News from Ukraine, Eastern Europe

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) and Ukraine have reached a staff-level agreement on the first review of Kyiv's four-year Extended Fund Facility (EFF) program, potentially unlocking approximately $690 million in additional funding, the IMF announced on June 12.

"We will open the cluster on fundamentals; the backbone of the accession process," European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on June 12. "It covers the core values and principles on which the EU is built, from the rule of law to strong democratic institutions."

"Partnering with Airbus, we are developing the next generation of technologies to establish a multi-layered air shield that will bolster the protection of Ukrainian skies and European airspace," Skyfall CEO Mykolaiv Makovieiev said.

According to Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, Ukraine's new monthly rate is the highest salary rate for infantry in the world.

The launch is expected to come from the Kapustin Yar launch site in southern Russia, the Air Force said on Telegram.

The latest draft of the European Union's seven-year budget, released on June 11, envisions 89 billion euros of financial support for Ukraine from 2028 to 2034, down from the 100 billion euros ($115 billion) originally proposed by the European Commission.

Eight locations were struck in broad daylight in the regional capital, injuring six residents, regional governor Oleh Hryhorov said.

The bill also bars the use of funds for actions recognizing Russia's sovereignty over Ukrainian territory and mandates the provision of intelligence to Ukraine in support of its military operations.