21/01/2015 Ukraine: Daily Highlights - Foreign Ministers' of “Normandy four" expressed the need for the withdrawal of troops from the front line.

21/01/2015 Daily Highlights by "Digests and Analytics - Ukraine" News Agency

Topics of the day

Poroshenko said in Davos that he is the president of peace, not war. Ukrainian army withdrew from Donetsk airport. Shelling of Donbass cities intensified. The Foreign Ministers' of  “Normandy four" expressed the need for the withdrawal of troops from the front line.

Key Events In Ukraine

• President Poroshenko spoke at the World Economic Forum in Davos. He said that Ukraine is a unique country for investment, but war is an obstacle for them. There is a large number of Russian troops on the territory of Ukraine now. Poroshenko ready to initiate a referendum on any issue, including the language and territorial structure of the country. He is president of the peace, not war.
• The Cabinet proposes to increase the army up to 250 thousand. Prime Minister Yatsenyuk argues that there are enough funds for this in the budget.
• The National Guard has taken strategic objects of the Kharkov region under the protection.
• Prime Minister initiates the replacement of "Ukrnafta" management  which does not pay dividends to the budget.
• Ukraine wants to reduce the price of imported Russian gas, insisting on non-competitive prices, but Gazprom refuses to change the terms of the signed contract.
• The Cabinet insists on the recognition of the DNR and LNR as terrorist organizations.
• The official FX rate of hryvnia has not changed: 15.78 UAH / USD (-0.01 UAH),18.28 UAH/EUR (-0,02 UAH) 2.43 UAH / 10 RUR.

Kyiv Life

• General Prosecutor's Office again issued suspicion of abuse of power to the former city mayor Popov for participation in the crackdown on the rally of activists on the Maydan on the November 30, 2013.

War in Ukraine

• Militants after a powerful fire with the support of Russian troops stormed the new terminal of Donets’k airport. After another undermining of the roof, many Ukrainian soldiers were injured. Defenders left the building and retreated.
  Militants captured 16 Ukrainian servicemen. Representatives of Russian TV channels took part in their interrogation. The number of dead and wounded is investigated. Leader of the "Right Sector" Yarosh was wounded during the clashes on the territory of the Donets’k airport. NSDC Secretary Turchinov came under fire in the Pisky. The airport is completely exposed to fire from artillery and tanks. The defenders hold the remains of the navigation tower and fire station.
  Heavy fighting continued near the highway "Bahmutka" in the Luhans’k region, with tanks involved. Outskirts of Mariupil were attacked, battles were fought on the western outskirts of Donets’k, near Debaltseve and Stanitsa Luhans’ka, where militants blew up the bridge over the Seversky Donets.
  Cities in the combat zone are subject to heavy shelling. Militants firing on positions of the Ukrainian army from residential areas. Large civilian casualties recorded in Donets’k, Avdiyivka, Maryinka, Gorlivka, Debaltseve, Stakhanov, Stanitsa Luhans’ka, settlements in the area of the "Bahmutka" highway.
  During the fighting, Russian troops use the latest military equipment and technical means, including electronic warfare and battle management. Сolumns of hundreds of units of automobile and armored vehicles, thousands of soldiers and mercenaries cross the Ukrainian border daily.
• None of the Ukrainian GSM providers remained in the Crimea. The last which left the peninsula is "Astelit" (trademark Life :).

Ukraine and the World

• The meeting of the Foreign Ministers' Normandy four "- Germany, France, Russia and Ukraine - have confirmed the need for removal of heavy equipment and artillery from the confrontation line which was fixed in the Minsk Agreement. It is planned to set up working groups to de-escalate the situation in the Donbass and ensure the delivery of humanitarian aid.
• Emergency meeting of the UN Security Council was held on the deteriorating situation in the Donbass, where Ukraine filed a claim against Russia on the participation of its troops in military conflict. France proposed to grant autonomy to the Donbass while maintaining the territorial integrity of Ukraine. The Russian delegation has denied involvement of its army in military operations in eastern Ukraine.
• Prime Minister Davutoglu stated that Turkey does not recognize the annexation of the Crimea.
• PACE President Brasseur asked the Speaker of the Russian State Duma to help  release Ukrainian servicewomen Savchenko, which was abducted in the Lugansk region and illegally transported to Russia. Savchenko continues hunger strike from December 15, demanding recognition her as prisoner of war and freedom.
• The commander of the US ground forces in Europe Hodges said that the US will help teach Ukrainian troops methods of first aid to the wounded and protection from artillery.
• Secretary of State Kerri and High Representative for Foreign Affairs Mogerini stated that the strategy of sanctions is the result of a joint decision of the EU and the US. They condemn attempts of militants to expand the territory they control. US ready to do everything possible to support Ukraine and help it to cope with the economic challenges.
• UN Deputy Secretary Feltman said that the humanitarian situation in eastern Ukraine continues to deteriorate, 850 thousand people had already registered as internally displaced persons, more than 600 thousand went to other countries.

Trends

• Military experts, volunteers and the army demand that the President - Supreme Commander immediately change management of the General Staff and senior officers responsible for the situation at the front.