Ukraine News. Tuesday 18 December. [Ukrainian sources]

TUESDAY HEADLINES:
Russia is offering the West to punish Putin pretty well for Ukrainian sailors.  Russia has said that Ukraine is trying hard to punish Putin for capturing seamen. In the United States, they reveal secret details of the death of Putin's main leader: Moscow denies.  NATO gave Russia the last chance to start a missile treaty.  The UN General Assembly approved a refugee pact.  "Group of friends" of the Russian Federation tried to "blur" the UN resolution on Crimea with its amendments.  All 19 countries that did not support the "Crimean" resolution in the UN General Assembly became known.  "Here are the roots of the annexation who laid" - Putin first confessed in the occupation of the Crimea by Russia. India has abandoned the Russian MiG-29 due to permanent breakdowns, Russia has recognized its fault. The British exploratory ship HMS Echo entered the Black Sea. 51% of Ukrainians are ready to vote for joining the EU, 41% are required to join NATO, - polls. Moscow will do its bitter effort to prevent the transition of priests to a single church. The Vatican actually recognized the Orthodox Church of Ukraine and its head Epiphanius.  

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In Russia, Russia is offering to impose new sanctions on Russia's President Vladimir Putin to punish him for capturing Ukrainian ships in the Azov Sea .

This was stated in an interview with "Apostrophe" by a well-known Russian blogger and financier Slava Rabinovich.

"There are two aspects in this act of international terrorism, aggression, robbery and piracy: the very fact that it happened and the need to raise the price bar before Putin in such a way that he did not want to do it again. And the second aspect is the need to return ships and sailors to Ukraine. It is necessary to raise the price of hostage plots for Putin, "he said.

According to him, new sanctions against Russia should introduce a maximum until the end of next week.

"I think that at least the second aspect will be overcome by sanctions. And it seems to me that traditionally for a Western Christian world a convenient date is December 24-25, on the eve of Christmas or the very same Christmas, which is associated in the history of various conflicts of the XX century, with the following words: we will do everything so that by Christmas our _ (you need to insert) was at home.So, I think that if nothing happens on Tuesday, December 25, then some sanctioning actions will be on the days left that week. And I can only wish the price bar for Putin's regime was raised as high as possiblee", - sure Rabinovich.

apostrophe.ua  In Ukrainian/український

Ukraine does not do enough to facilitate the imposition of sanctions against Russia for aggression in the Kerch Strait.

This was stated in an interview with "Apostrophe" by Russian blogger and financier Slava Rabinovich.

"I believe that Ukraine itself at the highest political level does not do enough to force the international community to impose sanctions on Russia for aggression in the Kerch Strait. The act of international robbery and piracy at sea is something that is easily proven in the courts at the UN Security Council and the UN General Assembly, in the personal calls of the political leadership of Ukraine to the heads of other states, "he said.

Rabinovich also expressed his opinion about what the world leaders think.

"I assume that now, as in the case of the annexation of the Crimea and the war in eastern Ukraine, world leaders have set themselves the goal of assessing whether Putin's mind is in his mind and giving him the opportunity to get upset. When it became clear that he did not hesitate, they began to impose sanctions I think that we will see some sanctions for that, "the financier noted.

apostrophe.ua  In Ukrainian/український

The FBI have irrefutable evidence that Igor Sergun, the former head of the GRU, died in 2016 in Lebanon.

This was stated during an interrogation by the FBI former Trump adviser on national security Michael Flynn, reports BBC.

Flynn mentioned the time and place of the death of the head of the GRU Sergun during an interrogation by the FBI in January 2017. His testimony was not fully disclosed before.

In response to published FBI interrogation data, Russia again denied information, calling it "conspiratorial delusions."

"Rumors spreading from the US Justice Department's submission that Hero of Russia Colonel-General Igor Sigun, who was in Lebanon on January 3, 2016, was a conspiracy delusion, Igor Dmitrievich was in Russia in January 2016," - said December 18 in the Ministry of Defense of.

Recall that the former head of the GRU Igor Sergun died on January 3, 2016 under mysterious circumstances in his Moscow suburbs villa. The official cause of death is a heart attack. In this case, a private intelligence agency Stratfor reported that Sergun died on January 3 in Russia, but died on January 1 in Lebanon.

apostrophe.ua  In Ukrainian/український

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg stated that NATO would give Russia the last chance to resume the implementation of the MDGs

This was announced by the Secretary General of the Alliance in an interview with the publication of Postimees.

The secretary added that in case of refusal of the RF, the USA will be forced to answer.

"We gave Russia the last chance to resume the treaty again, called for it to be done within 60 days. If it does not, then the US will abandon the treaty, as they have absolutely said," said Stoltenberg.

On December 4, the United States Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said that the United States would cease to comply with the provisions of the Treaty on the Elimination of Intermediate-Range and Short-Range Missiles within 60 days if the Russian Federation does not return to fulfill its obligations.

espreso.tv  In Ukrainian/український

On December 17, the UN General Assembly in New York approved a refugee pact.

As informs Censor.NET with reference to "Ukrinform", reported AP.

"The UN General Assembly on Monday approved an optional compact treaty with an overwhelming majority that provides more reliable support to countries in which more than 25 million refugees live globally," the statement said.

The document was supported by 181 of the 193 Allies. The United States and Hungary opposed. Libya, Eritrea and the Dominican Republic abstained.

Read on "Tsensor.NET": From Russia began to expel refugees from the Donbass and refuse to issue them Russian passports - "Kommersant"

The Global Compact for Refugees is designed to help low-income countries with a high incidence of migrants. The signatories will provide them with financial and other assistance. The document also provides for easier access for refugees to the labor market, education and healthcare systems.

The document is not mandatory.

censor.net.ua  In Ukrainian/український

At the beginning of the consideration of the resolution on Russia's militarization of Crimea, Ukraine itself proposed to the General Assembly to make decisions by two-thirds of the votes, and not a simple majority.

According to Censor.NET, referring to Ukrinform, the Permanent Representative of Ukraine to the UN Volodymyr Yelchenko stated on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.

According to him, such a procedure is possible for resolutions relating to international peace and security. Thanks to such a "step to the advance" managed to level the threat of making amendments by a group of friends of Russia, said the diplomat.

"We perfectly understood that it is much more difficult to achieve than the simple majority we had in any case," Yelchenko said.

He explained that the amendments that were attempted by a group of allies of Russia (Iran, Venezuela, Syria, Nicaragua) were specially issued very confusingly, with calls for "both sides to refrain from escalation", etc., so that countries that did not understand the situation could vote "by". The edits were aimed at "blurring" the meaning of the resolution. However, they were rejected by the voting hall.

"There was a danger that many countries could vote for" these amendments. But knowingly raising the bar to two-thirds, we showed the UN General Assembly that we are not afraid of the result ... Ukraine is confident in its strength, "Yelchenko said.

On Monday, December 17, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution on the militarization of the Crimea. It expresses its concern about the security threats that Russia's growing militarization of the Crimea carries Ukraine, the Black Sea region and Europe as a whole.

For the first time in the text, it is mentioned that occupying the Crimea, Russia violated its obligations under the Budapest memorandum. The resolution calls on Moscow to withdraw troops from the Crimea and complete its temporary occupation of the Ukrainian peninsula.

The document also condemns the attack on Ukrainian ships and Navy seamen on November 25 and calls on Russia to be released immediately without any additional conditions.

censor.net.ua  In Ukrainian/український

19 UN member states voted against the adoption of the resolution "The problem of militarization of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and Sevastopol (Ukraine), as well as the Black and Azov Seas" at the UN General Assembly sitting on December 17.

As informs Censor.NET, this is stated in the statement of the Delegation of Ukraine to the UN in Twitter.

So, Russia, Belarus, Serbia, Armenia, Bolivia, Burundi, Cambodia, Cuba, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Iran, Laos, Myanmar, Nicaragua, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Uzbekistan, Venezuela and Zimbabwe voted against the initiative of Kyiv.

On Monday, December 17, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution on the militarization of the Crimea. It expresses its concern about the security threats that Russia's growing militarization of the Crimea carries Ukraine, the Black Sea region and Europe as a whole.

For the first time in the text, it is mentioned that occupying the Crimea, Russia violated its obligations under the Budapest memorandum. The resolution calls on Moscow to withdraw troops from the Crimea and complete its temporary occupation of the Ukrainian peninsula.

The document also condemns the attack on Ukrainian ships and Navy seamen on November 25 and calls on Russia to be released immediately without any additional conditions.

censor.net.ua  In Ukrainian/український

On December 13, Russian President Vladimir Putin in Yaroslavl at a meeting with the country's theatrical figures announced the "annexation of the Crimea," for the first time since March 2014.

This is reported by the Kommersant publication, reports Censor. NET.

Here is a fragment of a conversation in which Putin uses the word "annexation" in relation to the Crimean peninsula.

- We started from Sevastopol for a very long time, - Sergey Kutsenko told. - We have been doing this for many years now! Now we have 14 such target groups for theaters of small cities of Russia. That is, they work there and come to study for us, and the teachers go to them. Does not this mean that the province will attract staff?

- For Sevastopol were cooked? - Vladimir Putin was promising.

- We started from this city, - Sergey Kutsenko answered with dignity.

- When? - the president asked.

- It was still for Ukraine, - added Sergey Kutsenko.

- Here are the roots of the annexation who laid down, - nodded Vladimir Putin.

"He thus firstly described what happened in 2014 with the Crimea in a word that he had never hoped to wait, sure, all of Ukraine", - the author of the article summarizes.

censor.net.ua  In Ukrainian/український

In the refusal of India to supply the Soviet (Russian) deck multipurpose fighter of the fourth generation of MiG-29K is responsible for the manufacturer (corporation "MiG").

According to Censor.NET, referring to "Lenta.ru", the Russian weekly "Zvezda" writes about it.

The publication notes that Indian military responded to the plane as a car that is "infiltrated with problems." In particular, the specialists had claims to the quality of the glider, control system and training simulator program. The biggest problems were observed with the power plant, resulting in the loss of 40 engines since February 2010 due to factory defective operation.

"The landing on the deck of the aircraft carrier is reset to a tight landing," the publication of the opinion of the pilots leads. "The aircraft needs frequent repairs, because of such landings, structural defects are constantly manifested."

According to Ruslan Pukhov, Director of the Russian Center for Strategy and Technology Analysis (CSAT), Ruslan Pukhov, the situation surrounding the MiG-29K, is a "really very unpleasant story" through which MiGs were not invited to participate in the tender for an Indian ship plane. "Participants will be French, Swedes, Americans..." - said the expert.

In November, India decided to refuse to use MiG-29K. The replacement of Russian aircraft will be selected during the tender. Total India from Russia received 45 units of MiG-29K. Supplies did not provide maintenance for aircraft, which had to be paid separately. In "MiG" they are cut off from problems with supplied fighters.

In April, India suspended its cooperation with Russia on the FGFA (Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft) project, which involves the creation of the fifth generation of the first Russian Indian submarine, Su-57.

censor.net.ua  In Ukrainian/український

The British Royal Navy's Eco (HMS Echo) ship exploded in the Black Sea, reports the Istanbul information portals that post photos of its passage through the Bosphorus.

Today, the British intelligence officer is advancing by the Black Sea in the northern direction, reports Censor.NET with reference to Interfax-Ukraine.

"Eco" is officially considered a multipurpose hydrographic exploratory ship. It is equipped with multi-beam sonar and numerous towed sensors for military data collection. The ship also has weapons - a 20-mm cannon and a 7.62-mm machine gun.

This is the first visit of the NATO navy naval ship to our sea after the incident near the coast of the occupied Crimea.

In late November, British defense minister Gavin Williamson announced that the hydrographic reconnaissance ship of the Royal Navy Eco will be sent to the Black Sea to ensure freedom of navigation in the region. He also confirmed that in January and February of next year, within the framework of the continuation of the program of assistance to Ukraine to prepare its armed forces, a detachment of British servicemen from the navy, naval and army would be sent there.

At the same time, on the background of the Russian-Ukrainian incident on November 25 in the Kerch Strait, the former head of the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom urged the House of Lords to reconsider London's decision to send an Eco ship to the Black Sea next year.

"If the situation in the Black Sea gets worse, then it's not a good idea to endanger a ship that is not capable of protecting itself. We would probably have to send a ship like a 45-year-old escorting miner who could stand up for himself in these conditions", - he said in his address to members of the House of Lords.

After the onset of the crisis in the east of Ukraine to the Black Sea, ships of the United States Navy and other NATO countries regularly arrive.

According to the Montreux Convention, 1936, naval navy ships may be in the Black Sea for no more than 21 days.

censor.net.ua  In Ukrainian/український

Moreover, almost every tenth citizen of the country believes that Ukraine should enter the Eurasian Economic Union, and every twentieth considers the most attractive Russian model of society.

Most Ukrainian citizens believe that the country should integrate into the European Union. This is evidenced by a poll conducted by the Razumkov Center, reports Censor.NET with reference to Ukrinform.

"48% of respondents believe that Ukraine needs to integrate into the EU, 9% - to the Eurasian Economic Union, 30% - do not support any of these courses, and 13% - have not been determined," said Deputy Director General of the Razumkov Center Yuriy Yakimenko.

According to him, almost half of the citizens (48%) consider the European model of society more attractive than Russian, and only 5% - on the contrary. 25% - none of them considered attractive, and 11% - consider them to be attractive to the same extent.

51% of all respondents are ready to vote for joining the EU, 41% - for joining NATO.

The survey was conducted in June in all regions of Ukraine, with the exception of the temporarily occupied territories. 2,021 respondents aged 18 and over were polled. The theoretical sample error does not exceed 2.3%.

censor.net.ua  In Ukrainian/український

Metropolitan of Kyiv and All Ukraine, Epiphanius, believes that Moscow will take a crazy effort to prevent the passage of the priests of the Russian Orthodox Church into a single local Orthodox Church of Ukraine.

He expressed this opinion on the ICTV program on Monday in the program "Freedom of Speech", according to Censor.NET with reference to Ukrinform.

"Of course, Moscow will do its bitter effort to prevent these priests from going on, so that these people who seek unity have some obstacles in this way, barren obstacles, but we believe that we will overcome these obstacles and those who really have Pro-Ukrainian views will join in the time of the day. Those who are more inclined to Moscow, they need more time to accept it, to realize and go to a single church, "said Epiphanius.

He noted that, of course, not all of Moscow's patriarchy is influenced by Moscow, there are many worthy bishops working on building a church, engaged in social worship and support for Ukraine. But they do not yet have a certain trust, and they can not pass a certain barrier, besides, there is fear. "But we are ready to accept and protect them, to pay attention to them, because we see that it is already happening with those who came to the Unity Council," the Metropolitan said.

At the same time, he stressed that the clerics, regarding which the ROC in Ukraine imposed sanctions, must understand that these sanctions are ineffective, as the bishops of the Moscow Patriarchate became ministers of the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church.

Recall the decision of the Synod of the UOC-MP to free the Metropolitan Pereyaslav-Khmelnytsky Alexander (Drabinko) and Vinnytsya Simeon (Shostatsky), who directly participated in the Cathedral. And also the dean of the Vinnytsia district archimandrite Dorofei (Markevich), the head of the information department of the Kyiv diocese, Archpriest Peter Zuev, the clergyman of the Dnipropetrovsk diocese archpriest Bogdan Gulyamov and the protodeacon Rostislav Vorobey.

All of them are forbidden to serve in the UOC-MP.

Recall that on December 15 at the Unity Council, the head of the Ukrainian local Orthodox Church elected Metropolitan of Pereyaslavl and Bila Tserkva Epiphany, a representative of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Kyiv Patriarchate.

According to the press secretary of the UOC-KP Yevstratyi Zorya, according to the Statute, the name of the primate "is raised in all temples of the Church according to the formula" His Beatitude Epiphany, Metropolitan of Kiev and All Ukraine, "and also specified that the official name of the local church is the Orthodox Church of Ukraine.

censor.net.ua  In Ukrainian/український

The official Vatican news portal on December 17 announced the election of Metropolitan Epiphanius as the primate of the autocephalous UOC, which means that the Vatican recognized the subjectivity of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine.

As informs Censor.NET, the head of the information management of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Kyiv Patriarchate Archbishop Yevstraty (Zorya) wrote on his Facebook page.

"In fact, this is a sign that according to the ecumenical dialogue with the Orthodox Churches, by virtue of the canonical recognition of the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of the Ukrainian Church and its Metropolitan, this Church acquires the subjectivity of the Vatican," he wrote.

The archbishop added that this is a very painful news for the Moscow Patriarchate and very significant - for the Catholic and the entire Christian world.

"Although the lack of Eucharistic unity between the Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church determines that the first official does not carry out a certain ecclesiastical act of recognition of a new autocephaly, the actual dissemination of this official news is a signal for all those who are still in doubt, including in the Local Churches: the Ecumenical Diplomacy Moscow's victories have been won by the Patriarchate, which means that in those Churches that have not yet decided on the recognition of autocephaly, it was a strong argument to do so right after giving Thomas, "said Yevstratiy (Zorya).

"Perhaps this is why the Ecumenical Patriarch appointed this event to January 6th - to give time to those who are still hesitating to make the right decision and support the new Autocephalous Sister Church," added the archbishop.

Yevstratiy (Zorya) reminded that the 39-year-old Metropolitan Epiphanius was elected chairman of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. The First Primate of the new Ukrainian Autocephalous Church was elected at the Unity Cathedral in Kyiv.

The archbishop also published the translation of the article "News of the Vatican": "39-year-old Metropolitan Epiphanius Dumenko was elected head of the new Ukrainian Autocephalous Church at a special Unity Council, held in the historic Cathedral of St. Sophia in Kiev on Saturday.

He assumed the title of Metropolitan of Kiev and all Ukraine. It is expected that he plans to go to Istanbul next month to receive a decree called "Tomos" from the Constantinople Ecumenical Patriarchate, which will officially authorize the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in self-government or "autocephaly".

Autocephaly (from the Greek: "the property of being self-organized") recognizes independence from all other Local Churches, including the Moscow Patriarchate, which does not recognize the canonical nature of the Sabbath election.

Traditionally, there were three branches of the Orthodox Church in Ukraine: the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (under the Moscow Patriarchate), the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (under the Kyiv Patriarchate) and the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church.

After the Sabbath Council of the Unity, the priests of the last two branches are united to become members of the new Autocephalous Orthodox Church of Ukraine."

Recall the decision of the Synod of the UOC-MP to free the Metropolitan Alexander of Pereyaslav-Khmelnytsky (Drabinko) and Vinnitsa Simeon (Shostatsky), who directly participated in the Cathedral. And also the dean of the Vinnytsia district Archimandrite Dorofei (Markevich), the head of the information department of the Kyiv diocese Archpriest Peter Zuev, the clergyman of the Dnipropetrovsk diocese archpriest Bogdan Gulyamov and the protodeacon Rostislav Vorobey.

They are forbidden to all clergy in the UOC-MP.

On Thursday, the Verkhovna Rada plans to consider a bill that will oblige to rename the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate, as well as a bill on the procedure for the transfer of communities and property to the Orthodox Church of Ukraine.

Recall that on December 15 at the Unity Council, the head of the Ukrainian local Orthodox Church elected Metropolitan of Pereyaslavl and Bila Tserkva Epiphany, a representative of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Kyiv Patriarchate.

According to the press secretary of the UOC-KP Yevstratyi Zorya, according to the Statute, the name of the primate "is raised in all temples of the Church according to the formula" His Beatitude Epiphany, Metropolitan of Kiev and All Ukraine, "and also specified that the official name of the local church is the Orthodox Church of Ukraine.

censor.net.ua  In Ukrainian/український