Azerbaijan has suspended transport across the state border with Iran and closed its airspace at the border. Earlier, Azerbaijan accused Iran of launching drone strikes on the territory of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic and said it reserved the right to take appropriate measures. The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry reported that one drone hit the Nakhchivan airport terminal, while another fell near a school building in the village of Shakarabad. Two civilians were injured in the attack, and the airport buildings were damaged.
The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry demanded that Tehran provide an explanation as soon as possible, conduct an investigation, and take measures to prevent similar incidents from recurring. The Iranian ambassador was summoned to the ministry to receive a note of protest.
Against the backdrop of the incident, regional media and expert commentators are discussing the possibility of invoking the mechanisms provided for in the Shusha Declaration on Alliance Relations between Azerbaijan and Turkey. The document stipulates that in the event of a threat or act of aggression by a third state, the parties shall hold joint consultations and provide each other with the necessary assistance in accordance with the UN Charter.
At the time of publication, there was no official announcement of the start of formal consultations on the Shusha Declaration, but Ankara and Baku maintain constant coordination on regional security issues, including at the level of the foreign ministries.
On March 3–4, partial traffic restrictions will be introduced on a number of bridges and overpasses in Kyiv due to repair work, city services reported.
In particular, the work in Kyiv will be carried out in stages, so traffic will be partially restricted—without complete closure—but drivers are urged to plan their routes in advance to avoid traffic jams.
Restrictions on March 3
Repair work is planned at the following locations:
– South Bridge;
– overpass across the railroad tracks on Kharkiv Highway;
– overpass at the intersection of Bratislavska and Sholom Aleichem streets;
– overpass near the Chernihivska metro station;
– Overpass at the intersection of Brovarsky Avenue and the Darnytsia-Pochaina railway section.
Restrictions on March 4
The following day, work will be carried out:
– On the Paton Bridge;
– On the Mykilsky overpass over the railway tracks;
– On the overpass near the Beresteiska metro station.
The city administration notes that restrictions are being introduced in stages depending on the stages of repair. Drivers are advised to take into account changes in traffic organization and use alternative routes during rush hour.
Revenues to local budgets from transport tax payments amounted to UAH 249.8 million in 2025, which is 13.7% more than in 2024, according to data on the website of the State Tax Service of Ukraine (STS).
In regional terms, the largest amounts were paid in Kyiv (UAH 74.1 million), Dnipropetrovsk (UAH 24.9 million), Odesa (UAH 20.9 million), and Kyiv (UAH 18.5 million) regions.
The STS reminded that transport tax payers are individuals and legal entities, including non-residents, who own passenger cars registered in Ukraine that meet several criteria: no more than five years have passed since their year of manufacture (inclusive), and the average market value of the car is more than 375 times the minimum wage (MW) established as of January 1 of the tax (reporting) year.
In addition, in 2025, revenues to the state budget from the environmental tax increased—35,600 taxpayers paid UAH 5.6 billion, which is UAH 219 million more than the revenues from it in 2024.
Among the regions, the largest amounts were paid in the Dnipropetrovsk region (UAH 1.1 billion) and Kyiv (UAH 1 billion). Significant revenues were also recorded in the Ivano-Frankivsk (UAH 640 million) and Zaporizhzhia (UAH 392 million) regions.
On December 24, Zaporizhzhia utility Zapoprozhelektrotrans announced a tender for compulsory insurance of civil liability of owners of land vehicles, according to the Prozorro electronic public procurement system.
The expected cost of the services is UAH 423.3 thousand.
The tender proposal is not required to be secured.
The deadline for submitting bids is January 1.
As reported, the winner of a similar tender a year earlier was VUSO Insurance Company.
Metinvest Group’s Zaporizhstal Iron and Steel Works has modernized the transfer trolleys between the departments of its Cold Rolling Shop (CRS), allocating UAH 2 million for this purpose.
According to the company, the upgrade took four months to complete, and the transportation of rolled products from one department of the Cold Rolling Shop to another has become safer and more efficient.
It is specified that the trolleys were replaced with more modern electrical equipment, additional warning beacons, as well as optical and radiation sensors were installed.
“Zaporizhstal is one of the largest industrial enterprises in Ukraine, whose products are in great demand among consumers both in the domestic market and in many countries around the world.
“Zaporizhstal is in the process of integration into Metinvest Group, whose major shareholders are System Capital Management (71.24%) and Smart Holding Group (23.76%).
Metinvest Holding LLC is the management company of Metinvest Group.
Ukraine and Norway have agreed to allow Ukrainian carriers to carry out transportation without permits until September 30, 2024, the press service of the Ministry of Community Development, Territories and Infrastructure (Ministry of Reconstruction) reports.
In August 2024, a meeting of the specialized commission will be held to discuss the extension of the “transport visa-free regime” with Norway for a longer period, Deputy Minister of Communities, Territories and Infrastructure of Ukraine Serhiy Derkach wrote on Facebook on Wednesday.
“Our goal and task is to ensure that Ukrainian carriers can carry out transportation without permits to as many countries as possible. Currently, we have agreed with Norway to extend the previous agreement, and we expect that the term of the “transport visa-free regime” will be extended soon,” Derkach emphasized.
According to him, the liberalization of transportation will help Ukraine not only to increase the volume of cargo transportation, but also to integrate into the European and global transportation system.
Liberalization of freight transportation is possible for vehicles of Euro 5 and higher environmental standards. Drivers must have a certificate confirming the environmental class of the truck when performing transportation on board, the deputy minister noted.
The “transport visa-free regime” with Norway expired on June 30, 2024, after a liberal regime for carriers had been in effect for a year since August 2023.
Ukrainian carriers also have access to “transport visa-free travel” with 37 countries, including the European Union. Over the past year, in addition to Norway, the Ministry of Communities, Territories and Infrastructure of Ukraine has managed to agree on the liberalization of freight transportation with North Macedonia, Turkey, Moldova, Georgia and Montenegro, the Ministry of Reconstruction noted.
