Weekly newsletter
Photo of the week
Ukraine continues to resist the full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation. Photojournalists of Ukrinform record life during the war. What got into the lenses this week - see in the selection of photos.
Interviews
Volodymyr Ohryzko, former Foreign Minister of Ukraine: We need a plan for a victory, not for a peace
August is a vacation month in Europe and the US, excepting perhaps the US presidential campaign, which is running non-stop. It’s a suitable time to sum up the interim results of the spring-summer 2024 political season. What was of significance, what stood out most, how is it important for Ukraine, for our victory, what is in for us? Ukrinform spoke with Volodymyr Ohryzko, former Foreign Minister of Ukraine (2007-2009) to discuss these and more issues in the current context.
- We must go back to 2014, when the war began actually. The war has been raging for 10 years now, and the saddest thing for me is that our Western partners, for all these 10 years, have been thinking they would be able to walk between the raindrops. You may recall that, in 2014, Washington was telling us in explicit and tough terms that there was no need for escalation, and the situation would eventually be settled in some way or another. Now that the war has reached its most active, hottest phase, weapons aid is being provided to us in the same strictly dozed, portioned amounts as previously, the weapons that we need critically, without which we are not going to be able to hold on. Moreover, we are prohibited from using the weapons provided to hit the enemy exactly where it needs to be hit. That said, I, to be honest, am not too much optimistic about a prospect of our partners changing their policy with this respect, even though some progress is obvious, indeed. Let's recall what we received in the fall of 2021 compared with what we receive today. Back then we were receiving first-aid packages, helmets, blankets and similar supplies provided in aid by a major European partner. Today, we are lacking nothing except, perhaps, Taurus [missiles]. We used to receive Stingers from our number-one international partner from overseas. Now we are receiving US-built F-16 fighters, and this with the permission of the United States. In other words, obvious progress has been achieved, indeed, over these 900 days [of the war].
Farm businesses have taken out government subsidized loans worth collectively UAH 28 billion in 2024 so far
This year alone, the government budgeted UAH 1 billion in funding for partial compensation for the cost of domestically manufactured agricultural machinery and equipment. The government compensates agricultural producers for 25 percent of the cost of the Ukrainian made equipment they purchase. The range of agricultural produce and machinery products eligible for compensation under this program is continuously expanded, Taras Vysotsky, interim Ukrainian Minister for Agrarian Policy and Food, said in a blitz interview for Ukrinform.
So agricultural and processing support is a key element of the Made in Ukraine policy announced half a year ago. The policy provides for both new aid mechanisms for farm producers and further support for the instruments that have proven to be most valid in other government-funded programs, most particularly the "Affordable loans 5-7-9%".
News:
National Cashback programme covers all kinds of Ukrainian products – Svyrydenko
“The objective is to promote the production and consumption of Ukrainian goods by both large customers and citizens of Ukraine. Our task is to increase the attachment of Ukrainians to Ukrainian-produced goods, because this is a matter of economic self-sufficiency,” Svyrydenko explained.
Nine months needed not to save Moscow-linked church, but to comply with legal procedures - Poturaiev
Ratification of Rome Statute necessary for more effective punishment of Putin – Merezhko
Ratifying Rome Statute gives Ukraine better long-term protection - ex-ICC judge
Ukraine's partners should not send Putin even slightest false signals - German expert
Reports of Germany's alleged suspension of military assistance to Ukraine are manipulative - MFA
Austrian colonel on Kursk operation: Ukraine wants to get out of war of attrition imposed by Russia
Russia will use conventional tactics of brute force in Kursk region - Dutch expert
Publications
Decentralisation of the Energy System Is a Recipe for Salvation in Wartime and Beyond
Energy gigantomania in Ukraine is essentially over. We are rebuilding the domestic energy system on a new basis.
In general, according to Kudrytskyi’s conclusions, the level of decentralisation in Ukraine’s energy transmission system is quite high. We should do something similar with generation too.
“In addition to decentralisation and the construction of new energy facilities, we are decentralising, if I may say so, the system of generation owners. That is, we should not just build a large number of power plants, we should also ensure a wide representation of players in the energy market. Thus, we will get a highly competitive and transparent electricity market. Many companies will help balance the system during peak periods in the market where there is a powerful player covering the base load (Energoatom). Not just 3-5 companies, but several dozen, preferably several hundreds,” the official added. Read more
Kursk Incursion: what the goal is and what caused Russian defenses to fail
Ukrinform spoke to military experts about the factors behind Russian army’s failures in the Kursk region and what consequences, favorable or not, this has already had or is likely to have for the Russian Federation, Ukraine and all of the world?
Photo report
Female K9 teams to join humanitarian demining effort in Ukraine
UNDP together with the Ministry of Economy and other partners presented the project "Use of service dogs for demining in Ukraine", aiming to develop the techniques for surveying contaminated areas, speeding up the demining process.
This was reported by an Ukrinform correspondent. Photo: Oleksandr Klymenko, Ukrinform.
Review
Weekly Digest for August 12-18, 2024
Ukrainian military mounted a massive long-range drone attack on four different military airfields in Russia. The Ukrainian flag flies over the currently Russian held Kinburn Spit, planted by GUR soldiers at the end of a special operation. How the situation at the front changed during the week.
See you next Friday!