• Reporters Without Borders: Mauritania and Zimbabwe rank above Russia in World Press Freedom Index

    In this year’s annual World Press Freedom Index, Reporters Without Borders (RWB) published information revealing Russia to be in 148th place. Russia’s position in this rating has not changed for the third consecutive year. In total, the rating consists of 180 countries. First place is taken by Norway, second by Sweden, and the Netherlands third. The 180th place is held by North Korea.

    RWB reports that the countries of the former Soviet Union together with Turkey, who ranks 157th, remain world …

  • Czech ex-detective detained in Ukraine

    Ukrainian Special Services detained a former police investigator of the Czech Republic’s Office for the Detection of Organized Crime, Ludek Vokal, as reported by Info.cz web-portal with reference to sources.

    A Czech diplomat was also allegedly arrested but he was later released and given back his diplomatic passport.

    In the Czech Republic, Ludek Vokal was wanted by the General Inspectorate of Security Authorities in connection with suspicions on his activities under the authority of then-Head …

  • Ukraine offers its Antonov aircraft for NATO transportation

    Ukraine can now offer international partners its aircraft which can be used for NATO and EU transportation needs. Ukraine’s State Enterprise, Antonov, released the corresponding statement on April 25, the first day of an international aerospace show in Berlin where Ukraine presented the world’s largest An-225 Mriya cargo aircraft.

     “Since the Russian company Volga-Dnepr Airlines intends to leave the Strategic Airlift Interim Solution (SALIS), Antonov is ready to provide a full range of …

  • A scandal erupts between Russia and the US over a Seattle residence

    Russia stated that representatives of US authorities raided the residence of the Russian Consul General in Seattle that was closed the day before, RIA Novosti reports. The embassy in Washington said these actions constituted an unfriendly step and promised that Moscow would retaliate.

    All of the consulate’s staff had already left the residence. The consulate itself stopped its work on April 2 as ordered by the US. Since then, documents and belongings have been collected from the residence and …

  • Hungary: We will block Ukraine’s NATO initiatives until the rights of Transcarpathian Hungarians are restored

    UNN news agency reports that Hungary will continue to oppose interaction between Ukraine and NATO, as Budapest continues to demand Ukraine "restore the rights" of Transcarpathian Hungarians.  According to the Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Péter Szijjártó, the country is presently under significant international pressure to reconsider Budapest’s blocking of further negotiations between NATO and Ukraine.

    "Hungary will not succumb to international pressure and will not sacrifice on the …