Contents tagged with Donbas

  • Putin eases citizenship requirements for DPR and LPR residents

    Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree that simplifies the process of obtaining Russian citizenship for the residents of the so-called Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics. The document  has been  published on the Kremlin’s website.

    The decree states that the applications of the LPR and DPR residents to receive Russian passport will be considered in three months. Applications from citizens of other countries will be considered from three months to half a year, and the processing …

  • Kyiv: about 20 Russian soldiers poisoned by polluted water in Donbas

    About 20 Russian soldiers were hospitalized with poisoning due to sewage entering the water supply system in the territory of the Luhansk region controlled by pro-Russian militants, reported speaker of the Ministry of Defense Alexander Motuzyanyk at a press briefing, referencing foreign intelligence data.

    “Due to a lack of funding for repairs, the water supply system in the Luhansk region malfunctioned and sewage contaminated the water. Many local residents have fallen ill due to the use of …

  • Danish Defense Minister visits Donbas

    Lieutenant General Sergey Naev, commander of the Joint Forces Operational Headquarters of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, held a meeting with a delegation led by Danish Minister of Defense Claus Frederiksen in Kramatorsk, reported the press center of the Ukrainian Joint Forces Operational Headquarters of the Armed Forces on Facebook.

    Naev spoke about the many of ways in which the groups armed by the Russian Federation had violated the cease-fire, specifically, their use of heavy weapons. Since …

  • Russia to offer Zelensky deal on gas and the Donbas

    Moscow sees a chance to improve relations with Ukraine following the outcome of the presidential elections in Ukraine, announced Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev on Monday as he commented on the results of the second round of voting after which 41-year-old Vladimir Zelensky won with over 70% of the vote.

    According to Medvedev, in order to improve relations ruined by the annexation of Crimea and the war in the Donbas, we need “honesty” and a “pragmatic approach” to rise above any “political …

  • Kyiv: Russia refuses to agree on 'Easter truce' in Donbas

    During negotiations held by the Trilateral Contact Group (TCG), Russia refused to support Ukraine’s initiative to declare an Easter truce that would start on April 19, said Ukrainian representative in the TCG, Iryna Herashchenko.

    According to her, the Skype conference lasted for six hours, but the negotiations bore no results.

    “Russia refused to support the Ukrainian initiative to declare a truce for the holiday and refused to take on the responsibility of enforcing a cease-fire in the Donbas, …

  • Putin replaced overseer of Donbas, Abkhazia and South Ossetia

    Russian President Vladimir Putin replaced the head of the presidential directorate, supervisor of the DPR, LPR as well as Georgian breakaway regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia. According to Putin’s decree, Aleksey Filatov was appointed to replace Oleg Govorun.

    The new head of the presidential directorate has been working with South Ossetia. Last year, in his role as deputy head of the directorate, Filatov became involved with the DPR and LPR.

    Earlier, Russian newspaper Kommersant reported …

  • Kyiv: Russia moved another battalion group to the Ukrainian border

    The Ukrainian Minister of Defense, Stepan Poltorak, announced that Russia moved an additional battle group to the border of Ukraine after the first round of presidential elections.

    According to the minister, the Russian Federation is increasing the number of military troops along the border with Ukraine. The battalion tactical group transfer took place after the first round of presidential elections in Ukraine.

    Poltorak noted that the Russian forces changed their tactics in the Donbas. They …

  • Russia to make it easier for Donbas residents to obtain Russian citizenship

    The Russian government intends to make it easier for inhabitants of the so-called Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics (DPR and LPR) to obtain Russian citizenship, Kommersant reports, citing sources in the Russian government.

    According to the sources, everything has been worked out, and all that remains is for Russian President Vladimir Putin to sign the relevant decree. This could be done immediately after the presidential elections in Ukraine.

    “What other options are there? The people …

  • Ukrainian President Poroshenko reveals plan to take back Donbas and Crimea

    In an on-air interview with Novoye Vremya (New Time) radio station, President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko said that, if reelected,  he plans to win back Crimea and the Donbas using the Minsk agreements.

    “Part of fulfilling the Minsk agreements is the formation of its security components. The security component will be broached by introducing the blue helmets issue to the UN Security Council... An absolutely traditional peacekeeping mission that must fulfill several tasks to create a secure …

  • European Court of Human Rights informs Russia about lawsuits from 380 relatives of MH17 crash victims

    The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has informed Russian government about the lawsuits submitted by the 380 relatives of victims who were killed in the MH17 flight crash in eastern Ukraine, reads the document published on the ECHR website.

    “They allege in particular that the Russian Federation was directly or indirectly responsible for the destruction of the plane and failed to investigate the disaster properly or cooperate with other investigations”, states the court document.

    The …