unian--2020-01-27--Euractiv: Ukraine's own Green Deal aims to slash energy imports

As of 2019 , renewables only made up roughly 5 % of Ukraine 's energy mix .
Ukraine ’ s long-term climate plan could significantly cut reliance on energy imports , its energy ministry suggested last week .
According to new plans published by the ministry for energy and ecology last January 21 , Ukraine will focus its efforts on energy efficiency in the coming decades , with the aim of slashing power demand by 50 % , Euractiv reports .
Deputy Minister Serhiy Maslichenko said the country must `` reduce consumption in order to produce less .
This can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ measures .
In the end , we have to reach 50 % savings .
It will also reduce energy imports by three times . ''
Cutting energy dependency is a political priority in Ukraine , which severed ties with Russian gas in the wake of Moscow 's annexation of Crimea .
In 2018 , Kyiv still imported 10 billion cubic meters of natural gas via Hungary , Slovakia , and Poland .
Russian gas will continue to flow across Ukraine to Europe though , under a transit deal brokered in December that will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bypass Nord Stream 2 pipeline in the Baltic Sea have upped the pressure on Kyiv to secure lucrative transit fees .
The proposed climate plan has estimated annual investment costs of 5 % of GDP , which could be funded in part through an updated version of the existing carbon tax .
While efforts to reduce Russia ’ s influence are welcome , the energy ministry ’ s pledge to take all coal power plants offline by 2050 has already been met with disappointment .
Under the current plan , Ukraine will achieve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than the EU .
Minister Oleksiy Orzhel acknowledged while presenting the strategy that coal could be shown the door before the mid-century deadline though , citing increased renewable energy investment as a main driver of decarbonization .
Ukraine 's climate plan targets a 70 % share of clean energy sources by 2050 , although green group Ecoaction pointed out that modeling done in 2017 showed that Ukraine could hit 91 % renewables by the same date .
`` The aim declared in the concept could and should be more ambitious .
In addition @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' said Ecoaction energy expert Kostiantyn Krynytskyi .
Read alsoUkraine 's economy ministry plans to increase share of renewable energy to 70 % in 30 years Ukraine is indeed looking seriously at mass renewables deployment and on January 24 , a key advisor to President Volodymyr Zelensky revealed that the state is in talks with clean energy developers about boosting investment .
`` We are [ … ] talking about an alternative incentive mechanism , a new model that we will offer and that investors will be able to volunteer for , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the World Economic Forum in Davos .
Nuclear energy is classed as carbon-neutral in the strategy but its share in the energy mix is supposed to drop from roughly 50 % to just 20-25 % .
The idea is to deploy small experimental modular reactors and extend the operating lifetime of existing reactors .
But the road ahead still appears to be a long one for the Eastern European country .
As of 2019 , renewables only make up roughly 5 % of Ukraine 's energy mix , although new figures suggest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ After the proposed plan makes its way through the legislative gauntlet , one of the next major milestones will be in 2035 , when Ukraine must hit a 25 % renewables target .
For comparison , the EU has set a 32 % benchmark for 2030 .

As of 2019, renewables only made up roughly 5% of Ukraine's energy mix.
Ukraine’s long-term climate plan could significantly cut reliance on energy imports, its energy ministry suggested last week.
According to new plans published by the ministry for energy and ecology last January 21, Ukraine will focus its efforts on energy efficiency in the coming decades, with the aim of slashing power demand by 50%, Euractiv reports.
Deputy Minister Serhiy Maslichenko said the country must "reduce consumption in order to produce less. This can be done through the introduction of energy-efficient measures. In the end, we have to reach 50% savings. It will also reduce energy imports by three times."
Видео дня
Cutting energy dependency is a political priority in Ukraine, which severed ties with Russian gas in the wake of Moscow's annexation of Crimea. In 2018, Kyiv still imported 10 billion cubic meters of natural gas via Hungary, Slovakia, and Poland.
Russian gas will continue to flow across Ukraine to Europe though, under a transit deal brokered in December that will run until 2024. Fears about the bypass Nord Stream 2 pipeline in the Baltic Sea have upped the pressure on Kyiv to secure lucrative transit fees.
The proposed climate plan has estimated annual investment costs of 5% of GDP, which could be funded in part through an updated version of the existing carbon tax.
While efforts to reduce Russia’s influence are welcome, the energy ministry’s pledge to take all coal power plants offline by 2050 has already been met with disappointment.
Under the current plan, Ukraine will achieve carbon-neutrality in 2070, two decades later than the EU.
Minister Oleksiy Orzhel acknowledged while presenting the strategy that coal could be shown the door before the mid-century deadline though, citing increased renewable energy investment as a main driver of decarbonization.
Ukraine's climate plan targets a 70% share of clean energy sources by 2050, although green group Ecoaction pointed out that modeling done in 2017 showed that Ukraine could hit 91% renewables by the same date.
"The aim declared in the concept could and should be more ambitious. In addition, the price of renewables falls annually," said Ecoaction energy expert Kostiantyn Krynytskyi.
Read alsoUkraine's economy ministry plans to increase share of renewable energy to 70% in 30 years
Ukraine is indeed looking seriously at mass renewables deployment and on January 24, a key advisor to President Volodymyr Zelensky revealed that the state is in talks with clean energy developers about boosting investment.
"We are […] talking about an alternative incentive mechanism, a new model that we will offer and that investors will be able to volunteer for," Yulia Kovaliv said during an event at the World Economic Forum in Davos.
Nuclear energy is classed as carbon-neutral in the strategy but its share in the energy mix is supposed to drop from roughly 50% to just 20-25%. The idea is to deploy small experimental modular reactors and extend the operating lifetime of existing reactors.
But the road ahead still appears to be a long one for the Eastern European country. As of 2019, renewables only make up roughly 5% of Ukraine's energy mix, although new figures suggest that installed capacity doubled in 2019.
After the proposed plan makes its way through the legislative gauntlet, one of the next major milestones will be in 2035, when Ukraine must hit a 25% renewables target. For comparison, the EU has set a 32% benchmark for 2030.


unian--2020-01-27--Russia's attempts to bring separatist movements to international platforms threaten EU – think tank

The experts explain far-reaching , and troubling , intentions behind the efforts .
Russia is trying to set a precedent of allowing access of representatives of unrecognized states to various international platforms .
If the plan succeeds , separatist movements around the world , especially in Europe , will be given a free hand to lay claim to participation in any international platform , and subjectivity in foreign policy , IGTDS think tank reports .
Ulrich Oehme , a Russian lobbyist in the Bundestag , launched an initiative at the Council of Europe aimed to set up talks between the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Donbas and the country 's central government in Kyiv , as well as to give the de facto Russian-controlled Donetsk and Lugansk the opportunity to voice their position at the Council of Europe .
The PACE delegate believes that a very important participant – `` certain areas '' of Donetsk and Lugansk regions – is lacking in the Normandy format of talks which now involves valid states – Germany , France , Russia , and Ukraine .
An initiative to bring the unrecognized entities into talks was also discussed within the Alternative for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ supported by Russia .
Ulrich Oehme says he intends to engage more Bundestag and PACE members on the initiative .
The point is , the think tank underlines , that the initiative was never conceived by the AfD deputy .
In fact , he has voiced and is now promoting the Kremlin 's strategy to legitimize occupied and unrecognized territories .
Oehme is likely to be oblivious to the fact that he is being exploited , although the level of his Russia contacts and ties suggests a possibility of him acting at Russia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Sources in Ukrainian diplomatic circles in the United States and Canada have told IGTDS this approach will give a chance of presenting Russian puppet regimes in the east of Ukraine as independent political actors and shift public perception of war in Ukraine to the level of an `` internal conflict '' .
This will enable Russia to steer clear of the charges of occupying parts of Ukraine and then channel similar rhetoric to other territories occupied by Russia , such as Abkhazia , South Ossetia , and Transnistria .
Over the past @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and openly supporting separatist regimes in Europe , Africa , and Americas , providing them with media platforms in Russia .
The Kremlin believes the effort to legitimize self-styled `` republics '' as independent actors will pave way for Russia to get sanctions lifted and set a precedent where further possible acts of aggression against neighboring countries , like Belarus , or a further military expansion in Ukraine , will be considered in the scope of internal conflicts boiling within those countries ' borders .
However , in their comments to IGTS , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from France , Spain , Romania , and Italy , voiced concerns that such strategy would allow Russia to influence the European policy more effectively through bringing separatist movements to international platforms and giving them weight in EU , for example , those in Catalonia or Corsica .
Therefore , strategic plans voiced by Ulrich Oehme are obviously meant to create a fragmentation mechanism for the Western European states , Africa and Americas , by exploiting international and regional organizations , rather than just targeting Ukraine .
As soon as the separatist movements @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the PACE , the Council of Europe , or the United Nations and to convey `` their own opinions '' , this will set a precedent where such movements and groups will be empowered to put pressure on sovereign governments , while third parties will get wider opportunities to destabilize democracies using hybrid tools .
For example , Moscow may retry to destabilize the situation in Romania by bringing the so-called `` political activists '' representing the Székely Land , territory inhabited by the Hungarian minority to the regional platforms at the PACE @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kremlin may also test scenarios of internal conflicts within NATO member states by setting introductory notes hampering the Alliance ( or the EU ) forces ' efforts to resolve the issue and raising doubts about the effectiveness of major security institutions in the region and across the world .

The experts explain far-reaching, and troubling, intentions behind the efforts.
Russia is trying to set a precedent of allowing access of representatives of unrecognized states to various international platforms.
If the plan succeeds, separatist movements around the world, especially in Europe, will be given a free hand to lay claim to participation in any international platform, and subjectivity in foreign policy, IGTDS think tank reports.
Ulrich Oehme, a Russian lobbyist in the Bundestag, launched an initiative at the Council of Europe aimed to set up talks between the unrecognized "republics" of Ukraine's Donbas and the country's central government in Kyiv, as well as to give the de facto Russian-controlled Donetsk and Lugansk the opportunity to voice their position at the Council of Europe. The PACE delegate believes that a very important participant – "certain areas" of Donetsk and Lugansk regions – is lacking in the Normandy format of talks which now involves valid states – Germany, France, Russia, and Ukraine.
Видео дня
An initiative to bring the unrecognized entities into talks was also discussed within the Alternative for Germany (AfD) faction, widely supported by Russia.
Ulrich Oehme says he intends to engage more Bundestag and PACE members on the initiative.
The point is, the think tank underlines, that the initiative was never conceived by the AfD deputy.
Read alsoPro-Russian act by German delegate to PACE
In fact, he has voiced and is now promoting the Kremlin's strategy to legitimize occupied and unrecognized territories.
Oehme is likely to be oblivious to the fact that he is being exploited, although the level of his Russia contacts and ties suggests a possibility of him acting at Russia's direct request, the analysts say.
Sources in Ukrainian diplomatic circles in the United States and Canada have told IGTDS this approach will give a chance of presenting Russian puppet regimes in the east of Ukraine as independent political actors and shift public perception of war in Ukraine to the level of an "internal conflict". This will enable Russia to steer clear of the charges of occupying parts of Ukraine and then channel similar rhetoric to other territories occupied by Russia, such as Abkhazia, South Ossetia, and Transnistria. Over the past five years, Moscow has been pro-actively and openly supporting separatist regimes in Europe, Africa, and Americas, providing them with media platforms in Russia.
The Kremlin believes the effort to legitimize self-styled "republics" as independent actors will pave way for Russia to get sanctions lifted and set a precedent where further possible acts of aggression against neighboring countries, like Belarus, or a further military expansion in Ukraine, will be considered in the scope of internal conflicts boiling within those countries' borders.
However, in their comments to IGTS, European security and defense experts, including from France, Spain, Romania, and Italy, voiced concerns that such strategy would allow Russia to influence the European policy more effectively through bringing separatist movements to international platforms and giving them weight in EU, for example, those in Catalonia or Corsica.
Therefore, strategic plans voiced by Ulrich Oehme are obviously meant to create a fragmentation mechanism for the Western European states, Africa and Americas, by exploiting international and regional organizations, rather than just targeting Ukraine.
As soon as the separatist movements get their say at such organizations as the PACE, the Council of Europe, or the United Nations and to convey "their own opinions", this will set a precedent where such movements and groups will be empowered to put pressure on sovereign governments, while third parties will get wider opportunities to destabilize democracies using hybrid tools.
Read alsoRussian delegation's credentials appealed at PACE
For example, Moscow may retry to destabilize the situation in Romania by bringing the so-called "political activists" representing the Székely Land, territory inhabited by the Hungarian minority to the regional platforms at the PACE and the Council of Europe. The Kremlin may also test scenarios of internal conflicts within NATO member states by setting introductory notes hampering the Alliance (or the EU) forces' efforts to resolve the issue and raising doubts about the effectiveness of major security institutions in the region and across the world.


unian--2020-01-27--Zelensky, Duda agree on further economic cooperation

The Ukrainian leader noted reliable support by Duda and the Polish state for the European and Euro-Atlantic integration of Ukraine .
Presidents of Ukraine and Poland , Volodymyr Zelensky and Andrzej Duda , met in Poland during the working visit of the Head of State to the Republic of Poland to mark the 75th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau Nazi concentration camp .
The two leaders agreed on the issues of further economic cooperation , the Ukrainian president 's press service reports .
“ Poland is our fourth largest trading partner .
I am convinced that Polish investors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the business climate in Ukraine , ” Volodymyr Zelensky stressed .
Read alsoZelensky on Holocaust Remembrance Day : Duty to future generations to prevent new tragedy ( Video ) '' Today we have agreed to further develop and strengthen our strategic , friendly partnership , '' the head of state emphasized .
He thanked Poland for supporting the territorial integrity , sovereignty of Ukraine , and stressed that our country appreciated the reliable support for the European and Euro-Atlantic integration of Ukraine by Andrzej Duda and the Polish state .
`` We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ believe that it should always be this way between our countries , between Ukraine and Poland , '' the Ukrainian president added .

The Ukrainian leader noted reliable support by Duda and the Polish state for the European and Euro-Atlantic integration of Ukraine.
Presidents of Ukraine and Poland, Volodymyr Zelensky and Andrzej Duda, met in Poland during the working visit of the Head of State to the Republic of Poland to mark the 75th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau Nazi concentration camp.
The two leaders agreed on the issues of further economic cooperation, the Ukrainian president's press service reports.
“Poland is our fourth largest trading partner. I am convinced that Polish investors will properly evaluate the reforms and improvement of the business climate in Ukraine,” Volodymyr Zelensky stressed.
Видео дня
Read alsoZelensky on Holocaust Remembrance Day: Duty to future generations to prevent new tragedy (Video)
"Today we have agreed to further develop and strengthen our strategic, friendly partnership," the head of state emphasized.
He thanked Poland for supporting the territorial integrity, sovereignty of Ukraine, and stressed that our country appreciated the reliable support for the European and Euro-Atlantic integration of Ukraine by Andrzej Duda and the Polish state.
"We enjoy full understanding and trust. We believe that it should always be this way between our countries, between Ukraine and Poland," the Ukrainian president added.


unian--2020-01-27--Akhmetov buys posh villa on French Riviera – media

The mansion was acquired from drinks maker Campari , documents say .
A billionaire from Ukraine , Rinat Akhmetov , @ @ @ @ @ on the French Riviera from the Campari group for EUR 200 million .
His property @ @ @ @ @ in London 's One Hyde Park worth GBP 137 million , The Financial Times reports @ @ @ @ @ wealthiest oligarch .
Through System Capital Management , he owns assets Forbes estimated at $ @ @ @ @ @ and telecoms .
The portfolio also includes Shakhtar Donetsk FC .
Read alsoDTEK becomes major @ @ @ @ @ in Oct Papers seen by the FT say Akhmetov 's company had acquired the Villa @ @ @ @ @ from an Italian drinks maker Campari , while the Ukrainian businessman 's company declined to @ @ @ @ @ would be used as a private residence .
The company sees the 18,000-square-foot villa , @ @ @ @ @ was once home to Leopold II of Belgium , as a long-term investment .

Akhmetov buys posh villa on French Riviera – media
20:30, 27.01.20 5249
The mansion was acquired from drinks maker Campari, documents say.
Помогите проекту
Support us


unian--2020-01-27--Iranian passenger jet blocks highway after landing overrun

All passengers and crew survived the hard landing .
An Iranian passenger plane with 135 people on board has skidded @ @ @ @ @ a road with its wheels still retracted – and , miraculously , no one was @ @ @ @ @ from the scene on Monday in the Iranian city of Mahshahr show the Caspian Airlines @ @ @ @ @ of the road , with traffic banked up and pedestrians on either side , CNN @ @ @ @ @ lying flat on its belly , was largely undamaged .
The MD-80 had been operating @ @ @ @ @ 136 passengers and seven crew , Flight Global reports .
`` After landing it exited @ @ @ @ @ authority adds .
Images from the scene show the aircraft came to rest on its @ @ @ @ @ .
`` The situation of the aircraft ’ s leaving the runway is under investigation @ @ @ @ @ Aviation Organization .

All passengers and crew survived the hard landing.
An Iranian passenger plane with 135 people on board has skidded off the runway and onto a road with its wheels still retracted – and, miraculously, no one was hurt.
Видео дня
Photos and videos from the scene on Monday in the Iranian city of Mahshahr show the Caspian Airlines plane grounded in the middle of the road, with traffic banked up and pedestrians on either side, CNN reports.
The plane, lying flat on its belly, was largely undamaged.
The MD-80 had been operating a service from Tehran with 136 passengers and seven crew, Flight Global reports.
"After landing it exited the runway," the authority adds.
Images from the scene show the aircraft came to rest on its fuselage, blocking the highway.
"The situation of the aircraft’s leaving the runway is under investigation,” says the Civil Aviation Organization.


unian--2020-01-27--EU envoys approve sanction extension on Russia over Crimea "elections"

Up to seven new individuals are expected to be added to the sanctions list , The EU ambassadors in Brussels on Monday supported the proposal to extend a package of sanctions related to the annexation of Crimea by Russia , an EU diplomat says .
EU ministers in Brussels are yet to formally endorse the decision on Tuesday , PAP news agency reports .
The sanctions are related to local elections conducted by Russia in Crimea , the EU diplomat told PAP .
Another seven individuals are expected to be added to the sanctions list , which means they will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ while their assets will be frozen .
Until lately , it was Cyrpus which had been blocking the introduction of new sanctions against Russia in a hope that the EU would draft tougher measures targeting Turkey amid a sea drilling dispute .
`` On Monday , Cyprus withdrew its reservations , '' the source told PAP .
RFE/RL 's own correspondent in Brussels , Rikard Jozwiak , echoed the report : `` The EU will tomorrow add another 7 ppl on its sanctions list over individuals undermining the territorial integrity of Ukraine .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Russian regional elections in September in Crimea . ''
In September 2019 , the EU extended for six months Russia sanctions against 170 individuals and 44 entities over their actions undermining territorial integrity , sovereignty , and independence of Ukraine .

Up to seven new individuals are expected to be added to the sanctions list,
The EU ambassadors in Brussels on Monday supported the proposal to extend a package of sanctions related to the annexation of Crimea by Russia, an EU diplomat says.
EU ministers in Brussels are yet to formally endorse the decision on Tuesday, PAP news agency reports.
The sanctions are related to local elections conducted by Russia in Crimea, the EU diplomat told PAP.
Видео дня
Another seven individuals are expected to be added to the sanctions list, which means they will be banned from entering the EU, while their assets will be frozen.
Read alsoRussian delegation's credentials appealed at PACE
Until lately, it was Cyrpus which had been blocking the introduction of new sanctions against Russia in a hope that the EU would draft tougher measures targeting Turkey amid a sea drilling dispute.
"On Monday, Cyprus withdrew its reservations," the source told PAP.
RFE/RL's own correspondent in Brussels, Rikard Jozwiak, echoed the report: "The EU will tomorrow add another 7 ppl on its sanctions list over individuals undermining the territorial integrity of Ukraine. the 7 facilitated and participated in the Russian regional elections in September in Crimea."
The EU will tomorrow add another 7 ppl on its sanctions list over individuals undermining the territorial integrity of #Ukraine. the 7 facilitated and participated in the Russian regional elections in September in #Crimea. #Russia — Rikard Jozwiak (@RikardJozwiak) January 27, 2020
In September 2019, the EU extended for six months Russia sanctions against 170 individuals and 44 entities over their actions undermining territorial integrity, sovereignty, and independence of Ukraine.


unian--2020-01-27--Ukraine's National Bank may reduce key policy rate to 11% – experts

The regulator is expected to announce its next decision on the key rate on Thursday , January 30 .
The National Bank of Ukraine ( NBU ) may reduce the key policy rate to 11 % per annum in January 2020 and to 8 % by the end of 2020 , according to experts with Raiffeisen Bank Aval .
`` In our opinion , given the prospects for a simultaneous reduction in inflationary pressure on the part of the demand , supply , and 'imported inflation ' factors , conditions are being created for further substantial easing and , possibly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ monetary policy .
Accordingly , we expect a significant decrease in the key rates : by 200-250 basis points in January and by as much as 8 % by the end of 2020 , '' reads an analytical review by Raiffeisen Bank Aval available to UNIAN .
Read alsoCentral bank in Ukraine clarifies list of cash settlement transactions not subject to taxation At the same time , even with a significant reduction in interest rates and the presence of a liquidity reserve among banks , no intensive growth in corporate lending is expected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and worsening economic activity expectations .
`` This will affect both the solvent demand for loans and banks ' willingness and ability to provide them .
Tangible progress in improving the investment climate due to structural reforms may contribute to corporate lending rise , '' the bank experts said .
As UNIAN reported earlier , on December 13 , 2019 , the National Bank continued easing its monetary policy , cutting the key rate by 2 percentage points to a two-year low of 13.5 % per annum .
At the same time , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fourth time in a row , after lowering it in October , September , and July .
In 2019 , inflation in Ukraine slowed to 4.1 % , a six-year low in annual terms .
The regulator is expected to announce its next decision on the key rate on Thursday , January 30 , according to the NBU schedule .

Ukraine's National Bank may reduce key policy rate to 11% – experts
18:30, 27.01.20 5206
The regulator is expected to announce its next decision on the key rate on Thursday, January 30.
Помогите проекту
Support us


unian--2020-01-27--Former battalion commander with 72nd Brigade Oleksandr Vdovichenko: My first thought in Avdiyivka wa

Former battalion commander with 72nd Brigade Oleksandr Vdovichenko: My first thought in Avdiyivka was: "I guess I'm going to die here"

Many battles in the Donbas warzone can be called a symbol of resilience and courage of Ukrainian military , who have been fighting to death for every piece of Ukrainian land .
Avdiyivka , a town just 10 km from Donetsk , was liberated in July 2014 , but hostilities nearby and enemy shelling in its residential quarters never subsided .
After such shelling in January 2015 , local residents were left without heat , electricity , and water supplies for weeks .
At the beginning of 2016 , battles for the industrial zone near Avdiyivka have intensified .
Control @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ensuring safety to the locals and gaining control of the Donetsk-Luhansk and Debaltseve-Horlivka motorways .
Confrontation climaxed in the fall of that year and lasted until the spring of 2017 .
The enemy heavily engaged Ukrainian troops with weapons proscribed by the Minsk agreements .
Several times the militants stormed the industrial zone , but their offensive efforts were repulsed , while Ukrainian forces advanced and gained better positions .
In those battles , the 72nd Separate Mechanized Brigade played a really important role , holding ground in Avdiyivka for 375 days and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Khmelnytsky orders ( including one posthumously ) .
The order of courage was awarded to 20 fighters ( seven posthumously ) .
Lieutenant Vasyl Tarasiuk and Captain Andriy Kizilo ( posthumously ) were awarded the title of Hero of Ukraine .
Oleksandr Vdovichenko ( call sign `` Slavian '' ) , a former battalion commander and now chief of staff with the 28th Brigade , told UNIAN how his fighters forced the militant grouping led by an infamous warlord Givi ( who was later assassinated in Donetsk ) to retreat , repelled the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ troops , and prevented an attack using photos of their tanks as a decoy , survived , and complied with their commander 's order : `` Do n't die ! ''
Tell us about the first days at Avdiyivka 's industrial zone .
We deployed in the Avdiyivka industrial zone in October 2016 , and on the very first day , we came under enemy fire .
Before that , we had not been involved in the ATO for six months , working with NATO instructors at a training ground , then we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the rear of Donetsk region .
And my first thought in Avdiyivka was : `` I guess I 'm going to die here . ''
It was really scary .
First , we came under mortar fire .
Everyone rushed into the basement and just waited .
As we were moving along our positions , we came under machine gunfire .
We ducked and lay there with our chief of recon , and after a few minutes I said to him : `` Actually , it 's not scary anymore . ''
And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , you 'll get used to it . ''
At that time , shelling never stopped .
While artillery could be silent during daytime , automatic `` chatter '' did not subside , it was constant .
When the first frost hit , the leaves fell from the trees and we were at the enemy 's plain sight .
There were no trenches at all .
There were perhaps just two of them throughout the industrial zone .
So we began to dig in order to survive .
I will say that we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ already .
What we lacked was camouflage nets , thermal imagers , and generators ...
But volunteers would bring this , too .
When did the militants go for an offensive ?
Three days later , we changed positions and the airborne assault unit came in , and that 's when I took command of the area and that very evening we got intercepted enemy communications .
`` Sparrow '' , the commander of the reconnaissance platoon of the Somali battalion , wrote to Givi : `` Man , we are in position @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The response was : `` Wait , let the artillery work a bit more . ''
We could not understand where exactly they would strike ...
But time passed , and from the forefront , our “ Romeo ” and “ Dragon ” report : the enemy is around them .
The enemy started to try and penetrate so we repelled their offensive with grenades .
Then we had three of our men wounded .
The enemy also suffered losses , but they were ready for this and did not retreat .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` Take them alive . ''
I sent in a reserve group , but their artillery worked so hard that we could not approach those positions , we could not even get out of our command post .
I just did n't know what to do .
And then for the first time I gave the command to open fire at the enemy , practically next to our positions.There were basements , I drove everyone there and wrote to the commander of our mortar battery : `` Eugene , please , don ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dropped about forty mines on those bastards .
Thank God , we suffered no losses , while they had seven or eight KIAs .
But Givi was only pumped up by those losses .
He deployed the reserve and began to prepare for a new assault .
And only after our artillery hit his command post and he was injured , he ordered to retreat .
We asked the JCCC ( Joint Center for Monitoring and Coordinating Ceasefire and Stabilization of the Contact Line ) to evacuate the wounded but they didn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ further battles unfold ?
The next day we reviewed the defense system and strengthened it .
We planted more MON-50s ( anti-personnel mines ) , stocked up on grenades and all we had at disposal .
We realized that there is only one way out : it 's either we or they .
It became clear that if we did n't open fire , we would be dead .
So we hit them with everything we had – mortars , tanks , IFVs ...
The order to open fire was : `` Death @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the industrial zone was practically bleeding , but we managed to stabilize the frontline in an incredible effort .
At first we were in a semi-encirclement , but gradually we advanced along the flanks and deployed a “ horseshoe ” towards the enemy .
Givi realized that he was finished so he retreated to be replaced by the `` Vostok Battalion '' .
We survived .
And we had no losses for a long time ...
But in three weeks we had one of our men killed .
I tell everyone that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people .
They could do everything .
All of the “ DPR ” and the Russian Federation were against us .
In February 2017 , battles were ongoing from morning to night hours .
Artillery fire never stopped .
We once had no sleep in five days .
It was freezing , but there was no trace of snow – everything was black at our positions .
Some say : `` The shell will not hit the same spot twice . ''
Not true .
It does , two , three , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Everything was drenched in blood .
And no one was originally going to fight like that for this piece of land .
But after our guys were killed , it became a matter of principle .
It was like in those movies about Stalingrad .
We would bring 16 men to the positions in the morning only to take them back out during the day .
Volunteers also went to the positions : cooks , artillerymen , tankers .
There was a doctor in the second company , callsign `` Seagull '' , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ began at the Almaz position , and at some point , he took over command and managed things no worse than some officer .
The whole team was fighting for this piece of land , the position later renamed in honor of my late deputy Andriy Kizilo callsign `` Eagle '' .
But the militants were n't giving up .
They shelled Avdiyivka with `` Grad '' missiles and used heavy artillery .
There was a time when the evacuation began , our forces were getting ready to retreat from the city ... @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` nines '' ( nine-story buildings on the outskirts of the city ) , where journalists could take pictures of them .
And so came news reports : `` Ukraine Army is ready for an offensive .
There is no ceasefire deal . ''
And the enemy abandoned their offensive plans .
That 's how we tricked them .
We survived .
What was the hardest moment for you back then ?
Once I was called to the headquarters to get awards for my men .
I took several dozen orders in Kyiv @ @ @ @ @ @ @ called my chief of staff : `` Tomorrow I ’ m going to greet my men , so tell me who 's where . ''
I come to him next morning and several boxes with rewards are still on his table .
I exploded : `` What the hell ?
Why didn ’ t you complete the task ? ''
He said , `` There is nobody to reward ... `` It turned out that some of them was killed and the rest were injured .
At that moment I wish I were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In the spring , three of our men were killed in mortar shelling .
Then a direct hit to a dugout – and another two KIAs .
I almost lost it .
I gave the order : `` Do n't die '' and told them to make sure everyone heard that order ... You know what was my biggest reward ?
At the Eagle position we once came under mortar fire .
A soldier was injured when he covered me from a fragment hit with his body .
I yelled at him @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' He said , `` If you 're killed , then we 're all finished . ''
Two times my soldiers covered me .
I think there can be no better reward .
All who participated in those fierce battles are heroes .
Legends were born there that are now defending the country .
I had the honor of commanding the best people .
Did you talk with POWs then ?
And what did the militants say about you ?
They [ militants ] loathed and feared us .
We were so bad @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to a single gun burst in our direction .
They were just waiting for us to go for a rotation .
And when we were leaving , they did n't fire a single shot at us .
I talked with prisoners in 2014-2017 , and every year their faith in victory was becoming stronger and stronger .
This is not the case with us .
The war divided our country into two parts .
The ATO or JFO is interesting to those who are in the ATO and to a small part of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
And in the news we hear all the time : `` A veteran killed someone '' , `` A veteran is a suspect '' , `` A grenade was found '' , crap like that ... And no one cares where you fought , how you fought , and if you have a PTSD… Nobody tells anyone how we fought and how we survived .
Right now we have a truce , but day after day there are new losses .
It seems as if there are no battles but another sniper @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' ( KIA , killed in action ) .
I wrote a book about how we fought , to let people know about the heroes… I do n't want to talk about what is happening now in the Army , I am an officer with the Armed Forces , my task is to defend the country and follow orders .
But who is Lieutenant Colonel Vdovichenko now ?
One of the hundreds of lieutenant colonels .
But who was battalion commander , lieutenant colonel Vdovichenko back then ?
A man followed by hundreds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into fiercest battles .
Something like this ...
Many times in Avdiyivka I wanted to die , I was looking for that death , but it never came by ...
But I reconsidered my life .
A year ago , my wife gave me a son , my little Sasha !
Now I want to live as long as possible .
I have drawn conclusions .
There are things that we ca n't change , we can only change our attitude towards them .
I learned to let go of situations and people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ glad to have them around , and whoever 's not – I 'm not trying to change anyone and I don ’ t want to understand anyone .
In one film , I heard : `` Everything always ends well .
If it ends badly , that 's not the end yet . ''

Former battalion commander with the 72nd separate mechanized brigade, chief of staff of the 28th Brigade, Lieutenant Colonel Oleksandr Vdovichenko (callsign "Slavian") sat down with UNIAN to tell about his troops forcing militants in Donbas to retreat, repelling the attacks of the "elite" DPR troops, preventing an offensive on Avdiyivka with the help of journalists and photos of tanks, surviving and following his "don't die" order.
Many battles in the Donbas warzone can be called a symbol of resilience and courage of Ukrainian military, who have been fighting to death for every piece of Ukrainian land.
Avdiyivka, a town just 10 km from Donetsk, was liberated in July 2014, but hostilities nearby and enemy shelling in its residential quarters never subsided. After such shelling in January 2015, local residents were left without heat, electricity, and water supplies for weeks.
At the beginning of 2016, battles for the industrial zone near Avdiyivka have intensified. Control over this "gray zone" allowed ensuring safety to the locals and gaining control of the Donetsk-Luhansk and Debaltseve-Horlivka motorways. Confrontation climaxed in the fall of that year and lasted until the spring of 2017. The enemy heavily engaged Ukrainian troops with weapons proscribed by the Minsk agreements. Several times the militants stormed the industrial zone, but their offensive efforts were repulsed, while Ukrainian forces advanced and gained better positions.
Видео дня
In those battles, the 72nd Separate Mechanized Brigade played a really important role, holding ground in Avdiyivka for 375 days and nights. Six fighters were awarded Bohdan Khmelnytsky orders (including one posthumously). The order of courage was awarded to 20 fighters (seven posthumously). Lieutenant Vasyl Tarasiuk and Captain Andriy Kizilo (posthumously) were awarded the title of Hero of Ukraine.
Oleksandr Vdovichenko (call sign "Slavian"), a former battalion commander and now chief of staff with the 28th Brigade, told UNIAN how his fighters forced the militant grouping led by an infamous warlord Givi (who was later assassinated in Donetsk) to retreat, repelled the attacks of the "elite" DPR troops, and prevented an attack using photos of their tanks as a decoy, survived, and complied with their commander's order: "Don't die!"
Tell us about the first days at Avdiyivka's industrial zone.
We deployed in the Avdiyivka industrial zone in October 2016, and on the very first day, we came under enemy fire. Before that, we had not been involved in the ATO for six months, working with NATO instructors at a training ground, then we were held in reserve, based in the rear of Donetsk region. And my first thought in Avdiyivka was: "I guess I'm going to die here."
It was really scary. First, we came under mortar fire. Everyone rushed into the basement and just waited. As we were moving along our positions, we came under machine gunfire. We ducked and lay there with our chief of recon, and after a few minutes I said to him: "Actually, it's not scary anymore." And he went: “it's alright, you'll get used to it."
At that time, shelling never stopped. While artillery could be silent during daytime, automatic "chatter" did not subside, it was constant. When the first frost hit, the leaves fell from the trees and we were at the enemy's plain sight. There were no trenches at all. There were perhaps just two of them throughout the industrial zone. So we began to dig in order to survive.
I will say that we were pretty well supplied at that time already. What we lacked was camouflage nets, thermal imagers, and generators ... But volunteers would bring this, too.
When did the militants go for an offensive?
Three days later, we changed positions and the airborne assault unit came in, and that's when I took command of the area and that very evening we got intercepted enemy communications. "Sparrow", the commander of the reconnaissance platoon of the Somali battalion, wrote to Givi: "Man, we are in position, ready for the assault." The response was: "Wait, let the artillery work a bit more." We could not understand where exactly they would strike ... But time passed, and from the forefront, our “Romeo” and “Dragon” report: the enemy is around them. The enemy started to try and penetrate so we repelled their offensive with grenades.
Then we had three of our men wounded. The enemy also suffered losses, but they were ready for this and did not retreat. In intercepted comms we heard Givi commands: "Take them alive."
I sent in a reserve group, but their artillery worked so hard that we could not approach those positions, we could not even get out of our command post. I just didn't know what to do. And then for the first time I gave the command to open fire at the enemy, practically next to our positions.There were basements, I drove everyone there and wrote to the commander of our mortar battery: "Eugene, please, don’t hit our men… "And he dropped about forty mines on those bastards.
Thank God, we suffered no losses, while they had seven or eight KIAs. But Givi was only pumped up by those losses. He deployed the reserve and began to prepare for a new assault. And only after our artillery hit his command post and he was injured, he ordered to retreat.
We asked the JCCC (Joint Center for Monitoring and Coordinating Ceasefire and Stabilization of the Contact Line) to evacuate the wounded but they didn’t hear us...
And how did further battles unfold?
The next day we reviewed the defense system and strengthened it. We planted more MON-50s (anti-personnel mines), stocked up on grenades and all we had at disposal. We realized that there is only one way out: it's either we or they. It became clear that if we didn't open fire, we would be dead. So we hit them with everything we had – mortars, tanks, IFVs... The order to open fire was: "Death to Novorossiya."
Day after day, the industrial zone was practically bleeding, but we managed to stabilize the frontline in an incredible effort. At first we were in a semi-encirclement, but gradually we advanced along the flanks and deployed a “horseshoe” towards the enemy. Givi realized that he was finished so he retreated to be replaced by the "Vostok Battalion".
We survived. And we had no losses for a long time... But in three weeks we had one of our men killed.
I tell everyone that I was in command of the best people. They could do everything. All of the “DPR” and the Russian Federation were against us. In February 2017, battles were ongoing from morning to night hours. Artillery fire never stopped. We once had no sleep in five days. It was freezing, but there was no trace of snow – everything was black at our positions. Some say: "The shell will not hit the same spot twice." Not true. It does, two, three, and four times. Everything was plowed. Everything was drenched in blood. And no one was originally going to fight like that for this piece of land. But after our guys were killed, it became a matter of principle.
It was like in those movies about Stalingrad. We would bring 16 men to the positions in the morning only to take them back out during the day. Volunteers also went to the positions: cooks, artillerymen, tankers. There was a doctor in the second company, callsign "Seagull", a nice, positive guy. Shelling began at the Almaz position, and at some point, he took over command and managed things no worse than some officer. The whole team was fighting for this piece of land, the position later renamed in honor of my late deputy Andriy Kizilo callsign "Eagle".
But the militants weren't giving up. They shelled Avdiyivka with "Grad" missiles and used heavy artillery. There was a time when the evacuation began, our forces were getting ready to retreat from the city ... But we put two tanks at the "nines" (nine-story buildings on the outskirts of the city), where journalists could take pictures of them. And so came news reports: "Ukraine Army is ready for an offensive. There is no ceasefire deal." And the enemy abandoned their offensive plans. That's how we tricked them. We survived.
What was the hardest moment for you back then?
Once I was called to the headquarters to get awards for my men. I took several dozen orders in Kyiv to take to the battalion. I called my chief of staff: "Tomorrow I’m going to greet my men, so tell me who's where." I come to him next morning and several boxes with rewards are still on his table. I exploded: "What the hell? Why didn’t you complete the task?" He said, "There is nobody to reward ... " It turned out that some of them was killed and the rest were injured. At that moment I wish I were dead...
Then a tough truce began. In the spring, three of our men were killed in mortar shelling. Then a direct hit to a dugout – and another two KIAs. I almost lost it. I gave the order: "Don't die" and told them to make sure everyone heard that order...
You know what was my biggest reward? At the Eagle position we once came under mortar fire. A soldier was injured when he covered me from a fragment hit with his body. I yelled at him: "What are you doing?" He said, "If you're killed, then we're all finished." Two times my soldiers covered me. I think there can be no better reward. All who participated in those fierce battles are heroes. Legends were born there that are now defending the country. I had the honor of commanding the best people.
Did you talk with POWs then? And what did the militants say about you?
They [militants] loathed and feared us.
We were so bad we could launch 40 mines in response to a single gun burst in our direction. They were just waiting for us to go for a rotation. And when we were leaving, they didn't fire a single shot at us.
I talked with prisoners in 2014-2017, and every year their faith in victory was becoming stronger and stronger. This is not the case with us. The war divided our country into two parts. The ATO or JFO is interesting to those who are in the ATO and to a small part of the country. The rest are weary. And in the news we hear all the time: "A veteran killed someone", "A veteran is a suspect", " A grenade was found", crap like that... And no one cares where you fought, how you fought, and if you have a PTSD… Nobody tells anyone how we fought and how we survived. Right now we have a truce, but day after day there are new losses. It seems as if there are no battles but another sniper shot and there goes another "200" (KIA, killed in action).
I wrote a book about how we fought, to let people know about the heroes… I don't want to talk about what is happening now in the Army, I am an officer with the Armed Forces, my task is to defend the country and follow orders. But who is Lieutenant Colonel Vdovichenko now? One of the hundreds of lieutenant colonels. But who was battalion commander, lieutenant colonel Vdovichenko back then? A man followed by hundreds of best fighters, without hesitation, into fiercest battles. Something like this...
Many times in Avdiyivka I wanted to die, I was looking for that death, but it never came by... But I reconsidered my life. A year ago, my wife gave me a son, my little Sasha! Now I want to live as long as possible. I have drawn conclusions. There are things that we can't change, we can only change our attitude towards them. I learned to let go of situations and people. Whoever's with me I'm glad to have them around, and whoever's not – I'm not trying to change anyone and I don’t want to understand anyone. In one film, I heard: "Everything always ends well. If it ends badly, that's not the end yet."
Vlad Abramov


unian--2020-01-27--RFE/RL: Bolton book says Trump tied Ukraine aid to probes he sought  – report

The trial will resume in the Senate later on January 27 .
Former national-security adviser John Bolton has made claims in an unpublished book that U.S. President Donald Trump wanted to freeze aid to Ukraine unless it investigated his political rivals , The New York Times reports .
The January 26 report said Bolton writes in the book that Trump had told him he wanted to withhold hundreds of millions of dollars in security aid to Ukraine until it helped him with investigations , including into former Vice President Joe Biden and his son , Radio Free Europe / Radio @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's legal team has repeatedly insisted that the president never tied Ukraine aid to investigations .
Read alsoRFE/RL : Trump heard asking on tape : How long can Ukraine last 'in fight with Russia ' ?
After the report went online , Democrats renewed their demand for Bolton to be called to testify in Trump 's impeachment trial in the Senate .
The president faces one charge of abuse of power and another on obstruction of Congress over his alleged efforts to prod Ukraine to investigate his political rivals while withholding US $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The trial will resume in the Senate later on January 27 .
Trump denied the claim in a series of tweets early on January 27 , saying : “ I NEVER told John Bolton that the aid to Ukraine was tied to investigations into Democrats , including the Bidens . ''
`` In fact , he never complained about this at the time of his very public termination .
If John Bolton said this , it was only to sell a book , '' he added .
The document has been sent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a standard practice for some current and former administration officials who write books .
Bolton left the White House a day before Trump ultimately released the aid to Kyiv on September 11 and has told lawmakers he is willing to testify , despite the president ’ s order barring aides from cooperating in the proceedings .
A July 25 phone call between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is at the center of the trial .
A rough transcript of the conversation revealed that the U.S. president had urged his Ukrainian counterpart @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a potential opponent in this year 's presidential election in November .
His son Hunter Biden was a paid board member of a Ukrainian energy firm when he served as vice president .
Critics say the crucial military aid to Kyiv was withheld as leverage .
`` John Bolton has the evidence , '' tweeted Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer ( Democrat-New York ) .
`` It 's up to four Senate Republicans to ensure that John Bolton , [ acting White House chief of staff ] Mick Mulvaney , and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ actions testify in the Senate trial . ''
The Democrats need at least four Republicans to vote with them to seek witness testimony in the trial .
However , the legislative chamber is controlled by Trump 's fellow Republicans .
RFE/RL has not confirmed the contents of the draft of Bolton 's book .
He left his post after disagreements with the president .
Trump said he fired him .
Bolton said he resigned .
Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives have charged Trump with abuse of office and obstruction of Congress @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Senate to decide whether to convict and remove the president from office .
The chamber 's 100 senators are the jurors in the trial .
Trump has denied wrongdoing and has called the impeachment proceedings a `` witch hunt . ''
Day seven of the impeachment trial begins on January 27 with Trump 's defense team expected to continue presenting opening arguments .
Other legislative work is possible as well .

The trial will resume in the Senate later on January 27.
Former national-security adviser John Bolton has made claims in an unpublished book that U.S. President Donald Trump wanted to freeze aid to Ukraine unless it investigated his political rivals, The New York Times reports.
The January 26 report said Bolton writes in the book that Trump had told him he wanted to withhold hundreds of millions of dollars in security aid to Ukraine until it helped him with investigations, including into former Vice President Joe Biden and his son, Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) said.
Trump's legal team has repeatedly insisted that the president never tied Ukraine aid to investigations.
Видео дня
Read alsoRFE/RL: Trump heard asking on tape: How long can Ukraine last 'in fight with Russia'?
After the report went online, Democrats renewed their demand for Bolton to be called to testify in Trump's impeachment trial in the Senate. The president faces one charge of abuse of power and another on obstruction of Congress over his alleged efforts to prod Ukraine to investigate his political rivals while withholding US$391 million in military assistance to Kyiv.
The trial will resume in the Senate later on January 27.
Trump denied the claim in a series of tweets early on January 27, saying: “I NEVER told John Bolton that the aid to Ukraine was tied to investigations into Democrats, including the Bidens."
"In fact, he never complained about this at the time of his very public termination. If John Bolton said this, it was only to sell a book," he added.
The document has been sent to the White House for prepublication review, a standard practice for some current and former administration officials who write books.
Bolton left the White House a day before Trump ultimately released the aid to Kyiv on September 11 and has told lawmakers he is willing to testify, despite the president’s order barring aides from cooperating in the proceedings.
A July 25 phone call between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is at the center of the trial. A rough transcript of the conversation revealed that the U.S. president had urged his Ukrainian counterpart to investigate Biden, who is seen as a potential opponent in this year's presidential election in November. His son Hunter Biden was a paid board member of a Ukrainian energy firm when he served as vice president.
Critics say the crucial military aid to Kyiv was withheld as leverage.
"John Bolton has the evidence," tweeted Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (Democrat-New York). "It's up to four Senate Republicans to ensure that John Bolton, [acting White House chief of staff] Mick Mulvaney, and the others with direct knowledge of Trump's actions testify in the Senate trial."
The Democrats need at least four Republicans to vote with them to seek witness testimony in the trial. However, the legislative chamber is controlled by Trump's fellow Republicans.
RFE/RL has not confirmed the contents of the draft of Bolton's book.
He left his post after disagreements with the president. Trump said he fired him. Bolton said he resigned.
Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives have charged Trump with abuse of office and obstruction of Congress. A trial is under way in the Senate to decide whether to convict and remove the president from office. The chamber's 100 senators are the jurors in the trial.
Trump has denied wrongdoing and has called the impeachment proceedings a "witch hunt."
Day seven of the impeachment trial begins on January 27 with Trump's defense team expected to continue presenting opening arguments. Other legislative work is possible as well.


unian--2020-01-27--Ukrnafta pays US$20.8 mln in royalties for oil, gas production in Dec

The communities and budgets of Sumy , Ivano-Frankivsk , and Poltava regions were the major recipients of the funds .
Ukraine 's largest oil producer , Ukrnafta , in December 2019 paid UAH 506.7 million ( US $ 20.8 million ) in royalties for oil and gas production to budgets of all levels , of which UAH 25.3 million ( about US $ 1 million ) was channeled into to local budgets .
`` In December 2019 , PJSC Ukrnafta paid UAH 506.7 million in royalties to the state and local budgets of all levels .
According to the mechanism @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and gas production , enshrined in law , local budgets received UAH 25.3 million , '' the company 's press service said on January 24 .
The major recipients of said payments were the budgets of Sumy region ( UAH 10.6 million/US $ 435,676 ) , Ivano-Frankivsk region ( UAH 6.04 million/ US $ 248,253 ) and Poltava region ( UAH 3.6 million/US $ 147,965 ) .
The amount of royalties paid to the local budgets depends on the volume of hydrocarbons production in the region .
The communities usually use the funds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ukrnafta in 2019 paid UAH 12.47 billion ( US $ 512.5 million ) in taxes to the budgets of all levels .
The paid taxes include over UAH 60 million ( US $ 2.5 million ) in overdue tax debt the company paid off over the period under review , the report said .
The company is among the 10 biggest taxpayers , according to the State Fiscal Service of Ukraine .
As UNIAN reported earlier , in 2018 , Ukrnafta paid UAH 7.8 billion ( US $ 320.6 million ) in royalties @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of all levels , which was 36.7 % up from the figure reported in 2017 .
At the same time , UAH 389.3 million ( US $ 16 million ) was allocated to local budgets .
UNIAN memo .
Ukrnafta is the largest state-owned oil and gas company in Ukraine .
It accounts for about 68 % of oil and condensate production , and 11 % of gas extraction in the country .
Ukrnafta is one of the key players in the retail market for petroleum products in Ukraine : the company owns @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the country .
Ukrnafta 's shares are listed on the Ukrainian Exchange ( UX ) and the PFTS Stock Exchange ( Kyiv ) .
Depositary receipts for company 's shares are traded on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange .

Ukrnafta pays US$20.8 mln in royalties for oil, gas production in Dec
16:42, 27.01.20 754
The communities and budgets of Sumy, Ivano-Frankivsk, and Poltava regions were the major recipients of the funds.
Помогите проекту
Support us


unian--2020-01-27--Ukrainian MP Merezhko elected PACE Vice President

Merezhko will serve as PACE Vice President for one year .
Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Foreign Policy and Inter-Parliamentary Cooperation , MP from the Servant of the People parliamentary faction Oleksandr Merezhko has been elected Vice President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe ( PACE ) .
`` Member of the Ukrainian delegation , representative of the Servant of the People faction Oleksandr Merezhko has been elected Vice President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe , '' Ukrainian MP from the Servant of the People faction , Deputy Chief of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Yehveniya Kravchuk wrote on Facebook .
She said Merezhko is a doctor of law , an expert in international law .
`` The experience of teaching in the U.S. , Poland , India , Azerbaijan and Armenia , knowledge of the specifics of those countries will also be useful in the exercise of authority in the framework of PACE , '' Kravchuk said .
She also explained the importance of the position of vice president .
`` Twenty vice presidents from PACE member states are elected annually at the beginning of the regular @ @ @ @ @ @ @ opening of the next session .
The position of vice president is extremely responsible , since if necessary , he can replace the president and preside at a meeting of the Assembly or at debates ( if he does not participate in them as a speaker ) .
The vice president is also automatically included in the [ PACE ] Bureau , which conducts meetings by preparing the agenda for the sessions and identifying issues that deserve to be covered in the reports , '' Kravchuk said .

Merezhko will serve as PACE Vice President for one year.
Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Foreign Policy and Inter-Parliamentary Cooperation, MP from the Servant of the People parliamentary faction Oleksandr Merezhko has been elected Vice President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE).
"Member of the Ukrainian delegation, representative of the Servant of the People faction Oleksandr Merezhko has been elected Vice President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe," Ukrainian MP from the Servant of the People faction, Deputy Chief of the Verkhovna Rada's Permanent Delegation to PACE Yehveniya Kravchuk wrote on Facebook.
Read alsoRussian delegation's credentials appealed at PACE
Видео дня
She said Merezhko is a doctor of law, an expert in international law.
"The experience of teaching in the U.S., Poland, India, Azerbaijan and Armenia, knowledge of the specifics of those countries will also be useful in the exercise of authority in the framework of PACE," Kravchuk said.
She also explained the importance of the position of vice president.
"Twenty vice presidents from PACE member states are elected annually at the beginning of the regular session and remain in office until the opening of the next session. The position of vice president is extremely responsible, since if necessary, he can replace the president and preside at a meeting of the Assembly or at debates (if he does not participate in them as a speaker). The vice president is also automatically included in the [PACE] Bureau, which conducts meetings by preparing the agenda for the sessions and identifying issues that deserve to be covered in the reports," Kravchuk said.


unian--2020-01-27--MP Honcharuk: EU may provide Ukraine with EUR 26 mln aid for land reform

The draft agreement with the European Union also envisages assistance for the institutional and sectoral reform in agriculture .
Ukrainian Prime Minister Oleksiy Honcharuk says the Cabinet of Ministers has approved a draft agreement with the European Union , which provides for the allocation of EUR 26 million in financial assistance for Ukraine 's land reform .
Read alsoUkraine 's farmland market : Finalized bill stipulates no more 10,000 ha per person '' The government plans to raise EUR 26 million in EU assistance to improve the transparency of agricultural resources management and to implement the land reform , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
If the document , titled `` EU Support for the Development of Agriculture and Small Farms in Ukraine '' is signed , Ukraine may receive aid in the following sectors : institutional and sectoral reform in farming and rural development , support for small-scale farms , and promotion of land reform .
As UNIAN reported earlier , on November 13 , the Verkhovna Rada , Ukraine 's parliament , adopted a draft law to amend certain legislative acts of Ukraine on farmland turnover in the first reading .
The document , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is designed to launch the farmland market in Ukraine from October 1 , 2020 .

MP Honcharuk: EU may provide Ukraine with EUR 26 mln aid for land reform
16:06, 27.01.20 1343
The draft agreement with the European Union also envisages assistance for the institutional and sectoral reform in agriculture.
Помогите проекту
Support us


unian--2020-01-27--Russian delegation's credentials appealed at PACE

The relevant proposal of Lithuanian MP Emanuelis Zingeris received a sufficient number of votes during the opening of the PACE Winter Session in Strasbourg .
The credentials of the Russian State Duma 's delegation have been appealed at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe ( PACE ) .
The relevant proposal of Lithuanian MP Emanuelis Zingeris received a sufficient number of votes during the opening of the PACE Winter Session in Strasbourg .
The meeting was broadcast on the PACE official website .
Zingeris said he wanted to appeal the credentials of the Russian delegation on legal grounds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ intentions to hold a referendum on the correlation of international law and domestic legislation of the Russian Federation in accordance with the Russian Constitution .
Read alsoParliament in Ukraine approves return of country 's delegation to PACE According to Russian initiatives , the decisions of the European Court of Human Rights will not be taken into account , the MP said .
This proposal received the required number of votes from at least five PACE delegation countries .
Chairman of the meeting and member of the Latvian delegation to PACE Boris Tsilevitch said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been appealed without debate , and now the PACE Monitoring Committee should prepare a report .
In addition , other PACE members proposed to appeal the credentials of the Russian delegation on procedural grounds over the elections to the State Duma in Russian-occupied Crimea , since , according to international law , residents of annexed territories should take part in the elections in the state to which these territories belong legally , namely to Ukraine .
In addition , several Russian members of the delegation to PACE were previously subject to EU sanctions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ number of votes .
Now this issue should be considered by the PACE Procedural Committee .

The relevant proposal of Lithuanian MP Emanuelis Zingeris received a sufficient number of votes during the opening of the PACE Winter Session in Strasbourg.
The credentials of the Russian State Duma's delegation have been appealed at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE).
The relevant proposal of Lithuanian MP Emanuelis Zingeris received a sufficient number of votes during the opening of the PACE Winter Session in Strasbourg. The meeting was broadcast on the PACE official website.
Zingeris said he wanted to appeal the credentials of the Russian delegation on legal grounds, since Russia had recently announced its intentions to hold a referendum on the correlation of international law and domestic legislation of the Russian Federation in accordance with the Russian Constitution.
Видео дня
Read alsoParliament in Ukraine approves return of country's delegation to PACE
According to Russian initiatives, the decisions of the European Court of Human Rights will not be taken into account, the MP said.
This proposal received the required number of votes from at least five PACE delegation countries.
Chairman of the meeting and member of the Latvian delegation to PACE Boris Tsilevitch said the credentials of the Russian delegation had been appealed without debate, and now the PACE Monitoring Committee should prepare a report.
In addition, other PACE members proposed to appeal the credentials of the Russian delegation on procedural grounds over the elections to the State Duma in Russian-occupied Crimea, since, according to international law, residents of annexed territories should take part in the elections in the state to which these territories belong legally, namely to Ukraine. In addition, several Russian members of the delegation to PACE were previously subject to EU sanctions.
This proposal also received the required number of votes. Now this issue should be considered by the PACE Procedural Committee.


unian--2020-01-27--Ukraine's Cabinet to launch loan program at low rates for businesses

The government has identified a mechanism for using budget funds within the Entrepreneurship Development Fund .
Ukrainian Prime Minister Oleksiy Honcharuk says the Cabinet of Ministers has adopted a resolution to launch a program under which affordable loans will be provided to businesses at a rate of 5 % , 7 % or 9 % per annum from February 1 , 2020 .
Read also '' Come back and stay '' : Zelensky announces launch of national program for Ukrainians living abroad '' The government incentive program for small- and medium-sized enterprises will allow participants to borrow up to UAH @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in affordable loans at 5 % , 7 % or 9 % to create or expand their business operations .
The government has identified a mechanism for using budget funds within the Entrepreneurship Development Fund , '' he wrote on Telegram on January 24 , following a government meeting .
According to Honcharuk , the implementation of the program also provides for a number of tools to ensure the availability of loans .
As UNIAN reported earlier , Ukraine 's Cabinet of Ministers on December 11 transferred the state 's corporate rights in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ukraine 's Finance Ministry and allocated UAH 5 billion ( US205.5 million ) in the GUF 's 2020 budget for an affordable lending program for small- and medium-sized enterprises in Ukraine .
The government program offering affordable loans to micro- and small-sized enterprises will start operating on February 1 , 2020 , under the supervision of the National Bank of Ukraine ( NBU ) .
UNIAN memo .
The program for supporting small- and micro-sized enterprises initiated by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky envisages affordable lending at 5 % -9 % per annum .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to UAH 1.5 million ( US $ 61,652 ) for five years at 5 % per annum , if UAH 25 million ( about US $ 1 million ) in revenue is expected and at least two jobs are created at a company .
A 7 % rate per annum is provided for businesses with revenue worth up to UAH 25 million , which do not create new jobs , but the rate will be reduced by 0.5 % for each new employee there .
Businesses that post up to UAH 50 million @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be granted a 9 % rate per annum .
At the same time , a participant must invest 20 % of own funds from all expenses .

Ukraine's Cabinet to launch loan program at low rates for businesses
15:20, 27.01.20 1596
The government has identified a mechanism for using budget funds within the Entrepreneurship Development Fund.
Помогите проекту
Support us


unian--2020-01-27--Reuters: Oil drops below $60 as China virus drives demand concern

Global stock exchanges also fell as investors grew increasingly anxious about the widening crisis .
Crude prices extended declines on Monday , dropping below $ 60 for the first time in nearly three months as the death toll from China 's coronavirus rose and more businesses were forced to shut down , stoking expectations of slowing oil demand .
Brent crude LCOc1 fell by $ 1.79 a barrel , or 2.95 % , to $ 58.90 by 0903 GMT , its lowest since late October , Reuters said .
Oil prices last fell below $ 60 on November 1 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1.63 , or 3 % , at $ 52.55 .
Global stock exchanges also fell as investors grew increasingly anxious about the widening crisis .
Demand spiked for safe-haven assets , such as the Japanese yen and Treasury notes .
Read alsoDeath toll from coronavirus outbreak in China rises to 81 – media Saudi Arabia 's Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman Al-Saud said on Monday that OPEC and allied global producers led by Russia can help to balance the oil markets in response to any demand changes .
He also said the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries ( OPEC ) , was watching developments in China and that he felt confident the new virus would be contained .
Markets are being `` primarily driven by psychological factors and extremely negative expectations adopted by some market participants despite ( the virus ' ) very limited impact on global oil demand , '' the minister said .
Prince Abdulaziz added that the outbreak of the SARS virus in 2002-2003 did not lead to a significant reduction in oil demand .
OPEC and its allies , known @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to support oil prices for nearly three years and on Jan. 1 increased their agreed output reduction by 500,000 barrels per day ( bpd ) to 1.7 million bpd through March .

Global stock exchanges also fell as investors grew increasingly anxious about the widening crisis.
Crude prices extended declines on Monday, dropping below $60 for the first time in nearly three months as the death toll from China's coronavirus rose and more businesses were forced to shut down, stoking expectations of slowing oil demand.
Brent crude LCOc1 fell by $1.79 a barrel, or 2.95%, to $58.90 by 0903 GMT, its lowest since late October, Reuters said.
Oil prices last fell below $60 on November 1.
Видео дня
U.S. crude CLc1 was down by $1.63, or 3%, at $52.55.
Global stock exchanges also fell as investors grew increasingly anxious about the widening crisis. Demand spiked for safe-haven assets, such as the Japanese yen and Treasury notes.
Read alsoDeath toll from coronavirus outbreak in China rises to 81 – media
Saudi Arabia's Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman Al-Saud said on Monday that OPEC and allied global producers led by Russia can help to balance the oil markets in response to any demand changes.
He also said the Kingdom, the de-facto leader of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), was watching developments in China and that he felt confident the new virus would be contained.
Markets are being "primarily driven by psychological factors and extremely negative expectations adopted by some market participants despite (the virus') very limited impact on global oil demand," the minister said.
Prince Abdulaziz added that the outbreak of the SARS virus in 2002-2003 did not lead to a significant reduction in oil demand.
OPEC and its allies, known as OPEC+, have been withholding supply to support oil prices for nearly three years and on Jan. 1 increased their agreed output reduction by 500,000 barrels per day (bpd) to 1.7 million bpd through March.


unian--2020-01-27--Russia suspends investigation into case of released Ukrainian sailors – lawyer

According to Polozov , the grounds and motives of the adopted procedural decision will be known after the lawyers receive a copy of the decision .
Coordinator of a group of lawyers working for 24 Ukrainian sailors Nikolay Polozov has said Russia suspended the preliminary investigation into the case of Ukrainian military sailors released from captivity in September 2019 .
`` Today , an investigator of the FSB Investigation Department announced a procedural decision to suspend the preliminary investigation into the case of Ukrainian military sailors , '' he wrote on Facebook .
Read alsoMFA Ukraine : Russia did n't @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Ukrainian boats ( Video ) According to Polozov , the grounds and motives of the adopted procedural decision will be known after the lawyers receive a copy of the decision .
UNIAN memo .
On the morning of November 25 , 2018 , Russia blocked the passage to the Kerch Strait for the Ukrainian tugboat `` Yany Kapu '' and two armored naval boats `` Berdyansk '' and `` Nikopol , '' which were on a scheduled re-deployment from the Black Sea port of Odesa to the Azov Sea port of Mariupol @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were captured and charged with `` illegal border crossing '' under Part 3 of Article 322 of the Criminal Code of Russia ( imprisonment for up to six years ) .
Later the Ukrainian sailors were freed and returned to Ukraine in a major prisoner swap between Ukraine and Russia on September 7 , 2019 .
The ITLOS on May 25 ordered Russia to immediately release the three vessels and transfer them under Ukrainian control .
On November 20 , the naval boats arrived at the Ukrainian port of Ochakiv .
Ukrainian Navy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Russians had dismantled some communications and navigation equipment from the seized ships .

According to Polozov, the grounds and motives of the adopted procedural decision will be known after the lawyers receive a copy of the decision.
Coordinator of a group of lawyers working for 24 Ukrainian sailors Nikolay Polozov has said Russia suspended the preliminary investigation into the case of Ukrainian military sailors released from captivity in September 2019.
"Today, an investigator of the FSB Investigation Department announced a procedural decision to suspend the preliminary investigation into the case of Ukrainian military sailors," he wrote on Facebook.
Read alsoMFA Ukraine: Russia didn't comply with ITLOS decision even after return of Ukrainian boats (Video)
Видео дня
According to Polozov, the grounds and motives of the adopted procedural decision will be known after the lawyers receive a copy of the decision.
UNIAN memo. On the morning of November 25, 2018, Russia blocked the passage to the Kerch Strait for the Ukrainian tugboat "Yany Kapu" and two armored naval boats "Berdyansk" and "Nikopol," which were on a scheduled re-deployment from the Black Sea port of Odesa to the Azov Sea port of Mariupol. All 24 crew members on board were captured and charged with "illegal border crossing" under Part 3 of Article 322 of the Criminal Code of Russia (imprisonment for up to six years). Later the Ukrainian sailors were freed and returned to Ukraine in a major prisoner swap between Ukraine and Russia on September 7, 2019. The ITLOS on May 25 ordered Russia to immediately release the three vessels and transfer them under Ukrainian control.
On November 20, the naval boats arrived at the Ukrainian port of Ochakiv.
Ukrainian Navy Commander, Admiral Ihor Voronchenko said the Russians had dismantled some communications and navigation equipment from the seized ships.


unian--2020-01-28--Ukraine's Embassy asks Ukrainians to leave China over coronavirus outbreak

The Embassy is constantly monitoring the development of the epidemiological situation in China .
The Embassy of Ukraine in China has strongly recommended that Ukrainian citizens leave China over the outbreak of the novel coronavirus ( 2019-nCoV ) .
`` The Embassy is constantly monitoring the development of the epidemiological situation in China and is maintaining contacts with the relevant authorities .
All possible options are being worked out to provide assistance to fellow citizens who are located in the cities of Hubei province that are subject to quarantine restrictions .
Among other things , the possibility of their evacuation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decision is made by the leadership of our state , '' the Embassy wrote on Facebook .
The Embassy advises monitoring updates on https : //china.mfa.gov.ua/ and https : //mfa.gov.ua/ , as well as media reports and clearly follow the recommendations of the local authorities .
`` In case of emergency , please call the Embassy 's hotline : +86 137 01230647 , e-mail to emb_cn @ mfa.gov.ua , '' reads the report .
As UNIAN reported earlier , Chinese health authorities announced Tuesday that 4,515 confirmed cases of pneumonia caused by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reported in 30 provincial-level regions by the end of Monday .
A total of 106 people died of the disease .

The Embassy is constantly monitoring the development of the epidemiological situation in China.
The Embassy of Ukraine in China has strongly recommended that Ukrainian citizens leave China over the outbreak of the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV).
Read alsoChina reports 4,515 confirmed cases of new coronavirus pneumonia, 106 deaths – media
"The Embassy is constantly monitoring the development of the epidemiological situation in China and is maintaining contacts with the relevant authorities. All possible options are being worked out to provide assistance to fellow citizens who are located in the cities of Hubei province that are subject to quarantine restrictions. Among other things, the possibility of their evacuation is being studied in case such a decision is made by the leadership of our state," the Embassy wrote on Facebook.
Видео дня
The Embassy advises monitoring updates on https://china.mfa.gov.ua/ and https://mfa.gov.ua/, as well as media reports and clearly follow the recommendations of the local authorities.
"In case of emergency, please call the Embassy's hotline: +86 137 01230647, e-mail to emb_cn@mfa.gov.ua," reads the report.
As UNIAN reported earlier, Chinese health authorities announced Tuesday that 4,515 confirmed cases of pneumonia caused by the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) had been reported in 30 provincial-level regions by the end of Monday. A total of 106 people died of the disease.


unian--2020-01-28--MH17 case: One of suspects ready to stand trial

The court did not disclose the name of the suspect .
At least one of the suspects in the MH17 downing probe is ready to stand trial .
The relevant information has been reported by the District Court of The Hague , the Ukrainian TSN TV news service said .
Read also '' Witness for The Hague '' : Guard of MH17 crash site detained in Donbas ( Photo ) However , the court did not disclose the name of the suspect .
At the same time , according to de Rechtspraak , the website that is managed under the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hague in the Netherlands and aims to inform the public about the MH17 trial , a law firm has recently been reported for the defendant , but the court `` will not release the name of the firm and does not specify for which suspect ( s ) . ''
UNIAN memo .
Malaysia Airlines ' MH17 Boeing 777 heading from Amsterdam for Kuala Lumpur was shot down on July 17 , 2014 , over Russia-occupied territory in Donetsk region .
All 298 people on board who were citizens of 10 countries were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the victims , 196 , were citizens of the Netherlands .
The Dutch Safety Board October 13 , 2015 , issued a report on the causes of the accident .
It was revealed that the plane had been shot down by a Buk anti-aircraft missile system .
The Joint Investigation Team in its report published on September 28 , 2016 , confirmed that the plane had been downed by a Russian-made Buk brought to Ukraine from Russia .
On June 19 , 2019 , JIT investigators accused four Russia-controlled military intelligence officers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shot down MH17 .
The first four suspects in the MH17 case are Russian terrorist Igor Girkin ( AKA `` Strelkov '' ) , who in the summer of 2014 was the so-called `` Minister of Defense of the Donetsk People 's Republic '' ( `` DPR '' ) ; Russian General Sergei Dubinsky ( nom de guerre `` Khmuryi '' ) , who led the `` DPR intelligence ; '' Oleg Pulatov ( nom de guerre `` Gyurza '' ) , who in 2014 headed of `` the 2nd division of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ well as Leonid Kharchenko ( nom de guerre `` Krot '' ) , who was a leader of the `` reconnaissance battalion '' of Russia-led forces .
The trial of those suspects in the crash of the Malaysian Boeing should begin on March 9 , 2020 .

The court did not disclose the name of the suspect.
At least one of the suspects in the MH17 downing probe is ready to stand trial.
The relevant information has been reported by the District Court of The Hague, the Ukrainian TSN TV news service said.
Read also"Witness for The Hague": Guard of MH17 crash site detained in Donbas (Photo)
Видео дня
However, the court did not disclose the name of the suspect.
At the same time, according to de Rechtspraak, the website that is managed under the responsibility of the District Court of The Hague in the Netherlands and aims to inform the public about the MH17 trial, a law firm has recently been reported for the defendant, but the court "will not release the name of the firm and does not specify for which suspect(s)."
UNIAN memo. Malaysia Airlines' MH17 Boeing 777 heading from Amsterdam for Kuala Lumpur was shot down on July 17, 2014, over Russia-occupied territory in Donetsk region. All 298 people on board who were citizens of 10 countries were killed in the crash. The majority of the victims, 196, were citizens of the Netherlands. The Dutch Safety Board October 13, 2015, issued a report on the causes of the accident. It was revealed that the plane had been shot down by a Buk anti-aircraft missile system. The Joint Investigation Team in its report published on September 28, 2016, confirmed that the plane had been downed by a Russian-made Buk brought to Ukraine from Russia.
On June 19, 2019, JIT investigators accused four Russia-controlled military intelligence officers of involvement in a missile attack that shot down MH17. The first four suspects in the MH17 case are Russian terrorist Igor Girkin (AKA "Strelkov"), who in the summer of 2014 was the so-called "Minister of Defense of the Donetsk People's Republic" ("DPR"); Russian General Sergei Dubinsky (nom de guerre "Khmuryi"), who led the "DPR intelligence;" Oleg Pulatov (nom de guerre "Gyurza"), who in 2014 headed of "the 2nd division of the GRU of the DPR;" as well as Leonid Kharchenko (nom de guerre "Krot"), who was a leader of the "reconnaissance battalion" of Russia-led forces. The trial of those suspects in the crash of the Malaysian Boeing should begin on March 9, 2020.


unian--2020-01-28--PrivatBank starts accepting applications from small-sized enterprises for low-rate loans

Some 64 % of Ukrainian companies and 74 % of domestic entrepreneurs use the bank 's services .
Ukraine 's largest state-owned PrivatBank has started accepting applications from entrepreneurs and small-sized enterprises for low-rate loans under a government incentive program for businesses , titled `` Affordable Loans : 5-7-9 % . ''
`` It is enough to have an account with PrivatBank and submit an application via the designated page on the bank 's website , namely privatbank.ua/business/5-7-9 to participate in the program , '' the bank 's press service said on January 27 .
Read alsoUkraine 's Cabinet to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ businesses The program allows entrepreneurs to borrow up to UAH 1.5 million ( about US $ 61,000 ) for their business development for up to five years .
The state will refund part of the interest rate depending on the number of created jobs with the possibility of a quarterly rate reduction .
Noteworthy , the program is designed to develop small- and medium-sized enterprises , whose number of employees does not exceed 50 people ( taking into account a group of affiliated entities ) and their annual revenue is not higher than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ million ) .
The bank also plans to extend the program to develop startups .
Loans under the program may be extended to such enterprises for the purchase and/or upgrading of their fixed assets , as well as real estate and vehicles to be used for commercial and industrial purposes , as well as for construction , reconstruction , repairs in the premises where their main economic activity is carried out ( except for office premises ) .
PrivatBank says 64 % of Ukrainian companies and 74 % of domestic entrepreneurs use its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by GfK Ukraine in 2019 , the press service added .
As UNIAN reported earlier , a bill establishing the Entrepreneurship Development Fund ( EDF ) passed its second reading in the Verkhovna Rada , Ukraine 's parliament , on January 14 .
The document provides for an increase in the national budget 's special fund by UAH 2 billion ( US $ 81.3 million ) in 2020 thanks to early redemption of bills by the Deposit Guarantee Fund , which will be used to finance the EDF .
On January 24 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to launch a program under which affordable loans would be provided to businesses at a rate of 5 % , 7 % or 9 % per annum under the EDF starting from February 1 , 2020 .

PrivatBank starts accepting applications from small-sized enterprises for low-rate loans
13:06, 28.01.20 3236
Some 64% of Ukrainian companies and 74% of domestic entrepreneurs use the bank's services.
Помогите проекту
Support us


unian--2020-01-28--Ukraine in much greater danger after Putin's decision to amend Constitution – expert

The expert says mainly Ukraine and Belarus are in jeopardy .
Russian economist and former economic adviser to President Vladimir Putin Andrei Illarionov has said Ukraine and other neighbors of Russia will now be in much greater danger after the Russian leader 's decision to amend that country 's Constitution .
`` Both Ukraine and other states that turned out to be neighbors of the 'totalitarian state ' will now be in much greater danger than they were before , '' he said in an interview with Ukrainian journalist Dmytro Gordon .
`` It is clear that neither Mr. Medvedev @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recently resigned ] nor other 'system liberals ' had ever made or even tried to show any resistance to the aggressive imperial plans of the Kremlin-led security forces .
But now there is no one at all in the leadership of the state who is inherently different from the security forces .
Therefore , we can expect only new stages of provocations and the implementation of new imperial scenarios .
First of all , of course , in relation to Ukraine and Belarus , but also in relation to other states , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ totalitarian regime described by Orwell in '1984 ' novel – Putin 's ex-adviser As UNIAN reported earlier , on January 15 , 2020 , Putin delivered his annual address to the Federal Assembly , proposing amendments to the Russian Constitution .
He proposed that the status and role of the State Council be enshrined in the Constitution .
Putin also proposed that the Russian Constitution be superior to international treaties , and state and municipal authorities be in closer interaction .
What is more , he wants to authorize the State Duma to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prime minister and all his/her deputies and federal ministers upon the premier 's submission .
In addition , the Russian president proposed an amendment regarding the mandatory observance of the requirements ( citizenship and length of residence ) by members of the government , parliament and leaders of subjects of the federation .
The amendment also suggests tougher requirements for the president ( a term of office ) .
According to him , citizens of Russia will be invited to vote for amendments to the Constitution .
Putin 's presidency is expiring in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Constitution of the Russian Federation , he will no longer be able to run for president .
The same day , January 15 , Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev told Putin that the entire government was resigning .
On January 16 , Mikhail Mishustin was appointed new Russian Prime Minister .

The expert says mainly Ukraine and Belarus are in jeopardy.
Russian economist and former economic adviser to President Vladimir Putin Andrei Illarionov has said Ukraine and other neighbors of Russia will now be in much greater danger after the Russian leader's decision to amend that country's Constitution.
"Both Ukraine and other states that turned out to be neighbors of the 'totalitarian state' will now be in much greater danger than they were before," he said in an interview with Ukrainian journalist Dmytro Gordon.
"It is clear that neither Mr. Medvedev [the Russian prime minister who has recently resigned] nor other 'system liberals' had ever made or even tried to show any resistance to the aggressive imperial plans of the Kremlin-led security forces. But now there is no one at all in the leadership of the state who is inherently different from the security forces. Therefore, we can expect only new stages of provocations and the implementation of new imperial scenarios. First of all, of course, in relation to Ukraine and Belarus, but also in relation to other states," Illarionov said.
Видео дня
Read alsoRussia turning into totalitarian regime described by Orwell in '1984' novel – Putin's ex-adviser
As UNIAN reported earlier, on January 15, 2020, Putin delivered his annual address to the Federal Assembly, proposing amendments to the Russian Constitution.
He proposed that the status and role of the State Council be enshrined in the Constitution. Putin also proposed that the Russian Constitution be superior to international treaties, and state and municipal authorities be in closer interaction. What is more, he wants to authorize the State Duma to approve nominees to the posts of the prime minister and all his/her deputies and federal ministers upon the premier's submission.
In addition, the Russian president proposed an amendment regarding the mandatory observance of the requirements (citizenship and length of residence) by members of the government, parliament and leaders of subjects of the federation. The amendment also suggests tougher requirements for the president (a term of office).
According to him, citizens of Russia will be invited to vote for amendments to the Constitution. Putin's presidency is expiring in 2024, and in accordance with the Constitution of the Russian Federation, he will no longer be able to run for president.
The same day, January 15, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev told Putin that the entire government was resigning.
On January 16, Mikhail Mishustin was appointed new Russian Prime Minister.


unian--2020-01-28--RFE/RL: Criminal record of Crimean journalist Mykola Semena officially cleared

Semena received a copy of the ruling on January 28 and is now considered totally free .
An RFE/RL contributor in Ukraine 's Russia-controlled Crimea region has received court papers officially confirming the termination of his probation and the expunging of his criminal record .
A court in Crimea 's capital , Simferopol , on January 14 ruled to prematurely terminate the probation period and expunge the criminal record of Mykola Semena , who had been convicted of separatism on the peninsula , RFE/RL 's Crimea Desk said .
Semena received a copy of the ruling on January 28 and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who has contributed to RFE/RL 's Krym.Realii ( Crimea Realities ) reporting project , was arrested by Crimea 's Russia-imposed authorities in April 2016 and charged with acting against the `` territorial integrity of the Russian Federation . ''
He says the accusation was politically motivated and violated fundamental freedoms of expression and that Russian authorities based their case on an inaccurate translation of one of his stories from Ukrainian into Russian .
In September 2017 , a court convicted him and gave Semena a 2 1/2-year suspended sentence and banned him @ @ @ @ @ @ @ years .
Three months later , a court that Russia calls the Supreme Court of Crimea upheld his conviction .
The United States , the European Union , the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe , and international media watchdogs all condemned the trial and verdict .
In December , the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine asked President Volodymyr Zelensky to include the native Crimean journalist and five other colleagues on the list of people held captive in occupied territories for a prisoner exchange and be released to mainland Ukraine .

Semena received a copy of the ruling on January 28 and is now considered totally free.
An RFE/RL contributor in Ukraine's Russia-controlled Crimea region has received court papers officially confirming the termination of his probation and the expunging of his criminal record.
A court in Crimea's capital, Simferopol, on January 14 ruled to prematurely terminate the probation period and expunge the criminal record of Mykola Semena, who had been convicted of separatism on the peninsula, RFE/RL's Crimea Desk said.
Read alsoRFE/RL: Russia bans Ukrainian journalist from entering Russian-occupied Crimea until 2054
Видео дня
Semena received a copy of the ruling on January 28 and is now considered totally free.
Semena, who has contributed to RFE/RL's Krym.Realii (Crimea Realities) reporting project, was arrested by Crimea's Russia-imposed authorities in April 2016 and charged with acting against the "territorial integrity of the Russian Federation."
He says the accusation was politically motivated and violated fundamental freedoms of expression and that Russian authorities based their case on an inaccurate translation of one of his stories from Ukrainian into Russian.
In September 2017, a court convicted him and gave Semena a 2 1/2-year suspended sentence and banned him from "public activity" for three years.
Three months later, a court that Russia calls the Supreme Court of Crimea upheld his conviction.
The United States, the European Union, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, and international media watchdogs all condemned the trial and verdict.
In December, the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine asked President Volodymyr Zelensky to include the native Crimean journalist and five other colleagues on the list of people held captive in occupied territories for a prisoner exchange and be released to mainland Ukraine.