MainNews -

Scoop of the day: Moldovan president visits; health minister urges extended lockdown

Scoop of the day: Moldovan president visits; health minister urges extended lockdown

Moldova

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his Moldovan counterpart Maia Sandu have signed a number of bilateral documents during the latter's visit to Kyiv. In particular, they discussed building a modern highway to link Kyiv and Chisinau. Zelenskyy reaffirmed Ukraine's unwavering support for Moldova's territorial integrity.

Coronavirus

Speaking on the air of 24 Kanal, Health Minister Maksym Stepanov has said that the lockdown in Ukraine should be extended beyond 24 January because of massive social communication during New Year holidays and a potential surge in infections.

On the morning of 12 January, the Ukrainian Health Ministry reported 5,116 new Covid-19 cases, 15,951 recoveries and 184 fatalities.

Donbas

Advisers to the Normandy Four heads of state have held "difficult but constructive" negotiations on Donbas in Berlin for over six hours, "discussing all issues on the agenda – from security to humanitarian ones", the Ukrainian presidential office has said. The advisers took a break until 22 January.

Russia-backed militants have violated the ceasefire in Donbas eight times since midnight, the Joint Forces Operation HQ has said. The JFO troops returned fire on several occasions, the HQ added.

USA

Ambassador Volodymyr Yelchenko will represent Ukraine at Joe Biden's inauguration in Washington on 20 January.

Economy

Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal has asked the Antimonopoly Committee and the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) to investigate the reasons for protests against higher gas tariffs, a source has told LB.ua. Shmyhal did not rule out that the protests were caused not only by the higher tariffs but "for the purpose of political manipulations".

Human rights

Musician Andriy Antonenko (Riffmaster), a suspect in the murder case of journalist Pavlo Sheremet, has complained about health problems in a remand centre, Suspilne has said. He explained that he had lost some teeth.

A court in Russia's Rostov-on-Don has sentenced Crimean Tatars Enver Omerov, Riza Omerov and Ayder Dzhapparov to 18, 13 and 16 years in prison over their membership of the Hizb ut-Tahrir pan-Islamic movement. The movement is banned in Russia, but not in Ukraine.

Last night the Russian authorities stopped and held for eight hours around 120 Crimean Tatars at the Kerch bridge. They were planning to attend the trial in Rostov-on-Don.

The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry has protested the sentencing of the Crimean Tatars.

Read LB.ua news on social networks Facebook, Twitter and Telegram