Dmitry Tymchuk: Update from the zone of combat operations

January 16 – 6 Ukrainian military were killed and 18 wounded in the ATO area in the last 24 hours, – informed NSDC spokesman Andriy Lysenko.

January 16 – Ukrainian Parliament will attempt to abolish parliamentary and judicial immunity today, – said the Speaker Volodymyr Groysman.

January 16 – Ukraine has recovered UAH 3.7 billion (cash) from the vaults of the National Bank of Ukraine, earlier seized from the annexed Crimea – President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko.

January 16 – Global markets expect that Ukraine might default, but the government can still avoid such a scenario, – stated American financier and philanthropist George Soros during a meeting with reporters in Kyiv. The West – both the EU and the US – do not fully understand how significant the possibility of a default really is – emphasized the financier.

January 16 – Former members of Ukrainian parliament Mykola Levchenko and Vadim Kolesnichenko (Party of Regions) were declared wanted on the charges of calls for separatism and breakup of Ukraine.

January 16 – An attack on Donetsk airport begat at 8 am. The fighting continued throughout the day; the militants used tear-gas. The situation is fairly complicated, but overall under control. Ukrainian military are well supported by protective fire. If it weren't for protective fire, the terrorists would have gained an upper hand long ago. Those who are currently defending the site of Donetsk airport are able to carry out their duty as a result of such powerful protective fire. Airport is a site of most fierce opposition. According to journalist Andriy Tsaplienko, Ukrainian military blew up Russian mercenaries (Chechens and also Kadyrov supporters) who made their way into the basement of the airport a few days ago.

January 16 -Russian terrorist fighters in the ATO zone are continuing to assemble heavy army supplies – RNBO spokesperson Andriy Lysenko: "During the last few days we are observing the assemblance of for fighters close to the demarcation of the border. Especially in the city there is a whole row of tanks that have stretched out over approximately 3 kilometers and moved in the direction of the positions of the Ukrainian sub-units," reported Lysenko.

January 16 – U.S. Ambassadaor Jeffrey Payett stated that the attacks of the fighters on the Donetsk Airport is a violation of the Minsk agreement.

January 16 – In the city of Kurakhiv in the Donetsk region, Security Forces detained a fighter of the diverse group, the so-called " DNR". Among the many crimes committed by the terrorist whose surname is "Tserber", is the murder of two peaceful citizens. The so-called "intelligence gatherers" actively terrified local residents, treathening them with physical harm. From words, they moved on to action, killed two two peaceful citizens – a man and a woman, and took over their automobile. While escaping the scene of the crime, the terrorists wounded a member of the street police of Ukraine.

January 16 – Turkey is interested that Ukraine remains the transitioner of the Russian gas to the European Union. This was stated in Brussells by the Prime miister of Turkey, Akhmet Davutohlu in commenting on Russian plans to transport the gas through the territory of Turkey into Europe. In 2014, the transporting of Russian gas through Ukraine's territory, compared to the previous year, decreased by 28%. Davutohlu also noted that Turkey has good relations and a high level of cooperation with Ukraine as welll aswith Russia. However, the relations with Kyiv are solely based on the principles of the territorial integrity of the country.

The director of NAK "Gas of Ukraine" Andriy Koboliev called the statement of Hazprom regarding the "Turkish Stream" a political bluff. Statements by Hazprom that the company is ready to curtail the relationship which has existed for many years with the EU, lack any economic sense at all and are a political bluff," stated Koboliev. The enterprise stated that Naftogaz is adhering to all agreements made in Brussells which are geared towards preserving the stability of the delivery of Russian gas to the countries of EU.

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