{"id":124738,"date":"2020-08-31T22:57:42","date_gmt":"2020-08-31T19:57:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/uacrisis.org\/?p=124738"},"modified":"2020-08-31T23:11:40","modified_gmt":"2020-08-31T20:11:40","slug":"weekly-update-on-ukraine-29-24-30-august","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/uacrisis.org\/en\/weekly-update-on-ukraine-29-24-30-august","title":{"rendered":"Ceasefire in Donbas, new attack on National Anti-Corruption Bureau and more \u2013 Weekly Update on Ukraine #29, 24 \u2013 30 August"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Situation in the combat zone<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

On August 30, Russia-backed militants fired a few shots from small arms near Maryinka in violation of the ceasefire agreements in Donbas achieved within the Trilateral Contact Group. On the same day, Ukrainian troops recorded a total of two violations, they did not return fire.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At midday, August 31 the ceasefire was being observed in full along the frontline, no violations were recorded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In its report released on August 29, the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine reported<\/a> a total of 727 ceasefire violations recorded since July 27, when the new ceasefire agreement came into force. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The violations included 111 explosions, two projectiles in flight, 12 illumination flares and 602 bursts and shots.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The OSCE count is based on a number of fired shots or explosions, while the Joint Forces command counts episodes of attacks on a single position.<\/em><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

Ceasefire in Donbas: what does the Kremlin ask in return?<\/strong><\/em><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Ukrainian authorities are proud to have achieved the ceasefire in Donbas: since July 27 Ukraine has not recorded combat casualties. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, this unprecedented situation doesn\u2019t mean that Russia has given up its intentions in Donbas, instead it has taken to new means to achieve them. Having temporarily lessened the military pressure on Kyiv, the Kremlin started blackmailing the Ukrainian authorities threatening to leave the negotiations seen by Ukraine as key, featuring the head of the Office of the President Andriy Yermak and the Kremlin\u2019s chief negotiator Dmitry Kozak. To keep the talks going, Russia demands new concessions from Ukraine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Kremlin\u2019s demands leaked into media, \u201cGlavcom\u201d released them. Though the authenticity of the document is questionable, the key ideas that it puts forward are already being discussed by the Trilateral Contact Group. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Particularly, the Kremlin attempts to impose a \u201cdirect dialogue\u201d between the Ukrainian government and the militants it backs. What are the actual demands? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDirect dialogue\u201d and amendments to the Constitution. <\/strong>While Russia has always intended to legitimize the \u201cDPR\u201d and \u201cLPR\u201d by pushing Ukraine to direct talks with the occupation administrations, it now makes the idea central. Russia wants to position itself as an intermediary between Ukraine and its proxies. The latter are the ones to agree disengagement of forces and mine clearance with, the Kremlin insists.   <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Moscow also demands that Kyiv and occupation authorities jointly draft the law on the \u201cspecial status\u201d incorporating the \u201cSteinmeier formula\u201d and the law on amnesty that does not require consultations as per Minsk-2.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Russia keeps insisting that the Constitution of Ukraine needs to be amended according to what the Minsk agreements say, while President Zelenskyi and the chief of his office Andriy Yermak have been stating that the Constitution will not be changed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Elections in Donbas this year. <\/strong>Election is key. The document requests that \u201call the provisions of the parliamentary decree no.3809 that contradict the Minsk agreements are cancelled\u201d. The decree sets October 25, 2020 as the date for local elections throughout Ukraine but in its occupied areas. Russia wants that the \u201cbut\u201d part is taken away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If the decree is amended, the Central Election Commission will have to announce elections in Donetsk, Luhansk, Makiyivka etc. before Russia implements security provisions. The Kremlin has officially confirmed the demand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During the meeting of the Trilateral Contact Group in Minsk it turned out that it was Russia\u2019s key demand, the discussion was centered on it, said member of the Ukrainian delegation representing internally displaced persons Serhiy Harmash. As a result, the head of the Ukrainian delegation Leonid Kravchuk agreed to address the Parliament asking to \u201cconsider if the decree is in line with the Minsk agreements\u201d. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

From the legal standpoint the decree does not contradict Minsk, but Russia is pushing Ukraine to amend it. It\u2019s unlikely that it will stop after the Parliament rejects the demand. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Moreover, Moscow suggests a detailed political settlement avoiding clarity on disarmament and security ahead of the elections. Besides, not a single word is said on ceasefire guarantees. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Normandy summits under threat. <\/strong>Ideas put forward by Russia annul the possibility of holding a new Normandy format meeting wanted by Volodymyr Zelenskyi, as the precondition for the meeting actually becomes the political settlement in Donbas. It runs counter to what was agreed by the state leaders in Paris.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Accepting Russia\u2019s demands would turn the logic of the summit preparations upside down: instead of Normandy Four leaders, it\u2019s their advisors who are to agree a new action plan; after the parties (Ukraine and occupation authorities, as seen by Russia) implement it, Russia will give the green light to the meeting of the state leaders happening when everything is already done.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

Anti-corruption efforts: a new attack on National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

On August 28, the Constitutional Court ruled unconstitutional the decree issued to appoint Artem Sytnyk the director of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sytnyk was appointed to office by President Poroshenko on April 16, 2015. He was the candidate that scored best in the selection process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The decision of the Constitutional Court annuls the decree on appointment. At the same time it leaves intact \u201cthe legal relations that resulted from the job responsibilities\u201d performed by Sytnyk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

MPs that asked the Court to consider legality of the decree (Oleksandr Dubinskyi, Maksym Buzhanskyi, Viktor Medvedchuk, Andriy Derkach and others) insisted that the President went beyond his constitutional powers, as the Constitution doesn\u2019t include the position of the NABU director into presidential appointments. The Constitutional Court agreed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

NABU\u2019s answer. <\/strong>The National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine called the Constitutional Court\u2019s decision politically motivated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThough the decision of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine rules unconstitutional the appointment of Artem Sytnyk as the NABU director, it doesn\u2019t imply his immediate dismissal. The Law of Ukraine \u2018On the National Anti-Corruption Bureau\u2019 lists all grounds for removal from office of the NABU director, while the decision of the Constitutional Court is not part of the list,\u201d the NABU statement reads.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

Crimea: houses of Crimea Tatars ransacked again<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

On August 31, Russian law enforcement staff searched the houses of Crimean Tatars in Nyzhnyohirskyi and Sovetskyi districts of the occupied Crimea as well as in Sudak, \u201cCrimean Solidarity\u201d human rights organization reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the morning, the house of Aider Kadyrov, a journalist for \u201cCrimean Solidarity\u201d and \u201cGrani.ru\u201d was ransacked. He was then taken to the Simferopol office of the Federal Security Service. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Inside the house, during the search, there was also Kadyrov\u2019s wife and four children. The youngest is two and a half month old. He was later taken by his grandmother who was waiting outside.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In Sovetskyi district, the house of Enver Topchi was ransacked, in Sonyachna Dolyna \u2013 the house of Aider Ablyakimov, emergency service worker. In Sudak the house of activist Umer Ridvan was searched.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In Crimea, Crimean Tatars are subject to systematic pressure by occupation authorities. Their houses are ransacked regularly. The previous incident took place on July 7 when six Crimean Tatars were arrested \u2013 Emil Ziyadinov, Seiran Khairetdinov, Ismet Ibragimov, Alim Sufiyanov, Oleksandr Sizikov and Vadym Bektemirov. No explanation of motives for these arrests was provided.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

How<\/strong> <\/strong>Ukraine<\/strong> <\/strong>is<\/strong> <\/strong>fighting<\/strong> <\/strong>COVID<\/strong>-19<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

As of the end of August, Ukraine has recorded 121,215 coronavirus cases. The coronavirus death toll reached 2,557; recoveries are 57,114. In the past week the daily tally of new cases surpassed two thousand. The daily number of coronavirus deaths varies between 20 and 50.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are now over 50,000 active cases of COVID-19 in Ukraine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Temporary ban on entry to Ukraine for foreign nationals. <\/strong>Following the spike in the number of infections, Ukraine banned foreign nationals from entry as of August 28.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The restrictions will stay in force until midnight, September 28. The ban applies to all foreign nationals regardless of the COVID-19 situation in their country of origin.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the same time, there are exceptions. Foreign nationals \u2013 immediate family members of Ukraine citizens, holders of the temporary or permanent resident permit, or a work permit, technical specialists invited by Ukrainian companies, students or patients seeking treatment, members of foreign delegations, employees of international organizations or participants of sports competitions, will still be able to enter Ukraine in the coming month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Foreign nationals are allowed to transit Ukraine, they should be able to prove they will exit the country within two days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Medical insurance covering expenses related to COVID-19 and self-quarantine is a mandatory prerequisite for entering Ukraine.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Situation in the combat zone On August 30, Russia-backed militants fired a few shots from small arms near Maryinka in violation of the ceasefire agreements in Donbas achieved within the Trilateral Contact Group. On the same day, Ukrainian troops recorded a total of two violations, they did not return fire. At midday, August 31 the […] More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":19,"featured_media":124739,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[611],"tags":[],"section":[743],"form":[],"yoast_head":"\nCeasefire in Donbas, new attack on National Anti-Corruption Bureau and more \u2013 Weekly Update on Ukraine #29, 24 \u2013 30 August | UACRISIS.ORG<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Situation in the combat zone On August 30, Russia-backed militants fired a few shots from small arms near Maryinka in violation of the ceasefire | Uacrisis.org\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/uacrisis.org\/en\/weekly-update-on-ukraine-29-24-30-august\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" 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