Contents tagged with Ukraine

  • Head of Crimea wants to send seized Ukrainian oil rigs to Syria

    In an interview with Radio Krym (Crimea), Russian head of Crimea Sergei Aksenov said that he is considering the possibility of sending to Syria the Chornomornaftogaz drilling rigs which were captured during the annexation of Crimea.

    “Today’s economy presupposes that if there are proposals from major players, who have certain resource capabilities, that would allow us to increase the number of facilities where we can produce oil and gas, then, of course, there is a possibility of public-private …

  • European Commission: construction of Nord Stream 2 pipeline is hard to stop

    US President Donald Trump’s criticism of the construction of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline is not a reason to stop the project, stated European Commissioner for Budget and Human Resources Günther Oettinger on December 28. He said that any attempts to prevent the construction will encounter serious opposition as the construction is already underway. 

    Trump criticized Berlin for supporting the $11 billion gas pipeline. In July, he accused Germany of being Moscow's “hostage” because of the …

  • Russia bans import of a number of Ukrainian goods

    Russia has banned the import of a number of goods whose country of origin is Ukraine or which have passed through Ukraine. The corresponding decree was published on December 29 on the Russian government website.

    “The bulk of the goods which the ban has been placed on belong to the industrial category. The list also includes agricultural products, raw materials and food,” the announcement notes.

    The Russian government points out that Ukraine has periodically placed sanction restrictions both …

  • Poroshenko signs law expanding Ukraine’s zone of control in Black Sea

    Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has signed the law “On Ukraine’s surrounding zone,” which doubles the country’s zone of control in the Black Sea, the presidential press service reported.

    The law harmonizes Ukraine’s maritime legislation with that of other states on the Black Sea and other signatories of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea of 1982. It is intended to prevent smuggling operations and illegal visitation of the closed ports in the temporarily occupied territories of …

  • Ukrainian Armed Forces took control of strategic height near Horlivka

    Units of the Separate Mechanized Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces have completed the fortification of new defensive positions between the settlements Zaitseve and Hladosove near the city of Horlivka, reported the Verkhovna Rada deputy Dmytro Tymchuk.

    "In order to increase defense capabilities, the units of the mechanized Brigade of the Ukrainian Joint Forces took under their control advantageous for future defensive actions natural frontier and, while being in close proximity to the enemy, …

  • Ukrainian Navy Commander: Ratio of forces in the Sea of Azov is not in favor of Ukraine

    At the moment, Ukraine has two boats and two ships in the Sea of Azov, while the Russian Federation has deployed up to 40 efficient ships and boats into the region, Ihor Voronchenko, the commander of the Ukrainian Navy, said in an interview with DW.

    Commenting on the ratio of Ukrainian and Russian forces in the Sea of Azov, he acknowledged that this situation is not in favor of Ukraine.

    “Unfortunately, the situation is not in favor of Ukraine both in terms of quality and quantity. The …

  • Ukraine to receive patrol boats from the US in 2019

    On Friday, December 28th, the commander of the Naval Armed Forces of Ukraine, Igor Voronchenko, stated that Ukraine would receive Island-class patrol boats from the US in 2019.

    “In July, they [the ships] should be in Ukraine. The crews are preparing. The steps for equipping these ships and joint training at the base in Baltimore [in the US] have been decided. The final procedures for fast delivery of these ships to Ukraine have also been finalized,” said the Navy Admiral.

    Earlier, the …

  • Merkel and Macron demand that Russia release Ukrainian sailors

    German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron demanded that Russia release the Ukrainian sailors who were on board the Ukrainian ships captured last month in the Kerch Strait.

    According to the Ukrainian side, Russia illegally seized two military boats and a tug. Kyiv accused Moscow of military aggression.

    “We demand safe, free and unimpeded transit for all ships through the Kerch Strait and the immediate and unconditional release of all illegally detained Ukrainian …

  • Christmas truce begins in the Donbas

    Starting at midnight on December 29th, in the zone of operation of the Ukrainian Joint Forces on the territories of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions a “Christmas truce” has been enacted.

    The ceasefire was agreed upon during a Skype conference of the Trilateral Contact Group on December 27th.

    This will be the 18th “Christmas truce” since the start of hostilities in the Donbas.

    All previous truces have been systematically violated by pro-Russian militants on the very first day.

    At the same …

  • France to loan 64 million euro to Ukraine to upgrade drinking water supply system in Mariupol

    Ukraine plans to sign a loan agreement with France for the amount of 64 million euro to provide Mariupol with drinking water.   On Thursday, the Cabinet of Ministers met and approved the draft contract with the French Government and authorized the Minister for Occupied Territories and Internally Displaced Persons of Ukraine, Vadym Chernysh to sign it. The project includes the development of a general plan to improve Mariupol’s water supply and wastewater disposal systems by 2040.   70% of the …