Ukraine news/Archive/2020-08

30 Aug. It is said by opolchenie that more is killed and wounded this month on their side as a result of Ukrainian actions than in the previous month, despite the supposedly enhanced ceasefire. Names of 5 soldiers killed in DPR appeared here.

27 Aug. Putin: at (Belarus president) Lukashenko's request, Russia created a law enforcement reserve, to be used (only) if situation is out of control.

26 Aug. DPR. Opolchenie: military medic Olga Yaroslavtseva is killed while trying to evacuate soldiers wounded by a landmine explosion (Ukrainian mines, as per the report). 23 Aug. Opolchenie: in the last several days, Ukrainian forces maintain unusual radio silence in Donbass

20 Aug. It is announced (1, 2) that Russian services prevented Ukrainian services attempts to kidnap "one of the leaders of opolchenie" on the Russian territory. Russian citizens were arrested, and organizers are Ukrainians. Some details of the attempted kidnapping appeared (which, if accurate, suggests Russian services failed to prevent it in advance).

It is announced that Navalnyi is hospitalized in intensive care unit and is placed on ventilator. Reports suggests that he was poisoned. (His press secretary), (Guardian), (TASS). Navalnyi is said to loose consiousness on the plane; however video with medics boarding the plane (with source identified) records some screams; Montyan suggests it is anesthetic-type drug. A video claims to show that the cup of tea is brought to Navalnyi by his associate (photo of Navalnyi drinking tea here).

16 Aug. Lukashenko-Putin phone call. Foreign interference discussed. The Russian side reaffirmed its readiness to render the necessary assistance to resolve the challenges facing Belarus based on the principles of the Treaty on the Creation of a Union State, as well as through the Collective Security Treaty Organization, if necessary.

Lukashenko: "today we need to think not with iPhones, phones, but with brains. "Bad president" kept extra work force, in order not to through workers out to the street, in response to (some) workers announcing a strike. (Noted, arrival/departure by helicopter; negative press coverage by selective clipping, by European-based and Russian opposition media resources; genuine protest feelings of some of the workers--and those calls amplified by media),

Videos (fuller 8:08 here) of Lukashenko addressing a crowd outside of MZTK plant, booing when he played intercepted call with protest handlers (one with a foreign accent), and again when he claimed that some detainees attacked police while in detention. Only booing is in typical opposition coverage, but not those claims they were reacting to. Follow-up conversation where he explained that they intercepted handlers call instructing to spread rumors that workers to meet Lukashenko are selected to be loyal, and instructing to shout him down/confront at once, go away, and that's all. When Lukashenko was leaving, a man shouted him to "kill himself" from a crowd. Lukashenko abruptly approached the group with his guards and told him "don't worry, I'll not beat you up, it is not in my interests, If any one of you will stage a provocation, we will deal with it harshly...be a man, there are many of you and I am alone"; ending with angry "put down the phone!" to somebody in the crowd.

15 Aug. LPR soldier is killed by Ukrainian sniper fire. Despite the 2.5 weeks old ceasefire.