KIEV, Feb. 16 – Ukraine's president-elect Viktor Yanukovych will take an oath of loyalty to the Ukrainian people at an extraordinary ceremonial meeting of the Verkhovna Rada on February 25.

A total of 238 MPs passed a resolution to that effect on Tuesday.

KIEV, Feb. 16 – Outgoing President Viktor Yushchenko said Tuesday the policies of his newly elected successor risk turning Ukraine back into a Kremlin vassal state, the Associated Press reported.

MOSCOW, Feb. 16 - Standard & Poor's Ratings Services has placed its 'B' long-term foreign currency and 'B+' local currency sovereign credit ratings on Ukraine on CreditWatch with negative implications, reflecting mounting execution risks to the country's Standby Arrangement with the IMF.

KIEV, Feb. 16 – The rapid worsening of the economic climate and conditions for operating businesses in Ukraine is affecting the main credit characteristics of the banks in the country, according to a report by Standard & Poor's.

KIEV, Feb. 16 – Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko does not have enough legislative support in Parliament to reshuffle the government and this may delay appointment of key ministers, a Tymoshenko lawmaker said Monday.

KIEV, Feb. 16 – Arseniy Yatseniuk, a former Parliamentary speaker, has increased his rating to become the third-most popular leader in Ukraine and one of the favorites ahead of the next presidential election, polls suggest.

KIEV, Feb. 13 – Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko has called on Japanese investors to implement investment projects in Ukraine, as well as privatize thermoelectric power stations and grow farm products in the country for export.

KIEV, Feb. 16 ??“ Finance Minister Viktor Pynzenyk has taken two months off to campaign for his party at the upcoming general election, Prime Minister Yuriy Yekhanurov said Thursday responding to speculations that the minister has resigned.

WARSAW, Feb. 16 ??“ Ukraine would need three months to reverse operation of Odessa-Brody oil pipeline in order to start moving Caspian Sea crude to markets in Europe, Prime Minister Yuriy Yekhanurov said Thursday.

KIEV, Feb. 16 ??“ Russia apparently turned down Ukraine??™s proposal to replace RosUkrEnergo, a Swiss-based controversial gas trader, as the key natural gas supplier to the country during the next five years.