Ukraine Reports 'Significant Reduction' in Fighting

[bemildred]

Source: VOA

VOA News

February 25, 2015 5:17 AM

Ukraine's military is for the second consecutive day reporting a "significant reduction" in attacks by pro-Russian rebels, but says a cease-fire has not yet taken hold in eastern Ukraine.

Rebels carried out 19 attacks on government-held territory and targets over the previous 24 hours, according to a Facebook statement Wednesday by the press center for the Kyiv military.

On Tuesday, rebels began pulling heavy weapons back from the front lines, as required by an internationally mediated cease-fire that was supposed to begin February 15.

The Ukraine government has said it will not pull back its weapons until the rebel attacks cease completely. It says it is abiding by the terms of the truce, but reserves the right to return fire.

Read more: http://www.voanews.com/content/ukraine-reports-significant-reduction-in-fighting/2657984.html

[bemildred]

1. Ukraine truce appears to take hold; currency trading banned

By Natalia Zinets and Anton Zverev

KIEV/MAKIYVSK, Ukraine (Reuters) - A long-awaited truce appeared to be taking hold at last in east Ukraine on Wednesday as pro-Russian rebels pulled artillery from the front, but the news did nothing to halt a currency collapse that forced the central bank to ban most trading.

The Ukrainian military said it was still too early for it to begin withdrawing its own heavy guns. But its acknowledgement that most of the front was quiet suggests it too could push ahead with implementing a truce that had appeared stillborn when the rebels ignored it to launch a major advance last week.

The cautious good news from the front has come amid dire economic consequences for a country teetering on bankruptcy.

With the hryvnia currency in free fall this week as investors pull out cash, the central bank tried to call a halt on Wednesday by banning banks from buying foreign currency on behalf of their clients for the rest of this week.

https://in.news.yahoo.com/ukraine-truce-appears-hold-currency-trading-banned-103725455.html

[bemildred]

2. . nt

[Igel]

3. Reuters is a bit strange.

So the ceasefire's brought reduced artillery fire, but it's a ways from "taken hold." Soldiers are still dying and being wounded, and villages and suburbs are still being shelled in a few areas.

It's reported that weapons are being pulled back, but at the same time there are reports of significant numbers of trucks with materiel, reshuffling of troops, and even new columns of armored vehicles heading to within 10-20 km of the front lines--often artillery with ranges that are 10-20 km. The OSCE, meanwhile, says that it can't confirm what's being said because, frankly, while it's seen movement the movement hasn't necessarily been "away" from the lines or in more than token numbers.

Sometimes I get the impression that Reuters is reporting from other news stories or is a bit wishful, but their "wishes" sometimes conflict as far as any bias.

[Fred Sanders]

5. This is Ukraine making the statemen and Reuters reporting. Rejoice, peace may be at hand.

"The Ukrainian military said it was still too early for it to begin withdrawing its own heavy guns. But its acknowledgement that most of the front was quiet suggests it too could push ahead with implementing a truce that had appeared stillborn when the rebels ignored it to launch a major advance last week."

P.S. The "major advance" was the surrounded Ukranian army fleeing from Debaltseve, the town that must not be mentioned in case folks realize the obvious. Also "ignored" was all mention of that situation in the Minsk Accords....just an oversight I guess....

[bemildred]

6. More than a bit, and not just Reuters.

They one and all spend most of their time repeating the words of politicians, and think that is reporting.

[Bosonic]

7. How is that not reporting?

[bemildred]

8. Politicians don't tell you the news.

They are the news sometimes, but mostly they are out there to obfuscate, and the reporters job is to find out the truth.

[Bosonic]

9. So you don't believe 'reporting' bald facts without analysis is reporting?

[bemildred]

10. Bye. nt

[Fred Sanders]

4. But, but the ceasefire was "in shambles", "not holding", Wolf Blitzer told me so..more weapons....does CNN lie?

.....does a wolf shit in the woods.......

[bemildred]

11. EU seeking Ukraine, Russia early meeting to discuss gas dispute

BRUSSELS, Feb 25 (Reuters) - European Union energy chief Maros Sefcovic said on Wednesday he was trying to convene a meeting with Ukraine and Russia very soon to discuss a dispute between Moscow and Kiev over unpaid gas bills.

Sefcovic said he had proposed that the winter gas package, agreed by parties in October and running until the end of March, was not touched, with the issue of supplies to partly rebel-held Donetsk and Luhansk regions treated separately.

"We are trying to ensure that we will keep the winter package intact and we are trying to convene a trilateral meeting, Ukrainian and Russian energy ministers and me and the Commission very, very soon and we are looking for possible dates," Sefcovic told a news conference. (Reporting By Barbara Lewis and Philip Blenkinsop)

http://www.trust.org/item/20150225115937-lx6zo/

[bemildred]

15. EU: Russia should respect Ukraine gas deal despite new row

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On Wednesday, Gazprom chief Alexei Miller told the Ukrainian state energy company Naftogaz that Kiev's prepayments would cover about three more days of deliveries, according to Russia's Interfax news agency, which cited a letter from Miller to Naftogaz chief Andriy Kobolev.

The row follows an announcement by Gazprom last week that it had started pumping 12 billion cubic metres of gas per day to the separatist-held districts of eastern Ukraine. The company said Kiev would have to pay for these supplies.

Miller stressed in his letter Wednesday that Gazprom would continue to deliver gas to the separatist-held territories. According to Miller, Ukraine has said it will only make prepayments if these gas supplies are halted.

Maros Sefcovic, the European Commission's vice president for energy affairs, called on all sides to make sure that the current gas supply arrangements "are not touched in any way" and asked for assurances that the gas transit via Ukraine to the European Union would remain unaffected.

http://www.dpa-international.com/news/international/eu-russia-should-respect-ukraine-gas-deal-despite-new-row-a-44300463.html

[bemildred]

12. Ken Clarke: Sending troops to Ukraine will not 'solve anything'

A former Conservative Cabinet minister has said that David Cameron's pledge to send UK troops to train Ukrainian soldiers will not "solve anything".

Ken Clarke, the former Justice Secretary, said that "no matter how well trained" the Ukrainian army is, Vladimir Putin's forces could defeat them "by the end of the week".

His comments will infuriate Downing Street and come after Mr Cameron on Tuesday announced that British troops will be send to Ukraine to train forces battling Russian separatists.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/ukraine/11434209/Ken-Clarke-Sending-troops-to-Ukraine-will-not-solve-anything.html

[bemildred]

13. Moscow calls on OSCE to monitor Ukrainian insurgents' weapon withdrawal

MOSCOW, Feb. 25 (Xinhua) -- Russia urged the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) special mission in Ukraine to monitor the weapon withdrawal in eastern Ukraine, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Wednesday.

"We are worried a bit that the OSCE observers are not monitoring the withdrawal of heavy hardware, which is being conducted by the militia at least," Lavrov told the visiting President of the French Senate Gerard Larcher.

Lavrov said Moscow would prompt the OSCE presidency to instruct the chiefs of the special mission in Ukraine to monitor and verify the pullback of heavy armaments from the contact line.

He said that the monitor process should be carried out impartially to prevent the disruption of the Minsk agreements.

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/world/2015-02/25/c_134017849.htm

[bemildred]

14. Merkel says Ukraine ceasefire slow to take hold but may yet work

BERLIN, Feb 25 (Reuters) - Germany's Angela Merkel and Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven said on Wednesday Europe would be ready to impose new sanctions on Russia over Ukraine if necessary, though the chancellor hoped the current ceasefire would eventually yield positive results.

"We must do everything we can to make this glimmer of hope a reality," she told a news conference with the Swedish premier, referring to the Minsk ceasefire agreement. "It could be a first step even if it is being implemented very slowly."

http://www.trust.org/item/20150225133009-0occd/