Ukraine SITREP April 14th, 2015, by Raskolnikova

Uh, this “SITREP” is simply a copy+paste of the latest articles posted to Russian Insider. What is the point?

I find the “Russian blogosphere surveys” that have been given on FortRuss lately to be much more informative:
http://fortruss.blogspot.ca/2015/04/russian-blogosphere-survey-for-april-14.html

Come to some senses or we will sell all the gas to China. They can’t say more straightforward than this.

Miller : “The European Union did not allow the construction of the South Stream only to preserve the transit through Ukraine. If someone thinks that by blocking the Turkish stream too one will achieve its goal – one is badly mistaken. All should bear in mind that 90 percent of transit of Russian gas to Europe via Ukraine was a gift of the USSR to Ukraine. But, when the gift begins to be used as an instrument of manipulation – it is clear that this must be put to an end.
Turkish flow will go at the bottom of the Black Sea so we do not have to negotiate with European partners about anything. Therefore we’ll build it and wait, until the time they will build their part. Risks to the deadlines are the responsibility of the EU.”

http://fakti.org/rossiya/miler-necemo-obnoviti-ugovor-o-tranzitu-gasa-preko-ukrajine-posle-2019

The Altai gas pipeline will offer direct competition to Russian natural gas supplies to Europe, CEO of the Russian natural gas giant Gazprom Alexey Miller told the Rossiya 24 TV channel in an interview on Tuesday.
Unlike the Power of Siberia, the Altai pipeline has the same resource base as the gas supplies to Europe – Western Siberia, he said.
Russia plans to sign the contract on western route gas supplies to China in the second quarter of 2015.

http://tass.ru/en/economy/789233

just adding re Crimea

http://qha.com.ua/a-platform-of-crimean-tatar-ngos-adopts-a-resolution-regarding-crimea-133429en.html

ANKARA (QHA) – “The Platform of the Crimean Tatar Organizations” established by 43 Crimean Tatar NGOs in Turkey held a meeting in Ankara on 4-5 April 2015.

The meeting was attended by Crimean Tatar Mustafa Jemilev, head of Mejlis of Crimean Tatar people Refat Chubarov as well as the members of the Mejlis.

In the end of the meeting a resolution was adopted, which reads the following points:

1) The occupation of Crimea by the Russian Federation is an unlawful act which must be punished by the international community, as occupying Crimea it has violated all types of international laws and universally accepted moral rules and values.

Since the occupation, oppressions against the Crimean Tatar People have increased, national and democratic rights of the Crimean Tatars have been annihilated, Crimean Tatar leaders have been deported from their Motherland, Ahtem Chiygoz—deputy head of Mejlis of Crimean Tatar people— has been arrested and is still in prison. Through these aggressive acts, freedom of thought and freedom of life of our people have been suppressed.

The closure of the only Crimean Tatar TV channel “ATR” and other Crimean Tatar media outlets, including the Crimean News Agency is an explicit violation of freedom of thought, freedom of expression and freedom of press, which are all under the protection of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

In addition to these, obligatory citizenship, deporting and firing people not holding Russian passports and forcing Crimean Tatar young people to serve in the Russian army are annihilations of freedom of establishment, freedom of job, freedom of movement and the right to conscientious objection.

Perpetrators and those responsible for these acts who have violated all rights and freedoms of the Crimean Tatars and other people living in the Crimea under the protection of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Agreements of the United Nations and European Convention on Human Rights must be tried in relevant international courts as soon as possible.

In order to ensure this, the International Court of Justice should established a commission to initiate the process.

2) The Russian Federation must immediately put an end to the occupation of Crimea; the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine must be restored under the protection of international community. Sanctions against the Russian Federation initiated by the free and democratic world should continue, and every state believing in international law and democracy should support these sanctions. In order for these sanctions to be effective, all governments and state heads are urged to take necessary measures and pay great attention to this issue with due diligence.

3) We, the Platform of the Crimean Tatar Organizations, reaffirm and declare that we will never recognize the unlawful and immoral Russian occupation, and we will continue our struggle to end this occupation under the leadership of the real representatives of the Kurultay of Crimean Tatar People, the Mejlis of Crimean Tatar People, who were truly elected before the occupation under free and democratic conditions, according to rule of law principle and human rights in a democratic manner.

In this regard we declare:

Arranging of mass rally in Turkey on 17 May 2015 to commemorate the deportation and genocide of 18 May 1944, with the full participation and support of the all NGOs in the platform;

Organizing commemoration activities such as conferences and exhibitions to commemorate the 18 May 1944 deportation and to create awareness among the people during the week of 11-18 May 2015,

Establishing a Press and Information body in Turkey that will operate in a professional manner to proclaim the Crimean Tatar national struggle to the World and Turkey;

Organizing the Second World Congress of Crimean Tatars in Turkey in 31 July – 02 August 2015, and therefore establishing an Organization Committee for preparing and organizing the activities of the World Congress of Crimean Tatars, and establishing a Law Committee to prepare the draft charter of the Congress and share it with the relevant parties at least 3 weeks before the Congress.”

remember HRW etc are supporting Tatars and this could be more picked up by “interested” parties as excuse-reasons to forment this situation.

Hence Putin’s recent statement about setting up a bureau to promote -monitor inter ethnic relations one presumes, but recent refusal of Crimea to allow Mejlis tv channel to operate due to “problems’ of registration have given cause to stir things up, but when their radio channel is called “Meidan FM’ can one blame them?