Contents tagged with Donbas
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Ukrainian Defense Ministry: There are around 25,000 Russian soldiers in Donbas today
Ukrainian Defense Minister Andriy Zahorodniuk said that there are currently more than 25,000 Russian soldiers in the Donbas. He cited this figure on February 19 while talking to the press after a closed session of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on National Security, Defense and Intelligence.
“It’s changing information. We see that there are more than 25,000, for sure,” Zahorodniuk noted.
The minister also speculated that, after the failed attempt to break through to the Zolote region (Luhansk …
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Ukraine’s General Staff confirms reports of abandoned positions due to militants’ attack in Luhansk region
During a closed session of the Verkhovna Rada committee on national security, defense and intelligence, a representative of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) confirmed the reports that the Ukrainian army had been forced to abandon several previously held positions after the militants’ attack. This was reported by the first deputy chairperson of the committee, Mykhailo Zabrodskyi (European Solidarity party).
“We can talk about a list of questions that were asked by …
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Volker: Zelensky has chosen a reasonable strategy for Donbas, but there should not be concessions
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s strategy, which avoids calling Russia the “aggressor-state”, makes it possible to avoid accusations against Ukraine from its western allies, said Kurt Volker, former US Special Representative for Ukraine, as cited by Eurointegration.
According to Volker, the people who question such behavior by the head of state should take into account the progress of international negotiations.
“Taking them into account, the strategy that Zelensky has chosen is, in …
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Ukraine blames Kremlin for Donbas escalation at UN Security Council session
During a session of the UN Security Council, Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister Serhiy Kyslytsia brought up the topic of the conflict escalation in the Donbas.
“What is our status today? Apparently, an answer was given at 5 AM local time, when our positions came under attack. The attack, perpetrated today, on the fifth anniversary of the Debaltseve tragedy, was particularly shameless,” he said.
Kyslytsia remarked that the Armed Forces of Ukraine responded appropriately to this attack by the …
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Lavrov: Russia ready to pull out of April Normandy summit
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that Russia is ready to pull out of the Normandy Format summit scheduled for April. He said that the date of the next summit has not been finalized, RBC news agency reports.
“When we hear our Normandy Format colleagues speaking about April as the date for convening the summit, it’s their wishes, their ideas that they are voicing. But not more than that,” said Lavrov on Monday, February 17.
He added that there are currently “no reasons to hold a …
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LPR militants attack Ukrainian positions in Donbas
Command of the Ukrainian Joined Forces Operation has reported a significant escalation at several sections of the demarcation line in the Donbas.
According to the report, "armed formations of the Russian Federation" stationed in the territory of the so-called Luhansk People's Republic (LPR), went on an offensive near the settlements of Novotoshkivske, Orikhove, Krymske and Khutir Vilny in the early morning of Tuesday, February 18.
According to the Ukrainian military command, LPR militants, …
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US not planning to appoint special representative for Donbas
Former US ambassador to Ukraine (2003-2006) John Herbst told Radio NV in an interview that he considers it unlikely that the US will appoint a special representative for the Donbas.
“Volker is a very talented diplomat… and the fact that he has left is a certain loss. As far as I know, they have decided not to replace him, there will not be a new extraordinary ambassador for this matter – not for Ukraine, but for Donbas affairs,” said Herbst.
With respect to the appointment of a new US …
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Ukraine suspends prosecutors investigating MH17 case
All of the Ukrainian prosecutors who had been investigating the MH17 catastrophe have been suspended from work as part of departmental reforms, the Dutch newspaper NRC Next reports, citing one of the dismissed prosecutors.
A total of six prosecutors were involved in the investigation on Ukraine’s behalf, two of them as part of the Joint Investigation Team. In recent months, the JIT has not had a single participant from Ukraine.
Commenting on the dismissal of the prosecutors, Ukrainian Foreign …
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Zelensky: Ukraine proposed new procedure for withdrawal of troops in Donbas
The Ukrainian side has proposed a new procure for withdrawal of forces in the Donbas, announced Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during his speech at the Munich Security Conference, Ukraynska Pravda reports.
The Ukrainian President said that Kyiv suggested a so-called sector-based withdrawal. According to him, the line of demarcation will be divided into several sectors and the troops in them will be withdrawn gradually.
The transition from one sector to the next will be made only …
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Ukrainian President: Kyiv prepares for dialogue with residents of Donbas
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that the Ukrainian authorities are ready for a dialogue with the residents of the so-called Luhansk and Donetsk People’s Republics, as well as with those who left the territories of the Donbas which are not under Kyiv’s control, reported the President 's press service with reference to his speech at the Munich Security Conference.
According to Zelensky, Ukraine has initiated the creation of a dialogue platform "Peace of Donbass" in which both …