Contents tagged with Donbas
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Ukrainian President threatens to abandon Donbas negotiations with Russia
Ukraine may refuse to hold negotiations with Russia on the Donbas, if there is no progress made this year, stated the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in an interview with The Guardian.
"Time is running out. The authorities can spend a year trying to reach an agreement. Then it should be implemented," said Zelensky, noting that it is impossible to wait any longer. The President of Ukraine said that after the first meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, he set a deadline to …
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Ukrainian Armed Forces receive new batch of modernized T-72 tanks
Kyiv armor plant has delivered six upgraded T-72 tanks to the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
The company's specialists modified the equipment to improve its technical parameters and combat characteristics, reported the Ukrainian Defense Ministry.
The plant improved optical instruments, gun stabilization system, and the steering system. With this batch of tanks, the Kyiv plant completed the implementation of the contract with the Ukrainian Defense Ministry. All tanks will be handed over to units of …
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Ukrainian Security Service dismantles Russian spy network
The officers of the Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) have detained at the Ukrainian-Russian border the head of the secret agent network of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, a former Ukrainian military, who planned to go to Russia to report to his bosses about the accomplished tasks, reported the SBU press service.
As the SBU counterintelligence has established, the former military was recruited by a staff member of the Security Service of the Russian Armed Forces during his visit …
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Germany to allocate €6 million in humanitarian aid for Donbas
The German government is increasing its financial support for the humanitarian activity carried out by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Ukraine.
In 2020, in addition to the already promised €2 million, an extra €4 million will be allocated. Furthermore, in 2021 Berlin plans to allocate another €2 million to this purpose.
Between 2019 and 2021, Germany will have provided a total of €12.3 million in financing for the ICRC’s humanitarian activity in Ukraine, DW reports.
A …
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Russia: Next Normandy Format summit can only take place after Donbas special status is included in Ukraine’s Constitution
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said that a new summit in the Normandy Format can only take place after the decisions made at the previous summit have been implemented, especially the enshrinement of the “special status of the Donbas” in Ukrainian law, Interfax-Ukraine reports.
“I have not heard about a meeting of ministers in the Normandy Format being planned for one month’s time. Our colleagues are saying that another Normandy Format summit should be scheduled for as early as …
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MH17 case: Dutch prosecutors classify identities of 13 witnesses due to safety threats
The identities of 13 witnesses in the case concerning the Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 catastrophe will be kept secret on account of threats to their safety, NOS reports. According to the documents from the Netherlands Public Prosecution Office cited by the news outlet, the health and life of the witnesses are at a “significant risk”.
However, the motion to classify the identity of another witness was rejected by the investigative judge, citing the impossibility of guaranteeing his anonymity. …
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Pro-Russian militants attempt to break through Ukrainian defense lines in Donbas
On the night of February 22, pro-Russian militants tried to break through the positions of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the Donbas but were forced to retreat suffering losses, reported the press service of the Ukrainian Joint Forces Operation.
"Today, on the night of February 22, a failed attempt was made to break through the demarcation line by a sabotage and reconnaissance group of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation," the statement of the Ukrainian military command reads.
According …
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Ukrainian Defense Ministry: There are around 25,000 Russian soldiers in Donbas today
Ukrainian Defense Minister Andriy Zahorodniuk said that there are currently more than 25,000 Russian soldiers in the Donbas. He cited this figure on February 19 while talking to the press after a closed session of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on National Security, Defense and Intelligence.
“It’s changing information. We see that there are more than 25,000, for sure,” Zahorodniuk noted.
The minister also speculated that, after the failed attempt to break through to the Zolote region (Luhansk …
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Ukraine’s General Staff confirms reports of abandoned positions due to militants’ attack in Luhansk region
During a closed session of the Verkhovna Rada committee on national security, defense and intelligence, a representative of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) confirmed the reports that the Ukrainian army had been forced to abandon several previously held positions after the militants’ attack. This was reported by the first deputy chairperson of the committee, Mykhailo Zabrodskyi (European Solidarity party).
“We can talk about a list of questions that were asked by …
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Volker: Zelensky has chosen a reasonable strategy for Donbas, but there should not be concessions
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s strategy, which avoids calling Russia the “aggressor-state”, makes it possible to avoid accusations against Ukraine from its western allies, said Kurt Volker, former US Special Representative for Ukraine, as cited by Eurointegration.
According to Volker, the people who question such behavior by the head of state should take into account the progress of international negotiations.
“Taking them into account, the strategy that Zelensky has chosen is, in …