April 2019 - Ukraine Special Weapons News

It's Official: Zelenskiy Declared Winner Of Presidential Election In Ukraine RFE/RL 30 Apr 2019 -- Ukraine's Central Election Commission has formally declared Volodymyr Zelenskiy the winner of the country's presidential election, releasing final results from the April 21 runoff vote.
Ukraine to grant citizenship to Russians 'suffering' under Putin's rule Press TV 28 Apr 2019 -- Ukraine's president-elect offers to provide citizenship to Russian nationals "suffering" from what he calls the "authoritarian" regime ruling the country in response to Moscow's decision to offer Ukrainians in eastern conflict zones quick citizenship.
'Don't Waste Your Time,' Zelenskiy Tells Putin After Citizenship Offer To Ukrainians RFE/RL 28 Apr 2019 -- Ukraine's President-elect Volodymyr Zelenskiy has told Moscow "not to waste time trying to lure Ukrainian citizens with Russian passports," after Russian President Vladimir Putin said Moscow could ease the process of granting Russian citizenship to Ukrainians.
Putin Says He May Expand Russian Citizenship Decree To Include All Ukrainians RFE/RL 27 Apr 2019 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin says his administration is considering a plan to ease the process of granting Russian citizenship to all Ukrainians, not only those in war-torn parts of eastern Ukraine.
Putin says sees no problem in granting passport to east Ukraine citizens Press TV 26 Apr 2019 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin says he sees no problem in easing rules to grant citizenship to residents of Ukraine's volatile eastern region, amid criticism form the West.
Lawyer For Ukrainian Oligarch Claims He Planted Seed Of Zelenskiy Presidency RFE/RL 26 Apr 2019 -- Ukrainian President-elect Volodymyr Zelenskiy has worked hard to publicly distance himself from one of the country's wealthiest and most controversial oligarchs, Ihor Kolomoyskiy, and show a public eager for change that he is the antiestablishment insurgent chosen by 73 percent of voters in last weekend's election.
OSCE, Western Powers At UN Assail Moscow's Plan To Ease Russian Citizenship For Ukrainians RFE/RL 26 Apr 2019 -- The OSCE and Western powers at the United Nations have criticized Russian President Vladimir Putin's decision to ease the process of granting Russian citizenship to Ukrainians in territory of eastern Ukraine held by Russia-backed separatists.
US, Russia Wait to See Which Direction Ukrainian President Will Go VOA 26 Apr 2019 -- Following Ukrainian President-elect Volodymyr Zelenskiy's landslide victory this week, top U.S. and European Union officials were quick to offer kudos and vows of continued diplomatic support.
Security Council: UN calls for 'spirit and letter' of Ukraine agreements to be upheld, as Russia issues simplified citizenship decree UN News 25 Apr 2019 -- The UN's political affairs chief has urged all parties to the peace plan protocol for eastern Ukraine known as the Minsk Agreements, to avoid "any unilateral steps" that could undermine efforts to demilitarize the eastern conflict zone.
Kiev, Washington rap Moscow for offering citizenship to eastern Ukrainians Press TV 25 Apr 2019 -- Moscow has made it easier for residents of eastern Ukraine to obtain Russian citizenship, arousing the ire of the US and the president-elect of Ukraine, who called for international sanctions against Russia.
Putin Rejects Criticism Of His Plan To Grant Russian Citizenship To Ukrainians RFE/RL 25 Apr 2019 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin has rejected international criticism about his decision to ease the process of granting Russian citizenship to Ukrainians in territory of eastern Ukraine that is held by Russia-backed separatists.
Parliament In Kyiv OKs Bill To 'Secure' Ukrainian As Official State Language RFE/RL 25 Apr 2019 -- Ukraine's parliament has approved legislation that its authors say will "secure" the use of Ukrainian as the official "state language."
Ukraine Condemns Russian Move To Ease Citizenship For Those In Separatist-Held Areas RFE/RL 24 Apr 2019 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a decree simplifying the procedure for people living in parts of eastern Ukraine held by Russia-backed separatists to obtain Russian citizenship, drawing a swift and angry response from Kyiv and criticism from the West.
Ukraine's President-Elect Calls For Talks With IMF To Lower Natural Gas Price RFE/RL 24 Apr 2019 -- Ukrainian President-elect Volodymyr Zelenskiy has called on the government and the state energy company Naftogaz Ukrainy to hold talks with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in order to lower the household price for natural gas as of May 1.
Ukrainian PM To Contest Upcoming Elections With 'New Political Forces' RFE/RL 23 Apr 2019 -- Ukrainian Prime Minister Volodymyr Hroysman said he will take part in the October parliamentary elections with a party other than that of incumbent President Petro Poroshenko, who was defeated by comic and political newcomer Volodymyr Zelenskiy in a run-off election on April 21.
Back In Parliament After Abrupt Release From Jail, Savchenko Praises Zelenskiy RFE/RL 23 Apr 2019 -- Ukrainian lawmaker Nadia Savchenko has returned to parliament a week after she was unexpectedly released from jail, where she had been held for more than a year over allegations that she plotted a terrorist attack on parliament.
As Ukraine Elects A Comedian, Russians Declare Its Election A Joke RFE/RL 22 Apr 2019 -- Ever since he clinched Ukraine's presidency at the outset of its war with Russia-backed militants, Petro Poroshenko has been relentlessly attacked and trolled by Russia's state-dominated media machine.
A Partial To-Do List For Ukraine's President-Elect RFE/RL 22 Apr 2019 -- Ukraine's presidential election -- and all the drama, mudslinging, and accusations between Petro Poroshenko and Volodymyr Zelenskiy that went with it -- is over.
Ukrainian Presidential Elections US Dept. of State 22 Apr 2019 -- "The United States congratulates President-elect Volodymyr Zelenskyy on his victory in the Ukrainian presidential elections."
Ukraine: A Fresh Start? VOA 22 Apr 2019 -- Sunday's landslide runoff election win in Ukraine by TV comic Volodymyr Zelenskiy over incumbent President Petro Poroshenko is being hailed by the entertainer's supporters as a fresh start for Europe's poorest country.
Zelensky wins Ukraine's presidential election People's Daily 22 Apr 2019 -- The national exit poll showed on Sunday that Ukrainian actor Volodymyr Zelensky won the country's presidential election by gaining 73.2 percent of the votes in the second round as of 6 p.m. local time (1500 GMT), the Ukrainian government-run Ukrinform news agency said.
Volodymyr Zelenskiy Wins Landslide Victory in Ukraine Presidential Election VOA 21 Apr 2019 -- Volodymyr Zelenskiy, a 41-year-old television actor, won a landslide victory in the Ukrainian presidential election Sunday, with exit polls showing he received about 73% of the vote in the final round -- nearly three times as many as his rival, the incumbent Petro Poroshenko.
'An Electoral Maidan': Hope And Change, Ukrainian-Style, Vaults Zelenskiy Into Presidency RFE/RL 21 Apr 2019 -- In the end, it was a demand for radical change and broad disappointment with the incumbent that vaulted a comedian who played Ukraine's president on television into the real thing.
Reality Show: Zelenskiy's Big Day In Six Surreal Moments RFE/RL 21 Apr 2019 -- Fact has followed fiction. Volodymyr Zelenskiy, a comic actor who plays a common man accidentally catapulted into an exasperated Ukraine's presidency on TV, has won big in the country's real presidential election.
Comedian Zelenskiy Appears To Get Last Laugh With Landslide Victory In Ukraine's Presidential Poll RFE/RL 21 Apr 2019 -- Television comic and political newcomer Volodymyr Zelenskiy appears headed for a landslide victory over incumbent President Petro Poroshenko in a strong rebuke of establishment politics amid a struggling economy and war in the country's east.
Exit Polls: Comedian Zelenskiy Winning Ukrainian Presidential Elections With 73% Sputnik 21 Apr 2019 -- Ukraine held the second round of its presidential elections on 21 April, after none of the candidates were able to secure the necessary number of votes to win in the first. Volodymyr Zelenskiy, who gained most of the votes in the first round, was expected to win the race, according to numerous polls.
Russia ties in question as Ukraine votes in election runoff Press TV 21 Apr 2019 -- People in Ukraine have taken to the polls to cast their ballots in a presidential election run-off that pits incumbent Petro Poroshenko against a political novice, Volodymyr Zelensky.
Ukraine opposition figure urges presidential candidate to reconcile with Russia Press TV 20 Apr 2019 -- A pro-Russian opposition figure in Ukraine calls on presidential frontrunner Volodymyr Zelenskiy, who is expected to easily win an election runoff, to reconcile with Moscow and get back eastern Ukraine.
Poroshenko Faces Tough Test As Ukraine Votes In Second-Round Presidential Poll RFE/RL 20 Apr 2019 -- Voters in Ukraine are going to the polls on April 21 in a second-round presidential election that could seal the political fate of incumbent President Petro Poroshenko.
'It Wasn't A Debate': Six Takeaways From The Poroshenko-Zelenskiy Stadium Showdown RFE/RL 19 Apr 2019 -- With rock music blaring and their posses by their sides, the two men strutted onto the stage, pumped their fists in the air, and sized each other up in front of some 22,000 rowdy onlookers inside Kyiv's Olimpiyskiy Stadium.
Ukraine's Presidential Contenders Clash In Raucous Stadium Debate RFE/RL 19 Apr 2019 -- Ukraine's two leading presidential contenders clashed in an epic stadium debate before tens of thousands of cheering supporters, hammering one another on everything from the economy and rampant corruption to the festering war against Russia-backed separatists in the country's east.
Ukrainian Presidential Candidates Hold Debate Prior to Runoff Sputnik 19 Apr 2019 -- Ukrainian presidential candidate Volodymyr Zelenskiy said Friday he was a judgment against current head of state Petro Poroshenko.
Ukraine Readying for Sunday's Presidential Election VOA 19 Apr 2019 -- Last minute preparations are underway for voters in the Eastern European country of Ukraine to select their next president on Sunday.
Ukrainian Presidential Front-Runner Pledges To Hold Referendum On NATO RFE/RL 18 Apr 2019 -- Ukrainian presidential front-runner Volodymyr Zelenskiy has pledged to hold a referendum on whether or not Kyiv should join NATO if he is elected president.
Ukrainian President Criticizes Court Decision On Nationalization Of PrivatBank RFE/RL 18 Apr 2019 -- Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has warned that a court decision declaring the nationalization of a major bank was illegal could pose great risks to Ukraine if the bank is returned to its previous owner, oligarch Ihor Kolomoyskiy.
Fresh Poll Shows Zelenskiy Maintains Large Lead Over Poroshenko In Ukraine Vote RFE/RL 18 Apr 2019 -- A fresh opinion poll shows Volodymyr Zelenskiy, a comedic actor with no political experience, far ahead of incumbent Petro Poroshenko just days before Ukraine's presidential runoff.
Russian Court Keeps Ukrainian Seamen In Jail Through Late July RFE/RL 17 Apr 2019 -- A Moscow court has extended the pretrial detainment period for several of the 24 Ukrainian seamen who were jailed after the Russian Coast Guard seized their vessels near the Kerch Strait in a flare-up of tensions in November.
Ukrainian Authorities Say Russian 'Terror' Group Thwarted, Seven Arrested RFE/RL 17 Apr 2019 -- Ukrainian authorities say they have arrested seven people they claim were sent by Russian security services to carry out political killings and other "terrorist" acts, including the slaying of Ukrainian intelligence agents.
Ukrainian Presidential Debate Appears On For April 19 RFE/RL 17 Apr 2019 -- Preparations continue for the scheduled debate between Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko and his challenger, the comic actor Volodymyr Zelenskiy.
Ukrainian Presidential Front-Runner Zelenskiy Hires Washington Lobbying Firm To 'Elevate Profile' RFE/RL 17 Apr 2019 -- Ukrainian comedian and presidential front-runner Volodymyr Zelenskiy has hired a Washington lobbying firm to burnish his international image and set up meetings between members of his camp and officials in the U.S. capital.
Poroshenko Reinvented: Apologies, New Promises, And Slick Moves May Be 'Too Little, Too Late' RFE/RL 17 Apr 2019 -- There is one presidential candidate Ukrainians have become accustomed to watching sing and dance on stage.
Poroshenko Team Says Agreement Reached For Presidential Election Debate RFE/RL 16 Apr 2019 -- Advisers to Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko and election challenger Volodymyr Zelenskiy have agreed that the candidates will meet in a debate on April 19 at Kyiv's Olimpiyskiy Stadium, a spokesman for the incumbent leader says.
Ukrainian President Arrives For Debate In Kyiv, Challenger Doesn't RFE/RL 14 Apr 2019 -- Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko went to Kyiv's Olimpiyskiy Stadium for a presidential election debate, but his challenger didn't show up after a disagreement about the timing.
Ukraine to Hold Referendum to Join EU After Applying for Membership - President Sputnik 14 Apr 2019 -- Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said on Sunday that he is not opposed to a referendum on the country's accession to the European Union provided it takes place after applying for membership in the bloc.
Interview: U.S. Ambassador Reaffirms Support For Ukraine's Integrity, Calls On Russia To Talk RFE/RL 13 Apr 2019 -- The U.S. ambassador to Russia said Washington was committed to defending Ukraine's territorial integrity, saying the issue of Moscow's annexation of Crimea and the conflict in eastern Ukraine was "a core part of our estrangement with Russia."
Poroshenko Says He Will Head For Stadium Debate Tomorrow RFE/RL 13 Apr 2019 -- His challenger Volodymyr Zelenskiy may not be there, but Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has announced he will be at the Olimpiyskiy Stadium in Kyiv on April 14 for a presidential election debate.
People in Crimea see Russia's S-400 defensive units for 1st time Press TV 12 Apr 2019 -- People in the Russian peninsular region of Crimea have got a chance for the first time to see and touch the S-400 missile defense systems, two days after Russia held defensive military drills in the region.
Kyiv Says One Ukrainian Soldier Killed, Eight Wounded In Conflict In East RFE/RL 12 Apr 2019 -- Ukraine says one of its soldiers has been killed and eight others wounded in clashes with Russia-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine.
Hung Up: In TV Spectacle, Ukraine Presidential Rivals Keep It Simple RFE/RL 12 Apr 2019 -- After dramatic video challenges and livestreamed drug tests, Petro Poroshenko and Volodymyr Zelenskiy took their electoral sideshow to prime-time TV on April 11 with a linkup that ended with the challenger hanging up abruptly on the incumbent president.
Ukrainian Presidential Rivals Meet With French, German Leaders RFE/RL 12 Apr 2019 -- Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko traveled on April 12 to Berlin and Paris to seek international support ahead of the April 21 runoff.
New Ukraine Poll Gives Zelenskiy Huge Lead Over Poroshenko Ahead Of Runoff RFE/RL 11 Apr 2019 -- The first independent poll taken since the first round of Ukraine's presidential election suggests that political newcomer Volodymyr Zelenskiy enjoys a commanding lead ahead of next week's runoff against incumbent Petro Poroshenko.
Ukraine's President Creates Anti-Corruption Court RFE/RL 11 Apr 2019 -- Ukrainian President Pedro Poroshenko, who has been repeatedly accused of turning a blind eye to corruption, has ordered the creation of a special anti-corruption court.
As Runoff Race Intensifies, Contrasting Ukrainian Campaigns Highlight Division And Unity RFE/RL 10 Apr 2019 -- KYIV -- The billboards are giant and purple. They have gone up on buildings and roadsides across Ukraine. And they convey a message from Petro Poroshenko, the incumbent president who is fighting an uphill battle for a second five-year term.
Ukraine's Poroshenko Agrees To Stadium Debate, But Insists On April 14 RFE/RL 10 Apr 2019 -- Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko says he has accepted challenger Volodymyr Zelenskiy's suggestion to hold a debate at Kyiv's Olimpiyskiy Stadium ahead of this month's presidential runoff, but the two still appear divided on the date for the event.
Election Heats Up as War Grinds On in Eastern Ukraine VOA 09 Apr 2019 -- The war with Russia may be a key issue in the Ukrainian presidential election, but on the ground, many civilians caught up in the conflict say their problems are not being addressed.
So Far, Zelenskiy Is High On Charisma And Light On Policy. Do Ukrainians Care? RFE/RL 08 Apr 2019 -- By just about any measure, Volodymyr Zelenskiy has been heavy on charisma and light on specifics.
Ukrainian Presidential Rivals Propose Different Dates For Public Debate RFE/RL 08 Apr 2019 -- Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko and rival Volodymyr Zelenskiy have proposed different dates for a public debate ahead of their presidential runoff on April 21.
The Week In Russia: The Long Ballot Next Door RFE/RL 05 Apr 2019 -- Moscow watches as Ukraine holds a presidential ballot that seems less like a Russian election every day, and the Kremlin gives an almost extravagantly modest reception to Kazakhstan's new interim president. Meanwhile, a survey shows that one in five Russians would vote with their feet and leave the country if they could, including 44 percent of those under 30.
Ukraine's Presidential Race Takes A Turn For The Nurse RFE/RL 05 Apr 2019 -- It was the latest surreal twist in a presidential race chock-full of them.
European Parliament Says OSCE Cut Critical Remark About Russia From Ukraine Vote Statement RFE/RL 05 Apr 2019 -- The European Parliament has accused the Organization for Cooperation and Security in Europe (OSCE) of whitewashing a press release about the Ukrainian presidential election by watering down critical wording about Russia, according to a sternly worded letter seen by RFE/RL.
In Dueling Videos, Zelenskiy And Poroshenko Debate A Debate. Can They Fill A 70,000-Seat Stadium? RFE/RL 04 Apr 2019 -- If politics is a show, then Ukraine's is a surreal dramedy.
Final Ukraine Results Give Zelenskiy 30 Percent Of Presidential Vote RFE/RL 04 Apr 2019 -- Ukraine's election commission has released the final results of the March 31 presidential vote, giving political newcomer Volodymyr Zelenskiy just over 30 percent of the vote.
From Potholes to Procurement: Ukraine's Chronic Corruption Angers Voters VOA 04 Apr 2019 -- To experience corruption in Ukraine, just go for a drive. The bone-crunching, bouncing ride over the countless potholes is a daily ritual for travelers across the country.
Ukrainian Diaspora Voters Show Starkly Different Political Preferences for Kyiv VOA 03 Apr 2019 -- LONDON - Ukrainians who live abroad strongly prefer sitting President Petro Poroshenko to other candidates in last weekend's first-round presidential election, contradicting the choice of voters who reside within the eastern European nation.
Poll: Majority Of Russians Support Crimea Annexation, But Worry About Economic Effects RFE/RL 03 Apr 2019 -- A new poll shows that a majority of Russians still support the Kremlin's annexation of Ukraine's Crimea Peninsula, but far fewer back any similar move toward the parts of the war-torn eastern Ukrainian regions of Donetsk and Luhansk held by Russia-backed separatists.
Tymoshenko Claims Election 'Falsified' But Won't Challenge Result RFE/RL 02 Apr 2019 -- Former Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, who failed to qualify for a presidential runoff election after official results put her in third place in the first round, has said that she believes the vote was "rigged" but will not contest the results in court.
Command Performance? On Ukraine's Front Lines, Troops Aren't Necessarily Sold On Poroshenko RFE/RL 02 Apr 2019 -- The rockets came in fast and hot and without notice, unleashing a hellish fury over the eastern Ukrainian city of Kramatorsk as residents went about their afternoon business. When the attack ended minutes later, at least a dozen people were dead and dozens more were wounded.
HRW Blasts Russia Over 'Escalating Pressure' On Crimean Tatars RFE/RL 02 Apr 2019 -- Human Rights Watch (HRW) has condemned the recent arrests of 23 Crimean Tatars by Russian authorities, calling it an "unprecedented move to intensify pressure on a group largely critical" of Moscow's seizure of Ukraine's Crimea region.
Russian State Media Mocks Ukraine's Election As 'Dirty And Dishonest' RFE/RL 01 Apr 2019 -- As Ukrainians voted for a new president, Russians keeping track of the election on state TV were bombarded with coverage of Ukraine's failures as an independent state and reports of alleged electoral fraud.
Zelenskyy Set For Showdown With Poroshenko In Ukraine Runoff RFE/RL 01 Apr 2019 -- Voters in Ukraine appear headed for a presidential election runoff pitting comedian and political newcomer Volodymyr Zelenskyy against incumbent Petro Poroshenko in a country struggling with a war against Russia-backed separatists, Moscow's seizure of a key chunk of its territory, a sluggish economy, and rampant corruption.
Ukraine Set for Final Campaigns in Zelenskiy-Poroshenko Runoff VOA 01 Apr 2019 -- Ukraine is preparing for three weeks of impassioned political campaigning as a television comedian goes head-to-head with the incumbent for the presidency in a runoff scheduled for April 21.
Ukraine's Joker in the Pack Wins First Round VOA 01 Apr 2019 -- You could be forgiven for mistaking the first round in Ukraine's presidential elections as an episode from a TV series – replete with established politicians being vanquished by a refreshing young upstart promising root-and-branch change.
Comedian tops 1st round of Ukraine's pres. race, set to face Poroshenko in run-off: Early results Press TV 01 Apr 2019 -- Volodymyr Zelenskiy, a comedian with no political experience, has taken a strong lead in the first round of Ukraine's presidential race after securing almost twice the vote share of his main contender, incumbent Petro Poroshenko, early results show.

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April 2019 - Ukraine Special Weapons News