• Bellingcat names retired Russian military intelligence officer involved in downing of MH-17

    On Wednesday, February 14, independent expert and journalist group Bellingcat released a new report about the investigation of the downing of the Malaysian Boeing aircraft, which had been operating Malaysian Airlines flight MH-17 in the airspace above the Donbas. The document establishes the identity of an individual officer, nicknamed ‘Gloomy’, who had apparently been involved in the carriage of ‘Buk’ anti-aircraft missile system that caused the Boeing to crash.

    The report’s authors noted …

  • Moscow responds to US statements on the Crimea

    Commenting on the White House's statements on the Crimea, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman said that Moscow “will not give back her own territories”.

    “We will not give back our own territories. The Crimea is the territory of the Russian Federation. That’s all,” Zakharova stated.

    She also remarked that bilateral relations between Russia and America “were brought to an impasse by the previous US administration, which they need to be brought out of”.

    “The Obama administration was in power …

  • Ukrainian government declares a state of emergency due to energy situation

    On the 15th of February, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine declared a state of emergency with respect to the country’s energy situation, by issuing an order “to adopt temporary extreme measures in the electric energy market”. According to the authorities, due to the trade blockade in the uncontrolled territories of the Donbas which war veterans have been imposing since the end of January, there is a shortage of the anthracite coal used by the thermal power plants in Ukraine.

    Prime Minister …

  • Russia to sell three Admiral Grigorovich-class frigates to India after failing to acquire Ukrainian engines

    Three Admiral Grigorovich-class (Project 11356M) frigates originally intended for use by the Russian Navy’s Black Sea Fleet will be sold to India, the Assistant Director to the Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation, Vladimir Drozhov, stated, RIA Novosti reported.

    The sale of the naval vessels was the result of an agreement signed in October 2016 after talks between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

    The agreement assumes that two frigates …

  • Ukrainian Cabinet of Ministers approved defense order for the next three years

    The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine approved the first state defense order for the years 2017-2019. This was stated by the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade of Ukraine. The order comes on the heels of an earlier report that indicated a 67%-80% of the equipment wear of the defense enterprises of Ukraine.

    It was reported that a medium-term state defense order is being approved for the first time and assumes the predictability of budget expenditures. The order creates conditions for the …