Ukraine
- President Poroshenko approached the President of Belarus Lukashenko, to organize on July 31 in Minsk a meeting of the contact group on access of international experts to the crash site of MH17 Malaysian Airlines flight and hostages release. The group should above all include ex-President of Ukraine Leonid Kuchma, Russia's ambassador to Ukraine Zurabov and OSCE representatives. Lukashenko confirmed his readiness to arrange a meeting.
- Hotline for relatives of the military, involved in the anti-terrorist operation, have been launched on behalf of President Poroshenko.
- Official exchange rate of Ukrainian Hryvnia declined: 11.98 UAH / 1$ (+13 kopecks), 16.10 UAH / 1€ (+17 cop), 3.39 UAH /10 RUR (+11 kopecks). Relative depreciation vs USD have been at 2% during last two days.
- National Bank canceled restrictions on money transfers abroad, while tightened limits of cash withdrawal at branch offices and ATM.
- Official web-site of The President of Ukraine had been attacked by hackers. Responsibility was claimed by an organization called “Cyber Berkut”.
Kyiv
- Justice Minister Petrenko announced at the press conference that Kyiv will be a pilot city for the office model for administrative services, where employees in contact with customers and administrative decision makers will be separated.
War in Ukraine
- Seven civilians, including three children, were seriously injured by munition explosion in the Berestove village of the Artemivskiy county.
- Ukrainian military finally liberated Debalcevo town - a strategic crossing point of Rostov-Kharkiv and Donetsk-Luhansk highways, therefore disrupted DPR terrorists supply from Luhansk and Russia. Fleeing terrorists abandoned large number of weapons and military equipment. Height Saur-Mohyla, providing control to a large portion of the border with Russia, remained under the control of the Ukrainian army despite numerous counterattacks of terrorists.
- Three civilians killed and fifteen injured in Donetsk from the terrorists residential areas shelling with mortars and multiple rocket launch systems "Grad". Railroad communication with the city have been interrupted due to destruction of rail track sections and contact lines. Civilians were also killed during shelling of Luhansk and Gorlivka. Refugees can’t leave Luhansk due to disrupted railroad services, as well as because terrorists don’t le tcars to leave the city and are using civilian population as live shield. 17 hostages were released from terrorists in Gorlivka. They met President Poroshenko in Kiev.
- Adviser to the Minister of Internal Affairs Shkiryak, said that Russia is changing tactics against Ukraine, combining sabotage and terrorist activities outside Donbass with active military confrontation in Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
- Foreign experts again failed to reach the crash site of MH17 Malaysian Airlines flight due to fighting and combating terrorists. Adviser to the Minister of Internal Affairs Gerashchenko, at a press briefing in Ukrainian crisis media center, confirmed that experts will be able to get there soon.
- On the track terrorists attacked the car with refugees on the Donetsk Mariupol highway, killing 1 child
International
- US announced new sanctions against the biggest Russian banks - VTB, Bank of Moscow and the Russian Agricultural Bank, as well as against the United Shipbuilding Corporation.
- EU will introduce economic sanctions against Russia on August 1st, specifically sanctioned will be operations of state banks, supply of equipment and technologies for energy, oil and gas industries, electronic dual-use equipment and future supply of weapons. Current delivery of helicopter carriers "Mistral" by France have been left outside the sanctions. Canadian Prime Minister also announced tightening of sanctions against the regime of Putin and his inner circle.
- Pentagon spokesman announced that according to their information, more than 10 thousand of well-trained and armed Russian military are at the border with Ukraine and Russia continues to transfer military equipment and ammunition to terrorists, as well as shelling Ukrainian territory.
- Next US ambassador to Russia Tefft said that the Russian Federation has destroyed the foundation of European security, as well as that United States will never accept the annexation of the Crimea and Russia can’t ignore the role of Russia in the East Ukrainian crisis.
- IMF urged Ukrainian authorities to carry out economic reforms under the stand-by program, after the talks with Foreign Minister Klimkin and head of the NBU Gontareva.
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