The week in numbers

2 high profile murders – of an ex-deputy from the Party of Regions Oleh Kalashnikov and a journalist Oles Buzyna - took place in Kyiv, 94 terrorists have been convicted in Ukraine since the beginning of the anti-terrorist operation (ATO), UAH 6,109 is today’s salary of Ukrainian MPs, UAH 800 million was allocated by Ukraine’s government for veterans’ social assistance.

2 high-profile murders that had the hallmarks of contract killings have taken place in Kyiv in the last week. Ex-MP from the Party of Regions Oleh Kalashnikov, who was suspected of involvement in the organization and financing of the “Antimaidan” [a movement which involved street thugs used by the regime of former President Viktor Yanukovych to intimidate and threaten peaceful protesters in October 2013-February 2014], was shot dead late at night outside his apartment. And the well-known journalist and writer Oles Buzyna was shot dead from a car in broad daylight in front of his apartment building in the center of Kyiv.

3 days will be all that is required to officially register the rights to immovable property. It will take five days to obtain a certificate of ownership of the property, as well to register ownership of the enterprise as a property complex. The reduction of these terms is stipulated in government decree №190.

In 4 years, Russia is expected to refuse further use of the Ukrainian gas transportation system as the main transit route to Europe, according to Russia’s Energy Ministry. The ministry stated that the existing transit contract with Ukraine is valid until 2019 and, most likely, it will not be renewed.

8% is the expected growth of the oil price in 2016 from the current price of around $50 per barrel, according to the experts from the World Economic Outlook.

REUTERS

13 diaspora organizations in the US have written a letter to President Barack Obama urging him to consider additional measures to support Ukraine, says a statement of the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America. In particular, representatives of the diaspora asked for additional financial aid, defense technologies and the introduction of multilateral sanctions against Russia.

30 Ukrainian citizens are de facto prisoners in Russia, no matter whether their cases are rigged or opened lawfully, according to the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU). Meanwhile, the SBU is now investigating criminal cases against 170 separatists.

$34 million in aid is needed to carry out humanitarian missions in Ukraine, according to the International Committee of the Red Cross, which is calling for donor countries to provide the funding. It is planned that these funds will be used for increasing assistance to the people who have lost their homes during the conflict; also for supporting medical institutions in in providing essential services; and helping to identify victims.

UNIAN

37 out of 80 is the ranking of the Ukrainian passport in the list of the world’s best passports, according to the study by a company Arton Capital. The study determines which passport provides most global mobility to its holder, based on how many countries can be visited without a visa. Ukrainian passport entitles its holder to free access to 96 countries around the world.

47% of Russians do not feel that the country's laws protect them, according to a survey by the Levada Center. Most respondents - 45% - named corruption and lack of objectivity in court proceedings as reasons to distrust law enforcement. 44% believe that there are many people in Russia who feel that they are above the law (like, government officials, law enforcement officers or wealthy people).

REUTERS

94 terrorists have been convicted in Ukraine since the beginning of the ATO, according to the SBU. Of these, more than 10 were sentenced to 8-13 years in prison. In general, 329 indictments have been handed to courts, while the SBU is now investigating 4,187 criminal cases. 170 people have been detained upon requests by the Security Service of Ukraine.

RUB 177 million (over $ 3.4 million) is planned to be spent by Russian occupying  authorities in Ukraine’s Crimea to create a public Crimean Tatar television to replace ATR – the only Crimean Tatar TV channel, which was closed down by the same authorities, according to the local media. At the same time, the occupation authorities have said former ATR journalists may be employed at the new TV channel, but this would only be possible for those who recognize Russia’s annexation of Crimea.

556 residential buildings are to undergo renovation in Kyiv this year, according to Kyiv City State Administration. A list of buildings in various parts of the city has already been approved. The repairs will take place where the service life of the elevators is overdue, roofing materials have deteriorated, and the technical condition of internal utilities networks cannot fully provide the necessary levels of water supply and sanitation services.

REUTERS

1,070 people, at least, have been affected by forest fires in Russia - in Khakassia and Trans-Baikal Territory, Russian mass media reported. According to preliminary data, in Khakassia alone more than 4,500 people have lost their homes.

2,000 Ukrainian officials have lost their jobs due to the Law on lustration, according to Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatseniuk. The leader of the government said that 500 officials were forced to resign, while others resigned of their own volition.

UAH 6,109 is the current wage of Ukrainian MPs starting from April, 1, 2015, said the speaker of the Verkhovna Rada Volodymyr Groysman in response to accusations that the Rada had secretly increased deputies’ salaries by several times.

6,116 people have been killed and another 15,474 have been wounded in the conflict in eastern Ukraine since April of last year, according to the UN. The organization stated that the actual number of victims could be much higher. In addition, the UN says that some 400 civilians have been killed since the beginning of this year as a result of shelling of residential areas, and due to the detonation of mines and ammunition.

REUTERS

20,500 servicemen and representatives of the Armed Forces of Ukraine have received the status of combatants, according to a report by Ukraine’s Defense Ministry.

UAH 495.72 million was allocated by the government for the Ministry of Regional Development, Construction and Housing to finance energy efficiency measures in 2015, according to the cabinet. These funds will be reallocated from funds received in recent years from the EU for the implementation of the program “Support for the energy strategy in the field of energy efficiency and renewable energy sources.”

UAH 800 million in social assistance to participants and veterans of World War II was allocated by the cabinet, says Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatseniuk. These funds will be used to ensure appropriate social security for veterans, as well to organize events related to the 70th anniversary of the victory over Nazism.

$1 billion was spent by Ukraine on supplying gas to the territories not controlled by the Ukrainian authorities, while no payment was received, Yatseniuk said during a meeting of the National Tripartite Social and Economic Council.

UAH 408.169 billion is the amount of losses of Ukraine’s large and medium enterprises in 2014, according to the State Statistics Service of Ukraine. According to the service, the data exclude the temporarily occupied territory of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and Sevastopol, and also the area of the anti-terrorist operation.

Margarita Andreyeva

UNIAN in Google News