unian--2020-08-19--EU leaders agree to slap sanctions on Belarus over rigged vote results

The EU has called on the Belarusian authorities to find a peaceful way out of the crisis .
The leaders of the European Union member states have agreed to introduce sanctions against Belarus in response to the rigging of the results of the presidential elections and the use of violence against protesters .
`` The EU will impose shortly sanctions on a substantial number of individuals responsible for violence , repression and election fraud , '' President of the European Council Charles Michel said at the end of an extraordinary summit of EU leaders called to discuss the bloc 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Belarus .
The EU has called on the Belarusian authorities to find a peaceful way out of the crisis by ending violence and starting a comprehensive national dialogue , Michel said .
In his words , all parties , including third countries , should support this process .
As the President of the European Council noted , the European Union fully supports the OSCE proposal to start a dialogue and is ready to help .
In turn , the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen said that the people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ noted that residents of Belarus came out to join peaceful protests , and the authorities responded with violence , which is unacceptable .
• On August 14 , the European Union announced it did not recognize the outcome of the presidential elections in Belarus and said work had begun to introduce sanctions over electoral fraud and violence against protesters .
• Austria has backed sanctions against Belarus and called for new elections .
• The Bundestag called on the Belarusian authorities to stop violence against protesters .
• Lithuania 's Seimas refused to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Belarus .
• Canada and Ireland refused to acknowledge Lukashenko 's victory in the elections .

The EU has called on the Belarusian authorities to find a peaceful way out of the crisis.
The leaders of the European Union member states have agreed to introduce sanctions against Belarus in response to the rigging of the results of the presidential elections and the use of violence against protesters.
"The EU will impose shortly sanctions on a substantial number of individuals responsible for violence, repression and election fraud," President of the European Council Charles Michel said at the end of an extraordinary summit of EU leaders called to discuss the bloc's reaction to the disputed August 9 elections in Belarus.
The EU has called on the Belarusian authorities to find a peaceful way out of the crisis by ending violence and starting a comprehensive national dialogue, Michel said.
Видео дня
Read alsoMerkel: EU doesn't recognize results of presidential elections in Belarus
In his words, all parties, including third countries, should support this process.
As the President of the European Council noted, the European Union fully supports the OSCE proposal to start a dialogue and is ready to help.
In turn, the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen said that the people of Belarus yearn for change. She noted that residents of Belarus came out to join peaceful protests, and the authorities responded with violence, which is unacceptable.
International community's position vis-a-vis Belarus


unian--2020-08-19--Merkel: EU doesn't recognize results of presidential elections in Belarus

Germany 's leader points out to massive violations at polling stations .
German Chancellor Angela Merkel says the European Union member states do not recognize the results of the presidential election in Belarus .
`` The elections were neither fair , nor free , and for this reason the result of these elections can not be recognized , '' German Chancellor Angela Merkel said at the end of a special meeting of EU leaders in Brussels , according to Deutsche Welle .
Read alsoAmendments must be passed within law – Lukashenko on new Constitution According to her , there is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during the voting .
The EU also condemned the violence against protesters and called for the release of all political prisoners in Belarus .
Merkel added there is the need for a national dialogue in the country , which is proposed by the Belarusian opposition .
• On August 9 , presidential elections were held in Belarus .
The country 's Central Election Commission announced the final election results .
In particular , 80.1 % of voters supported incumbent President Alexander Lukashenko , 10.1 % voted for Svetlana Tikhanovskaya , 1.67 % for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dmitriev , and 1.14 % for Sergei Cherechnya .
Some 4.59 % voted against all candidates .
• Thousands of residents of Belarus took to the streets to protest what they believe is a rigged vote count .
Riot police violently cracked down on protesters .
• Belarus ' Ministry of Internal Affairs said about 7,000 protesters had been detained in different cities since August 9 .
On the evening of August 13 , the authorities started to release detainees .
• On August 14 , the European Union announced it did not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Belarus and said work had begun to introduce sanctions over electoral fraud and violence against protesters .
• The March of Freedom , the largest protest in the history of Belarus , took place on August 16 in Minsk .
Hundreds of thousands of people joined in .

Germany's leader points out to massive violations at polling stations.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel says the European Union member states do not recognize the results of the presidential election in Belarus.
"The elections were neither fair, nor free, and for this reason the result of these elections cannot be recognized," German Chancellor Angela Merkel said at the end of a special meeting of EU leaders in Brussels, according to Deutsche Welle.
Read alsoAmendments must be passed within law – Lukashenko on new Constitution
Видео дня
According to her, there is no doubt that there were massive violations during the voting.
The EU also condemned the violence against protesters and called for the release of all political prisoners in Belarus.
Merkel added there is the need for a national dialogue in the country, which is proposed by the Belarusian opposition.
Belarus protests in brief


unian--2020-08-19--Lukashenko warns Zelensky against "fomenting riots" in Belarus

`` Financing riots means fomenting riots , '' Lukashenko said , asking that his statement be relayed to a number of foreign leaders , including the Ukrainian president .
Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko , whose legitimacy following the latest election has not been recognized by the EU and a number of states , has publicly warned Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky against `` fomenting riots '' .
`` You just need to tell them [ Western leaders ] what is going on in Belarus .
You should reach out to Merkel , Macron , Duda , Nauseda , and others , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they know what is going on in Belarus , the official position .
You should not hesitate to warn them of responsibility for fomenting riots , '' Lukashenko said , addressing the Security Council meeting held via video link , also attended by regional leaders , on August 19 , BelTA reported .
`` We see today that this financing continues , '' he added .
Read alsoLukashenko : Belarus government has someone to rely on '' Secondly , saber-rattling and drills at the border with Belarus are counterproductive now .
They should @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be held responsible if anything happens , '' the Belarusian leader said .
Russia became one of the first countries to congratulate Lukashenko on his alleged win in the presidential elections in Belarus , whereas Poland , Lithuania , and Latvia made no such calls .
Ukraine did not congratulate Lukashenko either .
Later , the EU recognized the elections in Belarus as rigged , and declared Lukashenko persona non grata .
In parallel lines , the West is preparing a package of sanctions against those involved in the violence and murder of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
At the same time , eyewitnesses spotted convoys of Russian Guard trucks moving toward the border of Belarus .
Earlier , several aircraft of the Belarus air force flew to Russian military bases .
Read alsoZelensky warns Minsk of `` tragic consequences '' of sending Wagner PMC troops back to RussiaEuropean diplomats and U.S. legislators have expressed concern about Russia 's interference in Belarus ' affairs .
Some political experts believe the `` Crimea scenario '' is unfolding .

"Financing riots means fomenting riots," Lukashenko said, asking that his statement be relayed to a number of foreign leaders, including the Ukrainian president.
Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko, whose legitimacy following the latest election has not been recognized by the EU and a number of states, has publicly warned Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky against "fomenting riots".
"You just need to tell them [Western leaders] what is going on in Belarus. You should reach out to Merkel, Macron, Duda, Nauseda, and others, as well as Zelensky, so that they know what is going on in Belarus, the official position. You should not hesitate to warn them of responsibility for fomenting riots," Lukashenko said, addressing the Security Council meeting held via video link, also attended by regional leaders, on August 19, BelTA reported.
"Financing riots means fomenting riots," Lukashenko stressed.
Видео дня
"We see today that this financing continues," he added.
Read alsoLukashenko: Belarus government has someone to rely on"Secondly, saber-rattling and drills at the border with Belarus are counterproductive now. They should keep it in mind. They will be held responsible if anything happens," the Belarusian leader said.
Russia's "support" for Lukashenko
Russia became one of the first countries to congratulate Lukashenko on his alleged win in the presidential elections in Belarus, whereas Poland, Lithuania, and Latvia made no such calls. Ukraine did not congratulate Lukashenko either.
Later, the EU recognized the elections in Belarus as rigged, and declared Lukashenko persona non grata. In parallel lines, the West is preparing a package of sanctions against those involved in the violence and murder of protesters in the early days of protests.
At the same time, eyewitnesses spotted convoys of Russian Guard trucks moving toward the border of Belarus. Earlier, several aircraft of the Belarus air force flew to Russian military bases.
Read alsoZelensky warns Minsk of "tragic consequences" of sending Wagner PMC troops back to RussiaEuropean diplomats and U.S. legislators have expressed concern about Russia's interference in Belarus' affairs. Some political experts believe the "Crimea scenario" is unfolding.


unian--2020-08-19--Kremlin comments on possibility of sending troops to Belarus

No need to deploy military at the moment , Putin 's spox says .
Kremlin Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov says Russia is seeing no need to provide military assistance to Belarus within the framework of the Collective Security Treaty Organization ( CSTO ) .
`` As for the Collective Security Treaty Organization , indeed , the parties undertook a number of obligations on mutual assistance .
But you know now there is no such need , and , in fact , the Belarusian leadership itself admitted that there is no such need , '' he told journalists , according to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a clarifying question , whether Russia will provide military assistance to Belarus in case of an external threat , or `` revolution , '' Peskov said : `` I have already answered your question . ''
When asked to comment on media reports that convoys of Russian military equipment were spotted heading toward the border with Belarus , Peskov said that `` Russian military hardware is located throughout the territory of the Russian Federation , so there is nothing to comment on . ''
According to him , in the issue of Russia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ framework , `` such hypothetical reasoning is absolutely unacceptable , impossible '' '' I repeat once again : it 's Belarusians – we proceed from the fact that it 's Belarusians themselves who will address their issues within the framework of dialogue , within the legal framework , and without any external interference , '' Peskov said .
He also claimed the Kremlin considers events in Belarus an internal affair of that country .
Russia `` support '' for Lukashenko Russia became one of the first countries to congratulate Lukashenko on his alleged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , whereas Poland , Lithuania , and Latvia made no such calls .
Ukraine did not congratulate Lukashenko either .
Later , the EU recognized the elections in Belarus as rigged , and the ex-president himself persona non grata .
In parallel lines , the West is preparing a package of sanctions against those involved in the violence and murder of protesters in the early days of protests .
At the same time , eyewitnesses reported the movement of convoys of Russian Guard trucks toward the border of Belarus .
Earlier , several @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Russian military bases .
European diplomats and U.S. legislators have expressed concern about Russia 's interference in Belarus ' affairs .
Some political experts believe the `` Crimea scenario '' is unfolding .

No need to deploy military at the moment, Putin's spox says.
Kremlin Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov says Russia is seeing no need to provide military assistance to Belarus within the framework of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO).
"As for the Collective Security Treaty Organization, indeed, the parties undertook a number of obligations on mutual assistance. But you know now there is no such need, and, in fact, the Belarusian leadership itself admitted that there is no such need," he told journalists, according to an UNIAN correspondent in Russia.
To a clarifying question, whether Russia will provide military assistance to Belarus in case of an external threat, or "revolution," Peskov said: "I have already answered your question."
Видео дня
Russia's military hardware at Belarus borders
When asked to comment on media reports that convoys of Russian military equipment were spotted heading toward the border with Belarus, Peskov said that "Russian military hardware is located throughout the territory of the Russian Federation, so there is nothing to comment on."
According to him, in the issue of Russia providing assistance to Belarus within the CSTO framework, "such hypothetical reasoning is absolutely unacceptable, impossible"
"I repeat once again: it's Belarusians – we proceed from the fact that it's Belarusians themselves who will address their issues within the framework of dialogue, within the legal framework, and without any external interference," Peskov said.
He also claimed the Kremlin considers events in Belarus an internal affair of that country.
Russia "support" for Lukashenko
Russia "support" for Lukashenko Russia became one of the first countries to congratulate Lukashenko on his alleged victory in the presidential elections in Belarus, whereas Poland, Lithuania, and Latvia made no such calls. Ukraine did not congratulate Lukashenko either.
Later, the EU recognized the elections in Belarus as rigged, and the ex-president himself persona non grata.
In parallel lines, the West is preparing a package of sanctions against those involved in the violence and murder of protesters in the early days of protests.
At the same time, eyewitnesses reported the movement of convoys of Russian Guard trucks toward the border of Belarus. Earlier, several aircraft of the Belarus air force flew to Russian military bases.
European diplomats and U.S. legislators have expressed concern about Russia's interference in Belarus' affairs. Some political experts believe the "Crimea scenario" is unfolding.


unian--2020-08-20--Ukraine, Georgia sign Program of Cooperation between defense ministries

On August 19 , the delegation of Ukraine 's Defense Ministry started an official visit to Georgia .
The ministries of defense of Ukraine and Georgia have signed a Program of Cooperation .
On August 19 , the delegation of Ukraine 's Defense Ministry started an official visit to Georgia .
During the visit , Ukrainian Defense Minister Andrii Taran held a meeting with his Georgian counterpart Irakli Garibashvili , as reported on the Ukrainian defense ministry 's website .
During the event , defense chiefs discussed a number of relevant issues of mutual interest , including the security situation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Azov and Black Sea regions , measures to combat COVID-19 spread among the military , as well as developing cooperation in the NATO-Georgia-Ukraine format .
The ministers focused on the progress of defense reform implementation .
The Ukrainian delegation was briefed on Georgia 's plans toward developing and building up their Defense Forces , also sharing own experience of transforming the Army while repealing Russian aggression .
Read alsoNATO-funded disposal of obsolete ammo resumes in UkraineThe parties discussed priorities of bilateral defense cooperation in the areas of strategic communications , cyber defense , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and implementation of NATO standards .
`` The agreements reached will help strengthen defense capabilities of our countries , increase operational and combat capabilities of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the Defense Forces of Georgia , which will in general guarantee peace and prosperity to our people , '' Taran said .
During the visit , the Ukrainian delegation laid a wreath at the Memorial to the Heroes Who Died for the Unity of Georgia , and visited the occupation line in Tskhinvali region .

On August 19, the delegation of Ukraine's Defense Ministry started an official visit to Georgia.
The ministries of defense of Ukraine and Georgia have signed a Program of Cooperation.
On August 19, the delegation of Ukraine's Defense Ministry started an official visit to Georgia. During the visit, Ukrainian Defense Minister Andrii Taran held a meeting with his Georgian counterpart Irakli Garibashvili, as reported on the Ukrainian defense ministry's website.
During the event, defense chiefs discussed a number of relevant issues of mutual interest, including the security situation in Ukraine, Georgia, and the Azov and Black Sea regions, measures to combat COVID-19 spread among the military, as well as developing cooperation in the NATO-Georgia-Ukraine format.
Видео дня
The ministers focused on the progress of defense reform implementation. The Ukrainian delegation was briefed on Georgia's plans toward developing and building up their Defense Forces, also sharing own experience of transforming the Army while repealing Russian aggression.
Read alsoNATO-funded disposal of obsolete ammo resumes in UkraineThe parties discussed priorities of bilateral defense cooperation in the areas of strategic communications, cyber defense, military-technical sphere, joint participation in exercises, and implementation of NATO standards.
"The agreements reached will help strengthen defense capabilities of our countries, increase operational and combat capabilities of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the Defense Forces of Georgia, which will in general guarantee peace and prosperity to our people," Taran said.
During the visit, the Ukrainian delegation laid a wreath at the Memorial to the Heroes Who Died for the Unity of Georgia, and visited the occupation line in Tskhinvali region.


unian--2020-08-20--Kyiv mayor reports 227 new COVID-19 cases in past day

The total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases has reached 11,172 .
Kyiv Mayor Vitaliy Klitschko has said the number of confirmed coronavirus ( COVID-19 ) cases in the city rose by 227 over the past day .
`` In the past day , another 227 residents of Kyiv tested positive for coronavirus , including three healthcare workers .
There were three fatalities , '' Klitschko wrote on Telegram on August 20 .
`` As of today , the total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the city is 11,172 . ''
According to Klitschko , 114 women aged 20 to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to 85 among those infected .
Read alsoKyiv tightening quarantine : new `` yellow zone '' bansFive girls ( from five to 16 years old ) and four boys ( from two to 10 years old ) have tested positive .
Klitschko said 37 new patients had been hospitalized , while the rest were self-isolating , undergoing treatment at home under medical supervision .
One hundred and one people recovered from the disease in the past day , he said .
In total , 3,585 Kyiv residents have already recovered .
The highest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was registered in Darnytsky district ( 39 ) , Sviatoshynsky district ( 37 ) , and Dniprovsky district ( 31 ) .
The adaptive quarantine was introduced on August 1 .
Ukrainian regions were split into the red , green , orange , and yellow zones depending on hospital load , the average number of PCR and ELISA tests , the ascertainment rate of COVID-19 , and daily spread dynamics .
Quarantine-related curbs differ in each zone .
The mildest ones are in the green zone , the regions included in the red @ @ @ @ @ @ @ measures .
Updated quarantine zoning became effective in Ukraine on August 17 .
Kyiv was included in the yellow zone .
In Ukrainian schools within the `` orange quarantine zone '' , teachers will be wearing protective face shields in class .

The total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases has reached 11,172.
Kyiv Mayor Vitaliy Klitschko has said the number of confirmed coronavirus (COVID-19) cases in the city rose by 227 over the past day.
"In the past day, another 227 residents of Kyiv tested positive for coronavirus, including three healthcare workers. There were three fatalities," Klitschko wrote on Telegram on August 20. "As of today, the total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the city is 11,172."
According to Klitschko, 114 women aged 20 to 83, and 104 men aged 18 to 85 among those infected.
Видео дня
Read alsoKyiv tightening quarantine: new "yellow zone" bansFive girls (from five to 16 years old) and four boys (from two to 10 years old) have tested positive.
Klitschko said 37 new patients had been hospitalized, while the rest were self-isolating, undergoing treatment at home under medical supervision.
One hundred and one people recovered from the disease in the past day, he said.
In total, 3,585 Kyiv residents have already recovered.
The highest number of the new cases in Kyiv was registered in Darnytsky district (39), Sviatoshynsky district (37), and Dniprovsky district (31).
Quarantine in Ukraine
The adaptive quarantine was introduced on August 1. Ukrainian regions were split into the red, green, orange, and yellow zones depending on hospital load, the average number of PCR and ELISA tests, the ascertainment rate of COVID-19, and daily spread dynamics.
Quarantine-related curbs differ in each zone. The mildest ones are in the green zone, the regions included in the red zone have to introduce the toughest restrictive measures.
Updated quarantine zoning became effective in Ukraine on August 17. Kyiv was included in the yellow zone.
In Ukrainian schools within the "orange quarantine zone", teachers will be wearing protective face shields in class.


unian--2020-08-20--Belarus launches criminal probe into "seizure of power" by opposition

The Coordination Council was earlier initiated by Svetlana Tikhanovskaya who had proclaimed herself leader of the united opposition .
The Prosecutor General 's Office of Belarus has opened a criminal investigation into the seizure of state power in the country .
`` The creation and activities of the Coordination Council are aimed at seizing state power , as well as harming the national security of the Republic of Belarus .
Into this fact , a criminal case was initiated under Article 361 of the Criminal Code , '' Prosecutor General of the Republic of Belarus Alexander Konyuk told journalists , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the press service of the Coordination Council told Onliner it had not yet received such information and would comment on it as soon as they found out the details .
Read alsoCoordination Council of Belarusian opposition voices requirementsThe Coordination Council was on August 14 initiated by Svetlana Tikhanovskaya , long-time leader Alexander Lukashenko 's rival in the latest elections , who had proclaimed herself leader of the united opposition , to ensure a `` peaceful transfer of power . ''
Lukashenko , in turn , delivered an emotionally-charged response to the idea @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are throwing the other side at us .
And they demand as much as to hand them power .
So , we perceive this unequivocally : it is an attempt to seize power with all ensuing implications , '' Lukashenko replied .
On August 19 , the Council elected a presidium , which included , in particular , famous Belarusian politicians and writers .
On August 9 , presidential elections were held in Belarus .
The country 's Central Election Commission announced the final election results .
In particular , 80.1 % of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 10.1 % voted for Svetlana Tikhanovskaya , 1.67 % for Anna Kanopatskaya , 1.2 % for Andrey Dmitriev , and 1.14 % for Sergei Cherechnya .
Some 4.59 % voted against all candidates .
Thousands of residents of Belarus took to the streets to protest what they believe is a rigged vote count .
Riot police violently cracked down on protesters .
Belarus ' Ministry of Internal Affairs said about 7,000 protesters had been detained in different cities since August 9 .
On the evening of August 13 , the authorities started to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the European Union announced it did not recognize the outcome of the presidential elections in Belarus and on August 19 leaders reportedly agreed on sanctions to be introduced over election rigging and violence against protesters .
The March of Freedom , the largest protest in the history of Belarus , took place on August 16 in Minsk .
Hundreds of thousands of people joined in .

The Coordination Council was earlier initiated by Svetlana Tikhanovskaya who had proclaimed herself leader of the united opposition.
The Prosecutor General's Office of Belarus has opened a criminal investigation into the seizure of state power in the country.
"The creation and activities of the Coordination Council are aimed at seizing state power, as well as harming the national security of the Republic of Belarus. Into this fact, a criminal case was initiated under Article 361 of the Criminal Code," Prosecutor General of the Republic of Belarus Alexander Konyuk told journalists, Euroradio wrote on Telegram.
In turn, the press service of the Coordination Council told Onliner it had not yet received such information and would comment on it as soon as they found out the details.
Видео дня
Read alsoCoordination Council of Belarusian opposition voices requirementsThe Coordination Council was on August 14 initiated by Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, long-time leader Alexander Lukashenko's rival in the latest elections, who had proclaimed herself leader of the united opposition, to ensure a "peaceful transfer of power."
Lukashenko, in turn, delivered an emotionally-charged response to the idea: "They [the opposition] are throwing the other side at us. And they demand as much as to hand them power. So, we perceive this unequivocally: it is an attempt to seize power with all ensuing implications," Lukashenko replied.
It is an attempt to seize power with all ensuing implications
On August 19, the Council elected a presidium, which included, in particular, famous Belarusian politicians and writers.
Belarus protests: background
On August 9, presidential elections were held in Belarus. The country's Central Election Commission announced the final election results. In particular, 80.1% of voters supported incumbent President Alexander Lukashenko, 10.1% voted for Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, 1.67% for Anna Kanopatskaya, 1.2% for Andrey Dmitriev, and 1.14% for Sergei Cherechnya. Some 4.59% voted against all candidates.
Thousands of residents of Belarus took to the streets to protest what they believe is a rigged vote count. Riot police violently cracked down on protesters.
Belarus' Ministry of Internal Affairs said about 7,000 protesters had been detained in different cities since August 9. On the evening of August 13, the authorities started to release detainees.
On August 14, the European Union announced it did not recognize the outcome of the presidential elections in Belarus and on August 19 leaders reportedly agreed on sanctions to be introduced over election rigging and violence against protesters.
The March of Freedom, the largest protest in the history of Belarus, took place on August 16 in Minsk. Hundreds of thousands of people joined in.


unian--2020-08-20--Ukraine sees agricultural output drop by 11.2% in Jan-July

In particular , agricultural enterprises decreased production by 15.3 % over the period under review , while private farmers saw @ @ @ @ @ % .
Agricultural output in Ukraine in January-July 2020 dropped by 11.2 % year-over-year ( @ @ @ @ @ , agricultural enterprises decreased production by 15.3 % over the period under review , while @ @ @ @ @ shrink by 4.2 % , according to the Ukrainian State Statistics Service .
Crops output @ @ @ @ @ 2020 fell by 15.7 % y-o-y , while livestock production shrank by 2.5 % .
@ @ @ @ @ : expert outlookThe report does not cover temporarily occupied areas in the Autonomous Republic of @ @ @ @ @ Sevastopol , and certain areas in Donetsk and Luhansk regions , the agency said .
@ @ @ @ @ by 1.1 % in 2019 against 2018 .
Agricultural enterprises boosted production by 3.3 % @ @ @ @ @ their output by 2 % .

Ukraine sees agricultural output drop by 11.2% in Jan-July
15:20, 20.08.20 1295
In particular, agricultural enterprises decreased production by 15.3% over the period under review, while private farmers saw their output shrink by 4.2%.
Помогите проекту
Support us


unian--2020-08-20--Unemployment in Ukraine grows by 67% since coronavirus outbreak

Get a complete information picture of the day by subscribing to UNIAN ’ s news feeds .
For more information @ @ @ @

Unemployment in Ukraine grows by 67% since coronavirus outbreak
15:00, 20.08.20 1211
Since quarantine start (March 12 to August 20), 431,800 people have filed for unemployment.
Помогите проекту
Support us


unian--2020-08-20--UIA cuts passenger traffic by 75% in H1

UIA cuts passenger traffic by 75% in H1

UIA cuts passenger traffic by 75% in H1
14:40, 20.08.20 643
The air carrier summed up preliminary results of its performance after partial resumption of flights.
Помогите проекту
Support us


unian--2020-08-20--OSCE urges sides to continue making all efforts to keep sustainable truce in Donbas

According to Grau , since the new truce entered into force , the number of ceasefire violations has dropped to the lowest-ever level .
The Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office in Ukraine and in the Trilateral Contact Group ( TCG ) , Ambassador Heidi Grau , has urged the sides to continue making all necessary efforts to keep a sustainable and comprehensive ceasefire in Donbas .
`` I encourage the sides to continue making all necessary efforts to keep a sustainable and comprehensive ceasefire , '' she said in a press statement after the regular meetings of the TCG @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conferencing on August 19 , 2020 .
Read alsoRemains of Russian occupation victims exhumed from unmarked grave in Sloviansk '' The participants of today 's TCG meeting unanimously noted that the 'Measures to strengthen the ceasefire ' agreed upon by them four weeks ago , have been working successfully , '' Grau said .
According to the official , since the entry into force of the `` Measures '' on July 27 , 2020 , the numbers of ceasefire violations have dropped to the lowest level ever recorded by the OSCE Special Monitoring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the conflict zone has improved significantly , which in turn has had a positive impact on the civilians ' daily life .
This proves once again that concrete results can be achieved provided there is political will , '' she said .
In addition to this topic , participants of the meeting of the Security Working Group were engaged in developing an updated demining plan .
`` They came close to agreement upon 20 demining areas , including areas near the entry-exit crossing points .
I call on the participants of the TCG @ @ @ @ @ @ @ without further conditions .
Let us not forget that this is a matter of human lives , '' Grau said .
The Economic Working Group discussed current issues of water supplies in certain areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine , as well as environmental matters , focusing on the environmental condition of coal mines on both sides of the line of contact .
`` The discussions of the Humanitarian Working Group focused on the mutual release and exchange of conflict-related detainees .
All those responsible shall demonstrate goodwill to reach an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she said .
In addition , participants discussed in a constructive spirit the technical possibility of delivering humanitarian cargo in the Luhansk region across the line of contact .
Read alsoDonbas truce : Ukraine reports three ceasefire violations by enemy forces on Aug 19 '' The discussion of the Political Working Group was mainly devoted to the Resolution of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine No .
795-IX 'On the appointment of regular local elections in 2020 . '
I regret that , for this reason , participants were unable to discuss the issues @ @ @ @ @ @ @ implementation of the Minsk Agreements , '' she added .
Parties to the Trilateral Contact Group ( Ukraine , Russia , and the OSCE ) on the peace settlement in Donbas on July 22 agreed on a full and comprehensive ceasefire along the contact line from July 27 .
The new ceasefire regime was enforced at 00:01 Kyiv time on July 27 .
On the very first day of the newly-agreed truce , Russia 's hybrid military forces mounted three attacks on Ukrainian positions .
More provocations have been reported since .

According to Grau, since the new truce entered into force, the number of ceasefire violations has dropped to the lowest-ever level.
The Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office in Ukraine and in the Trilateral Contact Group (TCG), Ambassador Heidi Grau, has urged the sides to continue making all necessary efforts to keep a sustainable and comprehensive ceasefire in Donbas.
"I encourage the sides to continue making all necessary efforts to keep a sustainable and comprehensive ceasefire," she said in a press statement after the regular meetings of the TCG and its Working Groups held through video conferencing on August 19, 2020.
Read alsoRemains of Russian occupation victims exhumed from unmarked grave in Sloviansk"The participants of today's TCG meeting unanimously noted that the 'Measures to strengthen the ceasefire' agreed upon by them four weeks ago, have been working successfully," Grau said.
Видео дня
According to the official, since the entry into force of the "Measures" on July 27, 2020, the numbers of ceasefire violations have dropped to the lowest level ever recorded by the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission.
"The security situation in the conflict zone has improved significantly, which in turn has had a positive impact on the civilians' daily life. This proves once again that concrete results can be achieved provided there is political will," she said.
In addition to this topic, participants of the meeting of the Security Working Group were engaged in developing an updated demining plan.
"They came close to agreement upon 20 demining areas, including areas near the entry-exit crossing points. I call on the participants of the TCG meeting to sign and implement this agreement without further conditions. Let us not forget that this is a matter of human lives," Grau said.
The Economic Working Group discussed current issues of water supplies in certain areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine, as well as environmental matters, focusing on the environmental condition of coal mines on both sides of the line of contact.
"The discussions of the Humanitarian Working Group focused on the mutual release and exchange of conflict-related detainees. All those responsible shall demonstrate goodwill to reach an early agreement on this issue," she said.
In addition, participants discussed in a constructive spirit the technical possibility of delivering humanitarian cargo in the Luhansk region across the line of contact.
Read alsoDonbas truce: Ukraine reports three ceasefire violations by enemy forces on Aug 19"The discussion of the Political Working Group was mainly devoted to the Resolution of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine No. 795-IX 'On the appointment of regular local elections in 2020.' I regret that, for this reason, participants were unable to discuss the issues on the agenda, aimed at the implementation of the Minsk Agreements," she added.
Donbas truce: background
Parties to the Trilateral Contact Group (Ukraine, Russia, and the OSCE) on the peace settlement in Donbas on July 22 agreed on a full and comprehensive ceasefire along the contact line from July 27.
The new ceasefire regime was enforced at 00:01 Kyiv time on July 27.
On the very first day of the newly-agreed truce, Russia's hybrid military forces mounted three attacks on Ukrainian positions. More provocations have been reported since.


unian--2020-08-20--Advisor to President's Office chief dismisses as "fiction" reports on alleged disruption of classifi

Advisor to President's Office chief dismisses as "fiction" reports on alleged disruption of classified intel operation

None of the leaders of the President 's Office , including its chief , could or had any opportunity to postpone or cancel anything .
Mykhailo Podolyak , an anti-crisis communications advisor to Head of the President 's Office Andriy Yermak , has called out as `` fiction '' the reports about the alleged disruption of what media said was a secret operation of Ukrainian special services to detain Wagner PMC mercenaries who had committed crimes in Donbas warzone .
`` The information absolutely does not correspond to reality ...
The report by the [ occupied ] Crimea 's Komsomolskaya @ @ @ @ @ @ @ version , '' he told UNIAN .
According to Podolyak , there were no meetings held at the President 's Office in the composition that has been claimed in the report .
Read alsoUkraine decries allegations of `` special operation '' to arrest Wagner PMC troops as `` fake story '' '' Consequently , there was no discussion of any hypothetical operations .
And , of course , none of the leaders of the President 's Office , including its head , could or had the opportunity to postpone or cancel anything , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said it was physically impossible to do that since `` logistics and details of any operation at the final stage are never discussed . ''
He called out as fiction the operation aimed `` to abduct three dozen military professionals from the territory of Belarus on a Turkish plane . ''
When asked whether , as media put it , the president fired military intelligence chief Vasyl Burba for allegedly demanding a probe into the possible leak from the president 's office , Podolyak said : `` The reasons for Burba 's dismissal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ made no demands of this kind .
Of course , all this was already a media thing following his dismissal as an attempt to defend himself if new intelligence leadership were to conduct a major audit of his work in office . ''
On August 18 , editor-in-chief of the Censor.Net outlet , Yuriy Butusov , took to Facebook to allege , citing unnamed sources , that the situation with the emergence of Wagner PMC 's mercenaries in Belarus was part of a secret operation conducted by the SBU Security Service of Ukraine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ministry of Defense , aimed to arrest and prosecute the men who committed crimes in the Donbas warzone .
The plan allegedly was to first trick them into boasting of own crimes and then lure them into one group under the pretext of another contract job overseas where they would travel transiting Belarus before eventually make a plane carrying the group land in Ukraine to detain the men .
The mission , Butusov alleges , has failed after Belarusian law enforcers arrested the whole group as the men were allegedly waiting for a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Ukraine has refuted the allegations , saying the agency `` does not comment on rumors , does not support media information operations of the enemy , and does not participate in public discussions of various fictional scenarios .
Especially when such spins are aimed at harming Ukraine . ''
At the same , the Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine ( SZR ) in a statement posted on its website on Wednesday pointed to the Russian origin of the special information operation titled `` Wagner Group in Belarus '' .
As per the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are as follows : Destabilizing Belarus on the eve of and during the presidential election ; Accusing Ukrainian special services of involvement in plotting and conducting an operation on the Belarusian soil and , as a result , dragging Ukraine into an international row and undermining its international image ; and Compromising Ukrainian leadership to undermine popular ratings of the incumbent authorities on the eve of local elections .
On July 29 , 2020 , a group of militants with the Wagner PMC were detained in Belarus , 32 – outside Minsk , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the country .
Among them were those who fought against Ukraine in the Donbas war .
According to Belarusian law enforcement , they had been tipped about the deployment of over 200 militants to destabilize the country amid the election campaign .
Belarus turned to the Ukrainian authorities to verify the involvement of the detainees in crimes committed in Ukraine .
On July 30 , Ukraine began consultations with Belarus on the extradition .
On August 7 , President Alexander Lukashenko of Belarus said Ukraine must prove the guilt of the detained mercenaries @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Lukashenko said he had received a five-page letter from Vladimir Putin with information on the situation around the detention of Wagner troops .
On August 11 , the Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine sent inquiries to their Belarus counterparts appealing for the extradition of 28 fighters with the Wagner PMC .
All 28 , including nine citizens of Ukraine , had been charged with participation in a terrorist organization .
On August 14 , Belarus handed 32 Wagner troops over to Russia .
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called Belarus ' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and definitely unacceptable thing to do in friendly interstate relations . ''

None of the leaders of the President's Office, including its chief, could or had any opportunity to postpone or cancel anything.
Mykhailo Podolyak, an anti-crisis communications advisor to Head of the President's Office Andriy Yermak, has called out as "fiction" the reports about the alleged disruption of what media said was a secret operation of Ukrainian special services to detain Wagner PMC mercenaries who had committed crimes in Donbas warzone.
"The information absolutely does not correspond to reality... The report by the [occupied] Crimea's Komsomolskaya Pravda was the primary source of this version," he told UNIAN.
According to Podolyak, there were no meetings held at the President's Office in the composition that has been claimed in the report.
Видео дня
Read alsoUkraine decries allegations of "special operation" to arrest Wagner PMC troops as "fake story""Consequently, there was no discussion of any hypothetical operations. And, of course, none of the leaders of the President's Office, including its head, could or had the opportunity to postpone or cancel anything," he said.
Moreover, Podolyak said it was physically impossible to do that since "logistics and details of any operation at the final stage are never discussed." He called out as fiction the operation aimed "to abduct three dozen military professionals from the territory of Belarus on a Turkish plane."
When asked whether, as media put it, the president fired military intelligence chief Vasyl Burba for allegedly demanding a probe into the possible leak from the president's office, Podolyak said: "The reasons for Burba's dismissal have a completely different justification. Burba made no demands of this kind. Of course, all this was already a media thing following his dismissal as an attempt to defend himself if new intelligence leadership were to conduct a major audit of his work in office."
Essence of allegations
On August 18, editor-in-chief of the Censor.Net outlet, Yuriy Butusov, took to Facebook to allege, citing unnamed sources, that the situation with the emergence of Wagner PMC's mercenaries in Belarus was part of a secret operation conducted by the SBU Security Service of Ukraine and the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense, aimed to arrest and prosecute the men who committed crimes in the Donbas warzone.
The plan allegedly was to first trick them into boasting of own crimes and then lure them into one group under the pretext of another contract job overseas where they would travel transiting Belarus before eventually make a plane carrying the group land in Ukraine to detain the men.
The mission, Butusov alleges, has failed after Belarusian law enforcers arrested the whole group as the men were allegedly waiting for a transit flight.
Reactions
The SBU Security Service of Ukraine has refuted the allegations, saying the agency "does not comment on rumors, does not support media information operations of the enemy, and does not participate in public discussions of various fictional scenarios. Especially when such spins are aimed at harming Ukraine."
At the same, the Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine (SZR) in a statement posted on its website on Wednesday pointed to the Russian origin of the special information operation titled "Wagner Group in Belarus".
As per the SZR, the goals of such operation are as follows:
Destabilizing Belarus on the eve of and during the presidential election;
Accusing Ukrainian special services of involvement in plotting and conducting an operation on the Belarusian soil and, as a result, dragging Ukraine into an international row and undermining its international image; and
Compromising Ukrainian leadership to undermine popular ratings of the incumbent authorities on the eve of local elections.
Wagner PMC troops detained in Belarus
On July 29, 2020, a group of militants with the Wagner PMC were detained in Belarus, 32 – outside Minsk, another one – in the south of the country.
Among them were those who fought against Ukraine in the Donbas war.
According to Belarusian law enforcement, they had been tipped about the deployment of over 200 militants to destabilize the country amid the election campaign.
Belarus turned to the Ukrainian authorities to verify the involvement of the detainees in crimes committed in Ukraine. On July 30, Ukraine began consultations with Belarus on the extradition.
On August 7, President Alexander Lukashenko of Belarus said Ukraine must prove the guilt of the detained mercenaries to seal extradition.
On August 9, Lukashenko said he had received a five-page letter from Vladimir Putin with information on the situation around the detention of Wagner troops.
On August 11, the Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine sent inquiries to their Belarus counterparts appealing for the extradition of 28 fighters with the Wagner PMC.
All 28, including nine citizens of Ukraine, had been charged with participation in a terrorist organization.
On August 14, Belarus handed 32 Wagner troops over to Russia.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called Belarus' move a "strange, politically incorrect, and definitely unacceptable thing to do in friendly interstate relations."


unian--2020-08-20--Zelensky: Crimea to definitely return to Ukraine

This will happen faster if there is a `` flourishing , shining , and successful Kherson region '' bordering the annexed peninsula , president believes .
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says Crimea , which is temporarily occupied by Russia , will definitely return to Ukraine .
`` [ Ukraine 's ] Kherson region [ neighboring Crimea ] has everything except one thing ; it has no other way but to become a diamond of the Ukrainian south .
And this is our task rather than our will ...
The Ukrainian Crimea is very close , and it will definitely return @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a visit to the city of Kherson , when presenting the development strategy for the region , as reported by an UNIAN correspondent on August 20 .
Read alsoUkrainian banner on balloons launched over occupied CrimeaThe president expressed confidence that the return will happen much faster if there is a `` flourishing , shining , and successful Kherson region bordering Crimea . ''
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 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ % 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 .
Read alsoUkraine sends Russia list of illegally detained Crimean Tatars for next swapUkraine 's parliament voted to designate February 20 , 2014 , as the official date when the temporary occupation of Crimea began .

This will happen faster if there is a "flourishing, shining, and successful Kherson region" bordering the annexed peninsula, president believes.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says Crimea, which is temporarily occupied by Russia, will definitely return to Ukraine.
"[Ukraine's] Kherson region [neighboring Crimea] has everything except one thing; it has no other way but to become a diamond of the Ukrainian south. And this is our task rather than our will... The Ukrainian Crimea is very close, and it will definitely return to us," Zelensky said during a visit to the city of Kherson, when presenting the development strategy for the region, as reported by an UNIAN correspondent on August 20.
Read alsoUkrainian banner on balloons launched over occupied CrimeaThe president expressed confidence that the return will happen much faster if there is a "flourishing, shining, and successful Kherson region bordering Crimea."
Видео дня
Russian occupation of Crimea
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.
Read alsoUkraine sends Russia list of illegally detained Crimean Tatars for next swapUkraine's parliament voted to designate February 20, 2014, as the official date when the temporary occupation of Crimea began.


unian--2020-08-20--SBU, GUR comment on Russian allegations of abduction attempt

Earlier today , the Russian FSB claimed it had prevented Ukraine 's attempt to kidnap one of Donbas warlords .
Any operations on foreign soil are beyond the scope of the SBU security service 's functions , the agency 's spokesperson said , commenting on the latest allegations voiced by the Russian FSB security service over the `` foiled abduction plot '' targeting a Donbas militant , a Russian citizen who had fought against Ukrainian army in eastern Ukraine .
`` I think it is better to ask the GUR [ military intelligence ] about this , not us , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ response to UNIAN 's request for comment .
Asked why the FSB statement refers to a certain SBU operative , she noted : `` Of those who have been named , there are no SBU operatives .
And in general , if you read the law on the Security Service , we are engaged in the protection of internal security .
External operations are beyond the scope of our competence . ''
Andriy Cherniak , a GUR military intelligence spokesman , told UNIAN that the agency `` will not comment '' on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ either about us or about our employees , '' he said .
`` If they write about intelligence , then Ukraine 's military intelligence of Ukraine does not comment on any special operations , even if they are imaginary or virtual .
That is , we will neither deny nor confirm the report . ''
Earlier today , Russia 's Federal Security Service ( FSB ) says it exposed an operation by Ukrainian intelligence to kidnap and bring to Ukraine one of the Donbas warlords , a Russian citizen , who had taken @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ukrainian Army .
Ukrainians reportedly hired Russian criminals to do the job for a monetary reward and coordinated the operation .
Read alsoUkraine 's special operations forces detain `` commander '' involved in MH17 downing ( Photo ) Seven Russian nationals allegedly hired by Ukraine were detained in a sting raid , the FSB reports .
The FSB has also named Ukrainian citizens Andriy Baydala and Ihor Mishchenko as suspects who had allegedly masterminded the abduction attempt , adding that they had been acting upon instructions of the SBU ( the Security Service @ @ @ @ @ @ @ further to claim that Baidala had been earlier detained in Ukraine for `` illegal carry of firearms '' in what Russia says was a mock operation to provide him an alibi for the kidnapping job coordination .
The case is being investigated as an `` abduction attempt by an organized group '' .

Earlier today, the Russian FSB claimed it had prevented Ukraine's attempt to kidnap one of Donbas warlords.
Any operations on foreign soil are beyond the scope of the SBU security service's functions, the agency's spokesperson said, commenting on the latest allegations voiced by the Russian FSB security service over the "foiled abduction plot" targeting a Donbas militant, a Russian citizen who had fought against Ukrainian army in eastern Ukraine.
"I think it is better to ask the GUR [military intelligence] about this, not us," SBU spox Olena Gitlianskaya said in response to UNIAN's request for comment.
External operations are beyond the scope of our competence
Asked why the FSB statement refers to a certain SBU operative, she noted: "Of those who have been named, there are no SBU operatives. And in general, if you read the law on the Security Service, we are engaged in the protection of internal security. External operations are beyond the scope of our competence."
Andriy Cherniak, a GUR military intelligence spokesman, told UNIAN that the agency "will not comment" on the issue.
"There is no information either about us or about our employees," he said.
"If they write about intelligence, then Ukraine's military intelligence of Ukraine does not comment on any special operations, even if they are imaginary or virtual. That is, we will neither deny nor confirm the report."
We will neither deny nor confirm the report
FSB allegations
Earlier today, Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) says it exposed an operation by Ukrainian intelligence to kidnap and bring to Ukraine one of the Donbas warlords, a Russian citizen, who had taken an active part in hostilities against the Ukrainian Army.
Ukrainians reportedly hired Russian criminals to do the job for a monetary reward and coordinated the operation.
Read alsoUkraine's special operations forces detain "commander" involved in MH17 downing (Photo)Seven Russian nationals allegedly hired by Ukraine were detained in a sting raid, the FSB reports.
The FSB has also named Ukrainian citizens Andriy Baydala and Ihor Mishchenko as suspects who had allegedly masterminded the abduction attempt, adding that they had been acting upon instructions of the SBU (the Security Service of Ukraine).
The FSB went further to claim that Baidala had been earlier detained in Ukraine for "illegal carry of firearms" in what Russia says was a mock operation to provide him an alibi for the kidnapping job coordination.
The case is being investigated as an "abduction attempt by an organized group".


unian--2020-08-20--New economic strategy to be developed in Ukraine – PM Shmyhal

The prime minister called on entrepreneurs to take part in the shaping of the Strategy .
Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal says a new economic strategy will be developed in Ukraine , which will be the basis for the development of further national target programs .
The decision was made at a meeting held upon an initiative of the prime minister on August 14 , between the Government members , representatives of the Office of the President of Ukraine , the leadership of the National Bank of Ukraine and Ukrainian businesses , the Cabinet 's press service said on Friday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and top managers of more than 50 companies to discuss development of the National Economic Strategy 2030 .
`` National target programs encapsulating the initiatives laid out in the document will be developed and implemented in 2021 , '' the press service said .
The prime minister called on entrepreneurs to take part in Strategy shaping .
Shmyhal has noted the need to create a full-fledged and civilized securities market among the strategic goals for the next decade .
`` It is a tool enabling citizens to invest , in particular , in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
At the same time , it will contribute to capitalization of national businesses to make their operation and reporting more transparent , '' he said .
The Economic Recovery Center has been designated as an analytical center and moderator of Strategy drafting , CEO of Advanter Group Andriy Dligach wrote on Facebook , adding that he is the Center 's co-founder .
Shmyhal 's advisor Kyrylo Kryvolap wrote on Facebook that an `` intensive sprint '' is planned `` until mid-December . ''
`` A public discussion will start in September ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Solid draft – in October .
The final document plus a series of government resolutions activating the main elements , draft laws , and state targeted programs that launch funding is scheduled for December , '' he said .
According to Kryvolap , `` specific vectors of development '' will be identified during the development of the strategy .
In July 2020 , Ukraine 's government established the Ministry for Strategic Industries .

The prime minister called on entrepreneurs to take part in the shaping of the Strategy.
Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal says a new economic strategy will be developed in Ukraine, which will be the basis for the development of further national target programs.
The decision was made at a meeting held upon an initiative of the prime minister on August 14, between the Government members, representatives of the Office of the President of Ukraine, the leadership of the National Bank of Ukraine and Ukrainian businesses, the Cabinet's press service said on Friday.
The meeting was attended by CEOs and top managers of more than 50 companies to discuss development of the National Economic Strategy 2030.
Видео дня
Target programs
"National target programs encapsulating the initiatives laid out in the document will be developed and implemented in 2021," the press service said.
The prime minister called on entrepreneurs to take part in Strategy shaping.
Securities market
Shmyhal has noted the need to create a full-fledged and civilized securities market among the strategic goals for the next decade.
"It is a tool enabling citizens to invest, in particular, in their own national companies and generate income. At the same time, it will contribute to capitalization of national businesses to make their operation and reporting more transparent," he said.
Process moderator
The Economic Recovery Center has been designated as an analytical center and moderator of Strategy drafting, CEO of Advanter Group Andriy Dligach wrote on Facebook, adding that he is the Center's co-founder.
Shmyhal's advisor Kyrylo Kryvolap wrote on Facebook that an "intensive sprint" is planned "until mid-December."
"A public discussion will start in September (preceded by work in expert groups). Solid draft – in October. The final document plus a series of government resolutions activating the main elements, draft laws, and state targeted programs that launch funding is scheduled for December," he said.
According to Kryvolap, "specific vectors of development" will be identified during the development of the strategy.
New ministry
In July 2020, Ukraine's government established the Ministry for Strategic Industries.


unian--2020-08-20--Ukraine has options to respond to Belarus handing PMC Wagner troops to Russia

These include a temporary suspension of cooperation on extradition issues .
Ukraine has several options for a `` mirror '' response to Belarus for the hand-over to Russia of the mercenaries with the Wagner Private Military Company ( PMC ) , detained earlier .
A source in diplomatic circles told the RBC Ukraine news agency such options include a temporary suspension of cooperation on extradition issues , cancellation of the Forum of the Regions of Ukraine and Belarus in Grodno scheduled for October , as well as freezing the work of various bilateral groups .
According to the source , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mirror response to Minsk 's demarche in the matter of Ukraine 's appeal to extradite Wagner PMC mercenaries who had fought against Ukrainian Army as part of Russian occupation forces in Donbas .
At the same time , the diplomat said Belarusian law enforcement address their Ukrainian counterparts with inquiries more often than Ukrainians do .
On July 29 , a group of PMC Wagner troops were detained in Belarus – 32 were apprehended outside Minsk and another one – detained in the country 's south .
Among them were those who had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
According to Belarusian law enforcement agencies , they had been tipped about the deployment of over 200 fighters to destabilize the country amid the election campaign .
Belarus turned to the Ukrainian authorities to verify the detainees ' involvement in crimes committed in Ukraine .
On July 30 , Ukraine began consultations with Belarus on their extradition .
On August 7 , President Alexander Lukashenko of Belarus said Ukraine had to prove the guilt of the detained mercenaries to seal the extradition .
On August 9 , Lukashenko said he had received @ @ @ @ @ @ @ information on the situation around the detention of Wagner troops .
On August 11 , the Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine sent inquiries to their Belarusian counterparts , seeking the extradition of 28 PMC Wagner fighters .
All 28 , including nine citizens of Ukraine , had been charged by the Ukrainian authorities with participation in a terrorist organization .

These include a temporary suspension of cooperation on extradition issues.
Ukraine has several options for a "mirror" response to Belarus for the hand-over to Russia of the mercenaries with the Wagner Private Military Company (PMC), detained earlier.
A source in diplomatic circles told the RBC Ukraine news agency such options include a temporary suspension of cooperation on extradition issues, cancellation of the Forum of the Regions of Ukraine and Belarus in Grodno scheduled for October, as well as freezing the work of various bilateral groups.
According to the source, suspending the extradition deal would be a mirror response to Minsk's demarche in the matter of Ukraine's appeal to extradite Wagner PMC mercenaries who had fought against Ukrainian Army as part of Russian occupation forces in Donbas.
Видео дня
At the same time, the diplomat said Belarusian law enforcement address their Ukrainian counterparts with inquiries more often than Ukrainians do.
Wagner PMC in Belarus: background
On July 29, a group of PMC Wagner troops were detained in Belarus – 32 were apprehended outside Minsk and another one – detained in the country's south. Among them were those who had fought against Ukraine in the Donbas war.
According to Belarusian law enforcement agencies, they had been tipped about the deployment of over 200 fighters to destabilize the country amid the election campaign.
Belarus turned to the Ukrainian authorities to verify the detainees' involvement in crimes committed in Ukraine. On July 30, Ukraine began consultations with Belarus on their extradition.
On August 7, President Alexander Lukashenko of Belarus said Ukraine had to prove the guilt of the detained mercenaries to seal the extradition. On August 9, Lukashenko said he had received a five-page letter from Vladimir Putin with information on the situation around the detention of Wagner troops.
On August 11, the Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine sent inquiries to their Belarusian counterparts, seeking the extradition of 28 PMC Wagner fighters. All 28, including nine citizens of Ukraine, had been charged by the Ukrainian authorities with participation in a terrorist organization.
On August 14, Belarus extradited 32 Wagner members to Russia.


unian--2020-08-20--NATO-funded disposal of obsolete ammo resumes in Ukraine

The efforts are part of NATO Trust Fund Demilitarization Project .
Ukraine has resumed the process of NATO-funded disposal of old and obsolete ammunition after the COVID-19-related interruption .
The efforts are part of NATO Trust Fund Demilitarization Project , managed by the NATO Support and Procurement Agency ( NSPA ) , the Alliance 's press service reported earlier this week .
Ukraine acquired vast amounts of weapons and ammunition after the Soviet Union withdrew from Warsaw Pact countries in the 1990s , UPI wrote .
The Trust Fund has been operating since 2005 , founded at the request of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of unstable and potentially dangerous munitions .
Read alsoUkraine developing Navy in line with NATO standards – defense ministerA second phase of the project , which will dispose of 29,600 tonnes of ammunition , 2.4 million antipersonnel mines and 1,500 tonnes of other unserviceable ordnance by the end of the year , began in 2011 but was halted to deal with the pandemic , NATO reported on Tuesday .
The U.S.-led project aims to improve Ukraine 's security and safety of the population , officials say .
The European Union , Belgium , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Ireland , Luxembourg , Norway , Switzerland , and Turkey are also contributing to the effort .
With the budget of $ 32.1 million , this is one of 10 NATO trust funds established for Ukraine .

The efforts are part of NATO Trust Fund Demilitarization Project.
Ukraine has resumed the process of NATO-funded disposal of old and obsolete ammunition after the COVID-19-related interruption.
The efforts are part of NATO Trust Fund Demilitarization Project, managed by the NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA), the Alliance's press service reported earlier this week.
Ukraine acquired vast amounts of weapons and ammunition after the Soviet Union withdrew from Warsaw Pact countries in the 1990s, UPI wrote.
Видео дня
The Trust Fund has been operating since 2005, founded at the request of Ukrainian government, to reduce the accumulation of unstable and potentially dangerous munitions.
Read alsoUkraine developing Navy in line with NATO standards – defense ministerA second phase of the project, which will dispose of 29,600 tonnes of ammunition, 2.4 million antipersonnel mines and 1,500 tonnes of other unserviceable ordnance by the end of the year, began in 2011 but was halted to deal with the pandemic, NATO reported on Tuesday.
The U.S.-led project aims to improve Ukraine's security and safety of the population, officials say.
The European Union, Belgium, Finland, Germany, Japan, Italy, Ireland, Luxembourg, Norway, Switzerland, and Turkey are also contributing to the effort.
With the budget of $32.1 million, this is one of 10 NATO trust funds established for Ukraine.


unian--2020-08-20--Daily COVID-19 hike in Ukraine updates record with over 2,100 new cases on Aug 20

The total number of confirmed cases has reached 98,537 .
Ukraine said 2,134 new active COVID-19 cases had been confirmed across the country in the past 24 hours as of August 20 , 2020 , the highest daily rise ever reported .
`` According to the Public Health Center , there were 98,537 laboratory-confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Ukraine as of 09:00 Kyiv time on August 20 .
Of them , 2,134 cases were reported in the past 24 hours , '' Ukraine 's Health Ministry said in its morning update on Thursday .
As many as 50,441 patients , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have recovered .
The pandemic has already taken 2,184 lives in Ukraine .
In total , 1,356,698 polymerase chain reaction ( PCR ) tests have been run since the outbreak .
The overall incidence per region is as follows : 11,172 in the city of Kyiv ; Data from Russia-occupied areas – the Autonomous Republic of Crimea , the city of Sevastopol , parts of Donetsk and Luhansk regions – is not available .
Read alsoUkraine overtakes China in number of registered COVID-19 cases ( Map ) COVID-19 tests were run by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and regional laboratories .
As of the morning of August 20 , 2020 , the Center had received 2,439 reports of suspected cases .
In total , there have been 156,685 reports on suspected COVID-19 since the beginning of 2020 .
The adaptive quarantine was introduced on August 1 .
Ukrainian regions were split into the red , green , orange , and yellow zones depending on hospital load , the average number of PCR and ELISA tests , the ascertainment rate of COVID-19 , and daily spread dynamics .
Quarantine-related curbs differ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are in the green zone , the regions included in the red zone have to introduce the toughest restrictive measures .
Updated quarantine zoning became effective in Ukraine on August 17 .
Kyiv was included in the yellow zone .
In Ukrainian schools within the `` orange quarantine zone '' , teachers will be wearing protective face shields in class .

The total number of confirmed cases has reached 98,537.
Ukraine said 2,134 new active COVID-19 cases had been confirmed across the country in the past 24 hours as of August 20, 2020, the highest daily rise ever reported.
"According to the Public Health Center, there were 98,537 laboratory-confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Ukraine as of 09:00 Kyiv time on August 20. Of them, 2,134 cases were reported in the past 24 hours," Ukraine's Health Ministry said in its morning update on Thursday.
As many as 50,441 patients, including 704 in the past day, have recovered.
Видео дня
The pandemic has already taken 2,184 lives in Ukraine.
In total, 1,356,698 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests have been run since the outbreak.
The overall incidence per region is as follows:
3,405 cases in Vinnytsia region;
4,929 in Volyn region;
1,873 in Dnipropetrovsk region;
1,156 in Donetsk region (Ukrainian-controlled districts);
2,597 in Zhytomyr region;
6,662 in Zakarpattia region;
1,213 in Zaporizhia region;
7,290 in Ivano-Frankivsk region;
749 in Kirovohrad region;
11,172 in the city of Kyiv;
4,727 in Kyiv region;
12,631 in Lviv region;
204 in Luhansk region (Ukrainian-controlled districts);
893 in Mykolaiv region;
5,408 in Odesa region;
594 in Poltava region;
8,091 in Rivne region;
1,078 in Sumy region;
4,116 in Ternopil region;
6,849 in Kharkiv region;
321 in Kherson region;
1,768 in Khmelnytsky region;
8,297 in Chernivtsi region;
1,200 in Cherkasy region;
1,314 in Chernihiv region.
Data from Russia-occupied areas – the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, the city of Sevastopol, parts of Donetsk and Luhansk regions – is not available.
Read alsoUkraine overtakes China in number of registered COVID-19 cases (Map)COVID-19 tests were run by the Public Health Center's virological reference laboratory and regional laboratories. As of the morning of August 20, 2020, the Center had received 2,439 reports of suspected cases. In total, there have been 156,685 reports on suspected COVID-19 since the beginning of 2020.
Quarantine in Ukraine
The adaptive quarantine was introduced on August 1. Ukrainian regions were split into the red, green, orange, and yellow zones depending on hospital load, the average number of PCR and ELISA tests, the ascertainment rate of COVID-19, and daily spread dynamics.
Quarantine-related curbs differ in each zone. The mildest ones are in the green zone, the regions included in the red zone have to introduce the toughest restrictive measures.
Updated quarantine zoning became effective in Ukraine on August 17. Kyiv was included in the yellow zone.
In Ukrainian schools within the "orange quarantine zone", teachers will be wearing protective face shields in class.


unian--2020-08-20--Source in presidential office explains Ukraine's stance on Belarus protests – media

Ukraine is in a much more vulnerable position than the European Union to voice too harsh a reaction , the source claims .
The Office of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky sees a direct connection between Ukraine 's position on the Belarusian conflict and Russia 's moves in the Donbas warzone .
Sources of the RBC Ukraine news agency in the President 's Office say reaction too harsh may turn into a yet another escalation at the front line and undermine truce deals .
According to a source , Ukraine is in a much more vulnerable position than the European Union @ @ @ @ @ @ @ alsoLukashenko warns Zelensky against `` fomenting riots '' in Belarus '' We have Donbas on the one hand , Crimea on the other , also Moldova and Transnistria , as well as more than a 1,000 kilometer-long border with Belarus in the north .
And in all cases , we are dealing with one geopolitical player – Russia – which poses as a de facto 'manager ' of Belarus developments .
Therefore , we can afford less than the EU can , '' the source said .
On August 9 , presidential elections @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's Central Election Commission announced the final election results .
In particular , 80.1 % of voters supported incumbent President Alexander Lukashenko , 10.1 % voted for Svetlana Tikhanovskaya , 1.67 % for Anna Kanopatskaya , 1.2 % for Andrey Dmitriev , and 1.14 % for Sergei Cherechnya .
Some 4.59 % voted against all candidates .
Thousands of residents of Belarus took to the streets to protest what they believe is a rigged vote count .
Riot police violently cracked down on protesters .
Belarus ' Ministry of Internal Affairs said about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cities since August 9 .
On the evening of August 13 , the authorities started to release detainees .
On August 14 , the European Union announced it did not recognize the outcome of the presidential elections in Belarus and on August 19 agreed to slap sanctions on Belarus over electoral fraud and violence against protesters .
The EU has called on the Belarusian authorities to find a peaceful way out of the crisis by ending violence and starting a comprehensive national dialogue Ukraine said it `` generally shares '' the position voiced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ direct non-recognition or recognition of election results .
German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said the election result must be reviewed and those responsible for mistreatments of peaceful demonstrators must be sanctioned .
Estonia and Lithuania have agreed not to buy electricity from the Belarusian NPPs .
Pope Francis made a special address dedicated to the situation in Belarus , calling for an end to violence .
Canada and Ireland said they did not recognize election results and called for another election to be held .
U.S. President Donald Trump on August 18 said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Belarus protests .
`` I like seeing democracy , '' he told reporters , according to Reuters .
`` It does n't seem like it 's too much democracy there in Belarus . ''

Ukraine is in a much more vulnerable position than the European Union to voice too harsh a reaction, the source claims.
The Office of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky sees a direct connection between Ukraine's position on the Belarusian conflict and Russia's moves in the Donbas warzone.
Sources of the RBC Ukraine news agency in the President's Office say reaction too harsh may turn into a yet another escalation at the front line and undermine truce deals.
According to a source, Ukraine is in a much more vulnerable position than the European Union member states such as Germany.
Видео дня
Read alsoLukashenko warns Zelensky against "fomenting riots" in Belarus"We have Donbas on the one hand, Crimea on the other, also Moldova and Transnistria, as well as more than a 1,000 kilometer-long border with Belarus in the north. And in all cases, we are dealing with one geopolitical player – Russia – which poses as a de facto 'manager' of Belarus developments. Therefore, we can afford less than the EU can," the source said.
Belarus protests: background
On August 9, presidential elections were held in Belarus. The country's Central Election Commission announced the final election results. In particular, 80.1% of voters supported incumbent President Alexander Lukashenko, 10.1% voted for Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, 1.67% for Anna Kanopatskaya, 1.2% for Andrey Dmitriev, and 1.14% for Sergei Cherechnya. Some 4.59% voted against all candidates.
Thousands of residents of Belarus took to the streets to protest what they believe is a rigged vote count. Riot police violently cracked down on protesters.
Belarus' Ministry of Internal Affairs said about 7,000 protesters had been detained in different cities since August 9. On the evening of August 13, the authorities started to release detainees.
Belarus elections: global reactions
On August 14, the European Union announced it did not recognize the outcome of the presidential elections in Belarus and on August 19 agreed to slap sanctions on Belarus over electoral fraud and violence against protesters. The EU has called on the Belarusian authorities to find a peaceful way out of the crisis by ending violence and starting a comprehensive national dialogue
Ukraine said it "generally shares" the position voiced by the EU, stopping short of direct non-recognition or recognition of election results.
German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said the election result must be reviewed and those responsible for mistreatments of peaceful demonstrators must be sanctioned.
Estonia and Lithuania have agreed not to buy electricity from the Belarusian NPPs.
Pope Francis made a special address dedicated to the situation in Belarus, calling for an end to violence.
Canada and Ireland said they did not recognize election results and called for another election to be held.
U.S. President Donald Trump on August 18 said he would talk to Russia about the Belarus protests. "I like seeing democracy," he told reporters, according to Reuters. "It doesn't seem like it's too much democracy there in Belarus."


unian--2020-08-20--Navalny in coma, massive police presence in hospital

Doctors are clearly playing for time , remaining mute on what they already know , his press secretary said .
Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny is in a coma after reportedly being poisoned .
`` Alexei is still on a ventilator .
He is in a coma and in a grave condition , '' his press secretary Kira Yarmysh tweeted .
According to her , no results of the tests run earlier have come back .
There is a massive police presence in the intensive care unit , while doctors refrain from any comments .
`` The intensive care unit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are trying to get an explanation from a doctor .
The doctor saw me in the hallway and said 'some things are confidential ' and took police officers to another room , '' Yarmysh said .
In her opinion , `` the doctors ' evasive reaction only confirms that this is poisoning . ''
Read alsoRussian opposition 's Navalny reportedly poisoned , now unconscious ( Video ) '' Just two hours ago , they were ready to share any information , and now they are clearly playing for time , remaining mute on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ secretary said .
• Navalny felt sick on the plane he was flying to the city of Tomsk .
• His rapidly deteriorating condition forced the captain to do an emergency landing in Omsk .
• Navalny 's press secretary assumed the opposition leader had been poisoned with a substance poured into his tea .

Doctors are clearly playing for time, remaining mute on what they already know, his press secretary said.
Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny is in a coma after reportedly being poisoned.
"Alexei is still on a ventilator. He is in a coma and in a grave condition," his press secretary Kira Yarmysh tweeted.
According to her, no results of the tests run earlier have come back.
Видео дня
Alexei is still on a ventilator. He is in a coma and in a grave condition
There is a massive police presence in the intensive care unit, while doctors refrain from any comments.
"The intensive care unit is full of police officers. They are trying to get an explanation from a doctor. The doctor saw me in the hallway and said 'some things are confidential' and took police officers to another room," Yarmysh said.
In her opinion, "the doctors' evasive reaction only confirms that this is poisoning."
Read alsoRussian opposition's Navalny reportedly poisoned, now unconscious (Video)"Just two hours ago, they were ready to share any information, and now they are clearly playing for time, remaining mute on what they know," the press secretary said.
Navalny's alleged poisoning


unian--2020-08-20--Remains of Russian occupation victims exhumed from unmarked grave in Sloviansk

People were killed during the months in 2014 when the town was under the control of `` former '' Russian military intelligence operative Igor Girkin aka Strelkov and his militants .
Ukraine 's National Police this week said the bodies had been exhumed from a grave at a Sloviansk cemetery as part of a criminal investigation into the deaths of civilians during an armed conflict .
Most information about the latest developments thus remains secret in the interests of the probe , according to the Ministry of Interior .
Identification of remains through DNA testing `` will ease the suffering @ @ @ @ @ @ @ missing , and who have been living in obscurity for the past six years , '' the ministry said in a statement .
`` This is not the first exhumation that helped establish the fate of the missing ones and ensure an effective investigation into the circumstances of their deaths .
Thus , the police identified the militants who shot dead four civilians in Sloviansk , '' the statement said .
Although the uncovered grave was on the territory of the cemetery , it was clearly `` not intended to be found , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wrote .
The Russian occupation lasted from April 12 to July 8 , 2014 , the rights watchdog recalls .
Read alsoTortures in Donbas : Ukraine prosecutors identify about 600 victimsRussian television had already tried to pass the murders off as Ukrainian soldiers ' work , claiming – falsely – that they had been killed for helping the militants .
In fact , they may have been killed to steal their cars – which would not be the first time that militants , treated as heroes by Russia , killed purely for gain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ did not bother to hide the bodies of all their victims .
Volodymyr Rybak , a 42-year-old Horlivka City Council deputy , was seized on 17 April 2014 , after he tried to remove the flag of the self-proclaimed `` Donetsk people 's republic '' , which the Russian and pro-Russian militants had hung over the Council building , and put the Ukrainian flag back in its place .
His horrifically mutilated body was found in a stream near Sloviansk , together with that of 19-year-old Yuri Popravka .
The young lad had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was 25 , and three other young Maidan activists , set off for Sloviansk to try to gather information about the militants .
They were seized almost immediately , with Dyakovsky ’ s body found a bit later .
The first evidence of extrajudicial executions and other war crimes was reported by western journalists who arrived in Sloviansk soon after the militants fled .
Girkin , who is on trial ( in absentia ) in the Hague for his believed role in the downing of Malaysian airliner MH17 , enjoys boasting of his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 2016 admitted to extrajudicial executions during an interview .
Although the latter was later removed , it has been widely reported , and was undoubtedly saved for submissions from Ukraine to the International Criminal Court .
More recently , Girkin also admitted to using civilians in Donbas as human shields in combat .
In July 2020 , RFE/RL published an article entitled `` The Executioners of Sloviansk '' where they identified some of what they called `` Russia-backed militants – including one with ties to a longtime Putin aide in the Kremlin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ukrainians by firing squad and set a dark tone for the war in the Donbas . ''
The authors were able to identify nine militants who took part in these `` military tribunals , and discovered that one of them , Viktor Anosov , `` is tied through a Moscow-based organization for Russia-backed fighters to Vladislav Surkov , one of Russian President Vladimir Putin 's closest aides at the time of the executions and the architect of the Kremlin 's Ukraine policy . ''
The authors ascertained that at least some of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will doubtless be protected from prosecution , just as Russia is shielding the men on trial over MH17 , the men who tortured and murdered 16-year-old schoolboy Stepan Chubenko and others .

People were killed during the months in 2014 when the town was under the control of "former" Russian military intelligence operative Igor Girkin aka Strelkov and his militants.
Ukraine's National Police this week said the bodies had been exhumed from a grave at a Sloviansk cemetery as part of a criminal investigation into the deaths of civilians during an armed conflict.
Most information about the latest developments thus remains secret in the interests of the probe, according to the Ministry of Interior.
Identification of remains through DNA testing "will ease the suffering of people whose loved ones have gone missing, and who have been living in obscurity for the past six years," the ministry said in a statement.
Видео дня
"This is not the first exhumation that helped establish the fate of the missing ones and ensure an effective investigation into the circumstances of their deaths. Thus, the police identified the militants who shot dead four civilians in Sloviansk," the statement said.
Although the uncovered grave was on the territory of the cemetery, it was clearly "not intended to be found," the Kharkiv Human Rights Protection Group wrote.
The Russian occupation lasted from April 12 to July 8, 2014, the rights watchdog recalls.
Read alsoTortures in Donbas: Ukraine prosecutors identify about 600 victimsRussian television had already tried to pass the murders off as Ukrainian soldiers' work, claiming – falsely – that they had been killed for helping the militants. In fact, they may have been killed to steal their cars – which would not be the first time that militants, treated as heroes by Russia, killed purely for gain, the report adds.
Extrajuducial executions in Donbas
The militants did not bother to hide the bodies of all their victims. Volodymyr Rybak, a 42-year-old Horlivka City Council deputy, was seized on 17 April 2014, after he tried to remove the flag of the self-proclaimed "Donetsk people's republic" , which the Russian and pro-Russian militants had hung over the Council building, and put the Ukrainian flag back in its place. His horrifically mutilated body was found in a stream near Sloviansk, together with that of 19-year-old Yuri Popravka. The young lad had, together with Yuri Dyakovsky, who was 25, and three other young Maidan activists, set off for Sloviansk to try to gather information about the militants. They were seized almost immediately, with Dyakovsky’s body found a bit later.
The first evidence of extrajudicial executions and other war crimes was reported by western journalists who arrived in Sloviansk soon after the militants fled. Girkin, who is on trial (in absentia) in the Hague for his believed role in the downing of Malaysian airliner MH17, enjoys boasting of his "feats" in Donbas, and in 2016 admitted to extrajudicial executions during an interview. Although the latter was later removed, it has been widely reported, and was undoubtedly saved for submissions from Ukraine to the International Criminal Court. More recently, Girkin also admitted to using civilians in Donbas as human shields in combat.
In July 2020, RFE/RL published an article entitled "The Executioners of Sloviansk" where they identified some of what they called "Russia-backed militants – including one with ties to a longtime Putin aide in the Kremlin – who ordered the extrajudicial executions of Ukrainians by firing squad and set a dark tone for the war in the Donbas."
The authors were able to identify nine militants who took part in these "military tribunals, and discovered that one of them, Viktor Anosov, "is tied through a Moscow-based organization for Russia-backed fighters to Vladislav Surkov, one of Russian President Vladimir Putin's closest aides at the time of the executions and the architect of the Kremlin's Ukraine policy."
The authors ascertained that at least some of the nine men had received Russian citizenship and will doubtless be protected from prosecution, just as Russia is shielding the men on trial over MH17, the men who tortured and murdered 16-year-old schoolboy Stepan Chubenko and others.


unian--2020-08-20--Hryvnia weakens to UAH 27.32 to U.S. dollar on Aug 20

Hryvnia weakens to UAH 27.32 to U.S. dollar on Aug 20
10:40, 20.08.20 15077
The official forex rate against the euro for Thursday has been fixed at UAH 32.60 per euro.
Помогите проекту
Support us


unian--2020-08-20--Donbas truce: Ukraine reports three ceasefire violations by enemy forces on Aug 19

No casualties were reported in the past day .
Ukraine has reported three violations of the latest ceasefire agreements by Russia-controlled armed groups in the Donbas warzone on Wednesday , August 19 .
`` In total , over the past 24 hours , Ukrainian military recorded three ceasefire violations by enemy forces , '' the press center of Ukraine 's Joint Forces Operation ( JFO ) Command said in a Facebook update as of 07:00 Kyiv time on August 20 , 2020 .
In particular , the enemy opened fire from small arms near the village of Luhanske and twice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shots posed no threat to the lives and health of Ukrainian troops so Joint Forces did not return fire .
Read alsoTrilateral Contact Group on Donbas agrees on four new disengagement sitesNo casualties were reported in the past day .
Since Thursday midnight , no attacks by Russian Federation 's armed formations have been recorded , the JFO HQ said .
The situation is under full control of the Ukrainian military , the report says .
Parties to the Trilateral Contact Group ( Ukraine , Russia , and the OSCE ) on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ agreed on a full and comprehensive ceasefire along the contact line from July 27 .
The new ceasefire regime was enforced at 00:01 Kyiv time on July 27 .
On the very first day of the newly-agreed truce , Russia 's hybrid military forces mounted three attacks on Ukrainian positions.More provocations have been reported since .

No casualties were reported in the past day.
Ukraine has reported three violations of the latest ceasefire agreements by Russia-controlled armed groups in the Donbas warzone on Wednesday, August 19.
"In total, over the past 24 hours, Ukrainian military recorded three ceasefire violations by enemy forces," the press center of Ukraine's Joint Forces Operation (JFO) Command said in a Facebook update as of 07:00 Kyiv time on August 20, 2020.
In particular, the enemy opened fire from small arms near the village of Luhanske and twice near the town of Popasna.
Видео дня
The shots posed no threat to the lives and health of Ukrainian troops so Joint Forces did not return fire.
Read alsoTrilateral Contact Group on Donbas agrees on four new disengagement sitesNo casualties were reported in the past day.
Since Thursday midnight, no attacks by Russian Federation's armed formations have been recorded, the JFO HQ said.
The situation is under full control of the Ukrainian military, the report says.
Donbas truce: background
Parties to the Trilateral Contact Group (Ukraine, Russia, and the OSCE) on the peace settlement in Donbas on July 22 agreed on a full and comprehensive ceasefire along the contact line from July 27.
The new ceasefire regime was enforced at 00:01 Kyiv time on July 27.
On the very first day of the newly-agreed truce, Russia's hybrid military forces mounted three attacks on Ukrainian positions.More provocations have been reported since.


unian--2020-08-20--Leak reported at chemical plant in occupied Crimea's north

Air quality will be tested four times a day , local occupation authorities say .
A leak has been reported at the Crimean Titan plant , a major manufacturer of titanium dioxide , in the northern part of the Russian-occupied Crimean peninsula , close to the de-facto border with mainland Ukraine .
Chief of the `` Russian administration of Armyansk '' Vasily Telizhenko said that the expert would test air quality for the three next days four times per day after reports of a leak at the plant , according to RFE/RL .
The official has claimed via Facebook that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ air does not exceed permissible levels .
Read also '' Humanitarian crisis '' in Crimea narrative invented by Russian propaganda – KulebaEarlier , head of the Titanovie Investitsii LLC branch in Armyansk , Eduard Kurmachev , said that on August 18 , an `` insignificant cloud '' had formed over the plant , which dissipated within 10 minutes .
In August 2018 , an unknown substance leaked into the air over northern Crimea .
In Armyansk and Yana Kapu ( Krasnoperekopsk ) , metal objects were being covered with rust , leaves were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seen dying amid a persistent acid stench in the air .
Due to air pollution , local doctors said residents started reporting respiratory complaints at an unusual rate .
Another release of chemicals was reported in mid-September 2018 .
Occupation `` authorities '' in Crimea claimed that the reason for the pollution was the evaporation of acid from a storage tank used by the `` Crimean Titan '' plant as a result of the heat and drought .
The state of emergency was introduced in Armyansk and a decision was made to suspend @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , to evacuate children and women .
Ukrainian intelligence said the environmental situation deteriorated after projectiles reportedly hit chemical waste sedimentation tanks at titanium and soda plants during Russian military drills .

Air quality will be tested four times a day, local occupation authorities say.
A leak has been reported at the Crimean Titan plant, a major manufacturer of titanium dioxide, in the northern part of the Russian-occupied Crimean peninsula, close to the de-facto border with mainland Ukraine.
Chief of the "Russian administration of Armyansk" Vasily Telizhenko said that the expert would test air quality for the three next days four times per day after reports of a leak at the plant, according to RFE/RL.
The official has claimed via Facebook that the concentration of hazardous substances in the air does not exceed permissible levels.
Видео дня
Read also"Humanitarian crisis" in Crimea narrative invented by Russian propaganda – KulebaEarlier, head of the Titanovie Investitsii LLC branch in Armyansk, Eduard Kurmachev, said that on August 18, an "insignificant cloud" had formed over the plant, which dissipated within 10 minutes.
Leaks at "Crimean Titan": background
In August 2018, an unknown substance leaked into the air over northern Crimea. In Armyansk and Yana Kapu (Krasnoperekopsk), metal objects were being covered with rust, leaves were falling from trees, and birds were seen dying amid a persistent acid stench in the air. Due to air pollution, local doctors said residents started reporting respiratory complaints at an unusual rate.
Another release of chemicals was reported in mid-September 2018. Occupation "authorities" in Crimea claimed that the reason for the pollution was the evaporation of acid from a storage tank used by the "Crimean Titan" plant as a result of the heat and drought. The state of emergency was introduced in Armyansk and a decision was made to suspend operations at the plant for two weeks, to evacuate children and women.
Ukrainian intelligence said the environmental situation deteriorated after projectiles reportedly hit chemical waste sedimentation tanks at titanium and soda plants during Russian military drills.