11/13/2015 Ukraine: Daily Highlights - Bloody terrorist attacks in Paris

 Bloody terrorist attacks in Paris

11.13.2015 Daily Highlights by the Digests & Analytics Ukraine Agency

Topics from Media and Social Networks

• Bloody terrorist attacks in Paris.
• Ukraine has completed the restructuring of a part of its state debt.
• Ukrainian helicopter with illegal migrants fell in Slovakia.
• Explosions in Uzhgorod are investigated as a terrorist attack.
• Yarosh said that he remains the commander of the Volunteer Corps of the Right Sector.

05/11/2014 Ukraine: Daily Highlights - Ukraine will not finance the regions, controlled by DPR and LPR terrorists

05/11/2014 Daily Highlights from “Digests & Analytics Ukraine” News Agency

Ukraine will not finance the regions, controlled by DPR and LPR terrorists, but power and natural gas supplies will not be cut. Foreign exchange rate of Ukrainian hryvnya sharply decreased.

04/10/2014 Ukraine: Daily Highlights - A reform of Security Service of Ukraine is coming?

04/10/2014 Daily Highlights from “Digests & Analytics Ukraine” News Agency

Militant’s attacks on Ukrainian army positions and shelling of residential areas are ongoing despite the «truce». Territories controlled by DPR and LPR move closer to humanitarian catastrophe. SSU is getting ready to structural reforms and continues its efficient fight against terrorist groups.

16/09/2014 Ukraine: Daily Highlights - Verkhovna Rada ratified the association agreement with the EU, as well as legalized Donbass terrorists

16/09/2014 Daily Highlights from “Digests & Analytics Ukraine” News Agency

Fast adoption of legislations on special status of Donbass and on amnesty of terrorists has devided Ukrainian society. Situation could’t been softened even by the synchronous with the EU Parliament ratification of the association agreement with the EU and adoption of the Lustration law. At the same time, terrorists continue to attack Ukrainian army in all directions in Donbass.

07/09/2014 Ukraine: Daily Highlights - A shaky truce has taken hold in Donbas, which is regularly interrupted by terrorists

07.09.2014 Daily Highlights by “Digests & Analytics Ukraine” News Agency

A shaky truce has taken hold in Donbas, which is regularly interrupted by terrorists shelling Ukrainian army positions and sleeping neighborhoods in cities. The exchange of prisoners is ongoing. Russia brings additional military hardware and troops to Donbas.

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.

24/08/2014 Daily Highlights by “Digest & Analytics” News Agency

Ukraine

• The Independence Day have been celebrated in Ukraine. Holiday military parade have been conducted on Maidan Nezalezhnosti with participation of military and police units, as well as of various military technology, that after the end of the parade were moving to the zone of antiterrorist operation. President Poroshenko participated both in the parade of land forces in Kyiv and navy ones in Odessa during the same day. In his keynote speech, President Poroshenko promised to allocate 40 bln. UAH (~3 bln.$) for army rearmament during the coming three years.

18/08/2014 Daily Highlights by “Digests & Analytics Ukraine” News Agency

Ukraine

• Luhansk mayor, who had been collaborating with terrorists and have been recently captured by Aydar battalion, was reelased from detention by the court.
• National Bank slightly strengthened Ukrainian hryvnia: 13.07 UAH / 1$ (+6 cop), 17.50 UAH / 1€ (+6 cop), 3.63 UAH / 10 RUR (+1 cop).
• As terrorists weren’t able to guarantee security to the Red Cross specialists, customs clearance of the “humanitarian aid” haven’t been performed yet. Ukrainian border guards prevented the attempt of several Russian trucks to enter Ukraine through the checkpoint “Izvaryno”.
• As reported by the Washington Post, “Motor Sich” company from Zaporizhya continue to supply Russia with military produce.

Kyiv

• Kyiv authorities launched the investment competition on creation of the major network of points of sales, with direct access to consumers by the bread producers, aimed to prevent sharp price increases for the social types of bread.

War in Ukraine

• As per official reports from NSDC, fights are ongoing in the center of Luhans’k, Stanitsa Luhanska, Ilovays’k, as well as in the outskirts of Donets’k.
  Donbass terrorists receive powerful weapons such as multiple rocket launchers “Uragan”, use of prohibited by the international conventions antipersonnel mine cassette ammunition have been evidenced. Russia supply hundreds of heavy ammunition, armored technique, artillery systems and mercenaries to Donbass, through parts of the border uncontrolled by Ukrainian troops. Technique is being supplied without the license plates, mercenaries carry no insignia. Russia put surface-to-air missile systems on their side, that prevents the use of Ukrainian aviation in the borderline zones.
• Water supply to Donets’k was cut as terrorists damaged  main filtration station. 94 settlements have been cut from electricity supply within the Donets’k region, around half a million of inhabitants are cut off from the electricity supply, as reported by the region authorities.
• Organized refugees column was shelled by terrorists with multiple rocket launcher “Grad”, dozens of civilians were killed, including children. As stated by the head of the polish humanitarian mission this accident could be recognized as the crime against humanity.

International

• Energy Minister of Ukraine Prodan met with the Deputy Minister of Energy of the US, questions of energy security during absence of gas supply from Russia were discussed and participation of the US specialists to the work of the anticrisis energy council agreed.
• As reported by the Eurostat, since the beginning of the year export of goods from the EU member states to Russia declined by -14%, import from Russia by -7%.
• Bulgaria fully stopped construction of the “South Stream” pipeline until the project will not comply with the European legislation.
• Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Klimkin, announced during the breeding, that German Chancellor Merkel will come to Ukraine with special visit on 23rd of August. He also stressed that during negotiations in Berlin Russia refused to recognize facts of ammunition and mercenaries supply through its border, shillings of Ukrainian territory, as well as to allow effective border control by the OSCE observers.
• Verkhovna Rada speaker Turchynov during the joint press conference of the parliament spacers in Lithuania stressed, that compromises with aggressors hadn’t ever led to anything good. Ukraine is ready to protect Europe from Russian aggression but arms supply is necessary.
• European Union is ready to provide Ukraine with extra financial aid for refugees and re-settled subjects from the east of Ukraine, as confirmed by the EU representative responsible for humanitarian aspects and civil defense during the meeting with the Vice-Prime Minister Groysman.
• Prime Minister of Finland stressed that provision of the military aid to Ukraine from the side of the EU is impossible.
• OSCE observers, responsible for monitoring of the situation in Ukraine, will be provided by surveillance drones not earlier than by the end of the month.
• As reported by the Radio Liberty, anti Ukrainian propaganda in Russia have been just launched on children’s channels.

Trends

• Intensive preparation of troops for the winter campaign is ongoing from Russian and Ukrainian sides.
• Russia has no other option to resolve the transport connection with Crimeas but through the land route through Ukraine.

17/08/2014 Daily Highlights by “Digests & Analytics Ukraine” News Agency

Ukraine

• First part of trucks with Russian «humanitarian aid» reached the customs checkpoint Izvaryno. OSCE experts will check the shipment on monday or tuesday, transfer of goods will be performed only through the International Red Cross. Humanitarian aid, provided by Ukraine, is being already distributed by the Red Cross in 10 cities of Luhansk region.
• Slovyans'k inhabitants during the meeting decided to dismantle the monument of Lenin, as well as stressed subversive terrorists groups are acting in the city, as well as within the zone liberated by the Ukrainian army.

14.08.2014 Daily Highlights by “Digests & Analytics Ukraine” News Agency

Ukraine

• Verkhovna Rada declined to include into agenda any options of the election law with open lists. The law on elections funding  wasn’t adopted as well. The law on the gas transportation system (GTS) was adopted, giving an opportunity for companies with foreign capital from the EU and the US to operate gas transportation and accumulation processes, that in principle prohibits participation of Gasprom in the management of Ukrainian GTS. The law on taxation of enterprises within the free economic zone Crimea, was adopted in the second reading. The law on voluntary reunification of the territorial communities was sent for the second reading. The law on sanctions was adopted, providing opportunity for Ukraine to apply sanctions to foreign states, legal entities and physical persons from foreign countries and Ukraine, as well as to other subjects. The Parliament put into agenda the law on the prosecutors office, creating the office of the military  prosecutor. The law on lustration went through the first reading. The parliament went on vacations till the 2nd of September. Populous meeting took place near the Verkhovna Rada building during the session, in support of lustration law adoption.

13/08/2014 Daily Highlights by “Digests & Analytics Ukraine” News Agency

Ukraine

• Bishops of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church under Moscow Patriarchate elected the new Archbishop Onufriy, who’ve previously served as Bishop of Chernivtsi and Bykovyna and known for his pro-Russian position and being against the reunification of orthodox churches in Ukraine.
• Ukrainian Government created special commission to defend Ukrainian interests in getting back the part of the property of former USSR belonging to the sovereign, aimed at audit of assets and liabilities of the former USSR and defense of Ukraine in the international courts.
• Minister of Fuel & Energy Prodan reported that decision have been taken within the meeting of the Government on the order of implementation of the state of emergency in the electricity energy field due to absence of coal on stock of the thermal electricity stations as the result of combat operations, that could limit the export of electricity.
• Official exchange rate of the Ukrainian Hryvnya (UAH) slightly stabilized, being at the level of historical minimum: 13.11 UAH / 1$ (+3 cop), 17.50 UAH / 1€ (+8 cop), 3.62 UAH / 10 RUR (+1 cop). Interbank Fx rate went down a bit as well as the spread since the opening go the trade session.

12.08.2014 Daily Highlights by “Digests & Analytics Ukraine” News Agency

Ukraine

• Ukrainian Parliament adopted in first reading the law on sanctions, that in specialists opinion looks to be even worse than the analogous one, enforced during the Yanukovych rule, limiting citizens rights and going against the constitution. Second reading of the law on sanctions and lustration are planned by Verkhovna Rada on August 14th. Law on tax free regime for the humanitarian aid for Ukrainian Army was as well adopted in the first reading. Verkhovna Rada created in Crimea free economic zone for 10 years with special functioning regime, management of the zone will be conducted by the state management company. Also, by the legislative means, parliament changed the justice proceedings, prejudicial inquiry, use of weapons and detention order of the subjects, engaged in terrorism, on the territory, where there are combat actions. None of the options of the law on elections, provided by various deputies fractions, including the one with open lists, failed to be supported by sufficient amount of votes.

05/08/2014 Daily Highlights by “Digests & Analytics Ukraine” News Agency

Ukraine

• Pechersky District Court of Kyiv, based on the evidence submitted by the Prosecutor General of Ukraine, decided to arrest citizens of Russian Federation Zyuganov, Zhirinovsky, Shoigu, Tymchenko and Malofeeva for financing of terrorism and incitement to violate the territorial integrity of Ukraine.
• National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) continue sharp devaluation of the national currency: 12.29 UAH / 1$ (-11 cop), 16.50 UAH / € (-19 cop), 3.45 UAH / 10 RUB 10 (-4 cop).During the day quotes fluctuated within the following ranges: 12,25-12,52 UAH / 1$ 16,39-16,70 UAH / 1€. NBU went on a stock exchange, but this haven’t brought down excessive demand for foreign currencies. The regulator explains the spike by political instability of the last week and hopes to replenish currency reserves from coming sales of agricultural producers.Market traders worked out applications for foreign currency purchases from July 31.
• President Poroshenko appointed former secretary of the National Security & Defense Council, served during Kuchma times Vladimir Gorbulin, as director of the National Institute for Strategic Studies.
• The state has decided to increase the capital of "Naftogaz" by 63 billion UAH to 96.6 billion UAH, ie three times, through issue of additional shares and confirmed state ownership. Financing of the transactions will be done through the exchange of sovereign bonds with a yield no higher than 14.3% per annum.

28.07-03.08.2014 Weekly Highlights by “Digests & Analytics Ukraine” News Agency

Ukraine

• Russian army continues shelling Ukrainian Armed Forces from its territory, using multiple rocket launchers and artillery. Aircraft and helicopters of Russian Air Forces routinely violate Ukrainian airspace, but are not shot down so far. Columns of armored vehicles, artillery, multiple rocket launchers, ammunition trucks and mercenaries, penetrate from Russia to Ukraine through the part of land borders, controlled by terrorists of LPR.
• Terrorists are shelling residential areas of Donetsk, Luhansk, Avdiivka, Shakhtarsk and Terez with multiple rocket launchers "Grad" and artillery, civilian casualties are reported.
• Mayor of Stakhanov, "information minister" of DPR Bloha and Mayor of Popasnaya have been arrested for collaboration with terrorists.
• Ukrainian troops with a rapid maneuver split the group of terrorists in Debalcevo, captured the strategic heights Saur-Mohyla, are fighting for Torez, Snizhne, Shakhtersk, Pervomais'k, Luhansk, Donetsk stripped from militants are Ilovajsk, Avdiyivka, Debalcevo.

UKRAINE: JULY, 2014 Monthly Highlights by “Digests & Analytics Ukraine” News Agency

Politics

• President Poroshenko appealed to the international community, asking to recognize DPR and LPR as international terrorist organizations.
• US, Canada and EU imposed sectoral sanctions against largest Russian companies and banks, as well as against those from terrorist organizations and Crimea, and also to the inner circle of Russian President Putin.
• Archbishop of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate) Vladimir passed away. Archbishop of Moscow didn’t attend the funeral "to avoid provocations"
• Parliamentary groups «Udar» and «Svoboda» left the parliamentary coalition, allowing president Poroshenko appoint parliamentary re-elections.
• Ukrainian Parliament adopted majority of bills, proposed by Ukrainian government,

28/07/2014 | Daily Highlights by “Digests & Analytics Ukraine” News Agency

Ukraine

• Prime Minister Yatsenyuk, speaking live on ICTV channel, stated that under the Constitution, parliamentary elections must be held by the system with open lists of parties candidates. In case of ad hoc re-elections, the law should be changed to ensure compliance with the Constitution. He also stressed, that there is a risk of technical default, if deputies will approve the governmental bils.
• NBU lowered the exchange rate of Ukrainian Hryvnia: 11.85 UAH / 1$ (+10 kopecks), 15.93 UAH / 1€ (+10 cop), 3.28 UAH / 10 RUR (+7 cop).

21-27/07/2014 Weekly Highlights by “Digests & Analytics Ukraine” News Agency

War in Ukraine

• Ukrainian troops captured Shakhtersk city that dissected DPR and LPR terrorist groups and interrupted weapons and mercenaries supply chain to Donetsk.  Antiterrorist coalition forces liberated Rubezhne, Soledar, Dzerzhinsk, Lysychansk and Severodonetsk, as well as started operation to clean Debalcevo, Pervomaisk and Torrez from terrorists. Since the beginning of anti-terrorist operations, ⅔ of territory previously controlled by terrorists have been already cleared, according to the information center of the NSDC.
• Russian troops, in close cooperation with terrorists, shelled Ukrainian positions with artillery and multiple rocket launchers from Russian territory. Russia continue to supply terrorists with military equipment, gear, arms, ammunition and mercenaries, through section of the border in the Luhansk region, not guarded by Ukrainian border guards.
• Russia continues to concentrate troops on the border of Ukraine, the threat of invasion is still high.
• Terrorists shelled residential areas of Donbass cities with mortars and multiple rocket launch systems "Grad", dozens of civilians have been killed and injured, numerous houses and public buildings - destroyed. Bandits rob shops, steal cars, announced mobilization of men and curfew in the cities on the territory they control.
• Terrorists shot down two Ukrainian military SU-25 jets with MANPADS over the combat area. Ukrainian military does not exclude that missiles could be launched from the Russian territory.
• Results of preliminary analysis of "black boxes" from Malaysian Airlibes Boeing 777 crashed in Tores, confirm that the plane was shot down by a missile. Research of collected evidence is ongoing in the UK. Ukraine transferred the rights to investigate the incident to the Netherlands. Dead bodies of passengers transferred to the Netherlands for identification. DPR terrorists block access of international experts to the crash site and destroying evidence.

Economy

• Gazprom and Centragas company, belonging to Mr. Firtash, started to liquidate the joint RosUkrEnergo venture, kneaded in a high-profile corruption scandals.
• Official exchange rate OF Ukrainian Hryvnia slightly weakened during the week. Foreign exchange market practically didn’t react to parliament coalition dissolution and dismissal of the government.
• Naftogaz estimated the cost of the Ukrainian gas transport system at the level of $ 25-35 billion, depending on the profitability of the transit business.
• EU imposed additional sanctions against terrorists, persons involved in supporting terrorists in Donbas and number of companies and organizations involved in financing of terrorism and arms supplies.

Politics

• Parliamentary groups “Udar” and “Freedom” left ruling coalition and thus launched the process of parliament reelection, as announced by speaker Turchinov during Verkhovna Rada meeting. Communist Party fraction have been dissolved by a separate decision.
• Prime Minister Yatsenyuk resigned, appointing vice-premie minister Groisman as acting PM, due to the refusal of the Verkhovna Rada to vote for government bills to reorganize the gas transportation system and to fundi anti-terrorist operation.
• President Poroshenko signed a decree on partial mobilization of men of different ages for the rotation of armed forces within the antiterrorism operation zone. Both under and postgraduate students are out of scope of mobilization.
• Kremenchug mayor Babaev was killed on July 26 by unidentified killer. Lviv mayor's house was fired with grenade launcher the same day.  Police qualifies both cases as terrorist acts.
• Dozens of mining reports of public buildings and shopping centers received in Kiev and Lviv. The information has not been confirmed, but the situation remains tense.
• White House spokesman blamed Russia and President Putin personally for the terrorist act that led to the catastrophe of the Malaysian Airlines passenger airliner.
• National Council on Radio and Television broadcasting in Ukraine has banned four Russian TV channels for dissemination of deliberately false information.
• Voronezh court upheld the detention of Ukrainian pilot Nadiya Savchenko, kidnapped by LPR terrorists and illegally detained on the territory of Russia.
• President Poroshenko appealed to the international community to recognize the LPR and DPR as international terrorist organizations.

24/07/2014 Daily Highlights by “Digests & Analytics Ukraine” News Agency

Ukraine

• Fractions “Svoboda”, “Udar” as well as 19 individual deputies, left the ruling coalition in Verkhovna Rada and therefore, the coalition has ceased to exist – this was announced in the Parliament by its speaker Turchynov. If new coalition will not be formed within 30 days, president has the right to dissolve parliament and appoint parliamentary elections in three months, on October 26.
• Parliament Speaker Turchynov announced the dissolution of the Communist Party fraction, based on Verkhovna Rada regulation amendments, recently signed by the President Poroshenko. 
• Prime Minister Yatsenyuk, speaking in Parliament, announced his resignation in response to the collapse of the ruling coalition and blocking of government decisions be the parliament, in particular, reforms of gas transportation system and the allocation of additional funds for the army. Deputies speculate that Prime Minister resignation should be approved by Verkhovna Rada. Mr. Groisman could be appointed as an Acting Prime Minister, as leaked on Facebook by Interior Minister Avakov. President Poroshenko requested Speaker to arrange the confidence vote for the government on July 25 and offered Yatsenyuk to continue to work until the election of the new parliament.