Hackers allegedly linked to Russian security services were reportedly behind attacks on the Ukrainian power grid that caused black outs in the capital region and throughout western Ukraine. According to officials that have analyzed samples of BlackEnergy, the code used in the attacks, control systems used to “coordinate remote substations were disabled” in the attack. A…
Ukraine’s parliament voted for the bill allowing the Cabinet of Ministers to impose tit-for-tat sanctions against Russia. The amendment to the law of Ukraine on International Business Activity authorizes economic penalties against Russia in response to discriminatory actions of the aggressor state. 291 MPs, that is more than necessary number of lawmakers (226) voted in…
RIA Novosti reported that the United States government has refused to guarantee Ukraine’s liabilities on debt to Russia. The report stated that the US has officially refused to guarantee the $3 billion in debt that Russia was considering restructuring to relieve Ukraine from paying it back by the December 20 deadline. The Russian Ministry of…
The Crimean Peninsula was left without power after two pylons transmitting electricity from southern Ukraine were knocked over. RIA Novosti and RFERL reported that a group of activists from the Ukrainian Right Sector nationalist group and Crimean Tatars encircled the area, preventing the Ukrainian national guard, local authorities and electricians from assessing the situation. Crimea…
The now-infamous Paris attacks are believed to be pushing Russia and the West closer as first signs of rapprochement appeared during the G20 summit in Turkey on 15-16 November. Unlike last year’s summit when Vladimir Putin left early due to the frosty atmosphere, this year the Russian president huddled for private chats with American and…
Ukraine’s state owned gas company, Naftogaz warned that Ukraine might stop buying gas from Russia from the beginning of 2016. Natural gas supplies from Russia are only secured until the end of this year and Ukrainian authorities stated that they would rely on European supply in 2016 unless Russia offered a competitive price. They also…
Local elections were held across Ukraine on October 25, excepting one city where elections were canceled amid allegations of erroneously printed ballots. The Ukrainian governments stated that elections were canceled in the provincial capital of Mariupol in Ukraine’s eastern region. The steel company that printed the ballots is owned by Ukraine’s richest man Rinat Akmetov,…
Ukraine reached an agreement with a group of its creditors to restructure its debt and avoid a looming default. The investors will accept a 20% write-off on the estimated $18 billion in debt on the country’s bonds and accept a freeze on repayment for the next four years. The Ukrainian finance ministry has lauded the…
Russia has announced via Prime Minister Dimitry Medvedev that Kiev will not be allowed to sign any additional natural gas delivery deals from Gazprom, the state gas company, saying that “we won’t extend a transit contract with Ukraine on disadvantageous terms.” The current agreement lasts through 2020, but consistent disagreements and renegotiations on payments have…
The New York Times writes that Ukraine is moving quickly to avoid a repeat of the ongoing Greece crisis and restructure its debt. The article contends that the Ukrainian government, along with the IMF, is attempting to strong-arm creditors into accepting “big losses” in the process of negotiating a bailout deal. The government currently stands…
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