Новости за 05.10.2017

With Russia’s war in the Donbas already in its fourth year, Ukraine has already carried out major improvements to its military, hollowed out by defense cuts and neglect under fugitive ex-Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych. But a lot more remains to be done if Ukraine is to meet NATO standards by 2020, which is the primary […]

In a bid to unlock Ukraine’s $17.5 billion loan program from the International Monetary Fund, the government has started selling its stakes in electricity distribution companies. The stakes, however, are likely to be bought by the country’s oligarchs, leaving the energy utility sector entirely under their control. In mid-August, the State Property Fund sold 25 […]

Discussions between International Monetary Fund representatives and the Ukrainian government led to an impasse last week, as Energy Minister Ihor Nasalyk announced that the country would not increase the price of natural gas to consumers. Nasalyk offered a technical reason for the decision, saying that the country’s pricing formula determined that the price should stay […]

Although renewable energy is fashionable now in Ukraine, Kyiv residents will still rely on the internal combustion engine to get round for the foreseeable future. Bicyclists who have navigated the dangers of Kyiv’s streets can testify to the hazardous realities of encountering motorists who don’t want bicyclists on the roads and pedestrians who don’t want […]

South Donbas water pipeline came under attack; the incident took place in the evening of October 4. Joint Control and Coordination Centre reported that on October 5. Read more here.   

Saudi Arabia’s King Salman said at the start of talks in Moscow with Russian leader Vladimir Putin on October 5 that the territorial integrity of Iraq must be preserved. In opening remarks broadcast on Russian television, the king said a political solution to the conflict in Syria must be found that keeps that country in […]

The Ukrainian side of the Joint Center and Coordination (JCCC) expresses its concern over the increase in the number of unmanned aerial vehicles used by Russia-backed separatists, which is a direct violation of the Minsk accords. “During October 4 of this year, units of the Ukrainian Armed Forces recorded the flights of three UAVs along […]

Saudi Arabia has agreed to buy Russian S-400 surface-to-air missile systems, Saudi-owned al-Arabiya television reported on October 5. The report came during a visit by Saudi King Salman to Moscow. Read more here. 

Saudi Arabia is working closely with Russia on uniting Syria’s opposition, Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir said on October 5, adding that Moscow and Riyadh agreed on the need to preserve Syria’s territorial integrity and state institutions. Speaking at a news briefing after Saudi King Salman’s meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin, […]

Saudi Arabia has signed preliminary agreements to buy S-400 air defence systems from Russia, officials said, on the sidelines of King Salman’s “landmark” visit to Moscow. The agreement was announced on October 5 as Russian President Vladimir Putin hosted King Salman – the first sitting Saudi monarch to visit Russia – for talks at the […]

Ukraine’s top tennis player Elina Svitolina qualified to the quartherfinal of China Open 2017 tournament. She defeated Russian Elena Vesnina in two sets (6:2, 7:5). Read more here. 

There are more Ukrainian citizens who trust the EU than those whose trust lies with NATO or the United Nations. This was mentioned in the sociological survey, conducted within the EU Eastern Neighborhood initiative. According to the poll’s results, 58 percent of the respondents trust the EU, while 51 said they trust the UN; another […]

Saudi Arabia and Russia reaffirmed a pledge to shrink a global oil glut as the leaders of the two energy superpowers met in Moscow on October 5, helping to send crude prices higher by more than $1 a barrel. The countries that produce roughly a fifth of global oil supplies made the strongest indication yet […]

President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko welcomes the resolution of the European Parliament on the violation of human rights in Crimea and the call for the release of illegally detained persons. “I welcome the important resolution of the European Parliament on the violation of human rights in Crimea and the call for the release of Akhtem […]

Leaders of the U.S. Senate Intelligence Committee said on October 4 the issue of whether President Donald Trump’s 2016 election campaign colluded with Russia remains an open question as the panel intensifies its probe into the matter. Republican Chairman Richard Burr and Democratic Vice Chairman Mark Warner also warned about the risk to future U.S. […]

Russia and Saudi Arabia struck a deal on weapons sales during an historic visit to Moscow by King Salman bin Abdulaziz as the two energy superpowers also consider extending a pact to curb oil supplies.  President Vladimir Putin said the Kremlin talks on October 5 with King Salman, the first monarch of the Gulf kingdom to […]

The judicial reform law adopted on October 3 will increase the number of citizens’ appeals to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) due to the inability to challenge judgments in Ukraine, according to lawyers interviewed by the Interfax-Ukraine news agency. In particular, Ihor Kravtsov, head of dispute resolution practice at the EVRIS law firm, […]

Russia have suffered a blow after their World Cup preparations were halted by a fire at one of its stadiums. The blaze broke out on October 5 at the Nizhny Novgorod Stadium, one of the 12 host venues for the 2018 World Cup, with local officials stating the fire was quickly put out. Read more […]

Russian President Vladimir Putin hosted Saudi Arabia’s King Salman for talks at the Kremlin on October 5, cementing a relationship that is pivotal for world oil prices and could decide the outcome of the conflict in Syria. King Salman, the first sitting Saudi monarch ever to visit Russia, led a delegation to Moscow that agreed […]

The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine has ratified the agreement in form of exchange of notes with the US government on renewal of the agreement on cooperation in the field of science and technology of 4 December 2006 due to its expiration in 2014. The corresponding bill was supported by 246 MPs, an Ukrinform correspondent reports. […]

Kernel agricultural holding, one of the largest in Ukraine, is mulling the possibility of building a sunflower processing plant in Western Ukraine in 2018-2019. “We are mulling the possibility of building sunflower processing facilities in Western Ukraine. We have been working in the west, where we are developing other directions, elevator business, for a long […]

As President Donald Trump calls on the Senate Intelligence Committee to investigate so-called “fake news,” the panel’s GOP chairman said October 5 that his investigation into Russian electoral meddling could ultimately discredit some news outlets’ reporting. Intelligence Committee Chairman Richard Burr (R-N.C.) stopped short of endorsing Trump’s October 5 morning call for a congressional investigation […]

President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko at a meeting of the Petro Poroshenko Bloc faction has said about the need to adopt a bill on securing sovereignty over the temporarily occupied territories of Donbas and agreed that this document should apply to Crimea by the second reading, members of the faction said after the meeting. “The […]

Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Andry Paruby closed the session for today due to the debates that turned into a scuffle. It was broadcasted by 112 Ukraine. Read more here.

A group of the Verkhovna Rada memebers, members of the Samopomich faction and non-factional groups, are trying to block the presidium in the session hall of the Verkhovna Rada while considering draft laws on state policy regarding the provision of state sovereignty over certain regions of Donetsk and Luhansk regions No. 7363, 7363-1, 7363-2. These […]