Civil War in Ukraine: Western Empire vs Russia

[herondancer]

Comedian Zelenskiy keeps Ukraine presidential poll lead

Comic actor Volodymyr Zelenskiy has kept his lead in Ukraine's presidential election race, according to an opinion poll published on Wednesday.

Good lord. What will happen if this guy actually pulls it off? No one expected Trump to win either. There's very little in English about his policies, but this turned up on a reddit board.

Vano_Kayaba

6 points · 1 month ago
Well, the press is right. They are populists, and backed by certain people. So they'll promise whatever gets them elected, and do whatever is in interests of those people

lastwar_real
4 points · 1 month ago
He is a showman. And people decide to vote for him as form of protest. He haven't any program. It's maybe be difficult to hope but his father teach me programming in institute. Little world)

romanu4kin
4 points · 1 month ago
Yes he is definitely:

• a populist
• more pro-russian, as a current president (who is 0% pro russian and an enemy of putin)
• he is a puppit who financed by the oligarh Kolomoyskyy
• person with no moral principles whatsoever
• he just a
• as bad of a choice of a candidate as Tymoshenko

Natgar-Tamsin
1 point · 19 days ago
Entertainers should never lead a nation, he is a bad joke

There were also accusations of shady dealings with Russian media types and of driving a person to suicide. The translation of the link is very bad, and there's no way to tell if the source is reputable or a tabloid rag. Zelenskiy's in show biz after all.

Weirdly, people writing for the Atlantic Council website both endorse, and decry his possible election. You'd think there'd be a more coherent position being presented.

Polls show that comedian Volodymyr Zelenskiy seems best placed to make it to the second round. It is easy to paint the man as a buffoon who has made millions by making fun of Ukraine’s political problems, as a naïve but well-meaning chap, or as an insincere schemer dancing to the tune of a leading oligarch.

A serious analysis of his record yields a different picture. His “Kvartal 95” shows have a long tradition of sharp and profound criticism of Ukraine’s utterly unfair political system, starting well before the Maidan. He has consistently criticized Russia’s aggression in Crimea and the Donbas and ridiculed Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Zelenskiy donated part of the money he earned in Russia to Ukrainians fighting in the Donbas, which led the Russian authorities to open a criminal case against him.

In his popular TV series “Servant of the People,” he and his team show a cunning understanding of how Ukraine’s corrupt system functions and of the fundamental ills facing the country. There is nothing naïve about the way they depict the wheelings and dealings of the mighty oligarchs and the plight of the poor.

But also

Whatever his supporters’ motivations, electing Zelenskiy would be a disaster for Ukraine. He appears to be a decent person, and few of his publicly expressed views are offensive or egregiously stupid. But the bottom line is that he is completely inexperienced as a politician and policymaker. His only encounter with anything resembling the world of policy has come through playing a reformist president on television. That’s just not enough at such a critical juncture in Ukraine’s—and the world’s—history.

There also an article from New Eastern Europe that is generally favourable too. Most are viewing it as a protest vote against Poroshenko, and not likely to win. But maybe Ukraine is about to elect themselves a homegrown Trump?

 

[angelburst29]

How's this for screwing-up an election?

Ukrainians casting their vote in this month's presidential election will need to be sharp-eyed: two candidates with the same name and initials, Y.V. Tymoshenko, will be next to each other on the ballot paper.

Seeing double? Two Tymoshenkos run to become Ukraine president

FILE PHOTO: Leader of opposition Batkivshchyna party and presidential candidate Yulia Tymoshenko attends a news conference in Kiev, Ukraine, February 22, 2019. REUTERS/Valentyn Ogirenko/File Photo

One is Yulia Tymoshenko, a former prime minister and one of the frontrunners. The other is Yuriy Tymoshenko, a largely unknown lawmaker who insists he is the genuine candidate and that she is the bogus, or “technical”, one sent to spoil his chances of victory.

In turn, Yulia Tymoshenko has accused her rival, incumbent President Petro Poroshenko, of planting her namesake on the ballot to rob her of votes.

Out of 39 names on the ballot paper, the contest has boiled down to a three-horse race between Yulia Tymoshenko, Poroshenko and Volodymyr Zelenskiy, a comic actor who plays a fictional president in a popular TV series.

The candidates’ names are spelled out in full on the ballot papers, but there are no party symbols or photos that might have helped voters tell blonde-haired Yulia from Yuriy’s stockier frame and graying dark locks.

 

[angelburst29]

Might be a serious Presidential candidate here? At least he's starting out on the right path? I have no background info on him.

On March 22, Russian PM Dmitry Medvedev met with Ukrainian presidential candidate Yuri Boyko and chairman of the Political Council of the Opposition Platform For Life party Viktor Medvedchuk.

Ukraine’s presidential hopeful calls for talks with Russia on lifting sanctions
Ukraine’s presidential hopeful calls for talks with Russia on lifting sanctions

Ukrainian presidential candidate Yuri Boyko © Yekaterina Shtukina/Russian Government Press Offcie/TASS

Ukraine and Russia need to work their way of lifting mutual sanctions to ensure normal bilateral trade, Ukrainian presidential candidate Yuri Boyko told reporters after his meeting with Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev on Friday.

"We are satisfied by the start of the talks, because we need to go all the way of lifting mutual restrictions in trade and allowing our goods into Russia’s market. That’s because this concerns our jobs and the work of our enterprises, and this is very important for our country’s economy," Boyko said.

On Friday, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev met in his Gorki residence near Moscow with Boyko and chairman of the Political Council of the Opposition Platform - For Life party Viktor Medvedchuk. The meeting was also attended by Gazprom CEO Alexei Miller.

 

[angelburst29]

Some shocking news here from a former employee of the Ukrainian Security Service ...

Earlier in the day former employee of the Ukrainian Security Service Vasily Prozorov made a number of statements at a news conference in Moscow.

March 25, 2019 - Kremlin mum on former Ukrainian security officer’s statements
Kremlin mum on former Ukrainian security officer’s statements

© Alexandr Sherbak/TASS

Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov refrained from comments on the statements made by former employee of the Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) Vasily Prozorov, who said about his work for Russian intelligence services.

"As far as I understand, these are some new statements, so I have nothing to say here," the Kremlin spokesman said. Peskov highlighted that he has no information on this account.

Earlier in the day former employee of the Ukrainian Security Service Vasily Prozorov made a number of statements at a news conference in Moscow. In particular, he said that after the "Maidan" events in 2014 he started transferring to Russia information about the anti-terrorist operation and also reported about a secret prison at Mariupol Airport.

The remarks - The Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) set up secret prisons in the Donbass areas where Kiev is conducting a military operation, former SBU officer Vasily Prozorov said at a press conference on Monday, adding that one of such prisons was located at Mariupol’s airport.

"The issue of secret prisons set up in areas where the anti-terrorist operation is taking place cannot be left out," he said. "I cannot claim to have information about all of them but I know for sure that one prison is located at Mariupol’s airport," the former SBU officer added.

According to Prozorov, the prison is referred to as a library and its prisoners are called books. "There is public eating place on the second floor of the airport’s left wing, and two nonoperational refrigerator rooms, one of which is five by three meters in size and the other one three by two meters," he said. "They are made of steel and have hermetic doors. Detained people were kept there without any official permission," he emphasized.

Prozorov also pointed out that people could be taken to that prison for any reason at all, for instance, for having photos of Novorossia’s flag on their cell phones. "They also brought there those suspected of working for the intelligence agencies of Russia, the DPR and the LPR [the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics - TASS]. SBU officers interrogated them, the notorious Vladimir Parasyuk was a big fan of such activities," he noted.

"It was really horrifying, this is neither an exaggeration nor Russian propaganda," the former SBU officer stressed. "People do indeed get killed there," he said.

Vasily Prozorov denied the claims that many militia leaders of the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics had been killed in internal skirmishes.

March 25, 2018 - Donbass leaders’ killings masterminded by Kiev special services — ex-SBU officer
Donbass leaders’ killings masterminded by Kiev special services — ex-SBU officer

© Mikhail Palinchak/Press Office of the President of Ukraine/TASS

Ukraine’s special services were behind the assassination of militia leaders of the self-proclaimed Donbass republics, former officer of Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) Vasily Prozorov told a news conference in Moscow on Monday.

Prozorov denied the claims that many militia leaders of the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics had been killed in internal skirmishes. "Their killing was the work of Ukraine’s special services," he said. This effort is led by the SBU’s special unit.

According to him, the death of militia leaders Motorola and Givi is 100% an operation carried out by a special 5th department of the SBU and the Special Operations Forces, he emphasized.

Staff members of this unit undergo training under the direction of instructors from the United Kingdom and other countries. They specialize in terrorist attacks and guerilla movement, he said. "The Special Operations Forces are behind many acts of sabotage against the republics’ leadership."

The ex-SBU officer cited First Deputy Commander of the Special Operations Forces Col. Sergey Krovonos as saying that this unit had been behind high-profile murders. He even spoke about two potential targets nicknamed Korsa and Bagira.

Prozorov believes that the Ukrainian security services carry out all these crimes in Donbass because they have fascist and Nazi views.

Earlier in the day, former staff member of Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) Vasily Prozorov revealed at a news conference in Moscow that he had provided assistance for Russia’s special services since April 2014. Prozorov confessed that he had made the decision to share data with Russia on the activity of Ukraine’s security services, in particular the Donbass operation, after the February 2014 coup d’etat in Ukraine.

 

[angelburst29]

Vasily Prozorov said that the Ukrainian forces' crimes in Donbass "largely became possible due to the widespread Nazi and fascist ideas"

March 25, 2019 - Nazi ideology is spreading in Ukrainian army, National Guard, says ex-officer of SBU
Nazi ideology is spreading in Ukrainian army, National Guard, says ex-officer of SBU

Soldiers of the Ukraine's National Guard © AP Photo/Sergei Chuzavkov

The ideology of Nazism and fascism is rapidly spreading far and wide in the Ukrainian armed forces and the National Guard, a former officer of the Ukrainian security service SBU, Vasily Prozorov, told a news conference in Moscow on Monday.

"While speaking about the crimes committed by the Ukrainian forces in Donbass, it is impossible not to mention that they largely became possible due to widespread Nazi and fascist beliefs," Prozorov said. "I’m referring not just to the so-called voluntary battalions, where this ideology is commonplace. I saw for myself swastikas and SS insignias on their steel helmets and swastika tattoos in many other places, too. They greet each other with the Nazi salute by extending their right arm into the air. And in the barracks they keep flags with swastikas and symbols of SS divisions on the walls."

"I’m talking now about widespread Nazi notions in ordinary divisions of the Ukrainian armed forces and the National Guard operating in the field," Prozorov specified. "Remember a 95th brigade paratrooper wearing a uniform with the stripe of the SS division Totenkopf division at a meeting with President Poroshenko? Or the commander of the 503th Marines battalion keeping a picture of SS-Obersturmbannfuhrer Otto Skorzeny in his office. You will agree that all this speaks for itself.

According to media reports, all of Poroshenko’s money spent on the campaign race comes out of his own pocket.

March 26, 2019 - Ukrainian President Poroshenko shells out $15 million in bid to get re-elected
Ukrainian President Poroshenko shells out $15 million in bid to get re-elected

President Pyotr Poroshenko has outstripped his rivals in spending on the presidential race that has been carrying on already for almost three months, according to interim financial reports supplied by the presidential hopefuls, the LB.ua internet edition reports on Tuesday.

According to the documents, Poroshenko has forked out 407.8 million hryvnias (about $15 million) on his election campaign, while Batkivshchina (Fatherland) Party leader Yulia Timoshenko put up more than six million dollars. The frontrunner, showman Vladimir Zelensky has spent 3.2 million dollars.

All of Poroshenko’s money spent on the campaign race comes out of his own pocket. In contrast, Timoshenko’s campaign is funded by the party, while the election fund of Zelensky consists of 75% of voluntary donations, while the remaining amount is his own or the party’s money.

The third biggest spender on the campaign race is Alexander Vilkul, deputy head of the Opposition Bloc parliamentary faction. He has shelled out more than four million dollars in his bid to get elected to the Ukrainian presidency. The fourth largest spender is the leader of the Civic Position Party, Anatoly Gritsenko, with $3.8 million.

The election campaign of Radical Party leader Oleg Lyashko has cost him more than three million dollars, while parliamentarians Sergey Taruta and Alexander Shevchenko have spent $3.6 million and $2.2 million, respectively.

All other contenders have been more modest in their campaign expenditures, with 370,000 dollars or less spent. Four out of the registered 39 candidates have not spent a red cent on their election campaigns.

A record number of candidates - 39 people - will take part in Ukraine’s presidential election set for March 31, 2019. According to latest opinion polls, comedian Vladimir Zelensky (24.9%) leads the race, followed by the head of the Batkivshchina (or Fatherland) party Yulia Timoshenko (18.8%) and trailing behind her is incumbent President Pyotr Poroshenko (17.4%).

 

[angelburst29]

"Very creative"

Artists use Ukraine president's candy wrappers for critical portrait

As Ukraine heads in a presidential election on Sunday, two artists have created an unflattering portrait of incumbent Petro Poroshenko using sweet wrappers and bullet casings.

Out of the police cell and into the polling station: Ukraine's election monitors

Andriy Verbetskiy is not a typical election observer. Just days before Sunday's presidential vote in Ukraine, he was leading several hundred members of an ultra-nationalist group called the National Militia in a protest that ended in clashes with police.

Comedian Zelenskiy maintains strong lead in Ukraine presidential poll
Comic actor Volodymyr Zelenskiy, a political novice who plays a fictional president in a popular TV series, has maintained a strong lead in Ukraine's presidential election race, according to an opinion poll published on Thursday.

Ukrainian presidential hopeful Timoshenko vows not to encourage protests if loses election
Ukrainian presidential hopeful Timoshenko vows not to encourage protests if loses election

Ukrainian presidential candidate and leader of the Batkivshchina (or Fatherland) party Yulia Timoshenko will not initiate protests if she loses the election, as she herself told a TV show.

"I have a message for everyone who hears me: there is no need to worry. I know that attempts are being made to escalate tensions in the country, with all the talk about a new Maidan, uprisings and armed standoffs," she said. "I can assure you that nothing of the kind will happen," Timoshenko added.


Ukrainian presidential elections chronicle
Ukrainian presidential elections chronicle
Ukraine’s first presidential election took place on December 1, 1991

 

[angelburst29]

Ukraine’s presidential hopeful calls for talks with Russia on lifting sanctions
Ukraine’s presidential hopeful calls for talks with Russia on lifting sanctions

My thoughts are that Ukrainian presidential candidate Yuri Boyko has more of a chance of becoming Ukraine's next President then the top three stooges ( Poroshenko, Timoshenko, Zelenskiy ) in the limelight?

Comedian is center stage as Ukraine holds presidential vote

The top three contenders in Ukraine's presidential elections cast their vote on Sunday in a first round which a comedian - who happens to play a fictional president in a popular TV series - is tipped to win.

Political newcomer Volodymyr Zelenskiy, 41, who is appealing to voters fed up with entrenched corruption, has consistently led opinion polls in a three-horse race against incumbent President Petro Poroshenko and former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko.

No candidate is expected to receive more than half the votes, meaning the election would go to a run-off on April 21. Out of a crowded field of 39 candidates, none of the likely winners wants to move Ukraine back into Russia’s orbit.

 

[Search]

Good lord. What will happen if this guy actually pulls it off? No one expected Trump to win either. There's very little in English about his policies, but this turned up on a reddit board.

.....
There also an article from New Eastern Europe that is generally favourable too. Most are viewing it as a protest vote against Poroshenko, and not likely to win. But maybe Ukraine is about to elect themselves a homegrown Trump?

I don't know what is on his mind. He is an actor and a comedian and he has been an actor for 12 years or so, starting from KVN ("Club of the Funny and Inventive People" ) So, I don't know if he really wants to change smth or its his another role. It seems that he doesn't know much about how to rule the country and how the things works. His team's 'Kvatal 95' shows is broadcasting on the '1+1' Ukrainian Tv channel, for a long time , which is one of the leading channel in Ukraine and it belongs to Kolomoyskiy. He is definitely his puppet, why than kolomoyskiy would allow so much of TV time on his channel and so much of influence on the masses.
There a lot of fans of their shows. People like theme. I also like their shows. The film (tv series) 'Servant of the people' that was made by 'Kvatal 95' and where Zilenskiy play the main role.

Servant of the People

(Ukrainian: Слуга народу, translit. Sluha Narodu, Russian: Слуга народа, translit. Sluga Naroda, sometimes translated as Servant of the Nation) is a Ukrainian television program that premiered on 16 October 2015. The show tells the story of Vasyl Petrovych Holoborodko (Volodymyr Zelensky), a thirty-something high school history teacher who wins election to the presidency of Ukraine after a viral video shows him ranting against government corruption in Ukraine.[1][2][3]

A political party entitled "Servant of the People" was officially registered in Ukraine on 31 March 2018.[4]

Servant of the People - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

It also show what is been doing behind the curtain and that all presidents are just a puppets.

It looks like this movie was a part of political campaign of Zelenskiy, like a preparedness before he say that he is going on elections.
His political party is called "servant of the people"
He, personally, said that it is a dream to see such president and such Ukraine.


I can't say that he is pro-russian.
In one of the interviews he told he like Israel, and the level of security they have and etc.
And that he would like to follow the same strategy in Ukraine.
Also in another interview he spoke about how he see solving the problem on the East of Ukraine. He said he agrees with Kurt Volker, about solving the problem on Donbas by sending there peacemakers.

 

[Voyageur]

Without prediction; no hint from the Ukrainian Canadian Congress - with their support by a great many in Canadian politics, such as the one and only no conflic of interest Freeland, among them (also head Venezuela cheerleader/meddle - Lima Group), we have the election head observer in none other than Lloyd Axworthy, a staple in politics since remembering and a fellow ex foreign minister of Freeland.

UCC Welcomes Lloyd Axworthy as Head of the Election Observation Mission in Ukraine

Posted on Mar 13th

UCC Welcomes Lloyd Axworthy as Head of the Election Observation Mission in Ukraine
March 13, 2019. OTTAWA. The Ukrainian Canadian Congress (UCC) welcomes today’s announcement by the Honourable Chrystia Freeland, Minister of Foreign Affairs, appointing the Honourable Lloyd Axworthy as Head of Canada’s Election Observation Mission in Ukraine.

“The UCC welcomes the appointment of Mr. Axworthy, a distinguished Canadian, as Head of Mission”, said Alexandra Chyczij, UCC National President. “We recognize and commend the Government of Canada for its continued commitment to the democratic development of Ukraine, especially in the face of Russian military aggression and Russia’s amplified disinformation efforts.”

Canada’s Election Observation Mission in Ukraine is administered by CANADEM, an international not-for-profit organization, dedicated to advancing democracy and international peace and security. The Mission is tasked with providing an assessment of the electoral process in Ukraine and compliance with UN and OSCE commitments and other international standards for democratic elections, as well as with national legislation. The Mission observes, records, and reports on its findings, without interfering or intervening in any way in the electoral process.

In her news release Minister Freeland said the following about Mr. Axworthy: An esteemed academic, eminent statesman and former Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Axworthy has devoted his career to the cause of promoting and protecting human rights and democracy around the world. In 2006, he served as the head of the OAS elections observation mission to Peru. His nomination is a further reflection of Canada’s deep and abiding commitment to strengthening democracy in Ukraine.

Since 1991 Canada and the Ukrainian Canadian community have been at the forefront of supporting the democratic development in Ukraine, including through electoral observation missions.


Background

• On March 31, 2019, Ukraine will hold Presidential elections. Parliamentary elections are scheduled for October 2019.
• Canada has committed up to $24 million in support of Ukraine’s democracy ahead of the 2019 election cycle in Ukraine. This funding supports several initiatives, including:
  • Supporting election observation missions for Ukraine’s presidential and parliamentary elections;
  • Supporting long-term, sustainable electoral reforms;
  • Promoting women’s participation in elections;
  • Fairness and integrity in the electoral processes;
  • Countering disinformation.
• CANADEM implements the election observer missions, to learn more please visit their website.

Supporting means the likely original participation in the maidan coup, post coup training exercises (NATO style), supplying military observers and weapons/gear and a big does of at home propoganda and media spin.

Perhaps Axworthy, like Nuland (not that he would really be interfering) would include handing out maple cookies.

 

[angelburst29]

Defiant Poroshenko: Ukraine's voters will choose substance over style in election

Ukraine's leader on Friday said he was confident of turning the tables on his inexperienced opponent in the second round of the presidential election, saying voters would choose a substantive program over his challenger's dangerous populism.

April 12, 2019 - Russia’s Investigative Committee puts ex-Ukrainian defense chief on wanted list
Russia’s Investigative Committee puts ex-Ukrainian defense chief on wanted list

Russia’s Investigative Committee requested Moscow’s Basmanny Court to order an arrest in absentia for former Ukrainian Defense Minister Anatoly Gritsenko accused of public calls for terrorist attacks in Russia, the court’s spokeswoman told TASS.

Unona Tsareva added that Gritsenko had been put on a wanted list.

"Moscow’s Basmanny Court received a petition from the investigative agencies asking to arrest A. Gritsenko in absentia. He was put on an international wanted list," she said without elaborating on the date of the hearing.

According to Tsareva, Gritsenko was charged in absentia with two counts of calling in public and on the Internet to carry out terrorist activity.

According to the investigators, during the livestream of an online conference of the Studio 1+1 TV broadcasting company in 2014 "Gritsenko called in public to carry out terror attacks on Russia’s territory by blowing up railway trains."

Another criminal probe was opened over Gritsenko’s calls during the broadcast by Channel 112 Ukraine on July 2, 2017 to stage terror attacks in Moscow and Taganrog. In March 2019, Gritsenko ran for president of Ukraine, but could not secure enough votes for the runoff.

April 13, 2019 - Donbass fighters thwart Ukrainian saboteurs
Donbass fighters thwart Ukrainian saboteurs

© Mikhail Sokolov/TASS

Soldiers of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) militia fended off a Ukrainian sortie to cross the line of contact near Shirokino village, DPR Defense Ministry Spokesman Daniil Beznosov said on Friday.

"Our soldiers promptly detected an enemy squad near the village of Shirokino. In the course of the short clash the intruders were forced to retreat back to their positions with losses of one dead soldier and two more injured," the Donetsk News Agency quotes him as saying.

Beznosov specified that the Ukrainian squad left one injured soldier behind. He is currently in the custody of the DPR security agents.

In early April, spokesman for the DPR People’s Militia Eduard Basurin reported that DPR servicemen had been put on alert in view of sabotage risks by Kiev ahead of the presidential election runoff.

April 8, 2019 - Kremlin says only Ukrainians can and must settle Donbass conflict
Kremlin says only Ukrainians can and must settle Donbass conflict

The Ukrainians themselves must settle the situation in Donbass, because Moscow is not a party to the conflict in the southeast of Ukraine, Russian Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told the media on Monday. This is how he replied to Ukrainian presidential candidate Vladimir Zelensky’s remark that in the event of his victory he would do his best to achieve an effective ceasefire in Donbass as soon as possible and for that he would directly contact the Russian leadership.

"Russian President Vladimir Putin has said more than once that for settling the conflict in Donbass the most important thing is not dialogue with Moscow, because Moscow is not a party to this conflict. It is an intra-Ukrainian conflict and it is up to the Ukrainians to settle it, if they talk to each other," Peskov said.

He answered in the negative to the elaborative question if that meant that Russia would not discuss Donbass with Zelensky, should he take the reins of power as Ukraine’s next president.

"No, it does not mean that. You know that Putin is always open for dialogue, except for situations where the dialogue is accompanied by various provocations and acts of sabotage. In that case, Putin’s reaction is very clear, unequivocal and resolute. Putin has always been and still remains a supporter of a dialogue for resolving the problems on the agenda," Peskov said.

On April 7, Zelensky said in a televised interview that should he be elected, he would do his utmost to achieve an effective truce in Donbass as soon as possible. He called for more active contacts with the residents of the Donbass areas beyond Kiev’s control - the self-proclaimed republics - over social issues. In particular, he pointed to the need for paying pensions.

Asked if he was prepared to contact the Russian leadership directly, Zelensky answered in the affirmative. Also, he declared it was necessary to keep working within the framework of the Minsk Accords for a settlement in Donbass, adding that in his opinion the agreements should be reformed.

 

[angelburst29]

On Saturday a man crashed his car into several vehicles parked outside the Ukrainian Embassy in London.

April 13, 2019 - Incident outside Ukraine’s embassy in London unrelated to terrorism — police
The incident in London on Saturday when a man crashed his car into several vehicles parked outside Ukraine’s embassy, including the ambassador’s car, is not treated as terrorism-related, the UK’s Metropolitan Police said.

"The incident is not being treated as terrorist-related," the police said.

According to media reports, the police were called at the scene in downtown London at about 8:30am on Saturday where an unidentified man had rammed into some cars.

"Police firearms and Taser were discharged, the vehicle was stopped and a man, aged in his 40s, was arrested," the police said in a statement.

Police open fire as vehicle rams Ukraine embassy car in London; no injuries

Police in London opened fire outside the Ukrainian embassy on Saturday after a man rammed his vehicle into the ambassador's empty parked car at least twice before being arrested, officials said.

No one was hurt in the incident, which happened early on Saturday outside the embassy building in the affluent Holland Park area of west London, and it was not being treated as terrorism, police said in a statement.

The embassy said in a statement that the ambassador’s empty official vehicle had been deliberately rammed as it sat parked in front of the building.

The police were called immediately, and the suspect’s vehicle was blocked up,” it added.

“Nevertheless, despite the police actions, the attacker hit the ambassador’s car again. In response, the police were forced to open fire on the perpetrator’s vehicle.”

TV footage later showed a silver car slewed across the cordoned-off road with its driver’s door open and window shattered.

Police said they had been called at around 9.50 am on Saturday to reports of a car having hit several vehicles in the road.

“On arrival at the scene, a vehicle was driven at police officers,” they added in a statement. “Police firearms and Taser were discharged, the vehicle was stopped and a man, aged in his 40s, was arrested.”

The man was taken to hospital as a precaution but was not injured, they added.

 

[angelburst29]

Ukraine's security service SBU said on Wednesday it had captured a Russian military intelligence hit squad responsible for the attempted murder of a Ukrainian military spy in the run-up to a presidential election on Sunday.

April 17, 2019 - Ukraine says it captured Russian military intelligence hit squad

Head of the Security Service of Ukraine Vasyl Hrytsak (SBU) speaks during a news conference, dedicated to the alleged detention of members of a sabotage-reconnaissance group, who according to SBU were sent by Russian intelligence agencies, in Kiev, Ukraine April 17, 2019. REUTERS/Valentyn Ogirenko

The issue of how to deal with Russia, which annexed Crimea in 2014 and backs pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine, is prominent ahead of the vote, with incumbent Petro Poroshenko casting himself as the commander-in-chief Ukraine needs to defend the country.

Vasyl Hrytsak, the head of the SBU, the main intelligence agency, told a news conference in Kiev that seven members of the Russian group had been detained and charged and that an eighth person had been detained on Wednesday morning.

Two of the group’s members were Russian citizens, said Anatoly Matios, Ukraine’s military prosecutor, describing them as staff officers of Russia’s GRU military intelligence agency. The other six were Ukrainians.

There was no immediate reaction from Russia’s GRU.

The SBU has reported before that it captured groups belonging to Russian special agencies.

“Those detained were involved in the attempted murder of an employee of the Ukrainian defense ministry’s intelligence service...in Kiev in April,” said Matios, adding the group had planted a bomb beneath the man’s car which had gone off prematurely, badly injuring one of the accused.

The SBU released a video of the same incident which showed a man placing the bomb under a car before a big explosion. The video showed a man lying in a hospital bed with part of his right arm missing saying he was Russian and born in Moscow.

The Ukrainian State Investigation Bureau launched a criminal case on "the intentional surrender" of Crimea against Verkhovna Rada Speaker Andrei Paruby, Secretary of the Ukrainian Council of National Security and Defense Alexander Turchinov, former Prime Minister Arseny Yatsenyuk and others, the Ukrainian law union Aver Lex told TASS on Wednesday.

April 17, 2019 - Kiev presses charges against current and ex-Maidan authorities for ‘surrendering Crimea’
Kiev presses charges against current and ex-Maidan authorities for ‘surrendering Crimea’

"The State Investigation Bureau opened a criminal case on the intentional surrender of Crimea, violent upheaval, treason and the organization of mass murders on the ‘maidan’ in 2014 by Ukraine’s top officials, in particular by Arseny Yatsenyuk, Alexander Turchinov, Andrei Paruby, [former head of Ukraine’s Security Service] Valentin Nalivaichenko, [Verkhovna Rada member] Sergei Pashinsky, [Permanent Representative to the UN] Yuri Sergeyev, [Kiev Mayor] Vitaly Klichko, [head of the Freedom nationalist party] Oleg Tyagnibok, [former Acting Defense Minister] Igor Tenyukh, [Prosecutor General] Yuri Lutsenko, [Defense Minister] Stepan Poltorak and others," Aver Lex said.

The representative of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church stressed that local officials are supporting the seizure of churches.

April 15, 2019 - Fourteen churches seized in Ukraine’s Rovno region
Fourteen churches seized in Ukraine’s Rovno region

© TASS

Fourteen churches have been seized in Ukraine’s Rovno Region, and 60 dioceses have been eliminated due to the establishment of a new religious organization, the so-called Orthodox Church of Ukraine, a representative of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (the canonical church belonging to the Moscow Patriarchate) Bishop Dubensky Pimen stated during a press conference in the city of Rovno.

"In the past two weeks, over 60 dioceses of the newly established Orthodox Church of Ukraine have been registered with the use of the data of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church’s religious communities, that is, over 60 dioceses belonging to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church have been eliminated by force. Fourteen churches have been seized," the bishop said.

The representative of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church stressed that local officials are supporting the seizure of churches. "The people who must monitor the implementation of the country’s laws blatantly violate them instead and incite not just hatred, but a religious war, which leads to destabilization of the difficult situation in Ukraine," the bishop stated.

 

[Cosmos]

Have you noticed? Is the media curiously quite about this? This seems to have gone almost unreported.

Tomorrow the final election ballot for the presidency will be held in Ukraine. About 3 weeks ago (31.03.2019) the first elections were held in which Vladimir Zelenskiy, a political nobody, comedian and actor won the first place, more than 14 percent ahead of the second place, Petro Poroschenko!

A final ballot was then scheduled for tomorrow between Zelenskiy and Poroschenko, even though Zelenskiy already won quite clearly. Maybe that is how the system works there? Anyway, now the latest poll ratings before the final election tomorrow between the two candidates, put Zelenskiy at 72,2% and Poroschenko a flopping 46,8% behind Zelenskiy with only 25,4%.



So if they don't pull out a massive pole rigging tomorrow, which will be quite difficult and obvious considering all those numbers, Vladimir Zelenskiy will be the new president.

Now, who exactly is Vladimir Zelenskiy? According to some reports he is "the most famous comidian in the ukraine" and his last TV-Sitcom/Series, which was apparently a huge success there, was him playing a normal non corrupted guy from the streets becoming president of the ukraine!

According to german SOTT, in the first elections 3 weeks ago, he got most votes from people in east and south Ukraine, in stark contrast to some places in west ukraine.

Selenskij ranks number one in most regions of Ukraine. He has the greatest support in the south (Odessa oblast and Mykolayiv with 42 percent and 41 percent respectively) and in the east of the country (Dnipropetrovsk oblast with 45 percent of the votes). In the West, the media star is less popular. In the Lviv oblast, for example, he stands not only behind the incumbent Petro Poroshenko, but also behind the former head of government Yulia Timoshenko.

Interesting, isn't it? In the east and south of ukraine, generally speaking, many if not most people I would guess would like to see better relations with russia and quite understandably hate the Poroschenko regime.

Zelenskiy also seems to have been the only candidate, by far, to put it mildly, who hasn't used the "bad russia" card in the campaign.

He also seems to be the only candidate who suggested in the campaign to have a dialog with russia and stopping the russophobia (god forbid!). My guess is that those results, as of now, are probably reflecting reality and that the russians might have used similar means as in Crimea (via totally legitimate and legal means, mind you!) to ensure a non rigged election in ukraine.

Having said that, we will have to wait and see though. Sufficient to say, if Zelenskiy is really even slightly trying to make things better in the country and towards russia, he will face a huge backlash from the Kiew-Nazis and their western lackeys. That won't be easy, in one of the most corrupt places on earth, that's for sure!

 

[Cosmos]

A final ballot was then scheduled for tomorrow between Zelenskiy and Poroschenko

I was wrong, the election will be held coming Sunday and not today.

 

[Voyageur]

Interesting, isn't it? In the east and south of ukraine, generally speaking, many if not most people I would guess would like to see better relations with russia and quite understandably hate the Poroschenko regime.

Yes, after what has been the reality of the recent past people should clearly know the differences of the now, then and why.

Had a look at Ukrainian demographics (links from here and here), and was surprised at the population densities and where they are located exactly. This also has bearing to language, and both would play a role in voting depending on the eligible population age of the voters (assuming they can registere and it is all fair and square that is).

The first is the overall population:

The population of Ukraine (as of 4/18/2019)?

43,838,728

The distribution of language:

Territorially, the Ukrainian language is spread unevenly. Fig. 1 illustrates the distribution of the population of Ukraine by the Ukrainian language as the native one, based on the results of the all-Ukrainian population census of 2001.

{one could imagine that even 'native' Ukrainian families (notwithstanding the Right Sector types) may have mixed roots - and as said above, they have eyes that see the differences}

The next was density of populations in cities/towns (bold favors Russian speaking or a split):

Ukraine Top 20 Cities by Population

Name	Population
Kyiv	2,797,553
Kharkiv	1,430,885
Dnipro	1,032,822
Donetsk	1,024,700
Odessa	1,001,558
Zaporizhia	796,217
Lviv	717,803
Kryvyi Rih	652,380
Mykolayiv	510,840
Mariupol	481,626
Luhansk	452,000
Sevastopol	416,263
Khmelnytskyi	398,346
Makiyivka	376,610
Vinnytsia	352,115
Simferopol	336,460
Kherson	320,477
Poltava	317,847
Chernihiv	307,684
Cherkasy	297,568

These numbers, of course, do not make up the whole of the population (43,838,728) with the rest dispersed in what looks like this:



There is also the influence of bordering countries (and Russian ethnicity that factors as part of their makeup) with NATO fully or somewhat meddling in their affairs:

Countries Bordering Ukraine
Belarus
Hungary
Moldova
Poland
Romania
Russia
Slovakia

As you said, we will have to wait and see (and soon that is).