Europe

Ukraine to open more hospitals to tackle rising COVID-19 cases

Ren Leen June 24, 2020

KYIV (UKRAINE) – Ukraine is opening more of its hospitals to accommodate coronavirus cases as the institutions initially chosen to accept patients no longer have enough beds to cope with a surge in infections, the health minister said on Wednesday. Coronavirus cases hit a new high of 940

Middle East

Ukraine’s anti-graft bureau probes medical suits state tender

Jim Stein May 25, 2020

KIEV (World) – Ukrainian anti-corruption officials are investigating a tender for 71,000 hospital protective suits during the coronavirus pandemic after the government for the first time bypassed its own procurement rules in the health sector. Ukraine, long dogged by rampant corruption, has won rare praise from international donors for its efforts to overhaul

World

10,000 coronavirus case numbers crossed in Ukraine

Ren Leen April 30, 2020

KIEV (World) – So far, 10,406 confirmed coronavirus cases and 261 deaths have been reported in Ukraine, according to Health Minister Maksym Stepanov. The Ukrainian government has put down measures for the lockdown until May 11 and the pandemic is expected to peak in Ukraine early next month. (Photos syndicated via Reuters)This story has been […]

World

Forest fire near Chernobyl nuclear plant now put out

Ren Leen April 14, 2020

KIEV (World) – A huge blaze that tore through forests around the defunct Chernobyl nuclear plant has been put out, Ukrainian officials said on Tuesday, saying hundreds of emergency workers had used planes and helicopters to douse the flames. Environmental activists had warned on Monday that the fire, near the site of the world’s worst […]

Europe

Dutch MH17 trial to commence without Russian, Ukrainian suspects

Ren Leen March 6, 2020

AMSTERDAM – Four fugitive suspects go on trial in the Netherlands on Monday charged with the murder of 298 passengers and crew aboard Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 which was shot down with a Russian-made missile over eastern Ukraine in July 2014. Wreckage of the Boeing 777 fell to the ground in fields surrounding the Ukrainian […]

World

Ukraine president jettisons PM in search for ‘new brains’ to revive economy

Ren Leen March 5, 2020

KIEV- Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelenskiy ousted Oleksiy Honcharuk as prime minister after just six months in a reshuffle on Wednesday, saying that “new brains and new hearts” were required to revive the economy and tackle corruption. At a special parliament session, lawmakers voted to accept the resignation of Honcharuk, 35, who left as

World

Ukraine’s prime minister Honcharuk submits resignation again

Ren Leen March 1, 2020

KIEV – Ukrainian Prime Minister Oleksiy Honcharuk submitted his resignation for a second time after reports that President Volodymyr Zelenskiy might be gearing up to sack him, Ukrainian news outlet NV reported on Friday night. Honcharuk declined comment. Zelenskiy has convened a special parliament meeting on Wednesday, which Ukrainian media reported could include

USA

Who needs an Oscar? I’m popular in U.S. now, jokes Ukrainian leader

Ren Leen February 16, 2020

MUNICH – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, a former comic actor, joked on Saturday that after dreaming of Oscars and popularity in the United States, he had achieved at least the fame part through President Donald Trump’s impeachment. Asked at the Munich Security Conference about Ukraine being dragged into U.S. politics, Zelenskiy reverted to his

USA

Let’s move on from impeachment, visiting U.S. Senators tell Ukraine’s leader

Ren Leen February 15, 2020

KIEV- A group of three U.S. Senators visited Kiev on Friday to convey a message of continued bipartisan support for Ukraine after it got entangled last year in President Donald Trump’s impeachment trial. The United States has been the most powerful backer of Ukraine in its standoff with Russia over Moscow’s 2014 annexation of Crimea […]

Middle East

Canada’s Trudeau demands independent probe from Iran into downed airliner

Ren Leen February 15, 2020

MUNICH – Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he had “impressed upon” Iran’s foreign minister on Friday that a complete and independent investigation into the shooting down of a Ukrainian passenger plane in January had to be carried out. “The promise I made to Canadians was to find answers for them and ensure that Iran […]