Contents tagged with Ukraine

  • US promises to support decision to give Ukrainian church autocephaly

    The US will support the decision to grant the Ukrainian church autocephaly, said US Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom Sam Brownback at a meeting in Kyiv with Verkhovna Rada Chairman Andriy Parubiy.

    “At the stage of deciding whether to grant the Ukrainian Orthodox Church a Tomos of autocephaly, we will not interfere. But when such a decision has been made, we will support it,” the diplomat promised.

    Andriy Parubiy pointed out that the matter of creating an independent …

  • UN: Since 2015 12,000 Crimeans have been conscripted to the Russian army

    Since 2015, Russia has called into its Armed Forces approximately 12 thousand people, living in the annexed Crimea, said the Head of the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine Fiona Frazer while presenting the second report of the Mission on the human rights situation in the Crimea.

    According to Frazer, Russia also prosecutes Crimeans who do not want to serve in the Russian army. As stated in the report, the draft campaign is becoming more aggressive: in 2015, 500 men were called up, …

  • Gazprom loses appeal in court case with Ukraine's Naftogaz

    The Svea Court of Appeal has re-authorized the seizure of Gazprom’s assets in order to collect $2.6 billion in favor of Naftogaz Ukraine.

    On Thursday, the Swedish court removed the temporary suspension of the fine enforcement measures, which had been introduced in June at Gazprom’s request, Reuters reports.

    The Russian gas company asked to have the original ruling of the Stockholm Arbitration Institute revoked on the basis of external interference in the process. Citing a “world renowned …

  • Volker: US ready to help Ukraine with weapons due to situation in Azov Sea

    US State Department Special Representative for Ukraine Kurt Volker told Deutsche Welle in an interview that Washington is concerned by the situation developing in the Sea of Azov, and is prepared to continue supplying Ukraine with weapons in connection with this.

    According to Volker, Russia has drastically increased its military ship presence in the region, and is inspecting the ships passing by “in an aggressive manner”.

    “This is another cause for concern. But we have the overall feeling …

  • Ukraine expects to receive the first tranche of new EU macro-financial assistance before the end of the year

    Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Pavlo Klimkin said that Ukraine could receive the first tranche of new macro-financial assistance from the European Union before the end of this year. However, he said that the funds will be received only if the International Monetary Fund's loan program is renewed.

    “Of course, we count on the IMF, but I’m sure that we will successfully finish every necessary negotiation. The international financial institutions always act in strict coordination and the …

  • Berlin calls on Moscow to stop attacks on Idlib

    Berlin called on Moscow and Tehran to stop the planned attack on the Syrian government troops in the province of Idlib. “Russia and Iran have a special responsibility,” stated the official representative of the German government Steffen Seibert on Wednesday, September 12th. According to him, Moscow has enough influence on the Syrian government to prevent the catastrophe.

    “The chances of a truce depend on Russia,” he indicated. A meeting of the foreign ministers of Germany, Heiko Mass and …

  • Kyiv: toxic emissions at Crimean Titan plant caused by industrial accident

    An industrial accident took place at the Titan Investments (“Crimean Titan”) plant in the annexed Crimea, said Kherson Governor Andriy Hordeev at a press conference.

    “According to information acquired by our intelligence, they had an industrial accident. What caused it is yet to come out. The fact that they concealed it from citizens is true. As far as we know, they are urgently filling in that acid storage facility with phosphate gypsum and lime in order to quell the reaction of the sulfuric …

  • Ukrainian Armed Forces strengthen their presence in the Azov Sea

    Ukraine reinforced the presence of its Armed Forces along the Azov Sea coast, as stated on Facebook by the Commander of the Ukrainian Ground Forces, Serhiy Popko.

    "In response to Russia’s aggressive actions in the Azov Sea, based on the decision of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, we will reinforce the deployed forces, including ground forces, in the direction of the Azov Sea,” he wrote. "To this end, we are taking measures to ensure the full control of the situation in the …

  • Ukrainian human rights commissioner demands an independent medical examination of Sentsov

    Lyudmila Denisova, the Verkhovna Rada's authorized representative for human rights, said that she insisted on conducting an independent medical examination of the Ukrainian film director Oleh Sentsov convicted in Russia. Sentsov has been on a hunger strike in the colony for 121 days.

    “I again received terrible news. Oleh Sentsov’s health has worsened. Hypoxia is now on the long list of Sentsov’s severe diagnoses. Oleh’s brain and heart lack oxygen. Due to this, his head is foggy and he …

  • IMF to open new lending program for Ukraine

    The price of gas may increase by 23.5% in October. The prices of gas for industry and the population must eventually equalize. Ukrainian authorities are discussing this scenario during negotiations with the IMF mission, reports Ukrainski Novyny News Agency, referring to its sources.

    It is noted that the parties agreed upon a new Stand-by lending program for Ukraine, which will replace the current EFF (Extended Fund Facility) program and will help avoid default and a sharp increase in gas …