Crisis in Ukraine: Daily Briefing
6 May 2016, 6 PM Kyiv time
1. Russian Invasion of Ukraine
The National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine (RNBO) reported that yesterday towards Luhansk, Russian-terrorist forces fired on Ukrainian positions at Novooleksandrivka with grenade launchers and high-calibre machine guns. Towards Donetsk, Russian-terrorist forces fired on Ukrainian positions at Avdiyivka with grenade launchers and small arms. Towards Mariupol, Russian-terrorist forces shelled Ukrainian positions at Novotroitske with mortars. At Maryinka, Russian-terrorist forces fired on Ukrainian positions with small arms. The RNBO reported that in the last 24 hours no Ukrainian soldiers were killed and one was wounded in action.
2. IMF: early signs from new government in Ukraine “very encouraging”
M. Prahdan, deputy head of the IMF’s European department stated, “We think the signs of the new government’s willingness to adhere to the program, to stay with the program and their own adjustment efforts are very encouraging. We hope the program will be on track and most importantly, the adjustment policies already implemented which are paying dividends and are working, will continue,” Reuters reported. An IMF mission will be working in Kyiv on 10-18 May.
3. US State Department: Crisis in Ukraine was manufactured by Russia, and must be ended by Russia
Speaking in Warsaw on 5 May, US Deputy Secretary of State A. Blinken stated, “In full view of social media, Russia continues to arm, to train, to direct, and to fight alongside separatist forces in eastern Ukraine, while conducting unconventional, hybrid tactics of disinformation, deception, and intelligence operations. […] Moscow’s actions-from holding a sham referendum and attempting to annex Crimea, to deploying thousands of heavy weapons and troops across the international border, to supporting a reign of violence through the separatists that it controls-these actions have threatened to set a new precedent on European soil whereby basic international principles are up for debate: That the borders and territorial integrity of a state cannot be changed by force. That it is the inherent right of citizens in a democracy to make their country’s decisions and determine their country’s future. That all members of the international community are bound by common rules and should face costs if they do not live up to the solemn commitments that they make. These principles transcend Ukraine. They transcend Europe. They are the fundamental rules that underpin the international order that together we have sought to build, sustain, and as necessary adapt. In challenging them, Russia seeks to unravel our transatlantic alliance, erode our unity, and pressure democracies into failure. […] We stand together in our unwavering support for Ukraine-for its sovereignty, its territorial integrity, and its right as a free and democratic nation to pursue the path set by its own citizens and them alone. The crisis in Ukraine was manufactured by Russia and must be ended by Russia-by adhering to the full implementation of the Minsk Agreements, upon which all sides agreed. Until then, we need to keep the sanctions in place and so keep the pressure on.”
Speaking in Warsaw on 5 May, US Deputy Secretary of State A. Blinken stated, “In full view of social media, Russia continues to arm, to train, to direct, and to fight alongside separatist forces in eastern Ukraine, while conducting unconventional, hybrid tactics of disinformation, deception, and intelligence operations. […] Moscow’s actions-from holding a sham referendum and attempting to annex Crimea, to deploying thousands of heavy weapons and troops across the international border, to supporting a reign of violence through the separatists that it controls-these actions have threatened to set a new precedent on European soil whereby basic international principles are up for debate: That the borders and territorial integrity of a state cannot be changed by force. That it is the inherent right of citizens in a democracy to make their country’s decisions and determine their country’s future. That all members of the international community are bound by common rules and should face costs if they do not live up to the solemn commitments that they make. These principles transcend Ukraine. They transcend Europe. They are the fundamental rules that underpin the international order that together we have sought to build, sustain, and as necessary adapt. In challenging them, Russia seeks to unravel our transatlantic alliance, erode our unity, and pressure democracies into failure. […] We stand together in our unwavering support for Ukraine-for its sovereignty, its territorial integrity, and its right as a free and democratic nation to pursue the path set by its own citizens and them alone. The crisis in Ukraine was manufactured by Russia and must be ended by Russia-by adhering to the full implementation of the Minsk Agreements, upon which all sides agreed. Until then, we need to keep the sanctions in place and so keep the pressure on.”
4. Ukraine’s representative at Trilateral Contact Group: No elections in Donbas until control of border returned to Ukraine
Ukraine’s representative to the Trilateral Contact Group (Ukraine-OSCE-Russia) on the Donbas, former President L. Kuchma, stated, “While there is no Ukrainian authority there [on the Russian-occupied Donbas territories], while the border is not under Ukraine’s control, there cannot be any discussions of elections. At the last meeting of the Trilateral Contact Group, I stated that while the question of security is not decided, we cannot talk about elections or political reforms,” Radio Svoboda reported
