• U.S. Blackhawk helicopters arrive in Latvia

    On the 1st of March, five U.S. Blackhawk helicopters were deployed to Latvia during Operation Atlantic Resolve, Delfi reported. Soldiers from the Phoenix division of the 10th Aviation Brigade of the U.S. Army also arrived in Latvia.

    The 10th Aviation Brigade is the first of many allied armed forces to arrive in Europe as part of a rotation of units to show the readiness of the United States and NATO to ensure security in Europe.

    The Brigade is normally posted at Fort Drum, New York. Previous …

  • Tensions rise as separatist 'nationalize' Ukrainian companies in the Donbas

    On March 1, separatists introduced "external management" to Ukrainian enterprises located in the territories of Donetsk and Luhansk regions not controlled by Kyiv. This action is the fulfilment of an ultimatum given the day before to the organizers of the trade blockade of the Donbas. The blockade is has been manned by veterans of the war in eastern Ukraine since the end of January.

    The separatists placed about 40 Ukrainian companies under "external management." This was stated by the head of …

  • Ukraine loses billions of dollars due to the financial aggression of Russia

    Direct financial losses for Ukraine as a result of Russia’s aggressive trading amount to nearly a billion dollars, Deputy Minister for Economic Development and Trade and Trade Representative of Ukraine Nataliya Mykolska said in an interview with DT.UA.

    The greatest loses affected exports to Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan.

    “Our biggest losses were exports to Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, where 40 percent of exports was lost. But exports to other countries were also hit as well. If it’s all totaled up, …

  • Media: Poroshenko and Putin continue communication

    Despite the tough political situation between Russia and Ukraine, Presidents Vladimir Putin and Petro Poroshenko have maintained continuous contact, according to the newspaper Kommersant.

    Citing sources in Kyiv and Moscow Kommersant reported that the two leaders have spoken on the phone four times since the beginning of the year.

    The penultimate call was on February 11, the day after the President of Slovenia, Borut Pahor, visited Moscow. The most recent conversation took place on February 21, …

  • How Ukraine finances separatists

    Author: Dmytro Snegiryov, Head of Prava Sprava public initiative.

    The trade blockade with separatists is necessary in order to cease trade relations with territories that are beyond Ukraine’s control. Unfortunately trading is the business of law enforcement agencies and it involves large sums of money. The trade blockade should be carried out at the government level but not by volunteers and veterans of the war in the Donbas.

    The fact that the so-called masses took the initiative demonstrates …

  • Witnesses: At request of Russian Federation, Bulgaria bans laying flowers in memory of Nemtsov

    The Embassy of Russia in Bulgaria has banned the laying of flowers in memory of murdered politician Boris Nemtsov anywhere near the diplomatic mission building. Journalist Natalia Novozhilova wrote about the development on her Facebook page, where she shared a post from an eyewitness named Tsvetan Kristev.

    According to the Bulgarian eyewitness, he wanted to honor the memory of Nemtsov on the anniversary of his death, but the Embassy told him that Russia would regard such an act "as a threat." …

  • Ukraine wants to replenish its Navy with old NATO ships

    NATO countries can transfer ships released from active duty that will suit Ukrainian needs to the Ukrainian Naval Forces, using a variety of payment plans. Commander of the Ukrainian Navy Ihor Voronchenko discussed the possibility during a broadcast on Ukrainian "Channel Five".

    "Groups of negotiators from Ukraine have departed for discussions. One group of Navy officers has already returned; I do not have the right to name the country, but the group has returned from abroad, and as a result …

  • Medvedev: Russia should be prepared to live under sanctions for the 'indefinite future'

    Russia should be prepared to live under the sanctions regime for the indefinite future, Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said in an interview with TV channel Russia 1.

    According to him, the United States and the EU are trying to “perpetuate” their legislation.

    “We must be prepared to live under sanctions for the indefinite future. Just look at what our friends overseas and in Europe are doing! They are enshrining these sanctions in law, they are codifying them. They are initiating a great deal …

  • Western Media: Russia is too poor for an arms race

    For the past 38 years, there has not been “much nuclear rhetoric, like it is heard now: even at the height of the Cold War no one so lightly threatened the use of nuclear weapons,” wrote Julian Hans for the German newspaper Sueddeutsche Zeitung.

    “Recently, Russian leadership let the genie out of the bottle and now it is causing Russian authorities difficulties,” the author wrote.

    Recently, a documentary on a Russian TV state channel portrayed the Russian leader as the “general director” of …

  • An ex-serviceman and a Russian citizen were convicted of spying in Lithuania

    On Tuesday, the Siauliai District Court found a former Lithuanian Armed Forces officer and a Russian citizen guilty of espionage.

    Russian citizen Sergey Moiseenko was sentenced to 10 years and six months in prison; he was also convicted of the unlawful disposal of a large quantity of ammunition and explosives, as well as combat grenades.

    Former Lithuanian Air Force officer, Sergei Pusin was sentenced to five years in prison for espionage, as reported to BNS (Baltic News Service) by the court’ …