Ukraine news/Archive/2018-07

28 Jul. Events marking 1030th anniversary of the Baptism of Kievan Rus' in Moscow (Cathedral Square of the Kremlin; St. Vladimir monument-Putin speaking); and in Kiev. Russian sources describe significance of the event and celebrations, processions in Russia, Ukraine and Belarus'. While Ukrainian media make a case for procession of Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Kyivan Patriarchate (not canonically recognized breakaway from the Moscow Patriarchate).

27 Jul. DPR ombudsman: In the past week, 4 people were killed (2 soldiers; and 2 children killed by landmine explosion). Four people were wounded (3 soldiers and a civilian woman).

25 Jul. Lug-info: Participants of the humanitarian working group of the Contact Group had to take a break in connection with the anti-Russian rhetoric of the representative of Ukraine Irina Gerashchenko, who soon left the meeting, having prior to that offended the DPR representative and ombudsman Darya Morozova. This follows early incident in May, 2018 directed at DPR acting FM Natalya Nikanorova ('fans' page'): Today at a political group meeting, for the first time in 87 sessions, the Ukrainian side sounded not only frankly provocative statements, but also direct threats of physical abuse and prosecution. Russian patriotic opposition is having an issue (Donetski, 1, 2).

24 Jul. A civilian woman, 1987 DOB, is wounded by Ukrainian shelling of Dokuchaevsk.

One of FEMEN founders Oksana Shachko committed suicide in Paris.Oksana left a note in English, addressed to the Parisian bohemia, with whom she had been in close contact recently: "You are all fake "

Amid reports of Ukrainian 'unified command' insisting on fighters of volunteer battalions joining UAF or withdrawn (Naev and Yarosh seen having a chat here), a [report video emerged which appears to show SBU disarming volunteers at a gunpoint. The video was challenged by SBU spokes-girl Olena Gitlyanska. Video circumstances are unclear, posted on youtube by a user with little history. More in [[Talk:Ukraine_news/Current#SBU_disarming_natsbats.2C_on_video.3F|discussion]].

Graham Phillips offers color-intensive pro-Kremlin propaganda from Artek, Crimea, to counter brownyellowish report by BBC (video).

22 Jul. In Lvov, another anniversary of SS division 'Galichina' is celebrated, with SS uniforms and staged funerals On this day in 1944 the division was surrounded and defeated in Brody. (Cassad; + earlier anniversary report from May).

20 Jul. Bloomberg: Putin told Russian diplomats that he made a proposal to Trump to hold a referendum by residents of Donbass rebel territories on their status, under international auspices, to help resolve the conflict. (Russian patriotic opposition comments are quite skeptical, pointing out that several referendums in Transnistria, all overwhelmingly in favor of joining Russia, had little practical effect).

US National Security Council spokesman Garret Marquis: “The Administration is not considering supporting a referendum in the eastern Ukraine”.

DPR ombudsman: in the past week 3 soldiers were killed, 5 people (4 soldiers and a civilian woman) were wounded.

Ukraine has transferred to DPR the body of a former opolchenie fighter lured to Ukraine and apparently killed by Ukrainian services after torture, while trying to blame DPR for his death (report + photo at the bottom).

19 Jul. Boris Filatov, mayor of Dnepr(opetrovsk) posted on Facebook that he has been monitoring teachers for signs of 'separatism', with over 30% supporting it. He states that 'now they will be fired or not hired', 'legally irreproachable, without the ability to recover by a court decision'. He points out that at present the Humanitarian Department holds contests for new appointments of school principals (quite critical coverage by dialog.ua).

16 Jul. Trump meets Putin in Helsinki-live updates -NY Times, TASS.

Press conference transcript and video (Kremlin; White House, realclearpolitics.com). Putin interview to Fox News (Fox News; Kremlin).

An interview highlight, stated cooperation on Israeli security and humanitarian matters in Syria, while discussing other issues. Fox interview highlight here

15 Jul. DPR MoD: 2 ceasefire violations, one home damaged. It is said that 'Right Sector' militants opposing orders to withdraw uncontrolled nationalistic units from the war zone deployed and detonated an IED, destroying Ukrainian armed forces 'Ural' vehicle and killing 3, wounding 6 UAF soldiers (no independent confirmation).

13 Jul. DPR ombudsman: in the past week 2 DPR soldiers were killed and 2 wounded, despite agreed ceasefire. DPR MoD: 34 cesefire violations in the past week by Ukraine, 79 mortar shells fired, small arms also used; 13 houses were damaged.

8 Jul. Rusvesna: planes carrying US marines landed in Ukraine. USS Mount Whitney, the flagship of the United States Sixth Fleet, has entered the Black Sea for Sea Breeze-2018 joint US-Ukrainian exercises.

6 Jul. DPR ombudsman: In the past week 3 DPR soldiers were killed, 3 were wounded (2 soldiers and a civilian man). 89 killed were killed, 190 wounded since the start of the year. According to ombudsman data, 4656 were killed in DPR since the start of the conflict.

DPR MOD: 49 ceasefire violations in the past week (46 a week before). Small arms, mortars, BMP and BTR weapons were used; anti-tank guided munitions fired on a truck carrying water supply.

5 Jul. Yulia Timoshenko (video): ''(There) is an extremely dangerous plan which so far Peter Poroshenko intends to realize in Ukraine. In principle, he wants that presidential elections are not held. Now a deep negotiation process has begun with those who allegedly lead the "LPR-DPR", that is, in fact, with the people who today occupied part of Ukraine. Poroshenko wants to initiate the beginning of a big war. He wants additional territories of Ukraine to be seized. He wants everything to burn, everything on fire. He wants to use this to impose the martial law and not to hold elections in principle.'' Russian patriotic opposition Donetsk blogger Donetski (donrf) comment argues that it would be a mistake for Kremlin to place a bet on Timoshenko, and in fact there is little hope that any of the options currently looked at will resolve the situation in Donbass, for the ordinary people living there. (He does not offer an alternative solution in his post).

4 Jul. DPR added famous Ukrainian prisoners exchange negotiator Vladimir Ruban to its prisoners exchange list. (Ruban was arrested on 8 Mar. 2018 after a provocation involving weapons smuggling arranged by Ukrainian services). 2 Jul. Ukraine named 23 Russians held by Ukraine whom Ukraine is ready to exchange for Ukrainians held in Russia and Donbass (Interfac),(newsone.ua).

1 Jul. Ukraine violated 'bread ceasefire' 9 hours after its start, shelling Dokuchaevsk.

Despite ceasefire, Ukraine fired anti-tank missiles and destroyed a Kamaz vehicle delivering water to DPR armed forces. The driver was critically wounded.