FSB agents now allowed to use force against women and children
The State Duma of the Russian Federation passed a bill expanding the Federal Security Service’s (FSB) the power to use weapons. The MPs approved the bill via an emergency order, which was then signed into law by Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The new law authorizes officers of the FSB in some cases to use weapons "against women, persons with obvious signs of disability" and minors. The law was posted on the internet via the Russian Federation's official legal portal on Wednesday, December 3 …
Despite ceasefire violations, Ukraine will not abandon Minsk Agreement
During a visit to the Aerotekhnika-MLT Company to examine the production and modernization of air defense systems, Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, Oleksandr Turchynov, spoke about ceasefire violations and the Minsk Agreements.
The news agency Ukrinform reported Turchynov as saying "Russia has completely disrupted the implementation of the Minsk Agreements. Of course, the Minsk process is not halted. It will continue next year and, hopefully, more effectively …
Russia has destroyed 1,800 tons of food since August
From August 6th to December 28th, the Russian government destroyed 1,762 tons of goods as part of the government's counter-sanctions in response to those imposed by the European Union and the US. The Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance (Rosselkhoznadzor) reported to the news agency Interfax that 1,647 tons were for crop production and 115 tons were for livestock breeding.
Since August 6th there may have been as much as 2,500 tons of smuggled goods destroyed including …
Ukrainian Prosecutor’s Office investigates 30 abduction cases in Crimea
The press service of the Prosecutor’s Office reported that the Prosecutor General’s Office is investigating 30 criminal cases of abduction in occupied Crimea. The Prosecutor’s Office stated that the People’s Deputy of Ukraine, Mustafa Dzhemilev, has processed evidence relating to the abduction of 30 Crimean Tatars in Crimea.
“Currently, measures are being taken to locate the almost 30 missing citizens of Ukraine and bring the perpetrators to justice. The pre-trial investigation of these cases …
Ukraine anticipates $10 billion in loans in 2016
The Prime Minister of Ukraine, Arseniy Yatsenyuk, stated that the Government of Ukraine expects to receive around $10 billion from international lenders in 2016, almost the same amount as this year. He said that the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank are among these international lenders.
Yatsenyuk stated at a press-conference on December 29th that Kiev succeeded in receiving the same funding from the international community in 2015. The Prime Minister also reported that the …