Новости за 22.02.2017

“Bitter Harvest,” a romantic-drama movie about the famine Holodomor that killed millions of Ukrainians in the 1930s, comes to cinemas in Ukraine and abroad on Feb. 23-24. The movie directed by George Mendeluk, a German-born Canadian film director, tells a love story of two villagers caught in the ravages of Joseph Stalin’s genocidal policies against […]

AVDIYIVKA, Ukraine — The diplomats in Munich proclaimed another cease-fire in Russia’s war against eastern Ukraine would start on Feb. 20, but the Kremlin-backed side kept on fighting — and Ukrainian soldiers kept on fighting back. In the first 24 hours alone, Ukrainian positions were fired and shelled upon at least 74 times, according to […]

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu has expressed satisfaction with Moscow’s military campaign in Syria and says it has been a good test of new weapons and special-forces units. Read more here.

MOSCOW – The Russian military is building a replica of Berlin’s Reichstag building as a playground for teenagers to attack at a patriotic theme park. Read more here.

Two U.S. lawmakers say the time has come for the United States to supply Ukraine with lethal weapons to better defend itself against Moscow-backed separatists, saying that a “confrontational” Russian President Vladimir Putin shows no sign of easing the pressure on Kyiv. Read more here.

Editor’s Note: Russian media on Feb. 22 released the text of a letter allegedly sent by the ousted former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych to U.S. President Donald Trump. Yanukovych claimed that he had sent letters to Trump, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President Francois Hollande and Russian President Vladimir Putin in an interview published on Feb. […]

The National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) estimates the country may lose up to $ 2 billion in forex revenue if the blockade of trade, including in coal, with occupied Donbas continues. Read more here.

A prominent journalist and political prisoner in Uzbekistan has been released after spending 17 years in prison. Read more here.

U.S. President Donald Trump’s pick for national security advisor is starkly different from his predecessor. Lt. Gen. H. R. McMaster, appointed by Trump on Feb. 20, is known for being strongly driven by integrity — a quality that critics felt Mike Flynn lacked, following a paid trip to Russia where he dined next to Russian President […]

A majority in the Lower House of the Dutch parliament is expected to support ratification of the association agreement between the European Union and Ukraine on Feb. 23. Read more here.

Rosneft PJSC, the state-run producer headed by a close adviser of Russian President Vladimir Putin, is expanding its footprint in the Middle East by striking new oil deals with Iraq’s Kurdish region and Libya. Read more here.

The UN Security Council paid public tribute to late Russian Ambassador Vitaly Churkin on Feb. 21 – but tensions simmered behind the scenes, as Ukraine blocked a more formal statement of condolences. Read more here.

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said he is confident that Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko will not allow the use of the territory of his state for unfriendly actions against Ukraine. “On the northern track, the Kremlin is increasing pressure on Belarus. Although I am confident that President Lukashenko, as he has said to me many times, […]

Germany will increase its defense spending in the coming years as promised to NATO allies, but the government should also keep its military history and fears among European neighbors in mind, Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel said on Feb. 22. Read more here.

A man from Oldham has denied two terrorism offences linked to the conflict in eastern Ukraine. Read more here.

NEW YORK – Medical examiners who performed an autopsy on Russia’s ambassador to the United Nations said on Feb. 21 that more tests are needed to determine how and why he fell ill in his office and later died. Read more here.

Lady Gaga never ceases to make headlines. Last night, she dropped her Joanne World Tour merchandise collection. Pieces include screen-printed T-shirts boasting images of Gaga herself, dad hats, and gold necklaces, all available for purchase at ladygaga.com Read more here.

MOSCOW – Former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych has proposed a set of measures towards settling the conflict in eastern Ukraine and suggested that a referendum on Donbas’s status should be held in case Kyiv fails to implement the Minsk Agreements. “To engage representatives of the protesting side representing the Donbas people in the Normandy format […]

Moscow and Kyiv are at odds over a statement issued by the UN Security Council mourning the Feb. 20 death of Russia’s long-time envoy to the United Nations, Vitaly Churkin. Read more here.

U.S. President Donald Trump has shown little patience for dissent, but that trait is likely to be tested by his new national security adviser, Army Lieutenant General H.R. McMaster. Read more here.

President Donald Trump’s personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, was at the center of a bombshell New York Times report published Feb. 19 that said he hand-delivered a “peace plan for Russia and Ukraine” to former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn before Flynn was asked to resign. Read more here.

U.S. ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley said on Feb. 21 that the United States is committed to working with European allies, despite occasional disagreements. Read more here.

Prosecutors in Ukraine are investigating whether a member of Parliament committed treason by working with two associates of President Trump’s to promote a plan for settling Ukraine’s conflicts with Russia. Read more here.

Ukraine has called for reform of the United Nations Security Council’s structure to prevent Russia from using its veto power on the council to obstruct actions involving the conflict in eastern Ukraine. Read more here.

The head of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) said there are still “significant” violations of the cease-fire in Ukraine and “no evidence” that either side is withdrawing heavy weapons from the front line as agreed last week. Read more here.