Ukraine
● Preliminary results of the early parliamentary elections by party lists look as follows: “The Populous Front” leads the race, followed by the “Poroshenko Block”, afterwards are “Samopomich” and “The Opposition Block”. “Svoboda” doesn’t pass the elections barrier. Leaders of the early parliamentary elections have just started the coalition negotiations.
● President created the Justice Reform Council, that he considers as the priority for the purpose of Eurointegraion, defense of human rights, as well as for the creation of the positive investment climate.
● President Poroshenko dismissed the Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration Rafalsky, subject to the lustration law scope, upon his personal request.
● The State Statistic Agency reported sharp (+156% as of YTD) increase of the salary debts across most of the regions, Donetsk and Luhansk regions are among th leading ones. Salary growth as of YTD equal to +6%, combined with almost 1.5 folds devaluation of Hryvnya vs major international currencies.
● Antimonopoly Committee forecasts petrol price decline in the coming future due to the oil price dynamics, petrol stations that will not react accordingly will be punished.
● The exchange rate of Ukrainian hryvnya vs major currencies remained almost unchanged: 12.95 UAH/USD, 16.40 UAH/EUR (-1cop), 3.09 UAH/10RUB (-3cop).
Kyiv
● The speed limit in Kyiv have been reduced for the winter time from 80 to 6o km/hour.
● As per the latest information from the Head Architect, the strategic city development plan have been almost finished. The price tag of the project is around 20 millions hryvnyas, 80% of which have been already provided. The previous strategic city development plan was approved in 2007.
War in Ukraine
● Shelling of Ukrainian army strongholds and residential areas ongoing across the frontline in Donbass. Primary activity have been evidenced near Mariupol and Avdiivka. Attacks of the Donetsk International Airport and Maryinka re-started after the relatively calm day. Block post in Smile have been left by the army after two months of heavy defense and causalties.
● The Government simplified the process of customs clearance of the foreign humanitarian aid for the period of combat actions.
● The Government approved the legislation stipulating that mortgages of the military, killed within the combat actions, will be bailed by the State budget.
● Russia is getting ready for the next “urgent humanitarian convoy” to Ukraine as the response for the “request of the representatives of Donetsk and Luhansk regions communities”.
International
● The US President Obama congratulated Ukrainian citizens with successful conduction of the parliamentary elections and urged Russia to prevent provocations from Russian-controlled terrorists.
● European leaders Barroso and Van Rompy proclaimed Ukrainia elections as the victory for Ukrainians and for democracy.
● US Department of State speaker Psaki believes that Ukrainian support, provided to pro-democratic parties during the early parliamentary elections, demonstrate clear preference of Ukrainian society of the Eurointegration, but the final assessment should be made only when official results of the votes will be announced.
● Defense Ministers of the US and Ukraine discussed the question of the US military aid supply for strengthening of Ukrainian defense capabilities.
● As proclaimed by the Russian Foreign Affairs Minister Lavrov , the border line between the parties of the conflict in Donbass will be agreed in the nearest future and troops withdrawal will start. He also stated, that Russia will recognize “the DPR and LPR elections” if “conducted per plan”.
Trends
● Militants shelling and attacks without respective response, have led to severe casualties and withdrawl of Ukrainian troops from the territory, to be controlled as per Minsk memorandum.
