The US Embassy in Ukraine called on the citizens of this country not to enter Ukraine, and those who are in Ukraine to leave the country immediately.
“The security situation across Ukraine remains brutal and unpredictable due to ongoing military attacks from Russia, active hostilities in the country, and uncertain security conditions. The US Embassy urges US citizens not to enter Ukraine, and those in Ukraine immediately leave the country using privately available ground transportation options if it is safe to do so,” the embassy’s website said in a statement.
The embassy also urged “to avoid mass gatherings and organized events, as they can become a target for the Russian military anywhere in Ukraine, including its western regions.”
On the day of the National Day of the French Republic, French Ambassador to Ukraine Etienne de Ponsin presented the Order of the Legion of Honor to Ukrainian writer and poet Lina Kostenko.
“Mrs. Kostenko, if I give three words that could describe you, then I would note the following: determination, courage and desire, in spite of everything, to remain free. These three words, in my opinion, best characterize your life path , the main thing is your determination to remain a person with an active citizenship,” de Ponsin said at the award ceremony in Kyiv on Thursday.
He added that when he made an official proposal to French President Emmanuel Macron to present Lina Kostenko for a high award, he could not even imagine that this award would take place during the war.
“But in the context of Russia’s aggression, of which Ukraine has become a victim, the presentation of this award becomes even more significant,” the ambassador said.
He stressed that Kostenko’s civic activism has always been one of her traits, along with her great talent as a writer and poetess.
“But it is your courage, determination, civic position that we want to note today,” de Ponsin said.
Kostenko said that it was a great honor for her to receive the award.
“In a difficult time, we have gathered here, but on a very good occasion, because the Order of the Legion of Honor is a knightly order, and it is a great honor to receive it. I confess that it was an absolute surprise for me, because I belong to world-famous literature – and suddenly such an award. Mr. Ambassador said very truly, I really love France, and even in those terrible totalitarian times, I always went to France with my soul, I have poems about France, “said Kostenko.
The writer stressed that she dedicates the award to Ukrainian soldiers. “This is our most powerful legion,” Kostenko said.
“When I was accused of anti-Soviet creativity and called for reprisals, I simply quoted Camus to them – that the world is divided into the plague and its victims, and my choice is not to side with the plague. It was generally the motto of the sixties – not to side with the plague, and now this is an alternative for all of humanity, because the vibrios of the plague did not disappear anywhere, as Camus envisaged, and these vibrios grew, filled with rage and now fell upon Ukraine in the form of the ugliest war,” Kostenko noted.
Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said that Lina Kostenko has always been the embodiment of a person who, despite difficult life circumstances and challenges, has never betrayed her principles.
“Today you inspire us to fight and, most importantly, never give up. This award is once again recognition of your creativity, your international authority. This is a great example for all of us, Ukrainians, what kind of dreams, principles, values a person should always fight,” Klitschko said.
Lina Kostenko is a significant personality for Ukrainians, a symbol of Ukrainian literature of the 20th century, a bright representative of the generation of Ukrainian dissidents. Kostenko has always been with the Ukrainians in the most difficult times. During the Soviet period, she defended the persecuted Ukrainian patriots. In 1986, after the Chernobyl disaster, she spoke to the liquidators. In 2004, 2014, during the Orange Revolution and the Revolution of Dignity, she supported the protesters who defended universal values and the right to live in a democratic, sovereign and European state on Independence Square.
Belonging to the Order of the Legion of Honor is the highest distinction, honor and official recognition of special merits in France.
Ukraine reduced iron ore exports 24.2% year-on-year in H1 2022 to 17.011 million tonnes, the State Customs Service said.
The imports fell 44.8% in value to $2.159 billion.
Most of the exports were to Slovakia – 18.68% in value, followed by China – 17.55% and Poland – 14.65%.
Ukraine imported 13 tonnes of iron ore commodities for $24,000 in H1 2022, compared with 1,133 tonnes for $129,000 in H1 2021. Most of the imports in H1 2022 came from the UK – 84.62%, followed by Russia and Italy at 7.69% each.
Iron ore exports fell 4.2% in 2021 to 44.358 million tonnes but rose 62.8% in value to $6.9 billion. Most of the exports went to China – 41.90% in value, the Czech Republic- 9.65% and Poland – 7.99%.
Ukraine imported 1,202 tonnes of iron ore in 2021 for $184,000 and 123,000 tonnes in 2020 for $75,000. Last year’s imports came from Egypt – 55.98%, the Netherlands – 21.2% and Poland – 7.07%.
The fifth modular camp for internally displaced persons (IDPs) was opened today in the territory of the Lviv region, the press service of the Lviv regional military administration reports.
A small town for 13 families was built in the village of Bortyatyn, Sudovyshnyanskaya UTC, Yavorovsky District.
“Thanks to the cooperation of our international partners and local authorities, today 40 more mothers with children and elderly people from the Luhansk and Donetsk regions have received comfortable and safe living conditions,” Maxim Kozitsky, head of the Lviv regional military administration, was quoted as saying in the message.
The campus consists of 10 interconnected containers – 5 residential and 5 utility rooms. The houses have all the conditions for living, kitchens, bathrooms and showers. A children’s playground has been set up on the premises.
The town was built as part of a memorandum of cooperation between the regional military administration and the Safe Pass Group charitable foundation.
At present, 4 modular camps for IDPs have been built in the region, another one is being built in the Stryi UTG, two projects are under development. Earlier, the Academy of Construction of Ukraine announced the launch of a project for the rapid construction of housing in the format of 8-apartment buildings for Ukrainians who lost their homes. The construction of such housing takes about 60 days. m, a plot has already been allocated in the Buchansky district for the pilot implementation of two houses.
“The cost of the house, including construction, engineering, exterior and interior decoration, furniture, household appliances and climate engineering equipment, will not exceed $750 per square meter. This is an ambitious figure and difficult to achieve, but we have confidence in our suppliers, thanks to whom we we can count on such a prime cost,” said Ivan Peregynets, academician of the Academy of Construction of Ukraine, director of the scientific and technical center, during a press conference at the Interfax-Ukraine agency.
According to the academician, the garden partnership “Solnechnoye” in the Buchansky district of the Kyiv region decided to allocate a land plot of 0.1 hectares for the pilot construction of two houses of the “Biden” project. The sites already have engineering and transport infrastructure. Construction is scheduled to begin before July 1. According to the project, the area of one apartment in such a house is 60 square meters. m. The cost of such an apartment, including a parking space, will be about $45,000.
To finance the project, a special fund “International Construction Fund “Ukraine” was created.
INTERNATIONAL CONSTRUCTION FUND UKRAINE, LVIV, MODULAR TOWN, PEREGYNETS, АРТЕМ ГОНЧАРЕНКО
The total number of confirmed cases of monkeypox in more than 60 countries has exceeded 10 thousand cases, European media reported on Thursday, citing WHO.
It is noted that the largest number of cases of this disease occurs in Europe.
The WHO emergency committee is expected to meet next Thursday, July 21, to discuss measures to combat the spread of monkeypox.
In addition, the committee at the meeting is expected to decide on the classification of the outbreak, in particular whether the spread of monkeypox is a public health emergency.
The head of WHO, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, has repeatedly expressed concern about the situation with the spread of monkeypox, called for “work to stop the transmission of the disease,” and recommended that governments of different countries carry out contact tracing of the sick.
Monkeypox is a rare infectious disease most prevalent in remote areas of Central and West Africa. Its symptoms are nausea, fever, rash, itching, and muscle pain. Earlier, the Club of Experts analyzed the situation, the experts gave their comments and forecasts regarding this disease. For more details, see the video material on YouTube channel Club of Experts:
In the first half of 2022, the State Customs Service allowed 56.9 million tonnes of goods (excluding pipeline transport) to be exported through the customs border of Ukraine, which is 44.5% less than in the first half of last year (101.1 million tonnes).
According to service’s website, the import of goods to Ukraine fell even more by 58.3%, to 17.8 million tonnes (from 42.7 million tonnes).
During the reporting period, pipelines moved 19.9 million tonnes, which is almost a third less than in the first half of 2021 (29.5 million tonnes).
The main reason for the drop in tonnage is the war and seaports blocked by Russia: the number of sea vessels allowed by the State Customs Service in January-June decreased by 64.3%, to 2,700 (from 7,600).
According to the ministry, the number of railway cars passed through the customs border of Ukraine in the first half of 2022 amounted to 800,300, which is 32% less than in the first half of 2021.
At the same time, the number of river vessels increased by 54.4%, from 6,800 to 10,500, and vehicles – by 9.8%, to 3.635 million.
The number of registered vehicles for import in the first half of the year amounted to 2.2 million, for export – 2.3 million, which almost corresponds to last year’s figures – 2.3 million each.
The State Customs Service also noted that the monetary turnover in the first half of 2022 decreased by 21%, to $48.03 billion, including exports by 24%, to $22.73 billion, and imports by 19%, to $25.3 billion.
At the same time, trade with the EU increased by 1%, to UAH 25.06 billion, including exports by 13%, to $13.41 billion, while imports decreased by 10%, to $11.65 billion.
