You're reading: Daily Digest: Top news of April 23

•Ukrainian citizenship gained more value as the country leaped 19 positions up in the latest Quality of Nationality Index. Ukraine now ranks 80th having moved up from 99th position.

•US renews calls for Ukraine to set up anti-corruption court, raise gas prices. The request came during a meeting of acting U.S. Secretary of State John Sullivan and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin as G7 foreign ministers meet in Toronto, Canada.

•Ukraine’s state commission on international trade denied the request of the largest oil refining company Ukrtatnafta to investigate alleged irregularities in petrol and diesel imports to Ukraine. Ukrtatnafta is linked to oligarch Ihor Kolomoisky.

•Ukraine’s second largest state-owned bank Oschadbank is accused of squandering millions of dollars on overpriced goods and services it didn’t need.

•Suma Chakrabarti, president of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, emphasized the importance of Ukraine moving forward with privatization as he met with Finance Minister Oleksandr Danylyuk. Privatizing the country’s more than 3,000 state-owned enterprises is one of the main tools for attracting investment.

•Standard & Poor’s affirms ratings on Ukraine at B- and B. The ratings can go lower if international donors question the country’s ability to repay its debt.

•Ukrainians can travel to China’s Hainan Province without visas starting on May 1st.

•Ukraine’s President Petro Poroshenko said that low-cost airlines Ryanair entering Lviv will boost the number of tourists coming from the European Union.

•United Nations reports that more than 2,500 civilians have been killed in Ukraine’s Donbas region. More than 9,000 have been injured as well.

•Russia continues to violate international rules as it shells Ukrainian forces 47 times. At least one Ukrainian soldier was killed.