Ukraine crisis. News in Brief. Sunday 09 August [Ukrainian sources]

A fire in Donetsk bringing destruction of four OSCE armored vehicles may be caused by someone's desire to make the mission stop reporting on what is going on in Donetsk.


As reported by Censor.NET, this is stated in a mission's statement on Facebook. "At 2:25 a.m. the SMM observed several OSCE vehicles on fire in the parking lot in front of its residence in Donetsk city. Fire-fighters responded quickly and tried to extinguish the fire. As a result, four vehicles of the SMM were destroyed by the fire. Investigations are ongoing," the mission notes.

Read more: OSCE to stay in Donetsk despite night arson

The OSCE states it is reporting this violent attack on its civilian monitors in Donetsk just as it reports violent attacks affecting Ukrainian civilians in and around Donetsk, elsewhere in the Donetsk region and in eastern Ukraine: objectively, impartially and promptly.

"There are, it seems, some who would like the OSCE to stop reporting on what is going on in Donetsk. There are some who believe that violent attack on civilians and their property is a justifiable means to this end," the observers say. The OSCE also claims it is the responsibility of those in effective control in Donetsk city to provide the SMM protection for its staff and property. The mission also stresses it has no plans to withdraw at this stage.

censor.net.ua: In Russian

Two Ukrainians died and 48 were injured in a bus crash in Romania.

This is reported by Censor.NET citing the Foreign Ministry press service.

"According to the Ukrainian Embassy in Romania, Aug. 9, 2015, around 1 a.m. a bus carrying 51 Ukrainian citizens, half of them children, got into an accident on Constanta-Bucharest (Romania) highway, 53 km from Bucharest. As a result, two citizens of Ukraine died including one child," the ministry stated.

According to current information, another 48 passengers received different types of injuries and were taken to five hospitals in Romania.

"Consul of Ukraine in Romania has arrived at the scene to provide victims with all necessary assistance in cooperation with the competent authorities of the country. In particular, the consul has visited children in hospitals. They are receiving all necessary assistance and staying in proper conditions," the message reads.

It's also reported the Foreign Ministry has requested the Romanian side to provide all necessary assistance with visas for the relatives intending to travel to Romania. "The ministry and the embassy have addressed a tour operator and insurance companies to provide all necessary assistance to the suffered Ukrainians," the message reads.

censor.net.ua: In Russian

Observers of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) will not evacuate from the Park Inn hotel in Donetsk, where they lived, after four mission's cars were burnt down during last night.

As reported by Censor.NET, this was announced by the OSCE SMM spokesman Michael Bociurkiw to Interfax-Ukraine. When asked to confirm or deny the information in the media about the representatives' alleged withdrawal from Donetsk Bociurkiw said it was not true adding no departure was intended.

As reported before on Hromadske TV website citing a source in the OSCE, a decesion to evacuate from Donetsk was taken at an SMM meeting. According to another source, the mission's representatives will hold another meeting and make an official statement afterwards.

censor.net.ua: In Russian

A Russian mercenary from Arkhangelsk (the Russian Federation) has been captured in Stanytsia Luhanska.

A video of militant's interrogation is posted in YouTube, Censor.NET reports.

According to the criminal, his terrorist unit of 50-60 militants is operating near the village of Stanytsia Luhanska. He has been fighting alongside militants since last December.

"I came here to help the "LPR" fight against the fascist regime," he explained noting he had learnt of rampant fascism in Ukraine from the Internet. In the course of interrogation, the terrorist however admits he has noticed nothing of the kind.

censor.net.ua: In Russian

We think that he might have been hanged by someone else, because yesterday he was very active; he met with the head of the police and he clearly had no intention to commit suicide, another anonymous source told Krym Inform.

From the Moscow Times, Aug 7, 2015

The mayor of a village in south-eastern Crimea was found hanged under seemingly suspicious circumstances, Russian media reported.

Rostislav Storozhik, mayor of Koktebel, was still breathing when his wife discovered his hanging body in the bathroom of a cottage at a local vacation residence on Friday morning, an unnamed source connected to police told news agency Krym Inform.

By the time an ambulance arrived, the official was declared dead, the agency reported.

We think that he might have been hanged by someone else, because yesterday he was very active; he met with the head of the police and he clearly had no intention to commit suicide, another anonymous source told Krym Inform.

ukrainebusiness.com.ua:

ecretary of the National Security and Defense of Ukraine Alexander Turchinov called the main purpose of burning cars OSCE Election Observation Mission of the Russian Federation to remove the need for international observers from the occupied territory.

It is reported by the press service of the National Security Council.

According to Turchynov, the increase in the number of attacks using heavy artillery and multiple launch rocket systems "Russia and its puppet supplemented demonstrative burning of vehicles of the OSCE mission."

"Thus, the Russian Federation and the terrorist groups it controls in the Donbass are doing everything to frustrate the possibility of resolving the conflict peacefully", - said the secretary of the National Security Council, adding that today's arson - a demonstration of Moscow's disregard to international organizations and their international obligations.

"The main goal of Russia - to remove the international observers from the occupied territory to an uncontrolled fire on the Ukrainian territory and prepare their armed forces for offensive operations," - he stressed.

glavcom.ua In Russian

The responsibility for ensuring the protection of employees of the Special monitoring mission of the OSCE and their property lies with those who control Donetsk. This is stated in a statement issued on the page mission to Facebook.

It is noted that at 2:25 am Sunday, SMM has registered fire several cars parked in front of the OSCE OSCE residence in Donetsk. Firefighters responded quickly and tried to extinguish the fire. As a result, 4 car SMM were destroyed by fire. At the moment we are investigating the incident.

"However, the OSCE reported about violent attacks on its civilian observers in Donetsk objectively, impartially and efficiently, as well as the brutal attacks that affect the civilian population in the Ukrainian Donetsk and beyond, to other areas in the Donetsk region in the east of Ukraine" - stressed in the OSCE.

Also, representatives of the mission said that "apparently there are those who wish that the OSCE has ceased to report on what is happening in Donetsk."

"There are some who believe that the violent attack on the civilian population and their property, is justifiable means to achieve this goal", - stressed in the organization.

Run reported that unknown torched four cars of the OSCE mission. Later, representatives of the mission said they did not intend to leave Donetsk.

glavcom.ua In Russian

Flag of Ukraine appeared on the Crimean bridge in the center of Moscow, the correspondent of Rain.

For the first time the flag was seen on one of the pillars of the bridge the day before. When he hung up, it is not known.

On Saturday, flag waving, but it raised the wind into the slot, and now it looks like this:



Over the last year in Moscow, there were several incidents of flag of Ukraine. For example, the August 24, 2014, police detained five people who tried to hang a flag on a large stone bridge.

A few days earlier, on August 20 set the flag on the steeple of the Stalinist skyscraper at Tinkers embankment and crowning spire star painted in the colors of the flag. It was a criminal case and arrested four suspects. But then the famous Kiev Rufer "Mustang" in his Facebook admitted that it was he painted star. He announced an international search.

glavcom.ua In Russian

The former SBU Donetsk militants held in captivity 37 Ukrainian soldiers. This was told by Advisor to the Deputy Defence Minister Vasily Budik.

"Thank God, we have access to. We are constantly applied to food and water. Actively help us in the volunteers, "- he said on the air Budik Gromadska TB.

In addition, he said, on the whole territory of the Donetsk region in captivity is 60-65 Ukrainians.

"Unfortunately, there is no such a good contact, where they would have pointed out all of our children, which is held", - said Budik.

He also told the details of the operation to release the three civilians, which took place the day before.

According to the adviser, the team of negotiators had to wait for the exchange in Donetsk three days. Among the civilians who had to give the militants was a pregnant woman, the wife of Ukrainian border guard. In addition, a volunteer and another man, which militants suspected of working on the Ukrainian security services.

Earlier it was reported that the captivity of the militants released three civilians.

glavcom.ua In Russian

By setting fire to OSCE vehicles in the rebel-held territories of Donbas, Russia is trying to quash objective reporting and scare OSCE out of Donbas, head of the National Defense and Security Council Oleksandr Turchynov said Aug. 9.

Moscow wants OSCE out of Donbas to continue the shelling of Ukraine army positions and civilians using heavy artillery and tanks and prepare its troops for offensive operations against Ukraine, he said.


The arson is a definite attempt to disrupt the peaceful settlement in Donbas, Turchynov said.

The OSCE mission reported Aug. 9 that 7 vehicles were set on fire, putting the blame for those in power in Donetsk.

Last week, the OSCE submitted reports that the rebels positioned their heavy artillery in Donetsk and shelled civilian towns and Ukraine army positions from Donetsk.

One of the OSCE reports mentioned the presence of the Russian troops in Donbas.

zik.ua: In Russian

Terrorist group "Donetsk People's Republic" unsuccessfully trying to lure in the numbers of civilians Donbass. Because of the small number of supporters and terrorist grouping "DNI" is doomed to an early defeat. Such an opinion on his Facebook page expressed journalist Alex Matsuka. "In the photo Donetsk today. Already grouping" DNR "does not know what to do as a new recruit into their ranks Donetsk. If Donbass really wanted to fight with Ukraine would develop the number of fighters would be 10 thousand? Of the 7 million inhabitants of Donbass army of 200,000 has would be easy. That is, if we wanted to, "- he writes. The journalist said that the residents of Donbass do not want war. "To have to fight for it (the President of Russia Vladimir. - Ed.) Putin and his billions? And where is the army of Donbass? Buryatia and Rostovtsev considered not going. Where are our countrymen? They draw here are primitive signs that at least some I come. But do not go. End of "DNI" soon "- summed Matsuka.



obozrevatel.com   In Russian

Independence Square in the city center is a symbol of dignity, freedom and European values, which is associated with the struggle of Ukrainians for democracy, liberty and European elections.

This was on his Facebook page informed the EU Delegation to Ukraine within the framework of the project "Tell the world about Ukraine" to the 24th anniversary of independence of our country. "Here, citizens have repeatedly proved to the world that European people are ready to defend European values. It was here in 1990, held a protest progressive Ukrainian youth. In 2004, during the Orange Revolution on Independence Ukrainians have said" no "election fraud" - said in a statement.

EU Delegation to Ukraine reminded that on Independence in 2013 to start a revolution Advantages - "perhaps the only case in the history of Europe, where people have fought and died for their rights under the EU flag." "At the end of 2013, when the then leadership of the state to refuse to sign the Association Agreement between the EU and Ukraine, Independence Square and Khreshchatyk became the epicenter of a peaceful civil protest, which was called euromaidan and subsequently covered the whole of Ukraine. His victory at euromaidan during the Revolution Advantages of Ukrainians They regained their European future "- summed up in the representation.

obozrevatel.com  In Russian

Hostage militants that seized property in Mali were four Ukrainian, one of them managed to escape. As a result of the operation Malian security forces to liberate hostages killed one citizen of Ukraine, two were rescued, informed the Foreign Ministry of Ukraine.

"According to preliminary data from maliyskoy side and the UN mission in Mali (MINUSMA) in the attack were captured four citizens of Ukraine, one of whom died. One of the Ukrainian managed to escape the attackers and now he is based in the province MINUSMA Mopti. Two other people were released during the antiterrorist operation and they are now safe, "- said in a public statement on Saturday night.

The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said that the Embassy of Ukraine in Algeria is in constant contact with the competent authorities of Mali and the UN mission to establish the personal data of the deceased citizen of Ukraine and to clarify the circumstances of his death.

"Also taken urgent measures to enable communication with Ukrainian discharged to assess their condition and provide appropriate consular assistance", - assured the Foreign Ministry.

It was reported that a group of armed men in Mali attacked the hotel Sevara, which often stop foreigners. Locals told French journalists that the attackers tried to kidnap a group of foreigners who were in the hotel.

August 8 French TV channel iTele, citing a source in the Malian armed forces reported that army soldiers Small group of armed men broke out.

In the Malian military command has not yet provided definitive data on victims of attacks militants. There is no detailed information about the fate of civilians who were in the hotel at the time of the attack, including - and foreigners.

EFE agency reports that according to his information in an attack on a hotel killing 12 people, four militants, five Malian soldiers, two hotel employees and one member of the UN mission in Mali - MINUSMA. Earlier there were reports of eight dead.

The agency notes that the current military examine the areas around the hotel to make sure that there is no militants.

gazeta.ua In Ukrainian