22 of the 115 settlements in the 5-km zone near the border in Sumy region of Ukraine have been completely evacuated due to the ongoing fighting, and about 820 children have been evacuated to date.
In February, the state budget expenditures amounted to UAH 274. 6 billion, with the largest share going to wages (UAH 179.9 billion), social payments (UAH 89.5 billion), support for the Armed Forces (UAH 21.7 billion), and public debt service (UAH 35.6 billion).
Between 3 and 10 people need to be evacuated from the most dangerous settlements in Sumy region, while another 300 remain in less dangerous areas but also need to be evacuated.
Over the past week, Russians used 111 multiple rocket launchers against frontline settlements in Sumy region, significantly increasing the number of attacks compared to last year.
Oil prices fell due to an expected increase in supplies from Russia, slower growth in jet fuel demand, and cautious trading ahead of the Fed's interest rate decision.
In January, Ukraine imported $99 million worth of drones, 2% of total imports, almost as much as it imported $114 million worth of phones, 2. 2% of total imports.
The National Bank of Ukraine has set the official hryvnia exchange rate at 38. 9744 UAH/USD, devaluing it by 18 kopecks.
The EU Council confirmed the allocation of 5 billion euros under the European Peace Facility, including a special assistance fund for Ukraine to provide military equipment and training to support Ukraine's defense against Russian aggression.
Since the launch of the eHouse program in Ukraine, Ukrainians have taken out 1,821 loans worth about UAH 3 billion to buy apartments and private houses.
Entrepreneurs used affordable loans to replenish working capital, for which banks allocated UAH 8. 7 billion.
Apple is in talks with Google to license its Gemini AI for integration into future iPhones, potentially enabling text generation, image creation, and other AI capabilities on iOS devices.
The government plans to reduce the number of vacant positions in government agencies by almost 19,300 to cut costs and prevent overstated salaries due to excessive vacancies.
According to the Economy Ministry, Ukraine's GDP grew by 3. 6% in January-February compared to the same period last year.
On March 18, the National Bank of Ukraine set the official exchange rate at 38. 7998 UAH/USD, devaluing the hryvnia by 11 kopecks.
This year, Russia is planning a large-scale propaganda campaign aimed at Ukrainians and its own population, using pseudo-history and traditional Russian values to change minds and strengthen military orientation, with a budget of 45. 8 billion rubles.
Two Montenegrin city deputies participated as international expert observers in Putin's pseudo-elections in Russia.
Russia plans to mobilize up to 300,000 Ukrainian citizens from the occupied territories after the fake elections to strengthen its armed forces.
An explosion near a "polling station" in occupied Skadovsk injured 5 occupants as the Resistance Forces continue to prevent fake Russian elections.
The Russians are using the issue of prisoner exchange to destabilize the situation in Ukraine, Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights Dmytro Lubinets has said.
The Kakhovka reservoir is filling up with water - an ecologist explained the reason.
Boeing has recommended that airlines check the pilot seat switches on the 787 Dreamliner after an accidental movement of the seat allegedly caused severe shaking on a LATAM Airlines flight.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has used a Russian Aurus Senat limousine, a gift from Putin, for the first time, signaling a growing friendship between the two countries.
Greek Minister of National Defense Nikos Dendias visited Lithuania to discuss Greece's participation in the coalition to demine Ukraine, strengthening defense cooperation within the EU and NATO, and inviting Lithuanian companies to participate in a conference on the defense ecosystem.
At night and in the morning, Russian troops fired 13 times at the border areas and settlements of Sumy region, 33 explosions were recorded.
After reaching a new all-time high of $73,803, bitcoin fell 7. 72% to $67,320 in less than a day, while most major cryptocurrencies also lost value.
The government plans to adopt a bill to increase excise taxes on tobacco products, which should come into effect on July 1, 2024, and gradually increase to the EU minimum level by 2028.
If the U. S. Congress fails to approve funding for Ukraine's aid, Ukraine will call on the G7 countries to increase their contributions to support it.
The Ministry of Social Policy reported that it has developed a mechanism for paying rental subsidies for IDPs. The amount of the subsidy will be adjusted depending on the average cost of renting an apartment in the region, household income, and family size.
Russia's revenues from maritime oil exports grew by 12% in February, but exports were down 3% month-on-month due to higher Russian oil prices rather than increased exports.
Ukraine and Italy have agreed to cooperate in promoting Ukrainian brands globally and supporting the entry of Ukrainian producers into international markets through the "Made in Ukraine" program.
