In an interview on Ukrainian Radio HB, the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs for the European integration Olena Zerkal said that the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry had prepared a protest note, which requires Russia to set the date and place of release of the captured 24 Ukrainian sailors and three warships.

"We have already prepared a diplomatic note to the Russian Federation. Today it will be sent to the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The questions are asked on how we can take our ships …

Ukrainain President Vladimir Zelensky took his first business trip to the Luhansk region where he inspected the positions of the military forces near the villages of Stanytsia Luhanska and Schastia, as reported by the press service of the president.

“The head of state discussed living conditions, food quality, equipment supplies, housing and social benefits and recruitment with the soldiers,” the statement read.

 It should be noted that Zelensky visited the frontlines in Luhansk, specifically …

Aircraft of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) attacked a missile launcher in Syria after missiles were fired against an Israeli fighter jet, as reported on the Twitter page of IDF.

 “Earlier today, an Israeli fighter jet, during a routine flight in the north of the country, came under fire from the Syrian territory,”  the message reads.

In response, the IDF attacked the missile launcher. “The IDF takes any threat to its aircraft seriously and will take action to defend them,” the military added. …

The miraculous economic “surge” that the Russian government predicts will start in the 2020s and bring Russia into the world’s top 5 economies remains a chimera in the eyes of most economists, finanz.ru writes.

A survey of professional economic forecasters conducted by the Moscow-based Higher School of Economics at the end of April, involving 11 Russian and foreign investment banks, seven analysis centers, two institutes of the Russian Academy of Sciences and major corporations such as Lukoil …

Moldovan President Igor Dodon said that he would ask the Constitutional Court to dissolve parliament if fails to create a parliamentary majority. The head of state made the announcement Thursday evening on Moldovan television channel N-4.

“In June, I will appeal to the Constitutional Court to ask if there are grounds to dissolve a parliament that is not operational and does not have a ruling majority. I will then call the parliamentary party leaders to hold early elections.” Dodon said.

The …

Ukraine will introduce new sanctions against Russia if it ignores the decision of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea to free the Ukrainian sailors.

“Ukraine secured a decisive diplomatic victory and a powerful additional international legal trump card in order to achieve the earliest possible release of our sailors,” Ukrainian Ambassador to Germany Andriy Melnyk said about the tribunal’s decision while discussion the matter with Ukrinform.

"If Moscow decides to ignore this …

The European Investment Bank (EIB) granted the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine a long-term loan with low interests in an amount of 200 million euros as part of the project “Emergency Credit Program to Restore Ukraine,” reports Interfax-Ukraine.

These funds will be invested in the restoration of key infrastructure in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, as well as to provide proper living conditions for internally displaced persons.

The corresponding financial agreement between Ukraine and the EIB …

IMF representative Gerry Rice confirmed that the Fund is ready to continue cooperation with a new government in Ukraine as soon as it is formed.

"When the government will be formed following the elections, we will be ready to continue the discussion about our further partnership with Ukraine," said Rice.

He also confirmed that the IMF mission, which came to Kyiv for two weeks to assess the reforms, continues its work and will not return to Washington ahead of schedule, as several media …