Section: News & Summaries

      Russia prepares for deep budget cuts that may even hit defence
      Nov02

      Russia prepares for deep budget cuts that may even hit defence

      Russia is preparing to slash government spending across the board over the next three years as it struggles to bring down a budget deficit swollen by lower oil prices and recession, according to The Financial Times. Deep cuts are looming for health, education and even defense — which is slated for a swingeing 27% reduction in expenditure next...

      Major bank fraud scheme participant arrested in Kyiv
      Nov02

      Major bank fraud scheme participant arrested in Kyiv

      Kyiv law enforcers have detained a head of one of the departments of Standard Bank, complicit in an illegal withdrawal of UAH 900 million from depositors` accounts, according to the press service of the SBU Security Service of Ukraine. ”The SBU along with the fiscal service revealed that the official in 2013-2015 withdrew more than UAH 900...

      Ukrainians shocked as politicians declare vast wealth
      Nov02

      Ukrainians shocked as politicians declare vast wealth

      An anti-corruption reform requiring senior Ukrainian officials to declare their wealth online has exposed a vast difference between the fortunes of politicians and those they represent, according to Reuters. Some declared millions of dollars in cash. Others said they owned fleets of luxury cars, expensive Swiss watches, diamond jewelry and large...

      EU Delegation gives feedback on first e-declaration stage in Ukraine
      Nov01

      EU Delegation gives feedback on first e-declaration stage in Ukraine

      The Delegation of the European Union to Ukraine says that the completion of the first round of electronic asset declarations marks an important milestone in Ukraine`s anti-corruption reforms. ”The completion of the first round of electronic asset declarations, whereby we have seen a very high level of turn-out among declarants, marks an important...

      Russia outlaws Ukrainian salt
      Nov01

      Russia outlaws Ukrainian salt

      The Russian government has banned imports of Ukrainian salt to its territory, according to Ukraine Today. The same goes for the salt produced in the United States, European Union, Canada, Australia, Norway, Albania, Montenegro, Iceland and Liechtenstein, Ukraine Today reports. Before Russia had started its crackdown on western food products,...

      Traffic controller not asked to threaten Belavia plane with interception – Security Service of Ukraine
      Nov01

      Traffic controller not asked to threaten Belavia plane with interception – Security Service of Ukraine

      The SBU Security Service of Ukraine claims that the Ukrainian air traffic controllers were told to U-turn a Belarussian Belavia passenger plane, but no instructions to threaten the pilots with scrambling jet fighters in case of disobedience were given. ”We once again emphasize that we did not give any instructions regarding the scrambling of the...

      Erdogan: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Russian Encirclement
      Nov01

      Erdogan: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Russian Encirclement

      Less than six months ago, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan publicly complained that the Black Sea had become a Russian lake and sought regional and NATO cooperation against this threat. Russia and Turkey’s long-standing relationship was on the rocks, especially after Turkey had shot down a Russian fighter plane over Syria in November...

      Ukraine`s trade envoy: French investors interested in Ukrainian assets
      Nov01

      Ukraine`s trade envoy: French investors interested in Ukrainian assets

      Ukrainian Trade Representative Nataliya Mykolska says French companies show interest in the acquisition of a number of the Ukrainian assets the Ukrainian government plans to put up for sale soon. ”It is important that there is interest in a number of the facilities selected for privatization. It is extremely important French companies have...

      Kremlin: The Times knows nothing about Putin`s plans in Syria
      Nov01

      Kremlin: The Times knows nothing about Putin`s plans in Syria

      Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov has dismissed speculations by the British daily The Times Russia is allegedly getting ready for a major offensive on Aleppo, Russian news agency TASS has reported. ”If the The Times has any evidence the militants are about to launch a major offensive, it should have said so,” Peskov told the media...

      Russian Alfa Group completes acquisition of Ukraine’s Ukrsotsbank from UniCredit Group
      Nov01

      Russian Alfa Group completes acquisition of Ukraine’s Ukrsotsbank from UniCredit Group

      ABH Holdings SA, owner of Alfa-Bank, and UniCredit Group (UCG) have announced the completion of the transfer of 99.9% of shares in Ukrsotsbank, which is a UCG asset in Ukraine, in exchange for a minority 9.9% stake in ABHH, the press service of Alfa-Bank reported. ?Head of Strategy, Business Development and M&A at UniCredit Andrea Maffezzoni...