Section: News & Summaries

      U.S. approves $1.15 bln sale of tanks, equipment to Saudi Arabia
      Aug10

      U.S. approves $1.15 bln sale of tanks, equipment to Saudi Arabia

      The U.S. State Department has approved the potential sale of more than 130 Abrams battle tanks, 20 armored recovery vehicles and other equipment, worth about $1.15 billion, to Saudi Arabia, the Pentagon said on Tuesday, according to Reuters. The approval for land force equipment coincides with Saudi Arabia leading a military coalition in support...

      Russian troops attack Ukraine 62 times in last day, hot spots in Donetsk, Mariupol sectors
      Aug10

      Russian troops attack Ukraine 62 times in last day, hot spots in Donetsk, Mariupol sectors

      Combined Russian-separatist forces attacked Ukrainian army positions in eastern Ukraine 62 times in the past 24 hours, including 28 times in the Donetsk sector, 28 times in the Mariupol sector and six times in the Luhansk sector, according to the press center of the Anti-Terrorist Operation (ATO) Headquarters. View map in full size In the Donetsk...

      Reuters: Vietnam moves new rocket launchers into disputed S.China Sea – sources
      Aug10

      Reuters: Vietnam moves new rocket launchers into disputed S.China Sea – sources

      Chinese dredging vessels are purportedly seen in the waters around Mischief Reef in the disputed Spratly Islands in the South China Sea in this still image from video taken by a P-8A Poseidon surveillance aircraft provided by the United States Navy May 21, 2015. U.S. Navy/Handout via Reuters/File Photo Vietnam has discreetly fortified several of...

      Russia deploys nuclear weapons carriers in Crimea – Ukraine intelligence
      Aug10

      Russia deploys nuclear weapons carriers in Crimea – Ukraine intelligence

      Russia has deployed carriers of nuclear weapons in Crimea, said Vadym Skibitskyi, representative of the Main Intelligence Department of Ukraine`s Defense Ministry, during a briefing today that was broadcast by 112 Ukraine channel. ”We do not rule out such a probability [the deployment of nuclear weapons in Crimea]. There are indeed carriers of...

      Finance Ministry proposes reduction in spending on scholarships
      Aug10

      Finance Ministry proposes reduction in spending on scholarships

      Ukraine`s Finance Ministry proposes the reduction in spending on scholarships for students starting from a new budget year, according to Ukrainska Pravda online publication that has requested the Ministry of Education and Science to provide clarifications regarding the matter. The Education Ministry informed that the Ministry of Finance had sent...

      Ukraine does not expect Russian offensive in near future – Ukraine MP
      Aug10

      Ukraine does not expect Russian offensive in near future – Ukraine MP

      Ukrainian MP Anton Gerashchenko has stated that Ukraine does not expect Russia`s offensive in the near future, according to 112 Ukraine TV channel. ”As for videos showing the movement of a rocket launching system, the deployment is carried out there [Russia] every day or every other day … I can tell openly we do not anticipate war or attack by...

      State property regulator begins preparations for selling 2 HPPs, 7  oblenergos
      Aug09

      State property regulator begins preparations for selling 2 HPPs, 7 oblenergos

      The State Property Fund of Ukraine (SPF) has begun preparations for putting up for sale state-owned shares in several energy companies, namely two hydro power plants (Dniprodzerzhynsk HPP and Mykolayiv HPP) and seven regional power distribution companies (oblenergos), the SPF press service reported. According to the report, 99.9% of shares in the...

      Crossing through Chonhar checkpoint in Crimean direction resumed
      Aug09

      Crossing through Chonhar checkpoint in Crimean direction resumed

      The Russian occupying forces have resumed handling of traffic on their side of the Chonhar checkpoint, the press center of Ukraine`s State Border Guard Service reported. ”The Russian occupying forces have resumed handling traffic on their side of Chonhar checkpoint. Today, the controlling authorities of the occupying country have suspended the...

      Reuters: Putin says Russia will end sanctions on Turkey gradually
      Aug09

      Reuters: Putin says Russia will end sanctions on Turkey gradually

      Russia will phase out sanctions against Turkey step-by-step but the priority is to bring bilateral ties between the two countries to their pre-crisis level, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday, Reuters reported. Putin, after meeting with President Tayyip Erdogan, said the talks will have an important bearing on the future of...

      Memo to Ukrainian Government: Privatization Can Succeed if You Get Out of Way
      Aug09

      Memo to Ukrainian Government: Privatization Can Succeed if You Get Out of Way

      On July 18, Ukraine’s most recent attempt at privatization came to a disappointing conclusion. Odesa’s petrochemical plant, OPZ, was placed up for auction, but after the government set a minimum price of $520 million, no qualified bidders came forward. As a consequence, the state still owns the enterprise, which continues to impose...