• Media: Kyiv may break diplomatic relations with Russia

    The Verkhovna Rada may decide to sever diplomatic relations with Russia next week, reports Russian publication Kommersant, citing sources in the Ukrainian parliament.

    The newspaper claims that Ivan Vinnyk, an MP from the Petro Poroshenko Bloc, correspondingly amended the Law on reintegration of the Donbas.

    "In the Law on the reintegration of the Donbas, which the Rada should be considering in its second reading, Russia will be recognized as an aggressor country; I hope that [enough] votes …

  • Ukraine introduced sanctions against 18 Russian companies

    The Ministry of Economic Development and Trade of Ukraine, at the request of the Security Service of Ukraine(SBU), imposed sanctions against 18 Russian companies. The corresponding orders No.1582 and 1583 were adopted by the Ministry on October 30th, 24 TV reports.

    Sanctions have been imposed on companies "for carrying out activities that could harm the interests of national economic security."

    18 Russian companies have fallen under the sanctions: Loli-Pak Exports, the Snack Group, Belgorod …

  • Russia refuses to extradite to Ukraine former commander of the Berkut special police suspected of killing Maidan protesters

    The Russian Federation refused the request of the General Prosecutor's Office of Ukraine to detain and extradite Serhiy Kusyuk, the former chief of the Kyiv regiment of the Berkut Special Police Force of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine.

    "Russia refused to extradite him," the head of the special investigations department of the Prosecutor General's Office of Ukraine, Serhiy Horbatyuk, told Interfax-Ukraine news agency on Tuesday, October 7. Horbatyuk said the Russian Federation …

  • Poroshenko signed law requiring Russian artists to get SBU approval for their tours in Ukraine

    The President of Ukraine, Petro Poroshenko signed a law that forbids Russian artists from touring in Ukrainian cities without the permission of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), as reported on on the President’s website.

    Under the new law, before inviting a Russian artist, concert organizers in Ukraine are required to provide the SBU with all the necessary information about the artist such as his or her name, surname, pseudonym, and other data.

    This information must be collected and …

  • Russia appoints new commander of Syrian group

    Following Sergey Surovikin’s appointment as commander-in-chief of the aerospace forces, the position of commander of the Eastern Military District (EMD) has been given to Deputy Chief of General Staff Alexander Zhuravlev. Like Surovikin, Zhuravlev will command both the EMD and the Russian group in Syria.

    The relevant order was signed by Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoygu on October 31 2017. By the same order, in compliance with the president’s decree, Surovikin was appointed commander-in- …