• OSCE notices increase in use of artillery in eastern Ukraine

    The Special Monitoring Mission of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE SMM) announced several instances of the use of multiple launch rocket systems and also an increase in the presence of other kinds of weapons in the security zone.

    "We observed a decrease in the number and use of artillery and mortars. But – and this provokes concern – we noticed an increase in the use of multiple launch rocket systems," the Ukrainian News quoted the head of OSCE SMM, Alexander Hug, …

  • Ukrainian Intelligence: 94 Russian tanks have arrived in the Donbas region since the beginning of the year

    Since the beginning of this year, 94 tanks have been delivered to the Lugansk and Donetsk regions.  This means that the amount of arms and military equipment available to separatists in these areas is increasing.  This information was reported by the Deputy Director of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense, Vadim Skibitskiy.

    “According to our data, 94 tanks have been delivered to the Lugansk and Donetsk regions since the beginning of the year.  Please note that …

  • Ukraine to receive $300 million loan from Japan

    Ukraine and Japan have ratified a loan agreement in the amount of $300 million. The credit funds should go to Ukraine in April, 2016.

    This is the second Japanese loan to Ukraine for economic reforms, said Natalia Jaresko, Minister of Finance of Ukraine, during a joint press conference in Kiev on March 4th with Japanese Ambassador Shigeki Sumi. Interfax-Ukraine quoted Minister Yaresko as saying “In April we hope to receive the loan funds in one tranche, which will be directed to the General …

  • US Ambassador to Ukraine: Trial of Savchenko is 'farcical and outrageous'

    The U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine, Geoffrey Pyatt recently voiced his indignation at the trial of Ukrainian pilot Nadezhda Savchenko. “I was glad to see [her] yesterday. Nadezhda’s trial is farcical and outrageous. She has to be released,” Pyatt tweeted.

    In Russia, Savchenko was accused of murdering two employees of Russian state television who had stayed illegally in Ukraine while providing intelligence support to armed, pro-Russian separatists. She was also accused of the attempted murder of a …

  • Poroshenko signs law to propel large-scale privatization in Ukraine

    The President of Ukraine, Petro Poroshenko, has signed law No. 1005-VIII: "On amendments to some laws of Ukraine concerning improvement of the privatization process." The President’s press service reports that the law was adopted by Verkhovna Rada (Ukrainian Parliament) on February 16, 2016. It will improve provisions of an existing law, “On privatization of the state property,” to achieve transparency and openness in the privatization process and strengthen the protection of national interests …