What to do while in Ukraine

Ukraine coach Mykhaylo Fomenko named the following 25-man squad on Tuesday for the two-legged World Cup qualifying playoff against France. Ukraine host France on November 15 in Kiev with the return game to be played in Paris four days later. Goalkeepers: Andriy Pyatov (Shakhtar Donetsk), Rustam Hudzhamov (Illichivets), Maxym Koval (Dynamo Kiev) Defenders: Oleksander Kucher (Shakhtar Donetsk), Yaroslav Rakitsky (Shakhtar Donetsk), Vyacheslav Shevchuk (Shakhtar Donetsk), Evhen Khacheridi (Dynamo Kiev), Artem Fedetsky (Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk), Vitaliy Mandzyuk (Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Midfielders: Oleh Gusyev (Dynamo Kiev), Andriy Yarmolenko (Dynamo Kiev), Roman Bezus (Dynamo Kiev), Serhiy Sydorchuk (Dynamo Kiev), Evhen Konoplyanka (Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk), Ruslan Rotan (Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk), Anatoly Tymoshchuk (Bayern Munich), Mykola Morozyuk (Metalurh Donetsk), Taras Stepanenko (Shakhtar Donetsk), Edmar (Metalist Kharkiv), Denys Dedechko (Vorskla Poltava), Dmytro Homchenovsky (Zo

Ukraine’s economy slipped into its third recession since 2008 in the third quarter as industrial production plummeted. Gross domestic product fell 0.4 percent from the previous three months after shrinking 0.5 percent in the second quarter, the state statistics committee, based in the capital, Kiev, said today on its website , citing preliminary data. GDP fell 1.5 percent from a year earlier, worse than the median estimate of 12 economists in a Bloomberg survey for 0.2 percent growth. “The economy is in a protracted stagnation as it moves from one recession to another,” Alexander Valchyshen, head of research at Investment Capital Ukraine in Kiev, said by phone. “The government’s policy to boost economic growth has failed.” Ukraine is struggling amid falling global demand for products such as steel, a widening current-account gap, shrinking foreign reserves and trade restrictions from Russia, its biggest export market. It’s failed to seal a loan from the International Monetary Fu

Map shows more than 2000 nuclear bombs exploded in last 50 years. The Manhattan Project was set up midway through the Second World War and began work on developing the U.S' nuclear technology. In May 1945 Germany signed a surrender agreement with the Allies to signal the end of the war in Europe, however, the war in the Pacific carried on and the Allies were contemplating invading Japan. They asked Japan to surrender but the Japanese government ignored the Potsdam Declaration on July 26, 1945. By August 1945, the Manhattan Project had developed and tested atomic bombs at its Los Alamos base By August 1945, the Manhattan Project had developed and tested atomic bombs at its Los Alamos base and on 6 August, a Little Boy atomic bomb, left, was dropped on Hiroshima on August 6, 1945, followed by a Fat Man bomb,right, on Nagasaki three days later. The blasts are said to have killed a total of 245,000 deaths by November 1945 and the effects from radiation are still reported to this d

  Ukraine's Deputy Prime Minister Olekandr Vilkul has launched of a new pilot grain-handling complex "Brooklyn-Kiev" Ltd in the Odessa commercial sea port, the Information-analytical Bulletin of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine informs. New grain elevator at Androsovsky breakwater is a unique, modern, high-tech handling complex, which is unparalleled at Odessa port both by scope of simultaneous storage and planned annual turnover. Capacity of the terminal is 4 million tons of grain annually. The terminal includes a berth (254 meters length and 12.5 meters depth at the boundary), which can take vessels up to 60 tons of dead weight. The grain terminal (designed for 240 tons of simultaneous grain storage) will be one of the most advanced terminals at the Black Sea. Total project cost is 125 million USD, of which 95 million USD of investments and the rest is ensured by the port. The terminal's startup created 230 jobs for Odessa. Experts s

Men's basketball team Fenerbahce Ulker of Turkey defeated Ukraine's Budivelnik Kiev 102-84 in the first game of Group A in Turkish Airlines Euroleague.   The match, played in 'Palace of Sport' was refereed by Sreten Radovic from Croatia, Carmelo Paternico from Italy and Apostolas Kalpakas from Sweden. Bo McCalebb with 11, Nemanje Bjelica with 11, Melih with 12, Linas Kleiza with 12, Gasper Vidmar with 9, Luka Zoric with 10, Kenan with 2, Bojan Bogdanovic with 21 and Emir Preldzic with 14 played and scored for Turkey.  Blake Ahearn with 16, Darjus Lavrinovic with 21, Artur Drozdov, Sergiy Gorbenko with 2, Janis Strelnieks with 14, Michailis Anisimov with 3, Andriy Lebedintsev, Oleksandr Tishchenko, Kostiantyn Aniliienko with 2, Micah Downs with 7, Ricky Minard with 7 and Dajuan Summers with 12 played and scored for Ukraine. First period: 15-18 Half time: 43-41 Third period: 77-71

A big boxing show will take place on November 9th at the Palace of Sports in Kiev, Ukraine, promoted by K2 Promotions Ukraine . Local light-heavyweight star Vyacheslav “Steel Power” Uzelkov (29-3, 18 KOs) will dispute vacant IBO International light heavyweight title against American KO-artist Jaidon “The Don” Сodrington (21-3, 17 KOs) in the main event. The 34-year-old Uzelkov is a former World (WBA) and European (EBU) title challenger who has couple of decent victories in his record including 6th round KO win over former WBA World champion Gabriel Campillo and a UD win over two-time WBO contender Alejandro Lakatos. Codrington,29, is known as a runner-up of reality boxing show “The Contender,” where he stopped previously unbeaten Texas brawler Brian Vera and met current WBC world champ Sakio Bika in a 2007 Fight of the Year candidate. A special attraction of upcoming show will be pro debut of the international amateur-boxing superstar and 2012 London Olympic Gold

Ukraine’s navy flagship, the Hetman Sahaidachny frigate , started patrolling naval routes off the African coast on Saturday as part of NATO’s Operation Ocean Shield, Ukraine’s UNIAN news agency said. "The Ukrainian ship has already covered several hundred nautical miles in the Gulf of Aden and started its patrolling round together with warships of the US, Danish and Dutch navies,” the agency quoted Ukraine’s Navy command as saying. Global powers, including NATO, the European Union and Russia, have launched anti-piracy missions in response to a rising amount of piracy off the Horn of Africa and in the Western Indian Ocean. Operation Ocean Shield aims to deter and disrupt pirate attacks, protect vessels and help increase overall security in the region since 2008. In March 2012, the North Atlantic Council extended the operation until the end of 2014. Earlier this week, the Ukrainian parliament has approved a presidential decree to join the international anti-piracy efforts.

In Kiev, 18.5% of female students work part-time as prostitutes to earn money for their education. The reason behind this trend is the high cost of a good education in private universities and the low income of their families. There is strong reaction from some social groups and student groups against this trend, but this trend is spreading like a virus among poor students who see this as a means to paying for their expensive costs of higher education. Euro 2012, which Ukraine co-hosted with Poland, encouraged youth into prostitution, because this event provided a big chance for female students to start their career successfully, and they managed to establish good contacts in Europe for their future business. Westernization of the Ukrainian society without providing social security to people is playing havoc with the social fabric of this Eastern European country where the government is withdrawing support to people in all important sectors including education and healt

After a high profile year, during which the country co-hosted the 2012 UEFA European Football Championship (with Poland), Ukraine’s air transport industry suffered the potentially disastrous loss of one of its two main carriers, AeroSvit . Passenger numbers across the country’s main airports had passed the 13 million mark in 2012, with Kiev’s two airports (Borispol and Zhulyany) handling almost 9.4 million on their own. Since 2012, Kiev Zhulyany (the original airport serving Kiev) has been growing rapidly, and promoting itself as a more efficient alternative to Kiev Borispol. In the first half of 2013 its passenger numbers have more than doubled to over 800,000 passengers.  Given that the country is bigger than Spain (but smaller than France) and has a population of well over 40 million people, there is clearly considerable scope for air traffic demand to grow, as the country’s economic prosperity rises thanks to its energy industries. UIA grows rapidly to fill AeroSv

Two activists of Femen movement  tried to disrupt the Nina Ricci fashion show at Paris Fashion Week. A few minutes after the show started the two half-naked activists stormed the podium and shouting «Model, don't go to brothel». Stood up in front of photographers, the girls showed the slogans written on the bodies of activists «Fashion dicta-terror»  and «Model, don't go to brothel».

The preparatory process comes to the end for champion WBA / WBO / IBF / IBO heavyweight division Wladimir Klitschko (60-3, 51 KOs). He will fight the regular WBA champion Alexander Povetkin (26-0, 18 KOs) it will take place on October 5th in Moscow (Russian). In these days of Vladimir focuses on their functional training, swimming kilometers in the pool among the peaks of the Austrian Alps.

Today is the final day of Eurobasket 2013 in Slovenia Next  tournament the EuroBasket 2015 will take place in Ukraine. Ukrainian side presented a logo of the European championship 2015. In a press conference dedicated to the event, attended by Acting President of FIBA Europe Siriel Kumans, FIBA Europe Secretary General Kamil Novak, Vice Prime Minister Oleksandr Vilkul, president of the FBU, Alexander Volkov and tournament director Eurobasket-2015 Yevhen Rudakov. Promo video of EuroBasket 2015:

Ukraine kept Italy without a score during the first five minutes of the final quarter and used an 8-0 run to extend their lead to 59-48, in a game that had never seen a gap wider than six points during its first 30 minutes. Game Hero: Eugene Jeter provided Ukraine with a pair of safe hands all night and finished with a game-high 20 points and a team-high four assists. Stats Don't Lie: Italy out-rebounded Ukraine 44 to 40 but as fatigue started to take its toll in the second half, their field goal percentage dropped from 44% to 32% at the final buzzer. Ukraine meanwhile shot poorly at the start but finished on an excellent 46% from two-point range, scoring 22 points in the paint to Italy's 10. Ukraine coped better with fatigue on Friday in Ljubljana to defeat Italy 66-58 , earn a place in the game for 5th place at EuroBasket 2013 and secure their first ever participation in the FIBA Basketball World Cup . Additionally Ukraine will host next  EuroBasket

This initiative is to help citizens understand the opportunities that will result from closer relations with Europe. The European Union – in close cooperation with Member State Embassies – has officially launched a public awareness campaign to explain the benefits of closer association of Ukraine with the European Union. The initiative titled ‘Stronger Together’ started with a media presentation at the National Philharmonia Concert Hall in Kyiv to outline the opportunities that will develop for the Ukrainian people if the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement and Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement are signed at the EU summit in Vilnius in November 2013. The keynote speech was presented by EU Ambassador Jan Tombinski who outlined the work that needs to be done by the government and Parliament to ensure that it will be possible for all 28 EU member states to sign the agreements at the Vilnius summit.  He stressed that it should not be taken as a foregone conclusion that the Eur

Russia, Cuba, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, the United States and Ireland (in this order) commanded the TOP 6 by the medal count. 351 boxers from 52 countries were officially registered for this fourth edition. The AIBA Junior World Boxing Championships, held every two years, goes back to 2001 with its debut in Baku (Azerbaijan) but was formerly called the AIBA Cadet World Championships. The competition welcomes international boxers aged 15 and 16 in 13 weight categories. It is an occasion to celebrate boxing’s youngest practitioners on the international stage. Boxing at this level is traditionally a first opportunity to witness future world champions and Olympic heroes. With the participation numbers growing each year, in synchronization with the level of skill shown in the ring, the AIBA Junior World Boxing Championships is a premier event on the AIBA competitions calendar.

World champion in the heavyweight versions of IBF, WBA, WBO , IBO and the magazine «The Ring Magazine» Wladimir Klitschko and Hollywood star Arnold Schwarzenegger arranged friendly correspondence in social networks , exposing photos with the posters of each other. At the same time, Vladimir admitted that imitates Schwartz from 12, and Arnold - that Klitschko is one of his favorite champions. Iron Arnie decided to go ahead and was not limited to photos and visited his home country at the weekend and a visit Klitschko at the training camp in the Austrian Going .

An altercation between England and Ukraine fans in the centre of Kiev after which three Britons were briefly hospitalised has heightened tensions in the runup to Tuesday's crucial World Cup match in the city. The fight erupted outside a cafe on Kiev's main Khreshchatik thoroughfare after a crowd of England fans became involved in an argument with a group of Ukrainians. Some witnesses said at least one Ukrainian had a knife, but police deny knives were used. Three Britons, aged 19, 22 and 23, were treated in hospital for cuts and bruises. "It was an ordinary men's fight without any knives," said witness Igor Mykhalko, denying that the Ukrainians were skinheads. "Just ordinary guys," he said. "This could happen in any country between football fans." He added that the trio "went on partying" once discharged. Tim White, a Briton working in Ukraine, who witnessed the incident, told journalists that he saw the blood

Femen activists has brought to Venice Film "- Ukraine is not a brothel". Kitty Green is director of the film. During the presentation, they staged another protest topless. The 70th Venice International Film Festival runs from 28 August to 7 September on the island of Lido in Italy. In August the FEMEN movement   decided to hide its activities in Ukraine and extend it abroad.

Ukraine is planning to open a decommissioned airport near Uman for Bretslaver chasidim. The airport of Cherkasy Oblast, the central Ukrainian district where Uman is located, may be reopened as soon as next year, spokesperson Nicholas Sukhovoj told the Israeli Russian-language newspaper Vesti.  The move would help alleviate traffic from the Odessa-Kiev highway that Bretslavers currently use to travel to Uman, the burial place of Rebbe Nachman, the founder of the Breslav chasidic movement. “The airport is in good condition and only needs lights on the runway,” Sukhovoj said. Some 25,000 Bretslavers converge in Uman each year ahead of Rosh Hashana, to pray near Rebbe Nachman’s grave. The option of running extra trains to Uman is also being discussed, as many visitors reportedly face difficulties in reaching their destination in time. Uman Mayor Peter Payevsky told the news site on Thursday that he expected more than 800 buses to arrive in Uman in the coming days, with 7,000 people d

GOVERNMENT PERSECUTION HAS  forced Femen founders to flee Ukraine, where the militant feminist group was created in 2008. According to a  statement  on the Femen website, they were "systematically harassed, severely beaten, kidnapped, and repeatedly received threats" in July. Femen maintains that Russian and Ukrainian special services perpetrated these acts under instructions from Russian president Vladimir Putin and his close ally, Ukrainian president Viktor Yanukovych. "FEMEN officially says fuck off to all dictators," the group declares defiantly on its website. Femen reveals that Yana Zhdanova, Anna Hutsol, and Alexandra Shevchenko were summoned on August 30 to face charges. According to an  interview  cofounder Shevchenko granted to the  Kyiv Post , the three women, along with Femen's Iksana Shachko, had escaped to Paris. Last month, the  Straight   reported  that Femen supporter Viktor Svyatsky, a Ukrainian political scientist, was assaulte

The Ukrainian organisers of the Rhythmic Gymnastics World Championships in Kiev were left red-faced Thursday after mistakenly playing the Russian national anthem to celebrate the victory of a Ukrainian gymnast. Ukrainian Ganna Rizatdinova, who won gold in the individual hoop in the first day of competition Wednesday, started to sing the words to the anthem on top of the podium when she realised that that music was that of the anthem of Russia, not Ukraine. A brief confused smile on the athlete's face was replaced by indignation as the hall of the Kiev Palace of Sports erupted with the jeers and catcalls of disgruntled Ukrainians. Championship organisers switched on the right track a few seconds later and the Ukrainian anthem was played out at full volume. Ukrainian state TV said it had been planned to use the Russian anthem for the winner of the individual ball competition, which a Russian athlete had won. "I was so upset and even a little bit offended... M

Ukrainian topless feminist group Femen accused the police of planting explosives and a gun during a raid on their headquarters in Kiev headquarters yesterday in a bid to close their organisation down. The Femen group specialises in shock bare-breast appearances to dramatise women’s rights causes, mainly in the male-dominated hierarchies of Russia and its former Soviet allies. Russia’s Vladimir Putin has particularly been a target for Femen’s protests since the prosecution of the Russian female punk group Pussy Riot last year. A police statement in Kiev said a group of explosives experts were sent to Femen’s headquarters in central Kiev yesterday after an anonymous call. Objects resembling a World War Two pistol and grenade were found during a search, it said. Officers at the scene said they had also found leaflets showing the profiles of Putin and Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill pictured in snipers’ cross-hairs. Femen activists denounced the police finds

Aug 28  - Ukraine coach Mykhaylo Fomenko has named a 25-man squad for the World Cup 2014 qualifier against England on Sept. 10 and for the San Marino clash four days earlier. Goalkeepers: Andriy Pyatov (Shakhtar Donetsk), Rustam Hudzhamov (Illichivets), Maxym Koval (Dynamo Kiev) Defenders: Oleksander Kucher (Shakhtar Donetsk), Yaroslav Rakitsky (Shakhtar Donetsk), Vyacheslav Shevchuk (Shakhtar Donetsk), Evhen Khacheridi (Dynamo Kiev), Artem Fedetsky (Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk), Vitaliy Mandzyuk (Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Midfielders: Oleh Gusyev (Dynamo Kiev), Andriy Yarmolenko (Dynamo Kiev), Roman Bezus (Dynamo Kiev), Evhen Konoplyanka (Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk), Ruslan Rotan (Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk), Anatoly Tymoshchuk (Bayern Munich), Mykola Morozyuk (Metalurh Donetsk), Taras Stepanenko (Shakhtar Donetsk), Dmytro Hrechyshkin (Shakhtar Donetsk), Edmar (Metalist Kharkiv), Denys Dedechko (Vorskla Poltava), Dmytro Homchenovsky (Zorya Lugansk), Olexander Kovpak (PFC Sevastopol) F