Contents tagged with Donbas

  • OSCE: Situation in Donbas continues to deteriorate

    The OSCE Mission continues to record a significant deterioration of the security situation in the Donbas, partially as a result of the use of artillery and mortars as stated in the report of the OSCE Mission for the 29th of February, published on the 2nd of March 2016. In particular, the representatives of the OSCE Mission noted 95 explosions from the west of the observers’ location on the 28th of February during their stay in the center of Donetsk; the next day, 174 explosions were recorded. …

  • General Breedlove recommends providing Ukraine with weapons

    Speaking at a hearing of the US Senate’s Armed Services Committee, NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander for Europe, General Philip Breedlove, said that he had recently recommended that the US provide Ukraine with lethal weapons.

    On Tuesday, March 1st, Breedlove stated that Europe is facing a "resurgent, aggressive Russia" that is seeking to reestablish a leading role on the world stage.

    "Russia has chosen to be an adversary and poses a long-term existential threat to the United States and to our …

  • Ukrainian Defense Ministry: Demining of Donbas will take 10-15 years

    The head of a specialized group in the Ecology and Safety department of the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense, Colonel Sergei Zubarevsky,told Hromadske radio that the complete demining of the Donetsk and Lugansk regions affected by the current conflict will take between 10 and 15 years.

    “I think that the clearance of the Donbas region will cost more than one billion hryvnia.  Establishing complete safety for citizens of this region can only be achieved in 10 or 15 years,” Zubarevsky said.

    On the 5 …

  • Ukrainian Intelligence: Russian generals coordinate separatists' activity near Mariupol

    Pro-Russian separatists have strengthened their position near Mariupol with two generals of the Russian Armed Forces coordinating their activity, the Press Service of the Ukrainian Defense Ministry reported.

    "The most alarming situation is near Mariupol. At the direction of the Commander of the First Army Corps (Donetsk), the General Major of the Armed Forces of Russia, Valery Asapov (according to the document cover – Valery Primakov), the ninth special motorized regiment of marines ( …

  • Bessmertniy: Russia is continuing to supply arms and soldiers to separatists in eastern Ukraine

    According to the representative of Ukraine in the Trilateral Contact Group on the situation in the Donbas, Roman Bessmertniy, there can be no question of the lifting of sanctions as long as Russia continues to supply soldiers, equipment, weapons and ammunition to the occupied Donbas.  

    "Such dynamics coming from Russia, Europe and the World will not only stop sanctions from being lifted but will also add more", said Bessmertniy on Friday in an interview to the "Black Mirror" program on channel …

  • German Foreign Minister: Ukraine needs a zero tolerance policy on corruption

    On the 23rd of February, at the talks in Kiev, the Foreign Ministers of Germany and France called on the Ukrainian authorities to uproot corruption and to adopt electoral law in the regions of the Donbas controlled by separatists as soon as possible.

    “It is necessary to push ahead with the implementation of economic reforms. However, it is extremely important that this policy is based on a zero tolerance for corruption,” the Foreign Minister of France, Frank-Walter Steinmeier stated during the …

  • Ukrainian Intelligence suggests pro-Russian separatists are resigning at a high rate

    According to intelligence reports, on the 19th of February, nine servicemen of the Gorlovka 3rd separate motorized rifle brigade submitted resignation requests, stating that they would "return to Russia". The Defense Intelligence asserted that with regard to mass resignations, the staffing of personnel in the brigade subdivisions must not exceed 50%.  In addition, in the Novoazovsk 9th separate motorized rifle regiment reported that resignation requests were issued by almost all junior …

  • Ukrainian Intelligence: 9 Russian soldiers were killed in Marinka

    According to the Directorate of Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, nine Russian soldiers have been killed and eight wounded near the town of Marinka in eastern Ukraine.

     “The losses of the Russian occupiers in the Marinka district have been confirmed.  Nine Russian soldiers have died while eight have been injured.  On the 19th of February, the bodies were secretly transported from Donetsk to Russia,” a statement read

    “Taking into account the constant losses of personnel and …

  • Four Ukrainian prisoners of war released by pro-Russian separatists

    Pro-Russian separatists released four Ukrainian prisoners of war on Saturday, as stated by Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko on Twitter.

    "Just now Irina Herashchenko reported that three more Ukrainian heroes were freed from captivity by the militants. Glory to Ukraine!”  the President wrote.

    Shortly after Poroshenko's announcement, a fourth Ukrainian serviceman was released.

    As RIA Novosti reported, the authorities in Kiev released five separatists and a priest in exchange for the …

  • Ukrainian Verkhovna Rada calls on foreign governments to continue pressuring Russia

    The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine has adopted an appeal to the parliaments of foreign countries with regard to Russia and the threats of pro-Russian separatists to execute prisoners held in the Donbas region.  This was stated in two resolutions, which were approved by 236 out of 239 deputies on the 18th of February.

    The Ukrainian parliament has called on foreign countries to “use all available mechanisms at governmental, parliament and non-governmental levels.  They should also give a clear signal …