Ukraine War Update - 12 May 2015

Tuesday, May 12, 2015  8:48 AM PDT

Nemtsov report claims hundreds of Russian soldiers killed in Ukraine.

Crosses stand on the graves of unknown pro-Russian 

separatists at a cemetery in the eastern Ukrainian city 

of Donetsk, on February 16, 2015 

(AFP Photo/Vasily Maximov)

   Moscow (AFP) --- Allies of murdered Russian opposition leader Boris Nemtsov on Tuesday unveiled a report he worked on claiming that hundreds of Russian soldiers have been killed fighting in Ukraine.

   The report -- based on media articles and information from families of Russian soldiers allegedly killed in Ukraine -- repeats widespread allegations of Russian military involvement in Ukraine that Moscow has consistently denied.

   "We gathered what we think is comprehensive proof of the presence of Russian troops," said Ilya Yashin, one of the authors of the report entitled "Putin. War" as he presented it to reporters in Moscow.

   Nemtsov -- a former deputy prime minister who became a fierce Kremlin critic -- had started work on the report before he was gunned down just yards from the Kremlin in late February.

   The 64-page report said the Russian army made two major incursions into Ukrainian territory in the summer of 2014 and in the winter of 2015. Both turned the tables in the fighting and came ahead of negotiations on the conflict.

   "All key military successes of the separatists were ensured by regular Russian army contingents," Yashin said of the conflict between Kiev's forces and separatists in eastern Ukraine, which has resulted in over 6,200 deaths since April 2014.

   The first major deployment of the regular Russian army to eastern Ukraine resulted in the deaths of soldiers around the strategic railway hub of Ilovaisk, with "more than 150 coffins" returning to Russia after fighting there.

- 'More than 150 coffins' -

   After the winter incursion "at least 70 troops died," including around the town of Debaltseve, which was captured by the separatists shortly after the signing of the latest truce agreement.

   Some of the information came from sources representing relatives of the soldiers who approached Nemtsov in February after the government did not deliver on its promise to compensate for the deaths, the report says.

   The army forced the soldiers to officially end their contracts before deploying them across the frontier, the report says, and threatened relatives with criminal cases, forcing them to stay quiet.

   Moscow further backed the recruitment of volunteers through army offices and oversaw the "transfer of military equipment" across the border, including the surface-to-air Buk system that was used to shoot down the Malaysia Airlines Flight MH-17 over the Donetsk region in July last year, Yashin said.

   Nemtsov, who was serving as a regional MP at the time of his death, made several requests for information from the security services and border authorities regarding the flow of soldiers across the border to Ukraine, without receiving any response.

- Report 'irritated' Kremlin -

   Russian authorities have fiercely denied accusations from Kiev and the West that they are backing the separatist rebellion in Ukraine.

   The Kremlin refused to comment on the claims, with spokesman Dmitry Peskov telling Russian news agencies: "I am not familiar with the report so I have nothing to say."

   Yashin said the final version of the report had a lot of debatable data removed so that "every letter, every word, every fact and every testimony" has been proven.

   Nemtsov's colleagues believe the Kremlin is implicated in his brazen killing as all opposition figures are closely watched and often followed, while the bridge where he was shot is heavily monitored by police.

   The Kremlin has denied any involvement and five men from Russia's volatile North Caucasus region have been arrested on charges of carrying out the hit.

   Nemtsov's former colleague and friend, ex-prime minister Mikhail Kasyanov, said Nemtsov wanted to compile the report to offer an alternative source of information for Russians who are overwhelmingly dependent on state television.

   "It is a document for Russian citizens to be able to compare information and understand what is happening," he said. "Propaganda... is not letting citizens make their own conclusions."

   Russian opposition supporters hold a banner bearing a portrait of slain Kremlin critic Boris Nemtsov …

   The investigation of Nemtsov's murder has stalled, Kasyanov said, as the mastermind is still at large.

   The leading suspect currently in detention, former Chechen police officer Zaur Dadayev, has retracted his confession amid allegations he was tortured in custody.

   Yashin said Nemtsov's work on the report could be one of the reasons for his killing and called for investigators to look into it.

   "The work Nemtsov did was dangerous and provoked irritation in the Kremlin," he said.

   The website of the report was opening slowly on Tuesday afternoon and Yashin said it was undergoing a cyber DDoS attack.

   He and other authors of the report have received "threats" in the course of their work to finish the pamphlet, he said, calling it "psychological pressure".

Tuesday, May 12, 2015  8:24 AM PDT

Canada to allocate Ukraine $40 million

   KIEV, May 12 (Ukrinform). --- Canada has committed to fund a program to fight transnational organized crime, to develop small and medium-sized businesses, as well as to strengthen nuclear safety in Ukraine.

   Foreign Minister of Canada Robert Nicholson said this after the meeting with Prime Minister of Ukraine Arseniy Yatseniuk on Tuesday, an Ukrinform correspondent reported.

   "Today, I am extremely pleased to announce the granting of additional aid from Canada. Canada will finance a program to combat transnational organized crime, to develop small and medium-sized enterprises and to strengthen nuclear safety," Nicholson said.

   According to him, this aid package, in particular, includes five million Canadian dollars to strengthen border security in Ukraine by organizing a training program for those who defend the borders, as well as providing them with necessary equipment to perform their duties.

Tuesday, May 12, 2015  5:33 AM PDT

Terrorists concentrate heavy weapons and conduct exercises near the line of contact - ATO speaker

   (Censor.NET) --- Terrorists carry out military exercises along the line of contact, as well as pulled heavy weapons to the border of the occupied territories under the guise of celebrating May 9 (Victory Day).

   This was stated by representative of the Presidential Administration on ATO matters, Colonel Andrii Lysenko at a briefing today, Censor.NET reports.

"Monitors of the OSCE SMM recorded exercises of 50 militants at the border of areas temporarily occupied by armed gangs of the "DPR" and "LPR," he said.

   "In addition, despite repeated statements by the leaders of armed groups on withdrawal of heavy weapons, on May 9-10 the observers recorded movement of heavy weapons of the illegal armed groups. In particular, in the territories under the control of the so-called "DPR" there was recorded movement of six T-72 tanks, three self-propelled guns, three Grads, three anti-aircraft guns and three 152-mm artillery cannons. At another location not far from the demarcation line in the Luhansk region, the observers recorded self-propelled guns, howitzers, tanks, Grads and anti-aircraft missile systems. This further demonstrates that militants violate the terms of the Minsk agreements and set to disrupt the peace plan," Lysenko said.

   It was reported earlier that terrorists continue to strengthen their positions - more than 200 militants arrived to Krymske and Novotoshkivka and six Grads were redeployed to Ilovaisk.

Tuesday, May 12, 2015  5:44 AM PDT

Donbas takes heavy toll on Russia, Nemtsov’s memorandum

   (Zik) --- 70 Russian servicemen were killed in the fighting near Debaltsevo in Jan.-Feb. 2015, of these 17 come from Ivanovo, says the memorandum “Putin. The War” prepared by the murdered Russian opposition politician Boris Nemtsov, RBK reports May 12.

   To cheat the world, Putin sent his troops to Donbas as volunteers. They were promised pay and compensations in case of physical damage or death. However, none were paid to the victims, the memorandum says. 

   Russia paid 53 billion rubles for its 10-month campaign in Donbas. 

   80 billion rubles were spent on supporting the fugitives from Ukraine as of  July 2014.

   The Russians lost 2 trillion rubles due to lower salaries and 750 billion of their savings.

    Western sanctions caused process to rise by 5.5%.

Tuesday, May 12, 2015  3:13 AM PDT

Three Ukrainian soldiers killed, one wounded on May 11 - ATO speaker

   (Censor.NET) --- Three Ukrainian soldiers were killed in the anti-terrorist operation area, one was wounded over the past day.

   As reported by Censor.NET, this was announced by the Presidential Administration speaker on ATO matters Colonel Andrii Lysenko at a briefing.

   "Over the past day, three our soldiers were killed in fierce fighting, another one received wounds," he said.
   According to Lysenko, these ATO forces' losses were incurred near Donetsk and Shchastia, the Luhansk region.

Tuesday, May 12, 2015  2:10 AM PDT

Canada calls on Russia to leave occupied territory of Ukraine

   (UTR) --- Foreign Minister of Canada Robert Nicholson said this in Kiev after the commemoration of the victims of the Second World War, an Ukrinform correspondent reported. 

   "I have already met with President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko today and will meet with the Prime Minister tomorrow, and I will repeat at both of these meetings that Canada remains a loyal friend and ally of Ukraine and we want to help Ukraine on the path to reform. We will continue our full support for Ukraine. We will repeat that Canada wants Russia to leave the occupied territory of Ukraine," Nicholson said.

   The foreign minister of Canada also wrote greetings to Ukrainian pilot Nadiya Savchenko on the occasion of her birthday. At the same time, he assured that Canada would not forget about Savchenko and demand her release.

Tuesday, May 12, 2015  12:19 AM PDT

Terrorists continue shelling in Donbas with heavy weapons. Upon response fire, they ask for truce - ATO press center

   (Censor.NET) --- The situation in the east of Ukraine remains without significant changes. On May 11, after 6 p.m., terrorists shelled Ukrainian army's positions with weapons banned by the Minsk agreements.

   This is reported by Censor.NET citing ATO press center.
   "At the Donetsk direction, the terrorists were shelling Opytne, Vodiane, Pisky with 120-mm mortars. Dutivka mine was fired at with a tank and an anti-aircraft mount. Avdiivka suffered from tanks and 152-mm weapons. Marinka was fired at by a sniper," the message reads.
   According to the headquarters, the Mariupol direction cease-fire has not lasted long as well. The mercenaries used all their arsenal here. They were shelling with artillery, 120-mm and 82-mm mortars, grenade launchers, and small arms. Upon relevant return fire, the mercenaries asked for truce five times.
   "It was not calm at the Luhansk direction as well. Mercenaries used large-caliber mortars, grenade launchers and small arms to fire at Stanytsia Luhanska and Shchastia... Leninske and Lozove were shelled with large-caliber machine guns," the press center reported.