01/06/2016 Ukraine: Daily Highlights - Orthodox Christians celebrate Christmas

Orthodox Christians celebrate Christmas

01.06.2016 Daily Highlights by the Digests & Analytics Ukraine

Topics from Media and Social Networks

• Orthodox Christians celebrate Christmas.
• Life sentence of the Militia General Pukach remained unchanged.
• Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church tolerates the celebration of Christmas on December 25.
• Video service Netflix was officially launched in Ukraine.

08/24/2015 Ukraine: Daily Highlights - Ukraine celebrated the Independence Day

Ukraine celebrated the Independence Day

08.24.2015 Daily Highlights by the Digests & Analytics Ukraine News Agency

Topics from Media and Social Networks

• Ukraine celebrated the Independence Day.
• Negotiations of Germany, France and Ukraine leaders took place in Berlin.
• A monument to a "Grieving Russian world" was installed in Zaporizhya.

Key Events in Ukraine

• In most cities of Ukraine took place the celebrations in honor of Independence Day. In Kiev, there was a parade of the Ukrainian army, followed by the volleys of salute. In the evening a gala concert was held at the Maydan.
• During the parade, the President said that he expects a positive voting in the Verkhovna Rada regarding the amendments to the Constitution and called the opponents to such changes enemies. According to him, after the adoption by the Parliament of the amendments to the Constitution, the greater part of responsibility and power will be transferred to the local authorities. The most important task of the authorities is to ensure true local elections, through which the citizens will give a well-deserved assessment to all politicians.

Ukraine at War

• The situation in the Donbass remains tense but stable, the fighting continues in the area of Donetsk. At night, the militants resume the shellings from the large-caliber guns. According to the official reports, during the fighting one soldier was wounded . As a result of explosion in Volodarske, located in 30 kilometers from the fighting line, one child was killed and three others were injured.
  The General Staff warned of possible escalation of the conflict in the Donbass during 24-26 of August .

Ukraine and the World

• In Berlin was held a meeting of the leaders of Germany, France and Ukraine to resolve the situation in the Donbass. German Chancellor Merkel said that there is no common point of view on the process of implementation of the Minsk Agreement with Russia. President Poroshenko said again that there is no alternative to the agreements, and Ukraine fully complies with them. He, as the President, introduced to the Parliament a bill to amend the Constitution, which is completely and clearly consistent with the obligations taken by Ukraine in the Minsk process. However, Russia does not fulfill them. French President Hollande insisted that the elections in the Donbass should be conducted only according to the Ukrainian legislation. The negotiators objected to the changing of the Minsk process format and inclusion of new members, as President of Poland Duda proposed. Poroshenko said that Ukraine does not need new formats, as existing format allows to solve all the problems. Merkel said that the terrorist "republics" do not let the OSCE mission to fully implement its mandate and the ceasefire in the Donbass is not observed. Poroshenko expressed his hope that due to the results of the negotiations the tension in the region will be reduced. After the talks, the participants held a telephone conversation with Russian President Putin, who was not invited to the meeting. According to German Foreign Minister Steinmeier it is too soon to talk about the settlement of the conflict in the Donbass. The Official Berlin is closely working with France and the EU institutions on the implementation of the Minsk Agreement.
• Financial Times and Bloomberg agency reported that during the negotiations between Ukraine and International Creditors Club a preliminary agreement to write off 20% of external debt was reached in exchange for some additional conditions regarding the process of redemption. The agreement could be signed this week. One of the main arguments of Ukraine in the negotiations is the possible moratorium on all foreign debt payments, that is, the actual declaration of default. According to Minister of Finance Yaresko and representatives of the IMF,  this option was evaluated and it will not lead to a complete halt of country's financing by the Fund.
• The price of oil on international markets is rapidly decreasing and had already reached the level of January 2009. Due to this the stock indexes of the East Asian companies are also falling, and this tendency is already spreading to Europe. At the Moscow Currency Exchange dollar was sold for more than 70 rubles, euro for more than 80 rubles. By the end of the session, the prices fell, but experts predict a further drop in the ruble exchange rate.
• The Supreme Court of the Russian Federation declared the Russian military losses in the times of peace "during the special operations" a state secret.
• Russia, from 24 to 29 August, will hold in the European part of the country large-scale exercises of troops with workup of engineering and logistical support of troops, as well as the organization of communication and application of biological, chemical and radiological protection.

The Trends

• Volunteer troops, which took the main burden during the initial period of the war in the Donbass, did not participate in the parade in honor of the Independence Day. President Poroshenko in his speech did not mention their role in repelling the aggression and said nothing about the events in Ilovaisk that occurred during last year's parade.

08/19/2015 Ukraine: Daily Highlights -Changes to the Constitution are to be adopted during the session of the Verkhovna Rada on 27 August

Changes to the Constitution are to be adopted on 27 August

08.19.2015 Daily Highlights by the Digests & Analytics Ukraine News Agency

Topics from Media and Social Networks

• Changes to the Constitution are to be adopted during the session of the Verkhovna Rada on 27 August.
• Kiev dropped to 132nd position out of 140 in standards of living rating among the largest cities in the world.

08/03/2015 Ukraine: Daily Highlights - Nearly two-thirds of Ukrainians support the accession to NATO

Nearly two-thirds of Ukrainians support the accession to NATO

08.03.2015 Daily Highlights by the Digests & Analytics Ukraine News Agency

Topics from Media and Social Networks

• Nearly two-thirds of Ukrainians support the accession to NATO.
• Former Prime Minister Azarov created a "government-in-exile" in Moscow.
• Unknown people stormed the "Opposition Blok" office in Kharkov.
• On world markets the oil price fell below $ 50 per barrel.

16/12/2014 Ukraine: Daily Highlights - Russian currency and stock markets are crashing

16/12/2014 Daily Highlights from “Digests & Analytics Ukraine” News Agency

Topics of the day

Former Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada Turchinov was appointed as the Secretary of the NSDC. The OPEC countries aren’t going to restrain the fall in oil prices. Russian currency and stock markets are crashing. Europe insists on the strict implementation of Minsk agreements by Russia.

09/10/2014 Ukraine: Daily Highlights - Oil on world markets is rapidly becoming cheaper

09/10/2014 Daily Highlights from the “Digest & Analytics” News Agency

Oil on world markets is rapidly becoming cheaper, despite the approach of the cold season. Kiev introduces mandatory labeling of Russian goods.

13/08/2014 Daily Highlights by “Digests & Analytics Ukraine” News Agency

Ukraine

• Bishops of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church under Moscow Patriarchate elected the new Archbishop Onufriy, who’ve previously served as Bishop of Chernivtsi and Bykovyna and known for his pro-Russian position and being against the reunification of orthodox churches in Ukraine.
• Ukrainian Government created special commission to defend Ukrainian interests in getting back the part of the property of former USSR belonging to the sovereign, aimed at audit of assets and liabilities of the former USSR and defense of Ukraine in the international courts.
• Minister of Fuel & Energy Prodan reported that decision have been taken within the meeting of the Government on the order of implementation of the state of emergency in the electricity energy field due to absence of coal on stock of the thermal electricity stations as the result of combat operations, that could limit the export of electricity.
• Official exchange rate of the Ukrainian Hryvnya (UAH) slightly stabilized, being at the level of historical minimum: 13.11 UAH / 1$ (+3 cop), 17.50 UAH / 1€ (+8 cop), 3.62 UAH / 10 RUR (+1 cop). Interbank Fx rate went down a bit as well as the spread since the opening go the trade session.