08/05/2015 Ukraine: Daily Highlights - Shevchenkivsky court of Kyiv in absentia arrested Head of the General Staff of Russia Gerasimov

Russian President Putin and Head of General Staff Gerasimov

08.05.2015 Daily Highlights by the Digests & Analytics Ukraine News Agency

Topics from Media and Social Networks

• Shevchenkivsky court of Kyiv in absentia arrested Head of the General Staff of Russia Gerasimov.
• International Creditors Club refused to accept the offer of the Ukrainian Government.
• France finally cancelled the contract for the supply of "Mistral" class helicopter carriers  to Russia.

Key Events iIn Ukraine

• President Poroshenko signed the law on liability for the import of goods to the occupied territories. The goods that did not pass the appropriate clearance and do not belong to the humanitarian aid, will be considered a contraband. A Law, increasing the powers of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau, which gives the NAB investigators the right to verify   the tax returns of the officials and persons, related to them, also came into force.
• The State Property Fund plans to sell 5% of the shares of Odessa Portside Plant at a public auction before the big auction for its complete sale at the end of the year.
• Interior Ministry plans to replace the militia with the National Police by the end of the year. The militiamen, meeting the requirements of the new law, will be able to keep their positions, all the rest will be dismissed due to redundancy.
• The State Fiscal Service suspects the "Centrenergo" company of tax evasion in especially big amounts.
• The Head of the Transcarpathian Regional State Administration claims that the some members of the "Right Sector" had an impact on the local deputies and by force reformatted the regional councils on request of the local politicians.
• The IMF downgraded the inflation forecast for Ukraine in 2015 from 27% to 46%, but it expects a slowdown in inflation to 12% in 2016.
• International Creditors Club rejected the proposal of the Ministry of Finance of Ukraine to restructure the public debt, and canceled a planned meeting in London. According to Deputy Head of the NBU Churiy, the lifting of restrictions on the foreign exchange market will depend on the outcome of negotiations with creditors.
• The official hryvnia exchange rate decreased: 21.57 UAH/USD (-0.15 UAH), 23.47 UAH/EUR (-0.36 UAH), 3.44 UAH/RUR 10 (-0.04 UAH).

Ukraine at War

• The fighting continues in the Donbass, even though the Headquarters of the Anti-Terrorist Operation report on the reduction of the number of attacks. Heavy fighting continues in Maryinka, Avdeevka and Opytne were shelled. As a result of shellings, the trunk main to Schastye was damaged, which led to the blackout in the northern part of Lugansk region. According to the official reports, during the day, seven Ukrainian soldiers were wounded.
• General Military Prosecutor Matios announced  that Head of the General Staff of the Russian Federation Gerasimov is a main suspect of stirring up the war with Ukraine. According to him, the Russian general was handed in a notice of suspicion. He also stated that Ukraine continues to collect the data on the Russian aggression to hand it over to the international tribunal.
• President Poroshenko said he is willing to talk only to the authorities of the Donbass occupied territories, elected in accordance with the Ukrainian legislation. To achieve a peace in the region, Russia must withdraw its weapons and mercenaries, and the border must be closed. He says that after that there will be peace in the Donbass.
• According to the Deputy Head of the President Administration, the decision on demilitarization of Shyrokino and withdrawal of the weapons with the caliber of less than 100 mm will be adoped in the nearest time, but it depends not only on the Ukrainian side.

Ukraine and the World

• The French government confirmed the termination of the contract with Russia for the supply of the  "Mistral" class helicopter carriers. Advance payment in the amount of € 1,1 billion for the ships was returned and the set equipment is being dismantled.
• In accordance with the President Putin's decree, in Russia began the destruction of agricultural products, raw materials and food products imported from countries that had imposed the economic sanctions against Russia.
• Newly elected President of Poland Duda supports the establishment of a partnership of states from the Baltic Sea to the Black Sea and the Adriatic Sea. He also said that Poland and other countries-neighbors of Ukraine have to become parties to the negotiations on the military conflict in the Donbass.