Ukraine news/Archive/2019-11

30 Nov. DPR soldier is killed by Ukrainian shelling, despite the supposed ceasefire.

29 Nov. DPR People's Council adopted a law "on DPR state border" which defines DPR territory as the whole Donetsk region as of 2014. Presently over half of that region is under Ukrainian control. According to Council's chairman Vladimir Bidevka, till the settlment of conflict with Ukraine the border will be the separation line and with this it does not contradict Minsk agreements. Pro-Russian segment commentary on those developments differ, from skeptical to cheerful. It is unclear whether those developments are more than declaratory + aimed to steer negotiations back into Minsk format. It is said that Ukrainian reaction includes thereatetning to bring the troops back to separation areas and to allow use of aviation. Official Russia's commentary is not presently available.

28 Nov. Russian photog Valerii Melnikov won second place in Sakharov center documentary photos competition with photos from the conflict zone in Donbass. His 15 photos here. 22 Nov. DPR PMHQ (Basurin): 72 ceasefire violations by Ukraine in the past week, including 17 152-mm artillery shells, 67 mortar shells and 228 grenades of various types

Photo report: DPR forces remove trenches in the area of pilot separation of forces near Petrovskoe. Ukrainian forces said to do the same (1, 2).

21 Nov. Dilyana Gaytandzhieva: Serbian arms trafficked to Ukraine: evidence of mortars used against Donbass (+ Cassad).

13 Nov. The New York Times publishes a summary of an interview with Igor Kolomoiski in which he accuses the US of forcing Ukraine to be at war with Russia and says that it is time for Ukraine to return into the Russian orbit because contrary to "the West", they are genuinely interested in working together. (Those comments are very different from those back in 2014 or so; however Russian commentators on the patriotic side of the divide point out the monetary self-interest and an intent to go with the highest bidder).

9 Nov. LPR. Ukrainian easel anti-tank grenade launcher fire on Nizhenee Lozovoe is reported. A LPR soldier is killed.

Separation of forces started in Petrovskoe

8 Nov. DPR: three DPR soldiers are killed by Ukrainian shelling.

6 Nov. A DPR soldier is killed by Ukrainian fire on Leninskoe settlement in the south.

With the next round of forces separation approaching, DPR renewed warning on possible sabotage of chemical plants, in order to blame DPR and prevent troops withdrawals.

Premiere of documentary film "Remember Odessa", by German film director Wilhelm Domke-Schulz -interviews and fragments (Rus.), (Germ.). 2 Nov. Strelkov published on social media names of 17 men killed in Donbass on the pro-Russian side in October, 2019 (one of those died of a heart attack in custody).

UN data: 3330 civilians killed, up to 9000 wounded, 1.3 mln internally displaced, 3.5 mln need assistance and protection; 427 km 'contact line'. ''Above all, people want peace. #5YearsNoMore.'' (Eng), (Rus.)

1 Nov. A civilian man is wounded by Ukrainian shelling of Spartak settlement, north of Donetsk.

Vladimir Tsemakh is interviewed, talking about himself and his kidnapping by Ukraine. He is not asked and does not directly adress the MH17, apart from telling that (3:35) the anti-aircraft detachment consisted of two MANPADS and two "Zushka's" (ZU-23), and that he did nothing to blame for (describing his participation in opolchenie in 2014). He left opolchenie in 2017 due to his past injuries (4:02) and was not in active service at the time of his kidnapping. He says that he learned about MH17 'as everybody else' in the evening or may be the next morning (3:45). While in Ukrainian custody, he was threatened with life imprisonment, offered (12:26) a witness protection scheme, "a citizenship" (apparently Dutch), and a house in Holland. He turned down those offers. Russian-speaking police reps from Holland and Australia were present from time to time during his interrogations. The Ukrainian investigation is still not closed.