Government of Ukraine

Ukraine abolishes military neutrality law

KIEV -- The Ukrainian parliament on Tuesday adopted a law on the abolition of the country's military neutrality, and on initiating efforts to join NATO.

303 deputies voted in favor - 77 votes more than the minimum necessary for the adoption of the bill, while only eight deputies voted against, Reuters said.

The Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko announced that he never had interest in restoring his country's status as nuclear power.

Poroshenko said in an interview for Australian television channel ABC that such a move will be "absolutely irresponsible".

More than 4600 people were killed since the beginning of the conflict in eastern Ukraine this spring, said the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

According to the OCHA report, released on Friday, as of December 7 at least 4634 people were killed and 10 243 were wounded.

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has asserted a "real ceasefire" which entered into force on Tuesday is now being observed.

While on an official visit to Australia, Poroshenko asserted a truce had been registered "for the first time in seven months in Ukraine."

The Ukrainian army is planning on extending the ceasefire with the pro-Russian separatists, following a one-day truce on Tuesday during which the warring sides largely abstained from attacking each other.

Ukrainian state-owned utility Naftogaz has paid USD 378 M to the Russian concern Gazprom, in line with to its plans to have booked a billion cubic meters by the end of 2014.

Gazprom confirmed within a few hours the news announced Saturday on Naftogaz's website.

Ukraine's energy minister said Dec. 3 that a technical fault at a nuclear power plant in the south of country has cut power production but he insisted it poses no danger.

Volodymr Demchishin told a press briefing that a short circuit at a power-generating unit in the Zaporozhiya plant led to a drop in electricity production, and that normal output will be restored by the weekend.

Ukraine's parliament elected Arseny Yatseniuk for a new term as prime minister at its opening session on Thursday.

President Petro Poroshenko and a newly-formed coalition in the assembly supported his appointment during the first session of the parliament, which was elected in October.

Ukraine's Parliament has approved Stepan Poltorak to take over the Defense Ministry from Valeriy Heletey.

The Verkhovna Rada voted overwhelmingly (245-1) in favor of his candidacy, Interfax Ukraine reports.

Poltorak previously headed the Ukrainian National Guard.

Crimea, as Russian federal subject, gets president

SIMFEROPOL -- Sergei Aksionov, one of the main organizers of a referendum after which Crimea joined Russia, was unanimously elected as president of the Republic of Crimea.

All 75 deputies supported Aksionov, said a statement issued by the Crimean assembly.