The Leninska Kuznia plant, which is indirectly owned by Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, received two contracts for the repair of ships totaling 64.02 million hryvnia ($2.5 million), Nashi Groshi reported with reference to the Prozorro system (an online system tracking Ukrainian Government expenditures, purchases and tenders). It was reported that the State Enterprise Maritime Search and Rescue Service ordered an overhaul of marine hardware and hull structures of the rescue ship Sapphire …

U.S. Vice President Joe Biden has condemned Russia’s ratification of a treaty on establishing a joint armed force with Abkhazia, a breakaway region in Georgia, according to a White House statement.

During a phone conversation with Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili, Biden “reiterated U.S. support for Georgia's sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders.”

On Wednesday, the Russian State Duma ratified the agreement establishing a joint armed …

A U.S. Air Force reconnaissance aircraft flew over Russia’s Baltic Sea exclave of Kaliningrad on Saturday, Interfax reported, citing websites that track the movement of military aircraft.

A U.S. RC-135W with tail number 62-4139 reportedly took off from RAF Mildenhall in the U.K. and flew off the coast of Kaliningrad.

Also on Saturday, a U.S. Navy P-8A Poseidon reconnaissance aircraft with tail number 168 761 flew over Russia’s Tartus naval base in Syria.

The Poseidon, which took off from the …

The Lithuanian army has received new AXMC sniper rifles, which have twice the range of the weapons that are currently in the army’s arsenal, Delfi reported, with reference to the Lithuanian Ministry of National Defense.

The sniper rifles purchased for EUR 1.3 million from the UK manufacturer Accuracy International will be distributed among battalions and training facilities by the end of 2016. The distinctive feature of the AXMC sniper rifle is that it can use bullets of two calibers – 338 …

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said that in the spring, Russia asked Ukraine to buy its gas. However, Kyiv refused.

"All talks about there being rolling blackouts in winter, about Ukraine being left without heating and coal, about Ukrainians not having enough gas in their underground storage facilities, have stopped. We, in spite of the war, have built an economically strong and independent state,” he said on Wednesday during his working visit to Lviv.

“I was pleased when the Russians …

In comparison to 2014, the combat strength of the Ukrainian missile forces has tripled. According to Interfax-Ukraine, this was said by the Chief of General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Viktor Muzhenko.“The combat strength of the troops has tripled since 2014. Today, there are specific measures being implemented to enhance the combat potential of the missile troops and the artillery. Their organizational structure is being improved, systematic modernization is being executed and new …

Vadym Chernysh, the Minister for Temporarily Occupied Territories of the Donbas, said in an interview with Hromadske radio that Ukraine supplies electricity to the occupied territories of the Donbas in exchange for coal.

"Yes, it continues. Both in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions. The situation in the Luhansk regions is complicated again. Technically, the Luhansk thermal power plant located almost at the contact line is supplying electricity to the uncontrolled territory. However, coal for …

The EU expects Russian authorities to urgently reconsider their decision to block a human rights organization’s access to its office. Employees of Amnesty International (AI) in Moscow have no access to their place of work, as reported on Thursday, November 3rd in the statement published on the website of the European External Action Service (EEAS).

EU diplomats are "in contact with Amnesty International, both with the European headquarters and with staff in Moscow who claim that …