September 9, 2014

On September 5, 2014 the Trilateral Contact Group of representatives of Ukraine, Russia and OSCE as well as representatives of Russia-backed militants from Donetsk and Luhansk signed a Protocol on joint steps aimed at implementation of the Peace Plan of President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko.

At 6 pm on the same day President of Ukraine ordered Ukrainian military to cease fire as was foreseen in the Protocol. Since then, Ukraine has assiduously abided by the Minsk agreements.

However, Russia and pro-Moscow terrorists repeatedly break the arrangements. Russia ignored the EC conclusions.

This is why there‘s no reason to soften pressure on Russia.

• Against Article 1 of the Protocol Russian forces and terrorists have broken ceasefire and shelled Ukrainian military and civilians 93 times since the truce started. As a result, 5 military were killed and 33 wounded. Casualties among civilians are still being verified. The OSCE Special Monitoring Mission in Ukraine confirmed ceasefire violations by the terrorists in its reports of September 6 and 7.
• Contrary to Article 3, which urges to ensure decentralization in Ukraine, terrorists intensified their efforts to promote statehood of the self-proclaimed entities in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions. Immediately after the Trilateral Contact Group’s meeting in Minsk they declared that they intended to claim independence and separate from Ukraine. Moreover, they continued endeavors to develop state institutes, in particular, border guard units.
• Despite Article 4 rules to make steps towards securing the border between Ukraine and Russia, Russia continues to supply manpower and military equipment to the terrorists through a number of border crossings that are currently out of control of the Ukrainian forces.
• Although Article 8 sets to take measures to improve humanitarian conditions in Donbas, terrorists still hinder delivery of humanitarian aid to affected areas and residents.The OSCE Special Monitoring Mission reported that an ICRC humanitarian convoy consisting of 10 trucks could not bring aid to Luhansk on September 6 as the bridge at the city’s outskirts was mined by terrorists.
• Contrary to Article 10, which requests to retreat unlawful armed groups, military equipment as well as militants and mercenaries from the territory of Ukraine, Russian regular troops and terrorists use a ceasefire respite to get reinforcements, reshuffle, take more advantageous positions and fortify them.

Also, they concentrate personnel and military equipment with an eye to take control of the towns of Mariupol and Debaltseve in the Donetsk region. On September 7-8, large groups of militants and military equipment were redeployed from north to south of the Luhansk region. On September 8, residents of the village of Nikishyne in the Donetsk region were given 72 hours to leave the place as Russians and their local cronies were preparing a jumping-off ground for an offensive on Debaltseve. On the same day, groups of over 160 units of military equipment were seen on the move at the outskirts of the town of Novoazovsk. Other similar activities were also observed.

Moreover, Russians reshuffle their forces in the north of the Crimea. It is reported that there are about 60 tanks, over a hundred of armored personnel carriers, tens of Grad and Uragan multiple rocket launchers etc. At the same time, they continue to pile up forces along the border with Ukraine.

In addition to breaking the Minsk agreements, Russia continues to ignore the calls of the special meeting of the European Council on August 30, 2014.

In particular, Russia has not:

-          withdrawn all its military assets and forces from Ukraine;

-          secured re-establishment of Ukrainian control over its border;

-          halted flows of personnel and weapons from its territory into eastern Ukraine;

-          released all prisoners illegally detained in its territory;

-          facilitated release of all hostages held by the illegally armed groups.

It is obvious that Russia remains reluctant to enter the realm of international law and find a modality of peaceful coexistence with Ukraine.

In this respect, the Ukrainian side maintains that it is imprudent to reduce existing restrictions on Russia or to delay introduction of new ones and insists that the European Union and its Member States demonstrate responsibility and strategic vision of the aggressive policies of the current Russian leadership as well as solidarity with Ukraine which took the strongest blow of the said policies.

Tangible sanctions on the most sensitive sectors of the Russian economy are a sine qua none condition to bring Russia back to the international law vein. As the recent developments prompt, it were prospects of new EU and US sanctions that contributed to reaching arrangements in Minsk.

Only withdrawal of the Russian forces from the Ukrainian soil and return of the Crimea to Ukraine are justifiable benchmarks for the international community to reduce, delay or recall sanctions.

Ukraine is interested in implementation of the Minsk arrangements, establishing sustainable bilateral cease-fire and further implementing of the Peace-Plan.

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