Civil War in Ukraine: Western Empire vs Russia

[thorbiorn]

The First as Tragedy, Then as Farce: Is Erdogan After New Crimean War?

http://sputniknews.com/world/20160101/1032574365/erdogan-crimea-war-farce.html

[...]

Another illustration is that Erdogan is also “sending the ultra-right-wing Turkish nationalist terrorist Grey Wolves into Ukraine to team up with Ankara-backed Crimean Muslim Tatar terrorists.”

The expert warns that “Erdogan’s ambitions are not modest. If he is mad enough to persist, as he seems so far to be, backed by Saudi and Qatari billions and his mad obsession with creating a new Ottoman Sultanate, he could detonate a new world war.”

[...]

There is also this from

Turkish fighters, tanks and MRLSs ‘Grad’ deployed to Crimean borders (Video)
Thursday, December 31, 2015 - 14:11

To the border with the Crimea there have been deployed fighters from Turkey, reported in his blog the ex-deputy of the Verkhovna Rada Alexey Zhuravko.

Kind people have sent a video from the locality of Radensk, Tsyurupinsky area of the Kherson region. To the village have arrived 6 armoured personnel carriers, then there are 2 tanks, 2 self-propelled artillery systems, and still some equipment under the net. There have also arrived plenty of soldiers. They are standing under the Ukrainian flags, but all in balaclavas and stripped of insignia. When people wanted to approach to photograph closer, they were banished, but not at once — because those who banished, knew neither Russian, nor Ukrainian. According to the locals, these people spoke to each other the language similar to Turkish. Locals are in fear — "they will do grief".

Similar people, of Turkic and Middle Eastern appearance, have also appeared recently in large numbers in the following localities of the Kherson region: Chaplynka, Kalanchak, Novotroitsk, Genichensk, Vinogradovo, Abrikosovka, Mayachka, Krasny Schaban, Nikolaevka and others. There arrive several dozens such people a day.

It is reported that those arrived are members of the Turkish terrorist group "Grey Wolves". Moreover, according to good people, the pseudo-Crimean-Tatar Lyanur Islyamov received the other day about half a million dollars from the U.S. Embassy, for covering the debts on payment of the "people’s blockade" fighters’ actions, purchases of new arms, equipment, provisions, etc.

Furthermore, two other enemies of the Crimean Tatar and Ukrainian people Dzhemilev and Chubarov received financing from Turkey and entice to their ranks fighters of different punitive battalions — "Azov", "Donbass", "Aydar" and others — offering them a salary in one thousand dollars per month.

In total, near the village of Krasny Schaban that is located precisely on border with the Crimea, there are about 1.500 people — representatives of both various punitive battalions, and the Armed Forces of Ukraine and National guard among which there is more than one hundred Turkish subjects. There are also several units of MRLS ‘Grad’ and other heavy military equipment.

DONi News Agency

And this:

Friday, January 1, 2016 - 15:04

Only Turkey may be a true ally of Ukraine as the European Union has betrayed Kiev and Russia considers the former Soviet republic only as a vassal.

This statement was made in Facebook by Kiev economist Alexander Okhrimenko, reports The Politnavigator.

The best option for us is a great economic union Ukraine-Turkey. This is our future. The EU does not need us, they have plenty of their own problems. Russia need us but only as a vassal, which is even worse. That’s why our future is really in the union Ukraine-Turkey. We both are actually rogue states for both the EU and Russia, so Turkey and us just have to be friends

DONi News Agency

 

[sToRmR1dR]

Ukrainian army violates ceasefire 11 times, militia fighter killed - DPR Defense Ministry

http://tass.ru/en/world/848160

The DPR Defense Ministry noted that Staromikhailovka and Kominternovo villages as well as the Donetsk airport area had come under fire

MOSCOW, January 1. /TASS/. The Ukrainian military violated the ceasefire regime 11 times last night, a mortar attack left a militia fighter dead, the Defense Ministry of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) said on Friday.

"The Ukrainian side, despite the solemn assurances of its representatives in Minsk in the presence of the OSCE mission, violated the ceasefire regime 11 times last night," Donetsk News Agency quotes a Defense Ministry spokesman as saying.

According to him, the mortar fire killed one DPR military service member who died of multiple fragmentation wounds.

The DPR Defense Ministry noted that Staromikhailovka and Kominternovo villages as well as the Donetsk airport area had come under fire. "The enemy fired more than 82-mm mortar shells, more than 10 shots from tanks and more than 20 shots from armored personnel carriers. Double-tongued Ukrainian media reported that was the Ukrainian army’s celebratory gunfire," the ministry added.

For its part, the staff headquarters of Kiev’s military operation accused the militias of violating the ceasefire.

On December 22, 2015, the Contact Group urged the parties to the conflict to establish the full and unconditional ceasefire in the Donbass region as of December 23, 2015 - the sixth since the autumn of 2014.

 

[angelburst29]

Major gas pipeline explodes in Ukraine's Transcarpathian region (2 Videos)
http://uatoday.tv/news/major-gas-pipeline-explodes-in-ukraine-s-transcarpathian-region-564940.html

The pipeline is carrying Russian natural gas to Europe.

An explosion ripped through a natural gas pipeline in western Ukraine's Transcarpathian region on Friday, January 1st.

Local emergency crew recorded an underground depressurisation of a pipe in the Khust district at about 10 a.m. in the morning and shortly afterwards the gas reached the surface and flamed up.

A plume of fire reached 50 meters high and was seen from several surrounding villages. Nobody was killed or injured as a result of the incident.

The cross-country pipeline system "Soyuz" (Union) is transporting Russian natural gas to the EU countries, but local authorities have already assured that no European supplies would be affected.

At the moment emergency crews are waiting for the remaining gas to burn out to start the repair works. The cause of the incident is under investigation.


Several explosions on the gas pipeline in Ukraine. Jan 1, 2016.
http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=5bd_1451689371

Several explosions sounded in Khust region of Zakarpats'ka (Zakarpattia) Oblast on a reverse gas pipe from Hungary to Ukraine. According to official sources, the exposion was caused by depressurization of the pipe.

 

[sToRmR1dR]

Ukrainian nationalists celebrate birthday of Nazi collaborator Bandera with torch-lit marches

https://www.rt.com/news/327693-kiev-torch-march-bandera/

Around 3,000 Ukrainian nationalists came out into the streets of Kiev carrying torches to celebrate the 107th anniversary of the birth of controversial WWII figure and nationalist leader Stepan Bandera, who collaborated with Nazi Germany.

Thousands of people participating in the march were Right Sector and far-right Svoboda party supporters, RIA Novosti reported.

In Ruptly’s video footage from Kiev, the nationalists are seen lighting torches and proceeding as a massive wave down the streets in the city’s core. There is also a sea of Svoboda flags and banners reading: “Stepan Bandera is our hero.”

There was heavy police presence at the march, according to local Kiev Segodnya website.

Around 1,200 activists also came out in Ukraine’s southwestern city of Odessa to take part in a similar torch-lit procession. The crowd chanted “Glory to Ukraine,” “Glory to Stepan Bandera,” among other slogans.

Other marches and events to mark Bandera’s birthday were held in Dnepropetrovsk, Lvov, Ivano-Frankovsk, and Kherson.

READ MORE: Whitewashing Ukraine’s Nazi collaborators ‘morally repulsive’ – Russia’s UN envoy

Bandera is regarded as a highly controversial figure in Ukrainian society. He was leader of the militant arm of the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists (OUN) during World War II and collaborated with the Nazi German forces at the beginning of the war, but was later arrested by the Germans and spent years in a concentration camp.

In 1941, Bandera urged the Ukrainian people to aid the Nazis in destroying Moscow and the Bolsheviks. He later became the leader of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA) that was created in 1942 by a faction of the OUN. The UPA fought mostly against the Armia Krajowa of Poland and the Red Army in Western Ukraine.

READ MORE: Bandera: Ukraine’s national hero or traitor?

In 2010, President Viktor Yushchenko honored Bandera with the title of “Hero of Ukraine,” but in the same year, the Donetsk administrative court canceled the decision, calling it unlawful.

Russia has repeatedly criticized Ukraine’s attempts to whitewash the backgrounds of the Ukrainian nationalists who openly cooperated with the Nazis.

“It is deeply disturbing that the followers of [Stepan] Bandera are openly marching these days in Ukraine, displaying his portraits and fascist insignia, and are wielding considerable political power in Kiev,” Vitaly Churkin said at the UN in 2014.

 

[thorbiorn]

As almost usual by now, Stepan Bandera's birthdays was celebrated in Kiev:
http://sputniknews.com/europe/20151229/1032461387/kiev-prepares-torch-lit-nazi-march.html
Nationalists March in Kiev to Mark Birthday of Fascist Collaborator
http://sputniknews.com/europe/20160101/1032586958/kiev-bandera-birthday.html#ixzz3w1HrUbeG
Ukrainian MP Sings 'Adolf Hitler in Each of Us' on Eve of Nazi March

This is a video in Russian with music showing in pictures some similarities between now and then when it comes to Ukrainian Ultra Nationalism https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C6wV8mlRkDI&feature=youtu.be

Regarding the situation in Donbas, there is a link in Russian with pictures of Ukrainian Armed Forces. They have apparently chosen to draw up the heavy weapons to the front line: http://rusvesna.su/news/1451329716 time will show it was more than a New Year greeting.

 

[angelburst29]

Yatsenyuk's year-end presser: Ukraine's national goal is the return of Crimea, Lugansk, Donetsk
http://fortruss.blogspot.ru/2015/12/yatsenyuks-year-end-presser-ukraines.html

Prime Minister of Ukraine Arseniy Yatsenyuk, in his annual year-end press conference proclaimed the national goal of Ukraine to be "restoration of territorial integrity of the country," which, according to him, means return of Donbass and Crimea under the control of Kiev.

"The national aim is the restoration of the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the Ukrainian state. This means the return of Donetsk, Lugansk and the Autonomous Republic of Crimea under the full control of the Ukrainian authorities," he said.

How he is going to establish control over the territory of Russia and the People's Republic of Donbass, Yatsenyuk did not elaborate.


Poroshenko's Comical New Year Comments
http://fortruss.blogspot.com/2016/01/poroshenkos-comical-new-year-comments.html

The new year's address of Poroshenko has caused a storm of emotions among bloggers. A few minutes before the New year, the Ukrainian leader excitedly shared with citizens his thoughts about how the Ukrainian military managed to stop the alleged attack of Russia, and that the "worst is over".

In his words, "peace and tranquility, freedom and independence, prosperity and unity – these are the aspirations of every Ukrainian".

In his speech, the President mentioned the need to combat corruption and "foreign enemies", and couldn't resist to remind the citizens about their proximity to Europe.

"It is symbolic that on the eve of holidays we are making several important decisions on the European Union. We didn't cut open a window to Europe, we widely opened the door," he said proudly.

Internet users believe that Poroshenko "got carried away" and that he was "lost out on the steppe".


Kolomoisky Censored Poroshenko's New Year Address
http://fortruss.blogspot.com/2016/01/kolomoisky-censored-poroshenkos-new.html

Ukrainian TV channel "1+1", owned by oligarch Igor Kolomoisky, broadcasted the new year's address of President Petro Poroshenko, but it was a cropped version. The blog on the website "Ukrainska Pravda" reported this via journalist Victor Ukolov.

From the start of the movie about the events of 2015 to the introductory statement of the President himself, footage was cut by Kolomoisky of his company "Ukrtransnafta" that lasted 2.5 seconds. Ukolov called it the first case of censorship of the media in relation to the state.

"An unprecedented case of censorship – the oligarchic channel cut the congratulations of the President. Power wasn't used to censor the media, but rather to favor the owner of the channel to censor the authorities," the journalist said.

Conflict between the former Governor of Dnepropetrovsk region Kolomoisky and Ukrainian authorities erupted in the spring of 2015 due to the change of management of "Ukrtransnafta". In Russia, the oligarch opened a criminal case regarding the events in the South-East of Ukraine. Kolomoisky is suspected of financing some of the volunteer battalions, which had used prohibited means and methods of warfare.


European Parliament Uses "Double Standards" in Matters of Arms Exports
http://en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13941010000776

The European Parliament applies "double standards" by justifying any military exports to Kiev and at the same time condemning illicit arms trade by EU member states, Russian Foreign Ministry’s spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said, Sputnik reported.

"We note with regret that the European Parliament's approach is not without double standards," Zakharova said, as quoted in a statement on the ministry’s website.

This applies primarily to the "selective application of specific provisions" of the Common Position in the part concerning the admissibility of transfer of arms and military equipment to Ukraine, the spokeswoman said.

"The European parliamentarians, in fact, justify any supplies of military products to Kiev," the spokeswoman said.

Zakharova’s statement comes in response to the resolution adopted by the European Parliament on December 17. The EU parliamentarians noted with concern the increasingly frequent violations of the Common Position adopted on the issue in 2008 by individual EU member states


Ukraine bans Russian food imports from January 10 in tit-for-tat war
http://tass.ru/en/economy/848194

Specifically, it bans the imports of bread and bakery products, cookies, chocolates, cattle meat, fish, roasted coffee, black tea, baby food, cigarettes with filter, vodka, and some other commodities.

KIEV, January 2. /TASS/. The Ukrainian government has approved a list of Russian foodstuffs that will be banned for importation into Ukraine from January 10, according to the government’s resolution published on Saturday. "To ban until August 5, 2016, the importation of goods originating from the Russian Federation into the Ukrainian customs territory as per the list given in the appendix," the resolution reads.


EU may lift sanctions on some former allies of ousted Ukrainian president Yanukovych - WSJ
http://tass.ru/en/world/848190

The EU slapped sanctions against former Ukrainian officials in 2014.

NEW YORK, January 2. /TASS/. The European Union (EU) may lift sanctions on some former Ukrainian officials already in the spring of this year, The Wall Street Journal reported on Saturday. The paper didn’t specify the former allies of ousted Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych, against whom the EU sanctions might be cancelled.

Overall, the EU sanctions list includes Yanukovych and 17 people from his close circle. According to the paper, the sanctions may be lifted considering that the Ukrainian authorities have not brought any accusations against the former Yanukovych allies who are on the EU sanctions list and are staying in Ukraine.

These persons will get free access to their assets in the West during the year. After that, no one will any longer support the imposition of new sanctions against them. Many EU officials are sick and tired of Ukraine, the paper cited an unidentified official from a Western country as saying. The EU slapped sanctions against former Ukrainian officials in 2014. The list, which was adopted in March 2014, initially included 18 people and was then extended to 22 persons. The EU later shortened its sanctions list to 18 people.


93.1% of Crimea residents oppose electricity supplies on Ukraine’s conditions - pollster
http://tass.ru/en/society/848176

93.1% did not support the conclusion of the contract, under which Crimea and Sevastopol would be part of Ukraine.

MOSCOW, January 1. /TASS/. More than 90% of Crimea’s residents have said they oppose the electricity supplies on Ukraine’s conditions, if the energy contract indicates that Crimea and Sevastopol are part of Ukraine, Director-General of the Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VTsIOM) Valery Fyodorov said. The terms of electricity supplies to Crimea and Sevastopol proposed by Ukraine became the reason for Russian President Vladimir Putin to give instructions to conduct a telephone survey of residents of the Black Sea peninsula by VTsIOM.

"In the Republic of Crimea, 6.2% expressed support for signing such a contract, while 93.1% did not support the conclusion of the contract, under which Crimea and Sevastopol would be part of Ukraine," Fyodorov said. He also said that 94% of those polled in Sevastopol and Crimea said they are ready for temporary difficulties connected with insignificant problems with energy supply over the next 3-4 months should such a contract not be signed. A mere 5.4% said they are not ready for such difficulties. About 3,000 people have been surveyed, "2,500 people in Crimea and about 500 people in Sevastopol," he added. According to Fyodorov, the margin of error does not exceed 4.5%. Under the standard scheme, electricity from Ukraine to Crimea had been supplied on four power transmission lines through Ukraine’s Kherson Region.

Results of poll on supplies of Ukrainian energy to Crimea reported to Putin The results of a poll by the Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VTsIOM) on Crimean’ attitude toward an energy supply contract suggested by Ukraine have been reported to Russian President Vladimir Putin, VTsIOM Director-General Valery Fyodorov said.

Under the standard scheme, electricity from Ukraine to Crimea had been supplied on four power transmission lines through Ukraine’s Kherson Region.

 

[sToRmR1dR]

Ukraine’s Donetsk Republic accuses pro-Kiev forces of 3 truce breaches in last 24 hours

http://tass.ru/en/world/848198

Kiev has also moved several hundred foreign mercenaries to the engagement line

MOSCOW, January 2. /TASS/. The Ukrainian army shelled the territory controlled by the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) three times in the past twenty-four hours, the DPR Defense Ministry reported on Saturday.

"The Ukrainian side continues to violate grossly the Minsk accords. Units of the Ukrainian army have breached the ceasefire regime three times over the past twenty-four hours," the Donetsk News Agency quoted the DPR Defense Ministry as saying.

The Ukrainian military shelled the village of Staromikhailovka on the western outskirts of Donetsk and the settlement of Spartak north of the city, the DPR Defense Ministry said.

"Overall, the enemy fired more than ten mines with a caliber of 120 and 82 mm and up to ten rounds from an infantry fighting vehicle, the ministry added.

In turn, the headquarters of Kiev’s military operation in east Ukraine have accused the DPR militia of truce breaches. Meanwhile, spokesman for the DPR Defense Ministry Eduard Basurin said on Saturday that the Ukrainian army had moved 20 pieces of heavy armor and tanks to the engagement line.

Meanwhile, spokesman for the DPR Defense Ministry Eduard Basurin said on Saturday that the Ukrainian army had moved 20 pieces of heavy armor and tanks to the engagement line.

"Eight Grad multiple launch rocket systems have been detected in the village of Georgiyevka, seven kilometers from the engagement line. Also, the arrival of 12 self-propelled artillery systems, 18 tanks and 15 vehicles with the personnel of the Krym battalion has been noticed in the settlement of Artyomovsk (20 km from the engagement line)," Basurin was quoted by the Donetsk News Agency as saying.

Kiev has also moved several hundred foreign mercenaries to the engagement line, Basurin said.

"In the settlements of Pishchevsk and Nikolayevka [near Mariupol], 5 km and 8 km from the engagement line, respectively, the stay of several hundred mercenaries from Poland, Georgia and Turkey has been noticed," the spokesman of the DPR Defense Ministry said.

Meanwhile, the reconnaissance of the Lugansk People’s Republic has reported that a special forces group, Lugansk-1, of Ukraine’s Interior Ministry has arrived to strengthen the Ukrainian army units stationed in the village of Schastye.

The Contact Group on the settlement of the armed conflict in east Ukraine urged the conflicting sides on December 22, 2015 to establish a full and unconditional ceasefire regime in the Donbass region from December 23, already the sixth truce since the autumn of 2014.

The package of measures for the fulfillment of the Minsk ceasefire accords, which was signed by the Contact Group on the Ukraine crisis settlement on February 12, obliges the warring sides to pull weapons with the caliber of 100 mm and more at a distance of 50 km (31 miles), multiple launch rocket systems at a distance of 70 km (43 miles), Uragan, Smerch volley fire rocket systems and Tochka ballistic missile complexes at a distance of 140 km (87 miles).

Under the September supplement to the package of measures for the fulfillment of the Minsk ceasefire accords, the warring sides also have to pull back weapons with a caliber of under 100 mm, tanks and mortars, including with a caliber of 120 mm.

 

[Hesper]

Study proves Maidan massacre was carried out by current Ukrainian government

A study of the February 20, 2014 "Snipers' massacre" in Kiev, where scores of protesters were killed by shots fired from surrounding buildings, has proved that it was carried out by Western-backed opposition groups.

The research found that the Berkut special police force, which was loyal to the Ukrainian government, was not responsible, contrary to the narrative which was created by the post-Maidan coup government in Kiev, and consequently accepted by Western governments and media.

Ivan Katchanovski, a teacher of political science at the University of Ottawa, studied eyewitness reports, estimates of ballistic trajectories, 30 gigabytes of security forces' radio intercepts, 5,000 photos and 1,500 videos and broadcast recordings of the protesters' deaths.

"This academic investigation concludes that the massacre was a false flag operation, which was rationally planned and carried out with a goal of the overthrow of the government and seizure of power," wrote Katchanovski in his study, called 'The "Snipers' Massacre" on the Maidan in Ukraine.'

The study itself is attached to this post.

 

[sToRmR1dR]

Donetsk authorities register no shootings by Kiev forces on Sunday night

http://tass.ru/en/world/848221

On Sunday night, the situation was peaceful in the districts of Novoazovskiy, Telmanovskiy and Starobeshevo

MOSCOW, January 3. / TASS /. The authorities of the People's Republic of Donetsk have registered no shootings by the Ukrainian security services on its territory on Sunday night, the local news agency reported citing the authorities.

"We had a quiet night,"- head of the Petrovsky district of the republic Maxim Zhukovsky said.

The administrations of the Kirov, Kuibyshev and Kiev districts also confirmed the observation of ceasefire. The authorities of Makeyevka, and Gorlovka Yasinovataya said they had not registered any attacks either. On Sunday night, the situation was peaceful in the districts of Novoazovskiy, Telmanovskiy and Starobeshevo.

On December 22, 2015, the Contact Group on settlement of the situation in east Ukraine at a meeting in Minsk called on the parties to the conflict to set full and unconditional cease-fire in the Donbass region - the sixth ceasefire in a row since the autumn of 2014. Nevertheless, the Defense Ministry of the People’s Republic of Donetsk continues to register attacks by the armed forces of Ukraine. On the New Year’s Eve the Kiev security forces opened fire 11 times on the territory of the republic. As a result one of militia fighters was killed.

 

[angelburst29]

Kiev pulls in military equipment to demarcation line — Lugansk authorities
http://tass.ru/en/world/848230

In particular it includes ten T-64 tanks and five 122-mm self-propelled artillery guns," acting Chief of Staff of Militia corps of the People's Republic of Lugansk said.

MOSCOW, January 3. /TASS/. Ukraine’s security forces are continuing to deploy armored vehicles along the demarcation line and setting positions for conventional and missile artillery violating the Minsk agreements, Colonel Igor Yaschenko, acting Chief of Staff of Militia corps of the People's Republic of Lugansk, said on Sunday. "Our scouting elements continue to register deployment of heavy weapons and personnel to the demarcation line. according to them, various equipment has been spotted at a railway station in the village of Luganskaya, 1 km away from the demarcation line. In particular it includes ten T-64 tanks and five 122-mm self-propelled artillery guns,"- he said as quoted by the LuganskInformTsentr news agency.

"In the district of Kamyshnaya, 8 kilometers away from the demarcation line, we registered the establishment of the line of defense up to the company’s position. In the district of Nizhnyaya Olkhovaya, 11 km from the line we marked preparations of artillery positions. Near ··the village of Kryakovka they are deploying BM-21 Grad multiple launch rocket systems,"- he said.

 

[sToRmR1dR]

Security officials said about 23 shelling of its positions in the Donbas per day

http://ria.ru/world/20160106/1355320691.html

The situation in the Donets Basin for the past day deteriorated. Security officials said their positions were shelled with heavy machine guns and small arms.

KIEV, January 6 - RIA Novosti. Ukrainian security officials said on Wednesday that it recorded 23 shelling of their positions by militias in the Donets Basin for the past day.

"Last night the situation in the zone of the ATO escalated. After 18.00 (19.00 MSK) until the end of the day fighters 14 times violated the terms of the ceasefire ... just the past day recorded 23 episodes of violations ... the regime of complete silence. Since the beginning of the current day fighters only once, about 04.00 (5.00 MSK) in the morning, from small arms fired randomly Sands ", - the press-center of the military operation in Facebook.

According to security officials, their positions were shelled with heavy machine guns and small arms in the region of Novgorod settlements, Zaitsev Mironovsky, Lugansk, Trinity and Mallorcan.

 

[angelburst29]

The head of the People's Republic of Luhansk ordered to release captive servicemen of the Ukrainian Armed Forces on December 6, in honor of Christmas.

Luhansk releases all Ukrainian POWs in honor of Christmas
http://www.pravdareport.com/news/world/06-01-2016/133009-ukraine_luhansk-0/

"On Christmas Eve, I have ordered to release the soldiers of the Ukrainian Armed Forces that remain in captivity on the territory of the People's Republic of Luhansk. I am convinced that the light of the star of Bethlehem and Christmas prayers will help Kiev find a decent answer. We are ready to resolve all differences at the negotiating table, without bloodshed, without the tears of women and children," the head of the republic told the Luhansk Information Center.

Last year, the People's Republic of Luhansk and Kiev exchanged small groups of prisoners of war. It is worth noting that the the governments of the breakaway republics of Donetsk and Luhansk had offered Kiev to exchange POWs "all for all", but the government of Ukraine declined the offer.


Border guards detain vessel flying Cambodia flag near Crimean coast — FSB
http://tass.ru/en/politics/848332

The vessel violated the regime of the state border of Russia, that is, deviated from the recommended course and dropped anchor on roads in the village of Chernomorskoye without permission.

SIMFEROPOL, January 5. /TASS/. The Don escort vessel of the Russian Federal Security Service’s (FSB) Crimean Border Department has detained a dry cargo ship flying the flag of Cambodia in Russia’s territorial waters in the Black Sea. "The vessel violated the regime of the state border of the Russian Federation, that is, deviated from the recommended course and dropped anchor on roads in the village of Chernomorskoye without permission of the port services," the department said.

According to the FSB, the incident occurred January 3. The vessel’s captain, a Ukrainian national born in 1970, has been brought to administrative account under the article "Violation of the Russian Federation’s state border regime." The ship’s owner faces a fine of up to 50,000 rubles ($681). The St. George vessel’s home port is Phnom Penh, it was bound from Rostov-on-Don to Varna. On the evening of the same day, the dry cargo ship was deported from Russia’s territorial waters, the department said.

 

[sToRmR1dR]

Soldiers of Misfortune: Alleged US Mercenaries Spotted in Donbass

http://sputniknews.com/europe/20160107/1032813971/donbass-us-mercenaries.html

Alleged US mercenaries were seen in a night club in the city of Mariupol under Kiev's control, a Donetsk People's Republic military official said.

DONETSK (Sputnik) — The self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic's (DPR) intelligence has detected the presence of alleged US mercenaries in southern Donbass, DPR deputy defense minister said Thursday.

"17 military personnel of a private military company were seen in the "Port City" nigh club in [the eastern Ukrainian city] Mariupol. Presumably, they are citizens of the United States. They spoke English and had US insignias..," Eduard Basurin said.

On December 23, 2015, DPR's Defense Ministry said some 100 Turkish mercenaries had arrived in Mariupol, while about 200 people, speaking Polish, Slovak and Turkish had arrived in another eastern Ukrainian city of Artemovsk.

The Ukrainian government has been conducting a military operation in the country's eastern regions since April 2014.

In February, Kiev and the representatives of Donbass independence supporters signed a deal on Ukrainian reconciliation in Minsk, including a ceasefire and the withdrawal of weapons from the line of contact. Article 10 of the agreement calls for the pullout of all foreign armed formations, military equipment and mercenaries from Ukraine.

 

[sToRmR1dR]

Fresh Canadian trainers headed to Ukraine

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=2eb_1452211511

A contingent of Canadian military trainers are headed to Lviv, Ukraine, to train Ukrainian soldiers infantry combat skills, battlefield medical treatment and how to defuse and dispose of roadside bombs.

"A fresh batch of Canadian military trainers is about to deploy to eastern Europe, and the outgoing commander says his soldiers took a lot of their own notes in addition to handing out assignments to Ukrainian troops. Lt.-Col. Jason Guiney, who is about to end his five-month stint, says even though their training bases are 1,200 kilometres away from the fighting in the breakaway eastern regions, his troops have learned a lot about the nature of the conflict.

"It's a very big wake-up call for us as an institution," Guiney said Thursday in a telephone interview from Lviv, located in western Ukraine.

In dealing with Ukrainian troops, he said, they've had an up-close look at how Moscow-backed separatists have mixed high-tech Russian weaponry, cyberattacks, propaganda, conventional warfare and insurgency warfare into a toxic, deadly campaign.

"There's a lot of very modern Russian equipment in there," Guiney said, referring to armoured vehicles that have the ability to deflect anti-tank rockets.

"We've learned about how Ukrainians are deploying methods to defeat that."

The speed and sophistication of the conflict, which began with Russia's annexation of Crimea in March 2014, has startled many western military planners who've come to describe what's happening the country as hybrid warfare.

"We've learned they've experienced cyberattacks; electronic warfare, like radio jamming; heavy use of drones, like UAVs, which are used for precision artillery strikes," he said.

Following more than a decade of guerilla warfighting in Afghanistan, he added, the Ukraine experience is making an impression and "forces us to get back to our basics and take a hard look at our own doctrine."

The mission, which is slated to go until March 2017, has allowed ordinary Canadian soldiers "and even senior (non-commissioned officers) to take this experience back to Canada with them."

The first rotation of Canadians, from Garrison Petawawa, Ont., will slowly be replaced by a fresh batch of troops from CFB Valcartier, Que.

Up to 200 Canadian trainers are teaching regular Ukrainian army units infantry combat skills, battlefield medical treatment and how to defuse and dispose of roadside bombs. Separately, a contingent of military police is working in Kyiv mentoring counterparts there.

Because of the unconventional nature of the conflict, Guiney said the military has taken steps to protect the identities of its trainers. National Defence was criticized last year for imposing restrictions on media photographs and video of troops departing for Ukraine.

Such restrictions are not unheard of. For instance, the military does not allow pilots and ground crew involved in airstrikes against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant to be seen or interviewed on camera — only the commander.

Similarly, there were restrictions during the Afghan war on reporting the identities and operations of special forces soldiers.

The directive for Ukraine — imposed even though it is not a war-time scenario — is meant to prevent retaliation in both the real and online world, Guiney said."

 

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Ukrainian military documented nearly 30 cases of fire in the Donbas

http://www.interfax.ru/world/488752

Moscow. January 9. INTERFAX.RU - For the past day 29 times militiamen fired shots at the Ukrainian military in the Donbass, the press center of the military operation on its Facebook page.

According to staff, the militia opened from time to time on the Ukrainian military small arms fire, rocket-propelled grenades and heavy machine guns. Cases of fire reported in the area of ​​Marinka, sand, experienced, Novgorod and Lugansk.

The militiamen did not use weapons in Mariupol and Lugansk areas, and after midnight "does not violate the terms of a preliminary agreement on non-use of weapons."