Ukraine says it can't pay off debt to Russia
KIEV, Ukraine (AP) -- The Ukrainian government says it cannot pay off its $3 billion debt to Russia without violating its debt-restructuring deal with other international creditors.
Ukraine is supposed to pay down the debt by Sunday, and Russia said it would sue Ukraine if it doesn't get its money back on time.
The Ukrainian finance ministry said in a statement on Thursday that it has "negotiated in good faith" with Russia but it "cannot pay" the bond debt without violating its deal with other international creditors.
In November, President Vladimir Putin proposed restructuring the debt, but Ukraine turned down the proposal, saying that it cannot offer Russia anything better than the deal it had negotiated with other debt holders which involved a 20 percent write-off.
Moscow Court Releases Jailed Pro-Ukraine Stunt Performer
MOSCOW -- A Moscow court on December 17 released a Russian man who was jailed after taking part in a stunt in the Russian capital as part of a pro-Ukraine demonstration.
The Moscow City Court reduced Vladimir Podrezov's 27-month jail sentence to 34 months of "freedom limitation," which is similar to a suspended sentence with parole limitations.
Podrezov and four other Russians, including two women, went on trial in August after taking part in a stunt in which a Soviet red star atop a Stalin-era skyscraper was painted yellow and blue -- the colors of the Ukrainian flag.
Four defendants were accused of drawing attention to the painted star and a Ukrainian flag hoisted from it by parachuting from the 176-meter-high building.
They were acquitted in August.
A sixth suspect sought in the case, Ukrainian stuntman Pavlo Ushyvets, escaped to Ukraine.