Ukraine War Update - 26 March 2015

Thursday, March 26, 2015  8:41 AM PDT

Ukraine must give up its passive policy towards rebels – Adm. Kabanenko

   (Zik) --- Instead of the present passive defense Ukraine army is to switch to active actions against the rebels, says ex-deputy defense minister Admiral Ihor Kabanenko, speaking to Obozrevatel March 26.

   That’s what the admiral said, “Active defense is the best kind of defense.

   If your defense is merely holding one’s ground, the enemy will take advantage of this immediately.

   It is wrong when political considerations of not provoking the enemy impact the army’s operational tasks.

   The non-provoking tactics were used in Crimea and at the earlier stages in Donbas.

   The same refers Ukraine’s shy position with regard to the Minsk agreements. If operational or tactical situation demands, active warfare must be used.

   Ukraine is to learn the lessons of the past,” the admiral summed up.

Thursday, March 26, 2015  7:59 AM PDT

Ukroboronprom to equip Saxon APCs with tank guns

   (Interfax) --- Ukroboronprom State Concern intends to equip British made Saxon armoured personnel carriers (APCs), bought by the Defense Ministry, with KT-7.62 tank guns.

   According to Ukroboronprom's press service, Mayak plant (Kiev) has developed a set of brackets to install the guns on the APCs.

   "In the near future the Saxon armoured personnel carriers will receive the necessary arms that will make it possible to use them in the anti-terrorist operation," reads a press release issued by the company.

   According to the press release, some of the APCs could be converted into ambulances.

   As reported, in late 2014 Ukroboronprom, under the Defense Ministry order, purchased 75 Saxon APCs. The total purchase price, according to the state concern, was $3.8 million. The first 20 vehicles arrived in Ukraine in early February 2015.

Thursday, March 26, 2015  6:58 AM PDT

We are ready to withdraw tanks from demarcation line - Poroshenko

   (Censor.NET) --- The Ukrainian side is ready to withdraw tanks from the demarcation line to avoid shelling.

   This was stated by President Petro Poroshenko at a press conference in Kharkiv, Censor.NET reports citing Ukrainian News.

   "We are now ready to withdraw tanks" the president said.

   He noted that he proposed this measure, and it will be announced by the representative of Ukraine in a Joint Monitoring Center.

   "But Russia must ensure the cease-fire in the territory controlled by the militants," Poroshenko said.

   He also stressed that all the hostages should be released, about 400 of which are held in terrible conditions in the temporarily occupied territory of Ukraine and in the Russian Federation.

   The President also noted that the parties should ensure effective work of the Joint Monitoring Group, and to ensure the activities of observation posts with its representatives, with obligatory participation of the OSCE monitors in the areas of intense fire.

Thursday, March 26, 2015  5:36 AM PDT

Police detained "actors" of a staged news story for Russian media about alleged rioting in Odesa

   (Censor.NET) --- Police thwarted an attempt to create a fake riot in Odesa. As a result of the measures taken by the police six members of the event were detained, including the organizers.

   This is stated by the press service of the Interior Ministry of Ukraine in the Odesa region, Censor.NET reports.

   "Yesterday officers of the Odessa police and the Security Service averted the provocation on Pastera street, aimed at destabilizing the situation in the city. According to intelligence information another video clip was to be filmed, which involved blocking a street turning over a car. The students hired for extras were paid 150 hryvnia by the organizers," the report says.

   "As a result of operational measures taken by the police, the provocation did not take place.

   "Recently a staged video showing a car being turned over by a group of young protesters was filmed at Ilfa and Petrova street in Odesa.

   "We appeal to all the participants of such actions, especially to the young students who agree to participate for a small monetary reward and do not understand that they become accomplices. From a legal point of view, their actions are regarded as abortive riots and in accordance with Art. 294 of the Ukrainian Criminal Code is punished by imprisonment for a term of five to eight years and in the case of deaths or serious consequences by a term of up to fifteen years," the Interior Ministry concluded.

Thursday, March 26, 2015  3:56 AM PDT

Construction of "Wall" project at the Russian border will begin in April - Border Service

   (Censor.NET) --- The State Border Service intends to resume engineering works at the Ukrainian-Russian border in April this year.

   This was stated at a briefing of assistant chairman of the State Border Service, head of the press service Oleh Slobodian, Censor.NET reports citing Ukrainian News.

   "The active phase of the engineering development at the border will begin in early April," he said.

   According to him, the State Border Service has already received 10 million hryvnia for the engineering works.

Thursday, March 26, 2015  3:31 AM PDT

Mercenary from Russian Orsk made $150 in Donbas before coming home in a coffin.

   (Censor.NET) --- Russian media reports on the fate of a residents of the city of Orsk (Orenburg region, Russia), who went to Ukraine to make money and came back in a zinc coffin.

   Alexander Zhitinev, 39-year-old Orsk resident, decided to join the "militia" and "help the brotherly people" either by calling of the heart or due to the fact that he had no job, Censor.NET reports citing Novyy Region.

   Auto mechanic by profession, he could not find a job for a while and lived off his wife Natalia, who worked as a cook at a local hospital. According to her, Alexander spent about three months in the Donbas. In one battle the tank he was in was hit and burned down as it came under mortar shelling.
   Natalia learned of her husband's death on the Internet. The documents of Alexander Zhitinev were found by a Ukrainian soldier who posted them on the web. Relatives began the search, but none of the authorities wanted to help - they had to do everything at their own expense. Sister of the deceased with two relatives traveled to Ukraine and managed to find and identify the body.   Alexander was recently buried in his hometown. A few people came to the funeral - family, relatives. The local media report that none of the officials or representatives of the security forces were present. According to relatives, Alexander managed to earn $150 in the Donbas.

Thursday, March 26, 2015  1:22 AM PDT

Bus tripped a mine in the Donetsk region, four people killed - Interior Ministry.

   (Censor.NET) --- The Chief of the Donetsk regional police Viacheslav Abroskin published information that a shuttle bus tripped a mine when attempting to drive around a checkpoint. Three people were killed.

   He posted this on Facebook, Censor.NET reports.

   Abroskin wrote: "At 8:30 p.m. a call to the Artemivsk city police center informed that a shuttle bus from Artemivsk to Horlivka tripped a mine in a field near Maiorsk.
   "According to preliminary information, the driver decided to drive around a checkpoint and was moving along the earth road heading to Horlivka. In the field, the bus tripped a mine with its rear wheel. As of now, three people have been killed. The total number of passengers in the bus is 26 people.
   "The information is being specified. Artemivsk city police dept. crime scene investigation team is operating at the scene," Abroskin wrote.
   zn.ua cited the Donetsk regional administration saying that 17 people have been wounded, 15 of them hospitalized. As announced later by deputy head of the Interior Ministry in the Donetsk region Illia Kyva on Facebook, the number of killed persons reached four people.
   Thursday morning, the Interior Ministry published a list of those who suffered in the accident on their website. All injured are being treated in the Artemivsk district hospital.
   The following people have suffered in the accident:

1. Olena Papadina, born 1957, city of Yenakieve.
2. Ihor Mahin, born 1992, city of Horlivka.
3. Svitlana Isaiko, born 1942, city of Debaltseve.
4. Viktoria Cherniavska, born in 1991, city of Shakhtarsk.
5. Viktoria Yevsieieva, born in 1992, city of Horlivka.
6. Olha Luchenkova, born in 1949, village of Virivka, Yenakieve district.
7. Oksana Hlushchenko, born 1982, city of Horlivka.
8. Oleh Ovcharov, born 1971, address unidentified.
9. Vladyslav Yelizarov, born 1971, city of Horlivka.
10. Vira Demydenko, born in 1947, city of Horlivka.
11. Anatolii Solhanov, born in 1938, city of Horlivka.
12. Mykola Plisov, born in 1941, city of Yenakieve.
13. Valerii Driomin, born 1955, city of Yenakieve.
14. Iryna Vynnykova, born 1972, city of Horlivka.
15. Yurii Fedorov, born 1964, city of Horlivka.
16. Tetiana Maiorova, born 1993, city of Horlivka.
17. Tetiana Odynokykh, born 1956, city of Horlivka.
18. Tetiana Hryshchenko, born 1964, city of Horlivka.
19. Taisia Driomina, born 1953, city of Yenakieve.
The police have identified one of the killed pesons: Iryna Minaieva, born in 1960, resident of Horlivka.

   The Chief of the Artemivsk city police Dmytro Kozhukhovskyi announced that all killed are women.

Thursday, March 26, 2015  12:29 AM PDT

Terrorists shelled Avdiivka, Pisky, and Troitske from "withdrawn" mortars - ATO press center

   (Censor.NET) --- The terrorists continue to violate the cease-fire in the ATO area. Russian terrorist groups concentrate their fire attacks at the Donetsk direction.

   Overnight, the Donbas mercenaries have violated the cease-fire for 10 times, the ATO press center's report reads, Censor.NET reports.

   "This night, the terrorists shelled Pisky village and Avdiivka city with 120-mm mortars. Novoselivka and Kamianka were fired at from small arms. At the Mariupol direction, the village of Shyrokyne has been shelled with small arms. At the Artemisvk direction, the village of Troitske has been shelled with 120-mm mortars," ATO speaker Anatolii Stelmakh said.

   According to him, the terrorists continue to concentrate their fire attacks at the Donetsk direction.

   "Over the past day, the enemy's drones were noticed three times along the contact line," Stelmakh added.

Wednesday, March 25, 2015  20:29 PDT

Chechnya Speaker Vows To Arm Mexico If U.S. Gives Weapons To Ukraine

   (RFE/RL) --- The head of the legislature in Russia's Chechnya region says that Russia will provide arms to Mexico if Washington supplies weapons to Ukraine.

   Chechen Parliament Speaker Dukvakha Abdurakhmanov said the arms would be aimed at reigniting U.S.-Mexican disputes over “territories annexed by the United States in the American states of California, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, and part of Wyoming.” 

   “We will perceive arms shipments to Ukraine as a signal to respond in kind,” Abdurakhmanov said in a March 24 statement posted on the Chechen parliament’s website.

   Abdurakhmanov is a close associate of Ramzan Kadyrov, the Kremlin-backed strongman who rules Chechnya.

   Prominent U.S. lawmakers have called on U.S. President Barack Obama to supply Ukraine with weapons they say will allow Kiev to protect its territory against Russian-backed separatists.

   The Obama administration has resisted the calls, saying the move could result in greater bloodshed between Ukrainian forces and the separatists in a conflict that has killed more than 6,000 people since April 2014.

Wednesday, March 25, 2015  14:28 PDT

Ukrainian and Western intelligence confirm the possibility of militants’ advance - Parubii

   (Censor.NET) --- First Deputy Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, former National Security and Defense Council Secretary Andrii Parubii believes that the Russian Federation and the Russia-backed terrorists may launch an offensive in the near future.

   He said on the air of the First National Channel, Censor.NET reports citing Ukrainski Novyny.

   "Putin plans to continue to aggressive militaristic actions. Major forces have been concentrated on the border with Ukraine over the past two and a half weeks. There is much indirect evidence assuming the possibility of the offensive blow. Let me remind you that the militants started accusing Ukraine of non-compliance with the Minsk Agreements prior to each onslaught (on Debaltseve or the Donetsk airport)," he said.

   At the same time, he said that the high probability of offensive is confirmed both by the Ukrainian and foreign intelligence.

   "This (the possibility of military advance - ed.) is confirmed both by the Ukrainian intelligence and the one of our Western partners, I might add," he said.

   On the question of whether Ukraine is ready for such an offensive, Parubii replied that this is a philosophical issue.

   "Are we ready? This is a philosophical issue. We oppose one of the most powerful armies in the world ... The Ukrainian society is sufficiently mobilized, and the condition of the army is currently much better than it was a year ago. I am sure that if the offensive is launched, it will be defeated the same way as previous ones," he said.

   At the same time Parubii stressed that he does not want to scare anyone by the statements about a possible offensive blow, but he considers it vital for the government, the army, and society to be ready for such a scenario.

   "I do not want to scare anyone, under no circumstances. I just use to consider the worst case scenario as the former Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council... The Ukrainian army, the Ukrainian society should be prepared for this possible onslaught ... We must prepare ourselves for the worst case scenario and the Ukrainian government should also consider the worst case scenario," he said.

   In this regard Parubii called the decision of the United States to provide Ukraine with non-lethal weapons a major success.

   It is known that Parubii has supported the decision of Ihor Kolomoiskyi to write a letter of resignation from the post of the Dnipropetrovsk Regional State Administration Chairman and its acceptance by the President Petro Poroshenko.