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U.S. to keep tough line on Russia until peace plan fully implemented.
Despite Ukraine truce, US keeps tough line on Russia.
The U.S. assistant secretary of state Victoria Nuland warned on Thursday that the United States would maintain economic sanctions imposed on Russia over its intervention in Ukraine until the terms of the peace plan are fully implemented.“We will judge Russia and the separatists by their actions, not their words,” she said. “We will work with the EU to keep sanctions in place until the Minsk agreements are fully implemented. “And of course, …
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Origin of Russian missile that downed MH17 uncovered.
According to the report by Bellingcat.com, the origin of the russian Buk missile launcher that downed MH17 over east Ukraine last summer has been uncovered.Having analysed a great number of photographs and videos shared online after the downing of Malaysian MH17 it was possible to confirm the location where each image was recorded and discover additional information that further evidenced when and where the Buk missile launcher was on July 17, 2014.It was discovered that one particular Buk …
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Normandy Quartet Leaders meet in Paris over Ukraine.
The leaders of France, Germany, Russia and Ukraine are meeting in Paris today to consolidate a fragile peace in Ukraine, as the conflict is overshadowed by President Vladimir Putin's dramatic intervention in Syria's war.
The summit’s main objective is to overcome existing obstacles to the Minsk ceasefire deal and to discuss additional measures to ensure adherence to it.Fighting has all but stopped in eastern Ukraine and with peace closer than ever leaders are seeking a lasting political …
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Russia-backed separatist blocking aid in east Ukraine.
In his statement on Tuesday, Ivan Simonovic, the assistant U.N. secretary-general for human rights noted that efforts by Russia-backed separatist rebels to block "desperately needed" humanitarian aid from reaching people in conflict-ridden eastern Ukraine could amount to crimes against humanity. Mr. Simonovic criticized as a "great mistake" the move by rebels who control the eastern city of Luhansk to kick out U.N. and humanitarian aid agencies.
"I do think that currently the military warfare …
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$20 million military aid to Ukraine.
President Obama has authorized the U.S. State Department to provide up to $20 million to Ukraine to fund military training and other similar activities.This came one day after Ukraine announced that US instructors would start training the country’s special forces.
“The authority... to direct the drawdown of up to $20 million in defense articles and services of the Department of Defense and military education and training to provide assistance for the Government of Ukraine,” the Presidential …