Crisis in Ukraine: Daily Briefing
1 May 2015, 8 PM Kyiv time
- Russian Invasion of Ukraine
The National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine (RNBO) reported at 12:30 PM Kyiv time that Kremlin-backed terrorists continue to fire on Ukrainian positions with weapons that were required to be withdrawn according to the ceasefire agreements – mortars, artillery and tanks. Towards Mariupol, Shyrokyne and Chermalyk remain the main areas of confrontation. Towards Donetsk, Kremlin-backed terrorists concentrated their activity in the vicinity of the Donetsk airport and the north-west suburbs of Horlivka. Towards Luhansk, Kremlin-backed terrorists fired on Ukrainian positions several times with small arms near Shchastya. The RNBO reported that in the last 24 hours, two Ukrainian soldiers were killed and two were wounded. The press-center of the anti-terrorism operation (ATO) reported that from midnight to 6 PM Kyiv time on 1 May, Kremlin-backed terrorists fired on Ukrainian positions 29 times.
- US House Armed Services Committee passes National Defense Authorization Act; includes $200 million for training and defensive weapons for Ukraine
On 30 April, the US House Armed Services Committee, in a vote of 60-2, passed the National Defense Authorization Act 2016. According to a fact sheet on NDAA 2016 from the Committee, “The Chairman’s proposal incorporates bipartisan legislation he sponsored together with Ranking Member Adam Smith (D-WA), H.R. 955, to provide assistance and sustainment to the military and national security forces of Ukraine, which specifically includes the provision of lethal assistance of a defensive nature to Ukraine. Chairman Thornberry remains concerned that the President has not done enough to provide military training and assistance to Ukraine to allow it to better defend itself and increase the costs to Russia for engaging in such aggressive behavior against Ukraine. The Chairman’s proposal authorizes $200 million for that purpose.”
- Austrian court denies US request for extradition of Ukrainian oligarch
On 30 April, an Austrian court refused a request to extradite Ukrainian oligarch Dmytro Firtash to the United States, the Wall Street Journal reported. “The U.S. had charged that Mr. Firtash conspired to pay $18.5 million in bribes to officials in India in an effort to expand his global empire, which includes banks, chemicals, media and metals smelting,” the Wall Street Journal stated. Some of the payments were allegedly routed through American banks, opening Firtash and his co-conspirators up to prosecution under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. In the ruling the Austrian judge found that the application was “politically motivated and therefore extradition is inadmissible.” A spokesperson for the US Justice Department stated, “we are disappointed with the court’s ruling and have filed an appeal,” the Wall Street Journal reported.
- Ukrainian PM: Total claims against Gazprom exceed $16 billion
According to a statement from the Cabinet of Ministers, Ukrainian PM A. Yatsenyuk stated that Naftohaz Ukrainy has submitted claims for damages and changes to the gas transit contract with Gazprom to Stockholm arbitration. “In the last 6 months after our first appeal to arbitration regarding the transit contract, leading international experts and lawyers have undertaken a considerable amount of work in order to clearly demonstrate that the transit contract is unfair with regard to Ukraine, and that over $10 billion should be paid to Naftohaz by Gazprom in compensation. Thus, the total amount of our claims against Gazprom regarding the gas purchase and transit contract has exceeded $16 billion.”
- US Mission to OSCE: Russia continues to undermine Minsk agreements
At a meeting of the OSCE Permanent Council on 30 April, US Charge d’Affaires K. Byrnes stated, “The actions taken by Russia and the separatists stand in stark contrast to those of the Government of Ukraine, which has taken concrete steps to implement its Minsk commitments and carry out reforms that point all of Ukraine towards prosperity and stability. […] [W]e must remind Russia and the separatists it supports that they cannot pick and choose the portions of Minsk they wish to uphold. They cannot send representatives to the working groups to discuss political modalities while ignoring their other commitments, such as putting in place a genuine ceasefire and the verifiable withdrawal of heavy weapons. Furthermore, Russia must halt the flow of fighters and equipment from Russia into Ukraine, and end the training of the separatists. We call on Russia to allow thorough inspections of the so-called “humanitarian” convoys, which continue to enter Ukraine uninspected. Russia must also release all Ukrainian hostages held inside Russia, including Nadiya Savchenko and Oleg Sentsov. Regarding Russian-occupied Crimea, we are troubled by continuing reports of harassment and interrogation of members of the Crimean Tatar community. […] Fundamentally, Russia must cease its efforts to destabilize Ukraine and respect Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. Russia must end its occupation of Crimea, which remains an integral part of Ukraine.”
