Taras Voznyak

February 27 – 3 Ukrainian military were killed and 7 injured in the ATO area in the last 24 hours, – informed NSDC spokesman Andriy Lysenko.

February 27 – Russia plans to seize those parts of Ukraine that are needed create a corridor to Crimea (attack on Mariupol is possible in the spring), – stated Director of National Intelligence James Clapper.

February 27 – Organizers of Kharkiv terrorist attacks have received weapons and funding from the Main Intelligence Directorate of the General Staff of Russian Armed Forces, – stated at a press conference on Friday the Chief of Security Service of Ukraine Valentyn Nalyvaichenko. He said that for the attack, the terrorists were given mines from the army main office in Belgorod. They also received 10 000 US dollars as a payment for Kharkiv terrorist attack.

February 27 – Russia has concentrated 63500 of its military near the border with Ukraine. According to "Information Resistance" group, most Russian soldiers are located in Crimea (30 thousand). Additionally, near Russia-Ukraine border in Chernihiv direction there are 3350 soldiers, Kharkiv direction – 5150 soldiers, Donetsk direction – 21800 soldiers. Another 3200 Russian soldiers are located in Transnistria.

February 27 – Ukrainian pilot Nadiya Savchenko who is illegally detained at the Russian prison, intends to go on a dry hunger strike, – said her lawyer Illya Novikov in a comment to "Dozhd" TV channel.

February 27 – On Friday, the militants have concentrated on shelling Donetsk area, – reports ATO press-centre.

February 27 – In case the situation in Donbas deteriorates, the UK could reconsider a decision to grant Ukraine lethal weapons, – said UK's Foreign Minister Philip Hammond. "At this point we decided not to provide Ukrainian army with lethal weapons, but we can review this decision", – said Hammond.

February 27 – First Deputy to NSDC Secretary Oleg Hladkovskyi has said that Ukraine is receiving lethal weapons from foreign countries. "Where there is no unnecessary hustle, which we, unfortunately, often create ourselves – these countries we do receive lethal weapons from", – he said.

February 27 – During the International Defence Exhibition & Conference IDEX-2015 in Abu Dhabi, Ukrainian delegation has signed a contract for the purchase of remotely piloted aircraft and radioelectronic warfare equipment with French company Thales Group.

February 27 – Security Services of Ukraine state that Vladyslav Surkov, an assistant to the President of RF is sending terrorist organizations "LNR" and "DNR" secret messages about their reaction to the actions of the official authorities in Kyiv. Valentyn Nalyvaichenko, Head of Ukraine's Security Services, stated this at a press conference on Friday by demonstrating a fragment of a circular dated February 2015. In this document, particularly, there is a statement that the decision to invite into Ukraine a peace-keeping contingent of UN is contradictory to the peace agreements. The circular is almost written in the same words as those later used by the leaders of the fighters in their comments on their media resources. Also, according to Nalyvaichenko, the Security Services of Ukraine are continuing to gather proof about the involvement of Surkov in directing the groups of the special staff of the Federation Security Services, who cooperated with the former directors of Security Services of Ukraine at the time of the events on Euromaidan.

February 26 – The situation in the ATO are has slightly stabilized, no attacks of our positions were recorded overnight, – said NSDC spokesman Andriy Lysenko.

February 26 – When speaking at US Congress Defense Committee meeting on February 25th, Supreme Allied Commander Europe of NATO Allied Command Operations Philip Breedlove has said that Russian troops are stationed in Transdniestria in order to "prevent Moldova getting closer to the West". Being stationed in Transdniestria they can hit Ukraine as easily as Moldova.

February 26 – National Joint Stock Company "Naftogaz of Ukraine" will take out a loan from the National Bank of China to the amount of 3.6 billion dollars.

February 26 – Russian "Gazprom" has agreed to discuss gas supply to the occupied areas of Donbas separately from overall Ukraine-Russia gas issues.

February 26 – Ukraine has begun the withdrawal of heavy weapons, – stated the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. 100mm main guns are being withdrawn from the boundary line. 100-mm howitzers and anti-tank guns "Rapira" are being repositioned. They are being relocated 25 km from the lines identified by Minsk agreements.

February 26 – As a result of joint counter-terrorism activities implemented by the Security Service of Ukraine and the Interior Ministry of Ukraine, the criminals involved in the terrorist attack in Kharkiv on February 22th were detained. 4 people were killed in the attack, – informed NSDC Secretary Oleksandr Turchynov.

February 26 – In the last month Russia has relocated over a thousand units of military equipment, vehicles, tanks, artillery and air defense systems to Donbas, – stated NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg at a joint press conference with Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi.

February 26 – Національний банк знизив офіційний курс гривні на 26 лютого до 30,01 гривні за долар.

National Bank of Ukraine lowered the official rate of hryvnia to 30.01 UAH per 1 US dollar for February 26th.

February 26 – During the lastfive months teachers on the territories controlled by "LNR" did not receive salaries or any social payments. ATO Spokesperson Andriy Lysenko announced this during a briefing. According to him the last time that teachers were paid for their work was for September 2014. "Since the majority of families of teachers remain without money, and the fighters continue to rob peaceful civilians, the educators gave an ultimatum to the leadership of "LNR". In case there is no payment of salaries, from March 9th, no school will remain open in Luhansk," he said.

February 26 – Ukraine has already filed with the European Court of Human Rights three law suits against the Russian Federation. The first one that Ukraine filed in the European Court of Human Rights against Russia was back in March 2014, during events which culminated in the annexation of Crimea.

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February 25 – 75 military from the UK will be deployed to Ukraine in the upcoming weeks to train Ukrainian military, – saidPrime Minister of the United Kingdom David Cameron.

February 25 – Canada could send military instructors to train in Ukraine, reports thestar.com citing Canada's Minister of Defence Jason Kenney. The Minister also mentioned that the the US and the UK have already made similar decisions.

February 25 – In Donetsk, Ukrainian partisans of the group named "Tini" ("Shadows") who are fighting in the occupied areas, have blew up a military warehouse of the militants.

February 25 – European Commission proposes to discuss the possibility of separate accounting for Russian gas supplied to "Naftogaz of Ukraine" (Ukraine) and to occupied Donbas. Russian "Gazprom" would like to supply gas directly to Donbas and to force Ukraine to pay for it – this is what business Russian style looks like.

February 25 – Moscow City Court decided to leave Ukrainian pilot Nadiya Savchenko in custody until May 13th (Savchenko was abducted from Ukraine). She has been on hunger strike for 75 days. Ukrainian pilot Nadiya Savchenko made a speech during the trial in Moscow. "Deceitful bastards from the Investigative Committee are keeping me here illegally and are forcing me to starve", – she said.

February 25 – Ukrainian hryvnia has slightly strengthened after its dramatic decrease in value on Monday-Tuesday. The Government and the National Bank have limited the purchase of foreign currency and introduced a number of restrictions that eased the "currency rush". National Bank Chairman and Finance Minister have held a press conference and described the steps that will be taken. The Ministry of Finance does not intend to review the average exchange rate of hryvnia (21.7 UAH to 1 USD), which was used to prepare the amendments to 2015 state budget.

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February 24 – 1 Ukrainian military was killed and 7 were injured in the ATO area in the last 24 hours, – informed NSDC spokesman Andriy Lysenko.

February 24 – Prosecutor General of Ukraine is preparing to charge twenty employees of Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) with organizing and participating in mass shootings of protesters during the Revolution of Dignity (in Ukraine) in February 2014.

February 24 – Terrorists are transferring military machinery and manpower closer to Mariupol direction, – said NSDC spokesman Andriy Lysenko.

February 24 – If Mariupol is seized, this could become the last psychological barrier needed by the West to change its policies and would mean the death of armistice agreements, – said Marshal of the Sejm of Poland Radoslaw Sikorski, reports Newsweek Polska.

February 24 – At a meeting of the State Council of Defence of Lithuania it has been decided to initiate a return to compulsory military service. Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite has compulsory military service may be needed due to changes in the region's geopolitical situation.

February 24 – Poland has sent a note to the Russian Foreign Ministry with a request to provide the wreckage of Tu-154 M, which "crashed" near Smolensk in April 2010. Polish President Lech Kaczynski and almost the entire political elite of Poland were killed in this airplane crash.

February 24 – Ukraine believes that it is necessary to reform the UN Security Council considering the fact that a member of the Security Council is now an aggressor, – stated Ukraine's Foreign Ministry spokesman Yevhen Perebiynis at a briefing, when commenting on the situation with Russia frequently blocking decisions on Ukraine.

February 24 – In Paris, foreign ministers of "Normandy Four" have failed to reach an agreement regarding the situation in Debaltseve, – informed Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin after the meeting, reports BBC: "Unfortunately, there was no political decision on how to regard what happened in Debaltseve".

February 24 – "Novaya Gazeta" newspaper has published a summary of the document describing Kremlin's scenario on events in Ukraine. The document contains a phased plan of dismantling Ukraine as a state. The text has been made public on newspaper's website. When planning a war in Ukraine, Putin's entourage hoped to start dismantling Ukraine from Crimea and Kharkiv oblasts, not Donetsk. The document was presented to Putin between February 4 and 12, 2014 – before Yanukovych fled to Russia.

February 24 – Official Kyiv is appealing to the international community to formulate new sanctions against Russia for not fulfilling the Minsk agreements – speaker of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Yevhen Perebyinis: "By their actions Russia is demonstrating that it has no intentions of fulfilling the Minsk Agreements, in particular, to immediately remove, as it is stipulated by the agreement, their soldiers and artillery from the territory of Ukraine. In this situation we are convinced, that in the world community there remains no other choice than to force Russia towards peace by creating new, more active restrictive efforts."

According to him, "all" "red lines" were once again crossed by Russia, and therefore stopping Kremlin is only possible through immediate consolidated acts of the whole civilized world."

As is known, after the signature of the Minsk Agreement of February 12th, the fighters did not stop the firing and took over Debaltseve, left by the Ukrainian army. Also Russia decided to "exclude from the Minsk Agreement" the release of the captured by it, Nadiya Savchenko, by which it invoked indignation in Ukraine. Nadiaya Savchenko is presently in her 74th day of a hunger strike.

What has happened to Colonel Mamchur

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Le 23 février – "Au cours des dernières 24 heures, deux soldats ukrainiens ont été tués dans la zone d'opération anti-terroriste, dix autres sont blessés." a déclaré le colonel Valentyn Feditchev.

Le 23 février – "La Russie n'a pas su instaurer la trêve après les accords de Minsk-2, alors nous devons envisager des sanctions plus lourdes et la livraison d'armes à l'Ukraine." a déclaré l'eurodéputé Jacek Saryusz-Wolski "Bruxelles doit comprendre qu'il est temps d'imposer plus de sanctions et d'autres mesures contre la Russie. Il s'agit de livrer des armes de haute technologie à l'Ukraine – des missiles de précision, des missiles anti-char, de l'équipement anti-aérien, des armes que possèdent principalement les Français, les Britanniques et les Américains."

Le 23 février – "Si les accords de Minsk ne sont pas respectés, nous risquons de voir la déstabilisation d'autres régions en Ukraine." – déclaration du ministre des Affaires étrangères de la Roumanie, Bogdan Aurescu. Il fait surtout référence aux régions voisines de la Roumanie – la Bessarabie, la Bucovine et la Transcarpatie.

Le 23 février – "La Pologne est prête à participer aux missions de maintien de la paix dans l'est de l'Ukraine, mais cette mission doit être précédée par une trêve réelle et une décision concrète de l'ONU." a déclaré le ministre polonais des Affaires étrangères Grzegorz Schetyna.

Le 23 février – "Le gouvernement fédéral de l'Allemagne s'inquiète que le cessez-le-feu ne soit pas respecté." a déclaré le porte-parole du gouvernement allemand, Steffen Seibert.

Le 23 février – "Il est possible d'organiser une mission de maintien de la paix des Nations Unies en Ukraine, mais c'est une question de temps." a déclaré le ministre allemand des Affaires étrangères Frank-Walter Steinmeier dans une interview au magazine Bild.

Le 23 février – La hryvnia ukrainienne est tombée de 29.25 à 32 hryvnia vis-à-vis du dollar – chute record en une journée.

Le 23 février – Afin de stabiliser la monnaie nationale, la Banque nationale d'Ukraine a décidé d'interdire les paiements en devises de plus de $500.000 dollars sans une lettre de crédit de la banque étrangère.

Laurence Parisot: il faut sauver l'Ukraine

Poutine en guerre contre l'Europe

P.S.: Faîtes circuler cet appel, SVP!

Le 23 février – "Au cours des dernières 24 heures, deux soldats ukrainiens ont été tués dans la zone d'opération anti-terroriste, dix autres sont blessés." a déclaré le colonel Valentyn Feditchev.

Le 23 février – "La Russie n'a pas su instaurer la trêve après les accords de Minsk-2, alors nous devons envisager des sanctions plus lourdes et la livraison d'armes à l'Ukraine." a déclaré l'eurodéputé Jacek Saryusz-Wolski "Bruxelles doit comprendre qu'il est temps d'imposer plus de sanctions et d'autres mesures contre la Russie. Il s'agit de livrer des armes de haute technologie à l'Ukraine – des missiles de précision, des missiles anti-char, de l'équipement anti-aérien, des armes que possèdent principalement les Français, les Britanniques et les Américains."

Le 23 février – "Si les accords de Minsk ne sont pas respectés, nous risquons de voir la déstabilisation d'autres régions en Ukraine." – déclaration du ministre des Affaires étrangères de la Roumanie, Bogdan Aurescu. Il fait surtout référence aux régions voisines de la Roumanie – la Bessarabie, la Bucovine et la Transcarpatie.

Le 23 février – "La Pologne est prête à participer aux missions de maintien de la paix dans l'est de l'Ukraine, mais cette mission doit être précédée par une trêve réelle et une décision concrète de l'ONU." a déclaré le ministre polonais des Affaires étrangères Grzegorz Schetyna.

Le 23 février – "Le gouvernement fédéral de l'Allemagne s'inquiète que le cessez-le-feu ne soit pas respecté." a déclaré le porte-parole du gouvernement allemand, Steffen Seibert.

Le 23 février – "Il est possible d'organiser une mission de maintien de la paix des Nations Unies en Ukraine, mais c'est une question de temps." a déclaré le ministre allemand des Affaires étrangères Frank-Walter Steinmeier dans une interview au magazine Bild.

Le 23 février – La hryvnia ukrainienne est tombée de 29.25 à 32 hryvnia vis-à-vis du dollar – chute record en une journée.

Le 23 février – Afin de stabiliser la monnaie nationale, la Banque nationale d'Ukraine a décidé d'interdire les paiements en devises de plus de $500.000 dollars sans une lettre de crédit de la banque étrangère.

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P.S.: Faîtes circuler cet appel, SVP!

February 22 – 1 Ukrainian military was killed and 3 were wounded in the last 24 hours, NSDC spokesman Andriy Lysenko.

February 22 – Putin's military actions against Ukraine have cost Russian society and the state 123 billion USD, – said the president of the Institute of Economic Analysis Andrei Illarionov: "Last year, Russia's gold reserves have decreased by 123 billion dollars".

February 22 – Pro-Russian terrorists have carried out a tank attack on the positions of Ukrainian Army 23 kilometres from Mariupol near the village of Shyrokyne, whereas Russian Air Force planes again appeared in the skies (two spy planes).

February 22 – From today, heavy weapons will start to be removed as scheduled under a control plan for coordination and implementation of Minsk agreements. This plan was agreed upon with the leaders of so-called "People's Republic of Donetsk" and "People's Republic of Luhansk", said NDSC spokesman Andriy Lysenko.

February 22 – A many thousands strong March of Dignity commemorating events at Maidan 2014 has taken place in Kyiv. Polish President Bronislaw Komorowski, President of Lithuania Dalia Grybauskaite, President of Slovakia Andrej Kiska, European Council President Donald Tusk have participated in the March.

February 22 – An explosion which killed 2 and injured 8 citizens has happened during a rally for peace in downtown Kharkiv. The explosion occurred when a procession was formed at Sports Palace to start moving to Constitution Square, where a public service for soldiers killed in the ATO was supposed to be held. Security Service of Ukraine has detained four individuals suspected of involvement in the preparation and implementation of this explosion in Kharkiv, where the highest level of terrorist threat was declared and counterterrorist operation has begun.

February 22 – The decision on whether to give Ukraine arms, U.S. President Barck Obama will make within the nearest days. This was stated on Saturday by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry during a joint press conference with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Great Britain, Phillip Hammondom, reported Reuters. "In the next few days, I expect, that President Obama will make a decision as to what further means will be used," said Kerry. He added that USA together with their European partners is deliberating also on the strengthening of sanctions against Russia for violating the Minsk agreements of February 12th. "We are not planning to sit with folded hands and to permit this kind of cynical behavior of threatening and ecroaching on the sovereignity of another country," said Kerry. USA Secretary of State emphasized that, in spite of the powerful propaganda, Russia will not be able to hide its actions.

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February 21 – Russian terrorists continue to shell the city of Avdiyivka. Three residents were killed, – informed the Head of Donetsk Regional Department of the Interior Ministry Vyacheslv Abroskin.

February 21 – Security Service of Ukraine has composed a list of over 100 Russian media, whose accreditation has been temporarily withdrawn. Right move, since they are not regular media but KGB.

February 21 – United States and its allies are discussing the possibility of adopting additional sanctions against Russia due to the situation in eastern Ukraine, – said US Secretary of State John Kerry at the meeting with UK Foreign Minister Philip Hammond. We'll be waiting.

February 21 – Pentagon experts have recorded a surge in Russian air activity over Ukraine, stated US Ministry of Defense spokesman Steve Warren.

February 21 – 139 Ukrainian military have just been freed near Luhansk, – informed the President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko. Hybrid war. It is like we are at war and at the same time we're not.

February 21 – Military actions implemented by Putin against Ukraine, have already cost Russian society and the state 123 billion USD, said the president of the Institute of Economic Analysis Andrei Illarionov at a roundtable meeting in Kyiv.

February 21 – Fighters are increasing their presence in the direction towards Mariupol. Maybe they are readying to attack Mariupol. This was stated by ATO Spokesperson, Andriy Lysenko and transmitted by Interfax-Ukraine.

"In the direction towards Mariupol there is an increasing number of armed artillery, weapons, and live forces of the oponent with the goal of possibly attacking the city of Mariupol," he stated at a briefing on Saturday in Kyiv. He noted that in the last 24 hours the fighters shelled the positions of ATO almost along the whole line of demarcation and conducted an unsuccessful attempt to storm them in the area of Shyrokyne Village. "During the last 24 hours, the fighters continued to shoot the positions of the ATO forces practically along the whole stretch of the line of demarcation," he stated. According to Lysenko, particularly intense remain the armed provocations from the side of the fighters in the Yasynuvatskyj area of the Donetsk region. "This is around the villages of Pisky, Doslidne, Vodiane, and Tonenke. In doing this, they actively utilize mines as well as reactive artillery of fire volleys and tanks," explained the ATO Spokesperson and also noted that there are continued provocations in the area of Shyrokyne Village. "Fighters with mines, grenades, and rifles, attacked the positions of ATO forces 10 times and were unsuccessful in storming it," reported Lysenko. Also the lietenant informed that the forces of ATO in the Debaltsev direction, are regrouping and are consolidating on new defensive positions. ATO Speaker provided information that in the Luhansk region,"Russian-terrorist groupings exhibited activity and attacked from the reactive systems of the gun volley 'Hrad' the area of the city of Popasne and the strong point of our soldiers and actually the city." Also, he informed, that in the last 24 hours, there were traced 16 enemy BPLA flights directed toward Mariupol, Donetsk, and Luhansk. "We note that most of the unmanned flights appear in the skies within 30 minutes after shooting has ceased," added Lysenko.

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February 20 – 2 Ukrainian military were killed and 3 wounded in the ATO area in the last 24 hours. General Staff of Ukrainian Armed Forces confirms that 110 Ukrainian military of Debaltseve garrison were captured by the militants.

February 20 – Donbas territories that are not controlled by Ukrainian authorities are in debt – they owe Ukraine 7.5 billion UAH for gas, 3.5 billion UAH for electricity. Gas and electricity are being supplied by Ukraine to territories that have been occupied by the Russians free of charge. This is surrealism in Ukrainian for you. Ukraine also covers all the social costs incurred by the terrorists. Whereas within Ukraine all the rates are going up several-fold.

February 20 – Russia continues to transfer its soldiers and military equipment to Donbas, – informed NSDC spokesman Andriy Lysenko. Over 20 tanks, 10 self-propelled artillery systems and 15 trucks have all entered Ukraine from Russia and started moving towards Novoazovsk. Busses carrying Russian soldiers have also been recorded. 20 trucks transporting ammunition were spotted near Izvaryne moving towards Luhansk.

February 20 – President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko has signed a Decree enacting the Decision by the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) of January 25th "On emergency measures to be taken against threat of Russian aggression and manifestations of terrorism, supported by the Russian Federation". In cooperation with the National Council for Radio and Television, the Government was instructed to take urgent action to curb Russian information aggression carried out using national and foreign media. State Fiscal Service and State Service for Financial Monitoring were instructed to immediately implement effective actions to identify and eliminate the channels used to fund the terrorists. NSDC has also urged General Prosecutor to take actions and recognise the so-called "People's Republic of Donetsk" and "People's Republic of Luhansk" as terrorist organizations.

February 20 – A year after the massacre at the Independence Square in Kyiv (the Maidan), a Prosecutor General of Ukraine has finally declared the suspicion of committing crimes to 18 former senior officials of Yanukovych regime, – informed during a press conference the Head of the Department for Special Investigations of the Prosecutor General Serhiy Gorbatyuk. International human rights organization "Amnesty International" presented a report stating that only two policemen have to date been criminally punished for crimes against "Maidan" and even they are now on probation. Everyone else still manages to successfully avoid any punishment.

February 20 – President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko has signed a Law on the creation of a joint Ukrainian-Polish-Lithuanian Brigade.

February 20 – Ukraine's example shows well that the position of halting nuclear power and refusing nuclear potential is not justified. This was stated by the former General Director of NATO, George Robertsonin an article published in the newspaper Herald Scotland. In polemics with the Scottish National Party, which supports the nuclear disarmament of Britain, he advises the opponents to search in Google information on the Budapest Memorandum of 1994, wherein Ukraine under "assurances made under oath" by Russia, USA, and Britain, renounced nuclear arms. "These countries, as well as both France and China, promised to: a) respect Ukrainian independence and sovereignity within the existing borders; b) refrain from the threat or the use of force against Ukraine, and c) refrain from economic pressure on Ukraine as a means of influencing its politics. "Don't these promises look good in the light of the bloody battles, which we see on our TV screens every evening?" asks Rebertson. Simultaneously, he emphasizes, that Russia is not even thinking of stopping its nuclear potential, but, on the contrary, is cultivating it.

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You can watch the documentary here: (in German)

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Le 19 février – "Lors des dernières 24 heures, 14 soldats ont été tués dans la zone d'opération anti-terroriste, 172 autres sont blessés." – le porte-parole de l'ATO, Andriy Lyssenko.

Le 19 février – Oleksandr Tourtchynov, secrétaire du Conseil national de la sécurité et de la défense de l'Ukraine a déclaré que le Conseil a approuvé la demande faite à l'ONU et à l'Union européenne de déployer une mission de maintien de la paix et de la sécurité en Ukraine.

Le 19 février – La direction générale du journal russe "Novaya Gazeta" a un document daté du 4-15 février 2014, élaboré par les conseillers de Poutine, qui raconte le scénario d'intervention en Ukraine (ceci après que l'Ukraine ait signé l'accord d'association avec l'UE).

Le 19 février – "Le nœud ferroviaire stratégique de Debaltsevo, qui était d'une importance capitale pour la région, a cessé d'exister. Le nœud ferroviaire ressemble aujourd'hui a une surface lunaire, tout est détruit." a déclaré le porte-parole de l'ATO, Andriy Lyssenko. "On estime que depuis l'annonce du cessez-le-feu jusqu'au retrait de la garnison ukrainienne de Debaltsevo, un combattant a reçu quotidiennement sur sa tête l'equivalent de 580 kg de métal létal sous la forme d'obus, de missiles anti-char et d'autres types de roquettes".

Le 19 février – Le Procureur général de l'Ukraine a déclaré qu'il a des raisons de croire que la fusillade sur le Maidan du 18 et 19 février 2014 a été organisée par des unités militaires russes.

Le 19 février – L'armée russes et les collaborateurs russes interdisent toujours l'accès à Debaltsevo aux représentants de la mission de l'OSCE.

Le 19 février – Le Service de presse de l'état-major des Forces armées de l'Ukraine annonce que plus de 90 soldats ukrainiens ont été capturés pendant la bataille de Debaltsevo, 82 sont portés disparus. Cependant, il ajouté qu'en quittant Debaltsevo les militaires ukrainiens ont arrêté plusieurs dizaines de terroristes, ce qui prouve de nouveau la propagation d'opérations illégales des groupements terroristes.

Le 19 février – Poutine déclare que la Crimée est devenue une "forteresse imprenable", protégée par de grandes unités militaires et des armes sophistiquées. En décembre 2014, le ministre russe de la Défense, Sergueï Choïgou a annoncé la création d'une Force militaire auto-suffisante en Crimée – le ministère a créé sept formations et huit unités militaires de plus.

Marioupol sous les bombes

Kyiv demande une force de maintien de la paix

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February 18 – Ukrainian troops left the city of Debaltseve as a result of massed intense fire by the Russian Army and pro-Russian terrorists – according to Minsk agreements Ukrainian military couldn't fire back in order not to break "Putin's ceasefire". "This morning Armed Forces of Ukraine together with the National Guards of Ukraine have completed a planned and organized withdrawal of forces from Debaltseve", – said the president of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko, who led the operation.

February 18 – NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has spoken about the use of modern weapons by the militants of "People's Republic of Donetsk" and "People's Republic of Luhansk" against Ukrainian military near Debaltseve. He did not specify the kind of weapon.

February 18 – "I call on Russia to withdraw all its troops from the east of Ukraine, to cease all support of the separatists, follow Minsk agreements and pressure on the separatists to force them to comply with ceasefire", – said NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.

February 18 – 167 wounded were transported to Artemivsk from Debaltseve. It was impossible to pick up the bodies of many who were killed.

February 18 – The militants supported by Russia demonstrate a clear intention to expand their control over the region, recognizes PACE, – said the President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) Anne Brasseur.

February 18 – European Union should consider deploying a military mission to Donbas if Minsk agreements are not adhered to and the fighting continues, – said the representative of Ukraine to the EU Konstantin Eliseev in his comment to BBC Radio. "We must use all our efforts and capacities (not only Ukraine, but the US and the EU) to press Kremlin to stop military fighting. If this fails, we must talk about a plan "B". Perhaps, it is time for the EU to consider the possibility of a military intervention in Donbas".

February 18 – According to President of Ukraine, Petro Poroshenko, in Debaltseve, the mission of Ukraine's Armed Forces was fully accomplished, despite the fact that the Ukrainian Army totally left the city. "This position and successes were very necessary in Minsk during the negotiations, and after Minsk. We could demonstrate to the whole world the real face of the bandits, separatists, supported by Russia, which took on the role of the guarantor and a direct participant of the Minsk negotiations," emphasized Poroshenko.

The head of the country clarified information about the encirclement of the Debaltseve fighters as well as about the massive deaths of Ukrainian soldiers. "We stated and proved that Debaltseve was under our controll, there was no encirclement. Our forces and divisions left in a planned organized fashion. They left with their full artillery, with tanks, with BNP, with SAU, with tractors, with automobile technology," stated Poroshenko. According to the President, those who left Debaltseve included the 128th Mountain Infantry Brigade, parts of the sub-divisions of the 30th Brigade, the 25th Battalion, the rest of the 40th Battalion, Special Forces, and the National Guard.

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February 17 – Cabinet of Ministers states about the destruction of 20% of the economic potential of Ukraine as a result of the conflict in Donbas. Relevant data are presented in the report on the losses and damage suffered by Ukraine from Russian aggression, named as "The Black Book of Kremlin." On the whole, the war, carried out by Putin against Ukraine, has by today destroyed almost 20% of our current economic potential, including the approximate revenue and money flow. In particular, the budget did not receive close to 23 milliard UAH due to the occupation of Donbas and Crimea. The fighters destroyed 1.4 thousand of objects of railroad infra-structure and 1.5 thousand kilometers of automobile roads. There have been more than 9,000 living quarters destroyed. The overall amount of destruction amounts to 1 milliard UAH. According to previous calculations, Ukraine, due to the Russian aggression will not annually receive close to 3% GDP from agricultural entities.

February 17 – Canada is imposing sanctions against top Russian oil firm NK Rosneft OAO and the head of conglomerate Rostec, among others, in response to the actions of Russian-backed militants in Ukraine

February 17 – The United Nations Security Council called on all parties in eastern Ukraine to stop fighting and implement a European-brokered peace deal as an almost three-day-old ceasefire rapidly began to unravel.

February 17 – In a phone call with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has demanded a "tough reaction" from the West against Russia over the broken ceasefire. The truce began at midnight on Feb. 15.

February 17 – Kyiv has confirmed that pro-Russian separatists have seized parts of Debaltseve from government troops, and said fighting was continuing in the eastern Ukrainian town despite a cease-fire deal agreed last week in Minsk. Russian President Vladimir Putin said pro-Moscow rebels should allow Ukranian government forces safe passage out of the encircled eastern town of Debaltseve but Kyiv should not prevent its troops from giving up their weapons.

Timothy Garton Ash

There'll be no peace while Putin is squatting in Ukraine's living room

No peace while Putin squats in Ukraine

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February 16 – Continued sanctions against Russia, crisis in Ukraine, and January terrorist acts in Paris have placed under threat the possibility of a peaceful life for more than 800 million Europeans. This was raised in the letter by the speaker of Derzhduma in Russia, Serhiy Naryshkin, addressed to the Parliaments of European countries, the European Council, European Parliament, as well as the OBSE Parliamentary Assembly, writes Newsweek. The letter urges European Parliaments to stop the crisis. It is noteworthy that the letter is not a public letter. It was released to journalists by the Parliaments. Interesting – who will resolve this war – if not Russia? Of course, Russia decided to scare the world with a World War, which it itself is unleashing. A reminder, on Monday, the new EU sanctions against Russia took effect.

February 16 – Illegal armed groups have fired at the positions of ATO forces over 112 times. The fragile ceasefire in Ukraine appears to have collapsed just 48 hours after being implemented, as separatist fighters and government troops continued to engage in tit-for-tat fighting.

February 16 – Pro-Russian separatists cannot "morally" stop fighting for the town of Debaltseve in east Ukraine because it is "internal territory" and must respond to fire from Ukrainian troops, Denis Pushilin, a rebel representative.

February 16 – In Rostov province, the Russian Emergencies Ministry has completed the preparation of the 12th column of humanitarian aid for Donbas and it is ready to ship. It consists of more than 170 trucks loaded with humanitarian aid totaling more than 1.5 thousand tons. The next "humanitarian convoy" of the Russian Federation, which crosses the Ukrainian border without the permission of the Ukrainian authorities, will be regarded as an invasion. This was stated by the Permanent Representative of Ukraine to the UN, Yuriy Sergeyev, says Joinfo.ua.

February 16 – The United States said on Feb. 16 it is "gravely concerned" by fighting in and around Debaltseve in eastern Ukraine that flared up after a ceasefire agreement and said it is closely monitoring reports of a new column of Russian military equipment moving toward the region.

February 16 – The situation in eastern Ukraine is very unstable, and the path towards a total peace will be extremely complicated, especially concerning the situation around Debaltsev. This was stated by German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

Ceasefire?? Battle for Debaltsevo rages

Putin ally in Czech Republic

Putin's countermove

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February 15 – Representatives of illegal armed groups did not let the observers of OSCE's special monitoring mission to visit Debaltseve (Donetsk oblast), – stated Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Pavlo Klimkin.

February 15 – Pro-Russian militants have said that they will not adhere to ceasefire in Debaltseve. "Of course, we can open fire (on Debaltseve). This is our territory", – said the representative of "Ministry of Defense of People's Republic of Donetsk" Eduard Basurin.

February 15 – Russia and pro-Russian militants in Donbas are testing the strength of the "fragile peace", which was established there, – said Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania Linas Linkyavichyus.

February 15 – Britain is ready to continue ensuring the unity of EU on sanctions against Russia if Minsk agreements are not adhered to, – said Prime Minister of Great Britain David Cameron.

February 15 – Illegal armed groups have fired at the positions of ATO forces over 60 times, – informed ATO's press center. "The sources provided information that the militants plan to invade Debaltseve from the towns of Horlivka and Vuhlehirsk. They were ordered to provoke Ukrainian military and disrupt peace agreements. To do this, the militants use practically all kinds of weapons. The enemy does not adhere to peace agreements and every day is trying to take over as many of our territories as possible". Moreover, the terrorists are deliberately firing at towns and villages where there are no ATO positions. For instance at 8:25 am and 3:10 pm the terrorists shelled Donetsk with mortars.

February 15 – Minsk agreements are another step towards peace, but we must always be ready for a possibility that Putin will not adhere to these agreements "because he never did", – said Prime Minister of Ukraine Arseniy Yatsenyuk.

February 15 – Russia is attempting to carry out a resolution in the U.N. Security Council which will change the "Minsk Agreement" – reported AV Press journalist Andriy Vasylliev. According to him, RF is trying to place all the responsibility for the peace process solely on Ukraine. Also the Russian version of the resolution demands that Ukraine first after the ceasefire moves its troops by 50 kilometers. Also Moscow wants to fully relent an any promises made in Minsk and demands the right to deliver to Ukraine so-called humanitarian convoys. "However, members of the Security Council all know what is involved in these "humanitarian convoys." Of course, the text in the Russian variant will not pass," noted the journalist.

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February 14 – Prosecutor General of Ukraine in cooperation with Security Service of Ukraine has detained a former Chief of the Party of Regions Oleksandr Yefremov, – said Prosecutor General of Ukraine Viktor Shokin in his comment to Internet media "Ukrainska Pravda".

February 14 – At 0:00 the Armed Forces of Ukraine will cease fire along the contact line, – stated the President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko during his address from the General Staff on February 14th.

February 14 – President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko has said that peace agreements are in jeopardy as a result of the situation at Debaltseve lodgement. "The whole world is waiting tensely for tomorrow's morning with bated breath. Those who would like to derail the peace process at its outset, have been warned about the consequences. I am not going to say what Ukraine will do if the peace process is disrupted. I will say one thing – we will not turn another cheek if we are provoked and may the Lord forgive me for that", – said Poroshenko.

February 14 – Battalion Donbas soldiers captured 17 fighters in the area of the village Lohvyn in Donetsk region.

February 14 On February 14, terrorists are preparing a massive provocation, which may result in the entry of armed forces from RF. This was aired on Channel 5 by the spokesman of Sector M, Dmytro Chalyj. And they did accomplish this – they shelled with Hrads the Russian territory. Now Russia will blame the Ukrainian side for this.

February 14 In the internet there appeared a video which testifies to the gathering of armored artillery by the Russian side from Crimea to the administrative border with Ukraine.

February 14 – As a result of constant artillery shelling of Debaltsev by the fighters, "the city is burning", the building of the city police was hit directly by Hrad units. This was stated by the Head of the Regional Headquarters of MVS in Donetsk region, Viacheslav Abroskin.

February 13 – 11 Ukrainian military were killed and 40 injured in the ATO area in the last 24 hours, – NSDC spokesman Andriy Lysenko.

February 13 – According to new Minsk agreements, the city of Debaltseve should remain under Ukraine's control. However, Russian terrorists were given an order to gain control over the cities of Debaltseve and Mariupol by February 15th, – informed Deputy Minister of Defense of Ukraine Petro Mekhed: "According to information available and taking into account the fact that there has been an agreement to cease fire on February 15th (0:00), Russian troops and pro-Russian militants were ordered to occupy Debaltseve and Mariupol".

February 13 – Soldiers of 79th brigade of Ukrainian army have detained a terrorist "Gnom" ("Dwarf") who is allegedly second in command at the detachment of Russian terrorists named "Somali". He personally participated in torturing Ukrainian military prisoners.

February 13 – A tank battle for the village of Shyrokine and an artillery battle for the village of Stakhanka have taken place – both are located close to Mariupol, – reports Ukrainian regiment "Azov".

February 13 – When the terrorists were shelling the town of Shchastya (Luhansk region), they killed and injured civilians at a local café.

February 13 – Right wing party "Pravyi Sektor" believes that that any agreements with separatists are unconstitutional and thus the party reserves its right to active military operations, – stated party leader Dmytro Yarosh.

February 13 – Russian terrorists have shelled the city of Artemivsk, which is located behind the combat line protected by Ukrainian forces.

February 13 – 4 people were killed and 16 injured as a result of shelling by Russian terrorists at the city of Hirnyk (Donetsk oblast).

February 13 – US Senate has passed a resolution on the release of Ukrainian pilot and member of Ukrainian Parliament Nadiya Savchenko.

February 13 – In the last hours before the beginning of the ceasefire, foreseen by the mutual agreements in Minsk, the danger of bloodshed only increases. This was stated by the German official Gernot Erler, an advisor to Merkel on Russia, reported the Bayerischer Rundfunk: "The risk is truly very high. In the last hours before the ceasefire, there exists the danger that the sides will attempt to increase losses among each other," he said. According to him, the heightening may lead to the reality that the readiness for a ceasefire will dwindle to nothing. "There is a diffference between Minsk-1 and Minsk-2. I see more concrete definitions in the new agreement. Also, backing up the new document are three preidents and a chancellor," noted the politician.

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By Taras Kuzio

What will the west do when Minsk-2 unravels?

European leaders desperate to avoid going down an Iranian-style route of economic and financial sanctions and to dissuade the US from sending weapons signed a second agreement to end the fighting in Ukraine on Thursday in the Belarus capital, Minsk. But it will be as unworkable as the first Minsk agreement signed in September 2014. The new agreement has weaknesses similar to those of its predecessor and will unravel in the next few months.

How will the weak Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) go about removing foreign troops and mercenaries? Will Russia really permit Ukraine to take control of its border next year, after local elections in March and the adoption of a new Ukrainian constitution that outlines some form regional devolution to the Donbas?

Indeed, could elections ever be considered free and far if they are held under the barrel of a gun? With crime rampant in the separatist-controlled Donbas, will it be safe to transfer funds for social payments and pensions from Kiev to the region and for taxes to be transferred back to the central government?

The reaction from leaders in the region was sceptical or cautious at best. Dalia Grybauskaitė, Lithuania's president, said Minsk-2 was a "weak" document; Bronisław Komorowski, Poland's president, said peace was still a faraway goal.

The main reason Minsk-2 will not hold is that the person who began the conflict – Russian President Vladimir Putin – has not achieved his strategic goal of destroying Ukraine as an independent state. Western sanctions have not served as a deterrent.

As Andrey Illarionov, a former economic adviser to Putin, reminded us this week:

the goal of Putin's war against Ukraine is an attempt at the inclusion of it, Belarus, and also Russian-speaking enclaves in other countries in some kind of geopolitical union called 'the Russian world,' with the liquidation or at least the limitation of their sovereignty.

The Donbas conflict will only end, he argues, if Putin gives up "the policy of denying the statehood, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine and other states with Russian or Russian speaking population".

Putin has always confused Russian speakers in Ukraine with Russians, and has talked of "17m Russians" living in Ukraine. That this is a misnomer can be seen from the weak support for separatism in the six Russian-speaking regions of eastern and southern Ukraine outside the Donbas.

US and EU leaders are unwilling to face the implications of a return to the Europe of the 1930s, with one country seeking to destroy another. They are desperate to put off the inevitable confrontation with Russia through negotiation. A year ago, when former US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton made an analogy between Nazi Germany and Putin's Russia defending their co-ethnics in other countries, she was ridiculed. But today, her critics agree with her.

Putin's demand for Ukraine to become a federal state is a non-starter. It has no support among the Ukrainian public or its elites and is an attempt at 'Bosnianising' the country. No federal country in the world gives its provinces a veto over foreign and defence policy, as Putin is insisting the Donbas must be given in Ukraine.

Putin's objective to install a pro-Russian leader, parliament and government presupposes the annulling of presidential and parliamentary elections held in May and October of last year that were recognised as free and fair by the OSCE, the Council of Europe and the EU. No sovereign country in the world would accept such a demand from its neighbour.

Putin's paranoia about Nato and EU enlargement into what he views as Russia's 'zone of privileged interests' is a misnomer. Although an April 2008 Nato summit in Bucharest named Ukraine and Georgia as future members, France and Germany have said they would veto this. The EU has never offered membership to Ukraine.

And who will persuade the Ukrainian parliament to overturn a December vote by a constitutional majority of 302 to move away from the non-bloc status that Putin wants Ukraine to return to?

When Minsk-2 unravels, what will US and EU leaders do next?

Ukraine will not agree to a Minsk-3. If Russia and the separatists again fail to implement the agreement, the only options open will be to remove Russia from the Swift international payments system, blacklist its president, prime minister and its foreign and defence ministers, and supply Ukraine with defensive military equipment, training and satellite intelligence.

You can't make the same mistake twice. The second time you make it, it's no longer a mistake. It's a choice.

Taras Kuzio is a research associate at the Centre for Political and Regional Studies, Canadian Institute for Ukrainian Studies, University of Alberta and non-resident fellow at the Center for Transatlantic Relations, School of Advanced International Relations, Johns Hopkins University.

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