Ukraine news/Current

29 May. US air force conducted a "training mission" over Europe and "the Black Sea region", with US B1B bombers accompanied by Ukrainian, Polish, and Turkish planes (and no best friends of Russia). US release does not explicitly say whether or not US planes entered Ukraine, but a photo with accompanying Ukrainian fighter planes is provided by Ukrainian air force. A Russian blog is claiming in a well-cited post that B1B bombers entered Ukrainian airspace, almost up to Kiev. US planes were eventually intercepted by Russian fighter jets, providing more viral photos/videos. This follows US reconnaissance plane interception by Russian jets (and does not appear to attest to the friendliness and warmth of the relations).

24 May. JCCC: “At 11:30, UAF opened fire on Staromikhailovka using heavy machine guns and small arms. As a result of the shelling, transformer substation located on Dnepropetrovskaya street was damaged. At the moment, two streets are completely de-energized - Dnepropetrovskaya and Chkalova." DPR Militia: DPR troops prevented further shelling of Staromikhailovka, suppressing the firing point of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Opolchenie: ''In the evening and at present, Ukrainian forces are not intensively firing small arms on the Volvo Center, Donetsk filtering station, the industrial zone, Gospodar', Vasilyevka. Yesterday, during the evacuation of civilians of Krutaya Balka settlement, Artyom Mertsalov is killed, 07.20.1992 - 05.23.2020.''

23 May. Documentary film is published on the 5th anniversary of the murder of Alexey Mozgovoi, commander of "Prizrak" battalion.

22 May. DPR: ''Today, fighters from the 10th mountain assault brigade (UAF) launched an anti-tank guided missile in the direction of the positions of the People’s Militia in the area of Leninsky settlement in the south of our Republic. The rocket exploded without reaching the target. By returning fire from not outlawed weapons, the enemy firing point was suppressed'' (events follow some changes in rhetoric and declared posture by LPR and DPR)

19 May. Following Ukrainian shelling which damaged critical electric power line and failure to honor security guarantees to repair crew, LPR issues a warning and appeal to international signatories of Minsk agreements, saying that LPR forces are placed on full alert and may take actions, including moving separation line away from the affected power line. (DPR went on full alert shortly thereafter).

Ukrainegate: Ukrainian MP Andrey Derkach presented and Ukrainian sources published audio of conversations "of people with voices resembling Joe Biden, Petro Poroshenko, John Kerry." It is said that conversations took place "at the end of 2015 and in 2016", were provided by some "investigative journalists", and that recording was "made by Poroshenko himself" (Ukrainian 112.ua video, titled Deal fixing between Poroshenko and Biden. Recordings of conversations. Briefing on corruption and external governance. Text version here).

18 May. Ukrainian journalist Dmitry Gordon interview with Igor Strelkov, 3h 41m.

16 May. LPR soldier is killed when Ukrainian forces fired BMP guns on Donetskii settlement.

15 May. DPR ombudsman: since the start of the year, 23 people (19 soldiers, 4 civilians) were killed, 59 people (33 soldiers, others civilians, including 6 children and 6 women) were injured (noted, civilians injuries number is given as 24 which does not add up to 59 total).

14 May. Opolchenie: ''At night and in the morning, Ukrainian forces shelled: Panteleymonovka (120 mm), shell shock injuries received by a woman living at  52 Vinogradnaya st., apt. 10., Zaitsevo (120 mm, large caliber machine guns), Red Partizan (122mm artillery), Yasinovatya checkpoint, industrial zone (82mm, small arms). Throughout the day and in the evening Airport, Spartak, Debaltseve district, south-west of Gorlovka, Staromikhaylovka were shelled (120 and 82mm mortars, BMP, large caliber machine guns, small arms), five houses were damaged.

13 May. It is reported that Dmitry Kozak, assistant Russia's presidential administration chief (replacing Surkov in the post-Soviet and Ukrainian affairs) made a trip to Berlin to discuss Donbass conflict. Further it is reported that Ukrainian delegation at the trilateral contact group in Minsk will be extended to include 10 displaced persons from Donbass (supposedly selected to back Ukrainian positions). Unenthusiastic response from L/DPR mentions that Minsk agreements call for creation of consultative council, to include 10 voting representatives each from Ukraine and LPR+DPR, with consultative votes given to OSCE, Russia, Germany and France. Those plans were "blocked by Ukrainian radicals" but current developments can be "an intermediate model" towards creation of "a full-fledged consultative council" 1, 2, 3. 9 May. 75-th anniversary of the Victory Day: Moscow (video), Minsk, Donetsk and Lugansk 1, 2, Odessa, Kiev.

7 May. Opolchenie: ''At night, Ukrainian forces shelled: Zhabichevo (AGS, SPG, large caliber machine guns, small arms). Petrovskoe: (AGS, large caliber machine guns), Spartak, airport district, Yasinovataa checkpoint (82mm mortars, RPG,  large caliber  machine guns). In the morning and throughout the day, Ukrainian forces shelled: Zhabichevo (RPG, machine guns), Sakhanka (SPG, machine guns); as a result of the shelling, one soldier was killed, one soldier wounded, and civilians were injured: male, born in 1971 (shrapnel wound to the lumbar region); male, b. 1976 (multiple shrapnel wounds to the chest and right shoulder); woman, born 1977 (brain concussion); boy, born 2006 (fracture of both bones of the right lower leg, right elbow, multiple shrapnel wounds of the left lower leg and foot); girl, born 2006 (fragmentation non-penetrating wounds of the temporal region on the left, concussion, abrasions of the left thigh.'' Video from hospital, here. DPR/JCCC report here.

5 May. DPR: explosions reported at the Ukrainian position involved in the attack which wounded children a day earlier.

4 May. DPR: Ukraine shelled a residential area, in Alexandrovka, near the separation line; as a result, three girls were injured - 7-year-old Milana (shrapnel wound to the back), 10-year-old Sofia (shrapnel wound to the head), 7-year-old Anastasia (shrapnel wound to the leg). In addition, a man, 1965 DOB, was wounded by shrapnel while he was in his room.

2 May. DPR: ''Today, by order of war criminal Goncharuk, a mortar platoon from the motorized infantry battalion, armed with 60-mm NATO-type mortars, delivered as part of aid from Canada, arrived at the forefront of the 128th brigade, and at 14.00 they launched targeted fire at our positions in the area of Yasnoe, firing 30 mortar shells. As a result of this insidious provocation, the defender of our Republic, who was at that time on a military post, received injuries incompatible with life''.

Reports, photos, videos on the 6-th anniversary of Odessa massacre : Rusvesna (Rus)., (robo-Eng.); Strana.ua (Rus).

An interesting interview with Vladimir Grubnik, M.D., from Odessa, supporter of the pro-Russia movement since 2014, who was at the Cathedral square (Sobornaia ploshad) during May 2, 2014 events and escaped the Trade Union building massacre. He apparently became supportive of active resistance, and in any case was arrested and kept in solitary confinement since 2015, prior to his released in one of large prisoners exchanges. He calls himself a political prisoner, and so may be not involved in any actual violent acts, although he was charged with preparing some. Now stays in DPR. Comments on Novorossia (including lack of organization or support, lack of an able fighting force on their side or police protection during May 2, 2014 events, etc).

1 May. In a serious, possibly fatal blow to "North stream 2" Germany denied excluding the project from EU requirements prohibiting supplier to own the pipe, extended to sea pipes in April, 2019. "North stream" argued that financing of the project should be considered completed in May 2019, before the changes were in force.

29 Apr. Opolchenie: ''Yesterday, during the day, Ukrainian forces fired not intensively upon: Trudovskaya minepit settlement (RPG, large caliber machine guns),  Aleksandrovka (RPG, small arms), Gagarin minepit settlement  (RPG, large caliber machine guns, small arms), Yasnoe (82 mm, small arms). At night, there was not intense, sporadic small arms fire at: Volvo Center, Promka (industrial zone), north of Gorlovka, Sahanka.

27 Apr. Dmitrii Aksenov, one of the first volunteers of Mozgovoi's "Prizrak" battalion, who later served elsewhere, is killed in Donbass, 03.01.1991-27.04.2020, according to social media reports, with photos.

26 Apr. Throughout the day and in the evening, Ukrainian forces fired upon: west of Gorlovka, 6 district / (AGS, RPG, large caliber machine guns, small arms),  Gagarin minepit settlement (82mm, small arms),Petrovskoye (RPG, large caliber machine  machine guns), Yasinovataya checkpoint, industrial zone (small arms). Pavel Molchanov is killed, 19.12.1981-25.04.2020.

19 Apr. Opoclhenie: '' "Throughout the day, UAF periodically conducted non-intensive shelling: Veseloe, Spartak, Yasinovatay checkpoint (YaBP), industrial zone, Staromikhaylovka, Krutaya Balka, (82mm, BMP, large caliber machine guns, small arms, SPG). Today at about 6 a.m. in Yasinovataya, DPR air defenses discovered and shot down an enemy UAV with an explosive device suspended from it, flying in the direction of the school at number 4 School street. "Ukrainian knights" thus decided to "congratulate" the people of the DPR ... Killing someone on Easter is their tradition ..." (as per the source).  Another report claims that:  "In the course of deciphering the data from the UAV, it was established that the purpose of the deadly “gift” launched by the criminals of the 54th UAF brigade was not an educational institution, but located in the immediate vicinity the Church of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul. " ''

Ukrainian 'Joint operation forces' reports that 3 of its soldiers were wounded yesterday.

16 Apr. Prisoners exchange took place today. It is reported that eventually 10 people returned to DPR (and one declined) in exchange for 9 Ukrainians. 4 people were returned to LPR (3 more declined), in exchange for 11 Ukrainians. Further exchanges hoped for "after the quarantine." 15 Apr. Opolchenie: Throughout the day UAF conducts single, non-intensive shelling: Yasinovataya checkpoint, industrial zone, airport district, Spartak, Vasilyevka, Aleksandrovka, Staromikhailovka, mine settlement 6/7,Petrovskoe, Kominternovo (AGS, 82mm, 120 mm, small arms). Alexander Sidorenko is killed, 28.5.1998-15.04.2020.

13 Apr. Second week of forest fires near Chernobyl: photos, aerials, video. Radiation measurement in Chernigov, some 70 km away, with wind blowing towards it, shows around 10 (and the range 7-14) microR/hour according to the video, which would be at the level of maximum acceptable radiation. Sucking in air by vacuum cleaner through a filter, to capture possible radioactive particles, shows about 11.6 microR/h, on the same video. Official measurements in the area are in the range 8-132 microR/h ( 100 nanoSv/h = 10 microR/h).

9 Apr. Opolchenie: at night and in the morning, Ukrainian forces shelled: Zhabichevo, Yasinovataya checkpoint (YaBP), Airport, Staromikhaylovka settlement (BMP-2, SPG, large caliber machine guns). In the afternoon, UAF fired on: north-west of Gorlovka, Shirokaya Balka, Michurino, 6/7, Staromikhaylovka. Damage to houses at addresses: Pervomaiskaya St., 50 (roof); Zhukovsky St., 41 (roof); Zhukovsky St., 42 (roof); Zhukovsky St., 43 (roof)), Gol'ma. (BMP, SPG, AGS, large caliber machine guns used). At the moment, the shelling of Gol'ma, YaBP, industrial zone continues. Fire intensity is low.

Miroslava Vorontsova is killed by Ukrainian fire in Shirokaya Balka while Ukrainian drone operated in the area; a young man Mikhail A. is wounded.

1 Apr. at about 7 pm Ukrainian forces fired on residential areas of the LPR. In Golubovskoye village, 4 Kochenkoko Street, Maria Volgina, 1940 DOB, was wounded and died the next day in the hospital of her wounds.

31 Mar. Ukrainian Rada adopted in the 2 reading a law allowing sale of land, insited upon by IMF. Factions of Zelensky, Poroshenko, Vakarchuk voted for the law, which is vigorously oppose by opposition as giving control to foreigners of Ukrainian most valuable asset; Ukrainian agricultural land is of prime quality but is considerably cheaper then in the West.

21 Mar. 15.10 A woman, 1976 DOB, is wounded by Ukrainian small arms fire in Trudovskaya minepit settlement  19:00 school n. 1 is damaged by Ukrainian RPG and AGS-17 fire; 19:25 a girl, 2020 DOB, is wounded by Ukrainian fire (while BMP-2, grenade launchers, and large caliber guns fire is reported). 28 OMBR is blamed for all 3 incidents.

14 Mar. Ukraine shelled Gorlovka; civilian couple, both 61, and their grandchild, 13, are wounded, houses are damaged 1, 2.

At 11:05 Ukrainian forces opened 82 mm mortars fire from the area of Slavnoe settlement towards Signalnoe settlement; as a result a civilian man received shrapnel wounds to the abdomen and was hospitalized in critical condition.

A man has died of his wounds in Dokuchaevsk central hospital

9 Mar. A civilian man is wounded by Ukrainian fire in Zaitsevo, near Gorlovka. He is hospitalized with a gunshot wound to the abdomen in critical condition. 8 Mar. Opolchenie: From about 20 hours and until now, Ukrainians are firing (BMP, mortars, grenade launchers): Spartak, airport, Volvo Center, Yasinovataya checkpoint.

7 Mar. An article appeared alleging that a young couple of chess players found dead in Moscow in suspicious circumstances could be killed, with a link to Ukraine. Stanislav Bogdanovich was born in Odessa and played on the Russian team against Ukraine. His name is said to appear on the notorious "Mirotvorets" site 2 days prior to his death. He and his Russian girlfriend, also a chess player, were found dead with bags of "laughing gas" (nitrous oxide) over heads, and injection marks on bodies but no injectors or needles.

6 Mar. According to CNN, US plans to provide $125 mln in new military assistance to Ukraine, including armed Mark VI patrol boats (apparently to make sure that the warfare between close peoples is unabating).

28 Feb. Civilian, 1960 DOB, is wounded by Ukrainian fire near Yelenovka (said to be in provocation designed to draw return fire).

23 Feb. Ukraine once again shelled Gorlovka, on the once shared Red Army day, showing once again its newly acquired nasty nature; several homes are damaged - detailed by Prihodko (Eng.)

20 Feb. Ukrainian nationalist attack busses carrying Ukrainians evacuated from China because of the Wuhan coronavirus outbreak‎ while they are transported to quarantine.

18 Feb. Sharp deterioration of security situation is reported in LPR, including Bahmut motorway. Opolchenie sources tell this has to do with Ukrainians earlier capturing areas in grey areas in violations of the agreements.

Several homes in Zaitsevo, near Gorlovka are damaged by Ukrainian shelling.

Putin signed a decree relieving Vladislav Surkov of his duties as presidential aide.
 * Interview with Surkov, afterwards (Commenting on the interview Peskov denies change of course on Ukraine; while Strelkov comments on 'leaving the boat').

16 Feb. Semyon Pegov with some predictions on future of Surkov (apparently implying that he will remain, in some capacity).

15 Feb. Civilian man, 1959 DOB, is wounded by Ukrainian sniper fire in Trudovskaya minepit settlement. There was a problem evacuating the wounded man, ceasefire (in 'ceasefire') had to be requested over 5 times. Eventually the man was evacuated in critical condition.

14 Feb. Zelenskii-Putin phone call (Kremlin), (Zelenskii).

11 Feb. Peskov said that Ukrainian policies will be led by Kozak, while there is no presidential decree on Surkov yet (1, 2).

Zelenskii relieved of his duties his chief of administration Andrey Bogdan and appointed another man Ermak; reasons are unclear, some theories why here and here.

7 Feb. Four LPR soldiers were killed and 4 wounded by Ukrainian 122-mm artillery strike near Zolotoe, LPR. (Vladlen Tatarskii comments).

Lukashenko and Putin meet in Sochi; Lukashenko comments about 'moment of truth'. Relations and oil/gas sales to Belarus' are on agenda. Meeting was quite positive, despite fears of otherwise, but on practical side, things remained largely unchanged.

President Trump fires Alexander Vindman, the Ukrainian mole deemed traitor embedded in the White House. (Noted, neither Vindman, nor Democratic or Republicans leadership or the establishment objected in principle to military aid to Ukraine, prolonging and feeding the conflict).

5 Feb. Ukraine shelled Gorlovka, homes and a school used as bomb shelter are damaged, 6/7 Mine-pit settlement lost power (Prihodko updates 1, 2, 3, 4).

3 Feb. Despite the agreements Ukraine shelled Staromikhailovka (western suburb of Donetsk), 2 houses are damaged.

1 Feb. After visiting Ukraine to offer US backing, Pompeo visits Belarus, offers US oil, etc, as if trying to insert himself in a gap developed due to some disagreements between Belarus in Russia (on Russian oil price, future of the union state, etc). Belarus and USA do not have respective ambassadors for 12 years, and the last visit of a secretary of state was 26 years ago.

30 Jan. One LPR soldier is killed and two civilians are wounded by Ukrainian shelling. Several homes and electric power lines are damaged.

28 Jan. It is said that negotiations involving generals from Iraq, USA, Britain, Czechia and Ukrainian representatives took place in Kiev on 12-14 Jan. (soon after the Ukrainian plane shoot-down) on possible participation of a Ukrainian contingent in NATO  operations in Iraq/Middle East 1, 2.

24 Jan. Heavy shelling resumes in Donbass, including Donetsk suburbs, 208 mortar shells, 167 grenades, 300 BMP gun shells fired in the past week (1, 2, 3).

DPR ombudsman: One DPR soldier is killed and 2 wounded in the past week.

Peskov "did not confirm" rumors of Surkov resignation or of change of policies with respect to Ukraine. Those opinions were expressed by well-connected political scientist Alexey Chesnakov, quoting Surkov himself. In a similar vein is Ishchenko article -Minsk agreements are said to be dead.

23 Jan. Zelenskii, as the Poles, is a no-show in Israel on a made-up excuse, leaving it to Russia's Putin to mark 75's of Auschwitz.

22 Jan, DPR soldier is killed by Ukrainian fire on Dolomitnoe, northern Gorlovka. DPR says he is killed by sniper fire by arriving special operations sniper group armed with Barrett M82 12.7 mm sniper guns; calls one more time for OSCE to ensure that ceasefire is observed and violators punished.

It is said that Putin and Zelenskii may meet in Israel.

21 Jan. Impeachment trial of President Trump starts at the US Senate.

20 Jan. Aleksei "Green", deputy commander of "Piatnashka" Spetsnaz regiment of interior troops of DPR Ministry of Internal Affairs, and opolchenie member from the beginning, is killed in Donetsk. Blogger Donetsky comments and a linked video with Alexei's interview made in 2018 (he is deputy commander of "Piatnashka" battalion of the same regiment back then. "Piatnshka" commander "Abkhaz" recently led protest in Abkhazia which ended after Surkov's visit and Abkhazia leader Raul Khajimba resigning).



11 Jan. Iran acknowledged shooting down Ukrainian Boeing "due to human error". Ali Hajizadeh EngRus: air defense unit lost communication with higher command when it discovered a target 19 km away; it had only 10 s. to make a decision, and they made a bad one  (as translated). This all but excludes Tor-M1 missile engine on at impact (=impossible with description taken literally) and suggests that the NYT video is fake or misrepresented (missile with engine off will not be seen), or that details of Iranian version are not accurate.

Iranian-version map with partial Eng. explanation is at around 0:40 here, in RFE/RL article describing follow-up protests in Iran. Full video here, with details a bit confusing in Eng translation, but apparently launch is 12 km away horizontally (not 19 km, in print in the same source), on approaching courses. This makes things trickier, but still Tor M1 engine would be off, with a narrow margin. And doubtful somebody would be there to videorecord.

Ukraine published photos and claims that the lower part of the pilots' cabin was hit by a missile; SNBO head Danilov says it was discovered before the Iranian announcement and before Western countries started to publicize (the missile version), but was kept quiet to continue the investigation. It is also said that no distress communication calls were received (consistent with the cabin hit).

AP: New questions rise

10 Jan. Fars News made a preannouncement.

Ukr FM Pristaiko at his 30 min long fast-fire Ukr/Eng press conference gives no hints about the crash causes; confirms that intelligence info is received but provides no details.

Zelenskii conversed with Pompeo.

Zelenskii: The missile version is not ruled out, but it has not been confirmed yet. Iran: plane was on fire for 1.5 minutes. We estimate that it makes it on fire well before NYT video BC geolocation. However the 1.5 minutes claim was made before black boxes were analyzed, on unclear and unconfirmed basis.

9 Jan. NY Times publishes a video claiming missile hitting Ukrainian Boeing. Initial poster first said he did not have metadata, then said NY Times published video. It is not clear how the video was verified. Video, actually, may be genuine, but what does it show? It could be the plane climbing up with lights on, or having engine fire (appearing as "a missile"), and then the engine exploding, blowing a burning and visible piece back (uncertain; can't exclude either this or a missile climbing; we do not have a good scale useful to infer velocities. Roughly 11 s. for the sound to arrive, the distance to the explosion is roughly 3.8 km straight. There is residential area with look-alike houses and camera could be on either SW or NE side from the path. Video can be mirrored easily. Also the plane could be returning back to the airport while it's path on Flightradar an extrapolation. So either above is not excluded). It remains unexplained why the video author was recording on his cell phone at about 6am local, apparently expressing no emotions and then apparently abruptly stopping the recording.

Another video emerged, shot as the very first one from a car/dashboard camera. It appears to give backing to the burning engine version.

8 Jan. Ukrainian Boeing 737-8KV (Flightradar; delivered 19 Jul 2016) crashed in Tehran, said to be because of engine fire, killing all on board, including 11 Ukrainians. Putin sends condolences to Zelenskii. Pompeo sends a Twitter. Videos. Crash visualization. (Noted, engine on fire, Boeing 737, Rwanda Air, the same day).

BBC starts to peddle MH17. Pictures noted & media reported engine overheating reports quoting Western intelligence. Newsweek has proverbial unnamed officials backing missile theory. CBS News quoting US intelligence said a satellite detected infrared "blips" of two missile launches (BBC), followed by another blip of an explosion (that is more serious; but did it?). Trump got "suspicions".

4 Jan. Strelkov publishes a list of 13 soldiers killed defending DPR, 1 Dec.'19 to 1 Jan.'20.

3 Jan. Denisultanov is interviewed, quoted telling a different version of a shootout (see 1 Jun 2017) involving Okueva and Osmanov in which Denisultanov received multiple gunshot wounds. Promises more details including something to do with Nemtsov in another interview.

1 Jan. 2020 A video showing 268 soldiers killed defending L/DPR in 2019. DPR ombdudsman data, see 27 Dec. Cassad's count here. Ukrainian losses in six years may be over 40,000.

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.
 * DPR MoD
 * 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).