• Lithuania to add Russian citizens associated with the case against Sentsov to the 'Magnitsky list'

    At an extraordinary meeting on June 27, the Seimas of Lithuania, voted in favor of adding persons connected with the case of Ukrainian political prisoner Oleg Sentsov to the Lithuanian "Magnitsky List", TASS reported.

    The resolution was submitted by the representatives of the Right conservative party Homeland Union-Lithuania Christian Democrats. The document was supported by 82 deputies while one deputy abstained and one voted against.

    The resolution calls on Lithuania’s Minister of Foreign …

  • US State of Ohio recognizes Holodomor as genocide against the Ukrainian people

    The US state of Ohio has recognized Holodomor as genocide against the Ukrainian people, as reported by the Ukrainian Embassy to the United States on Facebook.

    "The State of Ohio has joined in the recognition of the Holodomor [famine] in Ukraine in 1932-1933 as genocide of the Ukrainian people. State Governor John Kasich and Lieutenant Governor Mary Taylor issued the proclamation," the statement said.

    Thus, to date, Holodomor has been recognized as genocide in 12 US States: Ohio, Missouri, …

  • Swedish appeals court upholds suspension of Stockholm arbitration ruling on Gazprom vs Naftogaz case

    The Swedish Svea Court of Appeal upheld its decision to suspend the February 28 ruling, which was made by the Stockholm arbitration court, concerning the gas transit contract dispute between Gazprom and Naftogaz.

    “Naftogaz tried to appeal this court order, but the court ruled that its arguments were insufficient,” Gazprom reported through its press service. “This circumstance strengthens Gazprom’s position for appealing attempts by Naftogaz to enforce the aforementioned arbitration ruling in …

  • PACE adopts resolution calling on Russia to release Ukrainian political prisoners

    The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) adopted a draft resolution on June 28 in Strasbourg calling on Russia to release Ukrainian political prisoners, reported the TV channel 112 Ukraine.

    Seventy-seven PACE members voted in favor of the corresponding decision, while fifteen abstained. The relevant report was read out loud in the chamber prior to the vote; a debate on the topic was then held following the announcement.

    The resolution, which was prepared by the Commission on …

  • Georgia closes its airspace to Syria

    Georgia closed its airspace to two Syrian airlines because of Syria’s recognition of the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, as stated by the CEO of Sakaeronavigatsia (Georgian air traffic controller) Gocha Mezvrishvili, Interfax reports.

    He noted that the Georgian government, in connection with the decision of the Syrian leadership to recognize the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia , had already made the political decision to sever diplomatic relations with Syria. “ …

  • France drops charges against Russian oligarch Kerimov

    Russian billionaire and senator from Dagestan Suleyman Kerimov has been pardoned by the French justice system, and can leave his villa on the French Riviera, where he has been under house arrest since the end of last year.

    Kerimov, who was suspected of money laundering through a series of deals to purchase property in France, has had all the charges against him dropped, his attorney Nikita Sychev told Interfax. Kerimov’s passport will soon be returned to him, and he will be allowed to return …

  • Putin reports withdrawal of 1000 Russian soldiers from Syria

    Russian President Vladimir Putin said that over the last few days 1,140 Russian soldiers have been withdrawn from the Middle Eastern country, RIA Novosti reports.

    “They are all people who have experience and have been tested in combat,” the Russian president said during a meeting with military university graduates in the Kremlin. He gave the order to withdraw when he visited the Khmeimim air base. “This withdrawal is underway now,” he noted.

    14 helicopters and 13 planes have also returned to …

  • Europe to abandon Russian Soyuz launch vehicles

    By 2023, Europe plans to stop using Russian Soyuz-ST launch vehicles for launches from the Kourou Space Center, RIA Novosti news agency reports with reference to a source in the European space industry.

    According to the source, Europeans will replace the Soyuz with their own carrier rocket, Ariane 6 that has two lateral accelerators. The source of RIA Novosti reports that the first launch of Ariane 6 is scheduled for July 16, 2020. The launch could be postponed for a year, and given the …

  • Ukrainian Prime Minister Groysman: Ukraine has spent 4.5 billion euros to clean the banking system

    Ukrainian Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman stated in at a meeting in Copenhagen that Ukraine has spent €4.5 billion ($5.2 billion) on cleansing the country’s banking system, which has been bogged down with large debt payments and military spending.

    According to Groysman, the State will have to pay off $33 billion of debt in the next five years. “We have carried out the cleansing of the banking system, and it cost us 4.5 billion euros. In the next five years, we need to disburse $33 billion,” …

  • Ukrainian Intelligence Services: Belarus is a potential springboard for Russian invasion

    The Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense considers Belarus to be a possible springboard for a Russian invasion.

    Radio Liverty reports that this was stated by Vadym Skibitsky, Spokesperson of the Main Military Intelligence Directorate (HUR MOU).

    According to Skibitsky, Ukrainian intelligence is keeping an eye on all operations arranged by Russia on the territory of Belarus.

    Skibitsky noted that Russian units, in particular airborne troops, conducted many combat …