Crisis in Ukraine: Daily Briefing
4 June 2015, 7 PM Kyiv time
- Russian Invasion of Ukraine
The National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine (RNBO) reported at 12:30 PM Kyiv time that yesterday 5 Ukrainian soldiers were killed and 38 were wounded. As a result of yesterday’s unsuccessful offensive against Ukrainian positions at Maryinka, Kremlin-backed terrorists suffered heavy losses – up to 80 Kremlin-backed terrorists were killed and over 100 wounded. As a result of the shelling of Maryinka by Kremlin-backed terrorists, two civilians were killed and five were injured. The Ministry of Defense of Ukraine reported that throughout the night, Kremlin-backed terrorists shelled Ukrainian positions at Shyrokyne (near Mariupol) with artillery, mortars and grenade launchers. Towards Donetsk, Kremlin-backed terrorists shelled Ukrainian positions at Pisky. Towards Luhansk, Kremlin-backed terrorists fired on several Ukrainian positions with small arms. The Ministry of Internal Affairs reported that today, Kremlin-backed terrorists shelled residential areas of Pisky, injuring one civilian.
- Ukraine’s President delivers Annual Address to Parliament
In his Annual Address to Parliament, Ukrainian President P. Poroshenko reviewed the last year of work and outlined the main priorities for the coming year. He stated, “Our main tasks for the coming year – Continue de-oligarchization, deregulation, and decentralization. Begin de-monopolization. Complete the establishment of an effective infrastructure for the battle against corruption and go on a full-out attack against corruption. Begin cleaning up the judicial caste. Ensure the renewal of economic growth in 2016. […] Begin, this year, the indexing of salaries and pensions. […] Begin, finally, reforms in health care – enough hiding heads in the sand and telling tales about free health care. And continue to increase the expenditures on defense. The military must be ready both for a renewal of offensives of the enemy in the Donbas and a full-scale invasion along the entire border with the Russian Federation. […] Diplomats – prevent both of these scenarios, strengthen the international coalition in support of Ukraine. […] In 2016 – obtain a visa-free regime with the EU.” A transcript of Poroshenko’s address is available at http://www.president.gov.ua//news/32988.html
- Ukraine’s President: 9000 Russian troops are on the territory of Ukraine
During his address to Parliament, President Poroshenko stated, “There remains a colossal threat of renewed large-scale attacks from the Russian-terrorist groups. Currently there are 14 Russian battalion groups, numbering over 9000 troops, on the territory of Ukraine. The concentration of Russian troops near the border is one and a half times greater, than a year ago.”
- US State Department: Any attempts to seize additional Ukrainian territory will be met with increased costs
On 3 June, US State Department spokesperson M. Harf stated, “We are disturbed by reports, including those from the OSCE that combined Russian-separatist forces launched coordinated attacks overnight against Ukrainian positions near Donetsk – near Donetsk city in Pisky, Luhanske, and Mariyinka. […] Any new attack or aggressive action by combined Russian-separatist forces is unacceptable and contravenes the Minsk agreements. Russia bears direct responsibility for preventing these attacks and implementing a ceasefire. Any attempts to seize additional Ukrainian territory will be met with increased costs.”
- Parliament passes law allowing UN or EU peacekeepers on Ukrainian territory
Ukraine’s Parliament passed a law allowing foreign military units in Ukraine, in the event that these units are carrying out UN and/or EU peacekeeping operations. The law also prohibits the presence on Ukrainian territory of military units of “those states that are undertaking aggression against Ukraine.”
