Civil War in Ukraine: Western Empire vs Russia

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I know that there have been several assassination attempt's on Zakharchenko's life, in the past but an odd thought came to mind ... I wonder if this assassination attempt on Zakharchenko was ordered "as a tribute to John McCain" who no doubt had close ties with Ukraine's Special Operations Forces? I may have the dates wrong but I think Zakharchenko will be buried on the same day as McCain?

Also, Eduard Basurin, the deputy commander of the DPR Operational Command, said Ukrainian security forces may launch an offensive on the eastern Ukrainian region of Donbass on September 14, under cover and guise of Storm-2018 drills.


The farewell ceremony for the assassinated leader of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic (DPR), Alexander Zakharchenko, has begun in the republic's capital, a Sputnik correspondent reported on Sunday.

02.09.2018 - Farewell Ceremony to Honor Assassinated DPR Head Zakharchenko Starts in Donetsk
Farewell Ceremony to Honor Assassinated DPR Head Zakharchenko Starts in Donetsk

A coffin with Zakharchenko's body has been put on display in the lobby of an opera and ballet theater in the city's center, not far from cafe Separ where he was killed in a bomb blast on Friday.

A spokesperson for the city administration told Sputnik that over 120,000 people have come to bid farewell to the assassinated leader.

"At the moment, according to the preliminary estimates, there are more than 120,000 people," the spokesperson said.

According to the correspondent, while nearly all of the square in front of the theater is already filled with people, residents continue coming to the ceremony and laying flowers near the café.

The ceremony is being attended by the DPR's Defense Minister Vladimir Kononov and the republic's acting leader, Dmitry Trapeznikov.

The DPR's foreign ministry told Sputnik that Russian, South Ossetian, and Abkhaz delegations had also arrived for the ceremony. They went to the theater to honor Zakharchenko's memory and then visited what was left of cafe Separ.

"Delegations from the Republic of South Ossetia, the Republic of Abkhazia and Russia visited the place where the DPR's leader, Alexander Zakharchenko, died and commemorated him with a moment of silence," the ministry's spokesperson said.

A Sputnik correspondent reported that the ceremony was, in particular, attended by South Ossetian President Anatoly Bibilov, head of the Republic of Crimea Sergei Aksyonov and Russian lawmaker Natalya Poklonskaya.

DPR's Finance Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Timofeev, who accompanied Zakharchenko to the cafe, sustained severe injuries but is already in a stable condition. Despite his recent wound, Timofeev also came to bid farewell to the DPR head.

Zakharchenko's adviser Alexander Kazakov said on Saturday that the leader had been killed by a shell-less explosive device that detonated when Zakharchenko entered the cafe. The blast also instantly killed Zakharchenko's bodyguard, who entered the cafe before the republic's leader, injuring a total of 11 people, according to the DPR authorities.

DPR's Finance Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Timofeev, who accompanied Zakharchenko to the cafe, sustained severe injuries but is now in stable condition.

According to Trapeznikov, several suspects in the case have already been detained and admitted that the assassination was "Ukrainian sabotage." Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova also said that there was really no doubt that Ukraine was behind the assassination, however, Kiev has denied any involvement in the murder.

On Friday, Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed condolences over the death of Zakharchenko. He also stated that he hoped the organizers and perpetrators of the attack would be found and punished.


01.09.2018 - Zakharchenko's Murder Organized by Ukraine's Special Operations Forces - Advise
Zakharchenko's Murder Organized by Ukraine's Special Operations Forces - Adviser

The assassination of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic’s (DPR) leader, Alexander Zakharchenko, was organized by the Ukrainian Special Operations Forces, Zakharchenko's adviser Alexander Kazakov told Sputnik.

"We have already revealed the initiator — that is the Special Operations Forces. We are likely to name the head of the [assault] group and responsible officer of this structure in the near future," Kazakov said.

He pointed out that several suspects had been detained and already made confessions.

That was a shell-less explosive device, with the main principle of operation being an explosive wave and fire. The explosion occurred when they [Zakharchenko and others] entered the cafe. The first man, who entered the cafe, was a bodyguard, he was immediately killed. Alexander Vladimirovich [Zakharchenko] was the second, he was followed by one more bodyguard and DPR Finance Minister Alexander Timofeev," Kazakov said.

The Ukrainian security forces may launch an offensive on the eastern Ukrainian region of Donbass on September 14, Eduard Basurin, the deputy commander of the DPR Operational Command, said.

He pointed out that the information about the future offensive had been confirmed by data obtained from downed Ukrainian drones.

"Our intelligence has revealed the deployment of a Ukrainian security forces' combat group in the direction of Mariupol under the guise of Storm-2018 drills," the official said.

Basurin noted that on the threshold of the possible offensive, Kiev had intensified informational pressure on Donbass accusing the people's republics of more and more shelling attacks.

"Our units are on high alert and are ready for any development, up to launching the counterattack in case of an enemy offensive," he said.

Basurin also called on Western countries to get involved in the situation and prevent the Ukrainian authorities from escalating tensions in Donbass.

Zakharchenko was killed in a bomb blast at the Separ cafe in downtown Donetsk on August 31. DPR Finance Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Timofeev, who accompanied Zakharchenko, is in serious condition in a hospital.

According to the DPR Emergencies Ministry, two people were killed and 11 more were injured by the blast. Six of those wounded were hospitalized. A DPR lawmaker told Sputnik that apart from Zakharchenko his bodyguard had been killed in the blast.

The Russian Foreign Ministry and DPR officials have said that Kiev was behind the assassination. The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), for its part, has said it was not involved in the murder.
 
Ukraine must revise the entire international treaty framework with Russia, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin said Monday.

03.09.2018 - Ukrainian FM Says Kiev Must Revise Entire Int'l Treaty Framework With Russia
Ukrainian FM Says Kiev Must Revise Entire Int'l Treaty Framework With Russia

"We must drastically revise the entire international treaty framework with Russia, what we are doing now within the framework of the CIS, this analysis is being prepared, each ministry, there is coordination: the same thing should be done with Russia… as we can't be guided by the previous treaty framework," Klimkin said on Ukrainian television channel ICTV.

Last week, Klimkin said the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry had drafted a package of documents to discontinue the Friendship Treaty with Russia.

Klimkin also noted however, that there is no alternative to the "Normandy format" talks on settlement of the crisis in Donbass.


31.08.2018 - Ukraine May Become NATO-Russia Buffer State After 2019 President Vote - Diplomat
Ukraine May Become NATO-Russia Buffer State After 2019 President Vote – Diplomat

Ukraine’s Ambassador to the United States Valeriy Chaly said Friday that there is a risk of Ukraine turning into a buffer state between NATO and Russia after the country’s 2019 presidential elections.

"I see that not many potential candidates are ready to continue a clear course for NATO membership and interaction with the IMF… [Many candidates are] very careful about this and choose other slogans. Perhaps to gain voters from the east of Ukraine. Therefore, I see the risk of a return to the status of a buffer state, a gray zone between NATO and Russia," Chaly told Evropeyskaya Pravda in an interview.

He added that the future president of Ukraine with a pro-Russian position or "the one who will be returning Ukraine to the past" would be unacceptable for the United States.

Ukraine will hold its next presidential elections in spring next year. The country's incumbent President Petro Poroshenko has said that Russia is allegedly interfering in the presidential campaign via social networks. Moscow has denied the allegations. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said that such claims are "absolutely groundless."



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Телеканал «РОССИЯ» (Video of Alexander Zakharchenko funeral)


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Донецкая народная республика отдает последнюю дань памяти своему лидеру - Александру Захарченко, погибшему в результате теракта. Панихида проходит в зале Театра оперы и балета в центре Донецка.

Проститься с Александром Захарченко пришли тысячи людей
 
The Ukrainian diplomatic mission in Berlin has initiated criminal proceedings against several German lawmakers over the visits they made to Crimea without Kiev's consent, Ukrainian Ambassador to Germany Andrij Melnyk said on Tuesday.

04.09.2018 - Ukraine Launches Criminal Cases Against German Lawmakers for Visiting Crimea
Ukraine Launches Criminal Cases Against German Lawmakers for Visiting Crimea

The embassy initiated criminal proceedings against several German lawmakers. There is an article of the criminal code on illegal visits to occupied territories. It provides for a prison sentence of up to eight years. And the fact that you are a lawmaker does not absolve you from accountability," the ambassador told Ukraine's news outlet Evropeiska Pravda.

According to Melnyk, the likelihood of the lawmakers receiving any punishment in Ukraine are limited.

Germany does not extradite its citizens, and the German criminal code does not have a similar offense," the ambassador added.

The diplomat noted that embassy was working to introduce administrative responsibility in Germany for trips to Crimea without Kiev's consent, primarily for politicians.


(Note: I wonder, if there is any connection to this next incident - to above development?)

04.09.2018 - White Powder Letters Sent to US, Israeli Embassies in Berlin
White Powder Letters Sent to US, Israeli Embassies in Berlin

According to police, letters containing non-toxic white powder were received by the US and Israeli embassies in Berlin.

Letters were sent to both embassies on August 22 and another letter was sent to the US Embassy on August 30, according to the police spokesman Martin Halweg.

He added that letters contained washing detergent and some rambling letters.

According to him, the person who sent those letters is known to authorities and may be the same person who sent similar letters to the embassies in July.

Earlier it was reported that embassies of a number of foreign countries, located in Moscow, received envelopes containing suspicious white powder.
 
Over on SoTT there was this posted: Are the US and Canada about to invade Donbass?

"Our intelligence services have registered the arrival of a large number of foreign military personnel from the 56th Motorized Infantry Brigade and the 406th Artillery Brigade, which are focusing on the Urzuf settlement region," he said.

"In addition, the arrival of a group of high-ranking military personnel from the US and Canadian Armed Forces [...] We do not rule out that foreign military personnel will be directly involved in planning and carrying out an offensive," added Daniil Besnosov .

The head of the press office said the information was related to preparations by the Ukrainian military to aggravate the conflict in the south of the Donetsk region.

It seems the desperation - as a continued provocation against Russia by the West, seems to be reaching new heights. They, whoever they are, took out Zakharchenko following on the heels of the rise of the cult of McCain; now a canonized beacon for NATO in the face of world leaders own cowardice to say a word against.

Here, at home, virulent Ukraine expats have inculcated themselves in Ottawa after having selected their own parliamentary witch (likely with the help of Soros) to beat the murderous drums for Kiev. With this witches wand, she can sign into tax-payer 'support' to have 50 cal. sniper weapons shipped across the sea with Canadian support troops (advisors or otherwise) into the hands of goose steeping solders to help conduct a little more training on how to assassinate and murder in Donetsk.

“Dark nights are unpleasant,"
"Yes, for strangers to travel,"
"The clouds are heavy."
"Yes, a storm is approaching.”
― Arthur Conan Doyle

The Ukrainian diplomatic mission in Berlin has initiated criminal proceedings against several German lawmakers over the visits they made to Crimea without Kiev's consent, Ukrainian Ambassador to Germany Andrij Melnyk said on Tuesday.

Imagine that, an unlawful diplomatic mission making demands against German law makers. :headbash:
 
Meanwhile in Ukraine, as reported by Tass there was
Ukrainian MP sues extremist parliament speaker for spouting Nazi propaganda
World
September 05, 13:09UTC+3
The lawmaker was outraged by Parubiy’s remarks who said on TV "it was necessary to delve into and introduce direct democracy to Ukraine, with Adolf Hitler being its torchbearer"
KIEV, September 5. /TASS/. Member of Ukraine’s parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, leader of the For Life political party, Vadim Rabinovich, is filing a lawsuit against parliament speaker Andrei Parubiy for "Nazi propaganda."

The lawmaker was outraged by Parubiy’s remarks who said in a talk show aired by a Ukrainian TV channel "it is necessary to delve into and introduce direct democracy to Ukraine, with Adolf Hitler being its torchbearer."

"We’re not going to follow the Nazis’ path. I call on Europe, and Germany in particular, to evaluate the Ukrainian speaker’s actions, and I believe that he must step down," Rabinovich stressed. "Today, I am filing a lawsuit against Parubiy for Nazi propaganda, which is banned in our country."

In his appearance on the Freedom of Speech evening program broadcast by the ICTV channel, Parubiy described Adolf Hitler as a true proponent of democracy claiming that the Nazi dictator "practiced direct democracy in the 1930s." "We need to remember that," the speaker asserted.
And regarding the assassination of Zakharchenko there was:
Donetsk Republic’s police put two suspects in Zakharchenko murder on wanted list
Emergencies
September 05, 11:37UTC+3
The men’s photos were uploaded to the Interior Ministry’s website
[...]
Several suspects have been detained. All pointed to Kiev’s involvement in the assassination. The Ukrainian Security Service has disclaimed responsibility.
 
The soldier and Texan American Russell Bentley who decided to move to Donbass years ago to help the locals fight the Kiev militias was near the scene where Zaharckenko was murdered and reported about it that day:


Later he published a tribute to Zaharckenko and all the others similar to him who had to die since the US decided to pull of the regime change in Ukraine:


From time to time check his youtube channel to get info on the ground what is currently going on there.
 
That was a heartfelt message from Bentley to Zaharckenko, and one that in a decent western world would have played over the words provided to another so called solder that week in North America. However, in a decent world, Zaharkenko would still be with his family and his people.

I'm glad that the Donbass has someone like Bentley there, and it was Bentley who took people through the bombed out houses of her citizens when this mess started. I hope people in the US follow him.

Thanks for sharing his words, Pashalis.
 

Cross-Post from Putin/Syria thread:

Quote from Evster2012 - " I read an article on Fort Russ (or maybe it was Antiwar, I’ve read so many in the last day) from a former military spec ops officer that suggested “As goes Donbass, so goes Syria” which makes a strong case that we’ll likely see something happen in Donbass first-possibly by or on the 14th- that will cause such a response that effectively Russia will be faced with a war or two fronts."

Fort Russ and Antiwar are good sites to monitor what's going on in Ukraine and the surrounding areas. Tass - the Russian News site is another. This article might be close to what you were referring to - above?

September 10, 2018 - Kiev may launch massive mop-up operation in Donbass, expert warns
Kiev may launch massive mop-up operation in Donbass, expert warns

According to the expert, the instigators have been calling to take cues from Croatia, which took control of the rebellious Serbian regions by force.

Ukraine’s authorities may carry out a massive mop-up operation in the self-proclaimed Donbass republics causing much more deaths than in 2014, Director of the Russian Center for Current Policy Alexei Chesnakov told TASS on Monday.

"I would like to be wrong, but for some reason I’m sure that at some moment Kiev will make a decision to launch a massive invasion of the territory controlled by people’s militias. First, that’s because sponsors from overseas have been actively inciting Ukraine into such steps. Second, there are enough mad people in Ukraine," Chesnakov noted.

According to the expert, the instigators have been calling to take cues from Croatia, which took control of the rebellious Serbian regions by force. "By the way, during those events the Croatians killed both Serbs and also the UN contingent personnel. If this happens [in Donbass] there will be more much more deaths than during the 2014 Ukrainian war. But the final decision "in the Croatian way" is unlikely to happen," the expert stressed.

Like in 2014, Ukraine will be forced to peace and "they will again rub its nose into the Minsk agreements." "This will be good for Kiev. The events may develop further leading to the recognition of the Donetsk People’s Republic and the Lugansk People’s Republic by Russia like this was with South Ossetia and Abkhazia after the risky undertaking by [former Georgian President Mikhail] Saakashvili," he said.


Sept. 1, 2018 - Donbass will not forgive Zakharchenko’s murder — acting head of LPR
Donbass will not forgive Zakharchenko’s murder — acting head of LPR

"The banner of struggle, lifted by Alexander Zakharchenko, will never fall," Lugansk People's Republic acting head Leonid Pasechnik said.

The eastern Ukraine’s region of Donbass will not forgive the murder of Alexander Zakharchenko, the leader of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic, the acting head of another eastern Ukrainian republic LPR said.

"This act of terror is a yet another reminder that the terrorists will stop at nothing in their cruel, fierce fight against freedom and independence," Lugansk People's Republic acting head Leonid Pasechnik said, adding that "the banner of struggle, lifted by Alexander Zakharchenko, will never fall."

Zakharchenko, who had been Prime Minister of the DPR since 2014, died in an explosion in downtown Donetsk on Friday. He was 42 years old. The blast left two people dead and nine injured, including DPR minister of taxes and duties, Alexander Timofeyev, and the head of a local youth organization, Natalya Volkova. DPR Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Trapeznikov was appointed acting head of the republic.

DPR law enforcement agencies have already detained several suspects in the blast, who confirmed the Kiev government’s involvement, the DPR interim head said. The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) earlier denied any role in the blast.
 
Cross-Post from Putin/Syria thread:

Quote from Evster2012 - " I read an article on Fort Russ (or maybe it was Antiwar, I’ve read so many in the last day) from a former military spec ops officer that suggested “As goes Donbass, so goes Syria” which makes a strong case that we’ll likely see something happen in Donbass first-possibly by or on the 14th- that will cause such a response that effectively Russia will be faced with a war or two fronts."

Fort Russ and Antiwar are good sites to monitor what's going on in Ukraine and the surrounding areas. Tass - the Russian News site is another. This article might be close to what you were referring to - above?

September 10, 2018 - Kiev may launch massive mop-up operation in Donbass, expert warns
Kiev may launch massive mop-up operation in Donbass, expert warns

According to the expert, the instigators have been calling to take cues from Croatia, which took control of the rebellious Serbian regions by force.

Ukraine’s authorities may carry out a massive mop-up operation in the self-proclaimed Donbass republics causing much more deaths than in 2014, Director of the Russian Center for Current Policy Alexei Chesnakov told TASS on Monday.

"I would like to be wrong, but for some reason I’m sure that at some moment Kiev will make a decision to launch a massive invasion of the territory controlled by people’s militias. First, that’s because sponsors from overseas have been actively inciting Ukraine into such steps. Second, there are enough mad people in Ukraine," Chesnakov noted.

According to the expert, the instigators have been calling to take cues from Croatia, which took control of the rebellious Serbian regions by force. "By the way, during those events the Croatians killed both Serbs and also the UN contingent personnel. If this happens [in Donbass] there will be more much more deaths than during the 2014 Ukrainian war. But the final decision "in the Croatian way" is unlikely to happen," the expert stressed.

Like in 2014, Ukraine will be forced to peace and "they will again rub its nose into the Minsk agreements." "This will be good for Kiev. The events may develop further leading to the recognition of the Donetsk People’s Republic and the Lugansk People’s Republic by Russia like this was with South Ossetia and Abkhazia after the risky undertaking by [former Georgian President Mikhail] Saakashvili," he said.


Sept. 1, 2018 - Donbass will not forgive Zakharchenko’s murder — acting head of LPR
Donbass will not forgive Zakharchenko’s murder — acting head of LPR

"The banner of struggle, lifted by Alexander Zakharchenko, will never fall," Lugansk People's Republic acting head Leonid Pasechnik said.

The eastern Ukraine’s region of Donbass will not forgive the murder of Alexander Zakharchenko, the leader of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic, the acting head of another eastern Ukrainian republic LPR said.

"This act of terror is a yet another reminder that the terrorists will stop at nothing in their cruel, fierce fight against freedom and independence," Lugansk People's Republic acting head Leonid Pasechnik said, adding that "the banner of struggle, lifted by Alexander Zakharchenko, will never fall."

Zakharchenko, who had been Prime Minister of the DPR since 2014, died in an explosion in downtown Donetsk on Friday. He was 42 years old. The blast left two people dead and nine injured, including DPR minister of taxes and duties, Alexander Timofeyev, and the head of a local youth organization, Natalya Volkova. DPR Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Trapeznikov was appointed acting head of the republic.

DPR law enforcement agencies have already detained several suspects in the blast, who confirmed the Kiev government’s involvement, the DPR interim head said. The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) earlier denied any role in the blast.
Yes, after I posted in the other thread, I found the article and posted it here. Thanks for referencing it with the corroborating news.
 
17.09.2018 - New Details in MH17 Case: Russian Defense Ministry Holds Press Conference
Russian Defense Ministry Reveals New Details in MH17 Crash in Ukraine (VIDEO)

The Russian Ministry of Defense is holding a press conference, during which new details will be revealed about the Malaysian Airlines Boeing 777 that crashed in eastern Ukraine in 2014.

Four years ago, on July 17, 2014, a Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 flying from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur crashed near the city of Donetsk.

All 298 passengers and crew on board the aircraft died. Kiev accused local militias of downing the aircraft, while they said that had no weapons capable of downing such a plane.

Follow Sputnik's live feed to find out more.
 
Mon Sep 17, 2018 - Russia: Serial Numbers of Missile That Downed MH17 Show It Was Produced in 1986, Owned by Ukraine
Farsnews


Sun Sep 16, 2018 - Flightpath of US High-Altitude Drone Near Crimea Revealed by Tracking Website
Farsnews

A US military high-altitude Global Hawk drone has reportedly been spotted flying an hours-long spy mission over Eastern Ukraine and off the shore of Crimea along with another American surveillance plane.

The RQ-4 Global Hawk cruised over war-torn Eastern Ukraine before coming within 40km of the Crimean coast. PlaneRadar website, which tracks military flights worldwide, reported the mission in a series of tweets on Saturday, RT reported.

It is understood that the unmanned aircraft took off at around 9:00am GMT from a US Navy installation at NATO Base Sigonella in Sicily, Italy.

After traversing skies over the east of Ukraine, the Global Hawk headed for the Black Sea, where it was joined by a P-8 Poseidon spy plane.

Built by Northrop Grumman, the RQ-4 Global Hawk is used to gather high-resolution imagery over target areas. It is said to be able to survey as much as 100,000 square kilometers of terrain a day, which is an area roughly the size of South Korea or Iceland.

The P-8 Poseidon, developed by Boeing, is an anti-submarine warfare plane deployed for shipping interdiction and early warning missions. Its weapons systems include torpedoes, depth charges, Harpoon anti-ship missiles, and others munitions.

This is not the first time that US spy drones were detected near the Russian coast. Last year, Russian armed forces reported that US and NATO air patrols have become increasingly common in international airspace near Russia’s territory. In many cases, Russian fighters have been scrambled to intercept suspicious planes.

On certain occasions, this led to dangerous mid-flight encounters. In January of this year, a Russian Su-27 Flanker jet forced an American Lockheed EP-3 surveillance plane to abort its mission over the Black Sea.

While the Pentagon called the Russian pilot’s maneuvers “unsafe”, Moscow hit back, saying there was no emergency situation in the skies.


Sep 16, 2018 - Former Ukrainian Minister: ‘If Russia didn’t have nukes, NATO would have reduced it to dust’
Former Ukrainian Minister: 'If Russia didn't have nukes, NATO would have reduced it to dust' - Fort Russ

The former Ukrainian economy minister said that one could “reduce Russia to dust”. Political scientist Vladimir Kireev has expressed his opinion on why Ukrainian politicians allow themselves to make such aggressive statements.

Former Ukrainian economy minister Viktor Suslov says it is possible to “reduce Russia to dust” if the country does not have nuclear weapons. The politician made this statement in an interview with channel 112 Ukraine when he talked about the Vostok 2018 maneuvers.

According to the former minister, Russia’s military exercises are intended to prevent other countries from having military conflicts with it.

“If Russia were not a nuclear power, everything would have been solved in a much simpler way: NATO would have reduced Russia to dust a long time ago, so they demonstrate their muscles to show that this would hardly stand, at least, today,” Suslov said.

Without pointing to the counter-factual and a-historic nature of such a claim, this expert had the following to say. Political scientist Vladimir Kireev highlighted his unwarranted aggression.

“I would like to draw attention to the aggressive nature of the statements of Ukrainian politicians, because on the part of Russia, the representatives of the country, there are no harsh and aggressive statements regarding Ukraine. At the level of the State administration system of Ukraine there is the desire to express this aggressiveness,” opines the analyst.

For him, it is incorrect to compare the relatively modest military capabilities of Ukraine with those of Russia, which are not equivalent: both the experience of the Russian military, the responsibility of the leaders are greater, and the potential of the Russian military industry cannot be compared with the Ukrainian.

“This is a question that arises: to what extent are such statements independent? Because they appear in the aftermath of statements by Western leaders, including those who want to attack Syria. This reveals that Ukrainian politicians do not act independently, and their words are part of the Western strategy to trigger a conflict with Russia,” said Vladimir Kireev.

Vostok 2018 maneuvers are taking place between 11 and 17 September in the Russian Far East region and adjacent Pacific waters. In addition to Russia’s land, sea and air forces, troops from China and Mongolia also participated in one of the exercises, giving an international character to the maneuvers.


Sep 16, 2018 - DELUSIONS: Poroshenko thinks ineffective year-old ‘association agreement’ with EU is ‘victory over Moscow’
https://www.fort-russ.com/2018/09/d...ion-agreement-with-eu-is-victory-over-Moscow/

The Ukrainian president, Pyort Poroshenko, described the year old agreement of association between Ukraine and the European Union as a “victory over Russia”. The Ukrainian leader made such a statement during the forum of the international organization Yalta European Strategy that took place in Kiev. These remarks come as Poroshenko looks for reasons that voters should re-elect him in upcoming elections.

“I can see that we have defeated Russia, and for more than a year the association agreement between Ukraine and the European Union has entered into force. The EU’s share of exports ranges from 42 to 43%, rapidly approaching 50% which considerably offsets the losses caused by Russia,” Poroshenko wrote on his Twitter account.

Over the past few years Kiev has been pursuing a policy of replacing imports of Russian-made products. Meanwhile, data from the Russian Federal Customs Service previously indicated that the volume of trade between Russia and Ukraine in the period between January and May 2018 was $5.838 billion, with an increase of 28.7% over the previous year. In addition, according to the State Statistics Office of Ukraine, Russia is the largest investor in the Ukrainian economy, having contributed with 36% of all foreign investment in Ukraine.

It is worth noting that not all Ukrainian politicians share Pyotr Poroshenko’s enthusiasm for association with the EU. For example, Supreme Rada deputy Vadim Rabinovich said that the free economic zone with Europe only brought losses to the Ukrainian economy, while the suspension of economic relations with Russia, with which trade “grows every month,” may result to Ukraine in catastrophic consequences.

After anti-Russia coup forces came into power in Ukraine, relations between Moscow and Kiev rapidly deteriorated. This provided the opportunity for Crimea to reunite with Russia as the people of the peninsula sought to escape the aggressive anti-Russian stance adopted by the coup forces in Russian-majority regions of Ukraine. This in turn also saw conflict emerge between the Ukrainian military and the Russian minority of Lugansk and Donetsk.

The reality is that Merkel has made it clear that there are no plans for Ukraine to ever be a member of the EU. The association agreement gives everything the EU needs from Ukraine’s failed economy, and requires none of the obligations in return. This was the result of the 2014 coup, and since then, Ukraine’s economy has gone into a free-fall, with millions of Ukrainians having permanently left the country over the course of the past four years, and this figure does not include millions who left directly as a product of the armed conflict which was triggered as a result of the US backed/forced color revolution.
 
The Ukrainian government announced on Sunday plans for a naval base along the Sea of Azov, a body of water situated between Crimea, Ukraine and Russia.

18.09.2018 - Ukraine to Build Naval Base Along Turbulent Azov Sea
Ukraine to Build Naval Base Along Turbulent Azov Sea

The announcement comes days after US President Donald Trump's special envoy to Ukraine, Kurt Volker, said America is considering delivering even more lethal weapons to Ukraine to fight Russian sympathizers in the country.

Volker told the media that "wherever" gaps in the Ukrainian military's capabilities exist, the US is "prepared to sit down and talk with Ukraine about what their needs are. They can buy things through our foreign military sales."

"We do not accept Russian claims about territory in the waters. We believe the presence of Russian military forces has become a provocative, aggressive step, so we are very concerned about that," Volker said of the Sea of Azov.

April, the Trump administration upended an Obama-era policy of refusing to supply the country with lethal weaponry, sending it more than 200 Javelin anti-tank missiles.

The base "will create conditions for rebuffing the aggressive actions of the Russian Federation in this region," the Ukrainian government said on Sunday.

The US State Department decried Russia's alleged "harassment of international shipping" in the Sea of Azov and Kerch Strait on August 30. Spokeswoman Heather Nauert accused Moscow of attempting to destabilize Ukraine, adding that 16 commercial ships had been blocked from reaching Ukrainian ports around that time.

The State Department also claimed "hundreds" of ships have been delayed trying to get through the Kerch Strait, the body of water separating Crimea from the larger Russian Federation.

Ukraine and its Western backers condemned the Russian construction of a bridge over the Kerch Strait in May as illegal. Critics have characterized Russia's military presence on its western border and the waters surrounding it as a blockade and economic blackmail.

Oleksandr Turchynov, the secretary of Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council, hyped up a successful test of an indigenous cruise missile in late August, saying that the missile could destroy "strategic bridges and ferry crossings in case of their use by the enemy for aggression against our state."
 
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