KIEV, Jan. 18 - President Viktor Yushchenko and Sergei Sikorsky, a co-founder of Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation, a world leader in the design and manufacture of helicopters, on Thursday discussed plans for joint projects in Ukraine.

KIEV, Jan. 18 - Ukraine's economic growth slowed down to 2.4% on the year in 2005 compared with 12.3% expansion recorded in 2004 amid a decline in capital investments.

KIEV, Jan. 18 - Ukrainian retail sales rose 23% in all of 2005, compared with the previous year, as the government increased social payments such as pensions and wages, the state statistics committee reported.

KIEV, Jan. 18 ??“ Oil production with gas condensate in Ukraine in 2005 rose 3.8% compared to 2004, to 4.3 mln tons, including a rise in oil output by 5%, to 3.1 mln tons, Fuel and Energy Ministry reported.

KIEV, Jan. 18 ??“ A wave of extremely cold weather has swept Russia over the past two days triggering to reductions in Russian natural gas supplies to Europe via Ukrainian pipelines, an official said Wednesday.

KIEV, Jan. 18 ??“ President Viktor Yushchenko and Parliament Speaker Volodymyr Lytvyn have been holding talks Wednesday on ways of ending a political crisis that had aggravated last week following a no-confidence vote in the government.

MOSCOW, Jan. 17 ??“ Russia will probably suspend plans to buy Antonov An-70, a Ukrainian-designed aircraft, for its army amid concerns the plane is bigger that has been required, Russian Air Force Commander-in-Chief Vladimir Mikhailov said.

KIEV, Jan. 17 ??“ Former Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych, still trying to mount a legal challenge to his presidential election defeat a, tried to resubmit his lawsuit to a new court on Monday, but the Supreme Court rejected the move.

KIEV, Jan. 17 ??“ The government will have to cough up 12 billion hryvnias to the Pension Fund this year to make sure retirees keep getting their doubled pensions, acting Prime Minister Mykola Azarov said.

KIEV, Jan. 17 ??“ Two major rivals for the post of the prime minister dismissed speculations Monday of a brewing split in the coalition that had led opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko to spectacular victory at presidential election.