unian--2020-03-02--Russian-led forces in Donbas shell residential buildings in Krasnohorivka

Russian-led forces have shelled residential areas in the town of Krasnohorivka , Donetsk region , employing 120mm mortars .
`` Today , March 2 , Russian armed groups once again deliberately resorted to aggravation on the contact line , deliberately violating all existing ceasefire agreements , '' the press center of Ukraine 's Joint Forces Operation Headquarters wrote on Facebook .
Russian invaders deliberately shelled Krasnohorivka .
The enemy fired at residential buildings , using 120mm mortars , realizing that the shelling poses a threat to the life and health of civilians .
Read alsoUkraine reports one KIA , seven @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on March 1 As a result of a mine explosion outside one of the houses , windows were shattered .
One person was injured by shrapnel .
He was promptly provided medical assistance .
`` Such impudent actions of the Russian occupiers once again testify to their interest in further escalation of conflict in the east of Ukraine , '' the JFO HQ said .
To suppress enemy fire and prevent further armed provocations , the JFO 's units employed available weapons and delivered an adequate response .
The enemy losses are being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not a single act of aggression will be left without a proper response .

One civilian sustained shrapnel injuries.
Russian-led forces have shelled residential areas in the town of Krasnohorivka, Donetsk region, employing 120mm mortars.
"Today, March 2, Russian armed groups once again deliberately resorted to aggravation on the contact line, deliberately violating all existing ceasefire agreements," the press center of Ukraine's Joint Forces Operation Headquarters wrote on Facebook.
Russian invaders deliberately shelled Krasnohorivka. The enemy fired at residential buildings, using 120mm mortars, realizing that the shelling poses a threat to the life and health of civilians.
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Read alsoUkraine reports one KIA, seven WIAs amid 11 enemy attacks in Donbas on March 1
As a result of a mine explosion outside one of the houses, windows were shattered. One person was injured by shrapnel. He was promptly provided medical assistance.
"Such impudent actions of the Russian occupiers once again testify to their interest in further escalation of conflict in the east of Ukraine," the JFO HQ said.
To suppress enemy fire and prevent further armed provocations, the JFO's units employed available weapons and delivered an adequate response. The enemy losses are being specified.
The JFO's command says not a single act of aggression will be left without a proper response.


unian--2020-03-02--Ukraine updates poultry exports record in 2019

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Ukraine updates poultry exports record in 2019
15:00, 02.03.20 1390
In total, meat product exports over the period under review grew by 10% year-on-year, to US$712 million.
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unian--2020-03-02--State budget revenues target met by 93.7% in Feb – finance minister

State budget revenues target met by 93.7% in Feb – finance minister
12:00, 02.03.20 961
All significant expenses were carried out, while the government spent less on servicing and paying off debt thanks to professional debt policies and liquidity management.
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unian--2020-03-03--Ukrposhta posts US$24.5 mln in net profit in 2019 against US$25.3 mln in loss year-on-year

Last year was a turning point for the company , Ukrposhta CEO says .
PJSC Ukrposhta , Ukraine 's state-owned postal services provider , in 2019 received UAH 607 million ( US $ 24.5 million ) in net profit against of UAH 627 million ( US $ 25.3 million ) in loss posted in 2018 .
At the same time , the company 's net profit from sales of goods , works , and services stood at about UAH 8.1 billion ( US $ 326.3 million ) , which was 18.7 % up from 2018 , Ukrposhta 's press service @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Ukrposhta 's revenue from letters and small packages grew by 23.9 % , from parcels by 22.8 % , from money transfers by 20.5 % , and from periodicals by 6.5 % .
Moreover , the company in 2019 got UAH 69 million ( US $ 2.8 million ) in revenue from real estate rent , which was twice as much as in 2018 .
Read alsoCabinet submits to Rada list of SOEs not subject to sale Over the period under review , labor costs rose by UAH 411.3 million ( US @ @ @ @ @ @ @ UAH 4.7 billion ( US $ 189.4 million ) , having amounted to UAH 5.8 billion ( US $ 233.7 million ) with charges on payroll , which accounted for more than 70 % of the company 's revenue .
Spending for operational staff , which grew by UAH 400 million ( US $ 16.1 million ) last year , accounted for over 80 % of Ukrposhta 's salary fund .
The costs were allocated for production workers ' wages , material incentives for operators , mail carriers , and heads of post @ @ @ @ @ @ @ monthly salary of an Ukrposhta full-time employee in 2019 increased by 18 % to UAH 7,443 ( US $ 300 ) , the report said .
Last year , the company also increased the mandatory deductions of taxes , fees , contributions and other obligatory payments to budgets and state trust funds by 14.4 % against 2018 , to almost UAH 2.5 billion ( US $ 100.7 million ) .
`` 2019 was a turning point for the company .
Despite often-unequal business conditions , a limited investment program , and complicated competitive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , received record profits , and was recognized as the world 's best mail service in terms of export development , while Ukraine 's stamp was first recognized as the best stamp in Europe and worldwide .
All the achievements were obtained thanks to the joint work of Ukrposhta 's team , that is over 65,000 people , '' the press service quoted Ukrposhta CEO Ihor Smilianskyi .
The official says the company 's investment program for the first year in its history will exceed UAH 1.6 billion ( US $ 64.5 million @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the delivery of pensions , as well as the ability to sell property and attract investors .
`` This is the first step to switch to modern services , computerization , and digitalization across Ukraine within two years , which will be possible thanks to the introduction of mobile offices and , for the first time since 1980 , the development of new modern sorting centers , '' the CEO summed up .
The final data on the company 's performance in 2019 will be presented following an international financial audit , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Ukrainian Prime Minister Oleksiy Honcharuk earlier said he assumed partial sale of up to 10 large-scale state-owned enterprises that perform socially significant functions , including Ukrposhta .
UNIAN memo .
Ukrposhta is the national operator of postal services under the authority of the Infrastructure Ministry .
The company offers more than 50 types of services through over 12,000 offices across Ukraine .
The company employs over 65,000 people .
Every year , Ukrposhta processes and delivers over 240 million items of mail and 16 million parcels , handling 15 million money transfers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

Ukrposhta posts US$24.5 mln in net profit in 2019 against US$25.3 mln in loss year-on-year
14:20, 03.03.20 728
Last year was a turning point for the company, Ukrposhta CEO says.
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unian--2020-03-03--Prystaiko explains how Russia issued Interpol warrant for ex-battalion commander without Ukraine kno

Prystaiko explains how Russia issued Interpol warrant for ex-battalion commander without Ukraine knowing

The detention at the border was carried out through bilateral communication channels between Russia and Greece .
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Vadym Prystaiko has explained how the name of former Commander of Aidar Battalion , ex-MP Serhiy Melnychuk , who was recently detained at the Greek border on Rusia 's warrant , had appeared on the Interpol list .
`` According to the latest information , this detention took place through Russia 's communications at the bilateral level , '' the minister told journalists , an UNIAN correspondent reports .
Prystaiko specified that Melnychuk 's name had been put in Interpol @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Russian Federation and Greece .
Read alsoEx-commander of Aidar Battalion , former MP Serhiy Melnychuk detained in Greece on Russia 's warrant '' Since it [ name ] was put there at the bilateral level , rather than through the common central system of Interpol , we could not warn this Ukrainian citizen that his name was on the list .
And Russia is doing this specifically to prevent the Ukrainian authorities from warning [ citizens ] .
That 's not the first time , '' the minister said .
Prystaiko said the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the latter was apprehended .
According to the minister , the circumstances of this case are being clarified , while the Consulate General in Thessaloniki is in contact .
As UNIAN reported earlier , former Commander of the Aidar Battalion who later served as member of parliament of the previous convocation , Serhiy Melnychuk , was on Sunday , March 1 , detained at the Greek border on the Interpol warrant submitted by Russia .

The detention at the border was carried out through bilateral communication channels between Russia and Greece.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Vadym Prystaiko has explained how the name of former Commander of Aidar Battalion, ex-MP Serhiy Melnychuk, who was recently detained at the Greek border on Rusia's warrant, had appeared on the Interpol list.
"According to the latest information, this detention took place through Russia's communications at the bilateral level," the minister told journalists, an UNIAN correspondent reports.
Prystaiko specified that Melnychuk's name had been put in Interpol database precisely through bilateral channels between the Russian Federation and Greece.
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Read alsoEx-commander of Aidar Battalion, former MP Serhiy Melnychuk detained in Greece on Russia's warrant
"Since it [name] was put there at the bilateral level, rather than through the common central system of Interpol, we could not warn this Ukrainian citizen that his name was on the list. And Russia is doing this specifically to prevent the Ukrainian authorities from warning [citizens]. That's not the first time," the minister said.
Prystaiko said the consul had met with Melnychuk shortly after the latter was apprehended.
According to the minister, the circumstances of this case are being clarified, while the Consulate General in Thessaloniki is in contact.
As UNIAN reported earlier, former Commander of the Aidar Battalion who later served as member of parliament of the previous convocation, Serhiy Melnychuk, was on Sunday, March 1, detained at the Greek border on the Interpol warrant submitted by Russia.


unian--2020-03-03--UNSC to consider human rights violations in Crimea, ways of its de-occupation on March 6

The meeting will begin at 17:00 Kyiv time .
The UN Security Council on Friday , March 6 , will consider the situation of human rights violations in temporarily occupied Crimea and ways of its de-occupation .
`` On the sixth anniversary of the Russian occupation , on Friday , March 6 , at the initiative of Ukraine and its partners – Estonia , the U.S. , Germany , France , UK , and Belgium – the UN Security Council will hold the Arria-formula meeting regarding the situation in Crimea and Sevastopol , '' Vice-Chair at the UN Committee of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The meeting will be attended by the permanent representative of the president of Ukraine in Crimea , the leadership of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people , and representatives of Ukrainian non-governmental organizations , the diplomat notes .
Nikolenko says the meeting is aimed at briefing the international community on ongoing human rights violations in the Crimean peninsula ; discussing ways to enhance interaction between the Secretary General , the Security Council , UN specialized agencies and civil society to stop the occupying authorities from restricting fundamental human rights and freedoms ; @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the steps that Ukraine leadership is taking in the context of protecting the interests of compatriots and de-occupying the Ukrainian territories .
Read alsoPutin 's bloody `` peace '' .
Why the Kremlin needs new escalation in Donbas The meeting will begin at 17:00 Kyiv time .
UNIAN memo .
The `` Arria-formula meeting '' is one of the practices exercised by Security Council members .
Like the informal consultations by the entire composition of the Security Council , they are not envisaged in the Charter of the United Nations or the Security @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The `` Arria-formula meetings '' are very informal , confidential gatherings which enable Security Council members to have a frank and private exchange of views , within a flexible procedural framework , with persons whom the inviting member or members of the Council ( who also act as the facilitators or convenors ) believe it would be beneficial to hear and/or to whom they may wish to convey a message .
They provide interested Council members an opportunity to engage in a direct dialogue with high representatives of governments and international organizations – @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as well as non-state parties , on matters with which they are concerned and which fall within the purview of responsibility of the Security Council .
Read alsoRussia coming up with new ways to try to legitimize Crimea annexation – media Russia annexed Ukraine 's Crimea in March 2014 after its troops had occupied the peninsula .
An illegal referendum was held for Crimeans to decide on accession to Russia .
De-facto Crimean authorities reported that allegedly 96.77 % of the Crimean population had voted for joining Russia .
On March 18 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ accession of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol to Russia was signed in the Kremlin .
The West did not recognize the annexation in response to which sanctions against Russia were introduced .
Ukraine 's parliament voted to designate February 20 , 2014 , as the official date when the temporary occupation of Crimea began .

The meeting will begin at 17:00 Kyiv time.
The UN Security Council on Friday, March 6, will consider the situation of human rights violations in temporarily occupied Crimea and ways of its de-occupation.
"On the sixth anniversary of the Russian occupation, on Friday, March 6, at the initiative of Ukraine and its partners – Estonia, the U.S., Germany, France, UK, and Belgium – the UN Security Council will hold the Arria-formula meeting regarding the situation in Crimea and Sevastopol," Vice-Chair at the UN Committee of Information Oleg Nikolenko wrote on Facebook.
The meeting will be attended by the permanent representative of the president of Ukraine in Crimea, the leadership of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people, and representatives of Ukrainian non-governmental organizations, the diplomat notes.
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Nikolenko says the meeting is aimed at briefing the international community on ongoing human rights violations in the Crimean peninsula; discussing ways to enhance interaction between the Secretary General, the Security Council, UN specialized agencies and civil society to stop the occupying authorities from restricting fundamental human rights and freedoms; familiarizing members of the Security Council with the steps that Ukraine leadership is taking in the context of protecting the interests of compatriots and de-occupying the Ukrainian territories.
Read alsoPutin's bloody "peace". Why the Kremlin needs new escalation in Donbas
The meeting will begin at 17:00 Kyiv time.
UNIAN memo. The "Arria-formula meeting" is one of the practices exercised by Security Council members. Like the informal consultations by the entire composition of the Security Council, they are not envisaged in the Charter of the United Nations or the Security Council's provisional rules of procedure.
The "Arria-formula meetings" are very informal, confidential gatherings which enable Security Council members to have a frank and private exchange of views, within a flexible procedural framework, with persons whom the inviting member or members of the Council (who also act as the facilitators or convenors) believe it would be beneficial to hear and/or to whom they may wish to convey a message.
They provide interested Council members an opportunity to engage in a direct dialogue with high representatives of governments and international organizations – often at the latter's request – as well as non-state parties, on matters with which they are concerned and which fall within the purview of responsibility of the Security Council.
Read alsoRussia coming up with new ways to try to legitimize Crimea annexation – media
Russia annexed Ukraine's Crimea in March 2014 after its troops had occupied the peninsula. An illegal referendum was held for Crimeans to decide on accession to Russia. De-facto Crimean authorities reported that allegedly 96.77% of the Crimean population had voted for joining Russia.
On March 18, 2014, the so-called agreement on the accession of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol to Russia was signed in the Kremlin.
The West did not recognize the annexation in response to which sanctions against Russia were introduced.
Ukraine's parliament voted to designate February 20, 2014, as the official date when the temporary occupation of Crimea began.


unian--2020-03-03--U.S. to maintain sanctions against Russia over Crimea grab

The official compared the non-recognition of the Baltic States joining the USSR with Washington 's non-recognition of Crimea acceeding to Russia .
U.S .
Ambassador to the OSCE James Gilmore has said the United States will maintain sanctions against the Russian Federation until it `` get out of Crimea . ''
`` With respect to U.S. policy , we 're sticking to our sanctions on Crimea , and there are separate sanctions on eastern Ukraine .
And the declaration that we have is that we will never abandon the sanctions on Crimea until they get out of Crimea .
We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ maintain our sanctions with respect to eastern Ukraine , and I think these are important measures that we take that are diplomatic actions that we take for the purpose of standing up for what 's right , '' he said at a briefing on March 2 , 2020 .
Gilmore compared the non-recognition of the Baltic States joining the USSR with Washington 's non-recognition of Crimea joining Russia .
`` I am reminded that we never ever surrendered the proposition that the Baltic States were a part of the Soviet Union .
They @ @ @ @ @ @ @ agreed that they were Soviet socialist republics and legitimate parts of Russia .
Likewise , we 're going to stand for this proposition until it changes , '' he said .
Read alsoRussia coming up with new ways to try to legitimize Crimea annexation – media As UNIAN reported earlier , U.S. President Donald Trump prolonged U.S. sanctions against the Russian Federation for its aggression in Ukraine .

The official compared the non-recognition of the Baltic States joining the USSR with Washington's non-recognition of Crimea acceeding to Russia.
U.S. Ambassador to the OSCE James Gilmore has said the United States will maintain sanctions against the Russian Federation until it "get out of Crimea."
"With respect to U.S. policy, we're sticking to our sanctions on Crimea, and there are separate sanctions on eastern Ukraine. And the declaration that we have is that we will never abandon the sanctions on Crimea until they get out of Crimea. We will – we also are going to maintain our sanctions with respect to eastern Ukraine, and I think these are important measures that we take that are diplomatic actions that we take for the purpose of standing up for what's right," he said at a briefing on March 2, 2020.
Gilmore compared the non-recognition of the Baltic States joining the USSR with Washington's non-recognition of Crimea joining Russia.
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"I am reminded that we never ever surrendered the proposition that the Baltic States were a part of the Soviet Union. They were conquered by force. We never agreed that they were Soviet socialist republics and legitimate parts of Russia. Likewise, we're going to stand for this proposition until it changes," he said.
Read alsoRussia coming up with new ways to try to legitimize Crimea annexation – media
As UNIAN reported earlier, U.S. President Donald Trump prolonged U.S. sanctions against the Russian Federation for its aggression in Ukraine.


unian--2020-03-03--Three candidates for Ukraine defense minister's post: Who may replace Zagorodnyuk – media

A new post – that of a vice-premier for law enforcement – may be created in Ukraine 's government .
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky 's key figures in the security cabinet have shortlisted three candidates for the post of Ukraine 's defense ministry to replace the incumbent minister , Andriy Zagorodnyuk , who is reportedly facing dismissal .
The online publication ZN.UA cites its sources , according to which Zelensky 's chief of staff Andriy Yermak insists that retired Lieutenant General of the Armed Forces Andriy Taran be appointed defense minister .
He retired from active service in 2016 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Joint Center for Control and Coordination ( JCCC ) in Donbas and was a member of the Trilateral Contact Group 's security subgroup in Minsk .
Chief of the SBU Security Service Ivan Bakanov and the then head of the committee on national security and defense in the Verkhovna Rada , Ukrainian parliament , of the eighth convocation , Serhiy Pashynsky are lobbying for Andriy Senchenko 's appointment .
He is a Member of Parliament of three convocations .
Together with Pashynsky and the incumbent Interior Minister Arsen Avakov , he was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In 2019 , he quit Yulia Tymoshenko 's Batkivshchyna Party .
Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council ( NSDC ) Oleksiy Danilov offers Zelensky Mykhailo Koval 's candidacy .
Colonel General Koval once headed the Defense Ministry for a while – he was acting Defense Minister in Arseniy Yatsenyuk 's government from March 23 , 2014 , to July 3 , 2014 .
In addition , according to ZN.UA , a new post – that of a vice-premier for law enforcement – may be created in Ukraine 's government .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ combining his incumbent post of the country 's interior minister .
Under Ukraine 's Constitution , both the defense minister and foreign minister shall be appointed by the president , but their resignation should be authorized by the parliament .
As UNIAN reported earlier , Ukrainian Parliament Speaker Dmytro Razumkov on February 28 announced that lawmakers would gather for a special meeting on Wednesday , March 4 .
It is to start at 16:00 Kyiv time .
Several bills are on the agenda of the meeting , the President 's Office said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Cabinet of Ministers , as well as look into how the Interior Ministry , the SBU Security Service , the State Bureau of Investigation , the National Anti-corruption Bureau of Ukraine , the Prosecutor General 's Office counteract corruption and strengthen the rule of law in the country .

A new post – that of a vice-premier for law enforcement – may be created in Ukraine's government.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's key figures in the security cabinet have shortlisted three candidates for the post of Ukraine's defense ministry to replace the incumbent minister, Andriy Zagorodnyuk, who is reportedly facing dismissal.
The online publication ZN.UA cites its sources, according to which Zelensky's chief of staff Andriy Yermak insists that retired Lieutenant General of the Armed Forces Andriy Taran be appointed defense minister. He retired from active service in 2016. In 2015, Taran represented Ukraine in the Joint Center for Control and Coordination (JCCC) in Donbas and was a member of the Trilateral Contact Group's security subgroup in Minsk.
Read alsoHoncharuk, Yermak meet in Kyiv restaurant amid rumors of PM's imminent sacking (Photo, video)
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Chief of the SBU Security Service Ivan Bakanov and the then head of the committee on national security and defense in the Verkhovna Rada, Ukrainian parliament, of the eighth convocation, Serhiy Pashynsky are lobbying for Andriy Senchenko's appointment. He is a Member of Parliament of three convocations. Together with Pashynsky and the incumbent Interior Minister Arsen Avakov, he was a member of the Batkivshchyna parliamentary faction. In 2019, he quit Yulia Tymoshenko's Batkivshchyna Party.
Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) Oleksiy Danilov offers Zelensky Mykhailo Koval's candidacy. Colonel General Koval once headed the Defense Ministry for a while – he was acting Defense Minister in Arseniy Yatsenyuk's government from March 23, 2014, to July 3, 2014.
In addition, according to ZN.UA, a new post – that of a vice-premier for law enforcement – may be created in Ukraine's government. Avakov is seen a proper candidate while combining his incumbent post of the country's interior minister.
Under Ukraine's Constitution, both the defense minister and foreign minister shall be appointed by the president, but their resignation should be authorized by the parliament.
As UNIAN reported earlier, Ukrainian Parliament Speaker Dmytro Razumkov on February 28 announced that lawmakers would gather for a special meeting on Wednesday, March 4. It is to start at 16:00 Kyiv time.
Several bills are on the agenda of the meeting, the President's Office said. They will also consider the issue of the Cabinet of Ministers, as well as look into how the Interior Ministry, the SBU Security Service, the State Bureau of Investigation, the National Anti-corruption Bureau of Ukraine, the Prosecutor General's Office counteract corruption and strengthen the rule of law in the country.


unian--2020-03-03--Whistleblower reports $70 million Bitcoin scam with Kyiv roots

The scam is being perpetrated by Ukrainian company Milton Group from two floors of an office building in Kyiv , the report claims .
A whistleblower has revealed the existence of a 200-employee Ukrainian Bitcoin ( BTC ) trading scam that netted $ 70 million in 2019 .
The whistleblower outed the scam by providing footage and internal company documents to Swedish newspaper Dagens Nyheter , which reported the news on March 1 , according to CoinTelegraph .
The scam predominantly targets investors based in Australia , New Zealand , and the United Kingdom by using fake news articles advertised @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The stories feature interviews with celebrities who purportedly made a killing by investing in crypto – including Gordon Ramsey , Hugh Jackman , and Martin Lewis .
The whistleblower claims that the scam is being perpetrated by Ukrainian company Milton Group from two floors of an office building in Kyiv .
The offices are kitted with professional telephone and client management systems .
After responding to the ads , victims would be contacted by call-center workers promising extraordinary returns from cryptocurrencies , foreign currencies and commodities .
Fake account statements detailing profits @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the scam ’ s victims .
Jacob Keselman , the CEO of Milton Group stated that the allegations against it are `` incorrect '' in a phone interview with Dagens Nyheter .
Keselman describes himself as `` the wolf of Kyiv '' ' on his Instagram profile .
The whistleblower claims to have been a part of the scams `` retention '' team , where he was expected to make 300 calls each day .
He was tasked with `` squeez [ ing ] the money '' from clients until their `` last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a commission basis .
The operation reportedly poses under many different business titles , including contacting victims under the guise of offering scam recovery services after they have already been duped .
If receptive , victims are encouraged to install software on their computer that allegedly steals their online banking information .
The scam also impersonates national tax authorities , posting letters demanding that prospective victims settle fabricated tax debts .
The organization reportedly netted $ 70 million in 2019 , and Dagens Nyheter noted that many victims have been duped out of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ firm ThreatFabric identify several sophisticated Remote Access Trojans ( RATs ) targeting cryptocurrency wallets and exchanges .
The RATs include Cerberus , which targets Coinbase users by stealing 2-Factor Authentication ( 2FA ) codes for the Google Authenticator app .

The scam is being perpetrated by Ukrainian company Milton Group from two floors of an office building in Kyiv, the report claims.
A whistleblower has revealed the existence of a 200-employee Ukrainian Bitcoin (BTC) trading scam that netted $70 million in 2019.
The whistleblower outed the scam by providing footage and internal company documents to Swedish newspaper Dagens Nyheter, which reported the news on March 1, according to CoinTelegraph.
The scam predominantly targets investors based in Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom by using fake news articles advertised on Facebook and some mobile game platforms.
Видео дня
The stories feature interviews with celebrities who purportedly made a killing by investing in crypto – including Gordon Ramsey, Hugh Jackman, and Martin Lewis.
The whistleblower claims that the scam is being perpetrated by Ukrainian company Milton Group from two floors of an office building in Kyiv. The offices are kitted with professional telephone and client management systems.
After responding to the ads, victims would be contacted by call-center workers promising extraordinary returns from cryptocurrencies, foreign currencies and commodities. Fake account statements detailing profits are used to entice further investment from the scam’s victims.
Read alsoIn Ukraine, cyberpolice operative demanded bribe in cryptocurrency
Jacob Keselman, the CEO of Milton Group stated that the allegations against it are "incorrect" in a phone interview with Dagens Nyheter. Keselman describes himself as "the wolf of Kyiv"' on his Instagram profile.
The whistleblower claims to have been a part of the scams "retention" team, where he was expected to make 300 calls each day.
He was tasked with "squeez[ing] the money" from clients until their "last cent," and was remunerated on a commission basis.
The operation reportedly poses under many different business titles, including contacting victims under the guise of offering scam recovery services after they have already been duped. If receptive, victims are encouraged to install software on their computer that allegedly steals their online banking information.
The scam also impersonates national tax authorities, posting letters demanding that prospective victims settle fabricated tax debts.
The organization reportedly netted $70 million in 2019, and Dagens Nyheter noted that many victims have been duped out of their life savings.
Read alsoUkraine's justice system employee caught mining crypto at work – media
February saw cybersecurity firm ThreatFabric identify several sophisticated Remote Access Trojans (RATs) targeting cryptocurrency wallets and exchanges.
The RATs include Cerberus, which targets Coinbase users by stealing 2-Factor Authentication (2FA) codes for the Google Authenticator app.


unian--2020-03-03--Ukraine has plan for retroactive feed-in tariff cuts – media

The government has suggested solar plant operators accept a `` voluntary '' 12.5 % reduction in feed-in tariffs .
The Ministry of Energy and Environmental Protection of Ukraine is considering slashing feed-in tariffs ( FITs ) for existing large scale photovoltaic ( PV , or solar ) plants 15-25 % , according to the Ukrainian Association of Renewable Energy ( UARE ) .
An announcement to that effect was reportedly made by Konstantyn Chyzhyk , deputy minister of energy and environmental protection , during the Ukrainian Energy Forum event , PV Magazine reports .
The FIT cuts under consideration would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of up to 10 MW shoulder a 15 % reduction in payments with the figure rising to a 20 % cut for 10-50 MW projects and 25 % for larger facilities .
Chyzhyk reportedly offered to soften the blow for developers by extending the term of affected ten-year contracts by five years .
The FIT program which expired at the end of last year paid large scale , ground-mounted PV projects EUR 0.1502/kWh over a period of 10 years .
An alternative method of reducing the cost of subsidizing Ukrainian solar would see @ @ @ @ @ @ @ agreeing to take a `` voluntary '' 12.5 % FIT reduction .
With Ukraine currently sparing solar developers costs of imbalance – the obligation to financially compensate the grid for over or under-production from their generation assets – the National Investment Council head of office reportedly warned , project owners who do not agree to voluntary cuts will face the introduction of such payments this year .
Developers who play ball , however , will not have to pay such costs until 2022 , Chyzhyk reportedly suggested .
The energy forum also reportedly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wind power facilities would be 10 % combined with five-year payment contract extensions .
Renewables lobby group the UARE said the proposals flew in the face of plans announced by Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky to attract $ 50 billion worth of investment in renewables in the next five years .
Ukraine had 1.3 GW of installed PV capacity at the end of 2018 , according to International Renewable Energy Agency statistics .
Large projects commissioned last year included a 240 MW solar plant and a further 240 MW of net-metered rooftop PV was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ boasts at least 1.8 GW of solar capacity .

The government has suggested solar plant operators accept a "voluntary" 12.5% reduction in feed-in tariffs.
The Ministry of Energy and Environmental Protection of Ukraine is considering slashing feed-in tariffs (FITs) for existing large scale photovoltaic (PV, or solar) plants 15-25%, according to the Ukrainian Association of Renewable Energy (UARE).
An announcement to that effect was reportedly made by Konstantyn Chyzhyk, deputy minister of energy and environmental protection, during the Ukrainian Energy Forum event, PV Magazine reports.
The FIT cuts under consideration would see solar plants with a generation capacity of up to 10 MW shoulder a 15% reduction in payments with the figure rising to a 20% cut for 10-50 MW projects and 25% for larger facilities. Chyzhyk reportedly offered to soften the blow for developers by extending the term of affected ten-year contracts by five years.
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The FIT program which expired at the end of last year paid large scale, ground-mounted PV projects EUR 0.1502/kWh over a period of 10 years.
An alternative method of reducing the cost of subsidizing Ukrainian solar would see developers of PV projects of all sizes agreeing to take a "voluntary" 12.5% FIT reduction.
Read alsoEuractiv: Ukraine's own Green Deal aims to slash energy imports
With Ukraine currently sparing solar developers costs of imbalance – the obligation to financially compensate the grid for over or under-production from their generation assets – the National Investment Council head of office reportedly warned, project owners who do not agree to voluntary cuts will face the introduction of such payments this year. Developers who play ball, however, will not have to pay such costs until 2022, Chyzhyk reportedly suggested.
The energy forum also reportedly heard the proposed retroactive FIT cut for wind power facilities would be 10% combined with five-year payment contract extensions.
Renewables lobby group the UARE said the proposals flew in the face of plans announced by Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky to attract $50 billion worth of investment in renewables in the next five years.
Ukraine had 1.3 GW of installed PV capacity at the end of 2018, according to International Renewable Energy Agency statistics. Large projects commissioned last year included a 240 MW solar plant and a further 240 MW of net-metered rooftop PV was also deployed, ensuring the nation currently boasts at least 1.8 GW of solar capacity.


unian--2020-03-03--Ukrainian week in European Parliament postponed amid coronavirus concerns

The measure is aimed at protecting the health of European Parliament members , staff , and visitors .
Ukrainian week in the European Parliament has been postponed due to COVID-19 outbreak .
`` Dear colleagues and friends .
It a pity to inform you that the Ukrainian week in the European Parliament scheduled for March 3-5 is postponed indefinitely due to the European Parliament restrictions on mass events because of the Coronavirus outbreak .
The measure is aimed at protecting the health of European Parliament members , staff and visitors , '' the Mission of Ukraine to the EU wrote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ your interest in the events within the Ukrainian Week !
As soon as the restrictions are lifted , our team will explore new opportunities to hold the Ukrainian Week in the European Parliament and will inform you on the new dates , '' reads the report .
UNIAN memo .
The Chinese authorities reported an outbreak of pneumonia of unknown origin in Wuhan late in December 2019 .
The causative agent of the disease was a new type of coronavirus , COVID-19 .
The virus is transmitted from person to person , with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weeks .
Read alsoCNBC : WHO chief on coronavirus : Global markets 'should calm down and try to see the reality' On January 30 , the World Health Organization declared an international emergency over the spread of the novel coronavirus from China .

The measure is aimed at protecting the health of European Parliament members, staff, and visitors.
Ukrainian week in the European Parliament has been postponed due to COVID-19 outbreak.
"Dear colleagues and friends. It a pity to inform you that the Ukrainian week in the European Parliament scheduled for March 3-5 is postponed indefinitely due to the European Parliament restrictions on mass events because of the Coronavirus outbreak. The measure is aimed at protecting the health of European Parliament members, staff and visitors," the Mission of Ukraine to the EU wrote on Facebook.
"We sincerely appreciate your interest in the events within the Ukrainian Week! As soon as the restrictions are lifted, our team will explore new opportunities to hold the Ukrainian Week in the European Parliament and will inform you on the new dates," reads the report.
Видео дня
UNIAN memo. The Chinese authorities reported an outbreak of pneumonia of unknown origin in Wuhan late in December 2019.
The causative agent of the disease was a new type of coronavirus, COVID-19. The virus is transmitted from person to person, with the incubation period lasting at least two weeks.
Read alsoCNBC: WHO chief on coronavirus: Global markets 'should calm down and try to see the reality'
On January 30, the World Health Organization declared an international emergency over the spread of the novel coronavirus from China.


unian--2020-03-03--Fate of Crimea traitors: "They either quit, or serve in remote Russian regions"

When six years ago Russia began the annexation of Crimea , not all Ukrainian military , who were then stationed on the territory of the peninsula , intended to resist till the end .
Some embraced the invaders .
However , those who , without waiting for the Crimean pseudo-referendum , tore up and burn their Ukrainian passports on cameras , those who were convinced that betraying at the right moment is n't betraying at all but rather seeing the future clearly ( in the end , they did not acknowledge themselves as traitors ) , later were forced to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by their new colleagues .
The high pension and `` paradise '' conditions turned out to be empty promises of the invaders .
`` Everyone has already been reshuffled '' In 2015 , the following figures were announced by the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine : of the 18,000 Ukrainian military in Crimea , about 14,000 remained on the peninsula .
At the same time , in 2014 , part of the servicemen quit , while the lion 's share signed contracts with the occupiers .
`` In the spring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , being offered to surrender the Ternopol Corvette .
Our commander Maksym Yemelianenko replied : `` Russians do not give up . ''
This was in all media .
But in the end , he stayed in Crimea and is now serving on some kind of patrol ship .
They told me that not so long ago some Russian admiral was boarding that ship and the first thing he said was : ' I better not see that Yemelianenko here again , '' says Lieutenant Vasyl Tymoshchuk , who served as a midshipman @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in spring 2014 '' .
He admits that among those who stayed in Crimea were those who he thought would never betray their allegiance .
`` Our units were staffed according to the territorial principle , so two-thirds of the contracted servicemen were locals .
This influenced their decision .
But it was strange to hear from a guy from Zaporizhia such words : 'But what has Ukraine given me ? '
He flipped .
He and others were promised high salaries and apartments .
Plus , the invaders played people 's fears @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ship !
You dropped your weapons !
What do you think is awaiting you in Kyiv for this ? '
Indeed , we did n't know , '' continues Tymoshchuk .
In addition to wealth , traitors were promised promotion and service on new ships .
However , they 'd not been told they would be redeployed to Russia 's far north and other regions far less comfortable than Crimea .
`` I 've been monitoring information about our former military .
For six years no one has provided housing to low ranking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ level of their Russian colleagues .
It did rise , but not as promised .
And everyone has already been reshuffled .
I know a soldier , Yevgeny , he served with the Marine Corps , Major , and in 2014 he flipped to the invaders .
Three years later he was told that he would be deployed to serve in Transbaikalia .
So he quit .
Otherwise , he would be facing life behind closed doors in a secret base .
There is a special military town in the forest where you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ movies .
And his case is n't isolated .
My former classmates either remained in the same positions , or quit , or serve in remote Russian regions , '' says an Ukrainian Army officer and blogger Anatoly Shtefan .
Only those remained who had appeared on TV UNIAN 's interlocutors say that , over time , some traitors voluntarily left Crimea because of higher allowances paid in the Russian Federation for service in remote regions .
But there is another reason why many fled the peninsula .
The fact is that former @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( Navy ) began to be treated as second grade servicemen .
There are many stories on the web about how they were addressed : `` Come here , junk !
We will a nice Russian out of you ! ''
A midshipman could be ordered to go mop floors , while a Russian soldier would command .
`` They saw no respect .
No one would obey orders of those officers , so many agreed to leave Crimea to where no one knew about their past .
Those remained who had appeared @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' says the former Assistant Commander of the Ternopil Corvette , now working at the Department of Sea and River Transport of Ukraine , Oleksiy Kirilov .
`` In social networks , I saw messages : 'There is no life beyond Crimea .
I quit without a pension , without anything . '
And , as far as I know , the ceiling they can count on is becoming security guards , '' adds Anatoly Shtefan .
However , some of the defectors tried to challenge Russian occupation authorities in ... courts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ website of `` Judicial and normative acts of the Russian Federation '' UNIAN found the story of a former serviceman Andrei Mishonov , who is trying get his pension through court .
He has served for a total of over 15 years , but the court keeps rejecting his motions .
It is also curious that two years ago , as reports claim , occupation authorities in Crimea started to recall service apartments where government employees used to be living in .
On the same site , `` Judicial and normative acts of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a story of a former Ukrainian soldier who in 2006 received a two-room service apartment , privatized it two years later , and has been living there with his wife and two children .
This continued until 2016 , when the defector 's apartment actually became the property of the occupation authorities and the tenants lost litigation over it .
Not only sailors faced similar fate .
`` There were also SBU security operatives who thought they would be transferred to the FSB .
They ended up working in branches across Crimea before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the FSB in mainland Russia was off the table .
They are considered traitors .
Even the invaders do not trust them , '' summarizes Anatoly Shtefan .
By the way , although their `` new homeland '' never accepted them , no one will be happy to accept such people in Ukraine , either , that 's if thet consider flipping back and `` returning '' .
Under Ukrainian law , they face prosecution for high treason .

Six years ago, not all Ukrainian military men left the annexed Crimea. Some of the servicemen, either in pursuit of high salaries and pensions, or because of support for the Kremlin’s imperial ideas, chose to side with the enemy. UNIAN found out what happened to those who then changed the oath.
When six years ago Russia began the annexation of Crimea, not all Ukrainian military, who were then stationed on the territory of the peninsula, intended to resist till the end. Some embraced the invaders. However, those who, without waiting for the Crimean pseudo-referendum, tore up and burn their Ukrainian passports on cameras, those who were convinced that betraying at the right moment isn't betraying at all but rather seeing the future clearly (in the end, they did not acknowledge themselves as traitors), later were forced to leave the peninsula – fleeing from bullying by their new colleagues. The high pension and "paradise" conditions turned out to be empty promises of the invaders.
"Everyone has already been reshuffled"
In 2015, the following figures were announced by the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine: of the 18,000 Ukrainian military in Crimea, about 14,000 remained on the peninsula. At the same time, in 2014, part of the servicemen quit, while the lion's share signed contracts with the occupiers.
Видео дня
"In the spring of 2014, we heard an ultimatum, being offered to surrender the Ternopol Corvette. Our commander Maksym Yemelianenko replied: "Russians do not give up." This was in all media. But in the end, he stayed in Crimea and is now serving on some kind of patrol ship. They told me that not so long ago some Russian admiral was boarding that ship and the first thing he said was: 'I better not see that Yemelianenko here again," says Lieutenant Vasyl Tymoshchuk, who served as a midshipman on the Ukrainian Navy's Ternopil Corvette in spring 2014".
He admits that among those who stayed in Crimea were those who he thought would never betray their allegiance.
"Our units were staffed according to the territorial principle, so two-thirds of the contracted servicemen were locals. This influenced their decision. But it was strange to hear from a guy from Zaporizhia such words: 'But what has Ukraine given me?' He flipped. He and others were promised high salaries and apartments. Plus, the invaders played people's fears, telling us: 'You surrendered your ship! You dropped your weapons! What do you think is awaiting you in Kyiv for this?' Indeed, we didn't know," continues Tymoshchuk.
In addition to wealth, traitors were promised promotion and service on new ships. However, they'd not been told they would be redeployed to Russia's far north and other regions far less comfortable than Crimea.
"I've been monitoring information about our former military. For six years no one has provided housing to low ranking officers. Their allowances never reached the level of their Russian colleagues. It did rise, but not as promised. And everyone has already been reshuffled. I know a soldier, Yevgeny, he served with the Marine Corps, Major, and in 2014 he flipped to the invaders. Three years later he was told that he would be deployed to serve in Transbaikalia. So he quit. Otherwise, he would be facing life behind closed doors in a secret base. There is a special military town in the forest where you can't take your kids to the movies. And his case isn't isolated. My former classmates either remained in the same positions, or quit, or serve in remote Russian regions," says an Ukrainian Army officer and blogger Anatoly Shtefan.
Only those remained who had appeared on TV
UNIAN's interlocutors say that, over time, some traitors voluntarily left Crimea because of higher allowances paid in the Russian Federation for service in remote regions. But there is another reason why many fled the peninsula. The fact is that former servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (Navy) began to be treated as second grade servicemen. There are many stories on the web about how they were addressed: "Come here, junk! We will make a nice Russian out of you!" A midshipman could be ordered to go mop floors, while a Russian soldier would command.
"They saw no respect. No one would obey orders of those officers, so many agreed to leave Crimea to where no one knew about their past. Those remained who had appeared on TV, pledging allegiance to Russia," says the former Assistant Commander of the Ternopil Corvette, now working at the Department of Sea and River Transport of Ukraine, Oleksiy Kirilov.
"In social networks, I saw messages: 'There is no life beyond Crimea. I quit without a pension, without anything.' And, as far as I know, the ceiling they can count on is becoming security guards,"adds Anatoly Shtefan.
However, some of the defectors tried to challenge Russian occupation authorities in... courts of the Russian Federation. On the website of "Judicial and normative acts of the Russian Federation" UNIAN found the story of a former serviceman Andrei Mishonov, who is trying get his pension through court. He has served for a total of over 15 years, but the court keeps rejecting his motions.
It is also curious that two years ago, as reports claim, occupation authorities in Crimea started to recall service apartments where government employees used to be living in. On the same site, "Judicial and normative acts of the Russian Federation," there's a story of a former Ukrainian soldier who in 2006 received a two-room service apartment, privatized it two years later, and has been living there with his wife and two children. This continued until 2016, when the defector's apartment actually became the property of the occupation authorities and the tenants lost litigation over it.
Not only sailors faced similar fate. "There were also SBU security operatives who thought they would be transferred to the FSB. They ended up working in branches across Crimea before gradually being fired. Getting a job with the FSB in mainland Russia was off the table. They are considered traitors. Even the invaders do not trust them," summarizes Anatoly Shtefan.
By the way, although their "new homeland" never accepted them, no one will be happy to accept such people in Ukraine, either, that's if they consider flipping back and "returning". Under Ukrainian law, they face prosecution for high treason.
Vlad Abramov


unian--2020-03-03--First Covid-19 coronavirus case reported in Ukraine

Health authorities started working with the persons the patient contacted with .
The first case of Covid-19 coronavirus has been confirmed in Ukraine , that 's according to Deputy Minister of Health of Ukraine Viktor Liashko .
`` Yesterday I told you that we have four cases with suspicion , and today this suspicion is confirmed for one person , '' the official told a Kyiv briefing on the situation with countering the spread of coronavirus infection , an UNIAN correspondent reports .
`` All materials and samples were transferred to the WHO laboratory , but the case was registered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the persons the patient contacted with , '' Liashko added .
The official said the man recently returned from abroad .
`` A temperature screening was performed [ at the border ] , the man ’ s temperature was normal , after which he returned to the Chernivtsi region through the state border crossing point .
In Chernivtsi region , he underwent another temperature screening .
The man traveled to countries where coronavirus had been recorded .
A family that traveled , the spouses , they isolated themselves , and literally two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ symptoms that suggested coronavirus infection , `` he said .
According to Rada healthcare committee chief Mykhailo Radutsky , the man traveled to Italy , from where he flew to Romania and then crossed into Ukraine driving his car .
As reported earlier , as of March 3 , a total of 90,937 laboratory-confirmed cases of Covid-19 was registered worldwide , of which 3,117were fatal cases and 48,017 recoveries .
( The story has been updated with the paragraphs about temperature screening and trip details ) .

Health authorities started working with the persons the patient contacted with.
The first case of Covid-19 coronavirus has been confirmed in Ukraine, that's according to Deputy Minister of Health of Ukraine Viktor Liashko.
"Yesterday I told you that we have four cases with suspicion, and today this suspicion is confirmed for one person," the official told a Kyiv briefing on the situation with countering the spread of coronavirus infection, an UNIAN correspondent reports.
"All materials and samples were transferred to the WHO laboratory, but the case was registered in Ukraine, and we started working with the persons the patient contacted with," Liashko added.
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The official said the man recently returned from abroad. "A temperature screening was performed [at the border], the man’s temperature was normal, after which he returned to the Chernivtsi region through the state border crossing point. In Chernivtsi region, he underwent another temperature screening. The man traveled to countries where coronavirus had been recorded. A family that traveled, the spouses, they isolated themselves, and literally two days into self-isolation, the man had symptoms that suggested coronavirus infection, "he said.
According to Rada healthcare committee chief Mykhailo Radutsky, the man traveled to Italy, from where he flew to Romania and then crossed into Ukraine driving his car.
As reported earlier, as of March 3, a total of 90,937 laboratory-confirmed cases of Covid-19 was registered worldwide, of which 3,117were fatal cases and 48,017 recoveries.
(The story has been updated with the paragraphs about temperature screening and trip details).


unian--2020-03-03--Ukraine's official hryvnia continues weakening, set at UAH 24.82 to U.S. dollar on March 3

The official forex rate against the euro for Tuesday is fixed at UAH 27.61 per euro .
The National Bank of Ukraine ( NBU ) on March 2 set the official forex rate for Tuesday , March 3 , at UAH 24.82 to the U.S. dollar , which let the country 's national currency weaken by 23 kopiykas .
The hryvnia became weaker after it had lost three kopiykas in value against U.S. dollar on Monday , March 2 , according to the NBU website .
The official forex rate against the euro for Tuesday is fixed at UAH 27.61 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kopiykas in value since Monday .
As UNIAN reported earlier , the Ukrainian hryvnia in January 2020 weakened by 5.7 % against the U.S. dollar , to UAH 25.03 per U.S. dollar and by 4.7 % against the euro , to UAH 27.66 per euro .
In 2019 , Ukraine 's national currency strengthened by 14.5 % against the U.S. dollar , to UAH 23.69 and by 16.7 % against the euro , to UAH 26.42 .
The hryvnia 's historical low against the U.S. dollar was registered at UAH 30.01 in February @ @

Ukraine's official hryvnia continues weakening, set at UAH 24.82 to U.S. dollar on March 3
11:20, 03.03.20 35187
The official forex rate against the euro for Tuesday is fixed at UAH 27.61 per euro.
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unian--2020-03-03--First Covid-19 case confirmed in Moscow

First Covid-19 case confirmed in Moscow

The patient is experiencing light symptoms of the disease , the mayor says .
A Russian national who was quarantined @ @ @ @ @ recently returning from northern Italy , a hub for the coronavirus outbreak , has the @ @ @ @ @ Novosti reported .
The man , 29-year-old Moscow resident , is the first known Russian @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus while in the country , The Moscow Times wrote .
Twenty-four persons who the @ @ @ @ @ contact with the infected patient were hospitalized , including six family members , five acquaintances @ @ @ @ @ were on the same flight with the infected person .
Read alsoCNBC : WHO chief @ @ @ @ @ 'should calm down and try to see the reality' Over 100 people who had contacted @ @ @ @ @ TASS reported citing the mayor of the Russian capital , Sergei Sobyanin .
The patient @ @ @ @ @ symptoms , the mayor says .

The patient is experiencing light symptoms of the disease, the mayor says.
A Russian national who was quarantined in a Moscow hospital after recently returning from northern Italy, a hub for the coronavirus outbreak, has the coronavirus, the state-run RIA Novosti reported.
The man, 29-year-old Moscow resident, is the first known Russian national to test positive for coronavirus while in the country, The Moscow Times wrote.
Twenty-four persons who the authorities learned had been in contact with the infected patient were hospitalized, including six family members, five acquaintances, and 13 passengers who were on the same flight with the infected person.
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Read alsoCNBC: WHO chief on coronavirus: Global markets 'should calm down and try to see the reality'
Over 100 people who had contacted the man were quarantined, TASS reported citing the mayor of the Russian capital, Sergei Sobyanin.
The patient in question is experiencing light symptoms, the mayor says.


unian--2020-03-03--Ukraine bans imports of pets from China after dog in Hong Kong tests positive for coronavirus

It is the world 's first confirmed case of a pet dog diagnosed with the infection .
Ukraine has temporarily banned imports of pets and wild carnivores from China after a dog in Hong Kong tested positive for the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus .
This was announced by Ukraine 's State Service for Food Safety and Consumer Protection .
Read alsoCNBC : WHO chief on coronavirus : Global markets 'should calm down and try to see the reality' The world 's first confirmed case of a pet dog diagnosed with the coronavirus was reported in Hong Kong .
According to the World @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was kept in the house whose owner tested positive for the coronavirus .
`` To minimize the risks of spreading the COVID-19 pathogen to Ukraine , the State Service for Food Safety and Consumer Protection has temporarily banned imports of pets ( dogs , cats and the like ) and wild carnivores from the People 's Republic of China under Article 33 and Article 96 of the Law of Ukraine on Veterinary Medicine and based on recommendations of the OIE Terrestrial Animal Health Code , '' it said .
As UNIAN reported earlier @ @ @ @ @ @ @ where a pet was diagnosed with the novel coronavirus .
According to CNN , the dog – which had no symptoms – was put into quarantine and will be repeatedly tested until the result comes back negative , according to an official statement .
The Hong Kong 's Agriculture , Fisheries and Conservation Department `` strongly advises '' that pets of people infected with coronavirus are quarantined for 14 days .

It is the world's first confirmed case of a pet dog diagnosed with the infection.
Ukraine has temporarily banned imports of pets and wild carnivores from China after a dog in Hong Kong tested positive for the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus.
This was announced by Ukraine's State Service for Food Safety and Consumer Protection.
Read alsoCNBC: WHO chief on coronavirus: Global markets 'should calm down and try to see the reality'
Видео дня
The world's first confirmed case of a pet dog diagnosed with the coronavirus was reported in Hong Kong.
According to the World Organisation for Animal Health, the dog was kept in the house whose owner tested positive for the coronavirus.
"To minimize the risks of spreading the COVID-19 pathogen to Ukraine, the State Service for Food Safety and Consumer Protection has temporarily banned imports of pets (dogs, cats and the like) and wild carnivores from the People's Republic of China under Article 33 and Article 96 of the Law of Ukraine on Veterinary Medicine and based on recommendations of the OIE Terrestrial Animal Health Code," it said.
As UNIAN reported earlier, Hong Kong was the first country where a pet was diagnosed with the novel coronavirus.
According to CNN, the dog – which had no symptoms – was put into quarantine and will be repeatedly tested until the result comes back negative, according to an official statement. The Hong Kong's Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department "strongly advises" that pets of people infected with coronavirus are quarantined for 14 days.


unian--2020-03-03--Russia committed war crimes in Syria – UN report

The UN very rarely attributes attacks like this , and it is really important that they do so in a report like this , according to an expert .
A UN investigation into atrocities committed in Syria has for the first time accused Russia of direct involvement in war crimes for indiscriminate bombing of civilian areas .
The latest report from the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Syria focuses on events of July 2019 to January this year , and in particular attacks by `` pro-government forces '' on civilian targets like medical facilities , driving 700,000 civilians from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The commission focused on two incidents in which it found substantial evidence that Russian aircraft were directly involved in the bombing of civilian areas .
The panel has in the past suggested possible Russian responsibility for war crimes , but this is the first time it has found proof of Moscow 's culpability .
The first incident was a series of air strikes on a market place in Ma'arrat al-Nu'man , a densely populated area 33 km south of Idlib city , on July 22 .
The commission report describes the attack as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , in which a second wave of bombing hit the same target when rescue workers were on the site .
Forty-three civilians , including four children , were killed and at least 109 injured .
The second attack investigated was the August 16 bombing of a compound for displaced civilians standing alone in fields just outside Haas in southern Idlib governorate .
That attack killed 20 people , including eight women and six children , and injured 40 others .
`` Based on the evidence available , including witness testimonies , video footage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by flight spotters , flight communication intercepts and early warning observation reports , the commission has reasonable grounds to believe that a Russian aircraft participated in each incident described above , '' the report said .
`` In both incidents , the Russian Air Force did not direct the attacks at a specific military objective , amounting to the war crime of launching indiscriminate attacks in civilian areas . ''
Russia has denied responsibility for the mass killing of civilians in Syria , insisting its air campaign in support of the Damascus regime @ @ @ @ @ @ @ While frequently condemning daily atrocities in Syria , the UN usually seeks to avoid naming those responsible .
It relies on the government of Bashar al-Assad and its Russian backers to distribute humanitarian relief around much of the country .
The commission of inquiry is made up of three independent experts , Paulo Sérgio Pinheiro a Brazilian legal scholar , Karen Koning AbuZayd , a veteran American UN official , and an Egyptian human rights expert , Hanny Megally .
The panel was established by the Human Rights Council in 2011 to provide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Syrian conflict .
`` This is a huge development , '' said Charles Lister , a Syria expert at the Middle East Institute .
`` The UN very rarely attributes attacks like this , and it is really important that they do so in a report like this .
Given the position of the UN in Syria though , it 's not surprising it is tucked away in the report and they have n't made a big thing of it . ''
The Russian-backed attack on Idlib has caused a mass exodus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ between Turkish and Russian forces .

The UN very rarely attributes attacks like this, and it is really important that they do so in a report like this, according to an expert.
A UN investigation into atrocities committed in Syria has for the first time accused Russia of direct involvement in war crimes for indiscriminate bombing of civilian areas.
The latest report from the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Syria focuses on events of July 2019 to January this year, and in particular attacks by "pro-government forces" on civilian targets like medical facilities, driving 700,000 civilians from their homes, The Guardian wrote.
The commission focused on two incidents in which it found substantial evidence that Russian aircraft were directly involved in the bombing of civilian areas. The panel has in the past suggested possible Russian responsibility for war crimes, but this is the first time it has found proof of Moscow's culpability.
Видео дня
The first incident was a series of air strikes on a market place in Ma'arrat al-Nu'man, a densely populated area 33 km south of Idlib city, on July 22. The commission report describes the attack as a "double tap" air strike, in which a second wave of bombing hit the same target when rescue workers were on the site. Forty-three civilians, including four children, were killed and at least 109 injured.
The second attack investigated was the August 16 bombing of a compound for displaced civilians standing alone in fields just outside Haas in southern Idlib governorate. That attack killed 20 people, including eight women and six children, and injured 40 others.
"Based on the evidence available, including witness testimonies, video footage, data imagery as well as reports by flight spotters, flight communication intercepts and early warning observation reports, the commission has reasonable grounds to believe that a Russian aircraft participated in each incident described above," the report said.
"In both incidents, the Russian Air Force did not direct the attacks at a specific military objective, amounting to the war crime of launching indiscriminate attacks in civilian areas."
Russia has denied responsibility for the mass killing of civilians in Syria, insisting its air campaign in support of the Damascus regime is solely targeted against terrorist groups.
Read alsoGreece says latest refugee buildup posing "severe" threat to national security
While frequently condemning daily atrocities in Syria, the UN usually seeks to avoid naming those responsible. It relies on the government of Bashar al-Assad and its Russian backers to distribute humanitarian relief around much of the country.
The commission of inquiry is made up of three independent experts, Paulo Sérgio Pinheiro a Brazilian legal scholar, Karen Koning AbuZayd, a veteran American UN official, and an Egyptian human rights expert, Hanny Megally. The panel was established by the Human Rights Council in 2011 to provide continuing reports on human rights violations in the Syrian conflict.
"This is a huge development," said Charles Lister, a Syria expert at the Middle East Institute. "The UN very rarely attributes attacks like this, and it is really important that they do so in a report like this. Given the position of the UN in Syria though, it's not surprising it is tucked away in the report and they haven't made a big thing of it."
Read alsoIn retaliation move, Turkey bombs Assad's forces in Idlib overnight Friday (Photo, video)
The Russian-backed attack on Idlib has caused a mass exodus of refugees into Turkey and direct confrontation between Turkish and Russian forces.


unian--2020-03-03--PS752 downing: Iranian delegation to arrive in Ukraine soon – FM Prystaiko

The spread of coronavirus in Iran did not affect the probe , the minister says .
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Vadym Prystaiko has said at a joint press conference with his Sweden counterpart Ann Linde that an Iranian delegation will arrive in Ukraine soon , which will `` bring news '' on the probe into the downing of Ukraine International Airlines ( UIA ) flight PS752 in Iran on January 8 , 2020 .
`` We 've discussed with the minister [ the probe into the downing of a Ukrainian plane ] , as we are in this group of five @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the crash .
We 've also discussed how we are moving forward [ in the investigation , '' he said on March 2 .
According to Prystaiko , his Canadian countepart François-Philippe Champagne will pay an official visit to Ukraine in a few days .
The two will have a telephone conversation with their British and Afghan colleagues during which they will discuss progress in the investigation .
Read alsoUkraine works on three `` classified theories '' about why Iran downed Ukrainian plane – NSDC The minister added that the spread of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ probe .
`` Coronavirus did not affect this work .
We have an embassy there and contacts with the Iranian side .
In the near future , we expect a large delegation from Iran , which will bring the news that we are all looking forward to hear ...
I think that in a couple of days we will be able to tell in more detail how the investigation is going on , in particular , the work with the black boxes and with regard to compensation , '' he said .
As @ @ @ @ @ @ @ flight PS752 crashed shortly after takeoff from Tehran 's Imam Khomeini International Airport in the early hours of January 8 .
It was carrying 167 passengers and nine crew members on board .
Two passengers and the crew members were Ukrainians .
There were also 82 citizens of Iran , 63 citizens of Canada , 10 citizens of Sweden , four citizens of Afghanistan , three citizens of Germany and the United Kingdom each .
There were no survivors .
On January 11 , Iranian President Hassan Rouhani officially admitted that the Ukrainian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a result of a `` human error '' and that those responsible would be held accountable .
On February 2 , intercepted communications between Tehran Airport 's air traffic control tower and the second pilot of Iran 's Aseman Airlines flight at the time of the crash of flight PS752 were released by TSN.Tyzhden .
Tehran blamed the Ukrainian authorities for leaking what it described as confidential evidence , and said it would no longer share investigation materials with Ukraine .
On February 14 , the Iranian Foreign Minister said Iran did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over but it would not decrypt their data without the participation of the parties concerned .

The spread of coronavirus in Iran did not affect the probe, the minister says.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Vadym Prystaiko has said at a joint press conference with his Sweden counterpart Ann Linde that an Iranian delegation will arrive in Ukraine soon, which will "bring news" on the probe into the downing of Ukraine International Airlines (UIA) flight PS752 in Iran on January 8, 2020.
"We've discussed with the minister [the probe into the downing of a Ukrainian plane], as we are in this group of five countries whose citizens, unfortunately, died in the crash. We've also discussed how we are moving forward [in the investigation," he said on March 2.
According to Prystaiko, his Canadian counterpart François-Philippe Champagne will pay an official visit to Ukraine in a few days. The two will have a telephone conversation with their British and Afghan colleagues during which they will discuss progress in the investigation.
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Read alsoUkraine works on three "classified theories" about why Iran downed Ukrainian plane – NSDC
The minister added that the spread of coronavirus in Iran had not affected the probe.
"Coronavirus did not affect this work. We have an embassy there and contacts with the Iranian side. In the near future, we expect a large delegation from Iran, which will bring the news that we are all looking forward to hear... I think that in a couple of days we will be able to tell in more detail how the investigation is going on, in particular, the work with the black boxes and with regard to compensation," he said.
As UNIAN reported earlier, Kyiv-bound UIA flight PS752 crashed shortly after takeoff from Tehran's Imam Khomeini International Airport in the early hours of January 8. It was carrying 167 passengers and nine crew members on board. Two passengers and the crew members were Ukrainians. There were also 82 citizens of Iran, 63 citizens of Canada, 10 citizens of Sweden, four citizens of Afghanistan, three citizens of Germany and the United Kingdom each. There were no survivors.
On January 11, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani officially admitted that the Ukrainian airliner had been shot down by accident as a result of a "human error" and that those responsible would be held accountable.
On February 2, intercepted communications between Tehran Airport's air traffic control tower and the second pilot of Iran's Aseman Airlines flight at the time of the crash of flight PS752 were released by TSN.Tyzhden. Tehran blamed the Ukrainian authorities for leaking what it described as confidential evidence, and said it would no longer share investigation materials with Ukraine.
On February 14, the Iranian Foreign Minister said Iran did not plan to hand the black boxes over but it would not decrypt their data without the participation of the parties concerned.


unian--2020-03-03--Electricity imports from Russia, Belarus suspended in Ukraine – media

Traders in January 2020 imported 17.9 million kWh of electricity from Russia and 93 million kWh from Belarus .
Electricity supplies to Ukraine from Russia and Belarus were suspended on February 29 , according to Ukrainian media .
In particular , a table on electricity supplies to Ukraine shows that electricity imports from Russia and Belarus were at zero as of 21:00 on February 29 , the news outlet LIGA.net wrote on March 2 , referring to its source , who provided the data .
However , the operator of the Ukrainian integrated power grids Ukrenergo told LIGA.net that it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ countries .
According to Ukrenergo , 600 million kWh of electricity would have been supplied to Ukraine 's unified power grid from 18:00 to 20:00 on March 1 .
But whether it was fulfilled or not , they promised to report later .
`` According to import plans , the [ electricity ] import from Belarus is scheduled for 15:00 today , while from Russia – it 's zero until March 15 .
It [ import ] from Belarus might be at certain hours , but not as before , '' the source @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in January 2020 imported 17.9 million kWh of electricity from Russia ( 3 % of total imports ) and 93 million kWh from Belarus ( 16.6 % ) .
Slovakia and Hungary were in the lead with 329.1 million kWh ( 58.7 % ) and 97 million kWh ( 17.3 % ) supplied to Ukraine , respectively .
In total , Ukraine imported 560 million kWh of electricity , according to Ukrenergo .
On September 18 , the Verkhovna Rada , Ukraine 's parliament , allowed buying electricity from Russia and Belarus under @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , it canceled its decision with regard to Russia .
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on February 25 instructed the Energy and Environmental Protection Ministry to limit coal and electricity imports .

Electricity imports from Russia, Belarus suspended in Ukraine – media
09:40, 03.03.20 1900
Traders in January 2020 imported 17.9 million kWh of electricity from Russia and 93 million kWh from Belarus.
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unian--2020-03-03--Five Ukrainian soldiers wounded amid 13 enemy attacks on March 2

The enemy opened fire , employing proscribed 152mm artillery systems , 120mm mortars , grenade launchers of various types , heavy machine guns , and small arms .
Russia 's hybrid military forces on March 2 mounted 13 attacks on Ukrainian Army positions in Donbas , eastern Ukraine , with five Ukrainian soldiers reported as wounded in action .
`` Russian occupation forces violated the ceasefire 13 times on March 2 , '' the press center of the Joint Forces Operation Headquarters said on Facebook in a morning update on March 3 .
`` Five members of Joint Forces were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enemy opened fire , employing proscribed 152mm artillery systems , 120mm mortars , grenade launchers of various types , heavy machine guns , and small arms .
Under attack came Ukrainian positions near the towns of Maryinka , Krasnohorivka , and Avdiyivka , and the villages of Opytne , Novomykhailivka , Lebedynske , Orikhove , Novotoshkivske , and Krymske .
`` Since Tuesday midnight , Russia-led forces have attacked Ukrainian positions near the village of Shyrokyne , using 82mm mortars , '' the update said .
No casualties were reported among Ukrainian troops @ @ @

The enemy opened fire, employing proscribed 152mm artillery systems, 120mm mortars, grenade launchers of various types, heavy machine guns, and small arms.
Russia's hybrid military forces on March 2 mounted 13 attacks on Ukrainian Army positions in Donbas, eastern Ukraine, with five Ukrainian soldiers reported as wounded in action.
"Russian occupation forces violated the ceasefire 13 times on March 2," the press center of the Joint Forces Operation Headquarters said on Facebook in a morning update on March 3. "Five members of Joint Forces were wounded amid enemy shelling."
The enemy opened fire, employing proscribed 152mm artillery systems, 120mm mortars, grenade launchers of various types, heavy machine guns, and small arms.
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Read alsoRussian-led forces in Donbas shell residential buildings in Krasnohorivka
Under attack came Ukrainian positions near the towns of Maryinka, Krasnohorivka, and Avdiyivka, and the villages of Opytne, Novomykhailivka, Lebedynske, Orikhove, Novotoshkivske, and Krymske.
"Since Tuesday midnight, Russia-led forces have attacked Ukrainian positions near the village of Shyrokyne, using 82mm mortars," the update said.
No casualties were reported among Ukrainian troops Tuesday morning.


unian--2020-03-03--Russia coming up with new ways to try to legitimize Crimea annexation – media

To this end , the Russians implement a variety of the most elaborate operations .
One of Moscow 's most urgent goals at the moment is to secure international legitimization of the occupation of the Ukrainian Crimean peninsula .
To this end , the Russians implement ( sometimes without concealing it and , more often , through affiliated structures ) a variety of the most elaborate operations , Democratic Europe reports .
For example , on February 6 , 2020 , the `` Russian Association of Ancient Cities '' ( within Rostov region of the Russian Federation , Krasnodar area @ @ @ @ @ @ @ municipalities of the `` Republic of Crimea '' ) was set up .
The occasion was the anniversary of the founding ( 2,500 years ago ) of the Bosporus Kingdom ( which had the capital of Panticapay , now the Crimean city of Kerch ) .
The pretext is the preservation of the archaeological heritage of ancient times .
It may seem as an ordinary event of a historical and cultural nature .
However , on April 24-25 , 2020 , during the upcoming 6th Yalta International Economic Forum , set to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plan to set up , based on the already mentioned Russian structure an `` International Association of Ancient Cities '' , to join which Russia has already invited Greece , Italy , Bulgaria , Turkey , Serbia , Armenia , Israel , Lebanon , Jordan , Syria , and Tunisia .
However , culture officials based in Athens , Rome , Sofia , and Ankara must be aware that Kremlin-controlled media around the world will be claiming that `` four NATO Allies , three EU member states , and some other countries have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , artificial restraints , and other barriers , and have finally officially recognized Crimea as part of the Russian Federation , the authors say , naming Russia 's effort one of the many `` Trojan horses '' deployed against Europe .
Read alsoUN General Assembly calls on Russia to withdraw military forces from Crimea , Donbas There are also encouraging examples of resistance to such `` Trojan Horses '' by the European democratic community , the article adds .
In March 2019 , Belgium 's Ministry of Justice registered a non-governmental organization , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ co-founded by the Moscow-based `` International Council of Russian Compatriots '' and the Brussels-based `` European Russian Community '' ) .
The NGO claimed its task was what seemed to be a perfectly acceptable one at first sight – to defend the interests of the Crimea population in international instances .
However , shortly , the ministry canceled the NGO 's registration after its lawyers concluded that , in fact , the organization 's activities threaten the country 's national interests ( one of the arguments was that the NGO was set up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and funded from the Russian state budget ) .
Having found itself being illegitimate , Tavrida has begun to work out options for its re-registration in Austria , Italy , or Switzerland .
`` Undoubtedly , it would be desirable for them to get into the official registry of any EU state , since this allows NGO representatives to gain access to the sidelines of the European Parliament and have an opportunity to meet with members of the European Commission , '' the article says .
`` It is possible that if they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the said NGO will be renamed but its inner essence will remain unchanged – this NGO will perform the function of the Russian Trojan Horse , which will keep waiting for a favorable moment at the gate of the European Fortress . ''
Currently , having seen an unfavorable judgment of the International Maritime Tribunal ( Hamburg , May 25 , 2019 ) regarding the Kerch incident , Russia decided to employ Tavrida NGO at the legal front .
The Association was instructed to convene in the spring of 2020 the so-called Public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : convict Kyiv of allegedly breaching with its three naval boats the Russian state maritime border at the end of 2018 ; condemn the Ukrainian authorities ' policy on Crimea , which allegedly led to a humanitarian crisis on the peninsula ; deny the facts of Russia 's violation of rights and freedoms of Crimean residents and the lack of access to the peninsula of international observers ; deny the unprecedented militarization of the peninsula , including the deployment of nuclear tactical weapons ; justify a long-standing policy of forcibly imposing Russian citizenship @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ; justify the policy of the Russian Federation aimed at artificially altering the demographic structure of Crimea by moving to the region from mainland Russia representatives of other ethnic and social groups ( primarily Volga , Urals and Siberian Tatars ) , as well as Russian military retirees , while forcing out of the peninsula indigenous Crimean Tatar and Ukrainian populations .
In general , the main purpose of this staged show , with the participation of bought-up and biased experts , will be to disseminate in the United Europe the belief that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` Now it all depends on how adequate the reaction of a democratic Europe will be to this yet another Russian attack they are facing , '' the authors conclude .

To this end, the Russians implement a variety of the most elaborate operations.
One of Moscow's most urgent goals at the moment is to secure international legitimization of the occupation of the Ukrainian Crimean peninsula.
To this end, the Russians implement (sometimes without concealing it and, more often, through affiliated structures) a variety of the most elaborate operations, Democratic Europe reports.
For example, on February 6, 2020, the "Russian Association of Ancient Cities" (within Rostov region of the Russian Federation, Krasnodar area of the Russian Federation, and nine municipalities of the "Republic of Crimea") was set up. The occasion was the anniversary of the founding (2,500 years ago) of the Bosporus Kingdom (which had the capital of Panticapay, now the Crimean city of Kerch).
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The pretext is the preservation of the archaeological heritage of ancient times. It may seem as an ordinary event of a historical and cultural nature. However, on April 24-25, 2020, during the upcoming 6th Yalta International Economic Forum, set to be held in the annexed Crimea, they plan to set up, based on the already mentioned Russian structure an "International Association of Ancient Cities", to join which Russia has already invited Greece, Italy, Bulgaria, Turkey, Serbia, Armenia, Israel, Lebanon, Jordan, Syria, and Tunisia.
However, culture officials based in Athens, Rome, Sofia, and Ankara must be aware that Kremlin-controlled media around the world will be claiming that "four NATO Allies, three EU member states, and some other countries have crossed out geopolitical confrontation, Western sanctions, artificial restraints, and other barriers, and have finally officially recognized Crimea as part of the Russian Federation, the authors say, naming Russia's effort one of the many "Trojan horses" deployed against Europe.
Read alsoUN General Assembly calls on Russia to withdraw military forces from Crimea, Donbas
There are also encouraging examples of resistance to such "Trojan Horses" by the European democratic community, the article adds. In March 2019, Belgium's Ministry of Justice registered a non-governmental organization, the International Association "Tavrida" (co-founded by the Moscow-based "International Council of Russian Compatriots" and the Brussels-based "European Russian Community"). The NGO claimed its task was what seemed to be a perfectly acceptable one at first sight – to defend the interests of the Crimea population in international instances. However, shortly, the ministry canceled the NGO's registration after its lawyers concluded that, in fact, the organization's activities threaten the country's national interests (one of the arguments was that the NGO was set up in agreement with the Russian Presidential Administration and funded from the Russian state budget).
Having found itself being illegitimate, Tavrida has begun to work out options for its re-registration in Austria, Italy, or Switzerland. "Undoubtedly, it would be desirable for them to get into the official registry of any EU state, since this allows NGO representatives to gain access to the sidelines of the European Parliament and have an opportunity to meet with members of the European Commission," the article says. "It is possible that if they fail to re-register in the EU, the said NGO will be renamed but its inner essence will remain unchanged – this NGO will perform the function of the Russian Trojan Horse, which will keep waiting for a favorable moment at the gate of the European Fortress."
Currently, having seen an unfavorable judgment of the International Maritime Tribunal (Hamburg, May 25, 2019) regarding the Kerch incident, Russia decided to employ Tavrida NGO at the legal front.
The Association was instructed to convene in the spring of 2020 the so-called Public Tribunal, during which Russians intend to: convict Kyiv of allegedly breaching with its three naval boats the Russian state maritime border at the end of 2018; condemn the Ukrainian authorities' policy on Crimea, which allegedly led to a humanitarian crisis on the peninsula; deny the facts of Russia's violation of rights and freedoms of Crimean residents and the lack of access to the peninsula of international observers; deny the unprecedented militarization of the peninsula, including the deployment of nuclear tactical weapons; justify a long-standing policy of forcibly imposing Russian citizenship on the peninsula and withdrawing Ukrainian passports; justify the policy of the Russian Federation aimed at artificially altering the demographic structure of Crimea by moving to the region from mainland Russia representatives of other ethnic and social groups (primarily Volga, Urals and Siberian Tatars), as well as Russian military retirees, while forcing out of the peninsula indigenous Crimean Tatar and Ukrainian populations.
In general, the main purpose of this staged show, with the participation of bought-up and biased experts, will be to disseminate in the United Europe the belief that the annexation of Crimea was legitimate.
"Now it all depends on how adequate the reaction of a democratic Europe will be to this yet another Russian attack they are facing," the authors conclude.


unian--2020-03-03--Reuters: With Russia ties under strain, Belarus holds drills with British Marines

Minsk discussed cooperation with NATO during Pompeo 's visit and the Belarusian defense ministry has said it was considering joint military exercises with NATO .
Belarus began holding joint military drills with 28 British Marines at a training ground in the north of the country this week at a time when relations with its traditional ally Russia are under strain .
The Belarus defense ministry has stated that the drills , which will run from March 2-14 , are similar to events that have been held regularly with Britain for the past two years , Reuters said .
But they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Moscow of trying to bully his country into merging with Russia by using oil supplies , loans and subsidies as leverage .
The United States and the European Union have been frequent critics of Lukashenko 's iron-fisted rule and human rights record in Belarus , where he has held power since 1994 .
Read alsoBelarus military officials say predicted war in Ukraine two years before it began But ties improved after Russia 's 2014 annexation of Ukraine 's Crimea peninsula that Belarus refused to recognize .
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in February @ @ @ @ @ @ @ visit Belarus in more than two decades .
The joint drills with Britain `` can not be considered outside of the political context , '' political analyst Alexander Klaskovsky said .
`` The Belarusian leadership knows how Moscow reacts painfully to such things . ''
`` Lukashenko is simply showing Moscow once again that there are plenty more fish in the sea and that he has alternatives . ''
Tensions between Minsk and Moscow heightened since January 1 , when they failed to agree on oil delivery terms and major Russian oil companies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had been a critic of NATO for most of his rule until the Crimea annexation .
Minsk discussed cooperation with NATO during Pompeo 's visit and the Belarusian defense ministry has said it was considering joint military exercises with NATO .
In December , Lukashenko even said that he hoped for NATO to intercede if Russia threatened the sovereignty of Belarus .

Minsk discussed cooperation with NATO during Pompeo's visit and the Belarusian defense ministry has said it was considering joint military exercises with NATO.
Belarus began holding joint military drills with 28 British Marines at a training ground in the north of the country this week at a time when relations with its traditional ally Russia are under strain.
The Belarus defense ministry has stated that the drills, which will run from March 2-14, are similar to events that have been held regularly with Britain for the past two years, Reuters said.
But they come as President Alexander Lukashenko has accused Moscow of trying to bully his country into merging with Russia by using oil supplies, loans and subsidies as leverage.
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The United States and the European Union have been frequent critics of Lukashenko's iron-fisted rule and human rights record in Belarus, where he has held power since 1994.
Read alsoBelarus military officials say predicted war in Ukraine two years before it began
But ties improved after Russia's 2014 annexation of Ukraine's Crimea peninsula that Belarus refused to recognize. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in February became the most senior U.S. official to visit Belarus in more than two decades.
The joint drills with Britain "cannot be considered outside of the political context," political analyst Alexander Klaskovsky said. "The Belarusian leadership knows how Moscow reacts painfully to such things."
"Lukashenko is simply showing Moscow once again that there are plenty more fish in the sea and that he has alternatives."
Tensions between Minsk and Moscow heightened since January 1, when they failed to agree on oil delivery terms and major Russian oil companies suspended pipeline supplies to Belarus.
Lukashenko had been a critic of NATO for most of his rule until the Crimea annexation.
Minsk discussed cooperation with NATO during Pompeo's visit and the Belarusian defense ministry has said it was considering joint military exercises with NATO.
In December, Lukashenko even said that he hoped for NATO to intercede if Russia threatened the sovereignty of Belarus.


unian--2020-03-03--Member of Parliament shares list of possible members of government

The ruling party 's faction met on March 3 ; Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was present .
Member of Parliament Oleksandr Dubinskyi has shared a list of possible members of Ukraine 's government whose candidacies were mentioned at a recent meeting of the Servant of the People parliamentary faction .
The ruling party 's faction held the meeting on March 3 with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky 's participation , Dubinskyi said after the event , according to an UNIAN correspondent .
In particular , Tymofiy Mylovanov is being considered as a candidate for Minister of Agrarian Policy ; Ihor Umansky @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ; Dmytro Kuleba as a candidate for Minister of Foreign Affairs .
Denys Maliuska is expected to remain Justice Minister , Arsen Avakov will keep the interior minister 's post .
Andriy Taran is being proposed for the defense minister 's post ( nominees for the posts of the ministers of defense and foreign affairs shall be introduced by the president of Ukraine ) .
Minister of the Cabinet of Ministers Dmytro Dubilet is expected to be dismissed .
According to Dubinskyi , Maryna Lazebna may be appointed minister of social policy ; @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and sports .
Dubinskyi also confirmed that the incumbent Prime Minister Oleksiy Honcharuk 's letter of resignation had been registered in parliament .
According to UNIAN 's sources , potential candidates for posts in the new government are as follows : Oleh Korostyliov as Deputy Prime Minister for security , defense and law enforcement agencies ; Oleksiy Chernyshov as Minister for Development of Communities and Territories ; Oleh Nemchynov as Minister of the Cabinet of Ministers ; Volodymyr Borodiansky as Minister of Youth and Culture ;

The ruling party's faction met on March 3; Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was present.
Member of Parliament Oleksandr Dubinskyi has shared a list of possible members of Ukraine's government whose candidacies were mentioned at a recent meeting of the Servant of the People parliamentary faction.
The ruling party's faction held the meeting on March 3 with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's participation, Dubinskyi said after the event, according to an UNIAN correspondent.
In particular, Tymofiy Mylovanov is being considered as a candidate for Minister of Agrarian Policy; Ihor Umansky as a candidate for Minister of Finance; Dmytro Kuleba as a candidate for Minister of Foreign Affairs. Denys Malyuska is expected to remain Justice Minister, Arsen Avakov will keep the interior minister's post.
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Andriy Taran is being proposed for the defense minister's post (nominees for the posts of the ministers of defense and foreign affairs shall be introduced by the president of Ukraine).
Minister of the Cabinet of Ministers Dmytro Dubilet is expected to be dismissed.
According to Dubinskyi, Maryna Lazebna may be appointed minister of social policy; Vadym Gutzeit may become minister of youth and sports.
Dubinskyi also confirmed that the incumbent Prime Minister Oleksiy Honcharuk's letter of resignation had been registered in parliament.
Read alsoZelensky proposes PM Honcharuk be dismissed, Shmyhal be appointed premier
According to UNIAN's sources, potential candidates for posts in the new government are as follows:
Denys Shmyhal as Prime Minister;
Oleh Korostyliov as Deputy Prime Minister for security, defense and law enforcement agencies;
Mykhailo Fedorov as Deputy Prime Minister for information technology;
Ihor Umansky as Finance Minister;
Roman Zhukovsky as Economy Minister;
Tymofiy Mylovanov as Agriculture Minister;
Andriy Taran as Defense Minister;
Arsen Avakov as Interior Minister;
Illia Yemets as Health Minister;
Ivan Plachkov as Energy Minister;
Denys Malyuska as Justice Minister;
Vladyslav Kryklii as Infrastructure Minister;
Oleksiy Chernyshov as Minister for Development of Communities and Territories;
Maryna Lazebna as Minister of Social Policy;
Serhiy Bessarab as Minister for Veterans Affairs;
Oleh Nemchynov as Minister of the Cabinet of Ministers;
Dmytro Kuleba as Foreign Minister;
Volodymyr Borodiansky as Minister of Youth and Culture;
Vadym Gutzeit as Minister of Sports.


unian--2020-03-03--One Ukrainian soldier killed, another four wounded on March 3

The enemy used proscribed 82mm mortars , grenade launchers , large-caliber machine guns , and rifles .
One Ukrainian soldier @ @ @ @ @ were wounded in action amid Russian aggression in Donbas on March 3 .
Russian-led forces @ @ @ @ @ from 00:00 and 19:00 Kyiv time on March 3 , the press center of the @ @ @ @ @ ) Headquarters said in an evening update on Facebook .
The enemy used proscribed 82mm @ @ @ @ @ large-caliber machine guns , and rifles , it said .

The enemy used proscribed 82mm mortars, grenade launchers, large-caliber machine guns, and rifles.
One Ukrainian soldier was killed; another four were wounded in action amid Russian aggression in Donbas on March 3.
Russian-led forces attacked Ukrainian positions seven times from 00:00 and 19:00 Kyiv time on March 3, the press center of the Joint Forces Operation (JFO) Headquarters said in an evening update on Facebook.
Read alsoFive Ukrainian soldiers wounded amid 13 enemy attacks on March 2
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The enemy used proscribed 82mm mortars, grenade launchers, large-caliber machine guns, and rifles, it said.
As UNIAN reported earlier, Russia's hybrid military forces on March 2 mounted 13 attacks on Ukrainian Army positions in Donbas, eastern Ukraine, with five Ukrainian soldiers reported as wounded in action.