29/01/2015 Ukraine: Daily Highlights - The Ukrainian army repelled the latest rebel assault on Vuglegors’k

29/01/2015 Daily Highlights by "Digests and Analytics - Ukraine" News Agency

Topics of the day

The Ukrainian army repelled the latest rebel assault on Vuglegors’k. The Council of the EU extended sanctions against Russia. Torchlight march in honor of Kruty Heroes held in Kiev.

Key Events In Ukraine

• Some officials in the Presidential Administration were fired for unfairly receiving the status of war participants.
• President Poroshenko said that the fourth wave of mobilization is proceeding as planned.
• The Chief of General Staff Muzhenko said at a briefing that the participation of Russian troops in the conflict in Donbass is supported by documented evidence.
• Thre Prime Minister Yatsenyuk said that the government approved all necessary measures to allocate additional funds to participants in military operations.
• Official hryvnia (UAH) FX rate slightly fell: 15.95 UAH / USD (0.08 UAH), 18.10 UAH  / EUR (+0,16 UAH) 2.38 UAH / 10 RUR (+0.04 UAH).

Kyiv Life

• In the capital, a torchlight procession was held in a memory of the Kruty Heroes, the students of Kiev University who died in the battle against advancing Bolshevik communist army in 1918. The procession was attended by representatives of the right-wing parties and patriotic organizations.

Ukraine at War

• The situation in the conflict zone in Donbass remains extremely tense. The Ukrainian army repelled and inflicted heavy losses in manpower and military equipment to millitants attempting to advance in the area of Vuglegors’k.  Donets’k, Avdiyivka, Schastya, Debaltseve, Stanitsa Luhans’ka, Popasna are under constant and intense shelling, and  that causes numerous civilian casualties.
  The insurgents continue to receive reinforcements, equipment and ammunition from Russia and are regrouping their attacking units.
• Trilateral talks of the contact group in Minsk are announced on January 30,  including the participation of representatives from the terrorist Donbass "republics", however insurgents have not yet confirmed their participation.
• Crimea occupation authorities arrested one of the leaders of the Mejlis of Crimean Tatar people on the premises of taking part in riots that resulted in losses of human life. He faces up to 10 years in prison.

Ukraine and the World

• At the Foreign Affairs meeting the EU Ministers unanimously decided to extend sanctions against Russia. The position of the new Minister of Foreign Affairs from Greece was constructive.
  European Foreign Ministers condemned the shelling of Mariupol by pro-russian millitants and put responsibility for the mass casualties on Russia.
  The EU Council urged Ukraine to provide maximum assistance to the International Criminal Court in The Hague in the investigation of resonant crimes committed on the territory of the country in 2014-2015.
• The US and the EU threatened Russia with additional sanctions in the event of further escalation of the conflict in Donbass.
• The Company of the  business partner of Russian President Putin has received a contract to build a bridge across the Kerch Strait.  The completion date for the project is set for 2018.
• The yearly profit of Russian giant "Gazprom" decreased by one third, and its financial performance continues to deteriorate with falling oil prices.
• In response to PACE demands to release Ukrainian pilot Savchenko, Russia opened another criminal case against her.
• The Belarusian President Lukashenko intends to keep  his presidential post. He is confident that Ukrainian-style Maidan is impossible in his country; and does not exclude Belarussia leaving Eurasian Economic Union, fully controlled by Russia, in case of violation of agreements.

Trends

• According to media reports, Ukraine intends to restructure its state debt.
• The leaders of the Donetsk "republic" appear to have lost control over situation with continuous shelling of residential areas in Donetsk, which, apparently, are carried out by mercenaries from Russia on the direct orders from the Russian command. The "Army of Novorossia" militants report directly to Russian military.
• Because of falling liquidity banks are trying to raise tariffs to 10-30% on transactions with card accounts, which could lead to an outflow of money from non-cash operations.
• The leader of the "Rght sector" party Yarosh announced the creation of a parallel structure to the General Staff.