17/07/2014 Daily Highlights by “Digests & Analytics Ukraine” News Agency

Ukraine

• At the National Security & Defense Council meeting, President of Ukraine Mr. Poroshenko discussed with security forces representatives the need to mobilize and introduction of martial law, taking into account participation of foreign states in war in Ukraine. He stressed that evidence do exist on direct Russian aggression againt Ukraine, and instructed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to respond to the facts of aggression.

• Official exchange rate of Ukrainian Hryvnia (UAH) has slightly changed as established by the National Bank of Ukraine: 11.71 UAH / 1$ (+1 cop), 15.85 UAH / 1€ (-10 cop), 3.40 UAH / 10 RUR.

• Director of the Kiev armored vehicles factory was detained by Security Service of Ukraine in accusation of embezzling public funds aimed to repair and upgrade armored personnel carriers and cashing them through a fictitious firm.

• Industrial production decreased by almost -5%, compared to the same period last year, in the first half of year in Ukraine. Decline was more than -2% in May.

• Government plans to close 46 mines, as part of the restructuring plan of the coal industry, in Donetsk and Luhansk regions.  22,000 people will be laid off. Massive scale re-training and creation of 300,000 new jobs is being planned by attracting foreign investors.

• Government plans to cut 40 billion UAH in spending that represents more than 10% of the state budget.

Kyiv

• Kyiv citizens brought flowers and lit candles to the embassies of the Netherlands, Malaysia and the US gathered Kiev,  in memory of innocent victims killed in the plane, shot down by Russian terrorists in Donbass.

War in Ukraine

• Civilian Boeing-777 of Malaysian Airlines, operating flight from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur with 298 passengers and crew on board including 80 children, was shot bt Terrorists of "Donetsk People's Republic" near Thorez. Plane was shot at an altitude of 10,000 meters from the ground-to-air missile complex "Buk", provided to terrorists by Russia.World's largest airlines run routes bypassing Ukraine due to the accident. U.S. President Barack Obama said the U.S. will necessarily participate in the investigation of the incident. Terrorists have taken full responsibility for the downed plane and plan to pass "black boxes" from it to Moscow. Online videos of missile system and looting at the site of the crash. U.S. intelligence has confirmed that the plane was hit by a ground-to-air missile. Eurocontrol stressed that the plane have been flying in the echelon, much higher than the one defined by UkSATSE as closed to civil aircrafts. Terrorists prevent rescue services from getting to the crash site. Evidence videos of looting in disaster area are available en masse.

• Militants continue to shell residential areas in Luhansk, casualties from civilian population being reported. In Donetsk, terrorists took hostage and then released the First Deputy of Mayor and City Council Press Secretary. Donetsk Region Administration stressed critical situation with water supply to Donbass cities.

• Heavy fights are ongoing across the state border in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions in Marinovka, Izvarino, Amvrosievka. Ukrainian military are under rocket shelling from the Russian territory. NSDC confirmed that Ukrainian SU-25 military aircraft was shot down by a missile from Russian aircraft on Wednesday.

International

• EU and US are shocked by the terrorist attack on Malaysian Airlines Boeing 777 and demand immediate investigation of catastrophe.

• Presidents Obama and Putin had a telephone conversation, during which Obama threatened to further sanctions in case of further escalation of the conflict in eastern Ukraine.

• Shares of sanctioned Russian companies and the ruble fell down on Moscow Stock Exchange as a result of US and EU sanctions.

• Prime Minister Medvedev said that sanctions against Russia, imposed by the US and the EU will not help Ukraine.