Contents tagged with Europe

  • Media: Yanukovych transferred $36 million out of Ukraine through Swedbank

    Swedish television SVT discovered in its investigation that former President of Ukraine Viktor Yanukovych used Swedish bank Swedbank to get money out of Ukraine, DELFI reported.

    The information obtained by the investigation indicates that an offshore company associated with Yanukovych had a Swedbank account in Lithuania from 2004 to 2014. The bank deposits were registered in the bank documents as royalties which the Ukrainian president allegedly received for “doubtful” book publications. …

  • Suspected Russian spy detained in Sweden

    Deutsche Welle reports that the Swedish State Security Service (SEPO) detained a man suspected of spying for Russia in Stockholm. 

    SEPO suspects that the detainee has been involved in espionage activities since at least 2017. He could have been recruited by a Russian intelligence agent working under diplomatic cover. 

    The detainee worked in the field of advanced technologies, in particular, with information that is of interest to foreign intelligence services, notes SEPO. 

    In December 2018, …

  • Ukraine will not take part in Eurovision 2019

    “The National Public TV and Radio Company of Ukraine refuses to participate in the Eurovision Song Contest 2019. Due to the current situation and excessive politicization of the national selection, the public broadcaster decided to pull out of the song contest,” stated National Public Broadcasting Company of Ukraine (UA:PBC).

    The National Public TV and Radio Company of Ukraine could choose any other artist from the list of the national selection participants. However, it was decided to …

  • European Parliament Member Rebecca Harms calls for new personal sanctions on Russians for actions in Crimea

    During a joint program by Krym.Realii and the TV channel UA:Pershyi titled “Crimea: 5 years of opposing the Russian occupation”, European Parliament Member Rebecca Harms said that she believes new personal sanctions should be imposed on Russia for its aggression in annexed Crimea.

    “I think that we need the sanctions, and we must not lift them until we achieve a better situation in Crimea and in the Donbas. What we are currently seeing gives cause to think about new sanctions. I side with those …

  • Daughter of Putin’s spokesman interns at European Parliament for pro-Russian MP

    Yelizaveta Peskova, daughter of Vladimir Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov, has been working as an intern in European Parliament for a French MP, Current Time reports. 

    Her job gives her complete access to European Parliament’s facilities and databases, including its internal computer network and the MP’s internal network. 

    Peskov’s daughter, who is currently 21 years of age, officially registered as an intern in the office of EU Parliament member Aymeric Chauprade. Her name and surname can be …

  • Lithuania to propose new sanctions against Russia

    During a visit to Poland, Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaitė said that Vilnius intends to propose additional sanctions against Russia if Moscow continues its aggressive policy towards Ukraine, BNS reports. 

    “If things continue to develop poorly, and Russia doesn’t start talking, but continues its aggressive policy throughout Ukraine and at the Kerch Strait, then, without a doubt, we will propose additional sanctions,” the Lithuanian leader told reporters in Lublin. 

    She added that the EU …

  • UN calls on Ukraine to pay pensions to all residents of Donbas

    Residents of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, who live on each side of the contact line, should receive Ukrainian pensions and social benefits , EU countries said in a statement at the meeting of the UN General Assembly.

    “It is necessary to ensure appropriate social benefits and pensions regardless of place of residence and according to the Ukrainian legislation and Constitution,” the statement reads.

    The Scandinavian countries, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, and Iceland also urged equal …

  • Klimkin: Ukrainian ships are getting ready to pass through Kerch Strait

    Ukraine is planning a new passage of ships through the Kerch Strait and it is taking certain measures and getting ready for the passage together with international partners. The Ukrainian Navy will likely be able to “surprise Russia”, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin said in an interview with Censor.net. 

    According to the Ukrainian Foreign Minister, the presence of foreign observers onboard the ships is hardly possible but there will be international monitoring. In particular, the …

  • Germany confiscates money and houses worth €50 million in Russian money laundering case

    German law enforcement agencies confiscated real estate and cash worth a total of 50 million euros in one of the largest money laundering cases in history. 

    The property seizure is related to the investigation into a money laundering the scheme, called "Laundromat" or "Russian laundry", through which $ 22 billion were withdrawn from Russia via banks in Latvia and Moldova, reports Deutsche Welle. 

    Munich law enforcement agencies are investigating three suspects who own 40 million euros in real …

  • 30 people suspected in Ukrainian money laundering through Austrian Meinl Bank

    The Austrian Prosecutor’s Office has identified 30 suspects in the case of Ukrainian money being laundered through Meinl Bank, Deutsche Welle reports. The investigation did not name the suspects, but it is known that the list includes Ukrainian citizens. 

    The case has to do with money disappearing from Ukrainian banks’ correspondent accounts in Austria. According to the Deposit Guarantee Fund, $385 million and €75 million were withdrawn illegally from the correspondent accounts at Meinl Bank.  …