1) Secretary of State Kerry speaks with Ukrainian opposition, renews demand for “European” integration

2) European Parliament to hold extraordinary debate, pass resolution on Ukraine

3) Munich Security Conference: West hosts Ukrainian opposition leaders, who meet with Kerry, McCain, Ashton, Steinmeier

4) Director of National Intelligence Clapper portrays Ukrainian president as desperate, besieged tyrant a la Milosevic, Qaddafi, Gbagbo, Assad, etc., adds Russophobic rant

5) Russian Foreign Minister: By forcing subservient regime on Ukraine, West displays strange view of freedom

6) Interior Ministry claims proof that provocations were planned in advance

7) Georgian car arsonist hired by opposition: Interior Ministry

8) Reason alone for “regime change”: Ukraine, Russia sign agreement on Kerch Strait

Scroll down for reports:

1)

National Radio Company of Ukraine

January 31, 2014

U.S. Department of State urges opposition to continue peaceful dialogue with authorities

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry on Thursday spoke by phone with political and civil society leaders in the Ukrainian opposition, underscoring the United States unwavering support for the democratic, European aspirations of the Ukrainian people.

U.S. State Department spokesperson Jen Psaki said this in a press briefing on Thursday, Ukrinform has reported. “This morning, Secretary Kerry spoke by phone with political and civil society leaders in the Ukrainian opposition who have been active in the peaceful movement. The Secretary underscored the United States unwavering support for the democratic, European aspirations of the Ukrainian people, and commended these opposition leaders for speaking out against violence and for their courageous work to defend democracy and advance their goals through peaceful means and dialogue,” Psaki said.

She also said Kerry praised the progress achieved in the opposition’s talks with the government, notably the repeal of the January 16th laws and the commitment to government change. “He urged that these talks continue and pledged continued U.S. support in coordination with the EU, the UN, the OSCE for a peaceful, political resolution to the political crisis which brings those responsible to account, restores human rights, democracy, economic health, and a path to Europe for Ukraine,” the U.S. Secretary of State noted.

However, Psaki said Kerry underlined his concerns about reports of human rights violations, such as disappearances and killings, and stressed that the United States is pressing the Government of Ukraine to establish a justice commission to investigate these crimes and bring those responsible to justice. Psaki added that Kerry talked to six opposition, political, and civil society leaders.

2)

National Radio Company of Ukraine

January 31, 2014

EP to consider urgent resolution on Ukraine next week

The European Parliament next week plans to hold an extraordinary debate and adopt a resolution on the situation in Ukraine, Ukrinform reports referring to the political group of the European People’s Party in the European Parliament.

“On Wednesday afternoon a plenary session will debate the deteriorating situation in Ukraine. The resolution will be voted on Thursday,” the European Parliament said. At the same time, on January 31, the situation in Ukraine is not put on the agenda of the plenary session of the European Parliament, which will be held on February 3-6 in Strasbourg.

3)

UNIAN

January 31, 2014

Ukrainian opposition representatives leave for Munich Security Conference

The Ukrainian opposition representatives, in particular chairman of the political council of the Batkivshchyna and the Batkivshchyna faction Arseniy Yatsenyuk, are leaving for Munich today, where they will take part in the 50th jubilee Munich Security Conference.

Within a framework of the conference Yatsenyuk will hold a range of meeting for discussion of ways out of the crisis in Ukraine, the press service of the Batkivshchyna All-Ukrainian Union disclosed to UNIAN. In particular, he will meet with United States Secretary of State John Kerry, United States Senator John McCain, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton, President of Germany Joachim Gauck and Frank-Walter Steinmeier.

Within the framework of the measures they will discuss urgent issues of the world and European security, including the situation in Ukraine.

4)

UNIAN

January 31, 2014

Yanukovych is about to retain power at any cost – Director of National Intelligence of USA

President of Ukraine Victor Yanukovych is about to retain a power at any cost, Director of National Intelligence of the USA James Clapper believes.

He expressed his view concerning the Ukrainian events in annual address to the Senate on estimation of the global risks of the special services of the USA, 5 Kanal reports.

According to opinion of Clapper, for holding on to his post the Ukrainian guarantor is ready to resort to use of force and other actions that do not meet democratic norms.

In his letter to senators Clapper also noted a role of Russia in the Ukrainian confrontation. According to his estimations, financial aid of the Kremlin will prevent a threat of financial crisis in Ukraine in short-term perspective, but will increase the dependence of Kyiv from Moscow.

5)

RT

February 1, 2014

West’s interpretation of freedom for Ukraine ‘strange’ – Lavrov

Western politicians who advocate freedom of choice for Ukraine, but say this must be a pro-European choice, have a strange interpretation of freedom, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told a security conference in Munich.

Lavrov was responding to numerous statements, including from the European Council President Hermann van Rompuy and NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen, which were voiced just minutes before at the conference. He also criticized Western support for Ukrainian anti-government protests, which he said ignored the darker side of the movements behind the violence there.

“What does the inciting of street protests, which are growing increasingly violent, have to do with promoting democratic principles?” Lavrov said.

“Why do we not hear statements of condemnation toward those who seize government buildings, attack and burn police officers, and voice racist and anti-Semitic slogans? Why do senior European politicians de facto encourage such actions, while at home they swiftly and harshly act to stop any impingement on the letter of the law?”

Lavrov defended the Ukrainian government’s right to stop the violence, citing a 1966 international treaty on basic political rights, which has been adopted by almost all UN members.

“The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights states that the freedom of expression cannot be illegal and is a basic right. But riots, violent actions give the grounds to limit those freedoms,” he said. “A state must be strong, if it wants to remain democratic.”

Ukraine has been mired in a deep political crisis since November 2013, when President Viktor Yanukovich’s government decided not to sign a free trade agreement with the EU, prompting mass pro-EU integration protests. The demonstrations remained more or less peaceful until January, when the Ukrainian parliament adopted a number of bills giving the government greater powers to restrict mass demonstrations.

Radical opposition activists responded to the legislation with violent attacks on riot police. Several days of clashes ensued, in which hundreds of police officers and protesters were injured. The Ukrainian authorities have since made a number of concessions to the opposition, including the repeal of the controversial anti-protests laws, but the tense ceasefire remains shaky at best.

Many western politicians have been openly supporting the anti-government protests and have criticized the Ukrainian government for its handling of the situation. The latest example came from US Secretary of State John Kerry, who was also speaking at the Munich security conference.

The people of Ukraine “are fighting for the right to associate with partners who will help them realize their aspirations – and they have decided that means their futures do not have to lie with one country alone, and certainly not coerced,” Kerry said.

But while condemning police brutality and alleged kidnappings, torture and killings of opposition activists, foreign supporters of the opposition have barely mentioned violence and suspected crimes committed by the radical nationalist opposition.

The West has also criticized Russia for what it calls putting pressure on Ukraine not to integrate with the EU. Moscow denies these allegations, however, and insists that it has been keeping an appropriate distance from the crisis, unlike some western countries meddling in Ukraine’s internal affairs.

One of the accusations over Russia’s alleged pressure on Ukraine is over its decision to offer a $15 billion loan and a discount on gas prices to Kiev. Critics say Moscow “bought” Ukraine’s non-alliance with Europe, but Russia insists that it is simply aiding a brotherly people in a time of need, not Ukraine’s government.

Russian President Vladimir Putin this week said that Russia will provide the loan to whatever government is in Kiev, be it formed by President Yanukovich’s ruling party, or by the opposition. But Russia wants to see a working government following the resignation of outgoing PM Nikolay Azarov’s cabinet, before transferring the next installment.

6)

National Radio Company of Ukraine

January 31, 2014

Interior Ministry: Batkivshchyna was preparing attack on Maidan protesters

The police have evidence that opposition Batkivshchyna (Fatherland) party was preparing an attack on Euromaidan protesters, Vitaliy Sakal, First Deputy Chief of the Interior Ministry Investigation Department Oleh Tatarov has told reporters on Friday.

“As part of the investigation we are checking the computer equipment seized in Turivska Street, near the office of the Batkivshchyna party. It has turned out that the information on the servers relates to the Batkivshchyna activities and suggests that the massive protests that began in Kyiv on November 21 last year were not spontaneous but planned in advance. I want to note that investigators, based on the available materials, have evidence that use of force was planned during the demonstrations against protesters that could cause a public outcry and undermine the authority of the current government and the president,” Sakal said. He also added that now the investigators are checking whether Batkivshchyna representatives have committed a crime under Article 109 of the Criminal Code (actions aimed at forcible change or overthrow the constitutional order or seizure of state power). As reported, the search in the building at 19 b, Turivska Street in Kyiv (near the Batkivshchyna office) was conducted based upon the court ruling as part of the investigation into criminal proceedings with respect to fraud and official abuse.

7)

Interfax

February 2, 2014

Kyiv car arsonist says got instructions from opposition

KYIV: Policemen in Kyiv have detained a Georgian national on suspicion of torching cars.

The suspect told the police via an interpreter that he had acted on orders from opposition groups, the Ukrainian Interior Ministry reported on Sunday.

“The suspect claimed that he got acquainted with a man while looking for a job in Kyiv, who offered him 600 hryvni for torching cars. Before fulfilling the ‘mission’ the two went to the House of Trade Unions on Khreshchatyk, temporarily accommodating the opposition’s National Resistance Staff and some of the Miadan movement’s services, and rose to the fifth floor. A group of masked men they met gave them the numbers of the cars to be torched, as well as cash and gasoline,” the Interior Ministry said.

The suspect was detained when the group set out to fulfill the mission. The others fled, it said.

Reports said earlier that fire services were called 17 times early on January 30 to tackle car arsons, in which 23 cars were damaged or destroyed.

All fires are being probed as arson in which property was destroyed or damaged, the Interior Ministry said.

8)

ForUm

January 31, 2014

Cabinet approves agreement with Russia on construction of Kerch Strait crossing

The Government of Ukraine approved the Agreement with the Russian Federation on joint actions on launching construction of transport crossing over the Kerch Strait. “The government has approved the Agreement between the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine and the government of the Russian Federation on joint actions on organization of construction of transport crossing over the Kerch Strait, signed on Dec. 17, 2013 in Moscow,” Oleksandr Vilkul, Acting Vice Prime Minister, has declared, the Information-Analytical Bulletin of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine informs.

According to the document, geotechnical studies are planned for 2014. The parties then will jointly develop a Feasibility Study (FS). The study will include a review of the existing and prospective freight and passenger traffic. Also, the document will determine the type of future transport crossing (bridge or tunnel), the options of design and construction. The developed FS will be used as a basis for a final decision on the prospects for building a transport crossing.

According to Vilkul, the project will be coordinated by the Ministry of Infrastructure of Ukraine and the Ministry of Transport of the Russian Federation, and the physical work will be performed by the State Agency of Automobile Roads of Ukraine and Federal Road Agency of the Russian Federation. According to experts, the construction can last 3 to 4 years.