Ukraine News in brief. Saturday 3 February. [Ukrainian sources]

SATURDAY HEADLINES:
The Russian Embassy demanded that the United States cease the occupation of Russians.  The US Treasury Department warns against extending sanctions against Russia.  "The United States demonstrates who the real aggressor is" is Russia's reaction to the nuclear doctrine.  There was a leak: ex-deputy of the State Duma pointed to important points with the "Kremlin list" of the USA.  Spain handed the US Russian hacker. An American diplomat called two US mistakes in the beginning of Russian aggression in Ukraine.  Mattis expects the Ukrainian parliament to pass a law on national security.  The transfer of American lethal weapons to Ukraine will be timely.  Poltorak met with US Secretary of Defense Mattis.  The Canadian Foreign Ministry criticized the Polish law on the Institute of National Remembrance. In Russia a famous oppositionist was killed.  Sobchak does not reject a trip to the occupied Crimea, but with the permission of Kyiv: "Of course, it is necessary to go there through Ukraine".

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The Russian embassy in Washington demanded that the US authorities stop "capturing Russians all over the world."

This is reported by Tsensor.NET with reference to RIA Novosti.

"We call on the US to establish cooperation between the competent authorities of the two countries on the basis of the Treaty on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters of 1999. We demand that the United States stop the hijacking of Russians all over the world," Russian diplomats said.

So the embassy commented on the extradition of the Russians, Peter Levashov, to the United States.

Previously , it was reported that the Russian embassy did not know about the location of the Levashov extraditable in the United States.

ua.censor.net.ua  In Ukrainian/український

Potential expansion of sanctions on Russia's sovereign debt and securities may turn out to be negative for world markets, according to a report from the US Treasury Department.

According to Tsensor.NET, these data are published by Radio Liberty.

According to the media, the report was sent to the US Congress on January 29.

The US Treasury Department warns that extending sanctions may "hurt" both Russia and investors and the US business."

The document states that the ban on buying new issues of federal loan bonds stops Russia's economic growth, will increase the burden on banks and lead to Moscow's response to Washington.

The report is prepared in accordance with the law "On counteraction to US opponents by sanctions". At the end of January, the document was sent from the Ministry of Finance to the US Congress.

ua.censor.net.ua  In Ukrainian/український

In the Russian Federation reacted to the unveiled nuclear doctrine of the United States.

The new nuclear doctrine of the United States demonstrates who "is a real aggressor on a world scale," Censor.NET reports . This was stated on February 2 in a comment by RIA Novosti, Chairman of the Committee of the Federation Council on Defense and Security Victor Bondarev.

According to him, the document "removes the responsibility of the US leadership for any actions, because it provides too much opportunity for free interpretation of events in the international arena and the situation in the internal affairs of sovereign countries."

Bondariev stressed that in the doctrine Americans "have never provided clear explanations, their own criteria of" threat "or" extraordinary circumstances".

At the same time, the head of the Defense Committee of the Federation Council doubts that "the political leadership of this now disjointed country is so unreasonable that from loud statements to proceed to action."

Bondarev considers the accidental accent of the doctrine that neither the Russian Federation nor the United States of America intend to treat the enemy as an enemy. He believes this to be a confirmation that "Americans do not climb" in an open conflict with the two leading world powers."

On February 2, the US Department of Defense published the "Review of the Nuclear Policy of the Country". It says that Russia and China are replenishing their arsenals with new types of nuclear weapons and "behaving more aggressively." On this basis, the US government has allocated additional funds for the renewal of the country's nuclear potential.

ua.censor.net.ua  In Ukrainian/український

The Kremlin list was initially not intended to be sanctioned by the US Treasury and was supposed to analyze the principles of the Putin regime in order to be subsequently submitted to the Congress for consideration.

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

"There was the most unpleasant thing for the congressmen: the executive did not refuse to do so, and Trump signed this law, because he was accepted almost unanimously, but what they conveyed is not an analyst, but, roughly speaking, a telephone directory in conjunction with an article with Forbes, and with a piece of this article, but not entirely. That is, a purely formal note", - said Ponomariov.

According to him, in the USA between the branches of power broke a scandal through this list.

"On the other hand, it was from there that a secret visit of the Russian intelligence chiefs to the United States a week ago to the United States, despite the fact that they are all subject to sanctions, that is, in order for this visit to take place, all the top leaders of the country should have agreed with it in particular . And it does not coincide that they first arrive, and then in the Congress they give this not a list, and even I do not know how to call it - trash, unsubscribe?" - told Ponomariov.

Despite the superficial character of the list, Ponomariov is confident that all his contributors are also responsible for the situation in Russia.

"But my position as a whole is this: all the rich people of the country and all government officials are really responsible for what is happening, in particular, from the point of view of the war." One way or another, they can not stand apart from politics, and even when they are simply silent, it's all the same already means support for what is happening in this sense, of course, the question to all", - is sure the ex-deputy.

apostrophe.ua  In Ukrainian/український

Russian hacker Petr Levashov, who is suspected of collaborating with the Russian government, was extradited from Spain to the United States

This was stated by the US Department of Justice, writes Reuters.

Prosecutors blamed Levashov for launching the Kelihos botnet, a network of more than 100,000 infected devices used by cybercriminals to spread viruses, extortion, phishing scams and other spam attacks.

In turn, writes DW.com , lawyers from Levashov from Spain said that he served in the Russian army and worked for the party "United Russia".

According to the defense, Levashov was afraid that he would be compelled to convey confidential information to the American authorities, but the court rejected this argument.

Levashov was arrested on April 8 in Barcelona on the basis of an international order issued by Interpol in response to a US request.

Recall US intelligence is convinced that the government of Russia is behind the cyber attacks on the systems of electronic correspondence of individuals and institutions in the United States, including the scourge of the electronic boxes of political organizations.

Earlier it was reported that Mr. iderlandski secret services spied on Russian hackers who broke into the headquarters of Clinton.

espreso.tv  In Ukrainian/український

In the beginning of Russia's aggression in Ukraine, the United States made two mistakes - they were supposed to talk more about the Budapest memorandum and to give Kiev a fatal military system.

This was stated by an ex-ambassador to Ukraine in Ukraine, director of the Brookings Institution for arms control and non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction Steven Pifer in an interview with realist.online.

"If I return to 2014, then I think that the administration of President Barack Obama (former US president) made two mistakes: first, they had to talk more about the Budapest memorandum, because that would be the answer to the questions of those Americans , who do not fully understand his story, asking: "What is the matter for Ukraine?" And the answer was that the Budapest memorandum became the basis for Ukraine getting rid of 2,000 nuclear weapons that were designed and created to to hit the US, "he said.

The diplomat stressed that now the US must fulfill its obligations.

"Also, I think that the Obama administration four years ago could consider what it was time to provide Ukraine with lethal military systems, which it did not do. And I am glad to see that Trump Administration (US President Donald Trump - ed.) is now taking such a step", - he stressed.

According to Pifer, he understands why Ukrainians are now dissatisfied with the memorandum. But on the other hand, if Ukraine tried to preserve nuclear weapons in 1993-1994, it could make such a choice, although it would face some difficulties. Most of the infrastructure for the storage of nuclear weapons was in Russia, not in Ukraine.

"And if Ukraine tried to preserve nuclear weapons in 1994, I assume that there would be no development of relations between Ukraine and the USA or between Ukraine and Europe, there would be no relations with the EU or with NATO, there would be no strategic partnership, or "Kuchma-Gore" commission. If Ukraine were to come to the IMF, it could be that American and European executive directors vetoed any loans for Ukraine. I think there would be serious political and economic consequences for Ukraine." - summed up the diplomat.

apostrophe.ua  In Ukrainian/український

US Defense Secretary expects Ukraine's national security law to be adopted soon, which will form the basis for successful defense reforms.

This is stated in a statement by the Pentagon spokeswoman Dana White on the results of the meeting of defense ministers of Ukraine and the United States.

"He praised Minister Poltorak for his country's constant courage in the face of Russian aggression and reaffirmed the support of the United States for the purposes of Ukrainian military reform," the statement said.

"He named the law on national security as a priority issue and expressed the hope that the Presidential Administration and the Ukrainian parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, would take rapid measures and adopt legislation that would provide a solid legal basis for the implementation of defense reforms in support of a safe and democratic Ukraine," they said in a statement. The Pentagon

Both leaders undertook to strengthen a strong partnership between the United States and Ukraine, based on shared security interests and common principles.

As reported, following a meeting with the head of the US Defense Department Poltorak said that Ukraine had "full understanding" on the issue of the transfer of American lethal weapons.

According to him, the decision to transfer Javelin anti-tank systems will be taken "very timely", and the time frame is irrelevant.

espreso.tv  In Ukrainian/український

Defense Minister of Ukraine, Army General of Ukraine Stepan Poltorak said that in the issue of the transfer of American lethal weapons to Ukraine reached "full agreement" with the head of the US Defense Department James Mattheys.

He announced this on Friday at the Embassy of Ukraine in Washington on the results of a meeting at the Pentagon, informs Tsensor.NET with reference to Ukrinform.

"We have addressed all issues, in particular, the issue of the United States decision to transfer (in Ukraine - Ed.) Lethal weapons, we have discussed the mechanism, as it will develop, and there is complete agreement in this," said the head of the Ukrainian defense department .

The Minister thanked the American side for "a timely and proper decision" on the transfer of lethal weapons to Ukraine. He called it "a great signal for Ukraine and a signal for Russia that Ukraine has not remained alone with Russia's aggression." It also, in his words, is a signal for other partners about the need to help and cooperate with Ukraine.

"The decision (United States - Ed.) Was timely and correct, and the transfer (weapons - Ed.) Will be carried out timely and well thought out", - summed up the Ukrainian minister.

Recall, the head of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine Stepan Poltorak on Friday began his visit to the United States.

As it was reported, on December 25, 2017, ABC News, referring to several sources at the State Department of the United States, announced the intention of US President Donald Trump to approve the plan for supplying anti-tank missiles to Ukraine. According to sources, it is about supplying 210 anti-tank missiles and 35 launches for $47 million. Later, the information was confirmed.

On January 28, 2018, the US Special Representative for Ukraine, Kurt Volker, said that Ukraine and the United States are working together to transfer the Armed Forces of Ukraine to the Javelin PTRK, but this takes time.

ua.censor.net.ua  In Ukrainian/український

Minister of Defense of Ukraine Stepan Poltorak held a personal meeting with the head of the American defense department James Mattheys on Friday.
This is reported by Tsensor. NET with reference to Ukrinform.

Heads of defense departments did not make remarks after the meeting, as previously anticipated. However, the parties expressed their hope for further fruitful bilateral cooperation.

The Pentagon also said that the United States will continue the policy of pressure on Russia because of its aggression against Ukraine. In addition, he drew attention to reforms in Ukraine and the need for anti-corruption efforts.

Previously, it was anticipated that the parties should discuss, among other things, the supply of US defense weapons to Ukraine.

ua.censor.net.ua  In Ukrainian/український

Minister for Foreign Affairs of Canada Christine Friland expressed concern at the adoption by the Polish Parliament of a law on the Institute of National Remembrance.

This is reported by Tsensor. NET with reference to ZN.

The diplomat stressed that this law threatens freedom of speech and academic debate.

"Canada is worried about the possible impact on the freedom of speech of the Polish bill on complicity in the Holocaust, and we call on Poland to respect scientific knowledge and to ensure the openness of discussions and education about the horrors of Nazi death camps," wrote the head of the Canadian Foreign Ministry on her Twitter page on Friday, 2 February

Read also: Ukraine is not determined to exacerbate relations with partners, - Groisman on the Polish law on the "ideology of banderism"

As reported, the Senate of Poland on the night of February 1 passed without amendments the law on the Institute of National Remembrance, which foresees, in particular, the punishment for "crimes of Ukrainian nationalists".

Recall that on January 26, the Polish Sejm supported an amendment to the law on the Institute of National Remembrance. It is based on punishment for attributing to the Polish people the crimes committed by the Third Reich and other crimes against humanity, peace and war crimes, as well as for the promotion of the so-called "Bandera ideology". The punishment provides for a fine or imprisonment for a term up to three years. The law was criticized in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine.

In Israel, the document caused a flurry of indignation. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that his country "will not cope with distortion of the truth, rewriting history or denying the Holocaust." Most of the Knesset MPs supported the Israeli bill proposed January 31, according to which the senators of Poland approved the document as an illegal denial of the Holocaust. The US State Department spokeswoman Gizier Neuert expressed fears that the law could undermine freedom of speech in Poland , noting that the wording "Polish death camps" is indeed inaccurate and misleading.

The President of Poland Andrzej Duda has promised to thoroughly analyze this law.

ua.censor.net.ua  In Ukrainian/український

Oppositionalist Konstantin Sinitsyn was killed in St. Petersburg.

This is reported by the Russian edition of Medusa.

It is noted that the body of the opposition was discovered on January 26th.

Sinitsyn was 53 years old. He was a regular participant in opposition actions.

Konstantin Sinitsyn was discovered in the entrance of his house with signs of severe head injuries.

Police arrested a 44-year-old man who allegedly saw Sinitsyn alive as the last.

According to the publication, men encountered a conflict.

It is also noted that on January 28, human rights defender Dinard Idrisov was beaten up near St. Petersburg in his home.

As reported by the "Apostrophe", throughout the territory of Russia, during the mass protests of supporters of the oppositionist Oleksiy Navalny, 257 people were detained.

apostrophe.ua  In Ukrainian/український

Russian presidential candidate Ksenia Sobchak does not reject the possibility of traveling to the annexed Crimea, at the same time clarified that, in case of a visit, he will do so through the territory of mainland Ukraine.

As informs  Tsensor.NET,  she told about this in an interview with the RTVI channel.

"Let's live - let's see, the campaign is just beginning ... I think that the Crimea, according to international agreements, is Ukrainian, so we need such procedures. Of course, it is necessary to go there through Ukraine," Sobchak said.

At the same time, she added that the trip to the Crimea is not planned yet.

ua.censor.net.ua    In Ukrainian/український

Senator John McCain opposed ever-greater criticism from the US President Donald Trump and legislators from the Republican Party against the Federal Bureau of Investigation, saying that they only strengthen Russia's President Vladimir Putin

This is reported by Voice of America.

McCain made such a statement about the promulgation of a Republican document, which criticizes the Ministry of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation for the alleged "outrageous" abuse of power.

He added that "the latest attacks on the FBI and the Ministry of Justice do not serve the American interests, nor the interests of any party or president, but only Putin's interests."

McCain said that the rhetoric of the Republican Party (and MacCain also belongs to the Republican Party) has a long-term detriment to the interests of the United States.

As reported, Republicans from the US House of Representatives issued a secret report accusing senior FBI and Justice officials of bias in the early stages of an investigation into the ties between Trump's team and Russia's interference in elections.

The document states that high-ranking government officials contributed mainly to democrats. Reporters from federal law enforcement agencies are accused of exceeding their authority when they applied for permission to monitor the ex-counsel of the Trump Campaign - Carter Page.

espreso.tv  In Ukrainian/український