• Reporters Without Borders: Ukraine has improved its 'Press Freedom Index'

    The international non-governmental organization, Reporters Without Borders, published the results of its Press Freedom Index, which assesses both freedom of speech and freedom of the press in 180 countries.

    The freest media by continent, according to the report, is in Europe (19.8 points), followed by Africa with 36.9 points.  This is the first time the African continent bypassed North America and South America (where the index is at 37.1 points).  Asian countries scored 43.8 points.  The …

  • Minister of Finance: Ukraine will revise tax treaties to address 'deoffshorization'

    The new Minister of Finance of Ukraine, Alexander Danyluk, announced a review of bilateral tax treaties. This will be done to address deoffshorization.

    Ukraine, within the framework of deoffshorization, plans to review bilateral tax treaties, reported the Minister of Finance Alexander Danyluk.

    "Only three agreements between Ukraine and other countries meet the requirements. In addition, we will improve transfer pricing rules and the related reporting," Danyluk wrote on his Facebook page on …

  • Moscow accuses the US of attempting to exert pressure on Russia in the Baltic Sea

    The Russian representative to NATO, Oleksandr Grushko, after spending two years on the Russia-NATO Council, has accused the United States of trying to exert pressure on Moscow, sending a warning to Russia that they will respond if needed, Reuters reported.

    In this statement, Grushko was referring to the U.S. Destroyer Donald Cook, which was sent to the Baltic Sea.  "This is about attempts by the US to exercise military pressure on Russia.  We will take all necessary measures to compensate for …

  • Russian Ministry of Justice receives preliminary inquiry on prisoner exchange from Ukraine

    The Russian Ministry of Justice has received the Ukrainian Ministry of Justice’s query on the provision of documents necessary for considering the transfer of Nadiya Savchenko to Ukraine, in order to continue serving her sentence there. The press service of the Russian Ministry reported this on April 20 in response to inquiries from Russian information agencies.

    The report stated that the court will consider the transfer of the Ukrainian, who was sentenced to 22 years imprisonment in Russia …

  • European Commission submits proposal for visa-free travel for Ukrainian citizens

    On April 20th, the official spokesperson for the European Commission, Margaritis Schinas, stated in Brussels that the European Commission (EC) officially proposed the cancellation of the visa requirements for Ukraine, TASS reported.

    “Today, the European Commission proposed a visa-free policy for Ukrainian citizens,” he said.

    This proposal, which was submitted despite the results of the referendum in the Netherlands, must be approved by the majority of the EU member states and the European …

  • Stoltenberg: Deep divisions remain between Russia and NATO

    Commenting on the results from the NATO-Russia Council meeting that took place on April 20, the Secretary General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, Jens Stoltenberg, stated that there are deep divisions between the Alliance and Russia and the meeting didn’t change the state of affairs. However, according to him, the discussion was sincere despite the different views of the parties.

    In particular, Stoltenberg noted that Russia and NATO have different views on the conflict in the Donbas …

  • Study: For the first time in 8 years, Russians spend more than a half of their income on food

    For the first time since the 2008 economic crisis, Russians are spending more than 50 percent of their income on food. Both low-income and middle class families are forced to live in a more restrictive economy, as found by researchers from the Institute of Social Analysis and Forecasting of the Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration.

    The reduction of consumer activity is the result of the worsening economy, the experts noted. In the report it is said that …

  • Ukraine and Romania agree to create NATO-led Black Sea fleet

    Ukraine and Romania have agreed to create a NATO-led fleet in the Black Sea, Dozhd reported, with reference to 112 Ukraine.

    The matter was discussed during Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko’s visit to Romania.

    "In the face of continued aggression by Russia, Ukraine and Romania pay special attention to the security situation in the Black Sea region. We are condemned by the President of Russian to the militarization of the Crimean Peninsula, [and the] occupation of Crimea,” Poroshenko stated. …

  • Ukrainian Forces tighten their grip on Dokuchaievsk

    The 72nd motorized bridge of the Ukrainian Forces has almost completely encircled the city of Dokuchaievsk.

    Several weeks ago, reports began emerging on social media that the 72nd brigade took control of the strategic heights around the area and is now facing the city from three directions.

    Some social media users reported that posters, supposedly issued by the Ukrainian Forces, started appearing around the city, calling on the separatist fighters to surrender.

    Reports of the encirclement …

  • Media: Hundreds of lawyers worked 'day and night' on appeals in the Yukos case

    Les Echos newspaper reports that hundreds of legal experts, especially in France, worked day and night last year on the appeal that resulted in the Hague District Court’s ruling to overturn the decision for Russia to pay compensation in the amount of $50 billion to the former shareholders of Yukos Oil Company.

    French journalists Valerie de Sennevil and Yves Burdiyon explained in their article "Billions and threats: Yukos story without an ending" that the Tribunal's decision does not mean the …