Protests in Ukraine escalate

[Natalka]

On Sunday, July 27, a march against Putin's terrorism took place in Warsaw

[Natalka]

Trailer for movie soon coming out - subtitles in English

[Natalka]

Intense fighting in eastern Ukraine “extremely alarming”, says Pillay, as UN releases new report



GENEVA (28 July 2014) - A total breakdown of law and order and a reign of fear and terror have been inflicted by armed groups on the population of eastern Ukraine, according to a new report issued today by the Office of United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.


The report documents how these armed groups continue to abduct, detain, torture and execute people kept as hostages in order to intimidate and “to exercise their power over the population in raw and brutal ways.” Well organized and well equipped militarily, these armed groups have intensified their challenge to the Government of Ukraine, the report says. In response, there has been an acceleration of Government security operations during July in the areas still under the control of the armed groups, with heavy fighting located in and around population centres, resulting in loss of life, property and infrastructure and causing thousands to flee.


“The reports of increasingly intense fighting in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions are extremely alarming, with both sides employing heavy weaponry in built-up areas, including artillery, tanks, rockets and missiles,” said UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay.

The report points out how impunity in the areas under the control of the armed groups in the east has led to the collapse of the rule of law. It lists examples of some of the 812 people who have been abducted or detained by these armed groups in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions since mid-April. “Some of those detained by the armed groups are local politicians, public officials and employees of the local coal mining industry; the majority are ordinary citizens, including teachers, journalists, members of the clergy and students.” The Monitoring Mission has received numerous reports of acts of ill-treatment or torture of these detainees, as well as killings by the armed groups which frequently seek ransom or, more recently, use the detainees to dig trenches or send them to fight on the front lines. Some abductions appear to be totally random. In addition, the Office of the High Commissioner reports cases of people being detained by the Ukrainian armed forces and some cases of Ukrainian nationals who allegedly have been taken and are currently detained in the Russian Federation on various charges.


“The horrendous shooting down of the Malaysian Airlines plane on 17 July came just after the cut-off date of this report,” Pillay said. “This violation of international law, given the prevailing circumstances, may amount to a war crime. It is imperative that a prompt, thorough, effective, independent and impartial investigation be conducted into this event.”


“I would like to stress to all those involved in the conflict, including foreign fighters, that every effort will be made to ensure that anyone committing serious violations of international law including war crimes will be brought to justice, no matter who they are,” the High Commissioner added. “I urge all sides to bring to an end the rule of the gun and restore respect for the rule of law and human rights.”

more here

http://reliefweb.int/report/ukraine/...e-15-july-2014

[Natalka]

Canada was the first, now...

U.S. and Europe Set to Toughen Russia Sanctions

FRANKFURT — The United States and Europe put aside their differences and agreed Monday to sharply escalate economic sanctions against Russia amid worries that Moscow is stepping up its intervention in Ukraine and may be setting the stage for an outright invasion.


After months in which European leaders resisted going as far as the Americans, the two sides settled on a package of measures that would target Russia’s financial, energy and military sectors. In some cases, the Europeans may actually leapfrog beyond what the United States has done, forcing Washington to catch up.


The collaboration suggested a hardening resolve among the allies after the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 over eastern Ukraine this month. Not only has Moscow not backed down, as some hoped it might, but American, European and Ukrainian officials said Russia had actually accelerated its involvement in Ukraine’s civil war with pro-Russian separatists.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/29/wo...=13240517&_r=1

(will be finalized Tuesday)

[gryphon]

Putin wont back down. Its becoming clear he wants the soviet empire back

[Natalka]

Mon, Jul 28: The Ukrainian community in Montreal rallied on Monday to protest what’s happening along the Ukraine and Russian border.

short video

http://globalnews.ca/video/1478897/m...unity-protests

[Natalka]

Commercials running in Ukraine to boost morale, encourage people to help army

[Natalka]

Espresso TV, an online video news channel, has also produced a video meant to raise the country's spirits. It created the video "Batallion Kyiv-1,” in which a young soldier preparing to depart to Dnipropetrovsk notices an older veteran with whom he exchanges salutes.


“You bravely defended our freedom. We are honored to protect it and restore peace," says a voice at the end of the video

[Natalka]

Ukrainian channel STB shot its own video, which shows a soldier making a video letter to his mother.


“Hi, mom. Do you remember when I asked you for a brother? Now I have 22 of them,” he says.
The video shows fighting scenes with the soldier before finishing with the message: “The army is an honor for those who serve and for those who wait.”


"These soldiers are defending our freedom and dignity, showing the enemy our strength and power, patriotism and devotion to their country and its people," says the description of this army video.

[Natalka]

Horlivka Evacuation Coordinator abducted by Kremlin-backed militants

Konstantin Piskun who is coordinating the evacuation of people from Horlivka in the Donetsk oblast was seized on Wednesday at around 11.00 by militants from the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic. Piskun was helping women with children and elderly Horlivka residents escape the zone of military conflict, and coordinating departure of buses.


He was seized by the militants at the bus station while helping people on to the bus.
Piskun is not a political activist. He is a member of a local church and committed to helping people.


His abduction could put an end to vital efforts to evacuate people. Two thousand people have already been helped to leave Horlivka. According to Pastor Sergei Kosyak, there are thousands wishing to leave.


Pastor abducted in Donetsk oblast

30.07.14

Alexander Kobzev, Pastor of the Church of Christ has almost certainly been abducted by Kremlin-backed militants. His wife informs that contact with him was lost near 10 p.m. on July 27 near the approach to Ilovaisk. The bad news comes from Said Ismagilov, Mufti of the Spiritual Directorate of Muslims of Ukraine. He and Pastor Alexander have both been taking part in the inter-faith prayer marathon in the centre of Donetsk which has been continuing now for almost 150 days.


One other priest (at least) remains in captivity. Father Yury Ivanov, from the Orthodox Church of the Kyiv Patriarchate was abducted on July 8. According to Said Ismagilov, militants had earlier turned up at Father Yury’s home and demanded that he ask Archbishop Serhiy of the Donetsk UOC KP to urgently come to his home, obviously so that the militants could abduct him.

http://khpg.org.ua/en/index.php?id=1406638401

In its latest report, published on July 28, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights reports that the whereabouts of 375 people believed to have been taken prisoner by the militants remain unknown.


It listed examples of some of the 812 people who had been abducted or detained by these armed groups in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions since mid-April. “Some of those detained by the armed groups are local politicians, public officials and employees of the local coal mining industry; the majority are ordinary citizens, including teachers, journalists, members of the clergy and students.”

[Natalka]

(July 29)

Petro Poroshenko: "Today we released 17 hostages, among them Ukrainian soldiers and one civilian foreigner. They were kept in captivity in Horlivka. I can say one thing - Ukraine is proud of the way courage which our boys demonstrated while in captivity. We will do everything possible to free those who are still held by the rebels."

[Natalka]

Two rallies in support of Israel took place in Ukraine on July 27 2014. They were initiated by the Ukrainian friends of the “Israel Supports Ukraine” Facebook group and its sister group “Ukraine Supports Israel”. Andriy Denisenko, one of the leaders of Right Sector, was present at the event that took place in Dnipropetrovsk. Attendees at the rally in Kyiv included Valeriy Pekar, a EuroMaidan leader, and Natan Chazin, a Jewish commander of one of the EuroMaidan combat units.


Sign - together til the end (or til it's finished)

[Natalka]

Nine Children Blown up over Mine in Donetsk

According to Hromadske (tv) reporter Mustafa Nayem, nine children were blown up over a mine in the village Berestove, Artemivsk Raion, Donesk Oblast. One child was killed, eight are in a very serious condition in the hospital. There are many damaged limbs and facial wounds.


According to Anton Herashchenko, Advisor to the Ministry of the Interior, the teens entered a courtyard of munitions which they found in a fortified area of the militants. They were likely struck by a mine or shell.


Children need urgent amputation of limbs; several lost their vision. A one year-old who happened to be in the yard is in the most critical condition of all the children.

[gryphon]

Nine Children Blown up over Mine in Donetsk


According to Hromadske (tv) reporter Mustafa Nayem, nine children were blown up over a mine in the village Berestove, Artemivsk Raion, Donesk Oblast. One child was killed, eight are in a very serious condition in the hospital. There are many damaged limbs and facial wounds.


According to Anton Herashchenko, Advisor to the Ministry of the Interior, the teens entered a courtyard of munitions which they found in a fortified area of the militants. They were likely struck by a mine or shell.


Children need urgent amputation of limbs; several lost their vision. A one year-old who happened to be in the yard is in the most critical condition of all the children.

Oh dear Lord....Thats horrible

[Natalka]

G-7 Leaders Statement on Ukraine

July 30, 2014
Ottawa, Ontario

We, the leaders of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, the United States, the President of the European Council and the President of the European Commission, join in expressing our grave concern about Russia’s continued actions to undermine Ukraine’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence. We once again condemn Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea, and actions to de-stabilize eastern Ukraine. Those actions are unacceptable and violate international law.

We condemn the tragic downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 and the deaths of 298 innocent civilians. We demand a prompt, full, unimpeded and transparent international investigation. We call upon all sides to establish, maintain and fully respect a cease-fire at and around the crash site, as demanded by UN Security Council resolution 2166, so that the investigators can take up their work and to recover the remains of all victims and their personal possessions.

This terrible event should have marked a watershed in this conflict, causing Russia to suspend its support for illegal armed groups in Ukraine, secure its border with Ukraine, and stop the increasing flow of weapons, equipment and militants across the border in order to achieve rapid and tangible results in de-escalation.

Regrettably however, Russia has not changed course. This week, we have all announced additional coordinated sanctions on Russia, including sanctions on specific companies operating in key sectors of the Russian economy. We believe it is essential to demonstrate to the Russian leadership that it must stop its support for the separatists in eastern Ukraine and tangibly participate in creating the necessary conditions for the political process.

We remain convinced that there must be a political solution to the current conflict, which is causing rising numbers of civilian casualties. We call for a peaceful settlement of the crisis in Ukraine, and underline the need to implement President Poroshenko's peace plan without any further delay. To this end, we urge all parties to establish a swift, genuine and sustainable general cease-fire on the basis of the Berlin Declaration of 2 July with the aim of maintaining Ukraine's territorial integrity. We call upon Russia to use its influence with the separatist groups and ensure effective border control, including through OSCE observers. We support the OSCE and the Trilateral Contact Group as central players in creating the conditions for a ceasefire.

Russia still has the opportunity to choose the path of de-escalation, which would lead to the removal of these sanctions. If it does not do so, however, we remain ready to further intensify the costs of its adverse actions.

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The Prime Minister's Office - Communications