Ukraine and Lithuania agree on construction of explosives factory
Source: Lithuania’s economy ministry
On Wednesday, Ukraine and Lithuania said they will join forces to build a “next-generation” explosives factory in Lithuania to produce hexogen. The move is set to bolster the “defense capabilities of Ukraine and its European allies.
According to the memorandum of intent, its construction is set to begin next year. Lithuania’s economy minister, Aušrinė Armonaitė, emphasized that the project sends a “clear signal to the aggressor that we will not back down.”
Kyiv keeps under wraps the name of the Ukrainian company involved in the project for security reasons. Lithuanian ministry officials revealed that the company operates in a “highly sensitive sector” and falls under Ukraine’s defense umbrella.
Lithuanian deputy minister Erika Kurochkina highlighted Lithuania’s active efforts to create favorable conditions for defense enterprises and attract foreign investment. She argued that the explosives plant is just “one of several joint defense projects” launched by Ukraine and Lithuania, with talks ongoing about the development of drones and other defense technologies.
Amendments to Ukraine’s enforcement proceedings legislation, initiated by the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine, have entered into force. Among other measures, the reform provides for the automated lifting of attachments on bank accounts immediately after debts in enforcement proceedings have been fully settled. The main practical benefit for citizens is the complete elimination of the need to contact an enforcement officer in person and wait for paper decisions once the debt has been paid.
The 157th Separate Mechanized Brigade has received another batch of supplies as part of Rinat Akhmetov’s Steel Front military initiative. This time, the military received seven quad bikes and four mobile shower and bath units.
In my previous column, I wrote about social innovations in Ukraine. Those innovations are part of civic resilience and the democratization of security, which Europe is paying close attention to right now. The EU is trying to work out how to spread responsibility for its own security across society as a whole, rather than leaving it to institutions alone. It is looking for concrete ways to bring ordinary people into the work of defense and resistance.
Petro Poroshenko’s lawyers have appealed to the High Anti-Corruption Court demanding that NABU be obligated to register proceedings regarding the fact of exerting influence on the court and to recognize Petro Poroshenko as a victim in the case of the Deputy Head of the Office of the President, Iryna Mudra, due to her pressure on Supreme Court judges who were considering a lawsuit to overturn sanctions.
Internationally recognized brands and financial institutions should direct capital to Ukraine now, not waiting for the hostilities to end. This was emphasized by Rinat Akhmetov, president of FC Shakhtar, during a working visit to UEFA headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland, where he met with UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin.