Russian-backed fighters shoot at Ukrainian medics

Russian-backed fighters in war-torn Donbas reportedly
shot at Ukrainian medics riding in vehicles in two recent incidents. Two
volunteer medics suffered gunshot wounds on July 2 when targeted with sniper
fire while driving between the towns of Maryinka and Krasnohorivka in the
Donetsk region. The prior day, a military medic, Sgt. Iryna Shevchenko, and her
driver, seaman Serhiy Mayboroda, were shot and killed in the region of the village
of Vodiane in the Donetsk region while riding in a Hummer vehicle, the press
service of the Joint Forces Operation reported that day.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the
Russian government isn’t demonstrating good will in resolving the conflict in
Donbas, including refusing to support Ukraine’s proposed “harvest ceasefire,”
during a July 2 meeting with U.S. Special Envoy to Ukraine Kurt Volker in
Canada. He mentioned that Russian-backed fighters recently shot at Ukrainian
medics who were riding in vehicles. As his reaction to the killed medic and her
driver, Zelensky said it was “a shameful and vile attempt to undermine a
difficult negotiating process in ceasing fire in Donbas” and called for an
appropriate reaction from the U.S. and the E.U.

Zenon Zawada: In recent
days, Zelensky has been criticized by his political opponents – led by the
European Solidarity party and the Radical Party – for leading the Ukrainian
army (along with Russian-backed fighters) in withdrawing their forces from the
control checkpoint at Stanytsia Luhanska. They cited the medic shooting
incidents as evidence that the Russians are not showing good will, and
therefore the withdrawal makes Ukraine’s positions vulnerable. They also
criticize him for not fighting the decision by the Parliamentary Assembly of
the Council of Europe to renew the activity of the Russian delegation (as if he
had the ability to change the minds of German Chancellor Merkel, French
President Macron and British Prime Minister May).

From the investment viewpoint, any attempt at
ceasefire can only be viewed positively. Economic stability and investment
activity are only possible when warring is reduced and rule of law is improved.
At the same time, we have maintained the consistent position that achieving a
total ceasefire and fulfilling the Minsk Accords will be very difficult, which
Zelensky himself has acknowledged. We have maintained the consistent position
that Russia will not accept anything other than Ukraine’s full capitulation to
its geopolitical plans. Zelensky’s team may or may not know this, but it is
creating the impression that compromise is possible and it is willing to
sacrifice more than former President Poroshenko was willing in order to achieve
it.