Crisis in Ukraine: Daily Briefing
7 October 2015, 8 PM Kyiv time
- Russian Invasion of Ukraine
The National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine (RNBO) stated at 12:30 PM Kyiv time that yesterday, Russian-terrorist forces did not violate the ceasefire. The press-center of the anti-terrorism operation (ATO) reported at 7 PM Kyiv time that today near Troitske, Russian-terrorist forces fired an anti-tank rocket at Ukrainian positions. Four Ukrainian soldiers were wounded.
- Illegal Russian trial of Nadiya Savchenko continues
The illegal Russian trial of Ukrainian pilot and MP Nadiya Savchenko continues in Donetsk, Rostov oblast, Russia. Savchenko was serving in eastern Ukraine, when abducted by Kremlin-backed terrorists in June 2014 and taken to Russia, where she has been illegally detained and imprisoned since that time. So-called witnesses for the prosecution are testifying. One of the witnesses called by the prosecution was FSB agent Aleksei Pochechuyev. After Savchenko was abducted by Kremlin-backed terrorists, and transported illegally to Russia, she was handed over to agents of the FSB, one of whom was Pochechayev. When she was being transported, she was forced to wear a bag on her head – in court today Savchenko put a bag on her head, asking Pochuchayev, “Do you recognize me like this? Can you see me?” Russia has ignored repeated calls from the international community for Savchenko’s immediate release.
- Ukraine’s Foreign Minister: Elections in Donbas impossible without withdrawal of foreign troops
Speaking in Ukraine’s Parliament, Ukraine’s Foreign Minister P. Klimkin stated that it is impossible to hold elections in territories of Donetsk and Luhansk oblast where there are foreign troops and equipment, Radio Svoboda reported. “Without the demilitarization of the Donbas, any elections are impossible. According to all criteria of international law, and all criteria, which we have, elections on territories where there are foreign armies or foreign equipment, are by definition impossible,” Klimkin stated.
- Ukraine PM: Visa-free regime, next IMF tranche in doubt without anti-corruption prosecutor
At a meeting of the Cabinet, Ukraine’s PM A. Yatsenyuk welcomed yesterday’s decision to begin the hiring competition for the post of anti-corruption prosecutor. “Without the anti-corruption prosecutor will be neither a [visa] free regime nor the next tranche of the International Monetary Fund. Because it is one of the key elements in combating corruption,” Yatsenyuk stated. Yesterday, at the first meeting of the National Council for Anti-Corruption Policy, Ukraine’s President P. Poroshenko stated that the competition for the formation of special anti-corruption prosecutors has been started; and that he is hopeful that Parliament will adopt the law on prohibition of bail for high-ranking civil servants accused of corruption and that Parliament should consider the law on the National Bureau of Investigation during the course of this plenary session. The Head of the National Council for Anti-Corruption Policy, leader of the Crimean Tatar People Mustafa Dzhemilev, stated, “Everything will be fair and open: if we face resistance, no matter at which level, we will inform society on that. We intend to persistently struggle to purify Ukraine from this terrible disease. We cannot count on being in the EU in case we fail to eliminate corruption.”
- Belarus President rebuffs Russia’s plans for air base in Belarus
Belarus President A. Lukashenko stated yesterday that Belarus“does not need a Russian base, despite Moscow pushing to build the facility in what is a strategic nation bordering the EU. […] Lukashenko’s comments come weeks after Putin green-lighted the project and ordered Russian defense and foreign ministries to start talks with Belarus,” Deutsche Welle reported. Lukashenko stated that he did not know about the plans.
