Ukraine crisis. News in Brief. Thursday 13 August [Ukrainian sources]

Prosecutors in the Netherlands investigating the MH17 tragedy announced that Russia had warned about the risks to air flights over Donbas days before the accident. In fact, Russia warned that all planes over Donbas would be shot down by AA fire, says military expert Yury Butusov in Facebook Aug. 12.

The notification actually acknowledges that, as of July 14, the rebels were about to shoot down air planes.

No notification about the risks of flying over Donbas was given to Ukraine.

zik.ua

OSCE monitors at the Russian checkpoints "Donetsk" and "Gukovo" recorded an outflow of coal from the Luhansk region to Russia through the Gukovo border crossing point.

As reported by Censor.NET, this is stated in the OSCE weekly report of Aug. 11. "During the reporting week, the observer mission (OM) continued to observe a high number of trucks, crossing the border in both directions... the OM observed dumper trucks transporting coal from the Luhansk region to the Russian Federation through the Gukovo border crossing point," the report reads.

Moreover, the border is crossed in both directions by tanker trucks with words "Propane" and "Flammable" written across them. As reported, July 7, the OSCE observers on the Russian border crossing point "Gukovo" recorded an outflow of coal from the Luhansk region to Russia.

censor.net.ua

Ukraine will survive the crisis is sanctions against Russia are stepped up, renowned economist and donor Bohdan Havrylyshyn told in an interview with Fokus Aug. 12

"The West should not give Ukraine lethal weapons. Suffice it to cut Putin off the SWIFT system - it will put Putin on his knees, "Havrylyshyn said.

In his opinion, the political, economic and social situation in Ukraine is very bad.

"I do not believe the present regime will steer the country out of the crisis. The power is merely thinking about reforms, not implementing them.

However, there are many politicians in the parliament and presidential administration who are honest and competent, head of Rada committee on industrial policy Viktor Halasiuk, education minister Serhy Kvit, finance minister Natalia Yaresko.

Ukraine's major hurdle is the abominable red-tape.

On the other hand, the West demands that Pres Poroshenko strictly abide by the law and Constitution. For instance, the president can not fire corrupt judges of higher courts as it is not envisaged by the Constitution. But at the time of a war, they care little about the Constitution in other countries, doing what they have to do, "Bohdan Havrylyshyn said.

zik.ua

According to operative data of the "information resistance" to continue intensifying attacks by Russian-terrorist troops in Donbass, including with the use of heavy weapons (2/3 attacks while fixed in the Donetsk region).

As the coordinator of the group of Dmitry Tymchuk, during the day notes increased use by terrorists of rocket artillery.

"At the same time in many parts of the front line enemy is actively pursuing intelligence activities (air, land, electronic reconnaissance), and their exercise as a form of local militants and Russian mercenaries and Russian armed forces units.

During the day the enemy carried out massive attacks on 120-mm mortars areas n.p.Verhnetoretskoe, Trinity, Novgorod and Lenin, trying to inflict fire damage forces advanced units ATO west Gorlovka.

glavnoe.ua In Russian

Phillip Karber: Russian army restructuring forces ready for advance, not ceasefire

Russian troops in east Ukraine are preparing to fight - and could launch a major offensive within weeks. That's the view of American military analyst Phillip Karber, who recently spent time embedded with government troops in the combat zone.

He argued that Russia's military leadership were restructuring their forces, in a formation not usually made if they expect the Minsk ceasefire agreement to last.

Phillip Karber, US military analyst: "These are core structures. They have intelligence, they are run by Russian officers, there is Russian electronic warfare and they have heavy artillery brigades so they can orchestrate and coordinate….this is not the infrastructure you put in if you're expecting a ceasefire to last, this is the infrastructure you want to put in if you want to launch a major offensive, and not just one that goes a little way, but one that goes very deep".

Journalist: "How was it on the war, Phil?"..............

uatoday.tv

People's Artist of the USSR Iosif Kobzon visit Lugansk to participate in the festivities on the occasion of Miner's Day. This is reported by the separatist sites referring to the deputy minister of culture "LC" Sergei Nazarevich.

"The main event will take place on the 29th. It will be a concert with the participation of the People's Artist of the USSR Joseph Kobzon Davidovich, "- said Nazarevich.

Also Kobzon in a festive concert will feature creative collectives of individual regions of Luhansk region.

glavnoe.ua In Russian

RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service reports: The British defense secretary, Michael Fallon, has promised Kyiv continuing support against "Russian-inspired terrorism" in eastern Ukraine.

Fallon was speaking as he visited British instructors conducting training exercises with Ukrainian troops in the Zhytomyr region, west of Kyiv, on August 11.



uatoday.tv

Russian-led forces attack Ukrainian positions with heavy weapons in contravention of Minsk deal

Ukraine's Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin on August 12 accused Kremlin leaders and the leaders of the self-proclaimed republics of Donetsk and Luhansk of escalating violence and breaking the truce in eastern Ukraine.

Ukraine's Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin: "The latest examples of escalation of the situation were a deliberate and clearly planned operation both in Shyrokyne and Starohnativka. All these cases are examples of how the Russian side along with Donetsk and Luhansk tries to derail the implementation of the Minsk agreements."

Ukraine's military said on August 10 that 400 Rusian-backed militants supported by tanks had attacked government forces around the village of Starohnativka 60 miles away for the strategic port city of Mariupol. Militant leaders have denied attacking Ukrainian government troops.

Control of Mariupol could help Russian-led fighters form a corridor to the Crimea peninsula, which Russia annexed from Ukraine last year....................

To read further go to this link: uatoday.tv

One person was killed and three wounded because attacks on Wednesday evening and on Thursday night in Donetsk. This is stated in the message of the so-called "Donetsk city administration."

It is indicated that in the evening on August 12 and on the night of August 13 under massive shelling hit the village of Oktyabrsky district of the Kuibyshev, village Staromihaylovka Kirov district and the village of Gorky Kiev district.

"He was killed one person, injured 3 people", - the report says.

It is noted that in the Kiev area near the morning as a result of a direct hit on the street recorded the destruction of Svetlov in the same building.

"In the Kuibyshev district around 18:00 recorded a direct hit as a result of the destruction of the streets Vasil'chenko (3 houses the private sector), Timur (1 Building the private sector and 1 outbuilding), Luzin (1 flats) on the Kremlin Avenue (1 flats). As a result, gaps have damaged the street Vasil (4 houses the private sector), "- said in a statement.

It is also stated that in the village Staromihaylovka about 20:15 as a result of a direct hit and breaks documented the destruction of homes in the private sector 2.

glavcom.ua In Russian

One of those killed in a shootout in the winery August 10 is the son of the Attorney General Office of Public Prosecutor of Ukraine Alexander Krylov.

This was reported in the " Events "on the channel" Ukraine ", citing its own sources.

"Killed worked in Vinnytsya Prosecutor's Office. Today, the city buried one of the members of an armed attack" - said the leader of the program.

As reported by the "Observer", August 10, unknown in the winery made a fire, which resulted in two people were killed, another was wounded. August 11 the prosecutor's office of Vinnitsa region announced the arrest of three members shootout.

obozrevatel.com In Russian

Russia's Supreme Court on Thursday will consider a class action lawyer, chairman of the Freedom of Information Foundation of Ivan Pavlov, Russian journalists and activists to Vladimir Putin. It is reported by Radio Liberty .

The plaintiffs demand to invalidate the presidential decree, which he lost secret list of personnel of the Russian military "peacetime during special operations."

According to the plaintiffs, on the one hand, the decree directed against the investigations of the death of Russian troops in the Donbas, on the other - is intended to discourage friends and relatives of those who died, the desire to talk to journalists or to demand material compensation from the Ministry of Defence.

The suit was filed by the Supreme Court in early June, Putin's decree, to amend the 1995 law "On State Secrets", was signed on 28 May.

This happened after one of the plaintiffs - civic activist Ruslan Leviev - went with his friend Vadim Korovin on a trip to Russia to find the graves of those killed in the Ukrainian "business trip" Russian soldiers.

Leviev and Korovin was able to not only find the burial, but also to communicate with relatives and locals who confirmed that the victims were military personnel and killed "in battle." The graves were fresh, according to activists, buried in their military killed 4 and 5 May.

As the plaintiffs in addition to Pavlov and Leviev are the military journalist Arkady Babchenko, author of the report from the Donbass TV channel for DozhdTimur Olevskii, Novaya Gazeta reporter Paul Kanygin, a journalist and former political prisoner Grigory Pasko and Pskov MP Leo Schlossberg, one of the first in Russia reported the burial of the dead in Russian paratroopers in Ukraine, and others.

Recall, Reuters spoke with Russian soldiers who fought in Ukraine . Some soldiers decided that "it is better to leave the army, you go to war in the Ukraine."

24today.net In Russian

Polish president Andrzej Duda has criticised Nato for treating Poland like a “buffer zone” rather than a fully fledged member facing a resurgent Russia and urged the alliance to place permanent bases in the former Soviet bloc country.

In an interview with the Financial Times, Mr Duda, a conservative elected in May, said Nato was failing to implement its stated policies and had not adapted its strategy on its eastern border following Russia’s “imperialist actions” in Ukraine and Georgia.

“We do not want to be the buffer zone. We want to be the real eastern flank of the alliance,” said Mr Duda. “Today, when we look at the dispersion of bases . . . then the borderline is Germany.
“Nato has not yet taken note of the shift . . .  of Poland from the east to the west,” he added. “Nato is supposed to be here to protect the alliance . . .  If Poland and other central European countries constitute the real flank of Nato, then it seems natural to me, a logical conclusion, that bases should be placed in those countries.”..........................

ft.com

Will they wait till Russia's at the Polish border, before they act? I hope not.

Russia has extended its food embargo to include five more countries.

This was announced by Russian Prime Minister Dmitriy Medvedev, Censor.NET reports citing Gazeta.ru.

The list of countries covered by Russia's food ban now also includes Albania, Montenegro, Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Ukraine.

750 kg of banned meat and cheese from Europe burned down in Pulkovo, Russia. VIDEO



"New countries, including Albania, Montenegro, Iceland, Liechtenstein, and under special conditions - Ukraine, have been added to the list of countries from which certain agricultural products have been banned for import since August last year. Previously, the list included the EU countries, Australia, Canada, Norway, and the U.S.," Medvedev said.

It was reported earlier that Russia's Agriculture Ministry wanted to put Iceland, Norway, Ukraine, and Georgia on the food sanctions list.

censor.net.uao In Russian

Not only does it cost the countries export income, it also hurts Russia. One main reason to trade in exports is for income, consumer costs and employment. So if they apply sanctions, their citizens will hurt. That won't help their sentiment towards their own government as it's already hurting the Kremlin negatively. Of course, we know the Kremlin's enslavement practices in Russia, so they don't really care how their own people think about them. How many more thousands will leave Russia?

Ukrainian positions near Starohnativka village in the Mariupol area have been under constant shelling by the pro-Russian terrorists for three days in a row now. Mercenaries use Minsk-banned large-caliber mortars and self-propelled 152-mm artillery systems.

As reported by Censor.NET, intensive shelling takes place every two hours and last for 10 to 60 minutes.



censor.net.ua In Russian

The European Commission has given a fourth tranche of 8.55 million within the framework of the Budget Support Program on support on sector policy of border management in Ukraine.

An EU Delegation to Ukraine official has told reporters Thursday, Ukrinform reports.

"I am confident that the financial support by the EU will strengthen cooperation between agencies involved in an integrated border management; this will result in a more effective oversight over border control and migration of citizens from other countries in accordance with Ukraine's obligations under the action plan on visa liberalization," Deputy Head of the EU Delegation to Ukraine Thomas Frellesen said.

He said that funds "will further facilitate cross border trade, speed up the demarcation of the border and introduction of e-customs system."

time-ua.com

"Today saw another positive event for Ukraine, we have signed a memorandum on cooperation between Arcelor and the Oktyabrsky seaport," he said.

The minister said the next step is to transfer all the information about the port to the State Property Fund, which will organize an open and transparent process to attract an investor for the Oktyabrsky port in which any company will be able to take part. "It is not the last memorandum to be signed this summer, even this week," the minister noted.

ukrinform.ua

As Italian newspaper La Repubblica reported, Genoa Court of Appeals will consider his case on Augusts 14, by this time Markov will stay in jail.

Ukraine has 40 days to prove his guilt and provide necessary evidence to the Italian side.

La Repubblica also said that Markov was arrested in 24 hours after his arrival to Milan, though his putting on a wanted list was disclosed at once. His diplomatic passport permitted him to travel all over the country for 24 hours, but with accompanying of the outdoor surveillance.

As reported, on August 12 the news on Markov's arrest in Italy broke out. The Prosecutor General's Office is preparing documents for his extradition.

During the detention, MP had two passports - Ukrainian and Russian, thus Italian authorities notified both Ukrainian and Russian consulates of the detention.

interfax.com.ua

The TV channel "Euronews" has published an interview with Vladimir Starkov, who was detained in July on the Russian-Ukrainian border. According to him, it is a major Russian army.

"At the moment of detention, I served in the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. Rank - Major. The division of the city of Novocherkassk. But in fact, I was in the part of the 08,805 in the city of Donetsk, Ukraine, "- said Starks television.

During interrogation, the Security Service of Ukraine, he said that on the side of the separatists are fighting for nearly two thousand Russian servicemen, including officers.

Stark claims that in 2014 he was transferred to the Rostov region. In March 2015 he was told that he would serve in the Eastern Ukraine. His responsibilities included keeping weapons; during the arrest had seized ammunition and fake ID.

"We are gathered in the auditorium and announced that we will serve in the same positions, but will continue to serve in Ukraine. In Donetsk and Lugansk. Relatives were not allowed to inform ", - he said.

glavnoe.ua In Russian

Alexander Kikhtenko, worked 8 months the head of the Donetsk Regional State Administration, concluded that the inadmissibility of the economic blockade of the region. Georgy Touquet took only two weeks as head of the Luhansk Ovgan to come to similar conclusions. About this in his blog wrote the leader of the "Ukrainian choice" Viktor Medvedchuk.

As you know, change its position George Tooke explained by the fact that in more detail acquainted with the real situation in the region. In addition, in his opinion, the Ukrainian government should take care of the citizens of Ukraine for uncontrolled territories.

glavnoe.ua

Russian edition of the Komsomolskaya Pravda newspaper has posted on its YouTube channel a video allegedly shot on a mobile phone in the cabin of Buk anti-aircraft missile system by an "SBU officer" (Ukraine's Security Service).

The Internet community has already branded the spin ridiculous, as the captured the "crew" speaking loudly and clearly, in phrases that seem memorized, sometimes forgetting of the right tone and expression. One of the "actors" even voices the date: July 17, 2014 – the day when the Malaysian Airlines aircraft was shot down over Donbas killing 298 people onboard.

From the first seconds, a man behind the camera loudly declares with the Moscow accent that the "aircraft is approaching, according to schedule."

The comments under the video are generally critical of logical inconsistencies, bad direction and casting.

It is not the first time the Russian propaganda spins fabricated material in relation to the causes of the MH17 crash, inventing new speculations, using fake satellite photos, or expressing assumptions that Ukrainian air defense exercises are out of control.

Besides, there were high profile spins about a boy "crucified" by the Ukrainian troops as well as of "two slaves for each Ukrainian soldier [whom Russian propaganda calls ‘punishers']" Such bogus stories largely target Russian citizens and Russian-speaking population around the world, including in Ukraine.



24today.net

The Security Service of Ukraine has published a video of Vladimir Starkov, detained in Donbass in late July, urging Russian President Vladimir Putin not disown his troops and asking him to admit Starkov Russian officer.

"For 19 years I have served in the Russian army, and now they disown me," said the Russian officer.

Starkove once again claims that he is the officer of the Russian Army, on active duty.

He stressed that “special” people ought to be deployed to conduct such operations.

"I am not a terrorist, I’ve not come here to kill people, so I did not resist during the arrest. Ukraine did not declare war against us, we haven’t, either. Therefore I ask everyone to acknowledge that I'm a military serviceman and help with my transfer to Russia," he said.................



unian.ua  In Ukrainian

Russia withdraws from the Donbass, and then psevdorespubliki militants DNI and LC quickly cease to exist.

Such an opinion in an interview with "apostrophe" stated Russian historian Andrei Zubov.

"The forecast is simple - after the withdrawal of the Russian army from the Donbas and the loss of support of the Russian so-called" rebels "will not last two weeks. They understand this" - he said.

"As soon as Russia will leave the Donbass, they (the militants - Ed.) Will go along with them, they give up or flee. The so-called LC and DNR will cease to exist very quickly. In this case Russia will be forced to leave. Otherwise, it will either have to turn to North Korea and shut out the world and to live in conditions of sanctions, or to leave, "- he added.

glavnoe.ua In Russian

Nagatinsky court in Moscow arrested 12 natives of Chechnya, who, according to investigators, staged a mass brawl on August 6 in the capital's restaurant "Tanuki". This is the agency "Rosbalt". Close arrested say that the carnage in the restaurant has been initiated by the guards, because the Chechens bad things about Ukraine.

According to a source in law enforcement agencies, late in the evening on August 6 at the restaurant "Tanuki" on the street at the Lipetsk native of Chechnya, a conflict with workers places. Start a fight: a man struck an aggressive pan (later he was hospitalized with a head injury, a fractured nose and ear).

To help the victims came a group of "persons of Caucasian nationality", which is "grossly violating public order, expressing clear disrespect for society, without cause, of hooliganism, using objects as weapons like machine, as well as two guns and baseball bats" intentionally inflicted wounds guards restaurant.

glavnoe.ua In Russian

From Russia occupied Crimea started walking buses in the city under the control of terrorists, Donetsk region. Passengers are taken to "DNR" across Russia.

For example, in Simferopol Donetsk offer reach through Rostov-on-Don. Buses are ready to deliver wanting in the occupied city of Donbass: Makeyevka, Gorlovka, Donetsk and Yenakiyevo, wrote Informator.

Flights also carried out for the extension of the border migration cards to citizens of Russia, who are in the "DNR" and "LC". Bus ticket from Simferopol to Donetsk, transit through Rostov-on-Don is 2300 rubles (760 USD).

Recall that in the "DNR" organized three new bus routes, two in Russia and one of the city - in the Crimea. It is reported by the press service of "the Ministry of Transport DNI." "Bus message-Yalta Donetsk and Donetsk-Moscow will depart daily from AB" South "at 13:00 and 10:00 respectively.
Earlier, the "Observer" reported, to get behind the line of demarcation in the Donbas , people are inhumane tests. Donetsk residents stand in line at the checkpoint for 5-10 hours.

obozrevatel.com In Russian

Reporter publication The Daily Beast Anna Nemtsov visited the joint Ukrainian-American exercises in the Yavoriv training ground in the Lviv region.

In particular, the Ukrainian National Guard soldiers adopted the experience of American soldiers who participated in the fighting in the Middle East. According to the journalist, the US military, based on his own experience taught Ukrainians as the easiest way to go through a massive artillery bombardment, tank attack or sniper attack, how to defend their positions with the resources at their disposal, writes Inopressa.

In addition, the instructor gives a lot of other useful skills, including the terribly obvious: for example, do not kick that hit the earth, because it can be a home-made bomb.

There is much to learn and American instructors at the Army opposed to one of the strongest opponents of the continent.

Americans believe that they have no combat experience direct confrontation huge military machine and for them it is also an opportunity to learn from the Ukrainians.

However, in such exchange of knowledge lies something more that can scare the Russian leader is not less than the direct involvement of the West in the confrontation in the east of Ukraine.

For American soldiers stories of former soldiers of the Soviet army on their opponents, who had served in the same Soviet army - it is also a science. This is a chance in the smallest details a lot of things to learn about the evolution of the Russian armed forces in the last quarter of a century.

According to the journalist, just such a mutual training of US and Ukrainian military seems to have been concerned about Russian President Vladimir Putin when convened an emergency meeting of the Security Council:

"Joint exercises of the armed forces of the USA, the UK, Poland, Canada and other NATO countries with troops Ukrainian clear signal to Putin and his entourage that the West is ready to participate in a military conflict - said the journalist. - In addition, the teachings of the West can be used as an excuse to raise rates in the eastern part of Ukraine."

As reported by the "Observer", 70 trainers from the UK drill Ukrainian fighters near Zhitomir and Odessa, teaching tactics and combat medicine. The training received thousands of Ukrainians.

obozrevatel.com In Russian