European Commissioner for Human Rights: Kiev has to minimize the isolation of the Donbas

The Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe, Nils Muižnieks, stated that Ukraine must minimize the isolation of the Donbas. "I know that it is difficult and all is in Ukraine’s hands but it is necessary to maintain contact with the people of that region and try to support them because it will benefit the interests of the future generation of Ukrainian people," Muižnieks said, as reported by zn.ua.

According to the Commissioner, since July of 2015, when he visited Donetsk, life …


Poroshenko: International peacekeepers are needed in eastern Ukraine

The President of Ukraine, Petro Poroshenko, stated that international peacekeepers are needed to ensure security in the Donbas.

“We need international peacekeepers that will ensure the safety in the Donbas during the withdrawal and transfer of authority. Take your Plotnitsky and Zakharchenko back, take your paratroopers, who you brought here, and we will restore Ukrainian sovereignty,” he said while addressing residents of Mykolaivka in the Donetsk region.

Poroshenko noted that the main goal …


Russian Defense Ministry to award medals to those who participated in the Syrian operation

The Ministry of Defense of Russia plans to give medals to the participants of the military operation in Syria. To this end, the Defense Ministry has announced its plan to purchase more than 10,000 medals according to the procurement website of the Russian Federation. It is noted that the Ministry of Defense is willing to pay more than 2 million rubles ($29,000) for this order.

Russia has conducted airstrikes in Syria since the 30th of September, 2015.

As previously reported, Russian bombers …


OSCE notes a high number of ceasefire violations in the Yasynuvata-Avdiivka area

According to a press release issued by the OSCE’s Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine, observers heard 139 undetermined explosions, 125 bursts of heavy machine gun fire, and 300 single shorts of small arms fire on Monday in the area between government-controlled Avdiivka and the town of Yasynuvata, which is controlled by members of the so-called Donetsk People’s Republic.

The SMM noted “consistent but intermittent exchange of fire between 10:14 and 15:18hrs and noted a spike between 12:15 …


Japan criticizes Russia's decision to place armaments on Kuril Islands

Japan expressed concern about the statement made by Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu about the plans to deploy missile systems on the Kuril Islands. "We informed the Russian party through diplomatic channels that we are concerned about the statement of the Head of the Defense Ministry," the Chief Cabinet Secretary of Japan, Suga Yoshihide, said on Monday. According to him, Tokyo made it clear to Moscow that the strengthening of the Russian military infrastructure within the disputed …