The militants have expanded their territory in Donbas by 500 sq km since September
Pro-Russian rebels have vowed to conquer more territory in eastern Ukraine and ruled out peace talks after Kiev retreated from a long-disputed airport, casting aside Europe’s latest push for a truce, the Gulf Times writes. “We know that the militants have expanded their territory by 500sq km (since the September truce),” Co-director of...
The Minsk peace did not specify which side should keep control of the Donetsk airport
The shiny new terminal building at Donetsk airport opened just in time to welcome fans to the European soccer championships in 2012. In recent months, bullets and shells are all that have flown in and out, the Bloomberg writes. Loss of the airport on the northwest edge of Donetsk “would have a strong demoralizing effect,” Co-director of Foreign...
What Is the Future for Donbas?
This past weekend’s intensified fighting and shelling in southeastern Ukraine, from Donetsk to Mariupol, escalated the Ukraine crisis to a new level. As more people die, political negotiations and eventual diplomatic compromise look less and less likely. What, under these circumstances, does the future hold for Donbas? …read more...
Russia’s Preemptive Counter-Revolution
Russia’s return to dictatorship does not represent any form of continuity with the country’s imperial ambition, cultural traditions, or national character. As the Ukraine crisis shows, President Vladimir Putin’s only interest is in protecting his regime and its elites. …read more Source: Project...
Raid on ATR television channel in Crimea unacceptable, a clear intrusion of media’s independence, says Mijatović
VIENNA, 26 January 2015 – OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatović today condemned the raid by masked forces in Crimea on ATR television station in the city of Simferopol. “I have repeatedly reminded of the need to safeguard the work of journalists and media outlets. This practice of intrusion of free and independent media...
Serbian OSCE Chairmanship calls special meeting of Permanent Council to discuss Ukraine violence
VIENNA, 25 January 2015 – In light of the rapid deterioration of the situation in eastern Ukraine, including yesterday’s shelling of Mariupol and the rising number of civilian casualties, the Serbian Chairmanship of the OSCE today announced that a special meeting of the OSCE Permanent Council will be held on Monday 26 January at 16:00 hrs...
OSCE Representative condemns attack on journalists covering demonstrations in Prishtinë/Priština
VIENNA, 26 January 2015 – OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatović today condemned a recent attack on three journalists covering demonstrations in Prishtinë/Priština. On 24 January reporter Aleksandra Jovanovic and cameraman Bojan Košanin, both from Radio Television of Kosovo (RTK), and reporter Vladimir Milic from Radio...
Latest from OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine based on information received as of 18:00 (Kyiv time), 25 January 2015
This report is for media and the general public. The SMM continued to monitor the implementation of the provisions of the Minsk Protocol and Memorandum and the work of the Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination (JCCC). The shelling of a residential area in Mariupol city on 24 January resulted in 30 dead and 102 injured, according to latest...
The battle to defend the Donetsk airport has become a symbol of Ukrainian glory
The flurry of diplomatic activity came as Ukrainian government forces and rebels fought pitched battles in the arrivals and departure halls at the Donetsk airport, which has acquired symbolic importance for both sides. The terminals, refurbished for the Euro 2012 soccer tournament, have been reduced to smoking ruins, the Bloomberg writes. The...
A land corridor to link Russia to Crimea might become on the top of the agenda
In launching an offensive against the Ukrainian coastal city of Mariupol, pro-Russian separatists have selected a target of both strategic and symbolic importance in their bloody conflict with the government in Kyiv, the Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty reports. “Every town – especially such a big city, and quite symbolic as well – lost by the...
