Section: Special sections
Mandate of OSCE SMM to Ukraine extended by one year
The OSCE Permanent Council, in a consensus decision taken at its meeting in Vienna on Thursday, March 16, agreed to renew the mandate of the Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine by one year until March 31, 2018. ”The decision sets the Mission`s budget at EUR 105.5 million for the period from April 1, 2017 to March 31, 2018,” the OSCE said...
Kremlin rules out another referendum in occupied Crimea for lifting sanctions
The Kremlin ruled out the possibility of holding another referendum in the occupied Crimea, so that the U.S. could cancel anti-Russian sanctions, Vladimir Putin`s spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, according to an UNIAN correspondent in the Russian Federation. Asked, whether the Kremlin was ready for any deal with the U.S. on Crimea and, in...
U.S. charges Russian spies, criminal hackers in Yahoo intrusion
The Justice Department announced Wednesday the indictments of two operatives of the Russian intelligence agency FSB and two criminal hackers hired by Russians in connection with the heist of 500 million Yahoo user accounts in 2014, marking the first U.S. criminal cyber charges ever against Russian government officials, according to The Washington...
Russian Sberbank in Ukraine introduces new restrictions on cash withdrawals
Russia`s PJSC Sberbank operating in Ukraine has introduced new, more stringent limitations for its clients on cash withdrawals, which have come in force today, March 16, according to the bank`s press service. Restrictions are introduced ”in the context of illegal actions against the bank by third parties,” the report says. New restrictions for...
FSB resorts to mafia-style threats against Crimean Tatar detainee in occupied Crimea
Russia`s FSB Security Service operatives on March 15 detained a Crimean Tatar Emil Mukhteremov in the town of Feodosia in the occupied Crimea, then took him to deserted area and forced him to dig a ”grave,” threatening to bury him there, Chairman of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar People, Ukrainian MP Refat Chubarov posted on Facebook. ”Today,...
European Parliament calls for international format for talks on end of Crimea occupation
The European Parliament requests the consideration of an international format for talks on the end of the Russian occupation of Crimea and calls for further sanctions against those who are responsible for infringements on human rights in occupied areas of Ukraine, according to an UNIAN correspondent. Such motions were articulated in a joint draft...
OSCE monitors spot 10 Grad launchers in uncontrolled areas in Donbas
The OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine has reported that 10 Grad multiple rocket launchers, which are banned by the Minsk peace agreements on Donbas, were spotted in areas currently not controlled by the Ukrainian government in the east of the country. ”In areas currently not controlled by the Government, the Mission saw one...
Ukrainian police trying to stop Donbas blockade activists and firing over heads
Ukrainian government tries to undo the blockade of Russia-occupied Donbas. Ukrainian police trying to stop blockade activists and firing over heads. Peoples are going and singing the national anthem. See also: Ukrainian soldiers support the trade blockade between Ukraine and Russian occupied Donbas, Ukrainian government tries to undo the...
After mass protests across Ukraine Poroshenko and Government turn 180 degree and announce economic blockade of Donbas
The National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine on Wednesday decided to stop the movement of goods across the line of demarcation in the zone of the Anti-Terrorist Operation, considering the earlier expropriation of Ukrainian companies in the militant-controlled areas and escalation at the frontline, Secretary of the National Security and...
Attacks on U.S.-linked Polish sites back higher cyber spending
Several Polish municipalities that have hosted U.S. troops under a planned NATO operation suffered cyber attacks in January, a senior government official told Reuters, saying it highlighted the need for Poland`s sharp increase in cyber-defense spending. Poland will spend about 1 billion zlotys ($250 million) a year on cyber security, several...