• Dzhemilev to ask UN to strengthen sanctions against Russia

    Ukrainian presidential envoy for Crimean Tatar Affairs, Mustafa Dzhemilev, is planning a trip to New York where he plans to make a speech at the UN Security Council. This was reported by his press service.

    In an interview with the Ukrainian newspaper Day, before the trip, Dzhemilev said that he intends to announce information about human rights violations in Crimea. He also plans to ask members of the UN to strengthen sanctions against Russia.

    "Every year, the UN Security Council holds a …

  • Ukrainian Intelligence reports 13 separatist casualties in one day in the Donbas

    The Main Directorate of Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine (MDI) reported that on March 16th, six pro-Russian separatists were killed and seven were injured. 

    The MDI also stated that from March 10th to March 15th, the bodies of 60 militants fighting under the flags of the breakaway republics in eastern Ukraine were transported from Dyakovo in Ukraine to Kuibyshevo in the Rostov region of Russia.  

    In addition, the Directorate noted that military equipment transfers from …

  • Poroshenko submits Savchenko sanctions list to the President of the European Parliament

    Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko gave European Council President Donald Tusk a list of people against whom Kiev proposes to impose personal sanctions for their involvement in the case of Ukrainian pilot Nadiya Savchenko, as stated by the Press Secretary of the President of Ukraine, Svyatoslav Tsegolko, on Twitter. 

    The Press Secretary later reported that the sanctions proposal were also submitted to the President of the European Parliament, Martin Schulz. Poroshenko called on Schulz to put …

  • Swedish Security Service: One third of Russian diplomats in Sweden are spies

    The Dagens Nyheter newspaper stated that according to the annual report of the Sakerhetspolisen, the Swedish Security Services or SAPO, one third of Russian diplomats in Sweden are spies. Russia has a number of espionage agents, some of whom are registered in the Swedish Foreign Ministry as diplomats.

    "As a rule, they are working for the military intelligence service GRU or its civilian equivalent, the Foreign Intelligence Service," the report said. At present time Russia has 37 accredited …

  • Putin: Russia can reinforce its positions in Syria within several hours if needed

    Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that, if necessary, Russia is able to reinforce its positions in Syria within several hours, "although this would not be desirable", TASS reports.

    He also reported that the Russian Air Defense System will remain on permanent combat duty in Syria. These forces will be used for any threat posed to the military of the Russian Federation.

    "Our bases in Syria's Tartus and Hamim are reliably protected from land, sea and air. The personnel of these bases will …

  • Pro-Kremlin British journalist deported from Latvia

    On the night of March 17th, pro-Russian blogger and journalist Graham Phillips, who was arrested during the events at the Freedom Monument, was deported to Russia. According to the Minister of Internal Affairs of Latvia, Rihards Kozlovskis, Phillips was also included on the "black list.”

    The Minister stressed that Phillips is a citizen of the EU, so he is prohibited from entering Latvia for 3 years. Taking into account the fact that Phillips arrived in Latvia by car, he could not be deported …

  • European Commission to present proposal for visa liberalization with Ukraine in April

    The European Commission (EC) will present a proposal for visa liberalization with Ukraine in April. This was reported by the chairman of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, after a meeting on Thursday,  March 17th in Brussels with the President of Ukraine, Petro Poroshenko. The President of the European Commission said that both sides are interested in facilitating travel for their citizens. He noted that Kiev has opened the way for the liberalization of the visa regime by undertaking …

  • Russia carries out show of force along administrative border between Crimea and mainland Ukraine

    According to a spokesman for the Ukrainian Border Guard Service, Oleg Slobodyan, Russian troops have carried out a show of force by transferring military equipment along the administrative border between Crimea and mainland Ukraine, as reported by Krym.Realii.

    As Slobodyan explained, border guard officers of the Berdyansk and Kherson squadrons noticed a movement of Russian military equipment within 1 kilometer of the administrative border.

    He stated that a column of seven Grad artillery …

  • President of Azerbaijan pardons 14 political prisoners

    Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev signed a decree to pardon 148 convicts, including political prisoners. This was reported Grani.ru with reference to Minval.Az. 137 of those pardoned were serving prison sentences, six were in corrective labor facilities, and five were to pay fines. 16 are foreign citizens.

    The head of the Society for Women's Rights, Novella Jafaroglu, said that there are only 14 political prisoners among those who were pardoned, and dozens of political prisoners remain in …

  • Kremlin rejects Obama’s call for release of Savchenko

    Kremlin Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov commented on a telephone conversation between the presidents of the US and Russia, in which Barack Obama urged Vladimir Putin to release Ukrainian pilot Nadiya Savchenko, as Interfax reported.

    According to Peskov, Putin rebuffed Obama’s request, saying that he was interfering in the trial.

    “The President [Obama] has been given multiple clarifications on this matter, as have other colleagues abroad on other levels of government, since we are speaking about …