Crisis in Ukraine: Daily Briefing
18 August 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 towards Luhansk, Russian-terrorist forces fired on Ukrainian positions at Krymske for 7 hours with mortars and small arms. Russian-terrorist forces shelled Ukrainian positions at Orikhove with mortars. Towards occupied Donetsk, Russian-terrorist forces continue to shell Ukrainian positions with artillery. Russian-terrorist forces shelled Ukrainian positions at Kostyantynivka with mortars. Towards Mariupol, Russian-terrorist forces shelled Ukrainian positions on the Starohnativka-Hranitne line with mortars, artillery and Grads (truck-mounted multiple rocket launchers). The Ministry of Defense reported at 8:30 AM Kyiv time that in the last 24 hours, Russian-terrorist forces fired on Ukrainian positions 86 times. The RNBO reported that in the last 24 hours, one Ukrainian soldier was killed and one was wounded.
- US State Department: Russian efforts to grab more territory will be met with further costs
US State Department spokesperson J. Kirby stated on 17 August, “we are gravely concerned by the sharp increase in attacks by combined Russian-separatist forces across the ceasefire line in eastern Ukraine. These attacks continued this weekend, including to the east and north of Mariupol, apparently in an attempt to threaten that city. There can be no mistake about who is responsible: Russia and the separatists are launching these attacks, just as they escalated the conflict last August. OSCE reports show that the majority of ceasefire violations are committed by combined Russian separatist forces in direct violation of the Minsk agreements. We continue to urge an immediate ceasefire and full implementation of the Minsk obligations, and we further remind that efforts by Russia and the separatists to grab more territory will be met with further costs. […] The vast majority of the action – the attacks – are coming from the Russian separatist side. Ukraine has a right to defend itself. Obviously, what we want from all parties here is to abide by Minsk, which means you withdraw and the violence stops, and you start sitting down and talking about a settlement going forward. But make no mistake of where the vast majority of these attacks are coming from.”
- Ukraine’s President to visit Brussels for talks on recent surge in violence
The European Commission stated that Ukrainian President P. Poroshenko plans to visit Brussels within the next two weeks to discuss the recent surge in violence in eastern Ukraine, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) reported. A spokesperson for the European Commission did not specify a date for the visit, but stated it would take place before the end of August.
- Cargill to invest $130 million in Ukraine port infrastructure
The Chairman of the State enterprise Ukrainian Sea Ports Authority, Director of MV Cargo and the CEO of Cargill signed a Memorandum of Intent on an investment project in the Yuzhny seaport in Odesa, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine stated. According to the memorandum, Cargill will purchase 51% of a transhipment terminal, to be built by stevedoring company MV Cargo at the port. According to the Cabinet of Ministers, the investment totals about $130 million, and the terminal is planned to be operational in 2017.
- Ukraine State Security Service arrests five Russian citizens involved in international terrorism
The State Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) reported that they have detained five Russian citizens who are involved in an international terrorist organization. One of those detained is wanted by Interpol, and escaped custody in a European country last year, the SBU reported. During their arrest in Kyiv, the five men were found with guns, ammunition and grenades. At the apartment the men rented, the SBU found blueprints for improvised explosive devices and components for construction of IEDs. The SBU stated that they are investigating the possible involvement of the detained persons in the planning of acts of terrorism in Kyiv. The detained individuals have been remanded into custody.
- Woman who sued pro-Putin “propaganda factory” wins symbolic damages
The Guardian reported that the “Agency for Internet Studies, which hired people to write pro-Kremlin propaganda from a nondescript St Petersburg address, was sued by ex-employee Lyudmila Savchuk for alleged non-payment of wages and for failing to give workers proper contracts,” and has been ordered to pay symbolic damages to Savchuk in the amount of 1 ruble. “The freelance journalist claimed she had gone undercover as a pro-government internet troll to expose the outfit. […] ‘I am very happy with this victory. I achieved my aim, which was to bring the internet trolls out of the shade,’ said Savchuk, 34. For a monthly salary of 40,000 to 50,000 roubles (£490/US$750), Savchuk and other employees bombarded website comment pages with praise for Vladimir Putin. Unmasked after two months in the job, Savchuk was sacked after she published articles under a pseudonym in local newspapers denouncing the ‘propaganda factory’. ” the Guardian reported.
