MOSCOW, July 18 – Russia’s Foreign Ministry said Friday it was concerned over joint NATO-Ukraine naval exercises in the Black Sea, its first such complaint the in many years the annual Sea Breeze exercises have been running.

KIEV, July 19 - The Ukrainian government at a cabinet meeting on Wednesday considered and sent for elaboration of a draft resolution on the management of corporate rights in UkrTatNafta transnational financial and industrial oil company (the Kremenchuk oil refinery in Poltava region), which foresees a transfer of the whole Ukrainian stake in the company to the cabinet, Economy Minister Anatoliy Kinakh has told the press.

KIEV, July 19 - Ukraine on Thursday suspended all shipments of yellow phosphorus in reaction to the train crash on Monday that produced a toxic cloud in western Ukraine threatening 11,000 people, an official said.

KIEV, July 19 - At least 143 people have been hospitalized in Ukraine for symptoms blamed on a toxic cloud formed by chemicals leaking from a crashed train near Lviv, the Healthcare Ministry reported Thursday.

KIEV, July 20 - The Regions Party, a pro-Russian group that seeks to appoint the prime minister and most of the government, Thursday attacked the 2006 budget as a ???catastrophe??? and pledged to change it quickly.

KIEV, July 20 - Yulia Tymoshenko, the leader of the second largest group in Parliament, pledged to create a single bloc of pro-Western parties to defeat pro-Russian Regions Party in the event of an early election.

KIEV, July 20 - President Viktor Yushchenko will probably take two weeks to decide on nomination of Viktor Yanukovych, the leader of pro-Russian Regions Party, for the post of the prime minister, Yushchenko??™s spokeswoman said Thursday.

KIEV, July 20 - President Viktor Yushchenko has rejected the resignation of Deputy Prime Minister Roman Bezsmertny, Iryna Heraschenko, spokesperson for the president, reported on Tuesday, according to Interfax-Ukraine.

KIEV, July 19 ??“ President Viktor Yushchenko on Tuesdayn signed a decree dismissing the entire traffic police department and gave the government three months to cope with the sweeping change.

TIRASPOL, July 19 ??“ Ukraine may ease its trade blockade of TransDnistria, Moldova??™s breakaway republic, now that Tiraspol has indicated support for a regional settlement plan initiated by President Viktor Yushchenko, an official said.