Monthly Archives: September 2015

Stoltenberg Visits Ukraine, Urges Kiev-NATO Cooperation

Poroshenko’s Ukraine Becomes “Eastern Outpost of
Euro-Atlantic Civilization”

Guest Article by Vitaly Varavka

Odna Rodyna
Autotranslation with minor editing by Quemado Institute
September 23, 2015

Jens Stoltenberg, Petro Poroshenko

“Ruins of the Ukrainian state and the army is complete.” Jens Stoltenberg could leave this inscription on the walls of the residence of President Poroshenko, if he had been in place kinogeroya Leonid Bykov.

The NATO Secretary General visited Ukraine during two-day stay and found that, although between Ukraine and the alliance “there is a wide range of cooperation in very different areas,” this is not enough for Kiev’s accession into NATO. Do not join and help prop “Movement for Ukraine in NATO”, created exactly upon the arrival Stoltenberg.

Stoltenberg, assessing the situation diplomatically, pointed out that “NATO is working together with Ukraine and supporting it in reforms, adaptation of the armed forces so that they are more suited to NATO.” However, no exception to the standard procedure will be made for Kiev, he promises: “After these reforms, Ukraine will decide whether to file an application to join NATO, and then we will evaluate this statement on a common basis.” The NATO Secretary-General did not say that it is not only the reform, ie the transition to NATO standards of what is called the Ukrainian army, although to the problems here there is no end.

There is also the question: who will pay for that APU [Ukrainian Armed Forces] that is “more suited to the NATO”? Ukraine’s external debt which reached 127 billion dollars and amounted to 123% of GDP, is clearly not. And whether it is necessary NATO ?! If someone is right, the only non-European members of the alliance, which came to the fore the problem of refugees. Germany alone this year will be spent on them 10 billion. Euro.

In other words, in the foreseeable future even hope that APU [Ukrainian Armed Forces] will go to NATO standards, the more buy Western arms and military equipment, is not necessary. Stoltenberg is a fact well understood, for not speaking about the unification of “standards”, but only that the Armed Forces of Ukraine “more suited to NATO.” In other words, the closer to the horizon, the further it moves away from you.

In late August, the Ukrainian authorities have approved five agreements on the reduction of the armed forces to NATO standards. Experts believe that Ukraine will not qualify for NATO membership in the next 20 years. And over the years, not only a lot of water in the river will flow away, but the world would be different.

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Secretary General to remain silent and that Ukraine’s accession to NATO would mean that the transition to the West “red line”, which was finally marked Russia in promoting the alliance’s eastward. At a time when there are signs of cooperation between Washington and Moscow in tackling LIH and settlement of the situation in Syria, such a step absolutely unthinkable.

We can assume that in Western capitals do not forget about Russia’s allies. “The SCO brings together almost as many nuclear powers, as the UN Security Council, and the prospect of membership of Iran (once sanctions are lifted) will further strengthen this trend,” – it describes the strategic weight of the Association of Polish Gazeta Wyborcza.

While in December last year Kiev declined to non-aligned status, and the new military doctrine envisages accelerated Euro-Atlantic integration, the president of Poroshenko could not ignore the new realities. “Is Ukraine ready to join NATO? The answer is very simple – no. We need to prepare for it. Is NATO ready for Ukraine to become a member – no. But I must say that everything must be done to change the Ukraine to become a member of the European Union. Because the criteria are the same. But NATO’s door [for Ukraine] remain open since 2008 “- Poroshenko said during a joint press conference with Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.

Traditionally, the Ukrainian president has promised to hold a referendum on NATO membership. Moreover, according to him, the level of support for the Euro-Atlantic choice of more than 60%. Where the President took these figures, it is difficult to judge. After all, at the beginning of June to join NATO, according to the Kiev International Institute of Sociology (KIIS), supported by only 37% of respondents. It is difficult to imagine that three months support has grown almost twice. In addition, Poroshenko himself carved. It was he still believes that the Crimea and the Donbass part of Ukraine. But polls there Kiev sociological services are not carried out!

At the same time, Poroshenko at pains to emphasize a special character of relations between Ukraine and NATO. “Yes, Ukraine is not a member of NATO. Unfortunately, de jure, we are not allies, but de facto, I can not emphasize this, we are much more than partners, “- Poroshenko said at a meeting of the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC), which was attended by the secretary general of the alliance.

Stoltenberg at a meeting of the National Security Council noted that Ukraine “can rely on NATO.” However, he paid more attention to the hated leaders of the Kiev topic – Minsk agreements. “We (the Alliance) support the full implementation of the agreements Minsk, since it is the only way out of the crisis … It is very important for Ukraine to continue to go through the enforcement of all aspects of the Minsk accords and to ensure peace and stability and the sovereignty”, – said the secretary general.

During the visit, Stoltenberg signed a number of documents. In particular, the Road Map program Partnership for Strategic Communications, a joint declaration on strengthening the military-technical cooperation between Ukraine and NATO, the agreement on the status of NATO representation in Ukraine. Until now, in Kiev it acted only information center of the alliance, which in the conditions of Ukraine, as it turns out, is not enough.

In order to demonstrate the practical cooperation between NATO and Ukraine and Poroshenko together Stoltenberg opened the international exercise in the aftermath of an emergency or natural man-made disasters in the Yavoriv training ground in the Lviv region.

As one of the areas of cooperation outlined Stoltenberg help restore Ukrainian Navy, but so far only at the level of opportunities at “issues that Ukrainians would like to discuss with us.” As they say, fast easier said than done. Besides, why help the fleet so that its only selling missile cruiser ?! And as the areas of cooperation that have already been implemented, the secretary general called “cooperation in the field of command and control, logistics, cyber security, mine clearance.”

Poroshenko, who is still in a state of “regional, continental war, which threatens peace and stability in the world”, noted that Ukraine is the easternmost outpost of the Euro-Atlantic civilization, not only protects its sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence of the Ukrainian state. However, he stressed that “we will not allow anyone from outside the country to try to influence this process. It is solely the right of the Ukrainian people and the Ukrainian government, and we are your choice in favor of European values, the European civilization development made during the Revolution of dignity. ”

What do you think about this? While Stoltenberg does not occupy the chair presiding at the NSDC. But the Ukrainian president reported to him. Apparently, already used. And it does not consider NATO Secretary General outsider in the affairs of domestic and foreign policy of Ukraine. Otherwise, it would be unclear why the United States “handed over power” to the current regime in Kiev during the “revolution of dignity.”

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NATO Secretary General’s visit to Ukraine has shown that the prospect of membership in the alliance of Kiev, as before, remain rather vague. However, there is increased cooperation with the Western mode of the Kiev military-political bloc that could hamper normalization of relations with Russia.

South Ossetian President Tibilov Greets Zakharchenko and Plotnitsky

Andrei Purgin Interview After His Release 9-10-15

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09.10.15. Interview After the Arrest of Andrei Purgin

An updated, reformatted version of the Andrei Purgin interview has been posted on our main website: CLICK HERE.

The following is a rough translation in preliminary format.

Vladimir Suchan’s page: vk.com/strelkov_info
Autotranslation (with minor editing by Quemado Institute)
September 10, 2015

Andrei Purgin

– Andrei Alexandrovich [Purgin], the conditions in which you held?

– AP: Normal conditions. All that the MSS (Ministry of State Security DNR. – Approx. VK Ed.) can provide. In this regard, I have no complaints.

– What was it? Detention or you, as he said, “Fontanka” so Denis Pushilin took custody, so you were not attacked Ukrainian saboteurs?

-AP: Detention of course. I could not leave the room, I had conducted searches in the evening to find out if there is a phone or not, I was not able to contact anyone. My phone and all other electronic devices were all taken, I was isolated.

– How do you explain this?

-AP: The working version to protect me from Ukrainian DRGs (sabotage and scouting groups. – Approx. VK Ed.).

– Do you agree?

-AP: Yes of course! And they released because phoned the Ukrainian DRG and found that they had left, you can go!

– I am glad that you are joking. How do you explain what happened to you? Why it took to remove you from power in such a way?

-AP: I dont know. I think maybe there are some very serious political ambitions … Denis (Pushilin. – VK Ed.), We collect posts. He’s the head of the executive committee of the public movement “Donetsk Republic”. He is the head of the Minsk Group. He heads the football. He decides on humanitarian missions and move the “humanitarian aid”. And so on. What is missing is coke and agriculture. Now he needed a post as the head of the parliament.

– For a simple job of collecting posts, is this not a tall price? After your dismissal everyone saw that the DPR leaders squabbled.

-AP: For me, the whole story was a surprise.

– What is the fate of Alexei Alexandrov – former chief of staff, with whom you were detained at the border?

-AP: I do not know where Alexei Alexandrov is. His son from me. But if you look intently, then Alexei Alexandrov is one of the most influential people in the Russian movement of Ukraine, deputy head of the party many years of “Russian bloc”, creator of the “Russian world” in Ukraine. This is someone who has a very high credibility. Ukrainian nationalists back in 2006 he smashed his head with a hammer. He was then barely saved.

– How is it now that your colleagues do not accept him in the Parliament?

-AP: I do not know. He has held technical positions. In public you will find him very little.

– Few, but expressive. I read his statement.

-AP: He gave his opinion on one of the scenarios, not more.

– Pushilin says that you “fell under the influence of Alexandrov.” You came under his influence?

-AP: We are adults, I have a lot of luggage, I’m even a little insulting. I have a very respectful attitude towards Alexey, very largely I agree with him, somewhat disagree, we have known each other a long time. “I came under his influence” – then I do not understand. I “came under his influence,” so I was removed from the post of head of the National Council?

– It is not I say, as your colleague Pushilin.

-AP: Do you know what the position of the Speaker of Parliament is, more technical, organizational? I mean, what I have in my head does not affect the work of the Parliament. The Agenda is formed by the Coordination Council, which includes Denis (Pushilin. – Approx. VK Ed.) And another three people.

– Moreover, why it was necessary to remove you?

-AP: For me, the logic is slender Explanation for the action Denis and those who helped him do , no.

– Pushilin says that you have been warned: it is necessary to dismiss Aleksandrov.

-AP: Some patsanskie statements. Someone warned me? We recorded all sessions. Even without the closed meetings recorded on video. Can he provide a record that I was warned?

– He probably warned you unofficially.

-AP: Oh, unofficially! You know, this is the inscription on the fence. Parliament may vote any order, such as the removal or appointment of the head unit, the change of the structure. And I can not do it without a parliament.

– Why, then, they had to detain you at the border, to keep under guard?

-AP: You ask questions to which I have no answer. For me it was a complete surprise.

– Maybe it was something to do with the next round of talks in Minsk? You would have to participate in them, they eventually passed on September 8 without you, and now you are released.

-AP: No I do not think so. That is, it is possible to make thaat link, but I strongly doubt it. There is a long process. Of course, it is very important who is in a working group, but the final documents of these people do not sign.

– They say that you are in the country more popular than Denis. You can use that to recover the post?

-AP: I, frankly, do not really want this. It is understood that I am not going to fight for it. It is more important to regain the confidence of the people to form a positive agenda than to build horizontal links, to somehow break through the social elevators. We have a war, we have a very serious situation. We from Kharkov, Odessa, Zaporozhye of people live. Only from Kharkov political refugees,and a half thousand. They have to work. We must understand the common ideological canvas …

– Sorry, I did not understand: the refugees from peace Kharkov and Odessa in Donetsk?

-AP: Yes! Many from Kharkiv fight with us in the army, worked in government. These people cannot return home. They are killing people, extrajudicial persecution imprisoned for distributing newspapers.

– What do you now plan to do?

-AP: I plan to be still engaged in social and political activities, ideological projects. As the founder and builder of many years “Donetsk Republic” as an online organization that virtually created and Donetsk People’s Republic and wore the flag that now bears Donetsk People’s Republic. “Donetsk Republic” ofitsionalizirovana in 2005, and established even earlier …

– Yes, after the “Orange Revolution.” Then you had help? Who, for example, funded it?

-AP: “Financed” our criminal volumes! This is not a party structure is a network structure of a horizontal nature, they are practically not funded. This network horizontal structures, endless conventions, endless consultations, it is hard-won public and experts concept, we have created a system discourse, which is actually the right time broke the situation, we were able to set up public opinion in such a way that when the events took place in 2014, the whole layer of political structures has been set up so that we were able to do what we could.

– Excuse me, that you could have done – it is known. And now you’re going to do that?

-AP: The State – this is not the border and law enforcement agencies, it is first of all people who feel a sense of ownership to the state, to the territory. We had a negative agenda, today the society is tired of it. People need to understand that for which we are fighting.

– And still fighting for what?

-AP: I have already told you: we need a positive agenda. Power is often in the framework sometimes even an alien system of discourse. It focuses on what the people want, what people think. A structure needs to invest, to show the people what they want.

– You did not yet invest and showed people what they want?

-AP: No, no and NO! We ended with a negative agenda, we urgently need to generate positive. Otherwise people just do not forgive us. Formation of a positive agenda – an ideology in the form in which it is.

– I think now in Donbass the agenda is very clear.

-AP: What, in addition to war?

– You have no money for pensions and salaries, the company does not work, the economy is not even destroyed – it just is not, you are completely dependent on the neighboring state …

-AP: You propose to use the preposition “or”, and I suggest – “and”. In addition to the recovery of the economy and everything else, we need to understand at all where we are going, we are going to build. Even restoring the economy, we are seeing a lot of questions. Regaining ownership of the oligarchs that we do with it? Will she state – or both? What do we do with the entrails? And so on.

– So you’re going to do the ideological part?

-AP: Of course. It is part of an ideological, but – with the transition into the actual.

– You called the head of the executive committee of Denis Pushilin. Did you not intercepted your “Donetsk Republic”?

-AP: Well, it is a social movement, I do not understand why it is investing in the party sense, it can not be a party structure.

– “Donetsk Republic” do you still or Denis Pushilin?

-AP: He has been a social movement “Donetsk Republic”. I’ll do the same movement. Also “Donetsk Republic”.

– Equally be called?

-AP: Movement “Donetsk Republic” rightfully belongs to me. I do not see any sense to give up the name of the structure, for which people died.

– You’re planning to create a different structure – the “People’s Front”?

-AP: “Popular Front” was perceived by me not as a political structure, but as a narrow-Corruption Bureau. I understand that in Russia now it becomes a kind of “people’s control.” It is very much in demand in our poverty, the distribution of humanitarian aid and other problems.

– You planned it as something connected with the Russian Popular Front?

-AP: The plan was to do it together with some representatives of the “Popular Front” from the neighboring regions of Russia. It would be foolish to create something different when a powerful movement is already on the territory of the Russian Federation. But because of what did not happen, this idea is shelved.

– At what point it became clear that the idea should be postponed indefinitely?

-AP: I would not like to comment on it.

– And for some reason, had to be postponed?

-AP: Well, it is currently too great a political hue. Too many layers to get political and speculation. And it is wrong.

– I ask because Khodakovsky connects your suspension with plans to create a “People’s Front”, which could become a competitor to “Donetsk Republic” Pushilin in the struggle for influence.

-AP: Maybe, maybe. I do not know much about these twists and turns, I’m an inexperienced person.

– Are not you afraid that without your personal involvement of the project “New Russia” will, as is sometimes said, “merge”?

-AP: I do not think that everything is so sad. A lot is decided among the people. If people lose faith in the fact that we are building, if people stop to understand what happens when people do not get a positive agenda, if they do not get the idea for which we fight, for which we stand for freedom and justice, if they do not get understanding that we are building, then all of this will lead to an internal civil war.

– You mean the – the civil war have now in the DPR?

-AP: Yes.

– If you go down talking about the reintegration of Donbass and Ukraine, how do you feel will concern?

-AP: I do not think it will happen. If Donbass returned to Ukraine, the country will have other boundaries and will be called differently, and Poroshenko and Turchynov will be in prison. For this to happen, Ukraine should take place, and drastic changes in people and within the state itself.

– What will happen if Russia stopped helping Donbass?

-AP: It would be a disaster. Because Donbass today is totally dependent on Russia. On its goodwill. In fact, Russia saved us from the cold of death, when Ukraine blocked the gas. The Russian Federation is in fact the savior of the people of Donbass.

– And yet … if Russia stops help ing, Donbass will be forced to turn to Ukraine?

-AP: In Ukraine, the changes occur very bad. Absolutely winter will be a lockout – emergency power outages. Ukraine is flying into the abyss, it is already in default.

– Your colleague Khodakovsky said diametrically opposite things: that we underestimate the vitality and buoyancy of Ukraine.

-AP: No, Khodakovsky meant that Ukraine can take a long time to decompose and rot!

– Actually, he spoke quite differently. And yet, if Russia stops helping, and self-Donbass, as I understand it, can not exist, that you think should be done?

-AP: Yes, we do not give Ukraine! No-thing! Market Engineering is located in the Russian Federation, energy resources located in the Russian Federation, cultural, mental, all the links – in the Russian Federation. We can not create the machinery – and sell them to the Ukraine, where they are not needed.

– I understand that your machinery is needed only in the Russian Federation. Nevertheless, if the Donbass left without support, he will survive?

-AP: Well, you’re too much of my need. I’m just a day at home. ”

Russia Closes Border with Ukraine

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Russia Closes Border with Ukraine

utro.ru
Edited autotranslation by Quemado Institute
September 2, 2015

In the area of the Russian city of Donetsk [the city in Russia, not the DPR capital — QI editor] a fence will be erected. The Border Guard Department of the FSB of Russia in the Rostov region posted a public procurement order online for the construction of the protective fence in the Rostov region of Donetsk [Russia], bordering Ukraine. The height of the construction is 2 meters, the length, 3.22 km.

“The construction will be made to curb illegal activity on the state border,” said the representative office. They clarify that these engineering structures are built on the most popular sections of the state border. Under the contract, a fence has been erected of welded fence sections 2 to 2.5 m with a V-shaped tip and reinforced barbed tape. Completion is scheduled for December 1st, 2015. Earlier, in May 2015 it was reported that on the border with Ukraine, in the Rostov region, about 140 km of engineering structures were built, including about 100 km of ditches and fences of more than 40 km. It is reported that the work was done before, but is being intensified in connection with an increase in attempts to smuggle arms and ammunition, and to prevent illegal crossing of the state border from Ukraine by car.

In the Bryansk sector of the border with Ukraine at the beginning of this year, a competition was also held for work on the creation of anti-tank ditches on the border, but the border guards also noted that these measures are in no way connected with the aggravation of the situation in Ukraine, and were planned in 2012.

Prior to that, the intention was to build a modern powerful complex of fortifications on the border with Russia, known as “The Wall” (later it was renamed the “European Wave”), said the government of Ukraine. Kiev is planning to implement the project in three years. Experts believe that the arrangement of the border with Russia on the principles applicable in Israel is unlikely to meet the deadline set by politicians.

According to the plan of builders, along nearly two thousand Km of the Ukrainian-Russian border anti-vehicle ditches will be dug with a width of 4 m and a depth of 2, 17-meter metal observation towers will be installed, surveillance placed, along with alarms, as well as support at the border crossings. The wall will be erected in the vicinity of the territory of the “anti-terrorist operation”, that is, around the DPR and LPR, as well as at the present border of the peninsula of Crimea.

The amount required for the construction of this grand structure will be 4 billion USD, or approximately $ 200 million [sic?]. The Ukrainian Cabinet of Ministers has approved the estimate of “The Wall” construction and signed a decree on the allocation of money for the construction of the country’s budget. The funds will be spent until 2019; in 2015 1 billion hryvnia will be spent. The government has signed a decree on the direction of the project from the budget. — Elizabeth Barkov, 14:29, 02/09/2015

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