19/09/2014 Ukraine: Daily Highlights - Another cease-fire protocol between Russia, Ukraine, OSCE and representatives of LPR and DPR terrorists was signed in Minsk

19.09.2014 Daily Highlights from “Digests & Analytics Ukraine” News Agency

Another cease-fire protocol between Russia, Ukraine, OSCE and representatives of LPR and DPR terrorists was signed in Minsk, even though the latter weren’t complying with the the previous one. Economic situation within the country is worsening.

Ukraine

• The Office of Prosecutor General has appealed the closure of the criminal proceedings the against ex-head of “Naftogaz Ukraine” Bakulin.
• National Bank practically kept intact the exchange rate of Ukrainian hryvnya vs major currencies: 13.42 UAH/USD (+1 cop), 17.29 UAH/EUR (+10 cop), 3.50 UAH/10 RUB At the end of the trading session, quotes for USD grew up to 14.3-14.8 UAH/USD, trade volume reached marginal 80 mln. USD. National Bank has been selling dollars at 13.55 UAH. NBU estimates full year inflation in Ukraine at around 19%.
• State owned Ukreximbank, Oschadbank and Ukrgazbank will be provided extra liquidity via state budget.
• Ukraine refused to participate in the Eurovision-2015 song contest.
  

Kyiv

• Most of the internet voters support the idea to rename the Instituts'ka street to the "Nebesna Sotnya" street. At the same time, a court has just released Berkut SWAT commander accused in shooting Maidan activists.

War in Ukraine

• Another cease-fire protocol has been signed in Minsk during negotiations between contact group of Russia-OSCE-Ukraine with LRP and DPR terrorists organizations. Parties agreed to withdraw all foreign mercenaries from the conflict zone, as well as to withdraw all heavy weapons and troops to the distance of 15 km from the front line and finally, that armored vehicles are prohibited to be stationed in several towns of Donbass. OSCE observers will enter the demilitarized zone, where all air traffic will be prohibited, except OSCE surveillance drones. Exchange of prisoners of war will be continued.
• Despite the truce, up to 480 episodes of terrorists shelling and attacks on Ukrainian army strongholds have been evidenced. Terrorists-controlled territories have been widened, particularly, Slavyanoserbs'k in Luhans’k region is now under terrorists control. As reported by the Ukrainian representative to the UN, Ukrainian casualties during the cease-fire reached 100 persons killed and 138 wounded. Heavy artillery and multiple rocket launchers "Grad" were fired on Mariupil, Donets'k, Makiyivka and Panteleymonivka
  Through the checkpoints on the Russian-Ukrainian border, controlled by Russian troops and terrorists of the DNR LNR, a flow of heavy armored vehicles, air defense, including the C-300, and artillery systems, including MLRS "Hurricane", goes to Ukraine.
• Donetsk, Makyivka and Panteleymonivka have been shelled with multiple rocket launchers «Grad». Heavy  arms, including S-300 rockets and artillery systems «Hurricane», being massively transferred to Ukraine via border check-points controlled by LPR/DPR terrorists and Russian troops.
• As reported by the deputy-head of the Dnipropetrovsk regional state administration Oliynyk, the number of Ukrainian military, killed during the combat operations, could reach up to 2 000 persons. Moreover, search groups continue to look for the dead bodies within the high intensity fight areas near Ilovays'k, Starobeshevo and Savur-Mohyla.
• Defense Minister Geletey claimed, that fourth stage of mobilization could start in Ukraine in order to increase numbers of military units, strengthening of the border control and rotation of troops taking part in combat operations.
• Mobile operator «Life» have been switched off within the territory of the occupied Crimea.
• Trucks of the «third humanitarian convoy» from Russia invaded territory of Ukraine without customs clearance. This convoy is not being accompanied by representatives of the International Red Cross, in contrast to the humanitarian aid provided by Ukrainian government to Luhans’k.  

International

• President Obama said the US will not provide Ukraine with the priority partner status outside of NATO, as Ukraine already has it de facto.
• Investigative commission of the Malaysian Airlines flight catastrophe presented preliminary findings during the UN Security Council meeting. Office of Prosecutor General of the Netherlands stressed, that the investigation will inevitably identify all the circumstances of the crime and its executors.
• More than 54% of Scotts voted against Scottish independence during the referendum.
• Agreement to create joint Ukrainian-Polish-Lithuanian brigade, aimed to participate to the peace-keeping operations and to strengthen security in the region, have been signed in Warsaw.
• “Rosneft” and “Exxon Mobil” terminated drilling in Arctics due to sectoral sanctions of the US Government against Russian companies.
• Russian Prime Minister Medvedev signed a bill, introducing import duties on Ukrainian goods in case economic part of the Ukraine-EU association agreement will come into force earlier than in the beginning of 2016. Prime Minister of Ukraine Yatsenyuk said that in response Ukraine is ready to introduce similar measures against Russian goods and that the economic part of the association agreement will be enforced as soon as Ukraine will open its market for European goods.

Trends

• Experts treat another protocol recently signed in Minsk as a useless paper, as all agreements could be breached by Russia in the nearest future because supplying  occupied Crimea will be impossible after the closure of the ferry traffic via the Kerch straight.
• Absence of real reforms puts Ukrainian economy on the edge. Legislative initiatives of the government offer cosmetic changes and are not capable of changing  the situation, as stressed by the experts of “Radical Reform Package” initiative.