Ukrainian media review on February 08, 2015

All the attention this  week will be focused  on the summit on the Ukrainian crisis in Minsk on February 11, 2015, as agreed by Ukrainian, Russian, German and French parties. On the eve of  the Summit terrorists of DNR-LNR are trying to capture large areas of territory, therefore during Saturday only they made ​​111 attacks. Vladimir Putin has already announced that permanent termination of ATO in Donbas would be a necessary precondition for achieving the anticipated outcome of the negotiations.

Today, German Chancellor Angela Merkel will conduct negotiations in Washington, DC with USA President Barack Obama regarding the conflict in Ukraine. It is expected that Merkel will express Germany’s disagreement with calls to arm Ukrainian military that voiced over in the United States. At a security conference which ended on February 8, 2015 in Munich, German Chancellor reiterated that she doesn’t see any possibility of a military solution to the conflict in eastern Ukraine. At the Munich Conference, US Senator John McCain called for arming Ukraine. Lithuanian President and the Foreign Minister of Poland also believe that Ukraine should be provided with defensive weapons.

 

WAR. Developments  in the area of ATO.

Military confrontation between Russia and terrorist groups and Ukrainian forces continues in the so-called ATo zone, with the most difficult situation still being around the town of Debaltseve. During the day 111 attacks committed by terrorists were recorded in the ATO area in the 37  localities.

. At the same time, in recent weeks the enemy has intensified its actions at the Luhansk direction, according to the ATO headquarters .. On the night of 7 February) Ukraininan armed forces have clashed with terrorists near the village of Ridkodub, as a result Ukrainian military have captured several jet infantry flame throwers “Shmel’”. The military claim that this type of weapon is used exclusively by the armed forces of the Russian Federation.

An explosion at an ammunition depot of self-proclaimed “DNR” happened in Donetsk last night .  13th so-called “humanitarian convoy” from Russiahas arrived in Donbas.

PEACEFUL SETTLEMENT OF CRISIS.

Peace plan proposed by German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollande regarding Ukraine envisages the establishment of a demilitarized zone between 50 and 70 kilometers, Hollande told the France 2 TV channel. The French president also called for a “very broad” autonomy for the eastern regions of Ukraine.

Petro Poroshenko, Francois Hollande, Angela Merkel and Vladimir Putin during a conference call in so-called “Normandy format” discussed ways of a peaceful settlement of the situation in the Donbas. Leaders of “Normandy four” agreed to hold a meeting aimed to resolve the Ukrainian conflict in Minsk on Wednesday, February 11. However, as noted by Russian President Vladimir Putin, such a meeting would be possible only in case of prior approval of “number of items” . Yesterday it was reported that during the negotiations in Moscow the sides agreed to continue work on “possible joint document”, which will take into account both proposals of Poroshenko and Putin. OSCE Secretary General Lamberto Zannier does not exclude the possibility of “frozen conflicts” in the Donbas. At the same time, according to the influential American newspaper Washington Times, the war in the Donbas is not “frozen” conflict – since the Russian military active attack in eastern Ukraine are getting more and more frequent.  EU High Commissioner for Foreign Policy Federica Mogherini expressed doubt that attempts to stop a military conflict on the eastern Ukraine of France’s and Germany’s leaders, Francois Hollande and Angela Merkel will succeed.

Washington has no doubt that Ukraine, which is suffering from the Russian aggression, will have additional economical assistance, as well as assistance in other areas, soon. This was announced on Sunday, February 8, by USA Secretary of State John Kerry, who spoke from the stage of the Munich Conference on Security Policy. Polish Foreign Minister claimed that the EU and the USA should help Ukraine to defend with the weapon, and the issue of Poland arms sales to Ukraine “is not closed.” Republican Senator John McCain called to provide Ukraine with weapons immediately.

Lithuanian President believes that “support for Ukraine today – in all accessible means – is support of freedom and peace for everyone in Europe.”

The editor of the British magazine Economist Edward Lucas, speaking in Munich Security Forum, called for a boycott of channel Russia Today. According to Lucas, the channel RT is connected directly to the Kremlin machine for the production of lies and promised to use his influence to counteract the work of the channel.