01-07.09.2014 Ukraine: Weekly Highlights - Summits of EC and NATO, Minsk protocol of truce in East Ukraine

01-07.09.2014 Weekly Highlights by “Digests & Analytics Ukraine” News Agency

On behalf of Ukraine, Ex-president of Ukraine Leonid Kuchma has signed a cease-fire protocol with terrorists occupying Donbass, in the presence of Russian ambassador and OSCE representatives. NATO has held a summit in the Wales devoted to policies related to the Russian aggression in Ukraine. The European Parliament have decided to introduce additional sanctions against Russia and its puppets. Political parties are getting ready for the early elections against the backdrop of worsening of the situation in the eastern Ukraine and economic decline.

06/09/2014 Ukraine: Daily Highlights - Truce, established by the Minsk Protocol, has been immediately breached by terrorists

06.09.2014 Daily Highlights by “Digests & Analytics Ukraine” News Agency

Russia pretended as if being ready to deescalate the conflict in Donbass via signing the truce protocol but almost simultaneously breached it via its militants. Europe intends to introduce additional sanctions against Russia on Monday.

Ukraine

• Central Elections Commission have formed 213 district commissions for the upcoming parliamentary elections planned for 26 of October. Elections will not be held in 12 districts according to the law on occupied territories status.
• Prime-minister Yatsenyuk has initiated creation of a temporary investigative commission on Ukrainian arms sales operations during the period of 2004-2014.
• As has been reported by the Ministry of Energy and Coal Industry, due to the combat operations in Donbass, coal mining output declined two folds in August 2014 vs previous year. This puts a significant strain on coal supply for power stations and could push Ukraine to import energy coal.

War In Ukraine

• OSCE has published text of the cease-fire protocol,which was signed in Minsk by Ukrainian  ex-president Kuchma, Russian Ambassador in Ukraine Zurabov, OSCE representative Tagliavini and terrorist organizations DPR and LPR. The protocol strongly echoes the ultimatum by Russian President Putin proclaimed two days earlier, and contains points that essentially make Ukraine lose control of some territories and undermine its sovereignty.
• Truce, established by the Minsk Protocol, has been immediately breached  by Russian troops that shoot at a convoy in Luhans’k region, on the territory controlled by Ukrainian military. During the night, terrorists shelled outskirts of Mariupil with heavy artillery and multiple rocket launchers “Grad”. At the same time, the artillery shelling of  Donets’k and Luhans’k has stopped. DPR militants have asked school teachers to start working from Monday, September 8. Russian ruble notes and Russian passports being delivered to Donets’k and Luhans’k. DPR terrorists are attempting to identify civilians loyal to Ukraine via school teachers. Humanitarian aid, escorted by representatives of the International Red Cross, hasn’t been able to reach Luhans’k due to the artillery shelling of the convoy. As per NSDC information, Russia has concentrated around 15 thousand troops on Ukrainian border in Kherson region.
• SBU has captured several terrorist groups accused of preparing terrorist attacks and collecting intelligence on Ukrainian troops in Mariupil, Luhans’k region and Kyiv.

International

• Press Relations department of the European Commission has informed, that the Association Agreement with Ukraine will be ratified via the fast-track procedure during the next session, which will be held in Strasbourg on September 15-18.
• An open letter by the President of the European Parliament Van Rompuy and the President of the European Commission Barroso declares that additional sanctions against Russia, Crimean authorities, terrorist “republics” and Russian oligarchs will be introduced on September 8.
• International experts from Malaysia and Australia hope to continue investigations of the Malaysian Airlines MH-17 flight crash site ASAP. Preliminary report on the catastrophe will be published on September 9 in the Hague.
• Moscow’s Lefortovsky court has put under arrest an Estonian security service employee, who has been kidnapped in Estonia.

Trends

• Ukrainian society questions authorities on legality of the truce protocol signed in Minsk with representatives of terrorists organizations.
• DPR ad LPR terrorists act according to their initial plans of Donbass cessation from Ukraine and unification with Russia.