Digests & Analytics Ukraine

02/07/2014 Daily Highlights by “Digest & Analytics Ukraine"

Ukraine 

• Ukraine, Russia and the EU agreed on Donbass crisis resolution. Ceasefire conditions to be elaborated jointly by representatives of Ukraine, Russia and the EU. Ukraine is ready to accept such conditions if it the ceasefire will be bilateral. Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr. Klimkina considers that anti-terrorist operation suspension, border control operations and finally, ceasefire must be implemented under OSCE monitoring. 5 of July have been set as the date of negotiations. 
• Official exchange rate of Ukrainian Hryvnia (UAH) established by the national Bank of Ukraine (NBU) as follows : 11.83 UAH / 1$ (+5 kopecks) and 16.09 UAH / 1€ (+10 kopecks). 
• President of Ukraine Mr. Poroshenko proposed key military nominations, specifically: Colonel General Geletey for the position of Minister of Defense and Lieutenant-General Muzhenko to the post of Defense Chief of Staff.

War in Ukraine

• Kramators'k and Slovyansk faced intense fire from terrorists last night. Suburbs of Kramators'k and Slovyanks faced multiple rocket launchers attacks. Civilian casualties were reported by eyewitnesses. Artillery shootings ongoing westwards of Donetsk and close to Lugansk, in the Metalist and Luganskaya villages. 
• Ukrainian military casualties reached 200 killed, 619 wounded and 29 in captivity, since the beginning of the antiterrorist operation. Among 200 killed, 150 were armed forces, 7 – security service officers, 6 – state border control service personnel, 13 – national guards and 24 police officers, as reported by Mr. Lysenko, speaker of the information center of the National Security & Defense Council. 
• Terrorists attacked Novoazovsk border checkpoint with mine bombings and infantry. One border guard was killed and three injured. Fire was from Ukrainian territory. Terrorist attack repulsed. Border checkpoint Izvarino was attacked in Luhansk region the same day. 
• Terrorists continue destructions in Donbass – water supply station of Seversky Donets-Donbass channel have been destroyed again and water supply to major cities of Donetsk region threatened. Channel operations stopped. Casualties reported among employees of the "Donbass Water" enterprise managing the channel. Water supply in Donetsk have been put on tight schedule. 
• 4 villages have been freed from terrorists by Ukrainian military in Krasnolimansky county of Donetsk region.Fights for Slovyanks continue. Ukrainian artillery destroyed more than 120 previously uncovered terrorists objects. 
• Russia closed three border checkpoints in Rostov oblast, previously used to infiltrate terrorists to Ukraine: Gukovo, Donetsk and Novoshahtinsk. Above mentioned checkpoints have recently reinforced by Russian Federation with heavy armored vehicles. Backward passage of terrorists from the territory of Ukraine being from now on forbidden. At the same time, Russia continues to use previously annexed territory of Crimea for mercenaries recruitment, training, arming and infiltration to the east territories of Ukraine, as stated by the speaker of the National Security & Defense Council, Mr. Lysenko. 

World and Ukraine

• As major airlines flight routes have been recently changed to bypass the Donbass, air fare prices are expected to rise.The latest change took place as the result of military operations in eastern Ukraine and can be observed via flightradar.com. Ukrainian Air Flight Agency closed the sky up to 8 000 meters, so most flights being carried out at an altitude of 10 000 meters, but airlines are free to determine routes in accordance with the requirements of insurers and leasing companies. 
• US Minister of Finance stressed that US sanctions can easily push Russia's economy to recession. US warned Russian Federation on full readiness to impose sanctions, aiming to force the change of Russian policy but not the sanctions themselves. 
• Moldova ratified the association agreement with EU. Moldovan Parliament approved the ratification of the Association Agreement with EU during special meeting on 2 of June.