Donetsk and Luhansk to obtain special status they fight for

President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko said that the bill on the special status for separate districts of Donetsk and Luhansk regions would be introduced to the Ukrainian parliament next week.

"Next week, the bill will be submitted to the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine," said the president, speaking at a cabinet meeting on Wednesday.

Poroshenko stressed that the Minsk agreement from September 5, achieved with the participation of Ukrainian authorities and their opponents from the south-east of the country, did not stipulate any federalization or alienation of Ukrainian territories, Interfax reports.

"There are no questions of federalization or any alienation in the protocol," said the head of state.

The Commissioner of the Russian Foreign Ministry for Human Rights, Democracy and the Rule of Law, Konstantin Dolgov, said that the report from human rights organization Amnesty International confirmed large-scale crimes committed by punitive battalion Aydar in the Luhansk region.

"This report confirms massive crimes, including war crimes, committed routinely, with the acquiescence of law-enforcement agencies and members of the leadership of Aydar  battallion, - the diplomat said. - "Amnesty International indicates only some of them - kidnappings, illegal arrests, beatings, extortion, including asking for  ransom for the release of the captured Ukrainians, let alone banal looting of civilians. The report rightly states that, contrary to the patriotic image of Aydar, promoted by Kiev and Western propaganda machine, the battalion has earned ill reputation among residents of Ukrainian regions for crimes, atrocities and open banditry."

"The Russian side has repeatedly called authoritative international human rights organizations, including Amnesty International, to pay more attention to the real scale of violations of human rights and the rule of law in the course of the so-called anti-terrorist operation, - the official said. - We hope that the report about the crimes of Aydar will enhance efforts in this area, because the atrocities of the battalion are only a part of the total mass of sinister crimes committed by punitive troops."

"All of these crimes, including the massacre in Odessa in May, must be objectively investigated under effective international control, and perpetrators must be brought to justice," the diplomat said, Itar-Tass reports.

A criminal case was filed against members of Ukrainian volunteer battalions on suspicion of crimes against residents of Donbass, officials at Ukraine Prosecutor General's Office said.

Earlier, Secretary General of Amnesty International, Salil Shetty, said that the human rights organization had collected dozens of violations of humanitarian law committed by Ukrainian volunteer battalion Aydar, RIA Novosti reports.

Meanwhile, on September 10, President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko signed the law "About Sanctions." In accordance with the law, all restrictions against foreigners in the country, most of them are Russians, will be administered by president's decrees, a message posted on the official website of the Ukrainian parliament said.

The Verkhovna Rada adopted the law on sanctions on August 14; the chairman of the Ukrainian parliament, Turchynov, signed the law on August 26.

According to the law, sanctions against specific foreign individuals, foreign legal entities and individuals, as well as legal entities, in which non-resident companies or foreigners hold control, shall be approved by the decision of the National Security Council, and administered by presidential decrees. In respect to a foreign country or a sector of specific type of activity, sanctions shall undergo the process of approval by the Rada, for which 48 hours shall be provided.

Pravda.Ru