Today marks is the first
month anniversary of the bloodiest day in Maidan. EuroMaidan leaders have
published a list of 10 persons (journalists, EuroMaidan activists, the founder
of a military hospital in Simferopol, and officers in the Ukrainian military)
who continue to be missing in Crimea since the Russian invasion. Most reported
missing since 14 or 16 March.
The government in Ukraine
demanded the release of the naval commander and a number of pro-Ukraine
activists previously detained in Crimea. In Kyiv, parliament adopted a resolution that states that it will
never recognise Russia's annexation of Crimea and will fight for the
‘liberation’. For now, no visa restrictions will be imposed for Russians
travelling into Ukraine. Tensions remain high in Eastern Ukraine, and many
Ukrainians expect Russian presence to heighten in the next few days, or
provocations aiming to unsettle the region.
Fear and rumours abound.
Members of the Right Sector (right wing militants) have targeted a Ukrainian TV
channel for broadcasting Putin’s speech from the Kremlin. This action was not
sanctioned by the Ukrainian government, but is a worrying attempt at media
censorship in Ukraine. Groups of
Ukrainian journalists are lobbying the government to continue to support radio
and news collectives and maintain freedom of speech/access to information.
In diplomatic news: Merkel has stated ‘the G8 doesn’t exist
anymore, not the summit nor the format’. The upcoming G8 meeting in Sochi has
been cancelled.
The
UN is also deploying a 34-member human rights monitoring mission to Ukraine.
The US listed Russian
individuals - and one Russian bank – targeted for sanctions by the US.
There is less consensus in the EU, for the EU sanction list. For example, ‘the inclusion
of Dmitri Rogozin, Russia’s deputy prime minister, seems to have hit an Italian
veto because Rome, with close economic links to Moscow, is concerned it will
lead to retaliatory measures from Russia.’
Targeting
oligarchs is seen by too many countries as ‘aiming too high.’
Britain, Sweden and East
European countries are pushing for arms sales to Russia to be halted.
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