Russia refuses to return medals of athletes accused of doping

The Ministry of Sport of the Russian Federation declared that skiers and bobsledders who were disqualified from the Olympics and stripped of their 2014 Olympic Medals are not going to return the medals and will ask the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Lausanne to consider their lawsuits before the 2018 Olympics, reported Interfax, citing a source in the Russian Ministry of Sport.

“The Bobsled Federation of Russia and the Cross-Country Ski Federation of Russian are ready to appeal to the …


Lithuania ratifies transfer of nearly €2 million of weapons to Ukraine

On Wednesday the Lithuanian government decided to transfer weapons and ammunition worth nearly €2 million to the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense for free. Weapons that were used by the Lithuanian military until they were replaced with new weapons, corresponding to NATO standards, will be given to Ukraine, the official website of the Lithuanian Defense Ministry reports.

“The transfer of assets is consistent and comprehensive support of Ukraine by Lithuania, by strengthening her defensive …


Russia says UN humanitarian aid is an infringement of Syria’s sovereignty

According to TASS news agency, during a speech to the UN Security Council, Russia's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Vasily Nebenzya, stated that the current mechanism for cross-border operations to deliver humanitarian aid to Syria cannot be maintained, although it was authorized by the Security Council.

“In its present form, this mechanism cannot be preserved. It infringes on the sovereignty of Syria and contradicts the principles of emergency humanitarian assistance agreed …


Chief Editor of Rzeczpospolita: history should not spoil relations between Ukraine and Poland

At the eighth National Gorshenin Institute Expert Forum, Bogusław Chrabota, the Chief Editor of the Polish newspaper Rzeczpospolita said that he believes that the relations between Ukraine and Poland should be more pragmatic, and should not be overshadowed by their historical past.

"We have so many common interests, and we are destroying our relations and trust because of these lamentable facts. We should be more pragmatic, and not think only about history," the journalist said.  He recognized …


UN names Ukraine ninth in the world by the number of internally displaced persons

Neal Walker, United Nations Resident Coordinator and Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative in Ukraine, has said that Ukraine ranks ninth in the world by number of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).

"1.6 million Internally Displaced Persons are registered in Ukraine. Ukraine is the ninth largest country in the world in terms of the number of Internally Displaced Persons," he said during a discussion titled The Key to a Peace Agenda is in the Hands of Ukraine’s Internally …