Recent polls show that a majority of the Ukrainian public believe that the current exchange rate of the grivna is either significantly (16% of the respondents) or slightly (17%) undervalued against the dollar and the euro.
Ukrainians' views of future grivna prospects are, on the whole, optimistic. Specifically, 31% of respondents believe that its rate against the USD/EUR currency pair will increase, and 30% expect the grivna to remain within the current range of currency fluctuations. Only 12% of Ukrainian citizens expect a fall in the exchange rate of the grivna.
According to James Rickards, editor of the Strategic Intelligence newsletter, major currencies do not go to zero but they move back and forth against each other like two kids on a seesaw moving up and down and not going anywhere in relation to the seesaw. The USD/EUR cross-rate is a good example. In the past 20 years, the value of the euro has been as low as $0.80 and as high as $1.60.
Thursday, January 30, 2020
Friday, January 17, 2020
Russian Orthodox Church cuts ties with Patriarch of Alexandria
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| Photograph: Galina Davydova |
To retaliate, the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) has broken communion with those hierarchs of the Church of Greece, who have recognized the OCU and will concelebrate with schismatics. Many Orthodox churches, such as those in other Slavic lands, will follow the ROC in insisting that the only canonical Orthodox Church in Ukraine is the one remaining in communion with Moscow, and may well take measures in support of its position.
In addition, the Moscow Patriarchate has recently made the decision to rupture all links with Patriarch Theodoros II of Alexandria. The ROC Holy Synod also decided that its parishes in Africa will be removed from the Patriarchate of Alexandria’s jurisdiction and made directly subordinate to the ROC head, Patriarch Kirill.
Wednesday, January 15, 2020
In Russia, six subs to be built for Pacific Fleet
Recently, the St. Petersburg-based Admiralty Shipyards has launched the new generation diesel-electric attack submarine Volkhov.
The submarine belongs to the Kilo-class boats - more accurately referred to as the Varshavyanka class - and is being built for the needs of the Pacific Fleet. The main function of Varshavyanka/Kilo-class subs is to serve as “sub-hunters,” seeking out and destroying larger and louder ballistic-missile boats before they can hit land-based targets — such as the nuclear warhead-equipped submarines that are one-third of the nuclear deterrent in both the U.K. and the United States — and to interdict other shipping in “shallow waters”.
Volkhov is the second Project 636.3 submarine. The lead ship of the series, Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, has already been delivered to the Pacific Fleet.
Reportedly, Volkhov will be completed on the water. The heart of the submarine is a power plant with two 1,000-kilowatt diesel generators and a 5,500 horsepower electric motor.
In addition, Volkhov is equipped with two standby 102 horsepower electric motors. It has a small crew of 52 sailors. The submarine is capable of cruising autonomously for 45 days and submerging to a depth of 300 meters.
Overall, plans are afoot to build six Varshavyanka/Kilo-class subs for the Pacific Fleet. They are expected to be completed in November 2022.
The submarine belongs to the Kilo-class boats - more accurately referred to as the Varshavyanka class - and is being built for the needs of the Pacific Fleet. The main function of Varshavyanka/Kilo-class subs is to serve as “sub-hunters,” seeking out and destroying larger and louder ballistic-missile boats before they can hit land-based targets — such as the nuclear warhead-equipped submarines that are one-third of the nuclear deterrent in both the U.K. and the United States — and to interdict other shipping in “shallow waters”.
Volkhov is the second Project 636.3 submarine. The lead ship of the series, Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, has already been delivered to the Pacific Fleet.
Reportedly, Volkhov will be completed on the water. The heart of the submarine is a power plant with two 1,000-kilowatt diesel generators and a 5,500 horsepower electric motor.
In addition, Volkhov is equipped with two standby 102 horsepower electric motors. It has a small crew of 52 sailors. The submarine is capable of cruising autonomously for 45 days and submerging to a depth of 300 meters.
Overall, plans are afoot to build six Varshavyanka/Kilo-class subs for the Pacific Fleet. They are expected to be completed in November 2022.
Saturday, January 11, 2020
Ukrainian university students competed in Polish dictation in Ivano-Frankovsk
The All-Ukrainian Polish orthography competition, supported by the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Ukraine, took place at a university in the city of Ivano-Frankovsk on November 15, 2019. The participants came to Ivano-Frankovsk from nine Ukrainian cities including Kiev, Odessa and Mariupol. Thirty nine students from 22 universities wrote a text dictated by Elzhbieta Rachynska-Skorupska. Based on a real story, the plot was authentic.
The purpose of the competition was to popularize Polish culture and encourage students to discover the world of Polish orthography.
Two students of the Faculty of Linguistics have successfully represented the Kiev-based Igor Sikorsky Polytechnic Institute in the competition. Presented with diplomas and commemorative gifts, all the participants have got not only experience but unforgettable impressions, as well as made useful acquaintances.
Apart from doing the dictation the competitors made a city tour and had a chance to immerse themselves in a fantastic atmosphere. And the cherry on top was an excursion to the town of Yaremche, Ivano-Frankovsk region.
"That was a great opportunity to meet Polish language lovers and share time with them in Ivano-Frankovsk," said one of the participants from the Kamyanets-Podolsky University. "We're impatient for the next meetings!"
Friday, November 22, 2019
Gazprom in no harry to sign contract with Neftegaz
Reportedly, three-party ministerial-level talks about the transit of Russian natural gas to Europe through Ukrainian pipelines are difficult. The Russian gas group Gazprom is in no hurry to sign the contract with the Ukrainian energy company Neftegaz for five or even 10 years, as the E.U. suggests. Gazprom insists that a new contract be valid for one year only.
As a matter of fact, the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline on the Baltic seabed should have been operational by the end of this year when an agreement on the transit of Russian gas via Ukraine, the main route for exports to Europe, expires. However, Russia is ready to keep up transit via Ukraine if Neftegaz is willing to recall the legal claims from the Stockholm arbitration court, which demand compensation for the loss of gas-transit system value.
According to Ukraine's government officials, even if the talks fail, Neftegaz's reserves of natural gas currently held in underground storage will remain in play. This year Ukraine has pumped the record amount of gas into storage facilities, which will provide Ukrainian households with heat during the cold season.
As a matter of fact, the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline on the Baltic seabed should have been operational by the end of this year when an agreement on the transit of Russian gas via Ukraine, the main route for exports to Europe, expires. However, Russia is ready to keep up transit via Ukraine if Neftegaz is willing to recall the legal claims from the Stockholm arbitration court, which demand compensation for the loss of gas-transit system value.
According to Ukraine's government officials, even if the talks fail, Neftegaz's reserves of natural gas currently held in underground storage will remain in play. This year Ukraine has pumped the record amount of gas into storage facilities, which will provide Ukrainian households with heat during the cold season.
Saturday, November 16, 2019
Resolution of the 3rd Forum of Rectors of Technical Universities of Poland and Ukraine
The 3rd Forum of Rectors of the Technical Universities of the Republic of Poland and Ukraine, organized by the Conference of Rectors of Polish Technical Universities and the Association of Rectors of Technical Universities of Ukraine, took place at the University of Bielsko-Biala, Poland, on October 24–26, 2019.
During the Forum a joint meeting was held to discuss the results and topical issues of the development of international cooperation between higher education institutions of the Republic of Poland and Ukraine.
Recognizing the indispensable relevance of the issues proposed for discussion, and in order to increase the effectiveness of international cooperation between Polish and Ukrainian higher education institutions, the participants in the 3rd Forum of Rectors of Technical Universities of the Republic of Poland and Ukraine hereby agree as follows:
1. To hold the 4th Forum of Rectors of Technical Universities of the Republic of Poland and Ukraine at the Poltava National Technical Yuri Kondratyuk University, Ukraine, on April 22-24, 2020.
2. The 4th Forum of Rectors of Technical Universities of the Republic of Poland and Ukraine shall be entitled “University of the Future”.
3. To hold in 2020 the joint meeting of representatives of the international Ukrainian-Polish centers, which operate at Polish and Ukrainian higher education institutions, at the Dnepropetrovsk University of Technology, Ukraine.
4. To promote cooperation between higher education institutions of the Republic of Poland and Ukraine in the field of international accreditation in engineering education.
5. To support the joint Ukrainian and Polish initiative to enhance the role of female students in STEM education.
During the Forum a joint meeting was held to discuss the results and topical issues of the development of international cooperation between higher education institutions of the Republic of Poland and Ukraine.
Recognizing the indispensable relevance of the issues proposed for discussion, and in order to increase the effectiveness of international cooperation between Polish and Ukrainian higher education institutions, the participants in the 3rd Forum of Rectors of Technical Universities of the Republic of Poland and Ukraine hereby agree as follows:
1. To hold the 4th Forum of Rectors of Technical Universities of the Republic of Poland and Ukraine at the Poltava National Technical Yuri Kondratyuk University, Ukraine, on April 22-24, 2020.
2. The 4th Forum of Rectors of Technical Universities of the Republic of Poland and Ukraine shall be entitled “University of the Future”.
3. To hold in 2020 the joint meeting of representatives of the international Ukrainian-Polish centers, which operate at Polish and Ukrainian higher education institutions, at the Dnepropetrovsk University of Technology, Ukraine.
4. To promote cooperation between higher education institutions of the Republic of Poland and Ukraine in the field of international accreditation in engineering education.
5. To support the joint Ukrainian and Polish initiative to enhance the role of female students in STEM education.
Cooperation with IMF causes Ukraine trouble
According to Alexander Okhrimenko, president of the Ukrainian Analytical Center, cooperation with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) causes Ukraine nothing but trouble. At present, Kiev does not need money, particularly IMF loans, because it settles debts by some means or other.
The pieces of advice that the IMF gives to Kiev, without taking account of the realities of Ukrainian society, are often misleading, devastating. In fact, the fund recommended increasing prices of utilities. As a result, the Ukraine's household debt rose to 50 billion grivnas.
The pieces of advice that the IMF gives to Kiev, without taking account of the realities of Ukrainian society, are often misleading, devastating. In fact, the fund recommended increasing prices of utilities. As a result, the Ukraine's household debt rose to 50 billion grivnas.
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