S&P: Ukraine to pay $20 billion of state debt by 2020
According to the assessment of experts from Standar & Poor’s, Ukraine must pay $20 billion of state debt by 2020.
The agency notes that the large payments of the principal debt and interest on it in 2017-2020, amounting to more than $20 billion (nearly 21% of the GDP in 2017) is the primary negative rating factor for Ukraine.
“We expect Ukraine to completely fulfill its short-term obligations regarding sovereign debt in 2017 ($2.7 billion) and in 2018 ($3.9 billion), taking into account the …
EU allocates Ukraine €10 million for reform of state administration
The European Union allocated Ukraine the first tranche amounting to €10 million in the context of the EU program to “support a thorough reform of the state administration in Ukraine”, the press service of the Ukrainian Cabinet of Ministers reported.
The European partners noted that they highly appreciate the government’s efforts to reform the state administration, and noted the presence of a political will to implement these changes,” the report states.
The report notes that at the government …
Germany: military parades in separatist republics violated the Minsk agreements
Germany said that military parades in the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) and Luhansk People's Republic (LPR) violated the Minsk agreements and represented a threat to the population of the region, Ukrinform news agency reports.
The military parades were held in Donetsk and Luhansk on May 9. In the DPR, from 50 to 80 units of military equipment were involved while in the LPR more than 60 units of military equipment and weapons and 1,200 soldiers took part in the parade.
The German government …
US Navy cruiser escorts Russian submarine to the Mediterranean Sea
The Krasnodar cruise missile submarine of the Russian Navy entered the Mediterranean Sea under escort of an American Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser, Russia’s Interfax news agency reported.
According to the news agency, the Russian submarine navigating above water passed Europa Point, located in the south of the Gibraltar peninsula under "close watch" of the American warship.
Earlier, on May 5, the British warship Somerset shadowed the Russian Krasnodar submarine during its passage …
Media: repairs to Russian aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov to cost almost $700 million
Four boilers of the primary power unit will be replaced during repairs to the Russian aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov. The Granit missile system will most likely remain on the ship as before. The cost of upgrading could amount to as much as 40 billion rubles ($700 million), a source familiar with the situation told Interfax news agency.
The source pointed out that the Granit system will not be replaced “due to financial reasons”. As for the boilers of the primary power unit, two of the four …