Articles :

The fourth unit of the Chornobyl nuclear power plant has been covered with a new sarcophagus. A 36,000-tonne confinement will ensure 100 years of protection. But experts have warned - this is only the beginning of a big load of efforts to transform the Chornobyl zone, and plenty of challenges still lie ahead.

Today someone recalls how they voted for the Ukrainian independence 25 years ago, someone remembers how three years ago the riot police were slamming on everyone who dared move outside the Presidential Administration, while someone daydreams for some reason to do another take of those events on Bankova.

This week we have witnessed another round of escalation of the already strained Ukrainian-Russian relations. In response to the announcement by the Ukrainian military to conduct missile tests near the Crimean peninsula, Russia threatened to hit Ukraine with missiles instead.

Three years have passed since the night of a bloody crackdown on the Maidan protesters by Berkut riot police. And while the former president - a traitor and a fugitive - claims he can’t remember the events of three years ago, dozens of victims are still waiting for justice, a fair sentence for those who were beating the activists with batons during a peaceful protest.

Hopelessness is exactly the word that most vividly illustrates the lives of the people along the demarcation line in Donetsk region.

Anniversary of Revolution of Dignity became a good opportunity to contemplate over its achievements. Sociological data on the results of the upcoming presidential elections gave space for political maneuvering. High-ranking fugitives in Russia have reminded of themselves.

35 people were convicted in cases of crimes against EuroMaidan activists; 72% of Ukrainians agree with the statement that the Holodomor of 1932-1933 was a genocide of the Ukrainian people; 580,000 Ukrainian children have been affected by the Donbas hostilities.

The Ukraine-EU summit was marked by political statements of European Union leaders but not by a long-awaited visa liberalization for Ukraine. Prosecutor General Yuriy Lutsenko tried to build bridges with the International Criminal Court in the Hague. The Kremlin has rather expectedly made its yet another "Yanukovych move".

The Ukrainian Government canceled 367 regulations, the National Bank has softened a number of foreign exchange restrictions, while the European Union put forward conditions for Ukraine to receive a EUR 600 million assistance package , at the same time failing to resolve the main political issue of the past years - the introduction of a visa-free regime. These are the main economic news of the outgoing week.

The Holodomor famine, an artificial measure masterminded by Joseph Stalin, claimed the lives of about 10 million Ukrainians, forever remaining a horrible black spot in the country’s history. On the eve of the 83rd anniversary of the genocide of Ukrainian people, UNIAN spoke with a witness of that tragedy.

Despite all calls of Ukraine authorities, the country is unlikely to get a long-awaited visa liberalization with the EU at the Ukraine-EU summit on November 24. The visa-free saga will continue at least until spring.

Rallies in the center of Kyiv were nothing like the actual "Maidan". They rather gave the Ukraine authorities another impetus on the eve of the anniversary of the Ukrainian revolutions. The Interior Ministry saw a forced staff reshuffle. Populist politicians have clinched in fighting each other’s agenda.

Four Ukrainian MPs will be held responsible for concealment of assets in e-declarations, 63% of Russians would like to see Vladimir Putin president after 2018, 7 million Ukrainians have already been entitled to utility subsidies.

A resolution, approved by the Third Committee of the UN General Assembly, was a real diplomatic victory for Ukraine. EU Council supported visa liberalization for Ukraine, dialectically linking its start with setting up a visa waiver suspension mechanism. Donald Trump continues to shape his administration and communicate with the world leaders. Moldova has chosen a pro-Russian president. Alexander Lukashenko delivers a confusing speech.

The Ukrainian economy continues to grow, the Verkhovna Rada gave a start to a road reform, PM Groysman vowed to investigate inflated bills for central heating - these are the main economic news of this week.

President of the U.S.-Ukraine Business Council (USUBC) Morgan Williams, a lifetime GOP supporter, explains what Donald Trump’s victory means for Ukraine, what changes are to come in bilateral relations between Kyiv and Washington, and why Putin is the evil force the world has to deal with.

Amid Kyiv protests of defrauded investors of Mykhailivsky bank, President Poroshenko tabled in Parliament a unique bill. It was passed by the Rada and signed by the head of state in a matter of days. Experts have criticized the initiative, noting that it will cause more trouble to the Ukrainian economy than bring any good.

Quite an unpleasant bell is ringing for Ukraine as pro-Russian candidates win presidential elections in Bulgaria and Moldova, evidencing a growing euroscepticism in these countries.

Ukraine has been successfully implementing its Missile Shield project, getting closer to possessing its own modern hi-end strategic missiles. UNIAN took a sneak peek into Ukraine’s latest developments in this area.

After almost one and a half years of his work as Odesa Governor, Georgia’s Mikheil Saakashvili decided to taste what it’s like to be in the Ukrainian opposition. SBU claims Russia may seek to implement its insidious destabilization plan for Ukraine. The Ministry of Internal Affairs is going through some rough times in its public relations strategy.