Contents tagged with Donbas
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Kyiv: Russia using passports to strengthen Donbas bargaining position
Russia has expedited its issuance of Russian passports to inhabitants of the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics, the Ukrainian Defense Ministry said in a statement, citing intelligence data.
According to the statement, the command of the Russian Armed Forces is “taking measures to expedite the so-called passportization of the population”. Ukrainian intelligence believes that this is so that, as of October 1, the armed divisions in the Donbas will contain “only soldiers with …
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Head of OSCE: Free elections impossible in Donbas until control returned to Ukraine
Free and fair local elections cannot be held in the Donbas until Ukraine regains full control over the territories, said OSCE Chairperson Miroslav Lajcak in an interview with BBC.
“I think that free elections could only take place in a free situation, and, of course, in accordance with Ukrainian laws and with observation by international observers – the OSCE, other international organizations, that is, within the Ukrainian jurisdiction system. Only afterwards, when we attain such a situation, …
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Volker: No Donbas elections until Russian troops are withdrawn
US Special Representative for Ukraine Kurt Volker said that Ukraine’s international partners will not pressurize it to hold elections in the Donbas while there are still Russia-controlled forces in the region.
“I don’t see a scenario where Ukraine is pushed toward holding elections while the territories remain occupied. The ‘Steinmeier Formula can only be implemented after elections have been held,” Volker told the TV channel 1+1 in an interview.
He said that in order to hold free and fair …
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Ukrainian Foreign Minister rules out special status for Donbas
During a press briefing at the 16th annual Yalta European Strategy (YES) conference, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Vadim Prystaiko, who became the head of the Foreign the Ministry in August this year, said that Kyiv will not make any changes to the constitution regarding the special status of the Donbas, reports Ukrainian National News (UNN).
"It is recorded in the Minsk agreements that the reform of Ukrainian legislation should take place. Constitutional reform, which is based on …
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Estonian President: Russia's actions in Donbas and Crimea cannot be accepted
Estonian President Kersti Kaljulaid stated that Ukraine and the international community should look for ways to resolve the conflict in the Donbas, and the recent exchange of prisoners with Russia can be "a remarkable step in this process," reports the press service of the Ukrainian President.
"But this cannot happen at the cost of Ukraine's sovereignty," said Kaljulaid at a joint press conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on September 13. The Estonian President also …
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Ukrainian President: elections in Donbas will be held after withdrawal of Russian troops
At a press briefing, after a meeting with Estonian President Kersti Kaljulaid, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that local elections in the Donbas would be held after the withdrawal of the Russian troops. Ukrainian President also added that he will be able to give more information only after reaching the agreement in the Normandy format talks.
Answering the question, whether the withdrawal of troops would precede the elections, Zelensky said: "Yes. Is there another option?" Zelensky …
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Head of Donetsk People's Republic: integration with Russia is a priority
The chairman of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic (DPR), Denis Pushilin, said that republic considers integration with Russia as its primary goal.
"We have only one task - maximum integration of DPR into the Russian Federation. The perfect scenario would be to become a part of Russia as a federal district. And the people from the Donbas show so much patience about this," said Pushilin.
According to him, residents of the Donbas "are optimistic" about the signing of the decree on …
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Russia releases MH17 plane crash suspect back to DPR
Maria Levchenko-Tsemakh, daughter of Vladimir Tsemakh, a suspect in the MH17 case, has published a photo of herself with her father, stating that they are returning to the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR).
“Well, there is happiness in life, there is justice, there are good people! It’s a bit easier to live now. Hooray, my dears! We’re going home!” the militant’s daughter wrote in a post on the Russian social network VKontakte.
Previously Maria Tsemakh had posted a photograph of a bus traveling …
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Netherlands considers Tsemakh MH17 plane crash suspect, not witness, following Ukraine-Russia prisoner swap
The Netherlands Public Prosecution Service has reclassified Vladimir Tsemakh from a witness to a suspect in the case concerning the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 over eastern Ukraine in 2014, European Parliament member Kati Piri told DW in an interview.
According to her, the Joint Investigation Team and the Dutch prosecution service have distributed a letter stating that Tsemakh is now considered a suspect.
Kati Piri was the author of an open letter signed on September 4 by 40 …
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US Ambassador to Ukraine: Kremlin would like to get out of Donbas
US Chargé d’Affaires in Ukraine William Taylor thinks that Russia would already like to get out of the Donbas on account of the sanctions and the expense of maintaining troops in Crimea and in the Donbas.
“I think that there are signs that Russians and especially the Kremlin would like to get out of the Donbas. I see signs that the economic burden, which Russians are sensing – and it’s not just the sanctions, but the sanctions too, because sanctions still have a real effect on each Russian and …