Ukraine news/Archive/2019-05

31 May. DPR ombudsman: in the period 24-30 May, 5 DPR soldiers were killed, 5 people (1 soldier, a civilian man, a civilian woman, and 2 children) were wounded. From the start of the year, 80 people were killed (75 of them soldiers) and 81 wounded (58 soldiers).

Malaysian prime minister Mahathir Mohamad calls the investigation into the MH17 downing "politicized" and complains that Malaysia was not allowed to see the black box data.

30 May. Civilian man, 52 years old, and a girl, 7 1/2 are wounded when Ukrainian -fired anti-tank missile landed in their garden (report and video). Luckily their injuries are quite light, but there is a deep hole in the ground left by the missile.

28 May. Pushilin: to stop the war, Zelenskii needs to do something else. He needs to take tough measures against the Ukrainian radicals, but, in his opinion, "Zelenskii has no such opportunities". There has been no contacts between Ukraine and DPR, and no improvement in fulfilling Minsk agreements.

27 May. Ukrainian drone strike on a residential home in Gorlovka is reported, wounding a 70 years old civilian woman.

DPR MoD: Ukrainian 120 mm mortar fire damaged 3 homes in settlements of Golmovsky, Zaitsevo, Dokuchaevsk. DPR MoD also reports on shelling in other areas, and details about Ukrainian RSG group apprehended earlier, said to be with an assistance from an insider.

26 May. FT: Kolomoiskii urges Zelenskii to reject IMF austerity program and default on debt.

25 May. DPR MoD: 20 ceasefire violations, a lot of shelling, including artillery, in the past day. Ukraine fired a hundred 122 mm artillery shells and 72 mortar shells of 120 and 82 caliber on DPR settlements. BMP and small arms fire also reported.

US gives Ukraine two more firefinder/counter-battery radars AN/TPQ-36, bringing the total to 13 firefinder radars since 2014.

Ukrainian provocation in the Kerch straight of 25 Nov. 2018: UN maritime tribunal orders provisional measures (118, p/29) against Russia. Media coverage: 1, 2, 3). Implementation of the ruling is in doubt. Russia did not take part in the hearing, and rejected the findings, stating that procedures are not applicable. A lone dissenting opinion of the Russian judge on the tribunal here.

24 May. DPR ombudsman: in the period 17-23 May, 2 DPR soldiers were killed, 7 were wounded.

23 May. JCCC reports Ukrainian shelling of Donetsk suburbs, mortars, BMP guns, anti-tank missiles, RPG, AGS, SPG, large caliber machine guns and small firearms.

Journo: Volodymyr Oleksandrovych (Zelenskii), will there be negotiations with Russia? Zelenskii: -Ni- (No).

22 May. New Ukrainian presidential administration chief Andrey Bogdan stated that the government is considering to hold national referendum on peace agreements with Russia (111.ua; video).

In a recent poll, majority consider ceasefire in Donbass as very important (88,4%) support direct dialogue with Russia (75%) and L/DPR (55,4%), accept concessions to achieve peace (65,3%). Support for all-Ukrainian referendum on status of Donbass territories not controlled by the government is at 49,2%.

20 May. Zelenskii assumed his duties; announced disbanding of Rada; claimed he would 'do all for peace', with the first step, 'return of all Ukrainian prisoners', second step 'return of our lands', 'Crimea and Donbass are Ukrainian lands'.

Zelenski to Rada (to wild applause turned anxious silence) I very much ask you to adopt a law on the removal of parliamentary immunity, a law on criminal liability for illegal enrichment, a long-suffering electoral code, and please make open lists. And also I ask you to dismiss the head of the Security Service of Ukraine, the Prosecutor General, the Minister of Defense of Ukraine. And this is not all that you can do, but for the beginning it is enough. You will have two months for this. Do it and give yourself the medals, and good points for early parliamentary elections. (As) I dissolve the Supreme Rada of the eighth convocation (video). Russell "Texas" Bentley publishes his interview with UK journalist Dean O'Brien who has been visiting the DPR for a week after he has reported from Kiev for years.

17 May. Ukraine shelled Pervomaisk, LPR. A male civilian is wounded. Roof of kindergarten no. 4 and a college building are damaged.

According to DPR head Alexandr Pushilin (RIA interview) DPR investigators has found who has organized, ordered, and executed the assassination of the previous DPR head Alexandr Zakharchenko. He did not named those, but indicated that they include 'very high ranking citizens of Ukraine' and 'citizens of other countries which provide support to Ukraine'. In Nov. 2018, Kremlin spokesman Peskov stated that 'there are no grounds not to trust' the DPR investigation.

16 May. After Rada vote, Zelenski's inauguration is set for 20 May.

Ukrainian representative in Minsk negotiations Irina Gerashenko (Wikipedia; not a physical family with Anton Gerashenko; kneeling-on-a-flight at the debates here) announced that she is resigning.

Kolomoiski returned to Ukraine from Israel

12 May .14:20-14:50. Ukraine fired two anti -tank missiles on Dokuchaevsk from their position in Novotroitskoe. This is continuation of shelling of Dokuchaevsk, Gorlovka, and other areas, in continued violations of Minsk agreements since those agreements were signed. See also Strelkov, 8 May

6 May. British ship, HMS "Echo", arrived to the port of Odessa for 3 days, "as a psychological safeguard" for the approaching V-Day, 9 May (the traditional Soviet date). The Hydrographic survey ship was deployed to the Black sea following a November 2018 meeting between UK and Ukranian defence ministers.

5 May. DPR MoD (rext/photo)(video): Ukrainian RSG group was discovered. In the ensuing firefight, one Ukrainian soldier was killed and up to 3 wounded, the rest fled, leaving one wounded soldier behind. That soldier received medical assistance but died of his wounds. Two Kalashnikov guns with silencer were discovered on the battlefield, their serial numbers are shown on photos and video.

2 May. On the anniversary of May 2, 2014 Odessa massacre, UNHR issued a report critical of the official Ukrainian investigation.

Zelensky responds to Putin comments that Russia and Ukraine have a lot in common and a common citizenship (following announced by both sides issuance of passports) is good. Zelensky: (Ukr. ), (Rus.) : "after annexation of Crimea and the aggression in Donbass", the only common thing we have is the border.

Oleg Tsarev: Odessa massacre (2 May, 2014) "organized by Kolomoiskii".