax.com.ua/news/general/274847.html
В частности, из оккупированного Донецка и его окрестностей боевики стреляли по Марьинке, Красногоровке, шахте "Бутовка", Песках. На Луганщине пострадали Кряковка, Новотошковское, Золотое и Станица Луганская.
Marinka, Krasnogorovke, Bytovka, Krykovka, Novotoshkovskoe, Zolotoe,, Stanitsa Lugansk. ..
8:46
The UN has counted 6,500 victims of the conflict in the Donbas (Krym.Realii)
http://ru.krymr.com/content/news/27101479.html
6500 человек, 16 тысяч ранены. 6500 dead, 16000 injured.
[Personally I don't believe this. Very very conservative figures. I would say between 10 and 15000 dead alone. ]

Putin Allies Aided Russian Mafia in Spain, Prosecutors Say[in English]
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-06-29/putin-allies-aided-russian-mafia-in-spain-prosecutors-say
“This Petrov probe could change the narrative of Putin in the West -- from being a Stalinist tyrant defending the interests of his country to being a product of gangster Petersburg who united authorities with organized crime,”

Clothes and Shoe Stores Close Across Moscow as Crisis Strikes [in English]
http://www.themoscowtimes.com/business/article/clothes-and-shoe-stores-close-across-moscow-as-crisis-strikes/524625.html
About 7 percent of all clothes and shoe shops in Moscow have shut down this year as Russia's economic crisis decimates retail sales, a news report said.
[I would say that the figure is higher in Ukraine - especially furniture shops.
House building is very very slow, and the demand for new furniture must have declined sharply.
I've noticed several clothes shops have shut down also. ]

Another Moscow Times report - it sounds almost biblical...
=====

Locusts, Spiders, Snakes Plague Russian Regions [in English]
http://www.themoscowtimes.com/news/article/locusts-spiders-snakes-plague-russian-regions/524623.html
Locusts have destroyed large swaths of crops in the republic of Bashkortostan and the Orenburg region, prompting the authorities to declare a state of emergency,

In the Rada registered a decree on dismissal of Minister of Ecology Shevchenko (Tsenzor.Net)
http://censor.net.ua/news/341978/v_rade_zaregistrirovano_postanovlenie_ob_uvolnenii_ministra_ekologii_shevchenko
[not sure 100% - think he's the guy who was travelling around European tourist resorts instead of working.. ]

Militants struck the Ukrainian checkpoints at Popasnoi and Vrubovke. Damaged military equipment (ISLAND)
http://www.ostro.org/lugansk/society/news/473981/
[Some detail. Typical violations of the ceasefire by Putin and his terrorists.]

9:44
During 10 days in Odessa plan to change all the militia [police] leadership (phrase)
http://fraza.ua/news/30.06.15/225915/v_techenie_10_dnej_v_odesse_smenitsja_vse_militsejskoe_rukovodstvo.html

09:59
Люди Януковича стають основою партії Плотницького (Expres.ua) [doesn't translate well online ]
Yanukovich's people are the basis of Plotnitsky's party [the LNR puppet terrorist]
http://expres.ua/news/2015/06/30/141545-lyudy-yanukovycha-stayut-osnovoyu-partiyi-plotnyckogo
Plotnitsky's public movement "Peace Luhansk" involves former members of the "Party of Regions"

10:08
Canada imposed sanctions on Gazprom and Russia's Oboronprom (Details)
http://podrobnosti.ua/2043777-kanada-naklala-sankts-na-gazprom-ta-oboronprom-ros.html

GPU: Yanukovych entered into a conspiracy with Andrei and Sergei Klyuyev
http://www.hromadske.tv/politics/gpu-yanukovich-vstupiv-u-zmovu-z-andriyem-i-sergiy/
Prosecutor General of Ukraine asking consent to the prosecution of MP Serhiy Klyuyev to justice, including the detention and arrest.
As the correspondent of the public from the meeting procedural committee, details of the conspiracy Klyuyev and a detailed description of how the Viktor Yanukovych took over Mezhyhirya outlined in the presentation department.

What is Mezhyhirya?? Look at our photo exclusive....
Mezhyhirya Residence - Yanukovich's extravagant house outside Kiev. A photo report (over 50 photos) - UEN Exclusive
https://ukraine-english-news.forumotion.com/t192-mezhyhirya-residence-yanukovich-s-extravagant-house-outside-kiev-a-photo-report-over-50-photos-uen-exclusive

Rada in session
Live now on Rada tv, other usual channels.

What about the removal of Deputy immunity? They said they would discuss it last week - but nothing happened that I know of.
Probably it will be forgotten.

13:58
In "Batkivshina" suggested Yuriy Prodan a possible candidate for the post of Minister of the Environment (Case)
http://delo.ua/ukraine/v-batkivschine-nazyvajut-jurija-prodana-vozmozhnym-kandidatom-na-do-299351/
[Tymoshenko's party.
As long as she is kept away from the oil contracts, Ukraine stands a chance.
She wants to pay a price of 400 dollars to Putin. The market rate now is below 250 I believe.
But if she agrees 400 again, I'm sure Putin will give her a very very big bonus!! ]

WTO recommends Ukraine to abolish special duty on cars (Gazeta.ua)
http://gazeta.ua/articles/economics/_sot-rekomenduye-ukrayini-skasuvati-specmita-na-avtomobili/634397

[Too intelligent by far.
Ukraine has the most expensive cars in the world. And those who are rich want to keep it that way.
So expect the Rada to oppose this. After all - normal people don't need cars. They can travel on buses, or walk.
Cars are for Rada Deputies and oligarchs.
Add to this the brain-morasm of the average Deputy brought up on Soviet protectionism. And the picture is complete. ]

BP has allowed the arrest of the head of the Court of Appeal Chernushenko (Tyzhden.ua)
http://tyzhden.ua/News/139734
[found with a lot of cash - said he was planning lots of dental treatment...
Only a lawyer could come up with that one! ]

17:09
In Mariupol renamed the central Lenin Square (Segodnya.ua)
http://www.segodnya.ua/regions/donetsk/v-mariupole-pereimenovali-centralnuyu-ploshchad-lenina--627759.html
площадь Свободы,- Freedom Square

17:09
In the Donetsk region have yet another ghost town (Socportal.info)
http://socportal.info/2015/06/30/na-donechchini-z-yavilos-shhe-odne-misto-privid.html
[Shirokino, Mariupol]

17:05
The Rada Committee is pleased to support the idea of the ​​arrest of Klyuyev (Pulse of Kiev)
http://politics.puls.kiev.ua/country_policy/335900.html
[Long since disappeared... ]

The Flash, the Boom and the Dark: 8 Days on the Front Line of the Ukraine War
http://dailysignal.com/2015/06/28/the-flash-the-boom-and-the-dark-8-days-on-the-front-lines-of-ukraine-war/
After a few moments, we slowly, one by one, stood up. I put my helmet back on.
zzzOOOooo…
Another shot. We were all on the ground again. “He’s close,” Volodymyr said.
[Brave reporter. 8 days at Pisky...
I've only skim-read it, but looks like a good read]

Ukraine's 'history laws' purge it of communist symbols but divide the population
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/ukraine/11674511/Ukraines-history-laws-purge-it-of-communist-symbols-but-divide-the-population.html
[Parfitt for the Telegraph. Personal opinion.
Where I am there is no disagreement. Lenin and the communist cr@p should go]

Just to say, as of this moment - 1800 -
Rada rostrum blocked. Nothing happening. Obviously some discussions going on.

20:25
Committee of the Austrian Parliament approved the ratification of the Association Agreement between Ukraine and the EU - Ambassador (Tsenzor.Net)
http://censor.net.ua/news/342098/komitet_parlamenta_avstrii_odobril_ratifikatsiyu_soglasheniya_ob_assotsiatsii_mejdu_ukrainoyi_i_es_posol
[Austria - wow... Shock...
Who is left... Greece for sure. Greece won't do anything - under Putin's control now. Cyprus probably also - also Greek people. Scumballs. ]

20:38
Around Donetsk airport, fighting has intensified - OSCE (Columnist)
http://obozrevatel.com/crime/38762-vokrug-donetskogo-aeroporta-usililis-boevyie-dejstviya-obse.htm

20:35
Putin gathered in the occupied territories of Ukraine 200,000 military - Poroshenko (Pulse of Kiev)
http://politics.puls.kiev.ua/person/335930.html
Yes, we are asking the United States lfor weapons. It is our right as a sovereign state. But we still did not get anything, "- he said.
[Presume the 200k includes Crimea]

20:45
In Dneprodzerzhinsk demanding the resignation of the mayor, elected from the Party of Regions (Socportal.info)
http://socportal.info/2015/06/30/u-dniprodzerzhins-ku-vimagayut-vidstavki-mis-kogo-golovi-obranogo-vid-partiyi-regioniv.html
According to the protesters, the mayor took responsibility for managing the city under the banner of the Party of Regions in 2010, so now has to answer for the problems in municipal and other areas.

Russia examines 1991 recognition of Baltic independence [in English - bbc]
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-33325842
The Russian chief prosecutor's office is to examine whether the Soviet Union acted legally when it recognised the Baltic states' independence in 1991.
The investigation was described as an "absurd provocation" by Lithuania's Foreign Minister Linas Linkevicius.
Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania were occupied by Soviet communist forces in 1940. The USSR broke up in 1991.
Last week Russia's chief prosecutor declared illegal the transfer of Crimea from Russia to Ukraine in 1954.
[Putin has completely lost his marbles. ]

Turkey-Russia Gas Pipeline Deal Said to Stall on Price Clash [in English]
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-06-30/russia-turkey-gas-pipeline-deal-said-to-stall-on-price-dispute
State-run OAO Gazprom and its Turkish counterpart Botas had a six-month period to agree on prices for gas supplies between the two countries, which expired on Monday. The Ankara-based company now has the right to take the matter to international arbitration, three of the people said, asking not to be named because the information is private.
The dispute over prices means there’s no immediate prospect of signing a binding pact for the new pipeline, the second between Russia and Turkey. An agreement could now be delayed until at least October, two more people said, also asking not to be identified.
The delay is a blow to President Vladimir Putin

Dutch confident MH17 prosecution will succeed, eventually [in English]
http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/06/30/us-ukraine-crisis-mh-idUSKCN0PA1GE20150630
He said based on the pace of the inquiry and the evidence gathered so far he was "confident" that suspects would eventually be brought before a judge.

======

I think we all know the chief suspect - Путин, Владимир Владимирович Putin, Vladimir Vladimirovich

Alfa Jazz Festival, Ukraine's biggest jazz festival sponsored by a Russian billionaire

Called Alfa Jazz Festival, the gathering held in western Ukrainian city of Lviv at the peak of summer is the largest open-air jazz festival in Ukraine, and probably the most important in the Eastern Europe too.

The jazz festival which began in 2011 is funded by one of Russia's richest men, Moscow-based but Lviv-born billionaire Mikhail Fridman who as a child studied at the Lviv music school. Fridman's wealth has helped lure some of the world's top jazz musicians to Lviv as he wanted to make a gift to his native city.

Mikhail Fridman, Russian billionaire: "It is not just a festival for us. We certainly think that we believe what we are doing is a sign that in our beloved home city of Lviv - in such an ancient and forever young city - music will always be playing in the streets. And writers, scientists, poets, philosophers, diplomats and others will always live here. And they will live in a free, democratic, peaceful, prosperous country - Ukraine."

Mayor of Lviv, Andriy Sadovyi, said the festival has become the main point of cultural and economic revival in Ukraine.

Read also 10 must-attend East European festivals this summer

Andriy Sadovyi, Mayor of Lviv: "I think that our enemies would desperately want to see pictures from Ukraine as we see them very often - sad, with problems and so on. But today the whole world will see open Ukraine where the best musicians in the world came to support Ukraine here."

The festival this year was packed with jazz stars and famous musicians from all over the world including Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, and George Benson.

Read also Ukrainian Pagan Fest: Festivities kick off despite stormy weather

Over four years of its history, Alfa Jazz Fest has attracted around 400 jazz musicians and more than 40,000 jazz fans. Part of money raised during the festival will go to charity, namely to buy medical equipment for the rehabilitation department at the municipal hospital and to build a children's playground in central Lviv.

24today.net: VIDEO at link

"Due to the fact that June 30, 2015 completed the term of the supplementary agreement between NAK" Naftogaz Ukraine "and" Gazprom "and the terms of future deliveries of Russian gas to Ukraine has not been agreed today during the tripartite talks in Vienna," Naftogaz " stop buying gas from the Russian company ", - said in a statement.

"The transportation of gas through Ukraine to European customers," Gazprom "will continue in full, in accordance with the contractual terms," ​​- added in the company.

"An important condition for the resumption of purchases of Russian gas is to agree a temporary position on the disputed points of the contract between" Naftogaz "and" Gazprom "for a period at least until the end of the 1st quarter of 2016", - the report says.

See also: Head of the Board "Ukrnafta" revealed the main cause of the scandal around the company

In "Naftogaz" made it clear that arrangements should be laid out and secured in such a way that each of the parties provide confidence in their performance.

"The question of the final settlement between the" Naftogaz "and" Gazprom "will be resolved in the course of the arbitration proceedings with respect to gas supply contract between" Naftogaz "and" Gazprom "in the Arbitration Institute of Stockholm, - the company said.

"In order to avoid unwanted escalation in the gas dispute and prevent the risk of interruptions in gas supplies to European consumers in winter, Ukrainian and European side offered to the Russian side to agree a temporary solution. Unfortunately, the Russian side has not yet accepted this proposal and refused to sign the tripartite government protocol "- stated in a statement.

24today.net: In Russian

Reports of a possible termination of the power of the Crimea from Ukraine have no official confirmation, but in the case of power failure Crimea is ready to apply the measures for energy security, told RIA Novosti , "the minister" Energy Crimea Sergey Egorov.


"Government" of Sevastopol on its website reported citizens about a possible power outage in the city on July 1.

"On the basis of information received from the United electrical networks Ukraine, there is a possibility of blanket or complete power outage on July 1, 2015 with 00 hours in the entire city. All services of life support of the city are in full readiness. All the diesel generators at the disposal of the town , ready to run to ensure uninterrupted power supply of socially important objects of the city, "- said in a statement.

The ability to disable power from the Crimea because of the termination of electricity supply to Ukraine on July 1, in the "Energy" Crimea is not denied nor confirmed.

"I can not comment on rumors (disabling). (If that happens), will raise the whole generation, that we have to enter and graphics outages (GAO). At the peak of the Crimea, we consume 800 megawatts, 300 megawatts will limit by districts rolling blackout "- a spokesman said.

24today.net: In Russian

Site of the President of Ukraine president's words wrongly interpreted President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko in interview with the Italian edition of Corriere della Sera has not declared the presence of 200 thousand fighters in the territory of Ukraine. This was reported by TSN in the press service of the President.

The president was referring to general military presence, concentration, and within Ukraine and near its borders, which poses a danger to the whole of Europe.

"The purpose of sanctions - not to harm Russia and force it to the negotiating table and withdraw its troops. For all clear that these troops are on our territory. This is confirmed by the OSCE. This is confirmed by the fact that the Ukrainian Armed Forces of Ukraine does not just represent the Russian military documents that are equipped with the most modern weapons that kill our civilians and the military, which protect Georgia with weapons of the twentieth century. The behavior of our northern neighbor is not acceptable in the XXI century. Today, this situation poses the greatest danger in Europe. Who is this small area and near it concentrated about 200 thousand. armed men with tanks, electronic warfare, anti-aircraft missile systems, which shot down a plane flight MH-17 "- so it looks like an exact quote the president, which mentions the figure of 200 thousand soldiers.

24today.net: In Russian

The Attorney-General of the Netherlands, together with the coordinator of the investigation of the crash in 2014 Malaysian Boeing-777 in eastern Ukraine Vesterbeke Fred said that established a list of people who may have had to do this crash. This was reported by the French newspaper Le Figaro .

"There is a large group of people that we currently believe are of interest, although technically these people is not considered to be suspects," - said Vesterbeke at a press conference in Rotterdam.

It is worth noting that no data concerning the list of defendants in the personalities he did not name. According Vesterbeke, the investigation is likely to last until the end of this year.

As reported MIGnews.com.ua earlier in July, Malaysia will introduce a draft UN Security Council resolution, which will be discussed on the establishment of the tribunal in the case of the collapse of the Boeing-777 in Donbas.

24today.net: In Russian

The Ukrainian Security Service has received information about the deterioration of the payment of pensions to citizens who volunteered were registered in the so-called "pension fund" illegal groups "DNR."

It is reported by the press-service SBU.

During April-May, the pension paid only for the funds received from the Russian Federation in the amount of approximately 4.3 billion Russian rubles.

Due to the delay in the budget militants "DNI" has no funds for payments to pensioners in June - almost 1.9 billion rubles.

"Such a situation has a negative impact on the socio-political situation in the region, resulting in a recorded single cases of spontaneous protest", - the press-service.

Earlier, a group of "IS" reported that the recovery of the liberated cities of Donbass will cost $ 1.2 mrld.

24today.net: In Russian

Today, June 30,  at the hospital  died in a mortar platoon omandir second hundred of the regiment "Azov" with the call sign "Ratibor". Death was the result of a severe wound he received on June 21 in Donetsk region Shirokino. This is stated in the message of the regiment "Azov" in the social network "VKontakte".

"Do not regaining consciousness from severe shrapnel wounds to the head killed azovets with the call sign "Ratibor." Ratibor - 34-year-old commander of the mortar platoon of the second hundred of the regiment "Azov". A native of Novosibirsk, Russian Federation. On June 21 Shirokino during a mortar attack, covering his fighters, was seriously injured by fragments of 120 mm projectile, "- said in a statement.

It should be noted that  co-workers  " Ratibor "  on the shelf characterized it as a real officer, responsible, honest, demanding, decisive, know their business.

According to the soldiers, their commander, became a model of the fighter for justice, because, "being a citizen of Russia, decided to fight for the country to which showed aggression and brazenly took her land."

As reported  MIGnews.com.ua earlier in the battle near the village of Shirokino Donetsk region died of his wounds a fighter regiment "Azov".

24today.net: In Russian

The confrontation between Russia and NATO could lead to an open war, or to the disintegration of the Alliance. This is stated in the analytical material of the American portal Vox .

In particular, the experts note, the current tension between Russia and NATO has much more in common with the period before the First World War than with the times "cold war."


"Unstable balance, militancy and peripheral conflicts Entangling military obligations, disputes over the future of the European order and dangerous uncertainty about what actions will and will not force another party to the conflict." All of this, experts say, is more like a period of early XX century.


The most likely "point of contact" analysts call the Baltic countries. As Professor of International Relations at Carleton University Steven Saydman, small countries are "most likely the front line of any future crisis."

In particular, politicians pay attention to Estonia, a quarter of whose population is ethnic Russian. In their view, the starting point of the conflict may become Russia's "little green men" in the Estonian town of Narva, a large part of the population which is Russian-speaking.

Events such as the experts say, put NATO faced with a choice - to open fire on the Russian military unmarked, thus risking to start an open war with Russia, or to let the conflict become "frozen."

In the second case, analysts say, the Alliance will fall apart because of their own inability to respond to global threats.

In the case of open confrontation in the worst case - on the ground "nuclear winter."

24today.net: In Russian