The Abkhaz lesson for Ukraine and Donbas

Olexandr Mikhelson for UP

The early presidential elections in the unacknowledged republic of Abkhazia are appointed for Ukraine’s Independence Day on August 24th. A simple coincidence. But it is far from being the only one. 

Early election were held there almost ten years ago as well. They occurred because of the falsification of the scheduled elections which took place in October 2004. And what a coincidence: in Ukraine, presidential elections were underway as well during that time, the falsification of which birthed Maidan.

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The head of the Russian Duma Committee for CIS: For the sake of the ‘Russian world’ we cannot retreat

Interview with Leonid Slutskiy, Head of the Russian Duma Committee for CIS Affairs by Ondras Fyoldas 

Georgian Colleague:  What is your position concerning the referendum? How soon will you discuss the decision of the Crimean people in Russian State Duma?

Russian Politician Let’s wait for the results of the referendum. We don’t know yet what the results will be … Let’s wait for the people of Crimea to freely express their will. If they vote for Russia, we’ll negotiate it as soon as possible in the Duma. As to the procedures, I am not ready to answer this question … I know for certain that it will not take much  time … [And] with this, we will restore the historical justice: Crimea was always part of Russia.

TSN Film Crew deported from Abkhazia after interrogation

March 12, 2014

TSN correspondent Natalia Pisnya and cameraman Serhiy Kyselyov were deported from Abkhazia after an hours-long interrogation. Currently they are in the territory of the Russian Federation and will soon leave to Ukraine.

Previously, it was reported that on March 12, communication with the crew of the TSN news service of the “1+1” TV channel was lost. It was suspected that the journalists were kidnapped. TSN reporter Natalka Pisnya and cameraman Serhiy Kyselyov were on a trip to Abkhazia. During the trip, they stopped at a local hotel. According to the communication by Natalka Pisnya with the channel management, the hotel administration asked journalists to stay put as the representatives of local security services wanted to talk to them. After that, the film crew were taken for interrogation in an unknown direction.