Contents tagged with Ukraine

  • EC may decide to open visa-free regime with Ukraine despite results of Dutch referendum

    In April, the European Commission intends to propose the introduction of a visa-free policy for Ukrainian citizens, contrary to the results of the referendum in the Netherlands, Reuters reports, citing a source in the leadership of the European Union.

    "It may seem that we are ignoring the Dutch voters. However, we should keep our word with Ukraine as they have fulfilled all the conditions," the source said.

    For the policy to come into effect, it must be approved by a majority of the member …

  • Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs concerned over Savchenko's health

    The Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has expressed deep concern over the deterioration of Nadiya Savchenko’s health after 4 days on a dry hunger strike.

    "Ukraine strongly protests that Ukrainian doctors and consular officials are not allowed to visit the Ukrainian pilot, [and] that the Russian political leadership ignores numerous complaints of world leaders, [and] the Ukrainian MFA,  concerning this issue, [as well as the complaints of] human rights organizations and public leaders,” a …

  • Fighting continues in Avdiivka

    Fighting and artillery exchanges continue near Avdiivka, and both sides accuse the other of using artillery banned by the Minsk agreements. The distance between the positions of the separatists and the Ukrainian positions has shrunk to a mere 300 meters.

    Both sides admit that the  intensity of the fighting increases when OSCE monitors are not present in the area.

    On Saturday a 71 year old woman was hit and killed by a mortar shell while working in her backyard in Avdiivka.

    There are …

  • Prime Minister of Ukraine announces his resignation

    The resignation will be submitted to the Parliament of Ukraine, Verkhovna Rada, on April 12th.

    Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk announced his decision during his weekly TV address.

    "I have decided to submit my resignation from the position of the Prime Minister of Ukraine. On Tuesday, April 12th, the resignation will be submitted to Verkhovna Rada." Yatsenyuk stated.

    The rumors about Yatsenyuk's resignation circulated as early as February. The Press Secretary of the Prime Minister …

  • OSCE mission came under fire in the Donetsk region

    On Saturday, April 9th, OSCE observers came under fire on territory controlled by the Ukrainian authorities in Zaitseve (Donetsk region), according to the Special Monitoring Mission’s report. No one was injured in the attack.

    The patrol, consisting of five OSCE monitors in two armored vehicles, as well as the Ukrainian representative of the Joint Center for Control and Coordination of the Ceasefire (STSKK), heard an explosion at 12:52 pm, most likely caused by an 82-mm mortar or gun, at a …

  • Belarus supports the territorial integrity of Ukraine without Crimea

    The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Belarus, Vladimir Makei, emphasized the need to preserve the territorial integrity of Ukraine, not including the annexed Crimea, as reported by news agency RBC.

    Makei noted that Belarus’ support is based on the recognition of Crimea as part of Russia, who owns the peninsula. "In politics we must work within realities. As our President has repeatedly said: we must move forward based on who Crimea belongs to. Our economic cooperation in the past has not evolved …

  • MEPs: The fate of Ukraine's Association Agreement should not be decided by 0.6% of the EU population

    The fate of Ukraine's Association Agreement with the European Union should not be decided by 0.6% of the EU population, according to a joint statement of the head of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the European Parliament, Elmar Brok, the co-Chairperson of the Association Committee of the EU and Ukraine, Andriy Plenkovich, and the Rapporteur on Ukrainian Affairs of the EP, Jacek Saryusz-Wolski.

    "We stress that the Association Agreement has already been ratified by 27 countries of the EU, the …

  • Canadian instructors trained 150 Ukrainian soldiers

    Representatives of the Ukrainian Military Law-Enforcement Service were trained in "pre-trial investigation" and "use of physical coercion" courses taught by instructors of the Canadian Forces Military Police Group. This was announced at a briefing by the press secretary of the Ministry of Defense, Oleksiy Chernobay, the UNN news agency reports.

    "Also, in the framework of the Committee of Reforms of the Defense Ministry and the Armed Forces of Ukraine, military training of the Military Law- …

  • Scheduled power cuts to occur in Sevastopol

    The authorities of annexed Sevastopol claim that they are preparing blackout schedules due to the repair work on the power bridge from neighboring Russia beginning on April 11th.

    "From April 11 to April 17 the repairs will begin in Crimea. As a result, the availability of electricity will significantly decrease again. We are preparing to introduce a schedule for temporary electric outages," said the commercial director of Sevastopolenergo, Vladislav Yakimovich as reported by the press service …

  • OSCE: Separatists prevent proper monitoring near Yasynuvata

    The Principal Deputy Chief Monitor of the OSCE, Alexander Hug, stated at his briefing in Kyiv that the OSCE is unable to properly monitor the situation near Yasynuvata.

    "Our access to Yasynuvata fully depends on the DPR [the so-called Donetsk People's Republic]. Almost every day of the week our monitoring mission has to be followed by their [DPR] representatives. This is the only way we could do monitoring in the area of Yasynuvata" he stated.

    According to Hug, there are multiple restrictions …