Why is Bakhmut Called Artemovsk and What's Its True Story?

©Sputnik / Evgeny Biyatov / Go to the mediabank

For months, the Artemovsk (Bakhmut) "meat grinder" has been the center of the world's attention. On May 20, 2023, at noon, the city was fully liberated by Russian forces. What is so special about Bakhmut and what is it famous for?

Even though the Kiev regime admitted the loss of Artemovsk, the Western press is not eager to acknowledge the profound defeat of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. As per The New York Times, the capture of Artemovsk is only a "symbolic victory": "controlling it would not necessarily help Moscow" towards its larger stated goals, the newspaper claims, referring to Russia's plans of liberating the Donbass region.

For starters, let's find out what Artemovsk is, why it is called Bakhmut, and what its story is.

What is the History of Bakhmut?

The city is located on the Bakhmut-Turetskaya Upland of the Donetsk ridge on the Bakhmutka River, 89 kilometers northeast of Donetsk.

Believe it or not, Bakhmut is an ancient Russian city. The first official mention of Bakhmut goes back to 1571, when the Russian czar, Ivan the Terrible, ordered the creation of border fortifications along the Aidar and Seversky Donets rivers, to protect the southern border of the Russian state from Crimean-Nogai slave raids. One of these strongholds, "storozha," was named after the nearby Bakhmutka River, a tributary of the Seversky Donets, and located at the mouth of a stream called the Chornyi Zherebets.

Historical and cultural holiday "Glory to Peter the Great!" at the North River Station
©Sputnik / Vladimir Vyatkin / Go to the mediabank

Vast salt deposits were later discovered there. Russian Emperor Peter the Great stepped up the development of the salt deposits in the region: in 1703, by his order, a new fortress was built on the Bakhmutka River. However, two years later, a detachment of Don Cossacks led by Kondraty Bulavin captured the Bakhmut salt works and destroyed the fortress amid the so-called Bulavin uprising of 1707-1708.

Having curbed the turmoil, Peter the Great ordered the construction of new fortifications. In 1710, an earthen fortress was laid on the left bank of the Bakhmutka River; it later was expanded and strengthened.

In the middle of the 18th century, Bakhmut became the administrative center of Slavic Serbia – an Imperial Russian territory of military agricultural settlements of Serbs, Moldavians, and Bulgarians on the southern bank of the river Seversky Donets (1753-1764). Later, in 1783, Bakhmut became a district town of the Yekaterinoslav Governorate of the Russian Empire.

In 1876, new large reserves of rock salt were discovered in the Bakhmut region. Eventually, the number of mines substantially increased, and in 1874 a salt plant was launched there, producing approximately 32.7 million kilograms of salt per year. By the beginning of the 20th century, there were more than 70 small industrial enterprises in the city, as well as four salt mines that were part of the Bakhmut salt syndicate. Metalworking has also developed.

Is it Bakhmut or Artemovsk?

Following the Great October Revolution of 1917, one of the revolutionary leaders, Vladimir Lenin decided to incorporate the historically Russian Donbass region into the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic.

In 1918, the Donetsk-Krivoy Rog Soviet Republic was founded: the idea of the Donbass communists was to maintain the region's autonomy within the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic.

However, in a March 4, 1918 letter to the Extraordinary Commissioner of Ukraine, Sergo Ordzhonikidze, Lenin criticized the desire of the inhabitants of Donbass to join the Russian SFSR. In the end, the Communist Party decided to make Donbass a part of Ukraine. As per historians, Lenin wanted to "dilute" the peasant population of the Ukrainian SSR with "Donbas proletarians" who supported the Bolsheviks. Due to this politico-social engineering, Bakhmut turned into a Ukrainian city.

Vladimir Lenin in a car before leaving from Red Square on the Day of International Workers' Solidarity 1 May 1919 - Sputnik International, 1920, 22.05.2023

In 1920, the city became the administrative center of the Donetsk province of the Ukrainian SSR, while in September 1924, Bakhmut was renamed Artemovsk in honor of Communist Party statesman and founder of the Donetsk-Krivoy Rog Soviet Republic Fyodor Sergeev, known under the pseudonym "Comrade Artem." The Bakhmut district also received the name "Artemovsky."

Following the collapse of the USSR in 1991, Artemovsk became part of the Donetsk region of a newly established state, Ukraine. After the US-backed February 2014 coup d'etat in Kiev, the Donbass region didn’t accept the junta's illegitimate ouster of then-Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovich, the banning of the Russian language, glorification of Nazi collaborators Stepan Bandera and Roman Shchukhevych, and other Russophobic policies.

During the course of the Donbass resistance, some parts of the region managed to break away from Kiev. Others fell under the control of the Kiev regime during Ukraine's so-called "anti-terror operation" against dissenting civilians in Eastern Ukraine. So did Artemovsk.

In 2015, Artemovsk was renamed as Bakhmut as part of the Kiev regime's "de-communization" policies and the overall bid to distance it from Russia and shared Russo-Ukrainian history. Ironically, the city has regained its old Russian name.

What is so Special About Bakhmut?

Over the course of the Russian special military operation, Artemovsk (Bakhmut) turned into nothing short of a "meat-grinder." Despite the Western press' current downplaying of the significance of Artemovsk's liberation, the Ukrainian leadership made every effort to maintain control over the city. Remarkably, while saying that Russia's victory is merely "symbolic," the Western media nonetheless report that Kiev is scrambling to "encircle it" and take it back. But what's the fuss if the city is so "unimportant"?

Speaking to Sputnik in January 2023, Mark Sleboda, a US military veteran and international affairs and security analyst, explained that, first, "being kind of right in the center of the Donetsk region, Bakhmut (Artemovsk) has often been called the key to Donetsk."

"Bakhmut is also a major transport and logistical hub because it's got two highways that are intersected and railroads that run north all the way to Moscow and then they go through south and then bend around down into Donetsk city," Sleboda said.

Second, Bakhmut was the linchpin of the entire second line of defense of the Kiev regime, the US military veteran continued. "After that, there's only one last defensive line in Donetsk of any major node between Slavyansk and Kramatorsk, further to the west," Sleboda noted, adding that the liberation of Artemovsk would open the door to further advances of the Russian military forces in other directions.

Third, the city's liberation ensures greater control of the Donetsk-Seversky Canal, which provides water to Donetsk city: the Kiev regime cut off the water supply to Donetsk five years ago.

The city has been of utmost importance to both sides since the beginning of the special military operation. Hence, the entire conflict has long centered on what happened there; and it is precisely for this reason that Kiev sent tens of thousands of reinforcements into the city to preserve control over this geostrategic and logistic hub.

Now, Kiev's loss of Artemovsk may also make a dent in the West's determination to funnel weapons to Ukraine, according to retired US Air Force Lt. Col. Karen Kwiatkowski.

"In practical and strategic terms, control of the city in its entirety allows the start of rebuilding and normalization there for the people of the city, and real hope for the end of the [Artemovsk] 'meat-grinder.' While Ukrainian forces may still attack the city from the west and north, the decision on who holds the city is in practical terms already decided," the former analyst for the US Department of Defense told Sputnik on May 21.

Taking control of Artemovsk was a military victory that shows Russia is winning, US military expert and former US Marine Corps intelligence officer Scott Ritter told Sputnik on Sunday. "Russia has developed tactical operational and strategic advantages over Kiev that make it almost impossible for Ukraine’s forces to be able to amass military power of sufficient quantity to carry out a sustained offensive operation," Ritter said, adding that future developments will show how Russia will use its new geostrategic advantage.

Inside Europe's largest salt mine: Wagner Group fighters offer a tour of the huge Donbass facility captured from Ukrainian forces

Artemsol salt mine tunnel
©RT/Arseniy Kotov, special report for RT

Salt has been an indispensable part of human life since time immemorial. An important item of trade, it has at times been a decisive factor in economic stability, while wars have even been waged over possession of this mineral. Unsurprisingly, salt mining was among the first industries in Ancient Rus.

Soledar, though itself not dating back to the Middle Ages, is inextricably linked to the extraction of salt. The first mention of settlements in the area dates back to the end of the 17th century, when the village of Bryantsevka appeared in the vicinity of the deposits. By the end of the 19th century, deep salt beds had been discovered here, and construction of the first mine began.

Production peaked in Soviet times, when the Artemsol enterprise accounted for about 40% of the rock salt production in the entire USSR. In its most successful years, the enterprise could produce over 7 million tons annually, which is comparable to the modern production of Brazil (6.3 million tons per year) and Canada (10 million tons per year). Today, only about 2 million tons of salt are mined per year in Russia.

Despite the large production volume, only 218 million tons have been extracted over the past 140 years – about 3% of the total deposit. This means that there is enough remaining to last for over 1,000 years. Meanwhile, Ukraine’s only remaining salt mines are located in the western part of the country.

In recent times, one of the mines at Artemsol was turned into a speleotherapy sanatorium, where respiratory illnesses were treated. Tourists could also visit some mines on guided tours, and there is a salt industry museum and a church – both located underground.

Other drifts were used as warehouses for storing weapons and explosives, although at the time of my visit they were empty. (According to recent information, the largest warehouses for storing weapons and ammunition came under Russian control in the village of Paraskovevka, south of Soledar.) In one of the mines we found a neutrino detector, one of two such apparatuses created in the Soviet Union.

This salt deposit began forming from an ancient sea around 250 million years ago, during the Permian period. Present-day Donbass is located at the site of a shallow lagoon of the ancient Perm Sea. As the water evaporated, the mineral gradually settled at the bottom of the lagoon.

The vertical mineshaft is similar to those used for the construction of subways and bomb shelters. Only this one is much deeper, reaching 290 meters beneath ground. The walls are lined with cast-iron tubing, as in metro tunnels. Since the elevators are currently damaged and cut off from power, the only way down is via an endless staircase, which took us about an hour to descend. A flashlight doesn’t illuminate the bottom of the mineshaft, and it’s impossible to estimate its depth with the naked eye.

These days, a powerful flashlight is needed to descend into the mine
©RT / Arseniy Kotov, special report for RT

Our journey began at the concrete ventilation shaft. When the mine was in operation, stable levels of pressure, temperature, humidity, and oxygen were maintained here. Presently, however, all ground systems have been damaged or cut off from power, and the temperature below ground is noticeably warmer than on the surface.

The salt produced at Artemsol was exported to 22 countries. The main consumers were Poland, Austria, Hungary, Finland, Germany, and Denmark. Russia was also among the top importers of salt (mainly the technical variety) – in fact, the Russian market accounted for more than half of the enterprise’s output.

The wall on the left bears the characteristic imprint of the combine’s incisors. These tunnels were dug with a special machine that cut through the rock from top to bottom. By counting the number of round recesses at the end of the tunnel (in the photo above, there are only two), it is easy to guess the number of times the combine passed through here.

In over a hundred years of mining, the underground system of tunnels has greatly expanded and now reaches about 300 kilometers in length.

The PMC Wagner fighters accompanying me take a look at the tunnel and decide which way to go
©RT / Arseniy Kotov, special report for RT

The walls are made of pure salt – the sodium chloride content here exceeds 98%. Most of the salt cut by the combine can be immediately packaged and sold.

We approach mine No. 3. This is one of the oldest chambers and among the main tourist attractions in Soledar. Before the war, thousands of tourists visited it annually.

Soviet-era safety instructions posters still hang on the walls of the warehouses © RT / Arseniy Kotov, special report for RT

The museum, speleotherapy sanatorium, and currently empty weapons warehouses were all located here. Above ground, the war continues, and despite the depth of the mine, we can still hear distant volleys of artillery fire.

At this depth, the tunnels stretch for hundreds of kilometers, connecting the mines that were in operation until last year.

©RT / Arseniy Kotov, special report for RT

One of the Wagner fighters who accompanied me tried to start a diesel transport vehicle. However, all attempts were unsuccessful since the battery had died.

Since the 1960s, these warehouses were used for storing old weapons, such as Mosin rifles (from the times of the Russian Empire), Shpagin submachine guns (Second World War era), and seized German weapons. But the warehouses that we visited turned out to be completely empty.

In another drift we found a recreation zone with a bar. The huge empty chamber is furnished with cheap plastic figures and seats from IKEA.

Salt was once extracted here as well, but later these mines were used for medical purposes and shown to tourists.

The Soledar salt deposit recently celebrated its 140th anniversary, as is evident from a Ukrainian poster.

The walls of the mine are decorated with various bas-reliefs made by several generations of miners and later, when salt was no longer extracted in these drifts, by professional sculptors.

When the city was stormed, Russian troops assumed that the enemy would use the mines for defense purposes. However, no underground battles took place here.

Ukrainian forces were positioned only at the entrance to the shafts, because they realized that going down would mean condemning themselves to a certain death – the only way up was through a limited number of exits, all of which were soon blocked by Russian fighters.

Kremlin: Putin Briefed on Ukraine’s Attempt to Infiltrate Into Russia's Belgorod Region

©Sputnik / Mikhail Voskresensky

Earlier, two civilians were killed and another one was injured as a result of a Ukrainian shelling of a village in Russia's Belgorod region.

The Russian Defense Ministry, the Federal Security Service (FSB) and the Border Service reported to President Vladimir Putin about an attempt to break into the Belgorod region by Ukrainian saboteurs, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Monday.

"The Ministry of Defense, the FSB and the Border Service reported to the Russian president ... about an attempt by a Ukrainian sabotage group to break into the Belgorod region. Work is underway to push them out of the Russian territory and destroy this sabotage group. There are enough forces and resources on the spot," Peskov said.

The purpose of sabotage acts, like the one in the Belgorod region, is to divert attention from what is going on in the city of Bakhmut and to minimize the political effect of the loss of city by Kiev, the official added.

Earlier in the day, Belgorod region Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said that a Ukrainian sabotage and reconnaissance group had infiltrated the territory of the Grayvoronsky district of the region.

"A sabotage and reconnaissance group of the Ukrainian armed forces infiltrated the territory of the Grayvoronsky district. The armed forces of Russia, together with the border service, the Russian Guard and the FSB, are taking the necessary measures to eliminate the enemy," Gladkov wrote on Telegram.

¿ The governor of the Belgorod region said three people were hospitalized with shrapnel wounds and a kindergarten caught fire after shelling in the Grayvoronsky district. The governor added that he would report on the details.

Ukraine has carried out several attacks on the Russian regions along its border, including the Belgorod region, amid Moscow’s special military operation. In February, Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine, after the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics (DPR and LPR) appealed for help in defending themselves against Ukrainian attacks.

IN BRIEF: What we know so far about Ukrainian sabotage attack on Belgorod Region

A Ukrainian sabotage group infiltrated the Grayvoron District of the Belgorod Region on Monday, regional Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said.

According to the latest data, the Russian military and security forces are taking measures to eliminate the enemy and are driving it away from the Russian territory. Russian President Vladimir Putin has been briefed about the situation.

TASS has put together the highlights of what has been reported about the attack as of now.

© Vincenzo Circosta/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

The circumstances of the attack

• The infiltration by Ukrainian saboteurs was reported by Gladkov. He said the Russian military, border guards and the servicemen of the National Guard and the Federal Security Service are taking "necessary measures to eliminate the enemy."



• Before that, the governor said two people were injured in a shelling of the village of Glotovo of the Grayvoron District. He said one of the casualties, a woman, who suffered wounds from a mine explosion, had been taken to a hospital in serious condition. The other person, a man, was in a condition of medium gravity.



• The Kremlin later confirmed that a Ukrainian sabotage group had tried to force its way into the Belgorod Region, and the group is now being driven away from the Russian territory and eliminated.



• Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said there are sufficient forces and equipment on the scene to combat the saboteurs. He said Putin had been briefed about the incident.

The Kremlin’s assessment

• Peskov said the goal of the sabotage attack is "to divert attention from the Bakhmut area and reduce to a minimum the political effect from the loss of Artyomovsk by the Ukrainian side." The Russian Defense Ministry said into the night of May 21 that the town in Donbass had been fully liberated.

Previous attacks

• The Russian Defense Ministry has regularly reported stopping Ukrainian sabotage attacks in Russia’s new regions: The Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics and the Zaporozhye and Kherson regions.



• The previous sabotage attack took place in the Bryansk Region on March 2. Two people were killed, and a boy with the date of birth in 2012 was wounded at the time. The boy was able to lead two girls that were nearby out of harm’s way.



• Putin then called the attack on villages outside Bryansk a terrorist attack.

Meta hit with record $1.3 bln fine over data transfers

Meta (META.O) was hit with a record 1.2 billion euro ($1.3 billion) fine by its lead European Union privacy regulator over its handling of user information and given five months to stop transferring users' data to the United States.

The fine, imposed by Ireland's Data Protection Commissioner (DPC), came after Meta continued to transfer data beyond a 2020 EU court ruling that invalidated an EU-U.S. data transfer pact. It tops the previous record EU privacy fine of 746 million euros handed by Luxembourg to Amazon.com Inc (AMZN.O) in 2021.

The battle over where Meta's Facebook stores its data began a decade ago after Austrian privacy campaigner Max Schrems brought a legal challenge over the risk of U.S. snooping in light of disclosures by former U.S. National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden.

Meta said in a statement that it will appeal the ruling, including the "unjustified and unnecessary fine that "sets a dangerous precedent for countless other companies." It will also seek a stay of the suspension orders through the courts.

The social media giant reiterated that it expected a new pact facilitating the safe transfer of EU citizens' personal data to the United States would be fully implemented before it has to suspend transfers.

That would mean its previous warning that a stoppage could force it to suspend Facebook services in Europe would not come to pass.

"Without the ability to transfer data across borders, the internet risks being carved up into national and regional silos," Meta said.

A 3D printed Facebook's new rebrand logo Meta and Facebook logo are placed on laptop keyboard in this illustration taken on November 2, 2021. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic

The DPC said in March that EU and U.S. officials hoped that the new data protection framework - agreed by Brussels and Washington in March 2022 - may be ready by July.

A 3D printed Facebook's new rebrand logo Meta and Facebook logo are placed on laptop keyboard in this illustration taken on November 2, 2021. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic Europe's top court, the European Court of Justice, threw out the two previous pacts over concerns about U.S. surveillance.

Schrems, the Austrian privacy campaigner, said Meta's plans to rely on the new deal for transfers going forward was unlikely to be a permanent fix.

"In my view, the new deal has maybe a 10% chance of not being killed by the CJEU (EU Court of Justice). Unless U.S. surveillance laws gets fixed, Meta will likely have to keep EU data in the EU," he said in a statement.

The Irish watchdog, which is the lead EU regulator for many of the world's top technology companies because of the location of their European headquarters in Ireland, has said the suspension order could create a precedent for other firms.

It has now fined Meta a total of 2.5 billion euros for breaches under the bloc's General Data Protection Regulation's (GDPR), introduced in 2018.

The DPC said that it did not initially propose adding a fine to the suspension order, but that four other EU supervising authorities disagreed and the record fine was included after a ruling by the European Data Protection Board (EDPB).

The Irish regulator has fined Meta more than any other tech firm and has 10 other inquiries open into the social media group's platforms.

Sultan HB X Ingatkan ASN Jaga Netralitas pada Pemilu 2024

Gubernur Daerah Istimewa Yogyakarta (DIY) Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono X (kiri) dan Wakil Gubernur DIY Kanjeng Gusti Pangeran Adipati Aryo (KGPAA) Paku Alam X (kanan) memberikan keterangan kepada wartawan usai pelantikan Gubernur dan Wakil Gubernur DIY di Istana Negara, Jakarta, Senin 10 Oktober 2022. Presiden Joko Widodo melantik Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono X dan KGPAA Paku Alam X sebagai Gubernur dan Wakil Gubernur DIY masa jabatan 2022-2027 sesuai dengan Undang-Undang No. 13/2012 tentang Keistimewaan DIY. ANTARA FOTO/Hafidz Mubarak A

Raja Keraton sekaligus Gubernur DIY, Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono X, mengingatkan agar menjaga situasi sosial-politik tetap kondusif di DIY jelang Pemilu 2024. Hal ini disampaikan Sultan dalam pelantikan Pj Wali Kota Yogyakarta dan Pj Bupati Kulonprogo, pada hari Senin, 22/05/2023.

"Masa jelang pesta demokrasi, penjabat bupati dan wali kota diharapkan dapat mengantisipasi fluktuasi dinamika sosial-politik," kata Sultan di Bangsal Kepatihan, Kota Yogyakarta, pada hari Senin 22/05/2023.

Pelantikan dilakukan mengingat masa pemerintah dua wilayah tersebut berakhir 22 Mei ini. Singgih Raharjo dilantik sebagai Pt Wali Kota Yogyakarta, dan Ni Made Dwipanti Indrayanti sebagai Pj Bupati Kulonprogo, yang mana keduanya akan bertugas selama setahun ke depan.

"Keduanya harus aktif menjaga kohesi sosial dengan menyemai nilai-nilai budaya dan keistimewaan Yogyakarta untuk menyejukkan suasana," ujar Sultan.

Sultan juga menegaskan agar menegakkan netralitas Aparatur Sipil Negara (ASN) dalam Pemilu 2024. Hal ini, katanya, agar pemilihan serentak nantinya dapat terlaksana dengan adil, jujur, dan bermartabat.

"Memasuki masa tidak hanya kampanye, tapi juga masa pemilihan anggota DPR, DPRD, maupun DPD, tapi juga masa pemilihan pilpres. Bagaimana mereka harus bisa menjaga kondisi tetap kondusif untuk di Yogya, khususnya di dua tempat itu (Kota Yogyakarta dan Kulonprogo)," jelasnya.

Seperti diketahui, Singgih Raharjo dilantik menjadi Pj Wali Kota Yogyakarta menggantikan Sumadi yang masa pemerintahannya sudah berjalan selama satu tahun, yakni sejak Mei 2022 lalu. Singgih sendiri merupakan Kepala Dinas Pariwisata DIY.

Adapun Ni Made Dwipanti Indrayanti dilantik sebagai Pj Bupati Kulonprogo, menggantikan Tri Saktiyana. Made sendiri juga menjabat sebagai kepala Dinas Perhubungan DIY.

Meski dilantik sebagai Pj Wali Kota Yogyakarta dan Pj Bupati Kulonprogo, namun Singgih dan Made tetap menjabat di Dinas Pariwisata DIY maupun Dinas Perhubungan DIY. Keduanya akan menjabat selama satu tahun ke depan hingga 2024.

Sultan Hamengku Buwono X Ingatkan ASN, Medsos Buat Layanan Publik, Bukan Flexing

Gubernur Daerah Istimewa Yogyakarta (DIY) Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono X pada empat hari yang lalu, meminta aparatur sipil negara (ASN) di wilayahnya bijaksana memakai media sosial atau medsos

Pasca-ramainya sejumlah pejabat publik memanfaatkan medsos untuk flexing atau pamer kekayaan dan gaya hidup mewah, Sultan meminta ASN memakai medsos hanya untuk menyebarkan informasi bermanfaat saja.

"Fenomena flexing dan gaya hidup mewah di media sosial oleh ASN, telah mencederai upaya peningkatan akuntabilitas dan praktik tata kelola pemerintahan yang bersih," kata Sultan saat berbicara dalam rapat koordinasi di Kantor Gubernur Kepatihan Yogyakarta, Selasa, 16 Mei 2023.

Rentetan fenomena flexing pejabat negara dan keluarganya di tanah air, kata Sultan, tak dipungkiri membuat kepercayaan publik pada pemerintah ikut menurun.

"Saat ini kepercayaan publik terhadap birokrasi menurun akibat fenomena perilaku oknum ASN dan keluarganya yang berperilaku tidak patut, melakukan pelanggaran kode etik dan aturan disiplin," ujar Ngarso Dalem.

Sri Sultan pun lantas menginstruksikan seluruh ASN di wilayahnya lebih peka dan melek soal isu pembangunan kesejahteraan masyarakat. Termasuk dalam penggunaan media sosial.

“Alih-alih menggunakan sosial media untuk mencitrakan kekayaan dan kemewahan gaya hidup pribadi, lebih baik sebarkan informasi yang terang, jujur dan bijak tentang upaya penyediaan layanan publik untuk kesejahteraan masyarakat,” kata Sultan.

Sultan sebut kemiskinan dan ketimpangan di Yogyakarta mendesk ditangani masif

Sultan pun memaparkan situasi perekonomian di Yogyakarta secara umum. Ia menuturkan kemiskinan dan ketimpangan di Yogyakarta saat ini mendesak ditangani lebih masif. Secara kolaboratif lintas wilayah, lintas sektor dan lintas aktor.

Meski di satu sisi ekonomi Yogya menunjukkan perbaikan dengan tumbuh 5,15 persen, namun di saat bersamaan, capaian DIY pada angka kemiskinan 11,49 dan rasio Gini 0,459 di atas rerata nasional perlu menjadi perhatian publik. "Maka isu hulu dan hilir perlu disinkronkan melalui upaya reformasi birokrasi tematik," kata dia.

Agar reformasi birokrasi berdampak nyata, kata Sultan, perlu perubahan pola pikir terutama di kalangan ASN. Salah satunya dalam membangun praktik good governance.

China's Micron ban revives US trade tensions, fuels Asian chip rally

Memory chip parts of U.S. memory chip maker MicronTechnology are pictured at their booth at an industrial fair in Frankfurt, Germany, July 14, 2015. REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach

A move by Beijing to bar U.S. firm Micron Technology Inc (MU.O) from selling memory chips to key domestic industries has ramped up tensions in an ongoing trade spat with Washington and lifted shares of firms that could benefit from the move.

China's cyberspace regulator said late on Sunday that Micron, the biggest U.S. memory chipmaker, had failed its network security review and that it would block operators of key infrastructure from buying from the company.

It did not provide details on what risks it had found or what products from the company would be affected.

Analysts said they saw limited direct impact on Micron, as most of its key customers in China are consumer electronics players but warned the move could prompt some companies to rid their supply chains of Micron products due to political risks.

Beijing's decision was opposed by Washington but also helped stocks of Micron's rivals in China and South Korea, which are seen benefiting as mainland firms seek memory products from other sources.

"We firmly oppose restrictions that have no basis in fact," a spokesperson from the U.S. Commerce Department said in a statement on Sunday.

"This action, along with recent raids and targeting of other American firms, is inconsistent with (China's) assertions that it is opening its markets and committed to a transparent regulatory framework."

Tensions between Washington and Beijing have grown in recent months following raids and visits by Chinese authorities to U.S. corporate due diligence firm Mintz Group and management consultancy Bain.

Micron said on Sunday it had received the regulator's review and looked "forward to continuing to engage in discussions with Chinese authorities."

The company is the first U.S. chipmaker to be targeted by Beijing after a series of export controls by Washington on certain American components and chipmaking tools to block them being used to advance China's military capabilities.

China launched the review in late March amid a dispute over chip technology and worsening relations between Washington and Beijing.

The move also comes shortly after Group of Seven nations agreed to "de-risk, not decouple" economic engagement with China and as U.S. President Joe Biden called for an "open hotline" between Washington and Beijing.

The U.S. Commerce Department said it would speak directly with authorities in Beijing to clarify their actions.

"We also will engage with key allies and partners to ensure we are closely coordinated to address distortions of the memory chip market caused by China's actions," the department said.

While the Chinese statement and state media said the Micron decision needed to be seen as an individual case in the context of national security concerns, not geopolitics, prominent Chinese commentator Hu Xijin struck a different note.

"Washington itself encourages US companies to do things that endanger China’s national security, so it suspects that Chinese companies are doing the same," the former editor-in-chief of nationalist state tabloid Global Times tweeted. "The whole world should be wary of the US."

LIMITED IMPACT

China's announcement on its Micron review helped boost shares in some local chipmaking-related firms on Monday, as state media reported that domestic players could benefit from the move.

Shares in companies including Gigadevice Semiconductors (603986.SS), Ingenic Semiconductor (300223.SZ), Shenzhen Kaifa technology (000021.SZ) opened up between 3% and 8% before paring gains.

Micron's major rivals also saw their shares gain, with South Korea's Samsung Electronics (005930.KS) and SK Hynix (000660.KS) up 0.9% and 2.1%, respectively. They trimmed gains later and closed up 0.2% and 0.9%, as analysts expect limited impact on Micron.

Both Samsung and SK Hynix had no comment.

"Since Micron's DRAM and NAND products are much less in servers, we believe most of its revenue in China is not generated from telcos and the government. Therefore, the ultimate impact on Micron will be quite limited," Jefferies said in a note.

Micron generated $5.2 billion of revenue from China including $1.7 billion from Hong Kong last year, about 16% of its total revenue, according to Jefferies.

Bernstein said a 2% hit to sales was the most realistic estimate given Micron's exposure to the enterprise and cloud server segment is relatively small.

Beijing has broadly defined industries it considers "critical" as ones such as public communication and transport but has not specified just what type of business these apply to.

China, the world's biggest semiconductor buyer, has gradually reduced its reliance on foreign-made chips in a multi-year campaign to boost its self-sufficiency.