Excerpts from the most important news on Ukraine
Venture investments into Ukrainian IT companies have reached $510M
24.04.2020
For the first time investments in Ukrainian startups and IT companies have reached a half-billion mark in a year, according to the new annual report by the Ukrainian Venture Capital and Private Equity Association. The total volume of venture investments into Ukrainian IT companies has reached $510M, which is one and a half times more than the maximum of 2018. In 2019, the volume of M&A transactions (mergers and acquisitions) increased by 18 times. 15 M&A deals have totaled $460M while in 2018 there were 7 transactions worth $25.2M. TOP-10 deals ...EU needs policy on Ukraine with membership prospects
24.04.2020
The European Union needs a new policy on Ukraine that would envisage membership prospects, President of the Paneuropean Movement in Austria Karl von Habsburg has said in an interview with Ukrinform. “It now belongs to the European Neighborhood Policy, which does not envisage the prospect of membership. That is why we in the Paneuropean Union clearly state that we need a new policy on Ukraine that would provide for the prospect of accession. The goal here is obvious, but the ...russia Has Abandoned Its Nuclear Destroyer And Frigate Projects
24.04.2020
russia’s Severnoye Design Bureau has suspended the development of a nuclear destroyer – Project 23560 “Leader” and an improved frigate – Project 22350M, Interfax reported. “Leader” was suspended by the Ministry of Defense of the russian Federation after the completion of the preliminary design in 2016. The same fate befell Project 22350M after the completion of its preliminary design in 2019. According to the company’s report, these facts will have a huge impact on the financial stability of Severnoye Design Bureau.Breaking Bad. Ukrainian Style
24.04.2020
In a scene eerily reminiscent of the hit TV series about a teacher who decides to manufacture and sell high-grade drugs, a Kyiv chemistry professor has been arrested for setting up a lab to produce methamphetamine, rferl.org reports. Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) said in a Facebook post that the unidentified professor, who used to teach chemistry at a university in the capital, had been detained on suspicion of organizing a group to manufacture illegal substances. “The group had two secret labs, one at the ...russia violates Ottawa Treaty in Donbas
20.04.2020
Yet another fact of the russian Federation’s involvement in the war in eastern Ukraine has been documented, Ukrinform reports. “Today, in Luhansk region, the military counterintelligence officers of the Joint Forces documented under the procedural guidance of the Luhansk Region Prosecutor’s Office yet another fact that the russian Federation supplies arms to the illegal armed formations it backs in eastern Ukraine,” the press service of the Joint Forces Operation informs. In particular, a fragmentation-barrier antipersonnel mine OZM-72 produced by the russian Federation ...Ukrainian company developed a robot cop
20.04.2020
Zaporizhia-based defense engineering company INFOCOM Ltd has converted the Scorpion robotic platform, designed for frontline reconnaissance missions, into a police robot, Defense Express reports. The upgraded platform will allow law enforcers to remotely patrol the streets during a pandemic (and in other situations), avoiding direct communication between policemen and civilians. The robot can be equipped with a net gun, tear gas, a monitor for communication, a thermal imager, etc. The operator can control the robot directly standing on the platform, by voice, or ...russian media offer 200 euros to Italians if they thank putin on camera
19.04.2020
EUR 200 to thank russia and putin for humanitarian assistance on camera for “russian media.” According to La Repubblica, this is the exact amount of money that is being offered to Italians via WhatsApp messenger. “They need 15 Italians who will say something good about russian humanitarian aid. It better be a video or a post with photos, but they pay 200 euros for the video, giving less for the post,” the media reported. The videos, that praise the russian authorities, then ...World economy may not recover until 2025 – Ukraine’s representative to the IMF
19.04.2020
The economic impact of world coronavirus curbs will be felt until 2025, Vladyslav Rashkovan, Ukraine’s representative to the IMF, said in a video conference organized by Deloitte. Referring to the IMF’s semi-annual world economic outlook he said that in three months, the IMF’s global economic outlook had flipped: from 3% growth in January to 3% contraction in April. “This is a super-serious change in such a short period,” he said. “In fact, this makes the crisis the worst recession since the ...SBU exposes mole working for russians
16.04.2020
Following a special operation the SBU CI exposed a high-ranking FSB asset in the Ukrainian Government. Today an SBU general-major Valerii Shaitanov was detained under the suspicion of state treason and execution of terrorist attacks. In particular, at the behest of russian intelligence he was planning an assassination of a famous volunteer Adam Osmaev. The SBU has collected sufficient evidence clearly proving that Shaitanov is the russian intelligence asset. This is further confirmed by available case materials, including audio and video ...Umanpyvo enters Belarus market
15.04.2020
Umanpyvo (Uman beer) LLC (Uman, Cherkasy region), the local producer of beer and soft drinks, will begin exporting its products to Belarus, and the first batch of 21.5 tonnes of products will be delivered in April, open4business.com.ua reports. “The first 21.5 tonnes of products will be delivered in April. We are constantly expanding the geography of exports. However, we only cooperate with partners who do not require changes in the recipe and increase expiry date of our products, as this contradicts ...russia-controlled church in Ukraine calls to ignore quarantine
14.04.2020
On Palm Sunday, parishioners massively flocked to the temples of the russian Orthodox Church in Ukraine, which created another serious threat of coronavirus infection amid the epidemic. Recently, ROC officials have repeatedly called on their parishioners to ignore quarantine, attend worship, and receive communion. As a result of such actions, some 90 people have contracted the novel virus and two have already died in the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra alone, making it a hotbed of the disease in Kyiv, duhovnyfront.com.ua reported. At the ...S&P downgraded rating of Ukrzaliznytsia to CCC
13.04.2020
S&P Global Ratings downgraded the long-term issuer default rating of Ukrzaliznytsia to the level of CCC from B-, the agency said in a press release. “We consider the liquidity of the company as weak, because we believe that the problems associated with COVID-19 may limit access to capital markets and affect the ability to generate cash flow from operating activities,” S&P said in a statement. The state railroad has to pay $400 million in the next 12 months, which includes peak payments of $200 ...