KYIV, Dec 27 - The overwhelming majority of Ukrainians believe that the events in Ukraine are developing in the wrong direction, according to a poll conducted by the Ilko Kucheriv Democratic Initiatives Foundation and the Razumkov Center's sociological service.

KYIV, Dec. 28 - European leaders have hailed a long-awaited exchange of prisoners between Kyiv and Russia-backed separatists that enabled hundreds of former captives to return to their homes for the New Year holiday, RFE/RL reported.

KIEV, Dec. 28 – President Petro Poroshenko has signed into law bill No. 5130 amending a number of Ukrainian laws and doubling the minimum wage in Ukraine to UAH 3,200 a month starting from January 1, 2017, according to a statement posted on the Verkhovna Rada website on Tuesday.

KIEV, Dec. 28 - The organization charged with monitoring the Russia-fomented conflict in eastern Ukraine confirmed on Wednesday that it suffered a data breach “compromising the confidentiality” of its computer network, ABC News reported.

KIEV, Dec. 27 - Economic Development and Trade Minister Stepan Kubiv states Ukraine has implemented all the necessary commitments to obtain the next tranche from the International Monetary Fund under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) program.

KIEV, Dec. 27 – Ukraine has received the second tranche of EU non-repayable financial assistance in the amount of EUR 55.125 million as part of the financing agreement signed by the Government of Ukraine and the European Commission in 2014.

MOSCOW, Dec. 26 - Ukraine has cut off power to Crimea for the second time in a week, the Kryminform news agency said on Friday.

"Ukraine fully discontinued power supply to the Republic of Crimea at about 1:50 p.m. (Moscow time) today, for the second time in a week.

BERLIN, Dec 28 - German Chancellor Angela Merkel appealed to the Russian government on Sunday to use its influence on separatists in eastern Ukraine to implement a ceasefire plan agreed in Minsk in September aimed at ending the conflict, Reuters reported.

KIEV, Dec. 27 - Ukrainian authorities and separatists exchanged hundreds of prisoners of war on Friday, a spokesman for President Petro Poroshenko said, part of a 12-point plan aimed at ending the pro-Russian uprising in the east of the country, Reuters reported.

KIEV, Dec. 28 - Ukraine's parliament backed on Sunday the final reading of laws that will simplify tax legislation and impose additional duties on imports, improving the chances a 2015 budget will be approved soon as required by the country's Western backers, Reuters reported.