30/08/2014 Ukraine: Daily Highlights - The EU is ready to apply new sanctions against Russia - The defeat at Ilovais'k requires immediate action

30.08.2014 Daily Highlights by “Digests & Analytics Ukraine” News Agency

Ukraine

• The criminal case against former head of Kharkiv regional administration M. Dobkin for activities against territorial integrity of the country has been closed in the absence of evidence of a crime.
• Experts believe that the shooting death of the former head of the State Property Fund V. Semeniuk is not a suicide.
• Central Elections Committee has registered an initiative of the “Bat’kivschyna” party on holding a referendum about Ukraine joining NATO, which is going to be carried out during parliamentary elections.
• Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine P. Klimkin said that the text of the Association Agreement with the EU can not be changed and will be ratified in its present form.

Kyiv

• In order to solve one of the worst traffic problems in the capital, a separate lane for public transport during peak traffic hours will be introduced on the highway linking the right bank city areas with the neighbourhood of "Troeshchyna".

War in Ukraine

• Ten paratroopers from Pskov, Russia, detained in the Donbass war zone have been returned to Russia.
• Some part of Ukrainian troops encircled near Ilovais'k have been able to escape. The remaining troops are continuing armed resistance. They have suffered heavy casualties from shelling of the previously agreed upon humanitarian corridor established for their return.
• A circle of fortifications is being built around Mariupol for protecting the city against attacks by DPR rebels and Russian army.
• Local witnesses are confirming that the terrorists are continuing with shellings of civilian neighborhoods of Donets'k with artillery, mortars and rocket launchers "Grad". According to Russian media, an unsuccessful attempt was made on the life of the "Prime Minister" of the terrorist Donets'k People's Republic.

International

• At the EU summit, the President of the European Council Herman Van Rompuy has asked the European Commission to urgently, within a week, prepare proposals for new sanctions against Russia, which invaded the Ukrainian territory and is supplying weapons and insurgents to terrorists in the Donbass.
  Participating in the summit President Poroshenko said at a briefing that the agreement was reached on the simultaneous ratification of the association agreement by the Verkhovna Rada and the European Parliament. Also, the EU will provide military assistance to Ukraine, and additional funds in the amount of 1 billion euros, including 250 million of non-repayable aid.
  Prime Minister Tusk of Poland has been elected the next head of the European Council. After the election, he stressed the need for a peaceful solution to the crisis in Ukraine, which is where he is going for his first official visit.
• OSCE Chairman Didier Burkhalter reported that the organization has sent a team of observers to Mariupol as part of a large-scale investigation of Russian military invasion in Ukraine.
• Trilateral Liaison Group comprising representatives of the OSCE, the Russian ambassador to Ukraine Mikhail Zurabov and ex-President Leonid Kuchma to hold a meeting on September 1 in Minsk on the release of the hostages, kept in Russia, the work of the OSCE mission, and the format of the cease-fire.
• Russia has already prepared a new "humanitarian convoy" to deliver "aid" in Ukraine, which is ready to accept it, subject to customs control and transfer to the International Red Cross.
• In response to the statement by Russian President Vladimir Putin that Kazakhstan has never been a state, President Nazarbayev said that his country has the right to withdraw from the Eurasian Economic Union, as it can not be part of an organization that represents a threat to its independence.

Trends

• Military experts, as well as volunteers and soldiers who escaped from encirclement near Ilovais'k are demanding investigation and punishment for those responsible for the defeat in the leadership of the Anti-Terrorist Operation, the Ministry of Defence and the General Staff. They also demand building an effective defense system.
  Defense Minister V. Geletey has announced the creation of a special internal security service, which will be identifying the enemy agents and facts of combat order execution refusals.
• Europe and the United States will not take part in the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, but can provide Ukraine with military assistance.