Section: News & Summaries

      U.S. general wants more troops in Europe to deter Russia
      May03

      U.S. general wants more troops in Europe to deter Russia

      Gen. Curtis Scaparrotti, head of U.S. European Command, said Tuesday, May 2, that the United States needs more troops in Europe to deter an increasingly aggressive Russia, according to The Hill. The general in charge of U.S. military operations in Europe told lawmakers that U.S. force posture — which includes two brigade combat teams and one...

      Oil rebounds on U.S. stocks drawdown, declining OPEC compliance weighs
      May03

      Oil rebounds on U.S. stocks drawdown, declining OPEC compliance weighs

      Crude oil prices bounced back on Wednesday as a decline in U.S. inventories underpinned the market, although a dip in compliance with OPEC efforts to reduce output and near record supplies capped gains, according to Reuters. The benchmark for global oil market, Brent futures LCOc1 gained 56 cents, or 1.1 percent to $51.02 a barrel by 01:56 GMT....

      Merkel on Donbas: first, truce needed, then political part of Minsk II accords can be implemented
      May03

      Merkel on Donbas: first, truce needed, then political part of Minsk II accords can be implemented

      German Chancellor Angela Merkel says that first, a truce must be established in Donbas, and then the implementation of the political part of the Minsk Agreements can be started, an UNIAN correspondent in Russia reported following a press conference of Merkel and Putin in Sochi. Once again, we have to remind of a zero point of the Minsk accords;...

      SBU detains group of people suspected of plotting acts of terror, sabotage in Odesa
      May02

      SBU detains group of people suspected of plotting acts of terror, sabotage in Odesa

      Ukraine`s SBU Security Service together with Alpha special force in Odesa has detained today, May 2, a group of local residents who are reasonably suspected of plotting terrorist attacks, acts of sabotage, and provocation, according to the SBU`s press center, an UNIAN correspondent reports. Operational and investigative actions are ongoing. Law...

      Merkel arrives in Sochi for talks with Putin
      May02

      Merkel arrives in Sochi for talks with Putin

      German Chancellor Angela Merkel has arrived in the city of Sochi to discuss with Russian President Vladimir Putin the fight against terrorism, the situation in the Middle East, and the implementation of the Minsk agreements, according to TASS. The meeting will be held in preparation for the G20 summit, which will be hosted by Hamburg this July....

      Two civilians blown on trip-wire set up by occupiers in Luhansk region
      May02

      Two civilians blown on trip-wire set up by occupiers in Luhansk region

      One civilian killed and another wounded in an explosion due to triggering a trip-wire actuating device planted by the Russian-backed militants, the Main Intelligence Directorate of Ukraine`s Defense Ministry posted on Facebook. ”May 1, local residents were blown up by a trip-wire actuating device in the vicinity of the settlement of Mykhailivka,...

      Ukraine, Canada, UK mission to perform survey flight over Russia
      May02

      Ukraine, Canada, UK mission to perform survey flight over Russia

      The joint mission of Canada, the UK, and Ukraine will carry out an observation flight over the territory of Belarus and the Russian Federation on May 2-6, as part of the Open Skies Treaty, head of the Russian National Nuclear Risk Reduction Center Sergey Ryzhkov said, according to RIA Novosti. The flight will be executed onboard the Canadian...

      West must be aware of Russia fomenting crises in Balkans – expert and former National Security Agency analyst
      May02

      West must be aware of Russia fomenting crises in Balkans – expert and former National Security Agency analyst

      Southeastern Europe is entering renewed crisis—and Moscow is fomenting more chaos at a dangerous time, John Schindler, who is a security expert and former National Security Agency analyst and counterintelligence officer, wrote in an op-ed for Observer, titled ”We Need to Putin-Proof the Balkans.” Montenegro parliament`s official approval of the...

      U.S. Congress to allocate $560 mln to Ukraine
      May02

      U.S. Congress to allocate $560 mln to Ukraine

      The Consolidated Appropriations Act 2017, which stipulates at least $560 million in aid programs for Ukraine, has been submitted to the U.S. Congress, the Ukrainian embassy to the United States posted on Facebook. In particular, at least $238 million are planned to be allocated for military assistance and security policy of Ukraine before the end...

      Deficit of Ukraine`s budget shrinks by almost 8% in Q1 2017
      May02

      Deficit of Ukraine`s budget shrinks by almost 8% in Q1 2017

      The deficit of Ukraine`s national budget in January-March 2017 was estimated at UAH 9.741 billion, or US$366.75 million, which was 7.8% lower than the deficit recorded over the same period in 2016 at UAH 10.567 billion, or $397.85 million, according to Ukraine`s Treasury Service. Revenues of the state budget over the period under review amounted...