The lack of prison time for Serhiy Demishkan – the son of a close ally of President Viktor Yanukovych – despite his conviction for crimes that led to a man’s brutal murder is themost recent shocking exampleof Ukraine’sincredibly unjust judicial system.

The foreign ministry's attempt at positively spinning a recent press freedom report has backfired.

What has to happen in order for Ukraine to start benefiting from the Association Agreement with the EU, and the associated Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement (DCFTA), conclusion of negotiations on which were announced at the EU/Ukraine Summit on 19 December?

Oleg Bondarenko, director of the Russian-Ukrainian Information Center, publicist and politologist claims that "in the awakened Russian civil society there is an urgent demand for a natural leader, not prearranged from the top, not imposed by the past, and not imagined by the Internet users." "We are not a crowd, we are not stupid, we are sons and daughters of Ukraine!" - sang Ukrainian group "GreenJolly" in their song Together we are many, which became the informal anthem of Maidan 2004. Read more here.

If the Euro 2012 started tomorrow, tens of thousands of visitors from all over the world would arrive in Kyiv. Most of them will come to the heart of modern-day Ukraine: Maidan Nezalezhnosti or Independence Square.

When visitors come to this place many they will remember the courageous protests during the 2004 Orange Revolution and for some, even the student protests and hunger strikes during the downfall of the Soviet Union in 1990. Many others, perhaps not as well-versed in history, will come to the square simply because it is one of the nicest places in Kyiv to sit, rest, people-watch, grab a snack and buy souvenirs.

Dear Editor,

On behalf of Black Iron Inc. (“Black Iron” or the “Company”), our shareholders, and your interested readership, we would like to express our concern over how the company has been portrayed in your recent editorial pieces and provide you with an appropriate introduction and true facts. ( Dec. 2 story"American TV personalities arrive to polish image of Ukraine's politicians" and Dec. 2 story "King bootlicker.")

We believe we are in the process of building something of significance for our shareholders, and just as importantly, creating a major opportunity for Ukraine. To our knowledge this Project will be the largest foreign investment in Ukraine for a Greenfield (i.e. new) mine to date. Construction and daily operation of the mine will result in substantial job creation plus tens of millions in new tax revenues for the country.