KIEV, Oct. 9 – Fitch Ratings has downgraded the city of Kiev's Long-term local currency Issuer Default Rating (IDR) to 'Restricted Default' (RD) from 'C' and its National Long-term rating to 'RD(ukr)' from 'CCC(ukr)'.

KIEV, Oct. 11 - President Petro Poroshenko on Sunday stressed the need for legitimate elections in the country's separatist regions in order to eventually re-integrate the pro-Moscow strongholds, AFP reported.

LIMA, Oct. 11 - Ukraine is confident the international community will not let Russia hold "hostage" an IMF bailout package that Kiev needs to avoid default, a source close to the Ukrainian government said Saturday, AFP reported.

KIEV, Oct. 9 – Parliament has given first-reading approval a draft law which would permit the seizure of the property of any persons as a part of an investigation into criminal cases if law-enforcement agencies have enough proof.

ASTANA, Oct. 9 - Kazakhstan has expressed its interest in discussing projects to supply Kiev with oil products, gas condensate and uranium concentrate, of Energy and Coal Industry Minister Volodymyr Demchyshyn said.

KIEV, Oct. 10 – Prime Minister Mykola Azarov says that the worsening of conditions for the broadcasting of national television channels is unacceptable.

In a letter sent to the heads of cable operators, Azarov asked them to find an opportunity for TVi Channel to broadcast its programs in cable networks.

KRUSHYNKA, Oct. 10 – Ukraine is set to fulfill its obligations to the Council of Europe on the introduction of biometric passports, President Viktor Yanukovych said.

KIEV, Oct. 11 - Ukraine will stop importing any Russian natural gas whatsoever unless Russia agrees to lower its natural gas prices, Prime Minister Mykola Azarov warned Thursday.

KIEV, Oct. 11 – Law enforcement agencies are looking into why three Ukrainian western regions have rejected legislation allowing wider use of Russian and other ethnic languages, and may launch criminal prosecutions of local leaders.

KIEV, Oct. 10 – President Viktor Yanukovych has signed law No. 3812-VI on the ratification of the guarantee agreement (the energy efficiency project) between Ukraine and the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the president's press service reported on Monday.