Weekly news digest

(December 3 9)
This weekly news digest highlights the situation in the eastern Ukraine and on the Crimean
peninsula, the challenges Ukrainian war-torn economy is facing and the measures the international
community has taken to help Ukraine overcome the tough crisis.
The situation in the ATO area remains complicated and unstable. During December 3-7 there
was a strong tendency towards the escalation of the conflict; the ATO forces were heavily shelled:
December 4- 71 time, December 7 87 times. The DPR and LPR rebels continued to shell civilian
objects. The ceasefire has so far resulted in the death of 93 civilians, 520,000 became IDPs. Still,
684 are held in captivity and 1600 are missing.
The armed conflict is fueled by Russia. According to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of
Ukraine, 6000 Russian servicemen and 32000 rebels are deployed to the eastern Ukraine. Kremlin also
supplies heavy weaponry to the rebel-held area - 120 items of military equipment since December 6.
Russian aviation forces carry out provocative actions: Russian MI-8 violated Ukrainian airspace on
December 3. The OSCE says a new humanitarian convoy entered Ukraine this week, bringing
advanced weapons that were used against the ATO forces.
Ukraine urges the OSCE to take immediate actions to reform the organization. P. Klimlin said
that he entirely supports and approves the work of the OSCE mission, but he also pointed out that the
mission has not yet managed to achieve the de-escalation of the conflict. Ukraine briefly outlines the
strategy the OSCE can adopt: 1) to implement reforms in order to restore trust to the OSCE which is
one of the fundamental principles of the organization; 2) to come to a new agreement that would focus
on a peaceful solution and would take into account the internationally recognized Ukrainian borders;
3) to improve the conflict-solving strategy; 4) to unite the EU countries to oppose Russian propaganda.
Starting from December 7, a positive tendency towards de-escalation has emerged. Petro
Poroshenko and the security services talked over the ceasefire regime that started on December 9 and
the measures that have to be taken to ensure the Minsk deal fulfillment, paying particular attention to
ways of improving the economic and humanitarian situation in the rebel-held territories. The ATO
forces fulfilled its commitments while the rebels ignored the Minsk agreement and violated the
ceasefire regime. Also, the OSCE observers were shelled by the separatists this week.
There was a slight chance that negotiation talks would resume soon in Minsk format, but they
were postponed, as for now. It is truly disturbing that Russian, Ukrainian and the OSCE
representatives cannot reach consensus and start the negotiation process. Also, rebels leaders do not
show any willingness to get involved in this process. The DPR authorities said that the EU and the
US cannot participate in the negotiation process under any circumstances since they are the political
sponsors of the genocide of Donbass people. Pro-Russian rebels show their incapability to hold a

constructive dialogue and deliver ultimatums to Kyiv, demanding pensions, amnesty for all those
fighting in the eastern Ukraine, a new law on the special order of self-governance of Luhansk and
Donetsk regions to be passed and captives to be exchanged. Nonetheless, P. Klimlin said that Ukraine
is ready to resume the negotiation talks in the framework of the Trilateral Contact Group in Minsk, but
only if the results will be efficient this time.
The statements the world leaders delivered this week display their willingness to move towards
a meaningful dialogue between the West and Russia. F-W. Steinmeier said the conflict peak is already
left behind and de-escalation is to start soon. He also pointed out that NATO and Russia shout strive to
reach at least some kind of understanding. F. Hollande urges Ukrainian, Russian, German and French
presidents to work out a away to lessen the tensions between each other. Still, Hollandes position
remains unclear. During the meeting with Vladimir Putin he emphasized that Ukraines territorial
integrity must be respected, but, at the same time, he said that eastern regions should be granted some
degree of autonomy.
Kremlin continues to destabilize the information space and to wage information war. It was
told this week that the EU and the US have a split position over the conflict solution in the eastern
Ukraine. V. Chalyi points out that there is no abysm between the EU and the US; on the contrary, they
are working in coordination to impose new sanctions, to take urgent actions and to facilitate the
solution of the conflict. The world urges Ukraine not to join NATO. E. Brock warned that renewed
discussions on Ukraine's membership in NATO would be inadmissible. Z. Brzezinski believes that
Ukraine's membership in the alliance will only lead to the escalation of the conflict and might cause
the economy and the entire democratic system to collapse.
Despite the willingness to reduce tensions between Russia and the EU, the "sanctions regime"
against Moscow will probably be extended. The EU leaders and the senior officials of the United
States, Canada and other countries statements confirm that. The EU and the US are ready to impose
new sanctions against Russia if needed. The statements made by the Russian authorities (V.Putin, A.
Pushkov) show Moscow's willingness to enter "the second phase of the Cold War."
Russia continues to integrate the occupied territory of the Crimea into Russian national system,
expanding the scope of Russian legislation on the peninsula. Also, the following tendencies are
observed: 1) the intensified integration of the Crimean economy in the Russian economic space
(accompanied by the increased financial dependence of the peninsula, the implementation of the
inertial scenario" development, economic stagnation, external isolation); 2) the integration of the
Crimea into the Russian military defense complex (by strengthening and rebuilding the Black Sea
Fleet, working out Russian Armed Forces development program). Still, human rights are constantly

being violated on the Crimean peninsula: locals are forced to become Russian citizens, bank accounts
are arrested, there is a ban on mass gatherings, political persecution reported, etc.
Despite the international organizations prohibition and the threat of sanctions, several
countries ships continue to come into Crimean ports. This can be classified as a gross violation of the
Ukrainian current legislation. Because of the breach of Ukrainian and maritime law, the MFA of
Ukraine is appealing to the International Maritime Organization and the diplomatic missions of the
countries-violators and urges them to take some measures.
The current economic situation in Ukraine is characterized by the following tendencies: 1) the
ongoing macroeconomic indexes drop (with 21% inflation); 2) the NBU foreign-exchange and gold
reserves dropped by 20.82% (due to increased spending on imported natural gas and hryvnia
stabilization); 4) reduced exports to Russia by 32%, to the CIS countries by 31% and to Asia by
8% while increased by 5% to the EU countries; 5) tremendous lack of energy supplies (caused power
outage in some regions). Because the reserves are critically low ahead of a cold winter, Ukraine is
forced to buy coal from Russia. This is a serious setback to the country's efforts to reduce energy
dependence on the country-agressor.
In general, there is a positive tendency in the international support of Ukraine in different
spheres. In the political and security field Polands support (ratification of the Association Agreement),
Singapores (statement released on supporting the territorial integrity) Canadas (military cooperation),
Lithuanias (military and financial aid), USA (Senate adoption of resolution by A.Kinzinger), and
Switzerlands (humanitarian aid) are worth mentioning. Also, Japan, France, and Belgium demonstrate
their support and continue to criticize Russias aggressive policy. Serbia promised that Ukraines crisis
resolution will be a priority during its 2015 OSCE Chairmanship. The positive dynamic is observed in
the Baltic countries. The presidents of Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and Poland met to discuss the
possible ways to oppose Russian propaganda. Such international organizations as the EU, IMF, UN,
OSCE, Interpol and the International Committee of the Red Cross provide support and issue help as
well.
The difficult economic situation and security issue in Ukraine call for decisive actions that
would facilitate the peaceful resolution of the conflict. It is important to pay attention to Russias
policy, although it is filled with peaceful rhetoric, the country continues to fuel the armed conflict and
to put economic pressure on Ukraine.
The materials used for the weekly news digest include the official websites of the President, the
National Security and Defence Council, the Ministry of the Foreign Affairs of Ukraine and the
government, Ukrainian Internet newspaper Ukrainska Pravda (Ukrainian Truth), Dmytro
Tymchuks blog Informatsiinyi sprotyv (Informational Resistance),

Ukrainian news agency

UNIAN, Ukrainian news program TSN, weekly political magazine Korespondent ( Journalist),
daily Internet newspaper Novyny Krymu (The Crimean News), weekly political, economical and
the arts magazine Ukrainskyi Tyzhden (Ukrainian week), Russian Internet newspaper Livyi
bereh (The left bank), Ukrainian analytical newspaper Dzerkalo tyzhnia (Weekly Mirror),
Ukrainian weekly news magazine Fokus (Focus), Ukrainian news website Liha. Novyny
(League. News), etc.