December 27, 2015

12/25/2015 Ukraine: Daily Highlights - Kominternove is still under the DPR militants control

Kominternove is still under the DPR militants control
Kominternove is still under the DPR militants control

12.25.2015 Daily Highlights by the Digests & Analytics Ukraine Agency

Topics from Media and Social Networks

  • Kominternove is still under the DPR militants control.
  • Elections of the Kiev district councils deputies are scheduled for March 27, 2016.
  • Head of UKROP party Korban was served a subpoena immediately after heart surgery.

Key Events in Ukraine

  • Prime Minister Yatsenyuk informed that the Ostchem company owned by oligarch Firtash , against which the criminal proceedings are underway, paid back to Naftogaz a total of UAH 3 billion . By the end of the year, he also expects payment of dividends in amount of UAH 1.8 billion  from the Ukrnafta company .
  • The Central Election Commission appointed the  elections of the deputies to the combined local communities, as well as deputies to the district councils in Kyiv on March 27.
  • Deputy of the Parliament Tomenko after the voting on the draft budget announced his intention to withdraw from the presidential faction and coalition.
  • Finance Minister Yaresko said that the continued funding of the IMF depends on the evaluation of the adopted version of the budget and tax reform by the specialists of the Fund.
  • The hryvnia exchange rate, as usual, slightly decreased before the weekend: 22.14 ₴/$ (+0.17 UAH), 25.33 ₴/€ (+0.19 UAH), 3.29 ₴/10 ₽ (-0.01 UAH).

Ukraine at War

  • Despite the declared cease-fire, the militants do not stop attacks on the Ukrainian positions in the conflict zone in the Donbass. Settlements near Donetsk, Gorlovka, and on Mariupol direction were shelled. The settlement of Kominternovo in the "gray zone" is still occupied by the militants.
  • On the demarcation line near Mariupol the Pyschevyk checkpoint was opened to  replace the previously operating Gnutovo checkpoint, which did not have sufficient capacity.
  • One of the leaders of the Crimean Tatars Islyamov reported that the vessels with smuggled goods for the Crimea depart from Odessa. They are turning off the navigators and are reloaded on the sea or unloaded in Sevastopol. Islyamov warned that from January 15, when the ban on trade with  the Crimea comes into effect, a fight with the non-compliant vessels will start and that will stop the flow of contraband to the peninsula. The Crimean Tatars will form a battalion for actions on the administrative border with the Crimea and on the peninsula itself.
  • Defense Minister Poltorak said that the staff "cleanings" in the Ministry will not be public, but they will be effective. He promised to get rid of the "war tourism" when officials of law enforcement agencies received the status of combatants without being on the front line, while the fighters are waiting for its confirmation for many months. The start of transition to the NATO standards was announced for 2016 . It will take three years to completely reform the Ministry of Defence , and five years for the General Staff reform. Poltorak said that the salaries of soldiers in the new year will double.

Ukraine and the World

  • Russia significantly increased the amount of financing of the purchases of electricity  for the Crimea from Ukraine.
  • Head of Sberbank of Russia Gref forecasts further decrease of the ruble exchange rate in 2016 due to the negative trends in energy prices in the world market.
  • German Foreign Minister Steinmeier said that his country will not participate in military operations in Syria, and a key role in the fight against the Islamic state must play Saudi Arabia.
  • State Duma Speaker Naryshkin argues that the rights of the Russian-speaking population outside Russia are violated by some of the leaders of countries and political groups and, therefore, Russia will do everything possible to support and spread the Russian language.

The Trends

  • Observers from civil society focus on the inadequate actions of the security forces against the UKROP party leader Korban, who does not attempt to hide from the investigation. Delivery of the summons on the next day after the heart surgery can be regarded as a violation of human rights.

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