12/10/2014 Ukraine: Daily Highlights - President Poroshenko informed Ukrainians about the implementation of his peace plan

12/10/2014 Daily Highlights from the “Digest & Analytics” News Agency

President Poroshenko informed Ukrainians about the implementation of his peace plan and future negotiations with Putin. DPR and LPR continue thier course toward seceding from Ukraine and integrating with Russia, and are preparing to hold their own elections. Russia has announced the withdrawal of troops from the border with Ukraine.

Ukraine

• Poroshenko President in his address to Ukrainians on the implementation of its peace plan, said that during the truce Ukraine managed to stop direct aggression of Russia, reduce the intensity of conflict and delimit the combat zone with fortifucations, to partially rotate units and set up production of armored vehicles. In the near future, he plans to establish a demilitarized zone and resume control of the state border using unmanned aircraft and personnel of the OSCE mission. He is convinced that victory can be achieved only through peaceful means.
• General Geletey dismissed from the post of Minister of Defense. The President will propose a new candidate to the Parliament.
• Party "Batkivschyna" withdrew seven of their candidates in majority constituencies in favor of agreed representatives of the democratic forces.

Kyiv

• A rally was held on the Maidan in support of Ukrainian combatants and in memory of the heroes of the "Nebesna Sotnya". Participants arranged a composition of the candles with the words "Glory to Ukraine! - Glory to the Heroes! "

War in Ukraine

• Despite the declared by the "leader" of DPR Zaharchenko "truce", terrorists continue to attack positions of Ukrainian troops near Debalcevo, Schastya, Avdiyivka. Donets'k International Airport again came under attack.
• Skirmishes between militant groups with the use of artillery happen often.
• The new governor of the Donets'k region Kikhtenko came under fire during a visit Debalcevo.
• Former leader of DPR Gubarev with his "party" "Novorossia", movement "Oplot" and block "United Russia" for formal reasons were not admitted to the so-called "elections" that the DPR and LPR are preparing to hold November 2nd.
• Head of the Center of military-political research Tymchuk believes that terrorists in eastern Ukraine use the truce for integration with Russia.
• In November, Kharkiv Malyshev Plant will produce a record number of tanks and armored personnel carriers for the needs of the Ukrainian Army and National Guard, as well as for deliveries abroad.
• Donetsk Oblast Governor Kikhtenko announced the signing of an agreement with the terrorists, with the participation of the OSCE and the Russian military, on the cease-fire and an exchange of territories in which the Ukrainian army can leave Donetsk airport. He also said that the Ukrainian authorities should support the population in the occupied territories.
• The Russian Defense Ministry assures that the troops stationed near the Russian-Ukrainian border are returning to their places of permanent deployment.

International

• According to the Deputy Minister of Energy of Russia, oil production in the country could be reduced in case world market prices fall below $ 90 per barrel.
• Russian President Vladimir Putin was allowed to participate in the G20 summit in Australia, despite his support of fighters, who shot down the Malaysian airlines plane.
• German Chancellor Merkel has canccelled joint intergovernmental consultations with Russia at the summit "Petersburg Dialogue", which will be held in late October in Sochi.

Trends

• President Poroshenko is confident in the success of his peace plan. However, intelligence data and inability to supply the Crimea in the winter allow to predict the escalation of conflict with high probability, in the first stage of which Russia will use fighters and mercenaries to break Ukrainian defense.