Contents tagged with Donbas

  • Kyiv: separatists shelling disrupted power supply to Avdiivka in eastern Ukraine

    According to the statement issued by the Command of Ukrainian Armed Forces in eastern Ukraine, the town of Avdiivka, was left once again without electricity as a result of shelling from heavy weapons by the separatists.

    "Just now, Avdiivka lost its electricity again. The availability of mobile generators is intermittent. Water supply for the households is still provided for now." the statement says.

    The severity of damage to power lines is still unknown. Currently, the town’s critical …

  • French company closes down in the separatist-held territory in Donbas

    Air Liquide, a French joint-stock company that is a world leader in the industrial gases market, announced that it is closing its operations in the separatist-held territory of the Donetsk region. The company announced the closure of its subsidiary, “Air Liquide Yenakiieve”, in company statement.

    The shutdown was due to the decision of the DPR (Donetsk People’s Republic) to introduce new interim administrations to Ukrainian enterprises in the territory."Following the recent decisions of the …

  • The United Nations: The number of victims in the Donbas has doubled compared with late 2016

    In the first two months of 2017, the number of killed and injured civilians as a result of the conflict in the Donbas has doubled in comparison with November-December 2016, according to a report by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

    “Since the beginning of 2017, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights has confirmed 111 civilian casualties (20 killed and 91 injured) compared with 51 casualties in November-December 2016,” …

  • Donbas blockade organizers plan to block railway line to Russia

    Yehor Soboliev and Semen Semenchenko, deputies of the Verkhovna Rada from the Samopomich party, went to Konotop on Saturday. Judging by their communication on Facebook, they are preparing to block the railway line to this cross-border station.

    “Only today, at least three hundred train cars came over from Russia with liquid gas, fertilizers and coal. The local railway workers are not allowed to show us documents about the contents of the closed wagons and the destination stations. Veterans of …

  • US State Department condemns Russia for violating human rights in the Crimea

    The US State Department released its annual report on the status of human rights in the world.

    Out of almost 200 countries reviewed in the first report by the new Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, some of the harshest criticism is directed towards Russia, which contrasts sharply with the largely reconciliatory rhetoric of US President Donald Trump with respect to Moscow and his avoidance of public statements about human rights in Russia or anywhere else in the world.

    In the section devoted to …

  • Media: Property of Ukrainian oligarch in separatist republics is 'nationalized' to create an energy holding subordinate to the Kremlin

    Seperatists “nationalized” Rinat Ahmetov’s companies in the Donbas as revenge for his refusal to take part in the meeting organized by Viktor Medvedchuk, where a “plan of action for the Donbas” was discussed.

    According to the publication INSIDER, at the end of January a meeting of the key players of the former Ukrainian government took place in Moscow, including Oleksandr Klimenko, former Minister of Revenue and Duties, Vitaly Zakharchenko, former Minister of Internal Affairs, Oleksandr …

  • U.S. Representative to the OSCE: Russia has transferred heavy weapons to front line in the Donbas

    Russia and pro-Russian separatists in the Donbas have strengthened their position along the contact line, partially through the use of heavy weapons that had previously been kept in storage facilities.

    The Chargé d'Affaires at the US Mission to the OSCE, Kate Byrnes, announced the development on Thursday during a meeting of the OSCE Permanent Council in Vienna, according to Ukrinform.

    "Russia regularly attempts to convince the Permanent Council that it bears no responsibility for the conflict …

  • Muzhenko explained when Ukrainian forces can open retaliatory fire

    The Chief of the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Viktor Muzhenko associates the escalation at the demarcation line with the defeat of separatists near Avdiivka. Muzhenko reminded that Ukrainian servicemen have the right to open fire, as stated in his commentary to Ukrayinska Pravda in response to questions about the recent escalation in the ATO zone since the 29th of January.

    “I think that this is all a response to the defeat that separatists experienced near Avdiivka. They …

  • Tensions rise as separatist 'nationalize' Ukrainian companies in the Donbas

    On March 1, separatists introduced "external management" to Ukrainian enterprises located in the territories of Donetsk and Luhansk regions not controlled by Kyiv. This action is the fulfilment of an ultimatum given the day before to the organizers of the trade blockade of the Donbas. The blockade is has been manned by veterans of the war in eastern Ukraine since the end of January.

    The separatists placed about 40 Ukrainian companies under "external management." This was stated by the head of …

  • Media: Poroshenko and Putin continue communication

    Despite the tough political situation between Russia and Ukraine, Presidents Vladimir Putin and Petro Poroshenko have maintained continuous contact, according to the newspaper Kommersant.

    Citing sources in Kyiv and Moscow Kommersant reported that the two leaders have spoken on the phone four times since the beginning of the year.

    The penultimate call was on February 11, the day after the President of Slovenia, Borut Pahor, visited Moscow. The most recent conversation took place on February 21, …