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Post by DavidH on Mar 22, 2017 10:40:38 GMT
"Iskander" exercise destroyed the conventional airfield of the enemy near OrenburgDuring the exercises, the military calculations of the Central Military District destroyed the conventional enemy airfield. In total, more than 200 missile fighters took part in the exercise, they used more than 40 pieces of equipment. The pearl among them was the Iskander-M complex, which is capable of accurately hitting targets at a distance of up to 500 kilometers. Video at link- tvzvezda.ru/news/forces/content/201703220947-co27.htm
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Post by DavidH on Mar 22, 2017 10:49:26 GMT
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Post by DavidH on Mar 22, 2017 12:59:02 GMT
Ukraine asks United States for major non-NATO ally statusUkrainian MPs have adopted the draft resolution No. 6111 on the appeal of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine to the U.S. Congress regarding security guarantees. "Ukraine seeks to significantly deepen bilateral security partnership between Ukraine and the United States... In accordance with the spirit and letter of the Budapest Memorandum, as well as for sake of the development of strategic partnership between our states, we ask the United States to consider the issue of concluding the defensive agreement with Ukraine and granting Ukraine the major non-NATO ally status," the appeal says. www.ukrinform.net/rubric-politics/2197842-ukraine-asks-united-states-for-status-of-main-ally-outside-nato.html#.WNJyHDn12Y0.twitter
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Post by DavidH on Mar 22, 2017 13:00:52 GMT
SBU reacts to Lukashenko's allegations about "militant camps" in UkraineHead of the SBU chief's staff Oleksandr Tkachuk has said the SBU Security Service of Ukraine has requested that their Belarusian counterparts explain what Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko had meant by speaking about "militant camps" established in Ukraine, according to the political news online newspaper Ukrayinska Pravda. "As for the statements that there are certain camps established in Ukrainian territory, our agency has sent an official request and we expect additional information from our colleagues. For now, we have no detailed information except what was said by the president of Belarus," Tkachuk said at a briefing on Wednesday. www.unian.info/politics/1836389-sbu-reacts-to-lukashenkos-allegations-about-militant-camps-in-ukraine.html
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Post by DavidH on Mar 22, 2017 13:02:52 GMT
Maxim Eristaviā @maximeristavi 12 minutes ago Ukraine's populist blockade of Donbas to erase third of the country's growth this year. Ukrainian economy to feel the squeeze of economic blockadeUkraine's decision to impose an economic blockade on territory held by Russian-backed separatists will drag down economic growth to 1.9 percent this year from an earlier estimate of 2.8 percent, the central bank said on Tuesday. President Petro Poroshenko announced last week that Ukraine would halt cargo traffic with rebel-held areas, formalising an existing blockade launched in January by activists. The move prompted the International Monetary Fund to delay disbursing another aid tranche to Ukraine's war-torn economy - part of a $17.5 billion bailout programme - until the impact of the blockade has been assessed. www.reuters.com/article/ukraine-crisis-cenbank-idUSL5N1GY2XY
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Post by DavidH on Mar 22, 2017 15:34:18 GMT
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Post by DavidH on Mar 22, 2017 15:42:09 GMT
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Post by DavidH on Mar 22, 2017 16:18:36 GMT
Ukraine advances but still faces big challengesUkraine equity indices and debt prices were among the best performing in the world last year with, for example, the euro-denominated WIG-Ukraine Index up more than 40 per cent while the MSCI EM Index gained just under 9 per cent. This year, the positive momentum has continued with the WIG-Ukraine and the UX index of Kiev-listed stocks up almost 20 per cent each. On the economic front the story is generally positive, albeit facing into more headwinds this year. Last year, the pace of economic growth picked up steadily as the year progressed. The fourth quarter was the strongest, with GDP rising 4.7 per cent, helping the full-year result reach 2.2 per cent. That was a considerable improvement over the near 10 per cent contraction of 2015 and also better than predictions made earlier in the year. The big drivers of headline growth were agriculture, which saw a near 30 per cent increase in grain production and a big boost to food exports to the EU; retail spending, which recovered from a 20 per cent collapse in 2015; and the manufacturing sector, which is benefiting from more competitive economic conditions as a result of the 12 per cent fall in the value of the hryvnia last year. In January, the government doubled the minimum wage for almost 4m workers, and that helped boost overall real wages by 21 per cent year on year. The downside is that the pace of inflation has picked up, to almost 13 per cent annualised, and the next rate cut by the National Bank is probably delayed until midyear. In general, the economy looks in good shape and should support good earnings growth in stocks in the agriculture, manufacturing and consumer sectors again this year. The main area of concern is politics. Public frustration with the slow pace of reform and, in some areas, the lack of it has sent the approval rating of the president and the ruling coalition to the lowest point since the elections. There is little doubt that Ukraine is one of the best long-term stories for investors. Despite the challenges and setbacks it is making progress and has a considerable amount of value to unlock, especially when the association agreement with the EU comes into force. www.ft.com/content/7cb4e1ce-0eef-11e7-a88c-50ba212dce4d#comments
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Post by DavidH on Mar 23, 2017 9:58:56 GMT
Blasts at [Ukraine] Balakliia ammo depot continue, people stay in shelters, evacuation underway, - journalistEvacuation of civilians is underway in Balakliia, the Kharkiv region, where the local ammunition depot has been impacted by blasts since last night. Kharkiv journalist Yurii Borshch, whose relatives reside in Balakliia, told Censor.NET. "The blasts of the ammunition at the military unit A1352 started in Balakliia at around 2:30 a.m. The explosions were very powerful. People started panicking. Due to the Donbas events, city shelters and basements have been put in proper order, with sufficient markings of the locations in place. So the people were quite organized to move to the basements. "They remain in shelters, sometimes getting up to the surface. Stationary phone lines do not operate in the city. Some houses' windows were damaged by the shock wave, some balconies cracked. Some say the missiles are reaching neighboring Borshchivka village. "The evacuation of civilians is underway in the city. It started really fast, during the first hour after the blasts. People are being taken to Krasnyi Lyman, Lozova, Shevelivka, Volokhiv Yar. An evacuation point has been set in the city downtown. The explosions continue," the reporter said. He added that local radio station has announced a call to get into shelters and provided the addresses of the shelters. Source: en.censor.net.ua/n433108
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Post by DavidH on Mar 23, 2017 9:59:22 GMT
The fire in the warehouses of weapons still in progress at the beginning of the whole arsenal. Dispersion of projectiles is 2 km away, said the Minister of Defense.
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Post by DavidH on Mar 23, 2017 10:09:17 GMT
Ukraine says saboteurs blow up arms warehouse in eastThe Ukrainian military said unknown saboteurs blew up a warehouse storing tank ammunition at a military base in the east of the country early on Thursday, but nobody was hurt. The base, which contained about 138,000 tonnes of ammunition, is located in the city of Balakleya about 100 km (60 miles) from the frontline of Ukraine's war against Russian-backed separatists. Rescue teams were evacuating nearby villages in the eastern Kharkiv region, the military said. "According to preliminary data ... as a result of sabotage, last night at 2.46 AM (0046 GMT), fire and explosions caused the detonation of ammunition at several sites storing rockets and artillery weapons," Ukraine's chief military prosecutor Anatoly Matios wrote on Facebook. Military spokesman Oleksander Motuzyanyk said security around other bases was being beefed up. Saboteurs previously tried to destroy the same base using drones in 2015, another military spokesman, Yuzef Venskovich, told the 112 TV channel. www.reuters.com/article/us-ukraine-crisis-blast-idUSKBN16U0N8
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Post by DavidH on Mar 23, 2017 10:12:59 GMT
Ukraine State Border Service strengthened the security of the Eastern flank of the border with RussiaIn connection with the fire that arose this night at separate sites of the armament base located in the city of Balakleya, Kharkiv region, the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine strengthened the protection of the Eastern section of the border, said Oleg Slobodyan, the assistant to the chairman of the State Border Service of Ukraine. In particular, by the forces of the Regional Directorate's Departments and Reserves, the density of border patrols outside checkpoints has been increased, security measures at checkpoints have been strengthened. The State Border Guard Service of Ukraine asks citizens, if there are signs of provocation or other suspicious activity near the border, call (044) 527 6363. qha.com.ua/ru/proisshestviya/gospogranslujba-usilila-ohranu-vostochnogo-uchastka-granitsi-s-rf/172175/
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Post by DavidH on Mar 23, 2017 10:14:38 GMT
Ukraine MoD Poltorak: explosion in Balakleysky arsenal happened where tank munition was stored. Tank munition is cached under concrete storage. Poltorak expressed hopes the concrete construction will hold on. A third of the arsenal is burning, fire not localized yet.
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Post by DavidH on Mar 23, 2017 10:21:28 GMT
Screenshot from live feed: Earlier:
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Post by DavidH on Mar 23, 2017 10:42:11 GMT
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