Ukraine War Update - 26 February 2015

Thursday, February 26, 2015  7:13 AM PST

Organizers of terrorist attack in Kharkiv detained - Turchynov

   KIEV, February 26 (Ukrinform). --- The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) and the Interior Ministry have detained the criminals, involved in the terrorist attack in Kharkiv on February 22.

   This has been reported by information-analytical center of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine (NSDC), citing the statement of the NSDC secretary Oleksandr Turchynov.

   According to him, on February 26, members of the terrorist group were arrested during a special operation carried out in Kharkiv.

   "The police seized weapons and ammunition, including plastids, detonators for explosives and grenades," Turchynov said, adding that among the detainees there are "organizers of the crime, as well as direct perpetrators of the terrorist act."

   Two other criminals, associated with this group, were detained by the Interior Ministry officers in Mariupol, where they were preparing a terrorist attack.

Thursday, February 26, 2015  6:56 AM PST

"MT-12 guns should be withdrawn first" - Ukrainian detachments started pulling out heavy weapons from Mariupol.

   (Censor.NET) --- The Ukrainian units deployed near Mariupol started withdrawal of heavy weapons according to Minsk agreements.

100 mm caliber MT-12 guns should be withdrawn to the agreed distance in the first place, Censor.NET reports.

Thursday, February 26, 2015  6:34 AM PST

Russia deployed more than a thousand units of military equipment to the Donbas in recent months - NATO Secretary General

   (Censor.NET) --- Russia has deployed more than one thousand units of military equipment on the territory of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions as of Feb. 26.

   NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg statement, published on the North Atlantic Treaty Organization official website reads, Censor.NET informs citing Ukrainski Novyny.

   Stoltenberg stated that Russia has redeployed more than a thousand units of military equipment, tanks, artillery and air defense systems in recent months.

   According to him, Russia should withdraw this equipment and stop supporting militants in the Donbas.

   Stoltenberg praised the signs of declining intensity of hostilities in Ukraine and expressed hope that the parties to the conflict will observe the cease-fire.

Thursday, February 26, 2015  4:42 AM PST

Ukraine to start withdrawal of heavy weapons from the demarcation line - Joint Staff

   (Censor.NET) --- In compliance with the Minsk agreements of Feb. 12, Ukraine will start to withdraw 100-mm canons from the demarcation line Thursday.

   Censor.NET reports citing the press service of the Joint Staff of the Ukrainian army.
   "This is the first step towards withdrawal of the heavy weapons. It will be conducted exclusively under monitoring and verification of the OSCE," the Joint Staff noted.
   The Ukrainian party will also demand for complete cease-fire and urgent compliance with the Minsk agreements from all the parties that signed them.
   "In case of attacks, the withdrawal schedule will be corrected. Ukrainian troops are in complete assembly for defense of the country," the Joint Staff stressed.

Thursday, February 26, 2015  4:08 AM PST

Russia continues supplying manpower and weapons to Donbas – NATO Supreme Allied Commander Europe

   (Censor.NET) --- The Commander of U.S. European Command says that just this month Russian troops were fighting in order to change the situation in the Donbas in favor of the militants.

   Commander of U.S. European Command, Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe and Allied Command Operations for NATO Philip Breedlove stated, Censor.NET reports citing the U.S. Department of Defense.

   Speaking before the Pentagon press corps Breedlove said that Russia's actions violate international laws and norms and that a political solution is the best way to bring the conflict to a lasting end.

   But, he added, "since the beginning of the conflict in Eastern Ukraine we have seen evidence of direct, wide-ranging Russian involvement from the supply of basic military equipment to logistics, command and control, air defense, and the list goes on."

   Unidentified Russian specialized troops who first appeared in Crimea now direct and train pro-Russian separatists, Breedlove said. And evidence shows that Russia fired artillery over its border into Eastern Ukraine during the initial stages of the conflict, the general said.

   Russia has also transferred more than 1,000 pieces of Russian military equipment into Ukraine, including tanks, armoured personnel carriers, heavy artillery pieces, and other military vehicles, he noted, that have been used on the front lines against Ukrainian forces.

   "What we see on the ground is a revanchist Russia that does not play by international rules or norms [and] their activities are destabilizing to neighboring states … and have a global impact," Breedlove said.

   During a hearing in the House of Representatives Committee on law enforcement agencies in Washington Breedlove noted that just this month Russian troops were engaged in heavy fighting after the announcement of the date of the cease-fire, with a goal of changing the situation in the Donbas, Radio Svoboda reports. On Feb. 12 leaders of Ukraine, France, Germany and Russia have agreed on a cease-fire in the Donbas to start on Feb. 15, but the new agreements reached in Minsk are being constantly violated. In particular, the pro-Russian separatists and Russian troops continued their assault on the city of Debaltseve in the Donetsk region.

   Russia claims that it is not bound by any obligations under the Minsk arrangements sine it is merely a "guarantor", but not a party to the agreement. Ukraine and the West accused Russia of supporting the pro-Russian militants in the Donbas. In turn, Moscow denies any wrongdoing.

Thursday, February 26, 2015  4:01 AM PST

Four Ukrainian soldiers wounded, no one killed over the past 24 hours - NSDC

   (Censor.NET) --- Over the past day, four Ukrainian soldiers were wounded in the ATO area.

   As reported by Censor.NET, this was announced by the ATO speaker Colonel Andrii Lysenko.