Ukraine News in brief. Friday 1 December. [Ukrainian sources]

FRIDAY HEADLINES:
In Russia, all American media can banned entry into the State Duma Parliament.  Effective Pressure: Trump was an example of damages from US sanctions for big business in the Russian Federation.  US general circled the Ukrainian tank and shot at an anti-aircraft gun.  The US court sentenced the son of a deputy of the State Duma Seleznev to 14 years in prison.  It became known that a Russian oligarch detained in France was linked to LNR militants.  Putin's consumables: interesting details about the Russian oligarch detained in France appeared.  Ukrainian Church will never return to the Moscow Patriarchate, Filaret. Filaret told how he was deceived by the Moscow Patriarchate.  US State Department has extended Volker's mandate to work in Ukraine.  If Ukrainians want Ukraine to be strong and successful, it is necessary to complete the implementation of the reforms begun in 2014.  In Russia, more than 2,200 Ukrainians have been imprisoned.  Famous British television channel showed map with "Russian" Crimea.  EU has lifted the ban on buying fuel in Russia for a flight to Mars.  "US, Germany support peacekeepers’ introduction in Donbas.  Among the OSCE observers in the Donbass are 39 Russians. The man who made an explosion in the court of Nikopol, was afraid that the murderers of his son will be released.  

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The State Duma will consider a resolution prohibiting journalists from all US media from going to the lower house of the Russian parliament.

This was reported by the chairman of the State Duma Committee on control and regulation Olga Savastyanova, reports Interfax.

Sevastyanova said that deputies would recommend a similar ban at the regional level: journalists from all US media outlets would not be able to attend regional legislative meetings.

The vote was scheduled for December 6.

The ban will be introduced in response to the decision of the US Congress, which revoked the accreditation of the Russian-funded television channel RT (formerly known as Russia Today). Congressmen did not accept measures against other Russian mass media.

The website of the Russian Foreign Ministry lists 21 correspondents of the US media, accredited by the ministry.

Earlier, the bureau of radio and television correspondents, dealing with media access to the US Congress, stripped RT of the accreditation channel under the US lawmaking body.

hromadske.ua  In Ukrainian/український

The United States notes the existence of specific effects of restrictive measures against Russia, in particular in the field of oil production, and underline the determination to introduce a new package of sanctions , which was approved by the Congress in the summer.

This was reported by the Director of the Office for the Control of Foreign Assets (OFAC) of the US Treasury Department John Smith in a report at the hearings in Congress, reports Ukrinform.

"An important priority of OFAC's activity is the response to Russia's efforts to destabilize the situation in Ukraine," said Smith.

According to him, US sanctions against the Russian Federation have their influence.

"In October, the Russian oil company Rosneft announced the cessation of a major oil project in the south of the Black Sea basin, citing sanctions that restrict its ability to obtain modern mining technologies and equipment," - said the director of OFAC.

He noted that Rosneft is subject to US sector sanctions, limiting opportunities for financing, goods, technologies and services for a number of oil projects.

"This creates additional pressure on the Russian government to rethink its actions and appreciate the need to interfere in Ukraine with financial losses caused by our sanctions," says John Smith.

He added that the US is constantly coordinating its actions with the European Union. Smith says there is an understanding of other allies and partners who avoid dealing with Russian business, which only exacerbates the impact of sanctions on the part of the United States.

apostrophe.ua  In Ukrainian/український

The US National Guard delegation, headed by Major General David Boldwin, visited the 169th Training Center of the Land Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine "Desna"

This is reported by the press service of the Ministry of Defense.

In the Desna, American soldiers showed the driving of combat vehicles on a tank-train, training soldiers in defense and offensive, overcoming the psychological barrier of obstacles, engineering training, training of shooting small arms, anti-aircraft, tanks.

In addition, Maj. Gen. Baldwin personally sat on the levers of the Ukrainian tank and made a circle on the training route, and also aimed at a target from an anti-aircraft installation.

"I was very impressed with the quality of the exercises that are taking place here, I want to note the work of your sergeant instructors, they are very experienced and skilfully transfer to their students the experience gained in ATO," said Major-General of the American Army.

The cooperation between the National Guard of California and the Armed Forces of Ukraine lasts for about 25 years. In particular, it concerns joint exercises, training of instructors, logistical and advisory assistance.

"This is a very close cooperation and it is just growing every day. We work together, we learn together and we develop together," added Baldwin.

During the visit to Desna, American guests were most interested in the ATO experience and how it is being introduced into the learning process.







espreso.tv  In Ukrainian/український

Convicted in the United States for 27 years in prison for cyber-bullying, Russian hacker Roman Seleznev, son of a deputy of the Russian State Duma Valery Seleznev, added 14 more years of imprisonment for two new allegations.

The new term will be in parallel with the previous one, reported in the US Department of Justice, informs Censor.NET.

He also has to pay compensation for both cases in excess of $ 53 million.

Previously, he pleaded guilty to two criminal cases in Georgia and Nevada.

In 2008, Russians took part in the transfer of cash after the wrecking company carrying out remittances. In addition, he is accused of involvement in the theft of credit card data along with a group of hackers.

Seleznev was detained by the US secret services in 2014 in the Maldives. In April 2017, the jury sentenced him to 27 years in prison. The prosecutor's office found that 3700 different financial institutions, more than 500 companies around the world and millions of credit card holders suffered from Seleznyov's actions. The Russian embassy in the US then expressed a protest in connection with the verdict. Father Seleznev, a deputy of the State Duma of the Liberal Democratic Party, called the arrest of his son "kidnapping".

ua.censor.net.ua  In Ukrainian/український

A Russian oligarch detained in France, a member of the Federation Council of the Russian Federation, Suleiman Kerimov, is involved in the financing of "LNR" fighters.

This was stated in an interview with "Apostrophe" by former deputy of the State Duma of the Russian Federation Ilya Ponomariov.

"You do not say about it here, you practically do not conduct an investigation into how the financial flows were built in ORDLO, and the key person in terms of financing LNR was Suleiman Kerimov, because he legalized the sale of the products of the Alchevsk Iron and Steel Works, which once belonged In [the corporation] "Industrial Union of Donbass", there [Vitaliy] Haiduk, [Oleg] Mkrtchan. It was Kerimov who took over the products of this enterprise and implemented it on his own behalf in Russia, that is, the largest money contraband of the LNR went through its hands this friend", - emphasized Ponomariov.



apostrophe.ua  In Ukrainian/український


A Russian oligarch detained in France, a member of the Federation Council of the Russian Federation, Suleiman Kerimov, has long been regarded as apolitical in Russia.

This was stated by an ex-deputy of the Russian State Duma Illya Ponomariov in an interview with "Apostrophe".

"He (Kerimov, ed.) Was not a very big Dagestan businessman, Dagestan is a very restless region, people are from there, as a rule, very hot and restless, he was an oil trader - a fairly standard business that these people are engaged in. Then he began to buy shares of Gazprom and borrow from banks money to buy shares of Gazprom, - he said.

According to Ponomariov, Kerimov built such a pyramid, and it became the largest private owner of shares in Gazprom. At that time, there was a disproportion to the stock price, which was sold in the West and in Russia. He bought the package in Russia, and then, when liberalization took place and the courses were leveled, he earned a lot of money on this.

"And this money immediately brought out of Russia and invested in the West, the amount of money that you understand, about $ 20 billion, just huge money was earned on this, he bought western assets, the problem is that he began to do it in In 2007, when the financial crisis began, he just made an investment - there is a financial crisis, the shares fell, and he lost them all. His total losses were about $ 20 billion, "said the ex-deputy of the State Duma of the Russian Federation.

Ponomariov added that at that time, people close to the Russian state, he extended his helping hand, rescued him. And from that moment on, he began to make a variety of services (mostly of an international nature, since he himself was about to retreat to the West) in the interests of the Kremlin.

"There was a lot of these services, but the most resonant story - when he put under control one of Belarus's key Belarusian enterprises, which caused a serious conflict with [President of Belarus Alexander] Lukashenka. It is clear that this was one of the actions of the Kremlin for additional the lever of control over Belarus", - he stressed.

In addition, there are rumors that Kerimov, too, on behalf of the Kremlin, financed a candidate for the presidency of France at the 2017 election, Marin Le Pen. And one of the first versions that appeared in Russia, why he was now detained: what is the president of France, Emmanuel Macron decided to take revenge on Suleiman.

"But there is also a more systematic version. The most serious and dangerous version for the Russian elite is that in fact, Kerimov was going to detain the FBI by the law that was adopted in the summer [in the United States] on sanctions (the new law introduces the publication of reports on individuals from Putin's environment) for the further imposition of sanctions against them, - "Apostrophe"). They should just prepare a list of entrepreneurs who are in Putin's environment and who on the instructions of Putin implement external political projects", - said Ponomariov.

He specified that Kerimov for Putin was a consumable material. And he has lit several times in these same international projects of influence, which were carried out with significant money, both with Belarus and now with Ukraine, therefore there is a version that he was one of the priority objects for Americans. And in order to prevent his arrest at the request of the FBI, someone in Russia has decided to strike a warning strike - to trick the French in order to be detained by the French.

"Kerimov's pledge of 5 million euro is nothing at all. And on the eve of the support of this version, the French prosecutor's office objected to Kerimov's release on bail, which means that they are not set up for a long process, but want to do it very quickly. Otherwise, in such cases, a person would have been under security on this same villa, and the fact that they want to keep him in jail means that they want to do everything for a maximum of two months, "Ponomariov said.

He recalled that the Russian Foreign Ministry had already stated that Kerimov as a senator was an official, and on the grounds that he was an official person, he should immediately be extradited to Russia and judged already in Russia.

"This looks exactly like the French were used to detain him and then send him to Russia. So, now, among the Russian opposition, we are very actively discussing how to put pressure on the government and France and the United States to bring the trial of Kerimov necessarily took place in the West, and not in Russia", - summed up Ponomariov.

apostrophe.ua  In Ukrainian/український

The head of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Kyiv Patriarchate (UOC-KP) Filaret (Denisenko) states that instead of reconciliation, the Russian Orthodox Church is trying to return the UOC-KP to the Moscow Patriarchate.

Tsensor.NET informs about it with reference to Interfax-Ukraine .

"We now again want to call for talks on returning to the Moscow Patriarchate. I want to declare ... first of all, the Moscow Patriarch and the Russian Bishopric: never will the Ukrainian Church return to the Moscow Patriarchate, why not return? Because we have our own state," - the head of the UOC-KP said at a press conference in Kiev on Friday.

Patriarch Filaret explained: "You see how Moscow deceives, it can not be trusted ... And in the church's plan, they demanded an appeal for reconciliation, that is, prayer unity, but again we are inclined to return (to the Moscow Patriarchate - Ed.), "- he said.

At the same time, Patriarch Filaret considers dialogue between churches as possible to recognize the autocephaly of the UOC of the Kyiv Patriarchate, but not the transition of the Kyivan Patriarchate to the Moscow Patriarchate.

As reported, on the eve of the day was published a letter from Patriarch Filaret addressed to the head of the Russian Orthodox Church Patriarch Kirill and the bishopric of the Russian Orthodox Church. The UOC-KP said that the letter was written in order to be the reason for the restoration of the possibility of prayer unification at the Cathedral.

ua.censor.net.ua    In Ukrainian/український

The Russian Orthodox Church manipulated Filaret to write a letter regarding the return of the Ukrainian Autocephalous Church to the Russian

This was announced by the head of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church at a press conference in his own residence, reports Espresso.TV

According to Filaret, the representatives of the Moscow Patriarchate were asked to reconcile with Moscow. But for this purpose it was necessary to remove from the head of the UOC anathema, which was imposed in 1997.

Hilarion Alfeev (episcopal of the Russian Orthodox Church) asked to write to the Patriarch and the Episcopate, arguing that without this they would not be able to consider the issue of reconciliation at the Synod, especially in the Cathedral.

"I wrote this appeal, which stressed that we also want reconciliation with the Russian Orthodox Church, but this did not happen, because the Cathedral, using my appeal, sent it not to reconciliation, but as if we want to return to the Moscow Patriarchate," - said the Patriarch of the UOC.

He noted that "God has given us the state, where there should be an independent church," and added that all autocephalous churches have gone through a similar path of separation.

The UOC recently unveiled a letter to Filaret with apologies to Russian patriarch Kirill. The Russian Bishops' Council has already stated that "it welcomes reception" as a step towards overcoming the split and restoring church communication from those who once fell away from unity."

After the adoption by the Verkhovna Rada of the Act on the proclamation of Ukraine's independence, Metropolitan Filaret then convened the Local Council of the UOC, which unanimously adopted the decision on autocephaly of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.

And at the Bishops' Council in 1992 for "breaking the oath before the Cross and the Gospel", the Russian Orthodox Church deprived him of all degrees in the priesthood.



espreso.tv/  In Ukrainian/український

The Special Representative of the United States Department of State in Ukraine Kurt Volker has extended his mandate to work on the topic.

As informs Tsensor.NET , about this LIGA.net reported sources in diplomatic circles.

"He has been extended his mandate for work in Ukraine for days", the interlocutor said.

In mid-November, after meeting with the assistant to the Russian president, Vladislav Surkov, Volker said that the terrorists of the DPR / LNR should not participate in talks on the introduction of UN / OSCE peacekeepers in the Donbas. According to him, the US insists that during the implementation of the Minsk agreements and discussion of the mission, the hybrid Russian army stopped the fire: only in this case, the beginning of the political process is possible. Speaking about the results of that meeting, the diplomat said that "it was a step back."

After that Volker met with the head of the Foreign Ministry, Pavel Klimkin; he said that Russia "does not want to create peace". The representative of the State Department added that the battles in the Donbass will not end soon and, most likely, will continue in a year.

ua.censor.net.ua  In Ukrainian/український

US Ambassador to Ukraine Mari Jovanovic stresses that the Ukrainian authorities need to complete the reforms that have been initiated.

As informs Tsensor.NET and referring to Interfax-Ukraine , speaking at the Civil Assembly: "Smart Reforms" on Friday in Kiev.

"If Ukrainians see the prospect of a strong, successful Ukraine, it is necessary to complete the implementation of reforms that began in 2014," she said.

American diplomat also appealed to civil society leaders to continue work in the field of reforms.

"You are the future of Ukraine, and you will continue to be an example for new generations," added Yovanovich.

ua.censor.net.ua  In Ukrainian/український

In Russia today, more than 2,200 Ukrainian citizens have been imprisoned in various cases.

This was announced by Verkhovna Rada Human Rights Commissioner Valery Lutkovsky, reports Radio Liberty.

"These are different citizens, and those who are convicted or persecuted for committing just a criminal offense, those who became victims of trafficking, but were convicted, both those who committed a criminal offense and those who were convicted of a criminal offense , but we consider them as political", - said Lutkovska.

According to her, the way of release of political prisoners is "political negotiations".

Lutkovska said he is continuing talks with Russian ombudsman Tetyana Moskal'kova about the possibility of mutual visits - Ukrainian prisoners detained in Russia, and visiting Russians - on the territory of Ukraine. Usually, as reported by the ombudsman, contacts with a Russian counterpart are taking place in absentia, or directly at international meetings.

hromadske.ua  In Ukrainian/український

The BBC Sports Sport Broadcasting Corporation (BBC Broadcasting Division) has published a map of Russia with locations for matches at the 2018 World Cup, which features the occupied Crimea as part of the Russian Federation.

Deputy Minister of Information Policy Dmytro Zolotukhin drew attention to this map.



One can notice that the Crimea on this map is colored in red, as well as the territory of the Russian Federation.

Please note that at the moment the news with the specified map is not available on the BBC Sport website, but through the resource search system you can find its "preview."

apostrophe.ua  In Ukrainian/український

The EU Council has partly abolished the ban on Russian fuel purchases to ensure the sending of a mission to Mars in 2020

This is reported by the EU official magazine .

Corresponding changes were made to Regulation No. 833/2014 on sanctions for Russia's actions, which would destabilize the situation in Ukraine. The ban on the purchase of hydrazine for sending an ExoMars operator module is canceled.

"On November 30, 2017, the Board decided to allow certain operations with hydrazine (CAS 302-01-2) at concentrations of 70% or more required for the flight of the ExoMars operator module, as well as ExoMars descents tests and flights in the ExoMars 2020 mission," - said in a message.

Prohibitions have been canceled for providing technical or financial assistance related to the sale, supply, transfer or export and import, purchase or transportation of hydrazine (CAS 302-01-2) at concentrations of 70% or more.

In the EU, it was noted that operations on the purchase of hydrazine in Russia are only allowed within the framework of the ExoMars-2020 mission. ExoMars is a joint study program for Mars of the European Space Agency and the Federal Space Agency of Russia.

Hydrazine is a chemical compound with the formula N 2 H 4, which is used in the manufacture of polymeric foam, pharmacology, as well as a component of rocket fuel.

-Recall that in late October, the US State Department has prepared a new package of sanctions against Russia, which concerns Russian defense enterprises . These restrictive measures have not yet been approved.

-On November 1, the US Treasury Department toughen sanctions against Russian oil companies.

-The Canadian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has imposed sanctions against 30 Russian citizens.

espreso.tv  In Ukrainian/український

German and U.S. officials reached a consensus on the deployment of the UN peacekeeping mission in Ukraine’s east.

German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel said visiting Washington D.C. on Thursday, Nov. 30, Censor.NET reports citing DW.

However, he said, there is still 'considerable disagreement' with Russia as for the formation of such a UN peacekeeping mission.

Gabriel also added that UN peacekeepers must ensure adherence to the cease-fire deal and withdrawal of heavy weapons from the Donbas. This would require a reliable mandate of the UN Security Council, he stressed.

As reported, U.S. Special Envoy on Ukraine Kurt Volker said the Trump administration advocates UN peacekeeping mission without Russian personnel in it in the event of its deployment in the Donbas.

The U.S. diplomat reiterated his intent to continue talks on deployment of blue helmets with Russian president's aide Vladislav Surkov.

en.censor.net.ua  In Ukrainian/український

The first deputy chairman of the OSCE Special Monitoring Observer Mission in Ukraine, Oleksandr Hug, said that only 40 countries send observers to the OSCE mission in Ukraine.

He stated this at a briefing, reports Tsensor. NET with reference to the Voice of America.

"50-60% of observers from EU countries. The largest contingent of observers from one country is the contingent of the United States, which in total is 66. Russia contingent - 39 observers in the mission," said Hug.

"Surveillance patrols consist of representatives from different countries, after patrolling, all members of the surveillance patrol must agree on their report, with patrols consisting of 6-8 participants - different in their nationality and origin," said Hug.

He also noted the difficulties in accessing OSCE observers.

"There are villages along the contact line, which have been experiencing the fourth winter without heating, some have no electricity, which makes life very difficult. We only see the tip of the iceberg - you can only imagine the tension that exists in regions where our ears and eyes are missing."- said Hug.

 ua.censor.net.ua  In Ukrainian/український

Anna Shevchenko, the wife of one of the sons of Ruslan Tapayev, who blew up two grenades in the court building, believes that the desperate step of the father-in-law was prompted by the fact that the guilty of his son's death could be released.

As informs Tsensor.NET, she informed about it " KP in Ukraine".

The daughter of 51-year-old Ruslan Tapayev, who on November 30 threw two grenades in the building of the Nikopol City Court, now lives in Nikopol. All others moved to Zaporozhye after one of the brothers of a large family, Rizvan Tapayev, was killed in February 2016.

Apart from him, Anna has four children at his hands, a man - Sultan Tapayev - serves a term for knocking down two girls.

"Father in general, after what happened, got lost, he did not need anything," the daughter-in-law says. "Three were charged with murder, but in fact there were seven people and the organizer was the most important one, being a witness in the case. According to my information, he fled from Ukraine, Ruslan was worried that he would release the three, especially since the term of his detention was ending on December 3. He could not allow it, you know, he just lived with these courts and believed in the fact that the killers would be punished."

Anna believes that on a desperate step, Sveorok decided on precisely because he was afraid: the Rizhvan assassins would not receive proper punishment and now they would be released. And the fact that the meeting of November 30th in fact never happened, broke it. At the same time, the woman is confident that his act is not related to the fact that he wanted to protect the Sultan, which one of the defendants allegedly threatened to get on the "zone".

"It's not related to the Sultan, he received his term of 6 years, serving sentences," says Anna. "His act was unintentional, and Ryzvan was killed deliberately. All this Trinity is well known in the criminal circles of Nikopol, with whom There is also drug trafficking and weapons, but I ask not to associate Ruslana's action with the Sultan, no one has threatened anyone, it's all the rumor."

For the whole family of Tapayev's death Ruslana is a great tragedy. The family is orphaned - there is no father, one brother is killed, the other is in prison. Anna says she was a very good person, she worked as a zoo technician throughout her life, helped her children, and loved her grandchildren. Ruslan Tapayev is buried in a Muslim cemetery near the Dnieper, where his rebels son Ryzhan rests.

Recall that on November 30 at 11:20 in the Nikopol District Court during the hearing two explosions occurred . Now the police are conducting an examination and necessary investigative actions. According to the fact to the Unified Register, information is provided according to clauses 1 and 5, part 2, Article. 115 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (intentional murder).

ua.censor.net.ua  In Ukrainian/український

The Russian-occupying troops have created a fake page of the ATO headquarters correspondent Vasily Labay on the Facebook network and distributed false information to them

This is reported by the press center of the ATO headquarters.

"The Russian-occupation troops have created a clone-personal account page of the spokesman of the ATO headquarters Vasyl Labay on the Facebook network, on whose behalf the occupiers spread information that does not correspond to the reality of the conduct of the ATO," the statement reads.

The headquarters stressed that reliable information is placed exclusively on the official website of the ATO headquarters press office and the Ministry of Defense website. The department urged the public not to submit to the provocation of the enemy.



-Facebook will tighten control over advertising after revealing political ads before the US elections, which were paid from Russia.

-Facebook will allow some users to see if they liked posts and pages that have Russian propaganda.

-The Council of the EU and the European Parliament for the first time in history have allocated money to fight Russian propaganda.

espreso.tv  In Ukrainian/український