20/02/2015 Ukraine: Daily Highlights - The mourning ceremony marking the first year since mass shootings of activitis at Maidan was held in Kyiv

20/02/2015 Daily Highlights by "Digests & Analytics - Ukraine" News Agency

Topics of the Day

The mourning ceremony marking the first year since mass shootings of activitis at Maidan was held in Kyiv. A prominent member of the Party of Regions Chechetov has been arrested. The situation at the Ukrainian foreign exchange market is close to panic.

Key Events of Ukraine

• President Poroshenko enacted the NSDC decision of 25 January on the emergency measures to counter the Russian threat and acts of terrorism.  These measures include actions to overcome the consequences of military operations in Donbass and to fight against the Russian information war.  The State Prosecutor’s Office is to take measures to recognize Donetsk and Luhansk "republics" as terrorist organizations.
• Ukraine launched consultations on the possibility of bringing the international peacekeeping contingent in the conflict zone.
• The Ministry of Defence said that 40 thousand people will be called for military service in 2015.
• The former Prime Minister Azarov was arrested in absentia. Another former  member of the Party of Regions Chechetov has been taken into custody.  Chechetov took part in the falsification of the parliamentary vote that introduced the "dictatorial laws” on January 16, 2014. He can be released on bail of $5 million hryvna ($ 185 thousand).
• The government plans to raise the price of electricity by 40% starting March 1.
• The National Bank does not visibly interfere in support of hryvnia exchange rate which is heading to the mark of 30 UAH/USD: 27.86 UAH/USD (+0.50 UAH), 31.72 UAH/EUR (+0,61 UAH), 4,48 UAH / 10 RUR (+0.10 UAH). Cash currency FX rate is growing simultanously.

Kyiv Life

• In a speech at the anniversary of tragic events at Maidan Square, held in Kiev, President Poroshenko promised to punish all those who took part in it including judges and declared that there is an established evidence indicting the direct participation in these events by the Russian special services.

Ukraine at War

• Fighting continues in Donbas, the rebels are getting reinforcements, new ammunition, heavy weapons and armored vehicles from Russia, they continue repair equipment damaged in the fighting on the Debaltseve foothold, and are actively regrouping under the Russian command.
• The Cabinet of Ministers ordered the closure of 23 checkpoints along the whole Ukrainian-Russian border, including 5 international and interstate crossings.
• According to the Gereral Staff, estimated 110 Ukrainian servicemen have been captured by millitants during retreat from Debaltseve.

Ukraine and the World

• The European Commission is preparing documents to create a single energy market, in which European states including Ukraine will be able to exchange energy resources. There are also plans to review relations with Russia on the basis of open markets and fair competition policies.
• The Agency Moody's downgraded the sovereign credit rating of Russia to "speculative" level of Ba1 with a negative outlook due to the fall in GDP because of the the lower oil prices and the lowering ruble exchange rate, the Ukrainian crisis and Western sanctions.
• Despite the refusal by Naftogaz to pay for gas illegally supplied to the territory of Donbass controlled by militants LNR and DNR without any autorization by Ukraine, Gazprom increased such deliveries and said that they are carried out within the framework of the prepayment. Thus, Russia is trying to illegally dispose of Ukrainian gas in the amount of $4 million a day. The Russian President Putin chaired a meeting of the Security Council of the Russian Federation, in which the Russian government has been instructed to ensure gas supplies to the DNR and LNR.
• The EU and the ECB are working on scenarios in case of a Greek exit from the eurozone.
• The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly will consider a draft tough resolution calling for the respect of the territorial integrity of Ukraine and the immediate access by the OSCE observes into the areas of warfare.

The trends

• Lawmakers, human rights activists, and ordinary Ukrainians complain about inactivity of Ukrainian authorities, which have failed so far to investigate crimes against the Maidan activists, and are preparing to appeal directly to the International Criminal Court in the Hague.
• Bankers at a hearing in Parliament accused the head of the National Bank Gontareva of failing to control the country's financial system and to influence the currency markets.