Kyiv, August 9, 2014 – “Tonight owing to efficient diplomatic activity of the President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko provocation from the side of the Russian Federation on Ukrainian state border have been diverted. Humanitarian convoy with so-called “peacemakers” was to enter Ukraine from Russia, allegedly with the approval of International Red Cross Committee. It was done in order to provoke a full-scale military conflict between Russia and Ukraine”, – it was the information the spokesman for Information and Analysis Center of National Security and Defence Council colonel Andriy Lysenko provided during his media briefing in Ukraine Crisis Media Center. Having received the timely information, the President of Ukraine urgently gathered emergency response team and held instant negotiations with world leaders. Thus, owing to diplomatic activity of the President of the state, he succeeded in stopping this provocation. International Red Cross Committee absolutely denied Russian information on alleged approval of the humanitarian convoy movement procedure by this international organization.
Colonel Lysenko informed that members of UN Security Council expressed their support of the Ukrainian position. Representatives of the countries believe that any intrusion of Russian troops into Ukrainian territory will lead to the escalation of the conflict and will be treated as an act of aggression. All the international partners of Ukraine assured the head of the state that they were going to prevent any provocative steps towards Ukraine.
After that, following President’s task, the Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine Pavlo Klimkin held a talk with the Minister of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation Sergey Lavrov, who assured him that the Russian provocation would be stopped.
The spokesman for Information and Analysis Center of National Security and Defence Council emphasized that in accordance with the international law standards, direction of any humanitarian freights to Ukraine is not only to receive advance approval of Ukrainian party, but also foresees presence of the corresponding request on the side of our country, as well as further customs clearance of such goods and their delivery through official channels. Peacemaking or military forces accompanying humanitarian freights without primary approval contradict the international law standards.
Giving comments on combat activity in the East of Ukraine, colonel Lysenko informed that for the last 24 hours Ukrainian troops owing to efficiently concerted attacks fully liberated three populated lovalities from Russian mercenaries: Kryhlyk and Muisinsk in Luhansk region and Payteleymonivka in Donetsk region.
Andriy Lysenko stated the ATO forces activity was supported by surgical airstrikes on terrorists’ pools and base stations. In particular, 10 armoured vehicles with the crews were destroyed nearby Horlivka in Donetsk region. Another military equipment convoy was destroyed by Ukrainian pilots in the area of Antratsyt populated locality in Luhansk region.
Colonel Lysenko also informed that that a pilot of a Ukrainian fighter plane MIG-29, who managed to withdraw his shot-up aircraft from residential quarters in Horlivka and get catapulted, succeeded in returning to his military unit. He had to move through the territory which is temporarily controlled by terrorists for several days and overcome a distance of approximately 40 km. The pilot’s high professionalism, bump of locality and ability to survive in exceptionally complicated circumstances helped the Ukrainian pilot to get to the ATO forces base safe and sound.
Giving comments on the situation on the state border, the spokesman for Information and Analysis Center of National Security and Defence Council informed that border subdivision continue guarding and protecting of the state border of Ukraine under complicated conditions. For instance, yesterday from 11:30 to 11:40 pm terrorists attacked a border squad using small weapons and grenade guns on the on the segment of border guard unit “Kransna Talivka” of Luhansk detachment. The border guards managed to defeat the assault.
Yesterday Ukrainian border guards found an antipersonnel mine, a remotely operated explosive device, two unused “Fagot” rocked missiles and remnants of launching devices in the area of “Amvrosiyivka” detachment in Donetsk region.
Today at 5 o’clock in the morning border squad on the segment of border guard unit “Bilovodsk” in Luhansk region was attacked by fire from the territory of Russia in the line of Russian populated locality Pidhayivka.
Andriy Lysenko reported on active aircraft reconnaissance and air intrusion by Russian pilotless aircrafts. For example, yesterday after 9 pm flights of three Russian pilotless aircrafts, appearing from the direction of temporarily occupied Crimea, were detected nearby Komisarivka populated locality, Novopetrivka populated locality and nearby “Komisarivka” technical observation post. Yesterday at the same time 4 more pilotless aircrafts were spotted, two of them in the area of Mariupol port, flying along the shore towards Sidove populated locality and 2 others on the segment of “Chervonyi Chaban” unit of Kherson detachment.
Andriy Lysenko informed of continuing military equipment accumulation along Ukrainian border. For instance, subdivisions of Pskov airborne division of Russian Armed Forces were redeployed to Veydelivka village in Voronezh region of the Russian Federation, located 10 km from the state border of Ukraine. A tank regiment locates in a pioneer camp “Aydar” in the area of Rovenky town in Voronezh region of the Russian Federation. Battalion task groups of Russian Armed Forces consisting of the 32th and 35th separate motorized rifle brigades, having arrived from Shylovo town in Novosibirsk region and Alyeysk town in Altai territory, as well as 120th artillery brigade from Yurga town in Kemerovo region, has been continuing deployment in Bryansk region territory since July 11. Military personnel of this military force are preparing firing positions, draping and strengthening location areas and organizing field camps.
Giving comments on the situation in populated localities in eastern regions of Ukraine, colonel Lysenko emphasized that Russian mercenaries continue committing crimes against peaceful inhabitants on the temporarily occupied territories. For example, terrorists outshot a passenger bus following a Donetsk-Rostov route on a checkpoint nearby Ilovaysk in Donetsk region.
During the media briefing the spokesman for Information and Analysis Center of National Security and Defence Council informed on the results of yesterday UN Security Council meeting on Ukrainian situation. The majority of permanent members of the Security Council confirmed their clear intentions to support our country in the context of the confrontation with the Russian Federation. American side occupied the toughest line towards Russia. In particular, UN permanent representative of the USA Samantha Power called upon Russian side to stop supplying militants in the East of Ukraine with weapons and cease manipulating the idea of humanitarian corridors organization together with sending Russian so-called “peacemakers” into the region. At the same time, she greeted humanitarian corridors being organized by Ukrainian side.
Home Office of Great Britain emphasizes that Russian introduction of economic sanctions against Western countries and Ukraine is groundless, as it is the very Russian side that refuses to use its influence on the armed groups and deescalate tensions in the east of the country. It was stated that such actions of Russia were not going to change position of EU countries. At the same time, head of the Home Office of Great Britain Philip Hammond called upon Kremlin to avoid any provocative actions which might result in further devastation consequences in relationships between Russia and Europe. He also emphasized that the Russian side was going to pay even higher price if it takes no measures for de-escalation of tensions in the region.
Prime-minister of Australia Tony Abbot stated that the government of his country intends to devise more severe sanctions against Russia and impose them should Russian army intrude the territory of Ukraine.
