Crisis in Ukraine: Daily Briefing
6 August 2015, 8 PM Kyiv time
1. Russian Invasion of Ukraine
The National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine (RNBO) reported at 12:30 PMKyiv time that yesterday towards Luhansk, clashes with Russian-terrorist forces took place throughout the day yesterday at Shchastya. Russian-terrorist forces shelled Ukrainian positions at Troitske with artillery. Towards Donetsk, Russian-terrorist forces shelled Ukrainian positions at Sanzharivka with mortars. Several clashes with Russian-terrorist forces took place north and west of Horlivka. On the western outskirts of Donetsk city, clashes Russian-terrorist forces took place throughout the day and Russian-terrorist forces shelled residential areas of Avdiyivka with artillery. Towards Mariupol, Russian-terrorist forces shelled Ukrainian positions near Hranitne with mortars. The RNBO reported that in the last 24 hours, five Ukrainian soldiers were killed and six were wounded.
2. Ukrainian filmmaker illegally imprisoned by Russia describes torture by Russian security officers
Speaking in a Russian court where he is standing trial on fabricated terrorism charges, Ukrainian filmmaker O. Sentsov stated, “I do not consider the trial legitimate. We are citizens of Ukraine, who were illegally abducted by representatives of your special services. There have been a lot of lies told here, so I have decided to speak. But I don’t plan to participate further in this trial or answer questions. I consider myself a Maidan activist – this is the most important thing I’ve done in my life. […] We stoop up against our criminal president. After your country occupied Crimea, I returned there and continued by volunteer activities. […] We helped units of the Ukrainian army blockaded by your special forces, and when it became clear that the Ukrainian army couldn’t remain on the territory of Crimea, I helped with their evacuation and the evacuation of their families,” Radio Svoboda reported. Sentsov also described the torture he endured after being detained by the Russian State Security Service (FSB) in May 2014. “I was beaten, punched, kicked, [hit] with special instruments, standing up, lying down, sitting. It’s difficult to sit on a stool as you’re being beaten with a cane. I was choked with a bag. […] Four times I went through this […] It lasted three or four hours. When they got tired, they took me to be searched, and only there I found out these were officers of the FSB [Russia’s Federal Security Service],” Radio Svoboda reported. Radio Svoboda’s report from today’s hearing is available at http://www.radiosvoboda.org/
3. France-Russia Mistral warship contract terminated
The press-service of the President of France F. Hollande stated that in a phone conversation held on 5 August between the French President and Russian President V. Putin, the two sides agreed to terms on terminating the contract for the construction and delivery of two Mistral-class warships by France to Russia.
4. Ukraine subpoenas Yanukovych
Ukraine has issued a subpoena for former president V. Yanukovych. According to the subpoena, Yanukovych is required to appear for questioning to the Office of the General Prosecutor of Ukraine in Kyiv on 11 August. On 28 July, Ukraine’s General Prosecutor V. Shokin stated that the procedures for trial in absentia of Yanukovych and six other former Ukrainian officials have begun.
