Ukraine news, facts, polls and more

25/08/2008
Ukraine striker Andriy Shevchenko passed a medical examination Monday at the AC Milan's training camp to complete his transfer from Chelsea, the Italian club said.
"I am very happy to be here," Shevchenko was quoted as saying on Milan's website ahead of the tests. "I also want to send a Neither club has disclosed financial terms, but Milan officials have indicated that Shevchenko will accept a salary cut to return to the Italian club, which is owned by Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi.

21/07/2008
A Ukrainian opposition party has prevented foreign warships participating in a NATO naval exercise from leaving the Black Sea port of Odessa.
Sea Breeze 2008, a NATO military exercise, began last Monday in Ukraine's Odessa, Crimea and Black Sea coastal regions. Two years ago, the Sea Breeze 2006 exercise in the Crimea was also disrupted by protests.
Ukraine and the United States are joined by 15 other countries for this year's exercises, which are due to end on July 26. Fifteen Ukrainian ships, four aircraft, 10 helicopters, and 500 service personnel are involved in the military exercises.
A poll conducted in April by the FOM-Ukraina pollster indicated that a majority of Ukrainians oppose NATO membership.

18/06/2008
NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer says he will try to persuade all NATO members to back the idea of extending a Membership Action Plan (MAP) to Ukraine. Scheffer was speaking at news conference in Kiev after winding up a two-day visit to the ex-Soviet state. A NATO summit in Bucharest in April declined to grant MAP to Ukraine and ex-Soviet Georgia, but agreed to review the issue at a meeting of foreign ministers in December. Pro-Western President Viktor Yushchenko has made NATO and EU membership the cornerstone of his foreign policy. He has pledged that the final decision on membership would be put to a referendum.

10/06/2008
Ukraine will start the industrial reprocessing of solid rocket fuel from RS-22 ballistic missiles (SS-24 under the NATO classification) at the Pavlohrad chemical plant in Dnipropetrovsk region in the middle of 2009. Director General of Pavlohrad chemical plant Leonid Shyman said.
According to Shyman, full financing would be decisive for the launch of the project. He said UAH 250 million had to be allocated from the national budget for the project in 2008, compared to UAH 150 million in 2007.
The solid fuel of RS-22 missiles is being disposed under Ukrainian commitments in the reduction and liquidation of strategic armaments and related state programs. A washout disposal of 5,000 tonnes of RS-22 solid fuel is planned before 2011.

6/06/2008
A meeting of the representatives of the Kazakh and Ukrainian National Space Agencies is over.
During the visit to Ukraine the Kazakh delegation headed by “KazKosmos” JSC chief Talgat Mussabayev discussed further measures on joint realization of space projects of mutual interest. Besides, the Kazakh specialists participated in the first Ukrainian nationwide conference “Space observations aimed at sustainable development and security” held in Kiev.
According to the Kazakh National Space Agency’s executive secretary Yergazy Nurgaliyev, this is the third meeting of the Kazakh and Ukrainian space departments within the framework of the Year of Kazakhstan in Ukraine proclaimed in the previous year and the current Year of Ukraine in Kazakhstan.
In July 2008 representatives of the Ukraine’s Space Agency will hold an exhibition of their country’s achievements in the space sphere in Astana. Besides, Almaty is planning to conduct a joint Kazakh-Ukrainian conference “Modern space technologies”.

17/05/2008
A new standoff hit Ukrainian parliament, as the faction of Prime Minister Yulia Timoshenko threatened to block the work of Supreme rada until the opposition agrees to adopt a package of anti-inflation measures.
The opposition said the measures are aimed to back pro-Timoshenko mayor at the upcoming election in the capital city and thus get an important foothold for future presidential election.
Leader of Timoshenko's YTB faction Ivan Kirilenko admitted that even the pro-presidential faction does not support its plans.
"YTB actions do not find support of the coalition partners," he said, but stressed YTB would continue to block the work of parliament on Friday.

13/04/2008
Head of the Presidential Administration of the Republic of Kazakhstan Kairat Kelimbetov has met with head of the Ukrainian President’s Secretariat Viktor Baloha in Akorda residence. Kairat Kelimbetov underlined that the Year of Ukraine in Kazakhstan symbolizes a positive dynamics of bilateral relations development and will cement friendly relations between the two nations.
Kairat Kelimbetov and Viktor Baloha discussed implementation of the agreements reached by President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev and President of Ukraine Viktor Yushchenko during an officail visit of the Ukrainian President to Kazakshtan.
The sides exchanged opinions on execution of an Action Plan Kazakhstan – Ukraine for 2007-2008 where the priority is placed on bilateral cooperation in the different spheres.
Different perspective projects like construction of the oil processing plant and combined cycle electric generating plant of varying thickness in Ukraine were discussed at the meeting.

9/04/2008
Ukraine's Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko said on Tuesday that her government will pay more attention to raise public awareness of NATO.
"Ukrainian government will make every effort necessary for better coordination and full implementation of the measures under the NATO-Ukraine target plan for 2008," Tymoshenko said.
A survey published earlier this month said only 11 percent of Ukrainians supported the idea of NATO membership, most Ukrainians were against it.
On April 3, Ukraine's bid for MAP was thwarted at a NATO summit in Bucharest, Romania, amid fears among European allies that the move would enrage Russia.

1/04/2008
President Bush has visited Ukraine on his way to Romania for this week's NATO summit.
He says Russia has nothing to fear from Ukraine and Georgia joining the organisation.
Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko has thanked the US for supporting its candidacy.
"I'm sure that we'll receive a positive signal in Bucharest," he said.
"That's the spirit we're going there with, and we're sure we have the necessary arguments for those countries who aren't still ready with their position on the issue."

21/03/2008
3.5 million Ukrainians are working abroad, at least 98% illegally.
About 3.5 million Ukrainians currently work abroad, Deputy Labor and Social Policy Minister Viktor Ivankevych said at a panel discussion in Kiev on Monday. He said that no more than 2% of them are working legally. He also said the current real level of unemployment in Ukraine is about 6.2%.

1/03/2008
President of Ukraine Viktor Yushchenko plans to make an official visit to Kazakhstan on March 5-6.
Y. Ashikbayev noted the visit was dated to opening of the Year of Ukraine in Kazakhstan. In addition, Nursultan Nazarbayev and his Ukrainian counterpart intend to discuss further development of the bilateral relations, especially fuel and energy cooperation and realization of the Action Plan between Kazakhstan and Ukraine for years of 2007-2008.
“Heads of Kazakhstan and Ukraine are expected to exchange views on perspectives of interaction within CIS and coordinate further integration in the framework of this organization,” Kazakh MFA’s spokesperson said. Following results of the negotiations, the sides will sign a package of documents aimed at deepening cooperation between the countries in various fields.

23/02/2008
Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko pledged on Friday to curb the growing inflation.
"I believe that the anti-inflation measures adopted by the government will allow to curb inflation calmly month after month," she told a cabinet meeting.
In January, Ukrainian inflation soared to 2.9 percent, compared with 2.1 percent and 2.2 percent in November and December 2007.
Ukraine's inflation rate reached 16.6 percent in 2007, while real GDP grew 7.3 percent.

11/02/2008
Gazprom said only gas sent from Russia, which makes up around 25% of Ukraine's total supply, would be affected. Kiev played down the threats, claiming assurances from Moscow that Russian gas exports would not be affected. Gazprom has assured the rest of Europe that the dispute will not affect their supplies, which come through Ukraine.

7/02/2008
On February 7 at 18.00 President Victor Yushchenko shall hold an annual reception for foreign diplomatic and international organizations mission heads working in Ukraine.
The reception will take place at the premises of the Diplomatic Academy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine.

29/01/2008
Ukraine will join the World Trade Organization February 7.
Tymoshenko said it was a great victory and thanked everyone who backed Ukraine on its admission to the global trade body.
Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko said January 25 that an agreement on Ukraine's joining the WTO will be signed at a WTO General Council session February 5-6.
He also said that upon admission to the body, Ukraine would immediately start talks with the European Union on a free trade zone agreement.
Ukrainian authorities have called WTO membership one of the key foreign policy priorities.

8/11/2007
Ukraine called on the Georgian government and opposition on Thursday to not escalate tensions in the country.
The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said in a statement posted on its web site that "only constructive dialog among all parties can be the key to rectifying the situation, and guaranteeing stability and peace in the country."
The Foreign Ministry pointed out that the events in Georgia are purely its internal affairs.
According to reports, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Arseniy Yatseniuk has sent special representative, Deputy Foreign MinisterKostiantyn Yelyseyev, to Georgia. 10/11/2007

19/10/2007
Ukrainian President Viktor Yuschenko will visit Israel next month. Yuschenko during the visit will call on Israel to recognize the 1932-33 famine in Ukraine as an act of genocide against Ukrainian nation. Yuschenko, who is expected to arrive Nov. 14, also will hold talks with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on Ukraine-Israel economic ties. His three scheduled state visits to Israel in 2005-06 were postponed due to what administration spokespeople said were scheduling conflicts.

5/09/2007
Dragon-Ukrainian Properties & Development PLC said it will invest up to 9 mln usd in Pine Forest Riverside Estates housing project in the Kyiv Sea area of Ukraine. The real estate investment company managed by Dragon Capital Partners Ltd said the project involves the development of a gated community of up to 100 cottages and town houses. The company will acquire 6.33 hectares of land representing 50.26 pct of the combined land ownership in the project. The first line of houses is expected to be completed by mid-2008.

20/08/2007
The inaugural AutoUkraine 2008 conference is taking place in Kiev on the 29th of January. The conference is designed to attract an international audience of automotive professionals from OEMs, T1s and T2 suppliers in Ukraine, Russia and globally. With more and more OEMs and T1 suppliers developing strategies and establishing production facilities in Ukraine, and given the central position of the country in Europe, Ukraine is quickly becoming the key investment location for global OEMs, T1 and T2 suppliers.

5/06/2007
Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed fear that tyranny make take the reign in Ukraine. "There is nothing to say about the post-Soviet space. There was a single hope for Ukrainian guys, but those have fully discredited themselves, opening the way to all-round tyranny. A full violation of the Constitution and all laws," Putin said.
Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov said, commenting on the political crisis in Ukraine, that Russia was very much concerned over the situation in this country.7/06/2007

26/05/2007
Several thousand Ukrainian Interior Ministry troops are moving toward the capital Kiev under orders from President Viktor Yushchenko, intensifying a political standoff between the president and prime minister.
"The troops were called to the capital to guard state institutions, especially the prosecutor general's office and the constitutional court, and preserve law and order and stability in Kiev,'' Ivan Plyushch, Ukraine's security council chief, said today from Kiev. The move counters an order by Interior Minister Vasyl Tsushko, who prohibited the movement of troops without his personal written approval. 28/05/2007

6/04/2007
Ukraine's leadership crisis deepened yesterday as President Viktor Yushchenko threatened government officials with prosecution if they did not hold early elections. But the prime minister, Viktor Yanukovich, repeated his call for the president to reverse Monday's decision to dissolve parliament, and called for international mediation in the conflict. The decision to disband the parliament has plunged Ukraine into its deepest political crisis since the Orange Revolution of 2004 and brought thousands of Mr Yanukovich's supporters on to the streets of Kiev. The prime minister, who heads a ruling coalition of MPs, announced that he had invited the Austrian chancellor, Alfred Gusenbauer, to mediate, and he might also approach Russia and Poland.

22/03/2007
Ukraine’s Constitutional Court is halfway through in deliberations on whether to cancel privatization of Illich Steel, the country’s No. 2 steelmaker, in a decision that would have a major impact on the sector. The court on Tuesday completed an open part of the hearing and switched to a closed one suggesting that media from now on will not be allowed at the hearing.

6/03/2007
The European Union and Ukraine yesterday launched talks aimed at drawing Kiev closer to the EU and setting up a free-trade area, EU External Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner said. However Ferrero-Waldner stressed that these weren’t talks preliminary to EU accession for Ukraine.

7/02/2007
A local appeals court has restored a special status for the Russian language in an eastern city in Ukraine. Six regional governments and nine city councils in the east and south last year granted Russian special status - decisions that were heavily criticized by President Viktor Yushchenko. The Party of the Regions, whose leader, Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych, enjoys strong support in the east and south, campaigned in elections last year on a promise to make Russian a second state language.

30/01/2007
Ukraine sees no threat in NATO’s plans to deploy antiballistic missile facilities in neighbouring countries, said Vladimir Tereshchenko, Ukrainian Deputy Defence Minister. Earlier, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said Kiev sees the U.S. plans to deploy antiballistic missile units in the Czech Republic and Poland as an additional element in the fight against manifestations of terrorism. Pentagon said it studies an opportunity for cooperation with Ukraine in creating an antiballistic missile system.

24/01/2007
The Ukrainian Defense Ministry will spend about 6 million hryvni on multinational military exercises in 2007, said Col. Oleksandr Sherstyuk, the head of the Ukrainian General Staff's Military Cooperation Department. Final and large-scale Artery-2007 maneuvers, involving all arms, are to be held in the spring of 2007.

17/01/2007
on Monday Russian border police arrested a group of five Ukrainians attempting to smuggle three tons of raw salted pork fat across the international border. The arrests took place in the early morning hours after Russian troops detected three automobiles attempting to exit Russian territory via a field near the village of Gorlovka, in Ukraine's eastern Donetsk province.

7/01/2007
Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych congratulated the Ukrainian People on Christmas. "We've waited one more Christmas. We were waiting for it in trust, hope and love. We worthy meet this holiday, as we have done much to mark Xmas with stability and integrity," the greeting message by the Ukrainian Prime Minister said. We have spent an uneasy year and we can say that we have worthy faced all challenges, we have faced them as a mature and promising society.

2/01/2007
The Kyiv authorities expect as many as 100,000 people to see the New Year in on Independence Square. According to Chief of the Main Department of Internal Policy of the Kyiv City Rada Viktor Honcharuk, the Kyiv City Administration has for the first time triggered the New Year's celebration by means of donators. Those, who feel like staying at home will seize an opportunity to follow celebrations on TV. As many as 24,000 and 26,000 policemen are supposed to secure order on the New Year's Eve and Christmas, respectively, Internal Ministry Public Security Department Chief Volodymyr Mayevskyi stressed.

31/12/2006
We congratulate the visitors of our site with approaching Happy New Year.
We want happiness, good luck and wealth at new year 2007.

29/12/2006
Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych, by means of beginning judgements Govt in Ambience, predicted 7% growing of GDP in 2007.
Though Prime Minister stood out, his forecast is grounded in performance of the growing of GDP during the last five months.
The Dialect about financial result of activity Govt, Viktor Yanukovych has said one of its positive return was a well-timed taking the budget. "Regions have begun to consider their local facility this week and country enters 2007 with stable financing," he has said.

26/12/2006
The joint Russian-Ukrainian UkrGasEnergo suspended the oil, enriching program, company CEO Igor Voronin said, explaining that company did not get the base of the resource against all waiting. The Company consequently will not enrich the oil in 2007 and considers aquisition of the gas producers in lieu thereof.
Voronin added, which this was far less expedient for UkrGasEnergo to use the oil gained from the other producers as oil prices long are provided in correspondence to with global market.

22/12/2006
Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko has ordered an investigation into the killing of a Crimean Tatar political activist and journalist, Norik Shirin.
Shirin was found stabbed to death in his garage in Simferopol on December 20.
The head of the Crimean regional police press office, Oleksandr Dombrovsky, told RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service that "a stranger would not have been able to commit a crime in that area. A stranger would have been noticed immediately, as it is a compact ethnic community, and also, any unknown car would have been spotted right away because everybody knows each other."

18/12/2006
Stem cell baby deaths probe 'too close to the truth', claims investigator
Ruth-Gaby Vermot-Mangold, a Swiss MP who is a member of the Council of Europe's parliamentary assembly, and who previously investigated reports of missing babies, said: "I have obtained reliable information, from mothers and other sources about five cases of newborns that went missing … I believe the mothers were telling the truth. I am more inclined to believe the babies were stolen for the purpose of adoption in the West." Some 300 mothers who claim to have suffered the same fate are represented by the All-Ukrainian Federation of Families with Many Children. In 2003 its head, Tetyana Isayeva Zaharova, gave Council of Europe investigators a video which was said to show babies' bodies partly dismembered so that stem cells and organs could be removed.

15/12/2006
December 14, 2006 -- Kazakhstan and Ukraine today said they were interested in developing joint nuclear projects.
Those could include Ukraine's participation in the construction of nuclear power plants in Kazakhstan.
The plans are outlined in a joint statement signed in Astana today by Kazakh Prime Minister Daniyal Akhmetov and his Ukrainian counterpart, Viktor Yanukovych.

12/12/2006
Romania intends to allocate Vinnitsa region approximately EUR 10 million in 2007 within the framework of the program on frontier cooperation "Ukraine-Romania-Moldova." Oleksandr Dombrovsky, the chairman of the State administration of Vinnitsa region, informed.
According to him, financing of the project on frontier cooperation will be carried out at the expenses of the European Union, the member of which Romania becomes since January 1, 2007.

7/08/2006
Share your Ukraine experience with other people from all over the world! Just send us notes about your Ukraine trip (including some photos if you want certainly) and we will publish it without any delay.

22/02/2006
New pages about Ukraine for you! Look at overviews of the following Ukraine cities: Chernigov, Cherkassy, Chernovtsy, Ivano-Frankovsk, Kirovograd, Kremenchug, Zaporozhye.

28/01/2006
We have added new information about Ukraine. Such categories as Ukraine Overview, Economy, Language, Land Recources, Climate, Culture, History, People, Political System are available now.

19/01/2006
We offer you the following unique document: Ukraine 2000 and Beyond: Geopolitical Priorities and Scenarios of Development. It includes a lot of interesting articles like Main Conclusions and Recommendations Strategic Priorities of Ukrainian National Security and Foreign Policy for the Future. Dont miss it if you want to expand your knowledge about Ukraine!

01/01/2006
Welcome to UkraineTrek.com! Next months we will be building comprehensive collection of information about Ukraine.

01/01/2006
We are always looking for more links, content contributions, and lively discussions.

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