• US State Deparment calls for ending human rights violations in eastern Ukraine

    The US State Department has called on Russian-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine to stop human rights abuses, while at the same time appealing to the Ukrainian Government to investigate cases of human rights violations that were referred to in a recent UN report.

    This was stated by Deputy Spokesman of the State Department Mark Toner during a daily briefing on Friday.

    "We once again call on the so-called authorities in the separatist-controlled areas to cease their human rights abuses, …

  • Ukrainian President: New Russian special forces units arrived in the Donbas

    Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said that the detrioration of the situation on the front line in eastern Ukraine is due to the arrival of new Russian special forces units in the Donbass.

    He made this statement at a press conference while answering a question about the reasons for the increased level of violence in the Donbas.

    “The first reason is that according to [Ukrainian] intelligence, new units of spetsnaz [Russian special forces] have entered the territory. We know the names of the …

  • Ukrainian Ambassador to OSCE:Russia continues to send weapons to the Donbas

    Russia continues to provide the so-called Donetsk People's Republic and Luhansk People's Republic with weapons, and it is now important to regain control of the Russian-Ukrainian border to decrease the conflict situation in eastern Ukraine, according to the head of the Ukrainian delegation of the OSCE Forum, Ihor Prokopchuk.

    “The situation at the uncontrolled border needs to be significantly improved in order for a decrease in conflict to occur. However, Russia continues to provide the Donbas …

  • Zakharchenko: A referendum to join Russia would be 'premature'

    During the "direct line with the people of the Donbas," the ‘DPR leader,’ Alexander Zakharchenko said he believes it is premature to hold a referendum on the accession of the self- proclaimed republic to the Russian Federation as it may disrupt the negotiations in Minsk.

    "Can we address the issue of accession to Russia today if we all agree? Frankly speaking, I’m not sure. Has anybody asked Russia about that? We need both sides for reunification. Have we taken into account the political risks …

  • Ukraine receives invitation to export pork to South Africa

    The Ukrainian Consumption Safety Service received an official letter from the country’s Embassy in the RSA

    The Ukrainian Service for Safety of Foodstuffs and Consumer Protection received an official letter from the Ukrainian Embassy in the Republic of South Africa offering to import Ukrainian pork into the RSA’s market, the statement of the Association of Swine Producers reads, citing the head of the Service, Vladimir Lapa.

    Swine producers in Ukraine have repeatedly complained that …