Ukraine News. Tuesday 27 March. [Ukrainian sources]

TUESDAY HEADLINES:
139 Russian diplomats are expelled from 24 countries.  Eleven EU countries have not yet sent Russian diplomats.  "Russia reserves the right to respond" - the Russian embassy responded to the expulsion of 13 diplomats from Ukraine.  "The morgues are full. To date, more than 300 people, 70 per cent of children were killed," a fast doctor at a rally in Kemerovo.  NATO Secretary General has announced the expulsion of 7 Russian employees. Lithuania banned 44 citizens of Russia from entering the country.  British PM May: "We are dismantling Russian espionage network in our country and we will not allow it to be rebuilt".  Gazprom and Naftogaz began talks on the cancellation of supply and transit contracts.  Boyko and Tymoshenko missed 90% of the Council's votes in Marc.  The command of the Russian Federation on the Donbass allowed to recruit former prisoners, regardless of the severity of their crimes.  Canadian minister says Russia's behavior unacceptable, calls Salisbury nerve agent attack “horrendous and despicable”.  The Australian Foreign Ministry has allowed a boycott of the World Cup in Russia. PGO digs into Ruban and Savchenko’s possible contacts with Medvedchuk. Trump less naive and tougher than the Kremlin than Obama - Speaker of the US Congress Ryan.

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24 countries of the world are expelled by 139 Russian diplomats in response to the poisoning of the former spy Sergei Skripal.

As the Tsenzor.NET, the Head of Department and the Department of the OSCE eastern Polish MFA safety Dominic Jankowski wrote in his account of Twitter.

After placing the White House Infographics on the number of Russian MPs who were sent from different countries, he noted that it was decided to send 139 diplomats from 24 states.

"Australia has just joined us and deported two Russians," Jankowski explained, posting the corresponding infographics.

In fact, it's already 139 RU intelligence agents from 24 countries. Australia has just joined & will expel 2 Russians. pic.twitter.com/PqVIVN51gV

— Dominik P. Jankowski (@dpjankowski) March 27, 2018

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 hurt by the poisoning of 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 a decision 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 "

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

At the EU summit, which ended March 23, the European Union countries supported the United Kingdom. Some countries, including Poland, are considering the expulsion of Russian diplomats.

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said that 13 Russian diplomats are signing solidarity with their British partners and transatlantic allies and in coordination with the European Union.

The deportation of Russian diplomats was announced by the United States , Canada and 14 European states, including Germany, France, Italy, Czech Republic and others. In the statements of Washington and Ottawa, the expatriate diplomats who were expelled were accused of having links with Russian intelligence and "abusing diplomatic powers." In addition, the United States announced the closure of the Russian Consulate General in Seattle.

ua.censor.net.ua  In Ukrainian/український

Eleven states have not joined other EU countries in their decision to send Russian diplomats as solidarity with the United Kingdom. Some of them will probably still make appropriate decisions in the next few days.

This is reported by EUobserver.

It is noted that the list of 11 countries includes Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Greece, Ireland, Luxembourg, Malta, Portugal, Slovakia and Slovenia.

Belgium is still considering which of the 140 Russian diplomats accredited for the bilateral mission in the country and the embassies of the EU and NATO can be expelled.

Recall that Austria refused to expel Russian diplomats because of the poisoning of the former intelligence officer of Russia Sergey Skripal, explaining this neutral status of the country.

The decision to send Russian diplomats was also announced by Germany, France, Denmark, the Netherlands, Estonia, Lithuania, Norway, Czech Republic and Canada.

At the same time, the expulsion of 60 Russian diplomats was announced in the United States.

"In response to a cynical chemical attack in Salisbury (UK), Ukraine, in the spirit of solidarity with our British partners and transatlantic allies, and in coordination with EU countries, decided to expel 13 Russian diplomats from the remaining few. As it is known, our diplomatic relations with the Russian Federation are de facto frozen", - said Poroshenko.

In Russia, they said they would give a mirror reply and send at least 60 US diplomats.

hromadske.ua  In Ukrainian/український

The Russian Embassy believes that the expulsion of 13 Russian diplomats from Ukraine "will complicate the transition of the dialogue between Russia and Ukraine in a constructive way" and will not promote normalization of relations.

As informs Tsensor.NET, this is stated in a press release from the Russian embassy in Ukraine.

According to the statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine issued a note to the embassy informing that 13 diplomats working in Russian foreign missions in Kyiv, Odesa, Lviv and Kharkiv were declared non-gratuitous persons for "activities incompatible with diplomatic status".

The Russian embassy in Ukraine believes that "the real reasons for such a decision were disclosed in the statement made by the President of Ukraine P.Poroshenko that the action was carried out by the Ukrainian side in a sign of" solidarity with British partners and transatlantic allies in coordination with EU countries "in line with the so-called "Fiddler's Case".

"In any case, the unfriendly step of Kiev will inevitably make it difficult to translate the dialogue between Russia and Ukraine into a constructive path and clearly will not promote the normalization of relations between them, and the responsibility for its consequences will lie on the Ukrainian side, with its part Russia reserves the right to respond in response"- said in a message.

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 hurt by the poisoning of 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"

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

At the EU summit, which ended March 23, the European Union countries supported the United Kingdom. Some countries, including Poland, are considering the expulsion of Russian diplomats.

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said that 13 Russian diplomats are signing solidarity with their British partners and transatlantic allies and in coordination with the European Union.

The deportation of Russian diplomats was announced by the United States , Canada and 14 European countries, including Germany, France, Italy, the Czech Republic and others. In the statements of Washington and Ottawa, the expatriate diplomats who were expelled were accused of having links with Russian intelligence and "abusing diplomatic powers." In addition, the United States announced the closure of the Russian Consulate General in Seattle.

ua.censor.net.ua  In Ukrainian/український

The morgues of Kemerov are slaughtered, and the number of those killed during the fire at the Winter Vineyard Trade Center is over 300 people.

According to Tsensor.NET, a man called the doctor of the linear ambulance team said about it at a rally in Kemer.

"Today, there are more than 300 people, all of the morgues of Kemerov are full, and 70 percent of the children were killed," the man said at the rally.



ua.censor.net.ua  In Ukrainian/український

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has announced the deportation of 7 Russian representatives in the framework of EU diplomatic measures through the possible involvement of Moscow in the ex-intelligence officer Sergei Skripal's poisoning.

He said this during a briefing, reports BBC.

"Today, I canceled the accreditation of seven representatives of the Russian mission to NATO," Stoltenberg said, adding that he had not yet approved three requests for accreditation from Russia.

.@NATO is reducing the size of the Russian mission to the organisation, in a "strong message" to Moscow after Salisbury nerve attackhttps://t.co/RgmFWzB9dT pic.twitter.com/m4m676ks7h

— BBC News (World) (@BBCWorld) March 27, 2018

NATO has already sent representatives of the Russian delegation. In April 2009, the leadership of the Alliance announced the deprivation of accreditation of Senior Advisor to the Permanent Representative, Viktor Kochukov and Attaché of the post-representation of Vasyl Chizhov, son of the Russian post-prime representative with the EU.

March 26 Ukraine, the United States and EU countries announced that they were expelled by Russian diplomats because of the Violence Poisoning in Britain. The 15 countries of the European Union have stated that they are in solidarity with Britain. At the same time, a number of EU countries have not yet sent Russian diplomats.

In Russia, they said they would send at least 60 US diplomats.

Earlier, British Prime Minister Teresa May announced the expulsion of 23 Russian diplomats from the country , in connection with the possible involvement of Moscow in the ex-intelligence officer Sergei Skripal's poisoning. Also, on March 26 it became known that Britain issued orders for the arrest of Russian capital of dubious origin.

A 66-year-old citizen of Russia Sergey Skrypal was hit by a hospital with severe poisoning on March 4. With him was his daughter . British intelligence considers Russia involved in the poisoning of the Violinist.

Sergei Skripal, Colonel of Military Intelligence of Russia on retirement in 2006, was sentenced to 13 years in prison for espionage in favor of Britain. He was found guilty of giving testimony to Russian agents working under cover of the EU, the Secret Intelligence of Britain.

The former intelligence officer was fired in an exchange between the United States and Russia in 2010. He was pardoned by then Russian President Dmitry Medvedev. Then Russia, besides Violinist, sent Igor Sutyagin, Alexander Zaporizhzhya and Gennady Vasilenko to the United States. At the same time, 10 people were charged with espionage in favor of RF citizens, among them Anna Chapman. Soon, Violin became a political refuge in the UK.

hromadske.ua  In Ukrainian/український

In Lithuania, it was announced that 44 citizens of Russia would be banned from entering the territory of the country. Part of the citizens of Russia banned the entry of a "Magnitsky list", part of it - because of the threat to national security.

The corresponding decree was approved by the Ministry of the Interior of Lithuania together with the Department of Migration of the country, reports DELFI.

It is noted that 21 names will replenish the so-called "Magnit list", which now numbers 70 people.

The "List of Magnets" is a US law and a number of other countries containing a list of Russian officials involved in fraud, persecution and human rights violations. The relevant law was passed after the death of a Russian lawyer Sergei Magnitsky in a Moscow SIZO.

Also, from March 26, 23 people will not be able to enter Lithuania.

According to the head of the Department of Migration, Evelina Gudzinskaite, the reason for the ban is a threat to the national security of the country.

Also, the minister stated that, according to the recommendation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the possibility provided by the laws, the names of the persons who are introduced in addition, will not be publicly announced.

The decision to send Russian diplomats was also announced by Germany, France, Denmark, the Netherlands, Estonia, Lithuania, Norway, Czech Republic, Hungary, Norway, Canada and Macedonia.

Iceland declared a diplomatic boycott of Russia. This means the suspension of meetings with Russian representatives, as well as the refusal of the leadership of the country to travel to the 2018 World Championship.

At the same time, the expulsion of 60 Russian diplomats was announced in the United States.

In Russia, they said they would give a mirror reply and send at least 60 US diplomats.

hromadske.ua  In Ukrainian/український

British government will not allow the Russian Federation to run an espionage network on the territory of the United Kingdom.

This was said by Prime Minister May as she was delivering her speech on National Security and Russia in the House of Commons on March 26, Censor.NET reports.

"We are dismantling the Russian espionage network in our country and we will not allow it to be rebuilt," she said.

"Following the incident in Salisbury we have of course taken further measures.

"We are urgently developing proposals for new legislative powers to harden our defences against all forms of Hostile State Activity.

"This will include the addition of a targeted power to detain those suspected of such activity at the UK border; and considering whether there is a need for new counter-espionage powers to clamp down on the full spectrum of hostile activities of foreign agents in our country.

"We are making full use of existing powers to enhance our efforts to monitor and track the intentions of those travelling to the UK who could be engaged in activity that threatens the security of the UK and our allies.

"This includes increasing checks on private flights, customs and freight and freezing Russian state assets wherever we have the evidence that they may be used to threaten the life or property of UK nationals or residents.

"We are also cracking down on illicit and corrupt finance, bringing all the capabilities of UK law enforcement to bear against serious criminals and corrupt elites – neither of whom have any place in our country.

"We have given our law enforcement agencies new powers in the Criminal Finance Act and we will table an amendment to the Sanctions Bill to ensure that the UK cannot be a home for those who trade illicit finance or commit human rights abuses," the PM said in a statement.

As reported, Russian ex-spy Sergei Skripal, 66, and daughter Yulia Skripal, 33, remain critically ill in hospital, after they were found unconscious on a bench in the Wiltshire city on March 4. The UK government says they were poisoned with a nerve agent of a type developed by Russia called Novichok and PM Theresa May said she believed Moscow was "culpable."

UK expelled 23 Russian diplomats as part of a "full and robust" response – prompting Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov to say it will "certainly" expel British diplomats in response.

On March 16, Nato Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said the alliance had "no reason to doubt the findings and assessments by the British government" which suggested Russian responsibility. He said the "UK is not alone" and Nato allies gave "strong political support" to Britain, following a joint statement from the US, France and Germany backing Mrs May's government and a pledge of support from Australia.

British Foreign Minister Boris Johnson said that the U.K.'s government believes that it was likely Putin's decision to direct the use of a nerve agent on the streets of the U.K.

U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday ordered the expulsion of 60 Russians from the United States on Monday, including 12 people identified as Russian intelligence officers who have been stationed at the United Nations in New York.

ua.censor.net.ua  In Ukrainian/український

Gazprom and Naftogaz Ukrainy have officially begun talks on the cancellation of supply and transit contracts.

Gazprom Deputy Chairman Gazprom Oleksandr Medvedev told reporters, Censor.NET reports, referring to Interfax-Ukraine.

"Yes, indeed, last week a meeting between Gazprom and Naftogaz of Ukraine took place, the negotiation process within the framework of the procedure for termination of contracts for the supply and transit of gas began," he said.

Read also: As for assets in other countries, we already have a plan, this should be a surprise to the debtor, - Petrenko - on the decision on arbitration with respect to Gazprom

"In addition, Gazprom once again told Naftogaz that it would appeal the decision of the Stockholm arbitration regarding a transit contract - the appeal in this case will be filed by the end of March," Gazprom Vice-President confirmed once again.

Recall that the Stockholm Arbitration ordered Gazprom to pay NJSC Naftogaz of Ukraine $4.63 billion for the short supply of agreed volumes of gas for transit. Thus, according to the results of two arbitration disputes between companies for the supply and transit of gas, Gazprom will pay NAK $2.56 billion.

For its part, Gazprom has confirmed that it will pay Naftogaz of Ukraine $2.56 billion by arbitration in Stockholm.

At the same time, Gazprom refused to start deliveries of gas to Naftogaz Ukrainy in March and repaid the prepayment, insisting on the necessity of signing an additional agreement to a valid contract for 2009-2019.

Ukrtransgaz said that Gazprom has not met the technical requirements since the beginning of the year, supplying gas to the Ukrainian border with a lower than contractual pressure.

Gazprom, after losing in the Stockholm arbitration, filed a lawsuit with Naftogaz, announced the start of a procedure for terminating contracts with the Ukrainian company for the supply and transit of gas.

Earlier, in January 2016, the AMC fined Gazprom 85 billion UAH for abuse of a monopoly position in the transit market for natural gas in Ukraine.

Earlier, the Executive Service opened proceedings for the imposition of a fine of 172 billion hryvnias from the Gazprom (half the amount is a fine, half is a penalty for non-payment) and the seizure of his property after the Supreme Economic Court refused Gazprom to cancel the fine of the AMCU and fines in the amount of 172 billion hryvnia. At present, the amount of Ukrainian claims has increased further due to the amount of executive fee (UAH 17,193 billion). Thus, enforcement proceedings were opened at UAH 189.125 billion (over $7.1 billion). In March 2018, the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine formed an interdepartmental working group that will launch the process of executing the decision of the Ukrainian court to charge the Antimonopoly Committee of Ukraine in foreign jurisdictions with Gazprom (RF) 172 billion USD (about $6 billion).

ua.censor.net.ua  In Ukrainian/український

The leaders of the two factions of the Verkhovna Rada passed 90% of the votes in March. In total for the month, 15 plenary meetings were held, in which 399 votes were held.

According to Tsensor.NET, this is stated in the message of the Committee of Voters of Ukraine on the  Facebook page .

It is noted that during March Yuriy Boyko and Yulia Tymoshenko took part only in 6% and 8% of the votes, respectively. The co-chairman of the "Opposition bloc" faction voted (pressed for, against, and abstained) 25 times, the leader of the Batkivshchyna Party - 32 out of 399 possible.

The CVU reports that Boyko ignored VR voting despite being written in all 15 meetings. At the same time Tymoshenko missed 9 meetings (6 - because of the disease, 3 - for unknown reasons).

Also, low rates of participation in the votes of leader of radicals Oleg Lyashko - took part in 61% of the votes. At the same time, the policy was registered at all, except for one, meetings of the Verkhovna Rada.

Oleg Berezyuk, the leader of the "Self-help" faction, voted in 77% of the cases, Maxim Bourbak of the People's Front - 84%, Arthur Gerasimov of the BPP - 94%.



ua.censor.net.ua  In Ukrainian/український

The Russian occupation command in the Donbas entails the use of so-called "army corps" of former prisoners, regardless of the severity of their crimes.

According to the Censor.NET, referring to the press service of the Ministry of Defense , they reported this in the Main Directorate of Intelligence.

"In particular, henceforth, the occupation forces are allowed to sign contracts with conditional release, regardless of the severity of their crimes. In addition, the Russian occupation command promises to the category of persons to remove previously obtained criminal records if they are involved in the implementation of" combat missions,"- intelligence reports.

At the same time, young people of conscription age in the temporarily occupied territories of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts continue to widespread from service in the units and parts of the occupiers. In this regard, the so-called "military commissariats", ORDLO, have intensified the search for and increased control over the departure of conscripts outside the settlements in which they live.

ua.censor.net.ua  In Ukrainian/український

Canada believes expulsion of Russian diplomats is perfectly appropriate response to demonstrate the country's strong disapproval of Russia's likely involvement in the situation in Salisbury.

As reported by Censor.NET citing CTVNews, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness of Canada Ralph Goodale described the nerve agent attack as "horrendous and despicable."

"We believe that the response is perfectly appropriate to demonstrate Canada's strong disapproval of Russia's likely involvement in the situation in Salisbury, standing with the U.K., standing with other countries to make it abundantly clear that this behaviour is unacceptable," Goodale said.

Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland announced Monday that four members of Russia’s diplomatic staff working at the Embassy of the Russian Federation in Canada and at the Consulate General of the Russian Federation in Montreal are being removed from Canada, and three applications for additional staff are being denied.

"The four have been identified as intelligence officers or individuals who have used their diplomatic status to undermine Canada's security or interfere in our democracy," Freeland said in a statement announcing the move.

Freeland said the move is in "solidarity" with the United Kingdom over the March 4 nerve agent attack in Salisbury on former double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter, both of whom remain in hospital in critical condition.

Goodale, however, declined to explain how the expelled diplomats were working to undermine Canada’s security and democracy (a point made in Freeland’s statement about the expulsions), saying only that Canada is "very alert to the activities that we consider to be unacceptable."

"I don’t discuss operational matters," Goodale added. "But you can be sure that all of our security agencies and police agencies have done their job and they've done it in an exceedingly focused and accurate manner."

As reported, Russian ex-spy Sergei Skripal, 66, and daughter Yulia Skripal, 33, remain critically ill in hospital, after they were found unconscious on a bench in the Wiltshire city on March 4. The UK government says they were poisoned with a nerve agent of a type developed by Russia called Novichok and PM Theresa May said she believed Moscow was "culpable."

UK expelled 23 Russian diplomats as part of a "full and robust" response – prompting Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov to say it will "certainly" expel British diplomats in response.

On March 16, Nato Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said the alliance had "no reason to doubt the findings and assessments by the British government" which suggested Russian responsibility. He said the "UK is not alone" and Nato allies gave "strong political support" to Britain, following a joint statement from the US, France and Germany backing Mrs May's government and a pledge of support from Australia.

British Foreign Minister Boris Johnson said that the U.K.'s government believes that it was likely Putin's decision to direct the use of a nerve agent on the streets of the U.K.

U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday ordered the expulsion of 60 Russians from the United States on Monday, including 12 people identified as Russian intelligence officers who have been stationed at the United Nations in New York.

ua.censor.net.ua    In Ukrainian/український

Foreign Minister of Australia, Julie Bishop, said that "Soccer" could boycott the World Cup in Russia.

This is reported by Goal.

"There are a number of additional action options that could be applied. The world championship boycott is one of the possible further actions that can be taken on this issue, "she said.

Bishop also said that Australia is in constant contact with the United Kingdom as to whether further action will be taken in response to the use of chemical weapons in Salisbury.

Earlier, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said that Australia would send two Russian diplomats in connection with the poisoning of former intelligence officer Sergey Skripal and his daughter in the UK.

Earlier, Foreign Minister of Ukraine Pavlo Klimkin said that Russia should be deprived of the right to host the World Cup in 2018.

The National Public Television Company of Ukraine (NSTU) decided not to broadcast the FIFA World Cup.

In the European Parliament, they called for ignoring the World Cup in the Russian Federation

Members of the royal family and British ministers will not go to the 2018 World Cup in Russia because of Russia's possible involvement in the poisoning of the former intelligence officer Sergei Skripal.

The governments of Sweden and Denmark are considering the possibility of boycotting the World Cup in Russia.

Iceland has announced a diplomatic boycott for the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

hromadske.ua  In Ukrainian/український

The Prosecutor General's Office (PGO) investigates alleged ties of Ukrainskyi Vybir movement leader, Viktor Medvedchuk, with Volodymyr Ruban, the head of the Officer Corps Center for Prisoner Release, and Nadia Savchenko, a non-affiliated member of Ukrainian parliament, who were both last week remanded in custody on multiple charges including terrorism.

As reported by Censor.NET, this was said by Prosecutor General Yurii Lutsenko on air of ICTV TV channel.

"We are investigating Medvedchuk's possible ties with Ruban and Savchenko and we are digging into their possible contacts," he said.

Lutsenko noted that the Prosecutor General's Office "has some questions to Ukrainskyi Vybir" but disclosed no additional details.

On March 22, the law enforcers served Savchenko with charge papers and detained her inside the building of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine in the presence of journalists after the parliament stripped her of immunity and sanctioned her detention and arrest. She was remanded in pretrial custody until May 20 in a bail hearing held on March 23 after which the lawmaker went on a hunger strike.

On March 21, the members of the Committee on Rules of Parliamentary Procedure and Support to Work of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine unanimously upheld motions to detain, arrest, and bring to criminal responsibility non-affiliated MP Savchenko which were subsequently supported by the parliament's majority.

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

Speaker of the House of Representatives of the US Congress Paul Ryan supports the decision of the administration of Donald Trump to send 60 Russian diplomats and close the Consulate of Russia in Seattle.

He reported this in an interview with Radio Liberty, informs Tsensor.NET.

Ryan believes such a move is an "adequate" response to Russia's actions and solidarity with Great Britain, which accused the Kremlin of involvement in the poisoning in Salisbury of the former GRU agent Sergey Skripal and his daughter. In addition, he said he supported the strengthening of sanctions against Russia, in particular financial sanctions against the "oligarchs" from the environment of Vladimir Putin. At the same time, he called the "right" reasoning by Alexei Navalny that sanctions should be directed precisely to Putin's surroundings, not to the population of Russia.

Paul Ryan also said that during his visit to the Czech Republic he discussed with the representatives of the Czech authorities the possible extradition of the Russian hacker Evgeny Nikulin from Prague to the United States. Moscow is seeking his extradition to Russia.

Republican Paul Ryan believes the policy of the current Republican administration of Donald Trump is tougher and, as he put it, "less naïve" in relation to Russia, than Barack Obama's policy. As an example, he led to an increase in sanctions. According to Ryan, Russia must make it clear that it should not interfere in the democratic process in the US and other countries.

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 hurt by the poisoning of 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 "

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

At the EU summit, which ended March 23, the European Union countries supported the United Kingdom. Some countries, including Poland, are considering the expulsion of Russian diplomats.

The President of Ukraine, Petro Poroshenko, said that Kiev was sending 13 Russian diplomats in solidarity with British partners and transatlantic allies and in coordination with the countries of the European Union.

The expulsion of Russian diplomats was announced by the United States, Canada and 14 European states, including Germany, France, Italy, the Czech Republic and others. In the statements of Washington and Ottawa, expatriate diplomats who were expelled were accused of having links with Russian intelligence and "abusing diplomatic powers." In addition, the United States announced the closure of the Russian Consulate General in Seattle.

ua.censor.net.ua  In Ukrainian/український