FACTS AND FIGURES: RUSSIAN AGGRESSION AGAINST UKRAINE (original) (raw)

1. THERE ARE 6 000 RUSSIAN REGULARS AND 35 000 MERCENARIES RUN BY RUSSIAN ARMY IN DONBAS

The Russian Federation keeps sending its regular troops to certain areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions, which amount now to about 6 000.

Moreover, Russia has formed two hybrid army corps in Donbas consisting of over 35 000 trained personnel managed, controlled, coordinated and commanded by the Russian high-rank military professionals.

Russian-terrorist troops in Donbas are armed with more than 600 tanks and 1250 armored combat vehicles, 750 artillery system units and over 300 multiple launch rocket systems.

2. RUSSIA AND ITS PROXIES INTIMIDATE THE OSCE SMM MONITORS

– On 5 August 2016 armed Russian-backed militants in Luhansk region stopped the SMM and threatened SMM’s monitors with “arrest” (SMM daily Report, 6 August 2016);

– On 22 August, while the SMM was driving through the checkpoint in militants-controlled Horlivka terrorists threatened SMM vehicles with a rocket-propelled grenade launcher. (SMM daily Report, 25 August 2016);

– On 2 September 2016 near militants-controlled Styla (Donetsk region) the SMM confirmed the presence of two anti-personnel mines (MON-100 A) attached to a tree. After the SMM photographed the mines, militants carrying an automatic rifle (AK-47) approached the patrol and told the patrol that the next time OSCE would come to look at the mines, they would detonate them (SMM daily Report, 3 September 2016).

3. RUSSIAN AGGRESSION AGAINST UKRAINE HAS LED TO 9,640 DEATHS, MORE THAN 22,431 INJURED AND ALMOST TWO MILLION DISPLACED

Russia’s aggression in Donbas has not only deeply affected the lives of adults but the lives of 580,000 children living in non-government controlled areas and close to the front line.

Ukraine has already demonstrated a lot of political will to implement the Minsk Agreements, while Russia has done nothing at all in this regard.

In particular, Ukraine:

• adopted the Law on the special order of local self-government in certain areas of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions;
• passed the Law on amnesty;
• adopted the amendments to the Constitution of Ukraine on decentralization in the 1st reading;
• agreed with international partners the modalities of the local elections in Donbas after the implementation of the security conditions.

Ukrainian side demonstrated good will, responsibility and made clear steps, aimed at peaceful settlement.

It’s high time for Russia to implement its part of the Minsk agreements and finally to:

• provide sustainable and comprehensive ceasefire in Donbas;
• stop supplying its regular army in Donbas with heavy weapons, ammunition and military equipment;
• provide unhindered access for the OSCE SMM to the occupied territory of Donbas and Crimea. This is the mandate of the OSCE;
• provide full access for the international observers to the temporarily uncontrolled part of the Ukrainian-Russian border. If the border is closed, the war in Ukraine will be over very soon;
• withdraw Russian troops from the territory of Ukraine;
• release Ukrainian hostages and political prisoners (Sentsov, Kolchenko, Karpyuk, Klykh and dozens of others).

Ukraine urges the international community to step up pressure on Russia to make it halt its aggression against the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine.