Ukraine’s athletes won’t compete in Russia
The Ukrainian government has ordered its athletes not to take part in any competitions held in Russia, which Kyiv accuses of occupying its territory. The Ukrainian Ministry of Youth and Sports issued a decree March 14 to “prohibit… the participation of members of the Ukrainian national sports teams in any sports competitions held on the territory of the Russian Federation.” Sports Minister Ihor Zhdanov said he signed the order because “aggressors and offenders must be expelled from the global sports arena,” and because of Russia’s record of widespread doping in sports. Mr. Zhdanov added that Ukrainian athletes faced “dangerous” conditions in Russia. He called for international sports federations not to allow competitions in Russia, where there is “systematic neglect of international sports legislation and violations of the code of the World Anti-Doping Agency.” The ministry didn’t immediately reply to a request for comment on possible punishments for Ukrainian athletes or teams who break the ban. Many Ukrainian athletes, especially in Olympic sports, rely indirectly on the government for much of their funding. The first competition to be affected is next week’s final round of the Biathlon World Cup in the Russian city of Tyumen. The Ukrainian team won’t take part, and the U.S. and Czech biathlon teams have also pulled out, saying Russia’s record of doping makes it an unsuitable host. Ukraine didn’t qualify for this year’s Soccer World Cup in Russia, though some Ukrainian players play for Russian clubs. Since Russia annexed Crimea in 2014, Ukrainian teams have continued to compete in Russia at events in sports such as boxing and biathlon. (RFE/RL, based on reporting by AP, DPA and Interfax)
Sentsov ‘ready to ask for clemency’
Ukrainian filmmaker Oleh Sentsov, who opposed Moscow’s seizure of Crimea and is now in prison in Russia, is “ready to ask for clemency” in order to be exchanged for Russian nationals held in Ukraine, his lawyer says. Dmitry Dinze told RFE/RL on March 12 that writing to Russian President Vladimir Putin to ask for a pardon “is the only way to make sure that he will be exchanged” for Russians or Russia-backed separatists held by Kyiv. “You either write [to Putin] and go, or remain behind bars,” Mr. Dinze said, adding that it is a condition that must be met to qualify as part of an exchange of captives. Mr. Sentsov, a native of Crimea who opposed Russia’s seizure and annexation of the Ukrainian peninsula in 2014, is serving a 20-year prison term after being convicted on terrorism charges that he and human rights groups contend are politically motivated. Mr. Sentsov was arrested in May 2014 on suspicion of planning fire-bombings of pro-Russian organizations in Crimea. A Russian court convicted him on multiple terrorism charges in August 2014. Mr. Sentsov has denied all charges against him, saying that a “trial by occupiers cannot be fair by definition.” The prominent Russian human rights group Memorial has recognized Mr. Sentsov as a political prisoner, and international rights organizations have called for his release. (RFE/RL)
Putin’s minorities remark triggers backlash
Russian President Vladimir Putin’s recent suggestion that Jews and other minorities in Russia could have been behind the meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential election has prompted a backlash in the United States. The U.S.-based Anti-Defamation League (ADL) on March 11 voiced hope that Mr. Putin “swiftly clarifies” his remarks made in an interview with NBC News, “before they cause further damage to those communities he has singled out.” In the interview aired late on March 9, Mr. Putin was repeatedly asked about Russian interference in the election. At one point, Mr. Putin suggested that Ukrainians, Tatars or Jews with Russian citizenship may have been involved. “Maybe they are not even Russians, but Ukrainians, Tatars or Jews with Russian citizenship, which should be also checked. Maybe they hold dual citizenship, or green cards. Or maybe Americans paid them for this job. How can you know? I do not know,” Mr. Putin said. In the Russian language, there are different words for citizens of Russia (Rossiyane) and ethnic Russians (Russkiye), though the latter – which was used by Mr. Putin in the interview, according to the Kremlin transcript – sometimes has a broader connotation. In English, the single word “Russian” can describe a Russian citizen, an ethnic Russian, or both. ADL CEO Jonathan A. Greenblatt said in a statement that “President Putin bizarrely has resorted to the blame game by pointing the finger at Jews and other minorities in his country.” Mr. Greenblatt also said it was “deeply disturbing to see the Russian president giving new life to classic anti-Semitic stereotypes that have plagued his country for hundreds of years.” Mr. Putin’s comment also caught the attention of the American Jewish Committee, which said it was “eerily reminiscent of the Protocols of the Elders of Zion” – a forged tsarist-era, anti-Semitic pamphlet that purported to describe plans for Jewish domination of Europe. Meanwhile, U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) called on world leaders to denounce “soundly and promptly” what he called Mr. Putin’s “repulsive” remarks. Since the U.S. intelligence community concluded in January 2017 that Russia engaged in a wide-ranging hacking and propaganda campaign to sway the presidential election, there has been mounting evidence pointing to an organized state effort. Russia denies the charges. In February, U.S. Special Counsel Robert Mueller indicted 13 Russians and three Russian companies for allegedly meddling in the vote, charging them with conspiracy to defraud the United States. (RFE/RL)
Putin’s pre-election visit to Crimea
President Vladimir Putin arrived in Crimea on March 14, four days ahead of Russia’s presidential election, and was expected to attend public events to mark the anniversary of the March 16, 2014, referendum in the peninsula used by Moscow to justify the annexation of the region from Ukraine. Before arriving in Crimea, Mr. Putin visited the construction site of a bridge that is expected to link the annexed peninsula with Russian territories across the Kerch Strait. The construction of the bridge started in 2016. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said earlier that Mr. Putin’s trip to Crimea would be his last major campaign event before the March 18 vote. In reaction to Mr. Putin’s visit, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said the move was “an extremely dangerous provocation” and called on the European Union to impose sanctions against “those who organized Russian presidential elections events on a Ukrainian territory.” Mr. Putin’s government moved swiftly to seize control of Crimea in March 2014 after Moscow-backed Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych fled the country following months of street demonstrations by pro-Western Ukrainians. Russia sent troops without insignia to Crimea and orchestrated the takeover of government bodies, before holding the referendum on March 16, 2014. In March last year, Russian lawmakers moved the date of the presidential election from March 11 to March 18 – the fourth anniversary of what Moscow describes as the formal accession of Crimea into the Russian Federation. Eight candidates are on the ballot in the presidential vote. But Mr. Putin – who has been president or prime minister of Russia since 1999 – appears certain to win another six-year term as president. (RFE/RL, based on reporting by Interfax, TASS and UNIAN)
EU extends sanctions against Russians
The European Union on March 12 officially prolonged its asset freezes and visa bans against 150 Russian officials and Russia-backed Ukrainian separatists. The six-month extension also continues sanctions against 38 entities. The sanctions were first imposed by the EU against people involved in the violation of Ukraine’s territorial integrity in 2014 when Russia occupied and illegally annexed Ukraine’s Crimea region. The sanctions have been extended every six months since then. Those on the sanctions list include Russian Ambassador to the United States Anatoly Antonov, Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin, Armed Forces General Staff chief Valery Gerasimov, and state TV presenter Dmitry Kiselyov. The entity list is dominated by Russia-backed battalions operating in eastern Ukraine and Crimea, as well as companies from Crimea. EU economic sanctions against Russia, which mainly apply to the country’s energy and banking sector, are up for renewal in July. But a decision on those sanctions is expected to be reached in late June at a meeting of EU leaders. The EU also is expected to revisit the bloc’s ban against investments in Russia-occupied Crimea. (RFE/RL)
EC offers new macro-financial assistance
The European Union reported on March 9 that the European Commission has adopted a proposal for a new Macro-Financial Assistance (MFA) program for Ukraine worth up to 1 billion euros to support economic stabilization and structural reforms. “Today’s proposal follows a request from the Ukrainian authorities and direct discussions between Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker and Ukraine’s President Petro Poroshenko. The new program seeks to build on the progress made in supporting economic stabilization and structural reforms under the three previous MFA operations. The EU has so far pledged 12.8 billion euros to support the reform process in Ukraine, including 2.8 billion euros through three MFA programs, since the onset of the crisis in 2014,” an EU release noted. European Commission Vice-President Valdis Dombrovskis, who is responsible for the Euro and Social Dialogue, said: “Today’s proposal on the fourth Macro-Financial Assistance program of 1 billion euros shows the EU’s commitment to stand with the people of Ukraine. This solidarity must go hand-in-hand with a continued commitment from the Ukrainian authorities to an ambitious reform agenda to ensure a stable and prosperous Ukraine. We are counting on the European Parliament and Member States for their support for this important program.” The EU explained that all disbursements under the proposed program would be conditional on the implementation of reform measures designed to address vulnerabilities identified in the Ukrainian economy. “Established in a Memorandum of Understanding, they would take into account measures that remain outstanding from the previous MFA program and include steps to intensify the fight against corruption,” the EU said. (Ukrainian Canadian Congress Daily Briefing)
Justice Ministry seizing Gazprom assets
Ukraine Business Journal reported that the Justice Ministry of Ukraine is seizing Gazprom assets in Ukraine, following the Russian gas company’s refusal to pay Naftogaz $2.6 billion, as ordered on February 28 by the Stockholm arbitration court. According to the Ukrinform news service, officers of the ministry’s State Execution Service have seized shares and other property from: Gaztransit, Gazprom-zbut Ukraine, Institute Southerngiprogaz and the International Consortium for the Management and Development of the Gas Transit System of Ukraine. The Gaztransit shares are valued at $23 million. At the same time, the Foreign Affairs Ministry of Ukraine is asking all embassies to conduct inventories of attachable Gazprom property. Justice Minister Pavlo Petrenko told the Cabinet that Ukraine has bilateral treaties with 27 countries that would allow seizure of Gazprom assets to pay the bill. He estimated that the procedure could be completed by the end of this year. The ministries are moving on the order of President Petro Poroshenko. On March he had tweeted: “On my instructions, the team of lawyers is already working on collecting the appropriate amounts, so if Gazprom does not pay compensation, we will arrest the property.” (Ukrainian Canadian Congress Daily Briefing)
One soldier killed, three wounded
Ukraine says one of its soldiers has been killed and three wounded in clashes in the country’s east. The Defense Ministry said on March 12 that Russia-backed separatists violated a frequently breached ceasefire several times during the previous 24 hours by firing machine guns. The separatists claimed Ukrainian government forces violated the ceasefire several times using mortars and machine guns. Since April 2014, more than 10,300 people have been killed by fighting between Ukrainian government forces and Russia-backed separatists who control parts of the eastern regions of Donetsk and Luhansk. Ceasefire deals announced as part of the Minsk accords – September 2014 and February 2015 pacts aimed at resolving the conflict – have failed to hold. Kyiv said earlier a new ceasefire agreement that took effect on March 5 was violated by the separatists almost immediately. (RFE/RL, with reporting by Interfax and TASS)