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Russian publicist Alexander Nevzorov explained in an interview with UNIAN why the Russians and the Ukrainians are not fraternal nations, and why it is impossible to build the "Russian world."

Boris Gryzlov was used as a foreign policy ram. Petro Poroshenko intends to broadcast his calmness into the minds of millions of citizens. This winter, political issues and everyday problems of the households tend to be closely intertwined.

One Ukrainian family was killed in a terrorist attack in Burkina Faso, Brent crude fell below $30 a barrel, 2.2 million cases of flu and acute respiratory infection have been recorded in Ukraine since the beginning of epidemiological season.

Ukraine has opened a New Silk Road bypassing Russia and refused to supply electricity to Crimea on the terms of the occupier, while the controversy is raging within Ukraine over petrol prices amid rapidly falling global oil prices - these are the main economic news of the past week.

Vladimir Putin has started his political year with the interview with the German Bild, approved by the Kremlin censors and presenting most of his foreign policy objectives. The tripartite group has not progressed in the issue of Donbas settlement. Ukraine actually benefitted from Barack Obama's gaffe in the State of the Union address.

Nadia Savchenko, the Ukrainian captive of the Russian President Vladimir Putin, has said in an exclusive interview with UNIAN said that she treats with great caution the information on her exchange, insisting on an all-for-all or one-for-one swap.

Ukraine’s top government officials are cheerful and optimistic. The edition of the state budget for 2016 adopted by the Verkhovna Rada can postpone indefinitely any visa liberalization in the EU for Ukraine. Russia has taken on a path of "fraternization" with the Ukrainians: despite being a hundred years old, this technology still retains its relevance.

Ukraine may need four years to replace all passports for ID-cards; 2,080 heating points have been opened across Ukraine amid cold snap; 400 of the world’s richest people have lost a total of $194 billion in the first trading week of 2016.

Russian propaganda mixed in one bowl the issues of gas and Crimea. Angela Merkel radiates political optimism. New global challenges are a serious threat to Ukraine.

Ukraine has entered a new era in trade relations with the European Union, announced a record high annual inflation rate and is preparing a package of additional sanctions against the Russian Federation, which banned from January 1 the Ukrainian imports and transit of the Ukrainian goods - these are the main economic news of the past week.

Bellingcat, the expert and journalist team investigating into the downing of MH17 over the Donbas sky in July 2014, recently announced it brought the number of the Russian soldiers possibly involved in this crime down to 20 people. In an exclusive interview with UNIAN, the founder of Bellingcat, Eliot Higgins, has revealed some details of his investigation.

On the New Year’s eve, December 31, Vladimir Putin signed the National Security Strategy of the Russian Federation, which is the basic document of strategic planning, defining Russia’s national interests and strategic priorities. Judging by the text of the document, it is too early to relax for the Ukrainians.

The ministers and the experts shared with UNIAN their opinions on the measures to be taken to restore the economy of Ukraine in 2016.

The Association Agreement with the EU, signed in June 2014, has finally entered into force, and the deep and comprehensive free trade are between Ukraine and the EU came into effect on January 1. Ukraine’s new strategic choice promises countless opportunities as well as huge challenges to the Ukrainian economy.

2015 was the year of unfulfilled hopes for Ukraine. The president tried to implement reforms on strategic directions and gently redistribute power in his favor. The Verkhovna Rada was hardly effective throught the year when it was safeguarded from being dissolved. The Cabinet of Ministers reminded of an invigorating civil servant who is chronically ill, but ready to trick the system to avoid layoff.

One Russian combat aircraft was destroyed by the army of a NATO member state; three former MPs from the Party of Regions committed suicide; 177 countries voted to elect Ukraine as non-permanent member of the UN Security Council; 900,300 Ukrainians chose to move to other countries.

Minsk agreements have largely shaped the Ukrainian foreign policy, but failed to bring peace to the Donbas land. Kyiv and Brussels have been swirling in the tango of integration. Ukraine has obtained an opportunity to make greater use of instruments of the United Nations.

Amid war with Russia, Ukraine has for the first time ever adopted a decent defense budget. Instead of selling out the remnants of Soviet equipment, the Ukrainian defense industry got on tracks of modernization and development of new types of weapons. However, corruption and bureaucracy continue to hinder the development of defense industry and creation of an efficient army.

As in 2014, the annexation of Crimea and the Russian-ignited conflict in the east of Ukraine remained important issues on the international agenda in 2015. UNIAN recalled the main successes and failures of Ukraine’s foreign policy.

The Ukrainian economy may return to the path of growth in the coming year after a two-year fall, the Ukrainian analysts believe. UNIAN offers to take a glimpse at the macroeconomic consensus forecast for 2016.