FULL REPORT: IT IS CONFIRMED, UKRAINE JUNTA SPECIAL AGENTS CLASH ON BORDER WITH RUSSIAN FEDERAL SECURITY SERVICE (FSB) !

A Russian serviceman was wounded during an armed clash with a Ukrainian sabotage group on the border with Ukraine in Crimea on August 7, according to a source in medical circles. “One serviceman was taken to a hospital of Armyansk [in northern Crimea] with a gunshot wound on August 7. He was provided with medical assistance,” the source said.

The serviceman was later sent to a hospital in Moscow, he added. No official comments on the injuries during the clashes with the Ukrainian saboteurs have been made yet.

Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) said on Wednesday it has foiled terrorist attacks in Crimea plotted by Ukraine’s Defense Ministry’s main intelligence directorate.

The terrorist attacks were designed to target critical infrastructure and life support facilities of Crimea.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has described as silly and criminal the Ukrainian special services’ attempt at an act of sabotage in Crimea. The real purpose was to distract attention from Ukraine’s internal problems, he added.

Ukraine’s President Pyotr Poroshenko and the Foreign Ministry have rejected Moscow’s accusations calling the saboteurs’ detention a provocation.

********************* Putin, Security Council discuss security measures in Crimea — Kremlin

Russian President Vladimir Putin has discussed with the Security Council members additional measures of ensuring security of citizens and infrastructure facilities in Crimea amid the terrorist attack foiled by Russia’s special forces on the peninsula.

“The head of state held an urgent meeting with the members of the Security Council to discuss additional measures of ensuring security of citizens and critical infrastructure facilities of Crimea amid the terrorist attack prevented by Russia’s special forces on the peninsula,” the Kremlin press service said.

“The sides considered in detail the scenarios of measures of anti-terrorist security on the land border, in the water area and in the airspace of Crimea,” it said.

The discussion also focused on the agreements reached at the international meetings of the Russian president with the leaders of Azerbaijan, Iran, Turkey and Armenia. The participants also discussed the current Russian social and economic issues.

The meeting was attended by Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, Kremlin chief of staff Sergey Ivanov, Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, head of Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service Mikhail Fradkov, Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev and head of Russia’s Federal Security Service Alexander Bortnikov.

Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) said on Wednesday it has foiled terrorist attacks in Crimea plotted by Ukraine’s Defense Ministry’s main intelligence directorate. One FSB officer was killed during the operation to detain the terrorists. Later a serviceman of Russia’s Defense Ministry was killed as the saboteurs made a second attempt of intrusion. The terrorist attacks were designed to target critical infrastructure and life support facilities of Crimea.

******************** UKRAINE NOW A COUNTRY HELL BENT ON TERRORISM ~ PUTIN

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday he had drawn the attention of the United States and Europe to Ukraine, which was switching to terror.

“I would also like to turn to our American and European partners,” he said at a press conference after negotiations with Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan.

“I believe it is already obvious for all that today’s Kiev authorities are not seeking the methods of solving problems through negotiations but are switching to terror. This is a very alarming thing,” Putin said.

Vladimir Putin has described as alarming reports of prevented operations by Ukrainian saboteurs in Crimea.

“This news is very alarming, indeed. Our special services have prevented a reconnaissance and sabotage group of the Ukrainian Defense Ministry from getting into Crimea,” Putin said.

Russian President has described as silly and criminal the Ukrainian special services’ attempt at an act of sabotage in Crimea. The real purpose was to distract attention from Ukraine’s internal problems, he added.

“This action, the one we’ve just seen in Crimea, was silly and criminal. It was silly because it is impossible to influence the people of Crimea in this way, and it was criminal because it caused loss of human life,” Putin said.

Putin hopes the U.S. will exert influence on the Ukrainian government if it is really interested in the solution of the Ukrainian problem.

“The main thing is that everyone who supported in incumbent authorities in Kiev should decide for themselves in the final run what they actually want continued provocations on the part of their clients or real peace settlement somehow,” Putin said.

“If they really want this and I strongly hope they do they should take some practical steps at last so as to put appropriate pressure on the Kiev government,” he said.

Russia to take additional steps to ensure security in Crimea

Russia will do everything it can to ensure the safety of citizens and infrastructure in Crimea, Russian President Vladimir Putin said. “We will certainly do our utmost to ensure safety of infrastructure and citizens. We will take additional measures to ensure safety,” he told a news conference following talks with Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan.

“I want to say that those will be serious additional measures and more than that,” Putin said.

Normandy format meeting

Russian President said he considers a meeting in the Normandy format pointless against the backdrop of Ukrainian saboteurs’ attempt to organize a terrorist atttack in Crimea.

“Of course, in these circumstances holding a meeting in the Normandy format, the more so in China, is pointless. Apparently, those who once seized power in Kiev and are still retaining it have shifted to terrorist practices instead of searching for compromises,… instead of searching for ways of a peaceful settlement,” Putin said.

Kiev earlier suggested holding a meeting in the Normandy format (bringing together the Russian, Ukrainian, French and German leaders) on the sidelines of the G20 meeting to be held in China on September 4-5. Moscow agreed with this proposal.

Putin also noted that Russia considers the recent assassination attempt of the head of the Lugansk People’s Republic an act of terrorism in the wake of the latest developments in Crimea.

**************************** Russian FSB prevents terrorist attack in Crimea prepared by Ukraine’s intelligence service

The Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) has said it prevented terrorist attacks in Crimea prepared by the Ukrainian Defense Ministry’s main intelligence directorate.

“The Russian Federal Security Service prevented terrorist attacks in the Republic of Crimea prepared by the main intelligence directorate of the Ukrainian Defense Ministry. Their planned target was critically important infrastructure,” the FSB said on its website, adding that the purpose of the planned attacks was “to destabilize the socio-political situation in the region as preparations for elections of federal and regional authorities are underway.”

Group of saboteurs detected close to state border

A group of saboteurs was spotted overnight to August 7 near the city of Armyansk, close to the border with Ukraine, thanks to investigative work. “A FSB officer was killed in a skirmish when terrorists were being detained,” the FSB statement said.

Twenty improvised explosive devices containing more than 40 kilograms of TNT equivalent, ammunition, fuses, antipersonnel and magnetic bombs, grenades and the Ukrainian armed forces’ standard special weapons were found at the scene, the FSB said.

Detainees giving confessions

The Russian Federal Security Service added that “an intelligence network of the Ukrainian Defense Ministry’s main intelligence directorate has been eliminated thanks to measures taken on the Crimean Peninsula.”

“Ukrainian and Russian citizens who provided assistance in preparing terrorists attacks have been detained. They are giving confessions,” the statement said. According to the FSB, one of the organizers of the planned terrorist attacks was Yevgeny Panov, a resident of Ukraine’s Zaporozhye region born in 1977, an employee of the Ukrainian Defense Ministry’s main intelligence directorate who was detained as well and is giving a confession.

Saboteurs resume penetration attempts

“In the small hours of August 8, 2016 commando units of the Ukrainian Defense Ministry’s groups of saboteurs made two penetration attempts. Both were prevented by FSB units and cooperating agencies. The penetration attempts were accompanied by heavy fire from the neighboring country’s territory and Ukrainian armored vehicles. The fire exchange left one Russian military serviceman dead,” the FSB said.

The investigative department of the Russian Federal Security Service in Crimea and the city of Sevastopol initiated criminal proceedings on the basis of the evidence gathered during the investigative activities.

Security measures in Crimea tightened

Additional security measures have been put in place in crowded areas in Crimean resorts after a subversive group was detected, the FSB said, adding that “the frontier regime on the border with Ukraine has been reinforced.” Russia also introduced additional measures to protect important infrastructure and life support facilities.

FSB