Kiev, Dec 21 (UiTV/IANS) – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky visited the frontline city of Bakhmut in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region, the presidential press service reported.
During his working visit on Tuesday, Zelensky met with personnel of a mechanised brigade involved in the confrontation with Russian forces on the approaches to the city.
He listened to the commander’s report on the operational situation on the frontline and thanked the Ukrainian military for their courage, resilience and strength demonstrated during the fighting, Xinhua news agency reported.
The Ukrainian President also awarded troops from the mechanised, motorised infantry, mountain assault, tank, artillery and airmobile units with state awards.
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In recent weeks, Bakhmut has been the epicentre of the fighting between Ukrainian and Russian troops.
IMF approves new program to support Ukraine’s macroeconomic stability
The IMF has approved a new programme for Ukraine to support its macroeconomic and financial stability and catalyse donor financing, the National Bank of Ukraine said.
The four-month Program Monitoring with Board Involvement does not directly provide financial assistance, but creates instruments for transitioning to a new, long-term upper-credit tranche programme of the IMF, the bank said in a statement on Tuesday.
The programme is aimed at mobilising state budget revenues, strengthening the financial sector, and improving management transparency and effectiveness for state-owned enterprises, Xinhua news agency reported.
“Ukraine hopes that the approval of the programme will provide our partners with confidence and optimal conditions to ensure sufficiently rhythmic financial inflows amid high needs of the balance of payments and the state budget,” Andriy Pyshnyy, the Bank’s Governor, was quoted as saying in the statement.
