Ukraine War Update - 20 Mary 2015

Wednesday, May 20, 2015  7:01 AM PDT

Three Ukrainian soldiers killed, nine wounded over the past day - ATO speaker

   (Censor.NET) --- Three soldiers were killed and nine wounded in the course of the anti-terrorist operation on May 19.

   This was announced by the ATO speaker, Colonel Andrii Lysenko at a briefing, Censor.NET reports.

   "Over the past day, three Ukrainian soldiers were killed in combat activities, nine more were wounded," Lysenko said.
   "Most of the losses (i.e. three killed and five wounded) account for the fighting that occurred near Katerynivka village of the Popasna district, the Luhansk region," he specified.

Wednesday, May 20, 2015  6:34 AM PDT

EU finally disbelieves Russia - Deshchytsia

   (Censor.NET) --- Russia does not implement the Minsk agreements, therefore the EU attitude to the Russian Federation should be more decisive. Brussels cannot always allow Moscow making fun of it.

   Ambassador of Ukraine to Poland Andrii Deshchytsia said in an interview with Polish Radio, Censor.NET reports citing Ukrinform.

   "I think that the EU demonstrates a new, more realistic and pragmatic approach towards Russia, as before the EU believed Russia, and then, unfortunately, it sees that Russia has not fulfilled its obligations last year and this year. The EU can not allow Russia to mock at it all the time," he said.

   The Ukrainian diplomat described the EU's decision that the introduction of the agreement on free trade area between Kiev and Brussels would not be postponed and would start working in 2016 as "a good signal".

   He noted that Russia could no longer block the FTA introduction between Ukraine and the EU, as it had no reasons for that.

Wednesday, May 20, 2015  6:33 AM PDT

Slovakia will never recognize illegal annexation of Crimea

   KIEV, May 20 (Ukrinform). --- Slovakia will never recognize the Russian illegal interference into the internal affairs of Ukraine, the violation of its sovereignty and the illegal annexation of Crimea.

   Slovak President Andrej Kiska said this during a joint briefing with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko in Kiev on Wednesday, an Ukrinform correspondent reported.

   "Slovakia will never recognize the illegal annexation of Crimea. We will not accept any military, political or economic interference in the sovereignty of Ukraine. I say this because I do not think it is correct that we have recently stopped talking about the annexation of Crimea, as this is the main issue. The basic principle that was violated is the territorial integrity of Ukraine," he said.

   According to him, Slovakia considers that it is important to observe the Minsk agreements in full, to monitor the implementation of these agreements and to restore Ukraine's control over its borders.

   "The European Union must be united, if we are talking about sanctions, their lifting should be inherently related to the implementation of the Minsk agreements," the Slovak President said.

Wednesday, May 20, 2015  6:16 AM PDT

Ukrainian soldiers killed in militant ambush in Luhansk region

   (UNIAN) --- At least three Ukrainian soldiers were killed in attack by Russia-backed insurgents in Luhansk region on May, 19, according to a Ukrainian military spokesman. 

   As government troops rushed to their wounded comrades, several were killed by land mines, reports the TSN news agency, according to Ukraine Today.

   Despite a ceasefire being agreed in February in the Belarusian capital Minsk, the militants have been widely using heavy weapons that were supposed to be withdrawn from the contact line under said agreement, and this was the case on Tuesday after 1800, according to Ukraine’s army spokesman.

   The coastal village of Skyrokyne sees most of the fierce battles as it remains one of primary targets for militants on their presumed goal to create a land corridor from mainland Russia to the occupied Crimean peninsula.

Wednesday, May 20, 2015  6:11 AM PDT

Ukrainian govt proposes urgent change in law on foreign military access to country's territory

   (Interfax) --- The Ukrainian Cabinet will ask Verkhovna Rada to change the law regulating the access and presence of foreign armed forces in the country's territory.

   "The government will ask the parliament to consider and allow admission of foreign armed forces in the event of such foreign forces conduct operations to maintain peace and security under the United nations or European Union resolutions, Yatseniuk told the government on Wednesday.

   Ukraine's President and National Security and Defense Council came up with an initiative to send peacekeeping troops to Donetsk and Luhansk regions, which are temporarily out of the Ukrainian government's control, "with the aim to implement the Minsk agreements and restore full control by the Ukrainian government over Donetsk and Luhansk regions, as well as over the national border between Ukraine and Russia."

   We are considering opening a UN support office in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions "so as to ensure implementation of the Minsk agreements," the prime minister said.

   "We will ask the president for this bill to be submitted as an urgent one," Yatseniuk said.

Wednesday, May 20, 2015  5:31 AM PDT

Detained Russian special forces operatives served notice of suspicion of involvement in terrorist activities - Lubkivskyi

   (Censor.NET) --- The captured servicemen of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation were served notice of suspicion of committing crimes in the evening of May 19.

   Adviser to the head of the SBU Markiian Lubkivskyi announced on his page on Facebook, Censor.NET informs.

   According to the report, the Ukrainian investigators personally served notice of suspicion of committing crimes under Article 258 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine to Captain Aleksandrov and Sergeant Yerofeyev due to their involvement in terrorist activities of the so-called "LPR".

   According to him, the Russian soldiers were also provided the opportunity to contact with their families by the phone. Captain Yerofeyev seized such an opportunity and communicated with his relatives. The relatives of Aleksandrov could not be reached.

Wednesday, May 20, 2015  5:30 AM PDT

Ukraine terminates agreement on military-technical cooperation with Russia

   KIEV, May 20 (Ukrinform). --- The Government of Ukraine has made the decision to terminate the agreement on military-technical cooperation between Ukraine and Russia.

   Prime Minister of Ukraine Arseniy Yatseniuk has said this at the Cabinet's meeting on Wednesday, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

   "The Russian Federation is the aggressor state. The Russian Federation illegally annexed Crimea, intervened militarily in Donetsk and Luhansk regions. The Russian Federation poses a threat to the Ukrainian state and its territorial integrity. Therefore, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine terminates the agreement," Yatseniuk said.

Wednesday, May 20, 2015  5:17 AM PDT

This is direct threat to Russia which we will retaliate, Putin's press-secretary says on possibility of deployment of ballistic missile defence system on the territory of Ukraine

   (Censor.NET) --- The Kremlin responded quickly to the statement of the National Security and Defense Council Secretary Oleksandr Turchynov about the possibility of deployment of ballistic missile defense system on the territory of Ukraine.

If Ukraine deploys the elements of the American missile defense system at its territory, Russia will take retaliatory measures to ensure its security, Dmitriy Peskov, press secretary of Russia's president said, Censor.NET reports with reference to RIA-Novosti.
   "If he [Ukraine's NSDC Secretary Turchynov - ed.] has in mind that Ukraine is planning to deploy elements of the American missile defense system on its territory this can only be perceived negatively. For it will be threat for the Russian Federation. In case of deployment of elements of the American missile defense system in Ukraine, Russia's will take retaliatory measures to ensure its own security," Peskov said answering the request to comment the words of Turchynov.

Wednesday, May 20, 2015  5:09 AM PDT

Modern Russia worse than under Stalin - Grybauskaite

   KIEV, May 20 (Ukrinform). --- Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite said that modern Russia is behaving worse than under the regime of former Soviet dictator Josef Stalin.

   She said this in an interview with Latvian TV, Yevropeyska Pravda news website reported referring to Delfi.

   "In fact, Russia is worse than in the days of Stalin, and is waging the first non-convention war using cyber-attacks, as well as information and propaganda attacks," the Lithuanian president said.

   In addition, according to her, the aim of the Russian president is to destabilize the situation in Ukraine, but he would not likely do more.

   "Europe is not such a weak point that he could put pressure on it," Grybauskaite said.

   She also called for the extension of sanctions against Russia, as the Minsk agreements are not being implemented by Moscow and "the war continues" [in Ukraine].

Wednesday, May 20, 2015  3:05 AM PDT

Ukraine open to hosting missile defense system

   (UTR.TV) --- A senior Ukrainian security official says his country is open to placing a ballistic missile-defense system in Ukraine to ward off the potential risk of attacks from Russia.

   Oleksandr Turchynov, head of Ukraine's National Security Council, told Ukrinform news agency on Wednesday that Russia has become an increased threat since annexing Crimea and increasing its military presence there. NATO's U.S.-led missile-defense plans envisage deploying elements of the missile shield around Europe for what it says would be defense against Iran. Moscow sees this as a threat to its nuclear deterrent and has threatened countermeasures.

Wednesday, May 20, 2015  2:58 AM PDT

G7 to discuss sanctions against Russia during meeting in June

   (UTR.TV) --- The existing sanctions imposed on Russia will be a part of the Group of Seven’s discussions in Schloss Elmau, Germany, on June 7-8, 2015, White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said in a press briefing on Tuesday.

   The G7 summit will gather representatives of major industrialized nations to discuss the global economy, as well as foreign policy, security and development issues. Russia was formerly part of the group – then known as the G8 – but has been suspended over the annexation of Crimea. Ukraine expects the summit in Germany will touch upon the issue of a peaceful resolution to the Donbas conflict and ways to counter Russian aggression.

Wednesday, May 20, 2015  1:17 AM PDT

Russian-backed illegal armed formations shell communities and Ukrainian army positions

   (UTR.TV) --- The press centre of the ‘anti-terror’ operation (ATO) HQ reports, the invaders still shelled Ukrainian army positions and communities with tanks, artillery, mortars, grenade launchers, heavy machineguns and other weapons. 

   In Luhansk oblast, the bandits used anti-aircraft mounts, mortars and grenade launchers.

   They shelled Zolote, Kirove, Katerynivka, Popasna, Leninske and Mayorsk.

   In Donetsk direction, the illegal armed formations shelled Verkhniotoretske, Pisky, Butovka mine, Novolaspa with mortars and artillery.

   Shyrokyne is still the flashpoint in Mariupol direction. Terrorists used tanks, mortars and grenade launchers. Snipers targeted the Ukrainian positions.

   Terrorists also attacked communities Hranitne, Katerynivka and Popasna.