Ukraine news/Archive/2015-11

November, 2015
28.11.2015, DPR. Situation is little changed overall. Donetsk: OSCE observers, together with representatives of the Ministry of Defense and JCCC began to inspect and record the effects of yet another shelling in Oktiabrskii micro-district of Donetsk, Czechoslovakia street, where the day before two houses burned  as a result of Ukrainian shelling. The first results showed that the shelling was by 120-mm mortars, grenade launchers, and BMP. In addition, 120mm mortar shell hit another house,  and a gas pipeline was damaged  nearby. Google translated Cassad report, Donetsk area-many photos, videos, and attitudes.

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26.11 Night shelling by Ukraine from Peski (does not respond to provocations"-rusvesna)

24.11 Drone footage shows heavy Ukrainian self-propelled artillery in Marinka, 3 km from separation line, in serious violation of Minsk agreement.

Alexander Zhuchkovskii, pro-opolchenie activist, writes a long letter expressing grave concern that while attention of the world is elsewhere, a serious deterioration in Donbas may occur.

23.11 Lots of clashes reported, mostly small arms and grenade launchers but also some mortars and tank fire. Children were evacuated from Gorlovka. A house was hit in Straromikhailovka-the issue is expected to be raised at the contact group meeting. It is said that clashes may be provoked by Ukraine to hide significant quantities of Ukrainian weapons and fighters moved closer to separation line. In LPR, is reported that 9 fighters were wounded, while Ukraine lost 8 wounded and 4 killed.

22.11 Mini-Maidan in Krivoy Rog, Dnepropetrovsk region. Protests (report and photos) against Yurii Vikul winning in local elections, complaining that he is from the 'old guard'. (The win was by a thin margin of 752 votes). Samopomosh candidate came second.

21.11.15 *Towers of a power line running from Ukraine to Crimea were damaged by an explosion. Right Sector and Crimean Tatar activists are 'guarding" them preventing repairs. They are now themselves surrounded by armed men from the National Guard and Kherson battalion. TASS. (There are several power lines, supply is not fully cut, but still reduced; no supply from Russia directly)
 * By late evening, all power lines from the mainland went down. Some mobile generators and emergency power stations are operating only.
 * In return, Russia suspends deliveries of anthracite coal to Ukraine. The move affects 7 Ukrainian power stations.
 * Situation is still not resolved. First power supply line from Russia may be completed by the New Year, second expected in May
 * The sabotage caused an emergency power unloading at several Ukrainian nuclear power plants, something a speaker of Ukrenergo called "very dangerous" and could lead to power-outs inside the Ukrainian grid.


 * Maidan anniversary commemorations in Kiev -'official' Kiev post report. (Still looks a bit grim?)

20.11.15 DPR reconnaissance reports that Ukraine moved over 50 pieces of artillery and military hardware towards the separation line, including "Grad" MLRS and tanks

17.11. Filatov (Ukrop/Kolomoiskii) won elections in Dnepropetrovsk in the run-off against Vikul (opposition block). Opposition block alleged wide-spread violations, including bribing voters and fraud.

16.11 Ukraine is moving more tanks towards Donbas. An echelon of self-propelled artillery is photographed here near Kherson. The author (an Ukrainian) is urging Ukraine to stop fratricide war.

Increasing number of reports on shelling and firefights. Ukraine is said to use cluster munition in this report

15.11.  42 mortar shells are fired by Ukraine at Donetsk airport.

11.11 Yarosh resigned as Right Sector leader, citing disagreement with others, who were delegated some roles for the time of his prolonged medical treatment. Says that he remains a nationalist and revolutionary -lenta.ru, citing his Facebook post. He was also not too happy with RS electing a leadership on a recent gathering where he was absent.
 * It was announced earlier that Right Sector is to be attached to SBU; may be slow moving in practice. It is said that Yarosh advocated creation of an army reserve structure, semi-private and semi-state run, with reservists keeping their weapons. A bill was submitted to Rada to that effect. (Kind of Ukrainian version of IDF, maybe). But that was too dangerous for authorities, and against the overall line of trying to disarm improper formations (well, unless they shell Novorossia civilians in Donbas, maybe).
 * Later it was announced that Yarosh will lead a military wing and several battalions...

10.11 It is said that UAF attempted to break through NAF lines under Debaltsevo; small firearms and heavy weapons were used. (Later Ukraine said they were not set on attacking). 30 mortar shells were fired by UAF at the Donetsk airport. In LPR, a Ukrainian RSG group was discovered and after a fight repelled back to Ukrainian territory; one opolchenie member was killed. All this despite announced weapons withdrawal-verification of it is supposed to start today...

7.11 Central Donetsk shelled with Grads, a direct hit on a house, no casualties. DPR blames nats battalions not controlled by Kiev (said to be about 2000 fighters and up to 50 pieces of military equipment.

6.11 Normandy format meeting. "As a result of the talks, the conflicting sides could agree heavy weaponry pullout along the contact line in Donbas by the end of November-middle of December, and coordinate mine clearing operations in the conflict zone by the end of November, Steinmeier said" . Minsk implementation is extended into 2016.

3.11 Contact group anticipates that the last stage of weapon withdrawal will occur on 5.11; mortars are included. It is hoped that shelling will sharply diminish after that. However, due to recent increase in shelling, it is uncertain that the plan will be followed through.

Several days of reports of renewed firefights in the usual flash-points, this report saying that UAF renewed shelling of Kirov region of Donetsk, settlements of Staromikhailovka and Abakumova. This highlights danger of sliding back to hostilities, despite all agreements and heavy weapons pull off. Recent clashes said to involve small firearms, automatic grenade launchers, and mortars; the first two may be not covered by withdrawal agreements. Grad was also used by UAF. residential house was destroyed in Staromikhailovka, and fresh Grad shells were discovered when it was investigated.

1.11. A ranking of the richest people in Ukraine published by Novoye Vremya shows that all top ten oligarchs have lost wealth in the year since the last ranking, except one: President Petro Poroshenko who climbed from position nine to position six, increasing his net worth from 0.816 to 0.979 billion US$. The most dramatic losses were suffered by Rinat Akhmetov whose net worth shrunk by more than 50%, leaving him still in the top spot with 4.5 (formerly 10.1) billion US$.