President Poroshenko took part in the “March of Unity” in Paris along with other nations leaders. American billionaire George Soros arrived in Kiev. The situation in the combat zone in the Donbass continues to heat up.
Key Events In Ukraine
● According to media reports, American billionaire Soros arrived in Kiev. Last week he called on Western governments to provide substantial support for Ukraine, which is at the forefront of the fight against Russia.
War in Ukraine
● The situation in Donetsk remains extremely tense, militants shelled the Donetsk airport and surrounding small cities with heavy artillery and MRLS “Grad”. Ukrainian army positions were attacked dozens of times along the whole front line.
● Due to the increasing attacks by terrorists SBU blocked three out of seven corridors in the war zone to the territory of Donbass, controlled by DNR and LNR militants, .
● Russian army cleared cities of Donbass from militant troops which are not under their control.
● NSDC Secretary Turchynov warned people that the terrorists use the banknotes stolen from banks and marked with a special paint as a source for payments on the territory controlled by them. Use of such banknotes is subject to criminal responsibility.
● As for New York Times estimations, the value of property seized and grabbed by the occupation authorities of the Crimea exceeded $1 billion. In this way they want to fill the budget of the peninsula.
Ukraine and the World
● In Paris, about one and half a million people went to the “March of unity” and expressed solidarity with the victims of terrorist attacks in France. March was attended by about 40 world leaders, including the President of Ukraine, Prime Ministers of Great Britain and Israel, the German chancellor, the French President and the King of Jordan. The only French party did not take part in the Marsh was the Pro-Russian “National Front”, led by nationalist Mrs. Le Pen.
● Presidents of France and Ukraine and German Chancellor held a brief talks on the situation in Ukraine and ways to stabilize it before the march. Mr. Poroshenko also met with EU leaders and NATO Secretary General. There is no announcement what was discussed.
● German Chancellor Merkel believes that the quadripartite negotiations in Astana could not take place because there is no progress in the implementation of the Minsk Agreements.
● Islamic threat and the Ukrainian crisis will be the focus of the conference on European security to be held in Munich in early February. President Poroshenko has been invited to the conference. Leaders of about 20 countries and 60 foreign ministers are invited too.
● Advocate of Ukrainian pilots Ms. Savchenko who was captured and illegally confined in a Russian jail, called for global action to support her on January 25, which is the opening day of the PACE session. Ms. Savchenko is the member of Ukrainian PACE delegation.
Trends
● Russian Prosecutor General Office states that it has not received requests for extradition of former President Yanukovych and senior officials of his administration, who were notified about suspicion, from Ukraine. None of the cases against persons involved in the killing of the Maidan activists has been submitted to the court.
