Section: War & conflict
Russia, Turkey, Iran eye dicing Syria into zones of influence
Syria would be divided into informal zones of regional power influence and Bashar al-Assad would remain president for at least a few years under an outline deal between Russia, Turkey and Iran, sources say, according to Reuters. Such a deal, which would allow regional autonomy within a federal structure controlled by Assad`s Alawite sect, is in...
Martial law in Donbas – cons and pros
Head of the Security Service of Ukraine (SSU) Vasyl Hrytsak states that Ukraine`s main challenge related to the war in Donbas is balance, 112 Ukraine TV Channel reports. ”On the one hand, we are seeing that there is an ongoing war in the east of Ukraine, that is de jure called ATO [Anti-Terrorist Operation]. But it`s still war, because even now,...
Russia took away from Donbas 40 bodies of its soldiers in ”humanitarian convoy”
The Defence Intelligence of Ukraine reports that Russian military command secretly took away its killed in actions in the 59th so-called ”humanitarian convoys”. This is done to conceal presence of the Russian army in Donbas, according to Ukraine Today. Moreover, the intelligence reports that the tensions between Russia-backed separatist forces...
Montenegro issues arrest warrant against Russians, Serbs involved in coup plot
Montenegro has issued an international arrest warrant for two Russians and three Serbs who were allegedly involved in a coup plot to overthrow the country`s pro-NATO government, according to RFE/RL. The state prosecutor`s office said on December 27 that the five are being sought for alleged ”terrorist” activities that included plans to kill the...
Erdogan says U.S.-led coalition supports terrorists in Syria, Washington refutes accusations
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Tuesday he had evidence that the U.S.-led coalition gave support to terrorist groups in Syria, according to Reuters. ”They were accusing us of supporting Daesh,” he told a press conference in Ankara, Reuters reports. ”Now they give support to terrorist groups including Daesh [the Islamic State], YPG,...
Minsk deal not to be implemented, Normandy format must be expanded – Foreign Minister of Poland
”In our opinion, the Minsk agreements will not be implemented,” said Polish Foreign Minister Witold Waszczykowski. According to the minister, in order to put an end to the conflict in Donbas, it is necessary to expand the Normandy format. He stressed that Poland, as a country bordering with the aggressor state, is insisting on expanding the group...
U.S. extended sanctions against Russian companies enter into force
Embassy of Ukraine in the USA has reported that the decision on the introduction of the U.S. additional sanctions against Russian companies entered into force. ”The United States continues to build up pressure on Russia with new sanctions for its violation of international law and fueling the conflict in eastern Ukraine. 15 Russian arms sector...
”Silence mode” in Donbas not working: Russian militants fire on Ukraine positions in all directions
Russian-backed militants continue to violate ceasefire in the ATO zone, press secretary of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine for ATO Oleksandr Motuzyanyk has told a Kyiv briefing Tuesday, according to an UNIAN correspondent. View map in full size ”The past 24 hours proved that the enemy does not comply with the agreements reached previously on...
4 former Soviet states almost ready to recognize Crimea Russian territory – Head of the Crimean Tatars Mejlis
Head of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatars and Ukrainian MP Refat Chubarov has said that four states of the former Soviet Union are almost ready to recognize that Crimea is not the Ukrainian territory anymore, 112.ua reports. ”It is painful to me that four states of the former Soviet Union (Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan), these four...
Stratfor released forecast of Ukraine-Russia relations in 2017
Moscow will continue to influence the processes in the European Union and the United States in order to undermine Western unity by cyberattacks, propaganda campaigns, and political manipulation. Moreover, Moscow will step up these efforts in 2017 to achieve its objectives, which include the lifting of sanctions by the EU and the U.S., which means...