01/31/2015 Daily Highlights by "Digests and Analytics - Ukraine" News Agency
Topics of the day
Minsk negotiations for a peaceful settlement in Donbass thwarted by rebels. Fierce fighting continues in Debaltseve and Vuglegirsk. The US Ambassador calls for Ukraine to carry out reforms, not their imitation.
Key Events In Ukraine
- The Ukrainian Prime Minister Yatsenyuk and the mastermind of Polish reforms Balcerowicz discussed a framework and specific steps needed in order to carry out first fundamental reforms in Ukraine. Balcerowicz has been invited by President Poroshenko to take part in reforming the country.
- The General Prosecutor's Office confirmed its probe into the role that the Ukrainian oligarch Akhmetov may have played in financing the terrorism in Donbas and into his participiation in the repressions against Maidan activists.
Kyiv Life
- An exhibition of "Volunteer Voenprom (Military Production)” was held at "Expocentre" in Kyiv, where Ukrainian producers presented various products for the army including clothing, protective equipment, food, weapons and medical supplies..
Ukraine at War
- The latest round of negotiations of the contact group in Minsk was held without participation by the rebel leaders Plotnitsky (LNR) and Zaharchenko (DNR) and ended with no results. According to former President Leonid Kuchma, representating the Ukrainian side, the rebel leaders refused to implement Minsk Agreement, issued an ultimatum to Ukraine and demanded to adhere to the line separating rebel and govermnemnt forces as of January 31.
- Meantime, fierce fighting continues in Vuglegirsk; the Ukrainian army continues to held the Debaltseve foothold. The insurgents are continuously attacking positions of the Ukrainian army and villages along the whole front line in Donets’k and Luhans;k regions. Attacking rebels are inflicted heavy losses by Ukrainian army. Observers report on the wide use of the most modern Russian weapons by the rebels, including tanks, armored combat vehicles, artillery systems and heavy multiple rocket launchers (MRLS). The residents of Debaltseve and other villages and towns in the combat zone are being evacuated by Ukrainian forces.
- Another 170 truck "convoy" from Russia crossed the uncontrolled part of the state border into Ukraine without any declaration.
Ukraine and the World
- The NATO Secretary General Stoltenberg has accused Russia of violating the borders with neighboring countries, and said that Russia, despite the growing economic crisis in the country, continues its policy of militarization of Donbass and weapons supply to insurgents.
- The Head of the OSCE Dacic points to the sharp deterioration of the situation in eastern Ukraine, and calls for the parties in the conflict zone to immediately cease any hostilities and fully implement Minsk Agreement.
- The US Ambassador to Ukraine Pyatt said that starting March 2015 the US launches a training program for Ukrainian military personnel aimed at building a modern army based on NATO standards.
- The US slightly eased sanctions against Crimea, allowing private money transfers by those individuals that are not on the sanctions list.
Trends
- Shelling of Donetsk, Horlivka, Lugansk and Yasinovataya is used by LNR nd DNR rebels as an excuse to walk away from negotiations to resolve the crisis in Donbass. Observers and experts emphasize that these attacks, resulting in killing of a large number of civilians, are carried out from the territory controlled by the rebels.
- According to the statement from Presidential Administration, the godfather of the Russian president, oligarch Medvedchuk who took part in the negotiations on the settlement in Donbass, is not officially a member of the tripartite contact group, but rather serves as a special envoy of the SBU in the negotiations to free the hostages.
- In the interview with "The Mirror of the Week" the US Ambassador to Ukraine Pyatt said that Ukraine would lose the support of the US and the EU, if the reforms would stall.
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