National Bank of Ukraine is considering to grant non-banking financial entities the licence to issue electronic currencies, as reported on the regulator’s corporative Facebook page.

The initiative was explained as a way to conform EU financial regulations in order to be able to become a member of the European Union.

“Ukraine is working on aligning the legislation in the sphere of payment systems with European practices. At the moment NBU is considering granting to non-banking financial institutions the right to act as an emitter of electronic money,” the message states.

NBU is going to follow the EU directive 110 from 2009 to adopt the rules of licensing the emission. These will include the consent of the emitter to be registered and the minimum initial capital of $350,000. Other rules concern authorised capital, equity capital and mechanisms of security. The regulator will take into account the range of services offered by the financial organisation, be it only emission of electronic money or other payment services.

In December 2015 Ukrainian PrivatBank filed a request with the NBU to open a new bitcoin service for online retailers. Last summer NBU invited PayPal to open an office in the country. A letter of invitation was sent to PayPal by the Ukrainian Ministry of Economics after changes had been introduced to the regulation of the financial sector. Despite that, it is still impossible for Ukrainian citizens to get payment using the PayPal system.

http://www.coinfox.info/news/legislation/4653-ukrainian-regulator-to-allow-institutions-issue-of-virtual-currencies

CNN – video of economic protests all over Russia. Truckers, holders of dollar loans, public transit riders.
http://money.cnn.com/2016/02/02/news/economy/russia-privatization-economy-putin/index.html?sr=twmoney020316russia-privatization-economy-putin0531AMVODtopLink

The 1964 Tokyo Games saw him compete against his Soviet team-mate Yuri Vlasov, who was as studious as Zhabotinsky was lazy. During training with the Soviet national team six months before the Games, Zhabotinsky’s personal habits so infuriated Vlasov that he retreated to work on his technique alone at Moscow’s Central Army Sports Club. Come the day of the contest, on October 18, Vlasov seemed well ahead of all competitors in the clean and jerk lift – where the athlete hefts the barbell to rest on the shoulders before thrusting it overhead.

Zhabotinsky, meanwhile, made a great show of struggling with the weight. He dropped it on the second attempt, and hugged Vlasov as though to congratulate him. Then, with a casual wink to his coach, he broke his own record on the third and final lift, hefting a total of 479.5lb. The feat gave him an overall score of 1,262lb lifted, against Vlasov’s 1,256.5. “I was choked with tears,” Vlasov recalled. “I flung the silver medal through the window … That night I understood that there is a kind of strength that is nothing to do with justice.”

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/12127999/Leonid-Zhabotinsky-weightlifter-obituary.html

Putin Denounces Lenin and Praises Communism

Russia is usually taking both sides of conflicts.

He denounced Lenin and his government for brutally executing Russia’s last tsar along with all his family and servants, killing thousands of priests and placing a time bomb under the Russian state by drawing administrative borders along ethnic lines.

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jan/25/vladmir-putin-accuses-lenin-of-placing-a-time-bomb-under-russia

Russian President Vladimir Putin has said he is and has always been fond of communist “ideas”, while also comparing the Soviet code of conduct to the Bible, independent news agency Interfax reported. . . .

At a forum in Stavropol on Monday, Putin piled more criticism onto Lenin, but insisted his attitude to Communist ideas had never wavered and that to this day he keeps his party membership ticket at home.

You know that I, like millions of Soviet citizens, over 20 million, was a member of the Communist Party of the USSR and not only was I a member of the party but I worked for almost 20 years for an organization called the Committee for State Security,” Putin said, referring to the KGB.

“I was not, as you know, a party member by necessity,” he said. “I liked Communist and socialist ideas very much and I like them still.”

In his speech, Putin insisted he was never just a “functionary” when it came to party matters and said the Moral Code of the Builder of Communism—a set of rules to be followed by all party members—“resembles the Bible a lot.”

According to the Russian president, the code revolved around key concepts such as brotherhood, equality and happiness.

http://europe.newsweek.com/russias-putin-says-he-always-liked-communist-ideas-419289

“If you mean the Budapest Memorandum, we have not violated it – the Budapest Memorandum mentions the only one commitment– not to use nuclear weapons against Ukraine. No one has threatened Ukraine with the use of nuclear weapons,” Lavrov said at a news conference in Moscow, answering a question from the UNIAN correspondent who asked how Russia’s neighboring countries could ensure their security if the Russian Federation can give up its commitments at any time.

Text of the Budapest Memorandum:

Welcoming the accession of Ukraine to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons as a non-nuclear-weapon State,

Taking into account the commitment of Ukraine to eliminate all nuclear weapons from its territory within a specified period of time,

Noting the changes in the world-wide security situation, including the end of the cold war, which have brought about conditions for deep reductions in nuclear forces,

Confirm the following:

1. The Russian Federation, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United States of America reaffirm their commitment to Ukraine, in accordance with the principles of the Final Act of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe, to respect the independence and sovereignty and the existing borders of Ukraine;

2. The Russian Federation, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United States of America reaffirm their obligation to refrain from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or

political independence of Ukraine, and that none of their weapons will ever be used against Ukraine except in self-defence or otherwise in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations;

3. The Russian Federation, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United States of America reaffirm their commitment to Ukraine, in accordance with the principles of the Final Act of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe, to refrain from economic coercion designed to subordinate to their own interest the exercise by Ukraine of the rights inherent in its sovereignty and thus to secure advantages of any kind;

4. The Russian Federation, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United States of America reaffirm their commitment to seek immediate United Nations Security Council action to provide assistance to Ukraine, as a non-nuclear-weapon State party to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, if Ukraine should become a victim of an act of aggression or an object of a threat of aggression in which nuclear

weapons are used;

5. The Russian Federation, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United States of America reaffirm, in the case of Ukraine, their commitment not to use nuclear weapons against any non-nuclearweapon State party to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons,

except in the case of an attack on themselves, their territories or dependent territories, their armed forces, or their allies, by such a State in association or alliance with a nuclear-weapon State;

6. Ukraine, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United States of America will consult in the event a situation arises that raises a question concerning these commitments.

This Memorandum will become applicable upon signature.

I’m still trying to read this as healthy skepticism from a man who has not yet seen evidence.

Donald Trump defends Vladimir Putin over Alexander Litvinenko murder

Mr Trump waded into the case saying he had seen “no evidence” of Mr Putin’s involvement, adding: “They say a lot of things about me that are untrue too.”

The front-runner for the Republican presidential nomination has previously said he felt a “great honour” when Mr Putin praised him as an “absolute leader”.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/us-election/12123600/Donald-Trump-defends-Vladimir-Putin-over-Alexander-Litvinenko-murder.html

More than 20 Ukrainian soldiers have died and over 200 soldiers are hospitalized in a short period of time because of new and deadly virus, which is immune to all medicines. Donetsk People’s Republic intelligence has reported that Californian Flu is leaked from the same place where research of this virus has been carried out. The laboratory is located near the city of Kharkov and its base for US military experts. Information from threatening epidemic is announced by Vice-Commander of Donetsk Army, Eduard Basurin.

Leak of deadly virus in Ukrainian side was published first time on 12.1.2016:

“According to the medical personnel of the AFU units (Ukrainian troops) there were recorded mass diseases among the Ukrainian military personnel in the field. Physicians recorded the unknown virus as a result of which the infected get the high fever which cannot be subdues by any medicines, and in two days there comes the fatal outcome. Thus far from the virus there have died more than twenty servicemen, what is carefully shielded by the commandment of the AFU from the publicity”, said Basurin in daily MoD situation report.

https://dninews.com/article/deadly-virus-leaked-us-laboratory-donbass-dpr-army-and-intelligence

Read more on UNIAN: http://www.unian.info/economics/1241162-ukraine-threatens-sanctions-on-israelis-doing-business-in-occupied-crimea.html

Great overview:

Admittedly, many Ukrainians repeat the mantra that no reforms have taken place, but that is not true. Hundreds of sensible reform laws have been adopted and their breadth is impressive.

Energy reform has greatly reduced price discrepancies and limited the opportunities for corrupt arbitrage between state-controlled and free prices, while sharply reducing state subsidies. The budget has been brought close to balance, and major international financing together with debt restructuring was accomplished. Tax reform has been adopted. The banking system is being cleaned up as more than one-third of the banks have been closed. After a substantial devaluation, the exchange rate has stabilized and international currency reserves have increased considerably. Electronic procurement has been widely introduced. Some deregulation has occurred.

Yet Ukrainians are right to complain. Output has slumped, while prices have skyrocketed as the exchange rate has plummeted. The country is much poorer. The dominant concerns are that corruption has not diminished and public services have not improved. Nevertheless, the previous achievements listed above indicate what remains to be done and what the country’s priorities should be in 2016.

1. The main priority is reform of the prosecution and courts. Ukraine adopted a law on prosecution, but Prosecutor General Viktor Shokin managed to take control of the reform process, minimizing the change. Shokin has to go and the reform of the prosecution needs to start anew under new leadership. Similarly, the country’s 10,000 judges need to be lustrated and new judges appointed in a reformed court system.

2. Much was accomplished in energy reform in 2015, and in 2016 it should be completed. Gas and electricity prices should be unified at a market level and set under the control of an independent regulator from April 1 and a gas and electricity market should finally be allowed to develop. Taxation of independent oil and gas producers must be made reasonable, and their regulation should be simplified. Social subsidies are given to the poorest third of the population, but no further subsidies should be given to energy companies.

3. Ukraine’s 1,833 state-owned companies are a den of corruption. The vast majority, 1,600, are of little value just extracting subsidies from the state. They should be sold off at a regional level and the payments given to the regional governments to motivate them to a faster selloff. The top 100 state enterprises, mainly in energy and transportation, have real value and their privatization should be open to foreign bidders whenever possible. These sales must be transparent and competitive aiming both at high prices and sound restructuring. About 120 armament companies belong to Ukroboronprom and need to be considered a separate national security matter. For such reasons, Russian entities need to be blocked from participation in privatization and foreign entities should have transparent ultimate beneficiaries.

4. Ukraine requires profound civil service reform, which has been legislated and will come into force in the spring. It is vital that it is properly implemented. Salaries of civil servants must be raised so that they can live on their salaries. A clear division needs to be made between political and civil service appointments. Entry into the civil service should take place through competitive exams. Promotions should be based on merit, not seniority. Standard rules against conflicts of interest should be introduced. The European Union has offered substantial financial and technical support and this is something that EU countries do well.

The vast administration of the cabinet of ministers of 700 people that traditionally has duplicated and hampered the work of the ministries should be dismantled and replaced with a limited apparatus for coordination. The system of requiring twenty to thirty signatures on each major decision must end, and ministries should obtain real responsibility.

5. The budget deficit has been brought under control and the most corrupt expenditures have been eliminated, but Ukraine needs to reform the budget process to make it fully transparent. This requires technical assistance from a Western country with a well-functioning budget system to render public expenditures efficient.

6. Ukraine carried out some deregulation in 2015, but far too little. Many inspection agencies persist and should be closed. Ukraine could rise sharply on the World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business Index, if it carried out possible deregulation.

7. Former Minister of Education Dmytro Tabachnik caused chaos in the school system 2010-13. Ukraine needs to establish elementary order in the school organization and curriculum. Poland offers a good example that could be copied. This would not cost much, but it is a matter of getting the proper administration into place.

http://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/new-atlanticist/seven-key-reforms-for-ukraine-in-2016

Awesome!

The Javeline is a “Fire and Forget” self-guided, shoulder fired anti-tank missile that replaced the wire guided Dragon missile.

http://news.err.ee/v/defense/2906d536-4b24-46e3-8413-c079e8784c6b/gallery-estonian-defence-forces-hold-first-live-fire-exercise-using-javelin-anti-tank-missiles

Ukrainska Pravda, posted in Reforms in Ukraine, which collects and posts all reforms in Ukraine since the Maidan revolution

http://maidantranslations.com/2016/01/23/reforms-in-ukraine-local-councils-will-publish-roll-call-votes-online/

Ukrainian Library director to remain under house arrest on ‘extremism’ charges

http://khpg.org/en/index.php?id=1453922520

A Moscow court on Jan 27 extended for a further 3 months the house arrest imposed on Natalya Sharina, Director of the Ukrainian Literature Library in Moscow. The application for the 58-year-old librarian to be at least allowed short walks so that she could walk to a clinic was turned down.

I knew it. (http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/03/06/home-fires-narrative-and-memory-at-war/)

Ian Palmer, a former senior military psychiatrist who ran the government’s medical assessment programme (MAP), a veteran’s mental health service, found that in 42% of cases there was no definite link to military service and at least 10% appeared to be making up or significantly exaggerating their service history.

http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/jan/23/many-military-veterans-ptsd-claims-fabricated-or-exaggerated

InformNapalm international volunteers society continues to trace the fate of the Ukrainian drilling rig systems, seized by the Russian military in the Black Sea. Just to remind, in September of 2015 InformNapalm already informed about raider actions of Russia regarding illegal armed seizure of two oil platforms, known also as “Boyko’s drilling rigs”. We have figured out, that servicemen of the 104th airborne regiment of the 76th division of the Russian Federation’s airborne forces were responsible for this operation. After five month since the last publication we were able to clarify some circumstances of platforms’ migration, and specify the Russian military units currently guarding these objects.

https://informnapalm.org/en/jan08-boyko-oil/