Hindustani78
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https://www.unian.info/war/1777796-...ne-amid-uncertainty-over-missions-future.html
Canada, Britain and the United States have had military trainers in Ukraine since the summer of 2015, after Russia annexed Crimea and began supporting separatist forces in Ukraine's Donbas region.
Ukrainian and Canadian officials say those skills have been desperately needed given the amount of support Russia has provided to the rebels operating in the Donbas.
The conflict in eastern Ukraine has claimed close to 10,000 lives since April 2014, and left tens of thousands without homes and struggling to survive.
But Canada's training mission is set to expire at the end of March, and in spite of public appeals from the Ukrainian government, the Liberal government has not decided whether to extend it.
Despite the uncertainty, about 200 soldiers from Lord Strathcona's Horse are set to leave for Ukraine at the beginning of March – even if it means they only end up staying for a month.
The Edmonton-based soldiers will relieve counterparts from 2nd Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry, based out of Shilo, Man., who have been on the ground training Ukrainian forces near the city of Lviv since August.
Meanwhile, 1 PPCLI, which is also based out of Edmonton and falls under Hetherington's command, will be providing the majority of troops for the start of Canada's mission in Latvia, which is expected to ramp up in the coming months before becoming fully operational in the summer.
Canada has committed to send about 450 troops to lead a multinational NATO force in the Baltic state, which is intended to deter any potential Russian aggression in the region. Hetherington described the Latvia mission as "a bit of back to the future" since it will be Canada's largest deployment to Europe since the end of the Cold War.
The Canadians will be joined in Latvia by counterparts from Italy, Spain, Poland, Albania and Slovenia, who Hetherington said will all work hand-in-hand with the Latvians on a daily basis.
"The Latvians will be our peers," he said. "This is not building an army. We are not training them." With 3rd Division also providing about 150 soldiers to Canada's mission in Iraq, the question remains how the government plans to find another 600 troops to send on a major peacekeeping mission in Africa.
Hetherington acknowledged that with Ukraine, Latvia and Iraq on his plate, he is "rounds complete," meaning he doesn't have much more to spare. But he was confident the military would be able to find enough troops from other places to be able to participate in a peacekeeping mission, if and when the government pulls the trigger. "It will depend on the task," Hetherington said.
"If push comes to shove, we can all get out the door and do what we need to do tomorrow. If you look back to the Afghan days where at any one time we could have had upwards of 3,500, and we kept going through that."
*************
https://www.unian.info/war/1778577-...ading-to-neighboring-belarus-eu-observer.html
To coincide with the parliamentary debate, Yan Melnikov, a Belarusian volunteer fighter in Ukraine, was in Brussels on Tuesday, February 14, to highlight what he calls the "rapidly deteriorating" humanitarian situation in the conflict zone.
The 23-year-old has spent the last three years supporting Ukrainian forces in Donbas and says that there is "little evidence" that EU economic sanctions against Russia have had any impact so far.
Melnikov said that the recent upsurge in fighting was the result of Russian-backed forces "once again" resorting to the use of heavy artillery which had put civilians at increased risk.
Much of the shelling and shooting, he said, had come from Russian-backed soldiers in built up residential areas which made it “impossible” for the opposing side to return fire. Melnikov, who is due to return to the frontline in two weeks, insisted that he had joined the Ukranian forces out of a desire to support freedom and democracy and not for any monetary gain.
"It is clear that sanctions are not working and they need to be intensified, he said, adding that "There is a great hardship in the region and it is getting worse with every passing day. Urgent action needs to be taken to address this."
The former tailor said he was one of about 300 Belarusians who are fighting in the area and fears that if Eastern Ukraine is annexed by Moscow, as was the case with Crimea in 2015, then his country could be "next on the Russian radar." "This is the big concern for a lot of my countrymen," he said.
"They fear that unless a clear signal is sent to Putin's Russia that the West, including the EU, will not tolerate such aggression, that Belarus could be next."
*************
http://www.mil.gov.ua/en/news/2017/...ns-with-120-mm-mortars-in-mariupol-direction/
Tuesday, February 14. DONBAS – According to the press centre of the ‘anti-terror’ operation (ATO) HQ, despite the ceasefire agreements, Russian occupational troops continue shelling Ukrainian positions with weapons, forbidden by the Minsk agreements.
Thereby, the enemy shelled Ukrainian positions with 120-mm mortars in Mariupol direction.
In Donetsk direction the occupants intensively fired on Ukrainian troops with BMPs and RPGs.
*******
http://www.interfax.com/newsinf.asp?id=735261
MINSK. Feb 15 (Interfax) - The sides have agreed to withdraw weapons and special equipment from the line of separation in Donbas by February 20, envoy of the Organization for Security and Co-operation (OSCE) in Europe in the Trilateral Contact Group on Ukraine Martin Sajdik said.
"Today it was agreed to withdraw the equipment prohibited under the Minsk agreements by February 20," Sajdik said in Minsk on Wednesday.
At today's meeting, the sides paid special attention to the complete ceasefire along the entire contact line in Donbas.
Sajdik went on to note in this regard that outbreaks of hostilities in the conflict area had significantly reduced since the previous Contact Group meeting. He also highlighted the major contribution that the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission had made to the reduction of tension in the region.
Sajdik also revealed that the Steinmeier formula had been among the political topics discussed in Minsk on Wednesday.
The Trilateral Contact Group on the Donbas situation met in Minsk earlier on Wednesday.
The group's next meeting is to be held on March 1, Sajdik said.
**********
http://www.interfax.com/newsinf.asp?id=735245
KYIV. Feb 15 (Interfax) - The blockade of railroad transportation with the regions of Donbas uncontrolled by Kyiv may lead to a halt of the country's metallurgical industry, Ukrainian Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman said.
"The blockade [...] will lead to a halt of the country's metallurgical enterprises. The metallurgical industry now employs 300,000 people. What we sell abroad makes up 20% of all of our state's foreign currency earnings. It cannot be called anything but sabotage of the economy!" Groysman said in opening an extraordinary government meeting on Wednesday.
The prime minister urged the blockade activists to unblock the passage of trains carrying commodities that are vital to the national economy. "I am calling on those who are blocking [the traffic] to unblock the delivery of only coal and whatever else related to the Ukrainian economy. You are welcome to block anything else and fight smuggling!" Groysman said.
Ukrainian Interior Minister Arsen Avakov, for his part, said the Alchevsk Coke-Chemical Plant has coal to last it nine days.
"Nine days, after that we will shut down the furnaces. After that, there will be one more week and we will stop all plants of Mariupol, and then also Kryviy Rih," he said.
*****************
19:25
Kyiv deems unacceptable talking about any elections in Donbas until several essential conditions are met - spokesperson for Kuchma
18:12
DPR blames Kyiv for blocking discussion on Steinmeier formula at Minsk talks
18:04
Donbas railway blockade by radicals brings Yenakiieve Iron and Steel Works close to suspension of production
15:39
DPR observes 550 ceasefire breaches in past 24 hours
15:24
LPR hopes economic group on Donbas resumes work
Canada, Britain and the United States have had military trainers in Ukraine since the summer of 2015, after Russia annexed Crimea and began supporting separatist forces in Ukraine's Donbas region.
Ukrainian and Canadian officials say those skills have been desperately needed given the amount of support Russia has provided to the rebels operating in the Donbas.
The conflict in eastern Ukraine has claimed close to 10,000 lives since April 2014, and left tens of thousands without homes and struggling to survive.
But Canada's training mission is set to expire at the end of March, and in spite of public appeals from the Ukrainian government, the Liberal government has not decided whether to extend it.
Despite the uncertainty, about 200 soldiers from Lord Strathcona's Horse are set to leave for Ukraine at the beginning of March – even if it means they only end up staying for a month.
The Edmonton-based soldiers will relieve counterparts from 2nd Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry, based out of Shilo, Man., who have been on the ground training Ukrainian forces near the city of Lviv since August.
Meanwhile, 1 PPCLI, which is also based out of Edmonton and falls under Hetherington's command, will be providing the majority of troops for the start of Canada's mission in Latvia, which is expected to ramp up in the coming months before becoming fully operational in the summer.
Canada has committed to send about 450 troops to lead a multinational NATO force in the Baltic state, which is intended to deter any potential Russian aggression in the region. Hetherington described the Latvia mission as "a bit of back to the future" since it will be Canada's largest deployment to Europe since the end of the Cold War.
The Canadians will be joined in Latvia by counterparts from Italy, Spain, Poland, Albania and Slovenia, who Hetherington said will all work hand-in-hand with the Latvians on a daily basis.
"The Latvians will be our peers," he said. "This is not building an army. We are not training them." With 3rd Division also providing about 150 soldiers to Canada's mission in Iraq, the question remains how the government plans to find another 600 troops to send on a major peacekeeping mission in Africa.
Hetherington acknowledged that with Ukraine, Latvia and Iraq on his plate, he is "rounds complete," meaning he doesn't have much more to spare. But he was confident the military would be able to find enough troops from other places to be able to participate in a peacekeeping mission, if and when the government pulls the trigger. "It will depend on the task," Hetherington said.
"If push comes to shove, we can all get out the door and do what we need to do tomorrow. If you look back to the Afghan days where at any one time we could have had upwards of 3,500, and we kept going through that."
*************
https://www.unian.info/war/1778577-...ading-to-neighboring-belarus-eu-observer.html
To coincide with the parliamentary debate, Yan Melnikov, a Belarusian volunteer fighter in Ukraine, was in Brussels on Tuesday, February 14, to highlight what he calls the "rapidly deteriorating" humanitarian situation in the conflict zone.
The 23-year-old has spent the last three years supporting Ukrainian forces in Donbas and says that there is "little evidence" that EU economic sanctions against Russia have had any impact so far.
Melnikov said that the recent upsurge in fighting was the result of Russian-backed forces "once again" resorting to the use of heavy artillery which had put civilians at increased risk.
Much of the shelling and shooting, he said, had come from Russian-backed soldiers in built up residential areas which made it “impossible” for the opposing side to return fire. Melnikov, who is due to return to the frontline in two weeks, insisted that he had joined the Ukranian forces out of a desire to support freedom and democracy and not for any monetary gain.
"It is clear that sanctions are not working and they need to be intensified, he said, adding that "There is a great hardship in the region and it is getting worse with every passing day. Urgent action needs to be taken to address this."
The former tailor said he was one of about 300 Belarusians who are fighting in the area and fears that if Eastern Ukraine is annexed by Moscow, as was the case with Crimea in 2015, then his country could be "next on the Russian radar." "This is the big concern for a lot of my countrymen," he said.
"They fear that unless a clear signal is sent to Putin's Russia that the West, including the EU, will not tolerate such aggression, that Belarus could be next."
*************
http://www.mil.gov.ua/en/news/2017/...ns-with-120-mm-mortars-in-mariupol-direction/
Tuesday, February 14. DONBAS – According to the press centre of the ‘anti-terror’ operation (ATO) HQ, despite the ceasefire agreements, Russian occupational troops continue shelling Ukrainian positions with weapons, forbidden by the Minsk agreements.
Thereby, the enemy shelled Ukrainian positions with 120-mm mortars in Mariupol direction.
In Donetsk direction the occupants intensively fired on Ukrainian troops with BMPs and RPGs.
*******
http://www.interfax.com/newsinf.asp?id=735261
MINSK. Feb 15 (Interfax) - The sides have agreed to withdraw weapons and special equipment from the line of separation in Donbas by February 20, envoy of the Organization for Security and Co-operation (OSCE) in Europe in the Trilateral Contact Group on Ukraine Martin Sajdik said.
"Today it was agreed to withdraw the equipment prohibited under the Minsk agreements by February 20," Sajdik said in Minsk on Wednesday.
At today's meeting, the sides paid special attention to the complete ceasefire along the entire contact line in Donbas.
Sajdik went on to note in this regard that outbreaks of hostilities in the conflict area had significantly reduced since the previous Contact Group meeting. He also highlighted the major contribution that the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission had made to the reduction of tension in the region.
Sajdik also revealed that the Steinmeier formula had been among the political topics discussed in Minsk on Wednesday.
The Trilateral Contact Group on the Donbas situation met in Minsk earlier on Wednesday.
The group's next meeting is to be held on March 1, Sajdik said.
**********
http://www.interfax.com/newsinf.asp?id=735245
KYIV. Feb 15 (Interfax) - The blockade of railroad transportation with the regions of Donbas uncontrolled by Kyiv may lead to a halt of the country's metallurgical industry, Ukrainian Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman said.
"The blockade [...] will lead to a halt of the country's metallurgical enterprises. The metallurgical industry now employs 300,000 people. What we sell abroad makes up 20% of all of our state's foreign currency earnings. It cannot be called anything but sabotage of the economy!" Groysman said in opening an extraordinary government meeting on Wednesday.
The prime minister urged the blockade activists to unblock the passage of trains carrying commodities that are vital to the national economy. "I am calling on those who are blocking [the traffic] to unblock the delivery of only coal and whatever else related to the Ukrainian economy. You are welcome to block anything else and fight smuggling!" Groysman said.
Ukrainian Interior Minister Arsen Avakov, for his part, said the Alchevsk Coke-Chemical Plant has coal to last it nine days.
"Nine days, after that we will shut down the furnaces. After that, there will be one more week and we will stop all plants of Mariupol, and then also Kryviy Rih," he said.
*****************
19:25
Kyiv deems unacceptable talking about any elections in Donbas until several essential conditions are met - spokesperson for Kuchma
18:12
DPR blames Kyiv for blocking discussion on Steinmeier formula at Minsk talks
18:04
Donbas railway blockade by radicals brings Yenakiieve Iron and Steel Works close to suspension of production
15:39
DPR observes 550 ceasefire breaches in past 24 hours
15:24
LPR hopes economic group on Donbas resumes work
