Ukraine news/Current

25 May. Kerch straight Ukrainian provocation case 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.

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".

27 Apr. Putin comments on meeting Zelenski at a press conference following his visit to China (Eng., highlighted)

24 Apr. Putin signed a decree on simplified procedure of receiving Russian passports for Donbass residents 22 Apr. Zelensky promised to 'reset' Minsk process (despite that some of his recent comments raise doubt on whether he has read the agreement -Talk). He also said (Rus. text, video) that his number one task is return of the prisoners (indeed very pressing yet doable matter; treatment of pro-Russia prisoners has been very bad; and this is never a good situation to be in, in any case). He also said that he plans an info-offensive to stop the war in Donbass, and has some creative ideas, asking for journalists to help, and mentioning that his comedy show was once prevented from visiting Mariupol. It remains to be seen whether and how severe problems in Donbass can be resolved by talk-showmanship, but intentions/momentum are so far somewhat more promising than seen on the ground in the 5 years under Poroshenko.

21 Apr. Poroshenko accepted elections loss, with exit polls 73 to 25 in favor of Zelenskii.

19 Apr. At 18:00, two Ukrainian RSG groups attempted to penetrate DPR defence lines near Oktaibrskoe. They were discovered. Part of the group detonated on a minefield, killing 3 and wounding two. It is said that (overall?) 4 Ukrainian soldiers killed and 5 wounded. DPR losses, 3 killed. A female medic, Lilia Egamberdieva, tried to rescue two heavily wounded DPR soldiers; eventually she called fire on herself firing from a machine gun at a distance from wounded soldiers. All 3 were killed after a massive Ukrainian strike.

Live stream presidential debates, Olimpiisky stadium, Kiev, starting at 19:00 in Kiev (video with Russ. transl.), (Rus. text). Another debate was scheduled at a TV station, 21:00; but Zelensky did not confirmed attendance, and eventually Poroshenko debated himself. 18 Apr. Zelensky interview to RBK Ukraine, discussed in Talk.

Court in Kiev ruled that nationalization of Kolomoiskyi's "PrivatBank" was illegal. Bank of Ukraine disagrees and will appeal.

17 Apr. Ukrainian MP Rybchinsky: "Poroshenko is preparing a coup."

Lutsenko provided details of the meeting with US Amb. Marie Yovanovitch, which he earlier described as receiving a 'do not prosecute list'. In his new detailed version, they had a heated verbal exchange with Yovanovitch, after her comments that prosecution of a certain anti-corruption activist undermines public trust in such activists. 15 Apr. Nadezhda Savchenko and respected Ukrainian negotiator Vladimir Ruban, accused of plotting against the Ukrainian authorities and arrested in March 2018, have been freed by a court decision in Kiev-reports + videos 1, 2, 3.

14 Apr. Poroshenko "debates" himself at the 'Olympiiskii" stadium, as he and Zelensky could not agree on the debate time + venue (stream).

9 Apr. DPR MoD: a soldier was killed by Ukrainian mortar fire. DPR returned fire using 'non-prohibited weapons', destroying firing positions of the adversary. Reportedly 4 UAF soldiers were killed and 3 wounded. It is said that 'Azov' regiment and 'Aidar' assault battalion arrived to Donbass, to the zone of responsibility of 53 mechanized brigade, UAF, near Gorlovka. Those nationalist forces are said to be responsible for the shelling of Golmovsky settlement from BMP which resulted in loss of electric power for 3000 civilians,  and damaged a house; a civilian woman was wounded earlier in Zaitsevo.

DPR returned fire and "destroyed the BMP"; it is said that one man called Mikola Nezhivyi is killed and 2 heavily wounded. In Ukrainian version of events (video, TSN.ua), Mikola Nezhivyi was killed near Avdeevka. They were firing on DPR positions from easel anti-tank grenade launcher; DPR responded with anti-tank missile, killing him and wounding two others. Also reported: near Zaitsevo, during de-mining of the area near the water supply of the pump station Seversky Donets - Donbass, one Ukrainian sapper was killed when a mine exploded, two others were wounded.

Poroshenko speaks Russian, Bulgarian, Romanian, Polish, trying to get reelected (but it is 'too little too late').

8 Apr. DPR MoD: as a result of Ukrainian forces shelling of Zaitsevo and Staromikhailovka, two civilian women are wounded. DPR returned fire using 'non-prohibited weapons'; reportedly 3 UAF soldiers were killed and 1 wounded. 7 Apr. DPR MoD accused Poroshenko and 79 separate paratroopers assault brigade, UAF, of an attempted provocation, aimed to raise Poroshenko's reelection chances. At 8:30, two reconnaissance and sabotage groups, 15-20 men each, advanced in the direction Pishevik-Oktaibr'. One group was tasked in provoking DPR to return fire, while the other group task was to 'ensure' civilian casualties at 'Oktiabr' check-point, with DPR blamed for those deaths. The RSG groups were discovered early and fired on. Losses are being verified.

5 Apr. Ukrainian forces shelled Donetsk, Volvo center area, "Trudovskaya" mine-pit, Veseloe settlement. Mortars, AGS, firearms were used. Donetsk city hospital 21 is damaged. A civilian man is wounded,

4 Apr. After floating several excuses not to do it, Poroshenko eventually responded in kind and accepted Zelensky's strongly-presented challenge to debate at a stadium, in a carefully staged video of his own. Drugs/substances test is expected, with details negotiated.

3 Apr. Yesterday Ukraine cut water supply to Dokuchaevsk and Yelenovka, affecting 25,00 people, despite the fact that targeting civilian infrastructure or utilities is a war crime.
 * Noted, according to a later report, water supply to Dokuchaevsk was restored, at 7 p.m.

NATO sends ships on a visit to Odessa, discuss accompanying Ukrainian ships to stage another provocation in Kerch straights, which may be seen as a fruitless attempt to lift fortunes of the failing Poroshenko reelection campaign with this demonstrative Western backing.

2 Apr. Timoshenko says (1, 2, video) that "Poroshenko falsified elections regarding his result", but she will not challenge the results in courts, as she does not have trust in Ukrainian courts, as they are. With this, Zelensky and Poroshenko advance to the second round. Timoshenko won't back either of them (earlier Zelensky denied reports that negotiations giving Timoshenko a significant role in the government are on-going).

1 Apr. On April's fool day, Ukraine's decision not to renew friendship treaty with Russia comes into force.

Highlights from the past
30 Apr. U.S. Confirms Delivery Of Javelin Antitank Missiles To Ukraine

Poroshenko announced end of ATO and start of 'joint operation of armed forces', which is aimed at 'defending territorial integrity' and will only end 'when the last piece of Ukrainian land is liberated, including Crimea', which is somehow supposed to happen by 'political-diplomatic means'.

Videos

 * Family of 7 home hit by shelling in Donetsk, published 11 May 2017
 * DPR Sakhanka: life goes on under shelling, 11 Oct. 2016
 * 'Suburbia of life', about the effect of the war on life in small villages and towns. Shelling, destruction, economic hardship. Slow running, in Russian. Sept. 29, 2016.

More videos on talk page

Photos

 * Recent history in a nutshell in those photos to the right:


 * Aftermaths of Ukrainian shelling of the village Zheltoe (Yellow), LPR, 29 Nov. 2016 lug-info.

OSCE

 * SMM Ukraine

Official Ukrainian sources

 * ATO press releases and maps, Ukraine Crisis Media Center(google search; sample schedule search).
 * At about 30 April 2018, replaced by Ukrainian 'joint forces operation' (Facebook).
 * Official website of Ukrainian president
 * National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine
 * Verhovna Rada

Ukrainian media

 * Newsone.ua
 * Strana.ua
 * 112.ua
 * TSN
 * inter.ua
 * kyivpost.com
 * dumskaya.net (Odessa, pro goverment)

DPR and LPR

 * DPR: DAN news (Eng).; DPR MOD, Russ.; DPR ombudsman, Russ.
 * LPR: lug-info (Eng).
 * Donbass international news agency, DoNi news (Eng.)

Agreements

 * 22.7.15 Under-100 mm weapons withdrawal was agreed Poroshenko statement: ' I hope it will be the real beginning of the ceasefire'.
 * 12.2.15 Two documents were agreed: on measures on implementing Minsk protocol (English language PDF here).