Новости за 29.02.2016

Russian-backed separatist forces plan to seize a village in Luhansk Oblast, situated in the eastern Ukraine buffer zone. That's according to the Luhansk regional military and civil administration, as Ukrainian media report.

Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Volodymyr Groysman will meet with the state leaders during his visit to the Netherlands on March 3 and discuss the consultative referendum on the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement that will take place on April 6.

The wording of an updated memorandum on Ukraine's economic and financial policy under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) is still being finalized, Ukrainian Deputy Finance Minister Artem Shevalev said in Kyiv on Feb. 29.

After Russia accused Turkey of breaching the Syrian ceasefire multiple times on Feb. 28 night, there are fears that the two countries could spark a wider conflict between NATO and Moscow.

UNITED NATIONS - The European security organization is expressing deep concern at continuing cease-fire violations in eastern Ukraine and is urging the Russian and Ukrainian governments to live up to their commitments in the peace agreement they signed a year ago.

A recent cyber-attack on Ukraine's electricity network could be replicated in the UK, according to a member of a US investigation into the resulting blackout.

Germany's foreign minister said on Feb. 29 he was deeply concerned by continued violations of the ceasefire in Ukraine and restrictions imposed on monitors overseeing the truce in the nearly two-year war.

Trucks with Russian registration are freely moving across Ukraine, according to the Infrastructure Ministry’s press service.

BRUSSELS – Commissioner for the European Neighborhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations Johannes Hahn notes progress made by Ukraine in reforms, admitting Kyiv lacks persistence and much more needs to be done, including in the fight against corruption.

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko ruled out an early national election and urged a majority coalition in parliament to decide on a new cabinet to end the worst political crisis since deadly street protests ousted Kremlin-backed leader Viktor Yanukovych in 2014.

ATHENS - Mohammed Asif and his family have no food, no shelter and no security. "Home", for now, is a thin green blanket spread over a piece of plastic on a pavement in a grimy neighbourhood of the Greek capital.

Ukraine has been holding talks with more than 30 countries on the liberalization of the visa regime for Ukrainians, according to the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Ukraine hopes it will be able to prove at open hearings at the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) that it effectively protects intellectual property rights, despite recommendations by business representatives that Ukraine should be again designated as a Priority Foreign Country.

Ukraine's Verkhovna Rada Speaker, Volodymyr Groysman, said in Brussels, that the Ukrainian parliament still has many opportunities to make the country stronger and therefore, there is no need to hold the new elections now.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has urged European leaders to find a joint solution to the ongoing refugee crisis.

The investigations into criminal cases related to the events occurred on Maidan in the period from November 2013 to February 2014 will not stop on March 1 current year, despite that State Investigations Bureau has not been set up yet, General Prosecutor's Office (PGO) of Ukraine said.

President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko has said that Verkhovna Rada and parliamentary coalition bear complete responsibility for the government's reshuffle.

Ukraine-registered trucks have crossed the border with Russia in both directions 5.5 times more often than Russia-registered trucks crossed the Ukrainian border in the past three days since the resumption of regular transit traffic, Ukrainian Infrastructure Ministry has reported.

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said that he will be against an early election of the Verkhovna Rada, the Ukrainian parliament.

Over the past month, the Kremlin has turned up the dial once again in its low intensity war in Ukraine’s east.

The ceasefire is looking very fragile in eastern Ukraine. In the past 24 hours, government forces have reported shelling by Russian-backed separatist forces near four villages along the front line in Donetsk Oblast.

The Ukrainian military reported that militants captured the Ukrainian soldier that was injured by a land mine explosion, when traveling in a truck in the Bakhmutka district of the Donetsk Oblast.

Deputy Finance Minister Artem Shevalev said Ukraine and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) had not yet agreed on the text of a Memorandum, which would allow to continue the IMF lending program to Ukraine.

Ukrainian week has started in the European Parliament. EU lawmakers are meeting with their counterparts from Kyiv for a three day conference in Brussels. They're discussing law-making and a roadmap on how to reform Ukraine's parliament.

LUHANSK - Russian-occupied territory of Luhansk Oblast and Ukraine will exchange captives in the 1-by-2 format on March 3, Russian-separatist representative in the Contact Group's humanitarian subgroup, Olga Kobtseva, said.