Ukraine News. Saturday 7 April. [Ukrainian sources]

SATURDAY HEADLINES:
US Treasury Department has established a deadline to terminate contracts with Russian companies from the list of sanctions.  Moscow warns US: "New sanctions against us strike against ordinary Americans".  The billionaire Shamalov, who was sanctioned, is the husband of Putin's daughter Katerina.  "I have not done anything bad for America" ​​- the head of the board of VTB on entering the US sanction lists.  Russian Envoy Requests Meeting with Boris Johnson Over Spy Case.  

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The US Treasury Department has been mandating US businesses to suspend contracts and arrangements with Russian companies and organizations that were identified in the latest wave of US sanctions against Russia over the next two months.

According to Censor.NET, referring to Ukrinform , this is stated in two official documents issued by the Foreign Intelligence Agency (OFAC) of the US Department of Finance.

In particular, the US Treasury Department was obliged to cease all transactions and interactions with Russian companies that came under sanctions by midnight on May 7, in particular with the EN + group, the GAZ Group and the Joint-Stock Company Rusal.

Another document released on Friday from the OFAC highlights the need to cancel contracts and agreements with 12 Russian organizations that were subject to sanctions by June 5. Among them are: Agroholding Kuban, Basic Element Ltd, B-Finance Ltd, EN + group, EuroSibEnergo, GAZ Group, Gazprom Drilling, Ladoga Management, NPV Engineering, Renova Group, Russian Machines, Joint-Stock Company Rusal. In addition, it is prohibited to have relations with any other organization that has 50% or more shares in the listed companies.

As reported, the US Treasury Department announced on Friday that after consultations with the State Department, the US administration imposed sanctions on seven Russian businessmen, 12 companies, 17 government officials of the Russian Federation, as well as against a Russian arms trade and related company the bank.

ua.censor.net.ua  In Ukrainian/український

The RF Ministry of Foreign Affairs declares "the degradation of American democracy" and believes that new US sanctions against Russia "will strike against ordinary Americans."

This is stated in a statement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, informs Censor.NET.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation assures that sanctions, which in the last years the US has already introduced about 50, do not give the desired effect.

"Without waiting for the proper effect from the previous sanctions, the Washington politicians have come to such senselessness that they are trying to strike at our companies, which have long maintained business ties with the United States, which depend on thousands of jobs. In other words, ordinary Americans are beaten , own voters, ruin economic cooperation to the detriment", - the statement said.

In Moscow, they are convinced that "American democracy is clearly degrading. There remains only a desire to provide global hegemony to the United States by any means, in particular, and because of the pressure of the countries conducting an independent line, as opposed to Washington's NATO allies, they say in their voice."

"As has been noted more than once, no measures of pressure will not shift Russia from the chosen course," - said in the Russian Foreign Ministry, adding that Russia will not leave the current and any new anti-Russian case without a strict answer.

As it was reported, the US Treasury Department announced on Friday that after consultations with the State Department, the US administration imposed sanctions on seven Russian businessmen, 12 companies, 17 government officials of the Russian Federation, as well as against a Russian arms trade and related company the bank.

ua.censor.net.ua  In Ukrainian/український

The US Treasury Department confirmed that Katerina Tikhonova is the daughter of Vladimir Putin, while the Russian oligarch Kirill Shamalov, who was sanctioned, is her husband.

This is stated in the explanatory note to the new list of sanctions, reports Censor.NET.

"Shamalov married Putin's daughter, Katerina Tikhonova, in February 2013, and his wealth grew at a time soon after marriage, and in 18 months he took over a large share of Sibur, a Russian company engaged in exploration, extraction and processing of oil and gas"- noted in the US Department of the Interior, adding that Shamalov is a billionaire from the immediate surroundings of the Russian president.

It should be noted that for the first time Katerina Tikhonov was named Putin's daughter in early 2015. As you know, the Russian president has two children - Maria, born in 1985 in Leningrad, and Katerina, who was born in 1986 in Dresden. Putin himself refuses to answer journalists' questions about their daughters, justifying it as a secret of private life and security considerations.

ua.censor.net.ua    In Ukrainian/український

The head of the VTB believes that the new sanctions are a consequence of the misunderstanding of the US policy of Moscow, which was the reason for the restrictions against him.

Chairman of the Board of VTB Bank Andrei Kostin in an interview with CNN said that the expansion of US sanctions is the result of misunderstanding by the American side of the policy pursued by Russia, informs Censor.NET with reference to RBC.

"I do not consider sanctions as personal, since I have not done anything bad for America, for American interests, I have always tried to promote good business relations with American banks and investors," he said.

In his opinion, he was "punished" because the US administration considers the policy of the Russian government as false.

"This would be the beginning of a new process of relaunching relations. In my opinion, now we have reached the lowest level, there is nowhere else. We are in a state of Cold War. I do not think that anyone in the world would like a real war between ours two countries. We have to sit down and talk, not to threaten each other or to send each other on both sides, "the head of VTB stressed.

"I have no desire to take revenge, I can not force my government to take revenge, because we have already decided on the expulsion of diplomats. We have already gone to the US sanctions against Russian businessmen, including the private sector. We have to stop already," he urged. Kostin

Earlier, on April 6, the US Treasury Department said that after consulting with the State Department, the US administration imposed sanctions on seven Russian businessmen, 12 companies, 17 government officials of the Russian Federation, and against a Russian arms trade company and related bank.

ua.censor.net.ua  In Ukrainian/український

Russia's embassy in London has requested a meeting with British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson over the poisoning of a former Russian spy in Salisbury, saying its dealings with Britain over the issue had been "utterly unsatisfactory."

The Russian Embassy said in a statement that it was "high time" for a meeting between Johnson and Ambassador Aleksandr Yakovenko to discuss the investigation into the Sergei Skripal poisoning and "the whole range of bilateral issues."

Britain's Foreign Office said it had received the request and would be "responding in due course.”

But, in a statement, it accused Russia of employing a "diversionary tactic" and refusing to "engage constructively" and answer questions about the attack.

"It's over three weeks since we asked Russia to engage constructively and answer a number of questions relating to the attempted assassinations of Mr Skripal and his daughter," the Foreign Office said.

"Now, after failing in their attempts in the UN and international chemical weapons watchdog this week and with the victims' condition improving, they seem to be pursuing a different diversionary tactic," it added.

The former double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter, Yulia Skripal, where exposed to a potent nerve toxin and found unconscious on a bench in Salisbury, in southern England, on March 4.

Their conditions have recently improved.

Doctors at Salisbury District Hospital said on April 6 that the 66-year-old Sergei Skripal was "improving rapidly and is no longer in a critical condition." Yulia Skripal, 33, regained consciousness last week and according to a British police statement issued on her on behalf her strength "is growing daily."

Britain accuses Russian President Vladimir Putin's government of trying to kill them with a military-grade chemical substance known as novichok, which was developed in the Soviet Union.

Russia denies involvement in the poisoning, which has triggered a diplomatic crisis between Moscow and the West.

British officials have described the poisoning as "the attempted assassination of two people on British soil, for which there is no alternative conclusion other than that the Russian state was culpable."............

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Permanent Representative of Russia to the UN Vasil Nebenzya called the blow on the role of Russia in the international arena on the poisoning of ex-Colonel GRU Sergei Skripal.

This is reported by Censor.NET with reference to Gazeta.ru.

"This raises questions about our legitimacy as a whole. This is a blow not just for our role in the Syrian conflict, but for our role in the international arena as a whole," Nebenza said.

He also noted that the current pressure on Russia is unprecedented.

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".

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 EU 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.

As of March 28, after the poisoning of former Russian intelligence officer Sergei Skripal and his daughter Julia in Great Britain, 28 countries and NATO have expelled 152 Russian diplomats suspected of working on Russian intelligence.

ua.censor.net.ua  In Ukrainian/український

Prosecutor General of Russia Yuri Chaika demanded from the United Kingdom to return to Russia over 500 billion rubles, brought there by citizens of Russia, hiding from Russian justice.

Reported Cenzor.NET with reference to Interfax-Ukraine.

"Since 2002, we have been sending requests to the United Kingdom for the extradition of 61 accused or already convicted in Russia for committing economic crimes, and the damage is more than half a trillion rubles," said Y. Chayka.

"That is, they have been stolen in Russia, now the United Kingdom will take everything into its budget. Criminals can leave themselves, and let them return the money, that's our money," added the Attorney General.

He noted that "this is only a direct loss, and the scale of the overseas funds is much higher."

The head of the agency reminded that the law on criminal finances entered into force in the UK. "Now, any foreign property owner is obliged to explain the origin of these assets," said Yu. Chaika. "And I assure you that many of them will make it very difficult, and we very much hope that this law will be applied by the authorities of the United Kingdom in accordance with the norms of a civilized state, and not on the principle of "robbery looted".

ua.censor.net.ua  In Ukrainian/український

British newspapers, citing its own sources in the security services have reported new details in Salisbury poisoning of former GRU officer Sergei Skrypal' and his daughter Julia.

This is reported by Censor.NET with reference  to the Air Force.

The most detailed information about the investigation is Mail on Sunday, citing the latest private briefing by the British security services. In particular, the newspaper first reported that the nerve-paralytic substance "Novachok" was applied in the form of a transparent gel, which has no odor, it was put on the pen of the front door of the house of the violin in the morning of March 4.

The publication notes that "Russian agents" watched Sergei Skripal's move within two weeks and decided to attack on Sunday to avoid the possibility that the postman would touch the door handle or anyone else. If this happened, the pen would have to be tamed again with gel, which would increase the risk of detection.

It was by accident that the doctors who had been trained to help victims of chemical weapons at that time at the hospital, where the Violinists were taken after poisoning. They used as antidote for atropine and other medicines approved by the Porton-Down Laboratory.

The newspaper also reports that the investigation has new details regarding the transfer of Fiddlers on the day of poisoning.

Previously, they believed that they left home at 9:15 am and no longer returned there, and the poisonous substance, respectively, was committed the night before.

However, it has now become known that Sergei and Julia returned home for about 11:30 a day, and from this it follows that the door handle was patched with a poison gel "in the middle of a white day", after the violinist left the house in the morning.

Sergey Skrypka poisoned when he opened the door. Apparently, Julia touched the pen already after him.

At that time, most of the poison gel was already in the hands of her father, and the degree of defeat of Julia was smaller.

The newspaper cites an unnamed source in the security services, which states that "the Kremlin wanted its agents to leave the UK before it could be established that the" Newbie "was used in Salisbury.

"Therefore, they reduced their toxicity and used this substance in the form of a gel, not gas, because if the Violinists would have inhaled such a gas, they would have died very quickly," the newspaper continues.

Although Russian poisoners diluted the "Newbie", they still relied on the fact that the violin would die, says the source of the publication, and their recovery was a great disappointment for Moscow.

"The fact that they survived is an embarrassment for President Putin, who is used to believing that his security services can kill anyone and wherever they are and not be caught. Usually this happens," added the source.

Immediately several editions report that the House of the Fiddler is worth 400 thousand pounds (over 560 thousand dollars), most likely, completely demolished, because it is easier to do than to check every inch of the house for the presence of "Novachka".

The Italian restaurant Zizzi and the pub The Mill, which the Violinists visited a few hours before they became angry, will probably also be stripped down.

This week, the authorities will build three-dimensional fences around places where the Fiddlers visited the day of the attack and where the investigation continues. Fences will stand at least until autumn.

The same Mail on Sunday reports that Julia Skripal is more likely to receive asylum in the UK.

According to the newspaper, her fate was discussed at the top echelons of the government last week, as it is expected that she will soon be issued from the hospital. The authorities are afraid of its security if it returns to Russia.

Obviously, the Violinists will receive new names and move them to a secret place, the newspaper reports, emphasizing that Julia did not respond to Russia's request to allow representatives of the Russian Consulate to visit her in the hospital.

If Julia Skripal remains in the UK, then she will have to part with her "mysterious bridegroom," 30-year-old Stepan Vikiev, who, as the newspaper writes, is hiding and has not been in contact with her and her relatives since the assault on Salisbury. She will also have to part with her beloved dog.

In Yulia Skripal there is an apartment in Moscow, as well as a Ford Kuga car.

Instead, Sunday Times writes that Sergius and Julia will offer Skripalam to change names and move to live in the United States.

According to the newspaper, the British intelligence MI-6 wants to prevent a repeated attempt to kill the Violinists and is already in talks with the CIA on their possible resettlement to America.

The publication also emphasizes that Julia Skripal refused to meet with Russian diplomats, from which the British authorities concluded that she wanted to stay in the West.

The newspaper cites unnamed sources in the British security forces, according to which the Violinists will be offered to move to one of the so-called "five-eye countries" that exchange intelligence among themselves: besides Britain, this block includes the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand .

"The most obvious place for their resettlement would be America, because there is less chance that they will be killed, and it's easier to guarantee them security under the new names," the newspaper quoted an unnamed source in the security services, which has information on the negotiations on this issue with CIA

Meanwhile, the newspaper writes, the British government and intelligence agencies are pushing for more evidence that Russia is behind an attack on the Violinists.

A chemical weapons expert, Hamish de Bretton Gordon, who is partly familiar with the course of the investigation, called on the government to disclose more information. He says he is 100% sure that the attack was organized by Russia.

The newspaper notes that, although Sergei Skripal is prudent, his health is worse than his daughter, but the authorities hope that both will soon be able to assist the investigation.

However, despite significant improvements in the health of patients, experts say they are unlikely to recover completely and that they will most likely need permanent medical care.

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 EU 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.

As of March 28, after the poisoning of former Russian intelligence officer Sergei Skripal and his daughter Julia in Great Britain, 28 countries and NATO have  expelled 152 Russian diplomats suspected of working on Russian intelligence.

ua.censor.net.ua    In Ukrainian/український

Russia again began to levy military equipment to the borders with Ukraine. This follows from a video published by Fatima Tlisova, a journalist for Voice of America.

Personnel were shot April 7, 2018 in the village Petrivka Rostov region. On the video it is noticeable, as at least 10 units of BMP travel along the streets of the village.

Russian tanks passing into #Ukraine - this video taken yesterday, April 7, in a village in Rostov region next to the border between the two countries. Locals say this was a second convoy. pic.twitter.com/2fNczgeWC2

— Fatima Tlis (@fatimatlis) April 8, 2018

The Bellingcat portal's Eric Toleran portal coordinator on Twitter said that the video was taken 40 kilometers from the border and added that the largest Russian base in the area is about 17 kilometers away.

The original tweet with this Russian equipment video said that the BMP-3s were "tanks passing into #Ukraine", leading to a panic that this is a new Debaltseve. Geolocation shows the video was taken almost 40km from the border. The largest Russian base in the area is ~17km away. pic.twitter.com/uQecC3DGdV

— Aric Toler (@AricToler) April 8, 2018

apostrophe.ua    In Ukrainian/український