LONDON, Dec. 17 - Ukrainian opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko was poisoned by TCDD, the most harmful known form of dioxin and a key ingredient of the Vietnam-era herbicide Agent Orange, the scientist who conducted tests on the presidential candidate's blood said Friday.

KIEV, Dec. 19 ??“ Volodymyr Satsyuk, who was recently dismissed from his job as a top security service official, said Sunday he would hire private detectives to prove his innocence in the poisoning of opposition presidential candidate Viktor Yushchenko.

KYIV, Nov 17 – The Development Bank of the Council of Europe (CEB) has approved the first concessional loan financing for Ukraine for EUR 100 million, the funds will be sent to the Ministry of Health to ensure the stable operation of the system and modernize the network of medical facilities, the Ministry of Finance reported on Friday.

KYIV, Nov 19 - Russian drones targeted Kyiv on Sunday as the British Defense Ministry said there were “few immediate prospects” for major change along the Ukrainian front line as the war enters its second winter.

KYIV, Nov 20 – Ukraine exports more than 70% of its agricultural products, so free access to various transport channels, in particular automobile ones through Ukrainian-Polish checkpoints, is critical not only for Ukrainian producers, but also Polish ones, First Deputy Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food Taras Vysotsky said on the air of the unified national telethon.

KYIV, Nov 20 – Ukrainian energy and power generating facilities, in preparation for the heating season and predicted missile and drone attacks by Russia, received three levels of physical protection.

KYIV, Nov 20 - US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin visited Kyiv on Monday, in a surprise trip to Ukraine to reemphasize the US’ support for the embattled country amid other pressing challenges abroad.

KYIV, Nov 18 – Russian armed aggression against Ukraine and temporary occupation of part of its territories will lead to a reduction in the country's harvest in 2022-2023 marketing season to 65 million tons, which is 35% less than in 2021-2022, when the country harvested over 100 million tons of crops.

KYIV, Nov 18 – President Volodymyr Zelensky discussed with Executive Vice President of the European Commission Valdis Dombrovskis the issues of urgent financial support for Ukraine until the end of this year, as well as the involvement of the European Commission in the launch of the Ukraine Recovery Fund.

KYIV, Nov 20 - Powerful explosions from shelling shook Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia region, the site of Europe’s largest nuclear power plant, the global nuclear watchdog said Sunday, calling for “urgent measures to help prevent a nuclear accident” in the Russian-occupied facility.