• Strelkov: Without Russia’s support separatist armies would be destroyed by the Ukrainian Armed Forces

    In his interview to Moskovsky Komsomolets daily, former leader of the so-called Donetsk People’s Republic, Igor Strelkov (aka Igor Girkin) spoke of the balance of forces between the armies of the s-called Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics and the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

    When asked about the personnel composition of armies of the DPR and LPR, he answered that the main part of the personnel are now contracted servicemen.

    “Main part of the armies of the LPR and DPR are contractors. They are …

  • Ukraine outraged by announcement that Russia would recognize separatist-issued passports

    Representatives of the Ukrainian authorities reacted severely to Vladimir Putin’s decree that Russia would recognize documents issued to citizens of Ukraine and stateless persons in “the separate territories of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions”. “For me this is yet another piece of evidence of both Russian occupation and Russia’s violation of international law” said Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko on Saturday the 18th of February in Munich.

    “This decree fundamentally contradicts the logic …

  • Mogherini reminds Russia of its responsibility to implement Minsk Agreements

    During a meeting in Munich with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Saturday, February 18, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini noted that it is the responsibility of Russia to implement the Minsk Agreements regarding the settlement of the conflict in eastern Ukraine.

    Describing the situation in the Donbas, the head of European diplomacy recalled that the European Union insists on the full implementation of the Minsk agreements. The EU has …

  • Putin signs decree recognizing Donbas separatists' passports and other documents

    Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a decree concerning the recognition of documents issued to citizens of Ukraine and stateless persons residing in the separatist-held Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine.

    The Kremlin’s site reports that the decree was signed “guided by universally recognised principles and standards of humanitarian law and in order to protect the rights and freedoms of individuals”.

    Such documents will be recognised “temporarily, during the political settlement …

  • Media: Russia aims to discredit German soldiers in Lithuania using fake news

    Bundeswehr soldiers in Lithuania have become the victims of information attacks that involve fake news aiming to discredit the German military.

    An official representative of the Ministry of Defense of Germany confirmed this information, Deutsche Welle reported.

    A German Defense Ministry spokesman told the publication Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung that on February 14, Speaker of the Lithuanian Parliament Viktoras Pranckietis received an anonymous letter by email that accused German soldiers …

  • European Commision allows Lithuanian ban of Russian TV channel for inciting hatred

    Lithuania’s decision to suspend broadcasting rights of Russian TV channel RTR-Planeta complies with EU legislation, a report on the European Commission’s website said.

    In December 2016, Lithuanian authorities notified the European Commission that Russian language TV channel RTR-Planeta, broadcasting to Lithuanian from Sweden, was disseminating material inciting hatred. Thus, Lithuanian authorities blocked the broadcasting of the channel for three months.

    "Statements made in several RTR- …

  • UNICEF: One millon children require urgent humanitarian assistance in eastern Ukraine

    According to the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund, UNICEF, the number of children requiring urgent humanitarian assistance in eastern Ukraine has double over the last year, reaching one million, TASS reported.

    UNICEF stated that the increase “is due to the continued fighting and the steady deterioration of life in eastern Ukraine, where some 1.7 million people have been internally displaced, and many families have lost their incomes, social benefits and access to …

  • Separatist republics want to start humanitarian assistance program for areas of the Donbas controlled by Kyiv

    Heads of the self-proclaimed DPR and LPR, Alexander Zakharchenko and Igor Plotnitskiy released through official channels, a statement on the start of a “humanitarian assistance program” in Donetsk and Luhansk regions which are under the control of Kyiv.

    In their statement the separatists accused the Ukrainian authorities of “the tyranny of civil-military dictatorial administrations,” ”atrocities of the National Guard battalions,” and the “deployment of the Ukrainian armed forces’ personnel and …

  • Peskov denies Surkov was against the annexation of the Crimea

    Russian presidential aide Vladislav Surkov was not opposed to the annexation of the Crimea by the Russian Federation. This was stated by Vladimir Putin's press secretary, Dmitry Peskov, reported Snob.

    "It was not known to me that someone was against it," said Peskov.

    Earlier in February, former State Duma Deputy Denis Voronenkov, who recently acquired Ukrainian citizenship, said that Surkov was against the idea of ​​annexing Crimea and the decision on it "was taken by one man."

    As reported, …

  • Peskov: Zakharchenko's statement about the Donbas were a result of 'tense emotional situation' in the region

    The statements by the head of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic (DPR), Alexander Zakharchenko, about the possibility of capturing the Donbas by military means were made as a result of emotional tensions in the region, which were provoked by Kyiv, as expressed by a Kremlin spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, on Friday, February 17th, Lenta.ru reports. He stressed that this position is not in line with the Minsk Agreements.

    "On the other hand, perhaps it really is, unfortunately, the emotional …