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https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/11/ukraine-russia-naval-standoff-crimea-bridge-181125160258144.html
NEWS/UKRAINE
Russia seizes Ukrainian ships near annexed Crimea
Russian ship opens fire on Ukrainian vessels near the Kerch Strait, wounding sailors, as UN Security Council to convene.
November 25, 2018 an hour ago 10:08 PM

Video -- NEWS
Photograph -- Two Ukrainian ships are seen near Crimea in this file photo distributed by Ukrainian Navy Press Service [Via AP]

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Russia seized three Ukrainian naval ships off the coast of Russia-annexed Crimea after opening fire on them and wounding several sailors, a move that risks igniting a dangerous new crisis between the two countries.

Russia's FSB security service said early on Monday its border patrol boats captured the Ukrainian naval vessels in the Black Sea and used weapons to force them to stop, Russian news agencies reported.

The FSB said it had been forced to act because the ships - two small Ukrainian armoured artillery vessels and a tug boat - illegally entered its territorial waters, attempted illegal actions, and ignored warnings to stop while manoeuvring dangerously.

"Weapons were used with the aim of forcibly stopping the Ukrainian warships," the FSB said in a statement.

"As a result, all three Ukrainian naval vessels were seized in the Russian Federation's territorial waters in the Black Sea."

President Petro Poroshenko, the Ukrainian leader, met high-ranking military aides early on Monday after the incident. Poroshenko said he would propose that parliament impose martial law.

The United Nations Security Council is due to discuss the developments at the request of Russia, said Deputy Russian UN Ambassador Dmitry Polyanskiy.

According to the Ukrainian navy, six sailors were wounded when a Russian ship fired on Ukraine's vessels near the Kerch Strait, a narrow sea passage close to the Crimean peninsula that separates the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov.

"Small armoured vessels, the Beryansk and the Nicopol have been damaged by enemy fire and can't move," the navy said in a Facebook post.

The incident followed a naval standoff that escalated on Sunday when Moscow placed a large cargo ship beneath the 19km-long Crimean Bridge, which connects the Russian-annexed peninsula with its mainland, blocking all traffic into the strait, the only passage into the Sea of Azov.

Both countries have the right to use the sea, but following Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014 Moscow controls both sides of the strait.


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2 Russian RF Ka-52 helicopters "locked" Ukrainian armored boats, boats "locked" them also. Russia blocked Kerch strait with grounded tanker at bridge from Azov Sea side https://liveuamap.com/en/2018/25-november-2-russian-rf-ka52-helicopters-locked-ukrainian … pic.twitter.com/GFyAMiCPX0 via @GirkinGirkin #Ukraine

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Photo: Russian RFCGS 354 'Izumrud', a Rubin Class patrol ship, deployed at Kerch bridge has visible damage, reasons not clear https://liveuamap.com/en/2018/25-november-photo-russian-rfcgs-354-izumrud-a-rubin-class … pic.twitter.com/JCDMtFvevg via @norestfor #Ukraine

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8:02 AM - Nov 25, 2018
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While trying to stop the ships, a Russian navy ship rammed the Ukrainian tugboat.

"What's happening now is an absolutely new level of aggression," Ukraine's Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin was quoted by Ukrainian media as saying. "Russia's actions are [about] a real intention to seize the Sea of Azov."

Pro-Russian authorities in annexed Crimea accused the United States of being behind the escalation.

"Our American partners who rule Ukraine are behind all this. I am absolutely sure that everything is done following their commands. What's important for them is to get Russia involved in another confict," Vladimir Konstantinov, head of Crimea's parliament, told Russia media.

Al Jazeera's Rory Challands, reporting from the Russian capital, Moscow, said Sunday's events appeared to be "a series of escalations that seem to have culminated in extended fire".

"This is something that seems to be getting very volatile."

Sea traffic was no longer allowed to pass through the Kerch Strait [VesselFinder.com screenshot]

The Kerch Strait is an important trade route for Ukraine as it gives ships access to the city of Mariupol, a key port located in the Sea of Azov.

Several dozen ships were anchored near the strait as they waited for the standoff to be solved, marine traffic tracker website VesselFinder.com showed on Sunday.

Videos and photos posted on Twitter purportedly showed Russian fighter jets and helicopters flying near the Crimean Bridge.

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Alex Kokcharov
@AlexKokcharov
Video of #Russia|n fighter jets flying at low altitude over the #Kerch Strait, location of today’s Russian #military escalation against #Ukraine:

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https://liveuamap.com/en/2018/25-november-video-kamov-ka52-alligator--helicopter-near-kerch … pic.twitter.com/uZpjRemXtx via @GirkinGirkin #Ukraine

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Russian KA-52 helicopters are flying over the Crimea Bridge right now. https://liveuamap.com/en/2018/25-november-russian-ka52-helicopters-are-flying-over-the … pic.twitter.com/7HsvHgLpki via @Jake_Hanrahan #Ukraine

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Tens of thousands gather for funeral of Ukrainian rebel leader

In a statement late on Sunday, NATO said it was closely monitoring developments and called for restraint and de-escalation.

"NATO fully supports Ukraine's sovereignty and its territorial integrity, including its navigational rights in its territorial waters. We call on Russia to ensure unhindered access to Ukrainian ports in the Azov Sea, in accordance with international law."

Maja Kocijancic, spokesperson for the European Union, said in a statement: "We expect Russia to restore freedom of passage at the Kerch strait and urge all to act with utmost restraint to de-escalate the situation immediately.

"As clearly stated by the High Representative at the European Parliament recently, the events in the Sea of Azov are a demonstration of how instability and tensions are bound to rise when the basic rules of international cooperation are disregarded," the statement added.

The rising volatility near the Kerch Strait is the latest in an ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine following the developments in Crimea four years ago.

The annexation followed the overthrow of pro-Russian Ukrainian president Viktor Yanukovich after weeks of protests that descended into a violent conflict.

Later, pro-Russian separatists took over parts of Donbass in southeastern Ukraine.

Since then, fighting in that region has killed more than 13,000 people, including about 3,000 civilians.

VIDEO -- INSIDE STORY Reclaiming Crimea: Is it legal?

SOURCE: AL JAZEERA AND NEWS AGENCIES


https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-46338671
Tension escalates after Russia seizes Ukraine naval ships
NOVEMBER 25, 2018 7 minutes ago

PHOTOGRAPH -- Image copyrightREUTERS
Image caption -- The Ukrainian navy accuses Russia of ramming and damaging one of its tugs

Russia has seized three Ukrainian naval vessels off the coast of the Crimean Peninsula in a major escalation of tensions between the two countries.

Two gunboats and a tug were captured by Russian forces. Ukraine says they were fired on and six crew were injured.

The countries blame each other for the incident. Ukraine's government said it would declare martial law.

The crisis began when Russia accused the Ukrainian ships of illegally entering its waters.

The Russians placed a tanker under a bridge in the Kerch Strait - the only access to the Sea of Azov, which is shared between the two countries.

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko called an urgent meeting of his "war cabinet" over the incident, his spokesperson said.

Live updates
Eastern Ukraine: A new, bloody chapter
Ukraine names Russia as 'aggressor' state

Tensions have recently risen in the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov off the Crimean peninsula - annexed by Russia in 2014.

How did the crisis unfold?

In the morning, Ukraine's Berdyansk and Nikopol gunboats, and the Yana Kapa tug, tried to sail from the Black Sea port of Odessa to Mariupol in the Sea of Azov.

Ukraine says the Russians tried to intercept the ships, ramming the tug. The vessels continued towards the Kerch Strait, but were prevented by the tanker.

Image copyrightREUTERS
Image caption
A tanker under the bridge shut all navigation from and into the Sea of Azov

Russia scrambled two fighter jets and two helicopters to the area. It accused the ships of illegally entering its waters and said the traffic had been suspended for security reasons.

The Ukrainian navy later said the boats had been hit and disabled as they tried to leave the area. It said the tug had been forced to stop.

Russia's FSB later confirmed that one of its patrol boats had used force to seize the three Ukrainian vessels.

Ukraine said it had informed the Russians of its plan to move its ships through the sea to Mariupol.

What's the background to this?

The shallow Sea of Azov lies east of Crimea, and south of the Ukrainian regions partially seized by pro-Russian separatists.

The two Ukrainian ports on its northern shore - Berdyansk and Mariupol - are key for exporting grain and produce such as steel, also for importing coal.

In 2003, Ukraine and Russia signed a treaty that defined the Sea of Azov as internal waters of the two countries. The treaty guaranteed free navigation to all Ukrainian and Russian vessels.

Media captionJonah Fisher talks to a commander of the Ukrainian Navy about the tensions in the Azov Sea

But Russia has recently begun inspecting all vessels going to or from Ukrainian ports. Earlier this month, the EU warned it would take "targeted measures" to address the issue.

"The situation in the Sea of Azov is damaging not only the Ukrainian economy, but also so many vessels that are flying the European Union member states' flags," EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said.

The Russian inspections began soon after Ukraine detained a fishing vessel from Russian-annexed Crimea in March.

Moscow also says the inspections of the vessels are necessary for security reasons, pointing to a potential threat to the bridge from Ukrainian radicals.

More than 10,000 people have been killed in the eastern Donetsk and Luhansk regions since separatists moved against the Ukrainian state in April 2014.

Ukraine and the West accuse Russia of sending its troops to the region and arming the separatists.

Moscow denies this but says that Russian volunteers are helping the rebels.

Related Topics

RussiaCrimeaUkraine conflictCrimea crisisUkraine
More on this story
Ukraine crisis: Kiev defines Russia as 'aggressor' state
19 January 2018
Ukraine country profile
12 October 2018


https://www.bbc.com/news/live/world-europe-46338957
Ukraine-Russia tensions flare
25 Nov 201825 Nov 2018

Summary --
Russia has seized three Ukrainian naval ships off Crimea
Russia says it opened fire to force the Ukrainian ships to stop
Between three and six people were injured in the incident
The Kremlin accused Ukraine of illegally entering its waters
Ukraine's parliament may vote on declaring martial law on Monday

Live Reporting
By Yaroslav Lukov and Joseph Lee

Posted at 19:2619:26
Post update
That's it for now - thanks for staying with us!

You can still get all the latest updates on this and other stories on the BBC News website.

https://www.bbc.com/news/live/world-europe-46338957?ns_mchannel=social&ns_source=twitter&ns_campaign=bbc_live&ns_linkname=5bfb3d1c28c93406574286d5%26%262018-11-26T00%3A26%3A24.817Z&ns_fee=0&pinned_post_locator=urn:asset:8e5f3cd4-5b5e-4543-b728-e74f3b74cdc1&pinned_post_asset_id=5bfb3d1c28c93406574286d5&pinned_post_type=share

Read more about these links.

Posted at 19:2519:25
Quick recap
TASS via Getty ImagesCopyright: TASS via Getty Images

To sum up Sunday's dramatic and fast-changing events:

In the morning, Ukraine said it had sent two gunboats and a tug from the Black Sea port of Odessa to Mariupol in the Sea of Azov
Ukraine's navy then said Russia boats had tried to intercept its vessels, ramming the tug
Russia accused Ukraine of illegally entering its territorial waters
Russia scrambled fighter jets and helicopters as the Ukrainian vessels approached a bridge over the Kerch Strait - the only access to the Sea of Azov
The bridge itself was blocked by a tanker
In the evening, Ukraine said its vessels had been fired on and seized by the Russians. Six Ukrainian crew members were injured
Russia confirmed it had used the weapons to force the Ukrainian vessels to stop, saying three Ukrainian sailors were injured

Ukraine held a crisis meeting of the national security and defence council, asking parliament to back a proposal to declare martial law on Monday

Summary

Russia has seized three Ukrainian naval ships off Crimea
Russia says it opened fire to force the Ukrainian ships to stop
Between three and six people were injured in the incident
The Kremlin accused Ukraine of illegally entering its waters
Ukraine's parliament may vote on declaring martial law on Monday
Live Reporting
By Yaroslav Lukov and Joseph Lee
Posted at 19:2619:26
Post update
That's it for now - thanks for staying with us!

You can still get all the latest updates on this and other stories on the BBC News website.

https://www.bbc.com/news/live/world-europe-46338957?ns_mchannel=social&ns_source=twitter&ns_campaign=bbc_live&ns_linkname=5bfb3d1c28c93406574286d5%26%262018-11-26T00%3A26%3A24.817Z&ns_fee=0&pinned_post_locator=urn:asset:8e5f3cd4-5b5e-4543-b728-e74f3b74cdc1&pinned_post_asset_id=5bfb3d1c28c93406574286d5&pinned_post_type=share

Read more about these links.
To sum up Sunday's dramatic and fast-changing events:

In the morning, Ukraine said it had sent two gunboats and a tug from the Black Sea port of Odessa to Mariupol in the Sea of Azov
Ukraine's navy then said Russia boats had tried to intercept its vessels, ramming the tug
Russia accused Ukraine of illegally entering its territorial waters
Russia scrambled fighter jets and helicopters as the Ukrainian vessels approached a bridge over the Kerch Strait - the only access to the Sea of Azov
The bridge itself was blocked by a tanker
In the evening, Ukraine said its vessels had been fired on and seized by the Russians. Six Ukrainian crew members were injured
Russia confirmed it had used the weapons to force the Ukrainian vessels to stop, saying three Ukrainian sailors were injured
Ukraine held a crisis meeting of the national security and defence council, asking parliament to back a proposal to declare martial law on Monday
Article share tools


PUTIN’S MOTTO: PAH! PEACE IS FOR PUSSIES!

https://www.cnn.com/2018/11/25/europe/russia-ukraine-kerch-strait-intl/index.html
Ukraine says Russia opened fire on its naval vessels
By Nathan Hodge, CNN
Updated 5:55 PM ET, Sun November 25, 2018

VIDEO – UKRAINE: RUSSIA FIRES ON AND SEIZES UKRAINIAN NAVY SHIPS

Moscow (CNN)The Ukrainian military said Sunday that Russian boats had opened fire on and seized three of its ships near Crimea, escalating a standoff over the Kerch Strait, a waterway that links the Azov Sea with the Black Sea.

In a statement, the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense said the small gunboats Berdyansk and Nikopol and the tugboat Yana Kapu were attacked.

"Ships seized by Russian special forces," the statement read

Six of its sailors were injured in the incident, Ukraine's navy said, adding the tugboat and the Berdyansk were disabled by Russian forces and were being towed away by the Russian navy. The undamaged Nikopol also is under Russian control, Ukraine said.

Earlier, Russian authorities closed off the Kerch Strait amid the confrontation with the Ukrainian naval vessels, Russian state news agencies and the Ukrainian military said.

Russia's bridge to Crimea: A metaphor for the Putin era

Ukraine and Russia offered conflicting accounts of the incident at sea.

Russian state news agency RIA-Novosti, citing Russia's Federal Security Service, or FSB, said the three vessels of the Ukrainian navy had reversed course away from Kerch Strait.

The FSB's Border Service in Crimea reported that three Ukrainian warships had illegally entered Russia's territorial waters, and were carrying out dangerous maneuvers, according to Russian state news agency TASS.

According to RIA-Novosti, the FSB blamed Kiev for provocations in the waters of the Black Sea.

The Ukrainian navy said Russian border patrol vessels "carried out openly aggressive action" against the Ukrainian ships.

The office of Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko described the Russian action against the Ukrainian navy ships as "an act of aggression aimed at deliberately escalating the situation in the waters of the Sea of Azov and the Kerch Strait," and called for international condemnation of Moscow and the imposition of new sanctions.

Poroshenko convened a military cabinet emergency meeting.

In a statement late Sunday, Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine Oleksandr Turchynov said Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council will discuss the introduction of martial law after a naval incident between Russian and Ukrainian vessels around the Kerch Strait off the coast of Crimea.

The Azov Sea is an important economic lifeline for Ukraine, as it links the port city of Mariupol with the Black Sea. Both Ukraine and Russia share the Azov Sea: According to TASS, a 2003 treaty confirms the Azov Sea and the Kerch Strait as domestic waters of Russia and Ukraine.

In a statement to CNN, NATO spokesperson Oana Lungescu said NATO "fully supports Ukraine's sovereignty and its territorial integrity" and is calling on Russia "to ensure unhindered access to Ukrainian ports in the Azov Sea." The European Union echoed the latter sentiment.

"NATO is closely monitoring developments in the Azov Sea and the Kerch Strait, and we are in contact with the Ukrainian authorities. We call for restraint and de-escalation," the statement said.

Russia and Ukraine have been locked in conflict since the annexation of the Black Sea peninsula of Crimea by Russia in 2014, and the incident at sea raises new tensions between the two countries.

Russia has backed separatists in Ukraine's eastern Donbas region, and earlier this year, Russia solidified its hold over Crimea, opening a road linking Russia's Krasnodar region with the Crimean Peninsula.

The international community has largely not recognized Russia's annexation of the Black Sea peninsula of Crimea from Ukraine. According to TASS, a 2003 treaty confirms the Azov Sea and the Kerch Strait as domestic waters of Russia and Ukraine.

CNN's Darran Simon contributed to this report.


SOME BACKGROUND FROM THE WAY BACK MACHINE

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-18018002
12 October 2018
UKRAINE COUNTRY PROFILE

Ukraine gained independence after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 and has since veered between seeking closer integration with Western Europe and being drawn into the orbit of Russia, which sees its interests as threatened by a Western-leaning Ukraine.

Europe's second largest country, Ukraine is a land of wide, fertile agricultural plains, with large pockets of heavy industry in the east.

While Ukraine and Russia share common historical origins, the west of the country has closer ties with its European neighbours, particularly Poland, and nationalist sentiment is strongest there.

A significant minority of the population uses Russian as its first language, particularly in the cities and the industrialised east.

An uprising against pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych in 2014 ushered in a Western-leaning government, but Russia used the opportunity to seize the Crimean peninsula and arm insurgent groups to occupy parts of the industrialised east of Ukraine.

Read more country profiles - Profiles by BBC Monitoring

FACTS

Ukraine
Capital: Kiev
Population 44.9 million

Area 603,700 sq km (233,090 sq miles)

Major languages Ukrainian (official), Russian

Major religion Christianity

Life expectancy 64 years (men), 75 years (women)

Currency hryvnya

UN, World Bank
Getty Images

LEADERS
President: Petro Poroshenko

Image copyrightGETTY IMAGES
Petro Poroshenko won the presidential election of May 2014 at a time of crisis tht saw the ouster of his predecessor, the loss of Crimea to Russia, and a Moscow-organised insurgency in the east of the country.

A billionaire businessman, Mr Poroshenko won an unprecedented first-round victory in the elections which were held three months after President Viktor Yanukovych was chased from office by crowds following months of street protests against his corruption and pro-Russian policies.

National media have adopted a united patriotic agenda following the Russian annexation of Crimea and armed conflict in the east. Ukraine has banned cable relays of leading Russian TVs; in turn, areas under Russian or separatist control have seen pro-Kiev outlets silenced.

Television dominates the media scene, and private commercial channels are the most watched outlets.

Powerful business groups are influential in the market. Half a dozen major networks, including Inter TV and 1+1, attract the biggest audiences.

As part of reforms, Ukraine launched a public service TV broadcaster in 2015.

Many newspapers publish Ukrainian and Russian-language editions. The press is diverse in terms of formats and political affiliation.

Read full media profile
TIMELINE
Some key dates in Ukraine's history:

Image copyrightGETTY IMAGES
Image caption
Saint Sophia Cathedral in Kiev

1918 - Ukraine declares independence after Russian Revolution.

1921 - Soviet rule established as Russian Red Army conquers two-thirds of Ukraine.

1932 - At least seven million peasants perish in man-made famine during Stalin's collectivisation campaign.

1941-44 - Ukraine suffers terrible wartime devastation during Nazis occupation.

1945 - Allied victory in Second World War leads to conclusive Soviet annexation of west Ukrainian lands.

1986 - A reactor at the Chernobyl nuclear power station explodes, sending a radioactive plume across Europe.

1991 - As the Soviet Union heads towards dissolution, Ukraine declares independence.

2004 - Orange Revolution mass protests force pro-European change of government.

2014 February - Maidan Revolution ousts pro-Kremlin government over stalled European Union association deal. Russia subsequently seizes Crimean peninsula and launches insurgency to occupy parts of eastern Ukraine.

Image copyrightGETTY IMAGES
Image caption
A crowd gathered in Kiev's Independence Square
Read full timeline


https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-42741778
Ukraine crisis: Kiev defines Russia as 'aggressor' state
19 January 2018

PHOTOGRAPH -- Image caption
Ukraine and pro-Russian rebels accuse each other of violating a ceasefire agreed before New Year
Image copyrightEPA

Ukraine's parliament has passed a law defining areas seized by pro-Russian separatists in the east of the country as temporarily occupied by Russia.

The law on the reintegration of the region was backed by 280 MPs, calling Russia an "aggressor" state.

Moscow condemned the move, saying it could only be considered as preparation "for a new war".

More than 10,000 people have died in the eastern Donetsk and Luhansk region since the conflict began in April 2014.

A month earlier Russia seized Ukraine's southern Crimea peninsula.

Eastern Ukraine conflict: A new, bloody chapter

Ukraine country profile

Ukraine's lawmakers passed the law on Thursday after heated discussions in parliament that lasted three days.

"The Russian Federation is committing a crime of aggression against Ukraine and is temporarily occupying parts of its territory," the document says.

It accuses Moscow of sending its armed units to the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, and not adhering to a ceasefire regime.

Ukraine and the West accuse Russia of sending its troops to the region and arming the separatists.

Moscow denies this, but admits that Russian "volunteers" are helping the rebels.

In a statement on Thursday, the Russian foreign ministry accused Kiev of trying to solve the conflict in the east by force.

It also said the new law violated the Minsk peace accords*, which were agreed in 2015.

The rise in tensions between Kiev and Moscow comes just weeks after Ukraine and the separatists exchanged hundreds of prisoners - in one of the biggest swaps since the conflict erupted.

Ukrainian media unimpressed
By BBC Monitoring

The new law is splashed across Ukrainian newspaper front pages on Friday - and many seem unimpressed.

In a highly critical piece, the opposition tabloid Vesti expressed human rights concerns, asking "who will be regarded as the 'enemy of the people', whose homes may be searched and who will make a profit on the trade [with the rebel regions]?"

News website Ukrayinska Pravda is also sceptical, saying: "Despite the plaudits, both the authorities and the opposition admit: the law does not solve the problem of de-occupation*."

"Contentious law adopted: How we will regain Donbass", reads a headline in the KP newspaper, which also looks in detail at the "controversial clauses that did not make it into the law".

Russia's influential Kommersant newspaper says the new law effectively cancels the Minsk Accords and sees Kiev "turning its back on Paris and Berlin, the guarantors of the Minsk process, and putting the strategic stake on Washington."

And Moskovsky Komsomolets says the Ukrainian authorities "have permitted the ATO* [anti-terrorist operation] soldiers to do everything they did illegally before."

Related Topics
RussiaCrimeaUkraine conflictUkraine


MINSK AGREEMENTS 2016

https://www.economist.com/the-economist-explains/2016/09/13/what-are-the-minsk-agreements
The Economist explains
What are the Minsk agreements?
The plan to bring lasting peace to Ukraine is riddled with loose language
The Economist explains
Sep 14th 2016 by N.S. | MOSCOW

THE first deal to end the crisis in Ukraine was signed in early September 2014. Two years later, with more than 9,500 people killed, the conflict is still festering. The latest attempt at a ceasefire from September 1st broke down after little more than a week; on September 13th, separatist leaders in eastern Ukraine raised hopes when they announced a unilateral ceasefire, their first such offer. Yet as Germany’s foreign minister, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, meets Ukraine’s president, Petro Poroshenko, in Kiev to discuss the Minsk agreements today, it is clear that peace remains a distant dream. “We have experienced long periods of standstill and when progress has been made, it has been in millimetres,” says Mr Steinmeier. What are the Minsk agreements and what do they stipulate?

In February 2014 Ukraine’s ex-president, Viktor Yanukovych, fled Kiev following months of street protests. Russia annexed Crimea in March. Hostilities erupted in eastern Ukraine, where a Russian-backed separatist movement began seizing cities. Ukrainian forces went on the offensive, and appeared poised to retake the separatist-held territories by August. But Russian reinforcements rolled in from across the border, knocking the Ukrainians back and threatening to push farther into the country’s heartland. A hasty peace deal between Ukraine, Russia and the separatists halted the onslaught. But this agreement, known as Minsk I, soon broke down. By January 2015, full-scale fighting had broken out again. In February, Germany’s Angela Merkel and France’s François Hollande stepped in to revive the ceasefire, brokering a “Package of Measures for the Implementation of the Minsk Agreements”, known as Minsk II.

The product of a marathon all-night negotiating session, Minsk II offers a detailed roadmap for resolving the conflict. The 13 point-plan begins with a ceasefire and the withdrawal of heavy weapons from the front lines, to be monitored by the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE). An “all for all” prisoner exchange, local elections and amnesty for fighters are to follow; both sides are to ensure the safe delivery of humanitarian aid and work toward the socio-economic reintegration of the separatist-held territories. Ukraine promises to implement constitutional changes to provide for “decentralisation”; in exchange, all “foreign armed formations” will be withdrawn and Ukraine will regain control of its state borders. But the agreement is riddled with loose language and the sequencing of many steps is highly convoluted.

In public, officials declare that there is no alternative to the Minsk agreements. But in private, few see any chance for its full implementation. Ukraine and the West insist on a full ceasefire before moving forward with the political elements of the deal. Russia, in turn, accuses Ukraine of failing to fulfill its political promises. Domestically Ukraine’s president, Petro Poroshenko, faces staunch resistance to an agreement that grants Moscow most of what it wanted, saddling Kiev with responsibility for the separatist territories while giving them enough autonomy to hinder Ukraine’s Western integration. Working group meetings continue in Minsk, but they are a fig leaf for real progress. Although the worst of the violence has abated, skirmishes along the line of contact continue. Yet the simmering status quo is not peace, and thus no guarantee that there will not be more war.


THE ATO

ATO -- https://jamestown.org/program/a-farewell-to-ato-ukraine-shifts-command-of-forces-serving-around-temporarily-occupied-territories/
EURASIA DAILY MONITOR
A Farewell to ATO: Ukraine Shifts Command of Forces Serving Around Temporarily Occupied Territories
Publication: Eurasia Daily Monitor Volume: 15 Issue: 57
By: Nikolai Holmov
April 16, 2018 06:12 PM Age: 7 months

Always a misnomer, albeit a deliberate one, Ukraine’s “Anti-Terrorist Operation”(ATO) in and surrounding the temporarily occupied territories of Luhansk and Donetsk is slated to come to an end as of April 30, 2018, some four years after it began. The ATO will cease both on paper and with regard to the current internal Ukrainian military command-and-control mechanisms.

This anticipated change in command and control was announced by President Petro Poroshenko on April 13 (Interfax, April 13). Previously, the ATO was officially under the command and control of the State Security Service (SSU), the internal agency charged with anti-terrorism and counter-intelligence. Clearly, the conflict in eastern Ukraine is far more than a terrorist insurgency; and just as clearly, the SSU is not necessarily the correct agency to be officially commanding what is, in reality, a conventional, yet contained, military conflict marked by (en)trenched warfare and the heavy use of armor and artillery.

Recognition of this fact was codified via urgent draft legislation submitted to the Verkhovna Rada (national parliament) by President Poroshenko on October 4, 2017, and which subsequently became law on February 21, 2018 (Rada.gov.ua, accessed April 16). The new law, effective the day after it was published in February, de jure ended the ATO. The command and control of the operation, however—due to be transferred to the Joint Operational Headquarters of the Armed Forces (JOHAF)—has in practice not yet occurred. Indeed it was not until March 16 that Poroshenko appointed Lieutenant General Sergei Naev as commander of the Joint Operational Headquarters—a new commander for an entirely new command-and-control structure (Interfax, March 16).

Lieutenant General Naev previously held the position of deputy chief of staff of the Armed Forces and first deputy commander of the Land Forces. In announcing Naev’s new appointment, President Poroshenko stated, “On my initiative, the Verkhovna Rada adopted a law on the reintegration of Donbas, which created a new legal basis for repelling enemy aggression in Donbas, and, in the long term, for restoring Ukraine’s territorial integrity. The format of the anti-terrorist operation will be changed to the operation of the Joint Forces. The Supreme Armed Forces and other military formations and law enforcement bodies will answer to the commander of the Joint Forces. I decided to appoint Lieutenant General Sergei Naev to this post” (Interfax, March 16).

Disregarding the political content of the law pertaining to Russian responsibilities and liabilities, as well as bureaucratic matters relating to which documents issued within the occupied territories Ukraine will recognize (birth and death certificates only), there are certainly some issues that are considered controversial. In particular, questions arise concerning new, broad and possibly unconstitutional presidential powers. Additionally, there are legal questions related to the new powers of the Commander of the Joint Operational Headquarters of the Armed Forces. It is also unclear how previously issued ATO documents will be treated once the ATO has officially ceased to be an operation. Finally, there is the matter of amending numerous existing domestic laws that mention the ATO.

The new law replacing the ATO puts the commander of the Joint Forces at the head of the Ukrainian response to Russian aggression. As such the SSU, National Police, National Guard, Border Service, become subservient to JOHAF command and control. According to the Ukrainian chief of the General Staff, Viktor Muzhenko, “The law, which was signed by the president of Ukraine on February 20, systematized the use of the Armed Forces to fulfill the tasks they performed in the ATO and change the format of the main operation. The ATO will be completed, and we will proceed to the Joint Force. This implies a clear structure of the management system, the subordination of certain forces and military leadership, and the creation of a joint operational headquarters as the main governing body of this operation in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions” (Radiosvoboda.org, February 22). In effect, this law creates the ability to enact something akin to “martial law” within a contained area as decreed by the president, without the necessity of declaring Martial Law across the entirety of the Ukrainian state.

New legal concepts, such as “areas of fighting” and “security zones” located within the government-controlled areas along the contact line, are to be determined by the Chief of the General Staff, upon the submission of the newly created position of the commander of the Joint Operational Forces. The exact provisions and limitations of the JOHAF will be set by the president.

Additional powers have been granted to personnel under JOHAF command regarding their interactions with the civilian population. The law establishes a special regime for Ukrainian citizens with regard to entering the temporarily occupied territories through designated checkpoints, and the JOHAF commander can deny entrance to these. Furthermore, law enforcement and military service members are allowed to strengthen security measures if what critics equate to martial law is introduced. Among those expanded powers include document checks, detentions, stops and searches, restrictions on movement, limits on entry to residential and other buildings, as well as the commandeering of private vehicles and communications for official use. Moreover, those involved in the “areas of fighting” and “security zones” can use, “if absolutely necessary, weapons and special means against those who violate the law or attempt to illegally enter the temporarily occupied territories” (Rada.gov.ua, accessed April 16). Some domestic human rights organizations have raised concerns over the rights to freedom of movement for the civilian population due to such expanded powers of the military, as well as worries that such powers will be abused (Khpg.org, January 18).

All of that said, it remains to be seen if, and by how much, the April 30 transfer of command from the SSU to the military will affect daily life for those civilians living in and around the front lines. Ukraine is not known for its efficient or effective implementation of new laws. And its military and law enforcement commanders rarely allow much discretion to their personnel when enforcing their remits. Thus, many of the changes detailed in the new law may, in fact, remain on paper for a long time to come.


https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-42741778
Ukraine crisis: Kiev defines Russia as 'aggressor' state
19 January 2018

PHOTOGRAPH -- Image caption
Ukraine and pro-Russian rebels accuse each other of violating a ceasefire agreed before New Year
Image copyrightEPA

Ukraine's parliament has passed a law defining areas seized by pro-Russian separatists in the east of the country as temporarily occupied by Russia.

The law on the reintegration of the region was backed by 280 MPs, calling Russia an "aggressor" state.

Moscow condemned the move, saying it could only be considered as preparation "for a new war".

More than 10,000 people have died in the eastern Donetsk and Luhansk region since the conflict began in April 2014.

A month earlier Russia seized Ukraine's southern Crimea peninsula.

Eastern Ukraine conflict: A new, bloody chapter

Ukraine country profile

Ukraine's lawmakers passed the law on Thursday after heated discussions in parliament that lasted three days.

"The Russian Federation is committing a crime of aggression against Ukraine and is temporarily occupying parts of its territory," the document says.

It accuses Moscow of sending its armed units to the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, and not adhering to a ceasefire regime.

Ukraine and the West accuse Russia of sending its troops to the region and arming the separatists.

Moscow denies this, but admits that Russian "volunteers" are helping the rebels.

In a statement on Thursday, the Russian foreign ministry accused Kiev of trying to solve the conflict in the east by force.

It also said the new law violated the Minsk peace accords*, which were agreed in 2015.

The rise in tensions between Kiev and Moscow comes just weeks after Ukraine and the separatists exchanged hundreds of prisoners - in one of the biggest swaps since the conflict erupted.

Ukrainian media unimpressed
By BBC Monitoring

The new law is splashed across Ukrainian newspaper front pages on Friday - and many seem unimpressed.

In a highly critical piece, the opposition tabloid Vesti expressed human rights concerns, asking "who will be regarded as the 'enemy of the people', whose homes may be searched and who will make a profit on the trade [with the rebel regions]?"

News website Ukrayinska Pravda is also sceptical, saying: "Despite the plaudits, both the authorities and the opposition admit: the law does not solve the problem of de-occupation*."

"Contentious law adopted: How we will regain Donbass", reads a headline in the KP newspaper, which also looks in detail at the "controversial clauses that did not make it into the law".

Russia's influential Kommersant newspaper says the new law effectively cancels the Minsk Accords and sees Kiev "turning its back on Paris and Berlin, the guarantors of the Minsk process, and putting the strategic stake on Washington."

And Moskovsky Komsomolets says the Ukrainian authorities "have permitted the ATO* [anti-terrorist operation] soldiers to do everything they did illegally before."

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RussiaCrimeaUkraine conflictUkraine