Ukraine News. Wednesday 21 March. [Ukrainian sources]

WEDNESDAY HEADLINES:
The current head of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Sergei Lavrov , is likely to not be part of the next government.  Kasparov called the inevitable collapse of Putin's regime and described how to accelerate this process.  US Air Force Strategic Commander General John Height said that at the moment, the US armed forces have no means to protect against hyper-sonic weapons that are being developed in Russia and China.  Poroshenko going to the NATO summit despite the protest of Hungary.  Senator Portman, Ukraine is the main focus of Russian efforts to destroy the leading role of the United States.  US State Department says firms engaged in Nord Stream 2 construction could expose themselves to sanctionsh.  Putin instructed to "work out" the list of political prisoners who Sobchak asked to be released.  European Parliament's committee greenlights legislation that could hit Nord Stream 2.  People’s Front faction head calls Savchenko Kremlin’s agent.  Russian singer Makarevich: “People in Russia are turned into disgruntled morons. Americans are friendlier than we are”. Citizens of the Russian Federation may be obliged to give advance notice of a trip to Ukraine. Poisoning of the Violinist: Ambassadors of Great Britain, France, Germany, USA and China will not come to the meeting with the Foreign Ministry of Russia. Ukraine ranked world’s third cheapest country to live. Poland supports Statement of the US State Department on sanctions against companies working on North Stream-2. In Russia, a 13-year-old student was shooting at school, seven children were injured.

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This is with reference to sources in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian media reported.

According to their information, Lavrov will leave the post of Foreign Minister and will not be part of the new government formed by President Vladimir Putin on the results of the previous elections.

According to sources, the main reason for leaving Lavrov is fatigue. He allegedly wanted to go some years ago, but on a persistent request, Putin completed the presidential election.

At the moment, it is unknown who will take the place of the head of the Foreign Ministry. It is reported that this may be one of the acting deputy ministers (most often called Grushko's name, Russia's representative to NATO in 2012-2018), or a person from another department, including perhaps from the presidential administration.

Sergei Lavrov has headed the Foreign Ministry since March 9, 2004, when, on the eve of the presidential election, Vladimir Putin dismissed Kasyanov's office and offered the post of prime minister Mikhail Fradkov. In 1994-2004, Lavrov was Russia's permanent representative to the United Nations.

apostrophe.ua  In Ukrainian/український

The collapse of the current Russian government is inevitable, and accelerating this process can deprive President Vladimir Putin of support from the side of the oligarchs.

This opinion was expressed in an interview with the Los Angeles Times newspaper by Russian political and public figure Harry Kasparov.

"Russia is a personal dictatorship that openly absorbs many elements of fascist ideology in itself and attacks on its neighbors. It is impossible to put an end to this dictatorship by means of voting. The total control over everything and the grip of power in Russia have reached such a point when it is hardly possible expect a public uprising that would lead to the death of the regime if the regime itself does not weaken as a result of a geopolitical defeat, "Kasparov is sure.

He stressed that the collapse of Putin's government was inevitable, but this does not mean the lightning-fast appearance of democracy in Russia.

In a way that can help fight Putin, Kasparov sees the undermining of the support of the Russian president by oligarchs who want to keep their ties with the West.

"The Western world can confront this very dangerous development, only by making sure that some of its closest associates will have to choose between their personal interests and the preservation of wealth outside Russia on the one hand and deciding whether they want to execute Putin's criminal orders, - on the other", - confident oppositional.

In this case, Kasparov notes that the real split between Putin and the oligarchs can be achieved through a real deflection of the actions of the Kremlin in the West.

"We will be able to see the split between Putin and the Russian elite only if the free world really demonstrates the political will to fight for our values ​​and will do our utmost to respond to any attack on our interests - American elections, elections in Europe or, not God forbid, on the American power system - it was destructive, "Kasparov explained.

apostrophe.ua  In Ukrainian/український

He reported this, speaking to the Senate Committee on the Armed Forces on Tuesday, March 20.

"We have no means of defense that can exclude the use of such weapons against us," said Hight.

According to him, now the US has to rely on the means of deterring this so-called hypersonic weapon.

"The hypersonic threat is a system that initially behaves like a ballistic one and you see it as a ballistic missile, but then it changes the trajectory and flies faster than a cruise missile or aircraft. It goes into the lower space space, and then immediately goes down and flying on the same level, "the general said in response to a request from one of the senators to explain what a hypersonic weapon is. The rocket is flying at a very high speed, so it is called hypersonic.

"Russia and China are making active efforts to develop hypersonic weapons," Heyt said, "we are tracking how they test such weapons."

apostrophe.ua  In Ukrainian/український

President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko will visit the NATO summit in Brussels in July, even if Hungary will block the holding of a meeting of the Ukraine-NATO Commission.

Ukraine's ambassador to NATO Vadim Prystaiko stated this, commenting on the statement by Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Siiyarto on the continuation of the blockade of Ukraine's European aspirations, according to Ukrainian News.

The ambassador suggested that the latest statements by the Hungarian leadership are related to the forthcoming parliamentary elections in Hungary, which will take place on April 8.

"I think that now they are demonstrating before the elections that they" go to the end. "I believe that the Ukraine-NATO Commission, which is to be held at the level of foreign ministers, is truly a threat. Regarding the summit, the president will still visit Brussels, as there are other meetings besides the "Ukraine-NATO" commission, which the president has already invited," Pristayko said.

He added that Ukraine has not yet received an official invitation, and the decision will not be taken until the end of April.

"We were invited to the summit, but we have not formally received the invitation, and Siyyartho is threatening this. That is, we have not received an invitation yet, and he already says that it will block ... Decisions will be made not earlier than the end of April, or later,"- said Pristayko.

Also, the ambassador of Ukraine to NATO noted that the statement on the blocking of the summit - "this is already real and the red line, which recently said Minister Klimkin, the Hungarian side reaches the red line in their threats and their reactions".

Recall that the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Hungary, Peter Syyjarto, has promised to block the participation of President Poroshenko at the NATO summit, which will be held in Brussels in July 2018.

He said that Hungary would not support the meeting of EU and Ukrainian defense ministers scheduled for April, and will block the holding of a NATO-Ukraine Commission in July if Ukraine does not comply with Budapest's new educational law.

Earlier, the Hungarian Foreign Minister expressed dissatisfaction with the plans of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine to restore the military unit to Berehove.

In February, Budapest blocked the second NATO ministerial meeting. The Hungarian authorities explain that in this way it presses on Ukraine, demanding a revision of the language norm of the law on education.

hromadske.ua  In Ukrainian/український

"Ukraine is the main focus of Russian efforts to destroy America's leading role and to stop the spread of self-determination and democracy in the former Soviet Union and the countries of the Eastern bloc."

This was stated by Senator Rob Portman during a meeting with the American Nationalities Movement in Cleveland, according to Censor.NET with reference to the Voice of America.

The Senator assured the community that he would continue his efforts to assist Ukraine.

"As co-founder and co-chair of the Ukrainian Senate Support Group, I will continue to work on drawing attention to Russia's actions and providing support to our Ukrainian allies," said Portman on the results of the meeting.

He also stressed the importance of combating propaganda and misinformation.

"I became the author of the law to confront foreign propaganda and misinformation, and the law, backed by both parties, helps the United States resist one of the key methods of intimidation and aggression by Russia - propaganda and misinformation," said Portman.

ua.censor.net.ua  In Ukrainian/український

Firms that work in the Russian energy export pipeline sector could expose themselves to sanctions under Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA).

Spokesperson for the U.S. Department of State Heather Nauert told a briefing on March 20, Censor.NET reports.

"We’ve been clear that firms that work in the Russian energy export pipeline sector could – if they engage in that kind of business, they could expose themselves to sanctions under CAATSA," she said.

According to her, the State Department has spent a lot of time speaking with the partners and allies in other countries overseas to explain to them the ramifications of CAATSA and how an individual or a company or a country could run afoul against CAATSA and fall into sanctions.

"We oppose the Nord Stream 2 project; the United States Government does. We believe that the Nord Stream 2 project would undermine Europe’s overall energy security and stability. It would provide Russia another tool to pressure European countries, especially countries such as Ukraine. We’ve seen that – what Russia has done in the past, when they’ve turned off the pipeline in the middle of winter, causing some families to not have heat, not have the oil that they need to stay warm or cook their food, and we think that that is simply wrong," Nauert stressed.

Nord Stream 2 is a gas pipeline project intended to secure the transport of natural gas from Russia to Germany across the Baltic Sea, bypassing transit countries.

On March 27, 2017, Naftohaz Ukrainy filed a claim to the European Court of Justice demanding European Commission to revoke its decision of Oct. 28, 2016 which allows the Russian Gazprom to significantly increase the use of OPAL gas pipeline and boost gas deliveries through the Nord Stream.

In December 2016, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko and Polish President Andrzej Duda made joint statement calling to review the European Commission's decision, which provided Gazprom the opportunity to increase gas supplies to Europe bypassing Ukraine.

The OPAL gas pipeline connects the offshore Nord Stream pipeline with the gas infrastructure of the Czech Republic. It started operating in 2011.

ua.censor.net.ua  In Ukrainian/український

Russian President Vladimir Putin instructed his administration to "work out" a list of 16 people's pardons that he had been handed over to former presidential candidate Ksenia Sobchak.

This was announced by the press secretary of the Russian President Dmitry Peskov, the Russian agency Interfax reports.

"Indeed, such a list Sobchak handed over to the president. The president accepted him and instructed his administration to work on this list, "he said.

Peskov added that he could say nothing more about this.

Recall that on March 19, former presidential candidate Ksenia Sobchak handed to Putin a folder with the names of political prisoners , whom she asks for pardon.

The list of 16 people, including two Ukrainians, is Alexander Kolchenko and director Oleg Sentsov.

In addition to Ukrainian political prisoners in the Kremlin, Sobchak asks for Russians, sentenced for state security, extremism, "the use of violence" to the police, drugs, and so on. Then Putin promised to consider the appeal.

Earlier, the Council named by name the political prisoners of the Kremlin and asked the state to condemn the repression of the Russian Federation.

 hromadske.ua  In Ukrainian/український

Members of the European Parliament’s energy and industry committee on Wednesday approved proposed changes to the EU’s Gas Directive that could hinder the construction of controversial planned gas pipeline from Russia to Germany better known as Nord Stream 2.

As reported by Censor.NET citing Radio Poland, the Eurodeputies voted to accept a report on "common rules for the internal market in natural gas" by Polish MEP Jerzy Buzek, head of the European Parliament’s Committee on Industry, Research and Energy.

The European Commission, the European Union’s executive arm, in early November unveiled proposals for changes to the bloc’s Gas Directive which reports suggest could scupper plans for the gas link from Russia to Germany, a pipeline that would bypass Poland and other countries in its region.

Under the amendment proposed by the European Commission, the entire Nord Stream 2 pipeline, including the part that would run under the Baltic Sea, would explicitly be subject to EU law.

The proposed new rules would apply to all pipelines to and from non-EU countries, including existing pipelines and future ones, according to reports.

According to Poland’s PAP news agency, the European Commission proposal means that Russian gas giant Gazprom would have to allow other companies interested in transmitting gas to use Nord Stream 2. This could make the project less profitable for Gazprom, the agency has said.

According to Buzek, some of the stipulations in the Commission’s original proposal need to be made stricter and more precise.

Once the amendment is adopted by the European Parliament and Council of the European Union, the changes will "constitute a significant step towards the completion of the Energy Union," the European Commission said in November.

If built, the Nord Stream 2 pipeline would supply around 55 billion cubic metres of natural gas a year from Russia to Germany under the Baltic Sea, circumventing Poland, the Baltic states and Ukraine.

Poland, the Baltic states and Ukraine all oppose the project.

ua.censor.net.ua  In Ukrainian/український

The People’s Front faction is going to uphold stripping non-affiliated MP Nadia Savchenko of parliamentary immunity.

As reported by a parliamentary correspondent for Censor.NET, People’s Front Head Maksym Burbak told journalists on the sidelines of the parliament.

"We have considered this issue (to waive Savchenko’s immunity - Ed.). There is a clear position to support stripping her of immunity. The People’s Front faction has a clear stance – we Okayed the amendments to the Constitution regarding stripping the entire deputy corps of immunity in the first reading.... There is no need to hide behind the parliamentary immunity," Burbak said.

"I am convinced that Nadia Savchenko is a recruited agent. I clearly see that all the messages she voices at her press conferences are the messages that are transmitted from the Kremlin through Putin’s henchman Medvedchuk," the lawmaker said.

On March 15, Prosecutor General Yurii Lutsenko requested the Verkhovna Rada to strip MP Savchenko of immunity, detain and arrest her. The lawmaker is suspected of allegedly plotting an armed coup through acts of terrorism.

On March 12, Savchenko was summoned for questioning to the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) due to an investigation in criminal proceedings against Volodymyr Ruban.

On March 8, Ruban was detained at a checkpoint in the Donbas with a batch of weapons. He was delivering these weapons from the occupied territory to the government-controlled part of the Donbas.

Ruban is suspected of plotting armed attacks on senior government officials, preparing a terrorist act with the use of weapons and explosives posing a threat to life and limb of people.

ua.censor.net.ua    In Ukrainian/український

Leader of Mashyna Vremeni (Time Machine – ed.) band Andrei Makarevich elaborated on his recent trip to the USA saying that Americans are calmer, friendlier and more cheerful than Russians.

"I haven’t visited the U.S. for three years. And for the first time I was impressed how much they are calmer, friendlier and more cheerful than we are. It’s not them who got better over time – they did not. It is us that something terrible is happening to," Makarevich wrote on social media, Censor.NET reports.

Responding to a person who commented on his post, the singer wrote that sometimes it seems to him that some subliminal visual stimuli is being used in Russia "that actually turns people into disgruntled morons." He added that in order to remedy the situation, it is first necessary to cut down the Ostankino TV tower.

ua.censor.net.ua  In Ukrainian/український

President Petro Poroshenko signed a decree, which entered into force the decision of the National Security and Defense Council of March 1, 2018 "On urgent measures to neutralize threats to national security in the field of migration policy".

This is reported by the press service of the head of state.

In accordance with the document, in particular, the government is instructed to develop and amend the two laws that foreigners, especially citizens of Russia, will introduce a "mechanism for preliminary verification of grounds for entry into Ukraine" with an electronic message about their intention to visit Ukraine.

It is also proposed to determine the authority of the state authorities to carry out such verification.

The changes to be implemented concern the laws "On the Legal Status of Foreigners and Stateless Persons" and "On Border Control".

Also, in accordance with the decision of the National Security and Defense Council, a procedure for the registration of foreigners, stateless persons and their passport documents at border crossing points across the border of Ukraine should be prepared and approved in a two-month period, as well as the introduction of information about them and their passport data into the corresponding register .

In February, Poroshenko put into effect the decision of the National Security and Defense Council to counter Russia's information aggression. The control over the implementation of the decision rests with the secretary of the National Security and Defense Council.

hromadske.ua  In Ukrainian/український

Ambassadors from the leading Western countries refused to attend today's meeting organized by the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

As informs Tsensor.NET, this is reported by "Echo of Moscow".

In particular, heads of diplomatic missions of Great Britain, France, Germany, the USA, and also China will not come to it. The embassies will be represented at the working level.

On the eve of the official visit to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Maria Zakharova invited all ambassadors in Moscow to meet with leaders and experts from the Department for Non-Proliferation and Arms Control to discuss Sergei Skripal's case.

Today, Zakharova said that the matter is not in the status of diplomats who will come to the meeting, but, in fact, in the content of the conversation.

Recall that an investigation into an assassination attempt by Sergei Skryptal and his daughter, Julia, continues. Sergey Skryple, former Colonel of the GRU stockpile, who lived in the United Kingdom and was convicted in 2006 for espionage in favor of British intelligence services, was injured as a result of poisoning with an unknown substance at the Salisbury shopping mall.

It should also be noted that on March 12, Prime Minister Teresa May announced that the British government had come to the conclusion that the responsibility for poisoning in Salisbury, a former employee of the GRU, Serhiy Skripal and his daughter, most likely, lies in Russia. She also reported that the victims were poisoned by the nerve-paralytic substance "Novachok", which was developed in the Russian Federation.

On Wednesday, March 14, May announced the decision of London to send 23 Russian diplomats who work for intelligence: "This will be the largest single expulsion in more than 30 years. This (this measure) reflects the fact that the Russian state is not the first time acting against our country".

Yesterday, March 20, 23 employees of the Russian Embassy in London, as well as their families left Great Britain.

ua.censor.net.ua  In Ukrainian/український

Ukraine has the lowest cost of living among the European countries.

Censor.NET reports citing the data from Numbeo’s 2018 Cost of Living Index processed and published by MoveHub.

To create the Index, Numbeo collates a huge amount of information from thousands of worldwide contributions, focusing on consumer costs and prices. There are nearly fifty factors, ranging from meals at mid-range restaurants to gym memberships, bottles of wine and cappuccinos.

Compared to Ukraine, it is only cheaper to live in Pakistan or Egypt.

Alongside Ukraine, the list of world’s cheapest countries includes India, Tunisia, Kosovo and Georgia.

World’s most expensive lifestyles are found in Bermuda, Switzerland, Iceland, Norway and the Bahamas.

ua.censor.net.ua  In Ukrainian/український

The Polish authorities approve the statement of the US Department of State regarding the possible imposition of sanctions against companies involved in the construction of the North Stream 2 pipeline
According to the Tsengozer.NET with a link to Espresso, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Moravetsky wrote about it in his Twitter account.

"I am pleased to congratulate the State Department Statement on sanctions that may be encountered by companies involved in the North Stream 2 project," he said.

According to Moravetsky, this Russian project "blurs" European energy security, which leads to monopolization of gas supplies and threatens Ukraine.

ua.censor.net.ua  In Ukrainian/український

Seven schoolchildren of the school number 15 of the city of Shadrinsk Kurgan region of Russia suffered from the shooting of an air gun.

This was reported by TASS with reference to the press service of the Russian Interior Ministry in the region.

At one of Shadrinskaya's schools during a break, a 13-year-old girl made several shots from a pneumatic gun owned by her father.

According to preliminary information, seven students of the 7th grade got bruises and injuries.

According to Znak.com, one of the students was injured in the temporal, hospitalized.

According to one of the students, the attack was scheduled. He was arranged by three students.

"One girl said she was bad for her to be taken to a doctor. And the other girl closed the class when the teacher escorted the first one. That is, they had a plan,"- said the student.

At present, the school has an investigative task force that identifies the causes of the incident. The school is in regular mode.

hromadske.ua  In Ukrainian/український

Presidents of the United States and France held a conversation, during which they touched the assassination attempt on former Russian spy Sergei Skrypala using chemical weapons.

This is reported by Tsensor.NET with reference to Twitter by the  spokesman for the US Embassy in Moscow Mary Olsen.



"President Donald Trump spoke with Emmanuel Macron, President of France today, and expressed solidarity with the United Kingdom after Russia used chemical weapons against a private individual in the UK and agreed with the need to take action to bring Russia to justice.2 The two leaders also discussed the issue of" as the US and Europe can reach agreement on tariffs, "says Olsen, a document.



Recall that an investigation into an assassination attempt by Sergei Skryptal and his daughter, Julia, continues. Sergey Skryple, former Colonel of the GRU stockpile, who lived in the United Kingdom and was convicted in 2006 for espionage in favor of British intelligence services, was injured as a result of poisoning with an unknown substance at the Salisbury shopping mall.

It should also be noted that on March 12, Prime Minister Teresa May announced that the British government had come to the conclusion that the responsibility for poisoning in Salisbury, a former GRG employee Sergey Skrypala and his daughter, most likely, lies in Russia. She also reported that the victims were poisoned by the nerve-paralytic substance "Novachok", which was developed in the Russian Federation.

On Wednesday, March 14, May announced the decision of London to send 23 Russian diplomats who work for intelligence: "This will be the largest single expulsion in more than 30 years. This (this measure) reflects the fact that the Russian state is not the first time acting against our country" March 20, 23 employees of the Russian Embassy in London, as well as their families left Great Britain.

ua.censor.net.ua  In Ukrainian/український

The warming in the relationship between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, which has recently been observed, may be due to the presence in Russia of extraordinary compromising on the American leader.

This was stated by former director of the CIA John Brennan, reports The Hill.

"I say that perhaps there is something in Russian, and that is why Trump is restless. It is better for him than anyone of us to know if there is something in him about him or not," he said.

Indeed, in recent days, the dialogue between the two heads of state has gained warm notes that had never been before. So, at first Trump called Putin and congratulated him on victory in the presidential election. And later he called the desire to "get along with Russia a good cause."

apostrophe.ua  In Ukrainian/український