• The Council of Venice recognized the Crimea as part of Russia

    The Council of Venice calls for the lifting of sanctions against Russia

    The regional Council of Venice passed a resolution calling on the Italian Government to condemn the policy of the EU Council on Crimea and demand the lifting of sanctions against Russia, RIA Novosti reports. Venice also recognized the Crimea as part of Russia.

    27 of the 51 members of the regional council voted in favor of the document. 

    The document states that due to the anti-Russian sanctions Italy lost 3.6 million …

  • Human rights groups: Ukrainian language education has almost disappeared in the Crimea

    The Coordinator of the Crimean Human Rights Group, Olga Skrypnyk, stated that only one of seven Ukrainian schools is still working in annexed Crimea, Krym.Realii reported. According to Skrypnyk, Russia has manipulated the situation such that parents no longer wish classes to be taught in the Ukrainian language.

    “For example, there was a case in Yalta Ukrainian High School, when an employee of the City Education Department urged and intimidated parents to reject the use of the Ukrainian …

  • Ukrainian defense industry isn’t able to supply a sufficient number of weapons to defend the country

    The Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, Oleksandr Turchynov, stated at a meeting with the Director of the State Security Department of Lithuania, Darius Jauniškis, that the issue with Western partners supplying Ukraine with lethal weapons is still unresolved. The Ukrainian defense industry isn’t able to supply a sufficient number of weapons to effectively counter Russian military aggression.

    "Currently, the Ukrainian defense industry is the only producer of …

  • Ukraine and US to sign agreement on mutual assistance between Customs Administrations

    On the 23rd of May 2016, Ukraine and the US will sign an inter-governmental agreement on mutual assistance between Customs Administrations, according to the Minister of Finance of Ukraine, Oleksandr Danylyuk.

    “I have just initialed a draft agreement between the governments of Ukraine and the US on mutual assistance between Customs Administrations. Tomorrow, I will submit a draft order on approval of the agreement to the Cabinet of Ministers. The signing of the approved agreement is scheduled …

  • Head of Ukrainian General Staff to discuss weapons supply with NATO Supreme Allied Commander

    The Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Viktor Muzhenko, will discuss the issue of arms supplies to Ukraine with the newly-appointed NATO Supreme Allied Commander, General Curtis Scaparrotti. The meeting will be held at NATO headquarters on Thursday.

    “We will certainly discuss the issue of weapons to Ukraine- in what amounts and what weapons may be provided to us in the near future,” Muzhenko said during an interview with UNIAN.

    “We are talking about weapons, starting …