Contents tagged with Ukraine

  • FIDH: The Mejlis ban may lead to a wave of persecution of Crimean Tatars

    The International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the Ukrainian Helsinki Union for Human Rights condemn the persecution of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar People in Crimea.  This was stated in an official statement on the International Federation for Human Rights website on Wednesday, March 2, as reported by Krym.Realii.  The report also reviewed the actions of the Russian authorities in Crimea and the case scheduled for the 3rd of March in court, which aims to prohibit the Mejlis on the …

  • Former Pentagon adviser: The US should have given anti-tank missiles to Ukraine two years ago

    According to Evelyn Farkas, the former US Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Russia, Ukraine and Eurasia, if Ukraine had received Javelin anti-tank missiles two years ago, the country would not be experiencing the current conflict. 

    As the former Pentagon adviser explained to Golos Ameriki, the US could still provide Ukraine with these ani-tank missiles, which would help to change the balance of power in the region, as well as send a clear message to Moscow that if the current conflict …

  • Nadiya Savchenko declares hunger strike

    Nadiya Savchenko vowed to go on a hunger strike starting March 3rd after the Donetsk City Court in the Rostov region announced that she would not be given a chance to make her final closing statement during a hearing on Thursday, Dozhd reported.

    "If I am not allowed to have the last word, I will start a dry hunger strike tomorrow," Savchenko claimed, Interfax reported.

    The court postponed her final closing statement until March 9th.

    The day before, the prosecutor’s office asked that the …

  • Ukrainian Intelligence: Six Russian trucks carrying Special Forces members arrived in Donbas

    On the 1st of March, Russian vehicles carrying ammunition and reinforcements arrived in the Donetsk region.  These vehicles consisted of three cars carrying ammunition, six trucks with mortars on board as well as special purpose units.  According to the Ukrainian News, this was reported by the Chief Directorate of Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine.

    “We have confirmed the presence of these Russian military vehicles.  They are transporting arms, military equipment, ammunition …

  • Russian prosecutor demands sentence of 23 years for Nadiya Savchenko

    On the 2nd of March, during the debates of the parties in the Donetsk City Court, the State Prosecutor asked the court to sentence Ukrainian pilot, Nadiya Savchenko, to 23 years in prison in a penal colony. The State Prosecutor noted that evidence of the prosecution was sound and was confirmed by the case materials and therefore sufficient to find Savchenko guilty.

    “Having military training, the prisoner presented herself to serve in the Aydar Battalion where she entered into a criminal …

  • EU proposes engaging in trilateral gas talks with Russia and Ukraine

    The European Union proposed that Ukraine begin negotiations with the Russian Federation regarding gas prices, offering to serve as a mediator, according to EU Commissioner, Maroš Šefčovič, during the Ukrainian energy forum as reported by a Evropeyskaya Pravda correspondent.

    "The market gas price should be determined either through negotiations or with the help of the Stockholm Court," he stated.

    "Of course, litigation proceedings are more long-term, but we should not wait for it this year. …

  • Obama extends sanctions against Russia

    US President Barack Obama announced on Tuesday that sanctions against Russia would be extended for another year.

    The text of Obama’s announcement was published on the White House’s website.  

    The US President extended four of his Executive Orders initially signed in 2014 that, in particular, ban economic activity between US citizens and companies with a number of Ukrainian and Russian businesses and individuals.

    “I found that the actions and policies of the Government of the Russian …

  • Ukrainian representative in Minsk urges Europe to focus on the safety of the people in the Donbas, not elections

    The German Foreign Minister, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, has said that elections in the occupied Donbas region will be held within the next months.  However, the Ukrainian representative to the Trilateral Contact Group in Minsk, Roman Bezsmertnyi, has urged Europe to think primarily about the safety of the people in the region,  and not about elections.

    “Until now, only the processes of the elections have been discussed in Minsk and not the electoral law.  These elections are out of the question …

  • EU extends sanctions against Yanukovych and his inner circle

    As expected, on the 2nd of March, the EU will continue sanctions against the former Ukrainian President, Viktor Yanukovych, and 15 members of his inner circle. These sanctions were to end on the 6th of March. "Radio Freedom", with reference to sources in the EU, reports.

    It is noted that the sanctions will be extended for another year.

    It is also expected that the former Minister of Health, Raisa Bogatyreva, will not be on the list of sanctions.  Sanctions were imposed two years ago due to …

  • Naftogaz's claim against Gazprom exceeds $8 billion

    The total claim amount made against Gazprom by Naftogaz has reached 8.2 billion dollars.  This claim is in regard to a contract between these two companies for the transit of Russian gas through Ukraine.

    The head of Naftogaz, Andrew Kobolyev, reported this during a conference in Kiev.

    “The total amount of claims made against Gazprom has reached an amount of 8.2 billion dollars,” Kobolyev said.

    According to him, this amount had accumulated during the duration of the contract, which began in 20 …