CNN "Moves" Ukraine's Slavyansk to Crimea

The American CNN TV channel has revealed a lack of geographical knowledge. A CNN report about militants' pullout from the towns of Slavyansk and Kramatorsk in southeastern Ukraine carried a map locating Slavyansk in the western part of Crimea. Covering Ukrainian troops' seizure of Slavyansk and Kramatorsk, both situating in Ukraine's southeast Donetsk region, the CNN mislocated Slavyansk, "moving" it to Crimea. Similar blunders echo the latest remark by Stephen Colbert, the host of the popular Colbert Report satirical show, who said, citing a Washington Post poll, that barely one in six Americans could locate Ukraine on a map of the world correctly.

http://voiceofrussia.com/news/2014_07_06/CNN-moves-Ukraines-Slavyansk-to-Russias-Crimea-8617/

Ukraine Claims Victory In Rebel Stronghold Of Slovyansk

Ukrainian security forces cleared pro-Russian separatists out of two eastern cities Saturday -- significant developments, though hardly conclusive, in the effort to bring unity and stability to the European nation. The Ukrainian flag was raised Saturday over Slovyansk and Kramatorsk, a pair of flashpoint cities that have been strongholds of groups advocating independence from the Kiev-based national government for months. President Petro Poroshenko's officed announced Saturday that separatists had left Slovyansk. Clearing this key city was very difficult, since militants hid inside residential buildings and other facilities where civilians are, according to Andriy Lysenko, a spokesman for Ukraine's National Defense and Security Council. Interior Minister Arsen Avakov said most of the militants had left. "They are running. This morning intelligence suggests that (separatist militant leader Igor) Girkin and a significant number of fighters have fled Slovyansk. ... Some remain. Rest going to Gorlovka," he wrote.

http://edition.cnn.com/2014/07/05/world/meast/ukraine-crisis/
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/07/05/ukraine-slovyansk_n_5559729.html

As Ukraine Cease-Fire Expires, Violence Escalates

Violence in Ukraine escalated sharply Tuesday, as artillery shells and airstrikes pierced the relative calm of a 10-day cease-fire, hours after President Petro Poroshenko allowed it to expire. Both sides appeared to be readying for a protracted battle, days after fighting has diminished but has not disappeared. It remained unclear whether the Ukrainian military, which has battled pro-Russian separatists since mid-April, would be able strike a decisive blow against the rebels, who have seized territory in eastern Ukraine. The longer the conflict drags on, the greater the risk of further civilian casualties and the harder it will be for Ukraine’s new government to stitch the society back together. Ukraine’s economy presented a formidable challenge even without a growing insurgency in the country’s industrial heartland.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/ukraine-forces-press-assault-hours-after-ceasefires-suspension/2014/07/01/f0f313e0-0104-11e4-8572-4b1b969b6322_story.html

EU Gives Russia Three Days to De-Escalate Ukraine Crisis

The European Council on Friday said it would give Moscow three days to de-escalate the situation in Ukraine, or it will impose new sanctions against Russia, according to a statement published Friday. The European Council also set conditions for the de-escalation. "The European Council expects that by Monday, 30 June the following steps will be taken: Agreement on a verification mechanism, monitored by the OSCE, for the ceasefire and for the effective control of the border; return to the Ukrainian authorities of the three border checkpoints (Izvarino, Dolzhanskiy, Krasnopartizansk); release of hostages including all of the OSCE observers; launch of substantial negotiations on the implementation of President [Petro] Poroshenko's peace plan," the statement reads. The European Council said it regrets that the ceasefire, “while being respected by the Ukrainian authorities,” has not led to the full cessation of military hostilities and called upon the sides to “genuinely commit to the implementation of the peace plan and to cement the cessation of the military activities.” The EU has adopted and repeatedly expanded the sanctions list to people they believe played a role in “violating Ukraine’s territorial integrity.” A total of 61 Russian and Ukrainian nationals have been hit with EU travel bans and asset freezes over the crisis. Several Crimean enterprises have also been targeted by the EU sanctions. Moscow has repeatedly stated that the language of sanctions is “inappropriate and counterproductive” and warned its western partners about the “boomerang effect” sanctions would have.

http://en.ria.ru/world/20140627/190735548/EU-Gives-Russia-Three-Days-to-De-Escalate-Ukraine-Crisis.html

Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia Sign Association Deals with EU

Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine and the European Union signed association agreements that foresee the creation of a free-trade zone with the EU during a summit in Brussels Friday. Kiev has only signed the economic part of its association agreement. Following the political upheaval in Ukraine, the EU’s heads of state and governments decided to split the association agreement into two parts. The political part of the agreement was signed on March 21. The economic section of the agreement stipulates the free-trade zone is to go into effect in the fall, after it is ratified by the Ukrainian parliament. The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry hopes the legislature will approve the EU association agreement in July. Russia has free-trade agreements with Ukraine and Moldova in the CIS framework while Georgia, which is not a member of the Commonwealth of Independent States, is still party to several CIS trade agreements.

http://en.ria.ru/world/20140627/190730285/Ukraine-Moldova-Georgia-Ink-Association-Deals-with-EU-Create.html

Belarus, Kazakhstan, Russia Establish Eurasian Union

With the milestone agreement to create a Eurasian economic union clinched in Kazakhstan on Thursday, Russia put cheap energy resources at the head of its drive to pull former Soviet states away from European integration and into its orbit. The Eurasian Economic Union agreement, signed by the leaders of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan in the Kazakh capital of Astana, will come into force on Jan. 1, 2015. It anticipates the gradual integration of the three former Soviet countries' economies, establishing free trade, unbarred financial interaction and unhindered labor migration. The pact combines the previous agreements reached between the three countries under the Customs Union and the Single Economic Space, which were formed in 2010 and 2011, and have been generally considered a success. At the signing ceremony, President Vladimir Putin said "Today we are creating a powerful center of gravity for economic development, a large regional market that unites more than 170 million people," according to an official transcript. He also stressed that the union's combined territory is a hydrocarbon treasury, possessing one-fifth of all global natural gas resources and 15 percent of all oil reserves. Russia's gain in entering the Eurasian union is more political than economic — particularly as Russia is still smarting from the recent failure of its attempts to draw Ukraine into the Customs Union. As for Kazakhstan and Belarus, they are pursuing their own economic interests rather than any dream of forming super-state between Europe and Asia, both their leaders and analysts said.

http://www.themoscowtimes.com/business/article/for-russia-eurasian-union-is-about-politics-not-economy/501126.html

Russian Judges' Foreign Contacts Scrutinized

Some candidates for the new unified Russian Supreme Court have reported that the commission reviewing the candidacy of potential judges on the court is asking candidates whether they have relatives who live abroad, in particular outside the CIS.  Similarly, current High Economic Court judge Alexandra Makovskaia said that the commission asked her why she often travels abroad.  Such questions are not included in the formal criteria for nominating judges to the unified court.  


www.vedomosti.ru/politics/print/2014/05/27/26998721

Survey Shows "Middleman" Role of Russian Advocates

Vedomosti newspaper reported on a survey by the New Economic School of advocates (members of the regulated bar that dates to the Soviet period) regarding their attitudes to their profession, their role in the legal system, professional ethics, and the ongoing controversy over whether and how the entire legal profession in Russia should be regulated.  NES conducted the survey in cooperation with the Association of Lawyers of the Russian Federation, a voluntary organization.  372 advocates responded to the survey by completing a questionnaire and being interviewed.




About 22% of the respondents agreed that advocates "often" act as "middlemen" between their clients and the court system by "helping their clients reach a particular result in the case."  60% said that this happens "from time to time."  Vedomosti notes that these findings contradict an argument often made by the regulated advocates bar:  that regulating the entire legal profession under its umbrella would raise the level of professional ethics by subjecting all lawyers to the mandatory professional ethics rules that apply to registered advocates.




www.vedomosti.ru/companies/print/2014/04/22/25654071

Putin: US Imposes Sanctions Against Russia to Gain Business Advantage in Europe

Russian President Vladimir Putin suggested on Friday that the United States planned to receive competitive advantages in trade and economic ties with Europe by insisting on sanctions against Russia. “I have the suspicion that by insisting on imposing sanctions against Russia, our American friends, and they’re pretty sophisticated guys, they, perhaps, even want to get certain competitive advantages in their trade and economic ties in Europe?  I simply don’t see, don’t understand any other motives that are that serious or deep, but I hope that common sense prevails,” Putin said. The US and EU have imposed sanctions against Russia in connection with its policy in Ukraine and the reunification of Crimea. The sanctions have so far remained targeted and consist of government-approved lists of individuals and companies facing visa bans and asset freezes.

http://en.ria.ru/world/20140523/190078539/US-Imposes-Sanctions-Against-Russia-to-Gain-Business-Advantage.html