Crisis in Ukraine: Daily Briefing – 30 May 2016, 7 PM Kyiv time

The National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine (RNBO) reported that yesterday towards Donetsk, Russian-terrorist forces fired over 220 mortars rounds at Ukrainian positions near Luhanske village and Avdiyivka. Towards Mariupol, Russian-terrorist forces shelled Ukrainian positions with mortars and artillery, along the entire sector of the Mariupol front. There was no combat on the Luhansk sector of the front. The RNBO reported that in the last 24 hours, three Ukrainian soldiers were killed and eight were wounded in action. The RNBO reported that on 27-28 May, six Ukrainian soldiers were killed and four were wounded in action.

O. Turchynov, Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, stated, “We see Russia firing on Ukrainian positions every day, using new weapons and new methods, completely ignoring the basic provisions of the Minsk agreements. Every day we are suffering losses – our soldiers are being killed and wounded.” Turchynov stated that the dangerous trends in May “can erupt into full-scale hostilities.” Turchynov stated that the only thing that can restrain Russia is a strong Ukrainian army, and therefore, “it is extremely important to receive military-technical support from the West. We are actively developing the military-industrial complex, but we are unable to completely satisfy the needs for the full range of weapons required to protect Ukraine.”

On 27 May, Ukraine’s President P. Poroshenko appointed former NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen as Advisor to the President. Rasmussen was NATO Secretary General from August 2009-September 2014, and Prime Minister of Denmark (2001-2009). Following his appointment, Rasmussen stated, “I’m pleased to accept the appointment, and I will do my utmost to promote security and reforms in Ukraine, and strengthen the Ukraine-EU bond. The security situation in East Ukraine is alarming, the Minsk deal must be fully implemented by all sides. At the same time, Ukraine must implement much needed reforms, including an enhanced fight against corruption. In that respect, reinforced ties with the EU are essential.”

Speaking at the Spring Session of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, NATO Deputy Secretary General A. Vershbow stated, “We need to strengthen our collective defence and deterrence, and we need to project stability beyond our borders.  These will be the two overarching themes of our Warsaw Summit, and the areas where our leaders will make important decisions. […] In the last couple of years, Russia has illegally annexed Crimea and it continues its aggression in Eastern Ukraine.  It has also significantly built up its military forces from the Barents Sea and the Baltic to the Black Sea and in the eastern Mediterranean. These actions challenge the very foundation of European security, undermining respect for national sovereignty and the use of peaceful means to settle disputes – principles laid down in the Helsinki Final Act and many post-Cold War agreements that Moscow helped to write.  Moreover, Russian leaders don’t conceal that their vision for European security is no longer Helsinki, but Yalta – a Europe based on spheres of influence that we thought was long behind us. […] So I expect leaders at Warsaw to agree on an enhanced forward presence in the East of the Alliance, including multinational, battalion-sized units provided by European and North American Allies.  This will make it clear to anyone who would do us harm, from the east or south, that an attack against any Ally will be swiftly met by forces from across the Alliance.”