The grain corridor — a Black Sea shipping route that handles 90% of Ukraine’s agricultural exports — has not been officially closed, but it is under enormous strain as Russia steps up missile attacks on Odesa Oblast, Oleh Khomenko, CEO of the Ukrainian Agribusiness Club (UCAB), told the Kyiv Independent on July 24.
Back in December, Ukraine agreed to a comprehensive package of rule-of-law reforms, as one of the steps needed to move forward with EU accession talks and secure necessary funding. Soon after the agreement was signed, the government deprioritized the promised reforms. "None of the crucial reforms related to the justice system, law enforcement, or anti-corruption have been implemented," Vitaly Shabunin, head of the Anti-Corruption Action Center's executive board, told the Kyiv Independent. The
"Each new attack on Ukraine is another reason for Europe to tighten the screws on Russia," Kaja Kallas, the EU's top diplomat, said.
Russia launched 147 Shahed-type drones against Ukraine overnight on Aug. 7, with air defenses shooting down 114 of them, the Air Force said.
The first photos and videos emerged on Russian social media around 5 a.m. local time, showing smoke rising from the Wildberries facility.
The figure includes 1,210 casualties Russian forces suffered over the past day.
U.S. intelligence reports raised new alarms that Russian President Vladimir Putin could provoke a NATO nation with a limited attack as early as this fall, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported on Aug. 6.
The Kyiv Independent’s Business Desk covers the biggest news in business, economics, and tech from Ukraine, as well as global developments that shape the economy of the region.
Legal experts from First Department, a Russian human rights group, said the restrictions are "similar to de facto deprivation of citizenship."
