You're reading: Daily Digest: Top news of Thursday, July 18

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Top news – only 2 days until Ukraine’s parliamentary election on Sunday, July 21:

  • Russia’s war against Ukraine splintered the east and fractured Ukraine’s parliamentary districts in the region. Two districts in particular have 10 to 20 times fewer voters than the average and each one is at risk of being controlled by shady candidates, including the brother of Viktor Medvedchuk.
  • The Security Service opened a criminal investigation into ArcelorMittal for air pollution in Kryvyi Rih, shortly after President Volodymyr Zelensky called the company out. Kryvyi Rih is one of the most polluted cities in Ukraine.
  • The president’s Servant of the People party stands to gain half of all parliamentary seats in the snap elections taking place this Sunday. The opposition Platform For Life, a pro-Russian party is the runner-up with 10.5 percent of the projected vote. This is the last poll before the election.
  • Elections Without Liesa fact-checking initiative by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and Kyiv Post, lets you know which parliamentary candidates lied and which told the truth. 
  • Ukraine and Russia-backed militants in the Donbas agreed to a cease-fire and an exchange of a total 277 prisoners. According to the deal, 69 Ukrainians held captive in the occupied territories will be swapped for 208 people held in Ukrainian prisons.
  • Maksym Nefyodov, the new head of the State Customs Service, said he will clean the house of corrupt officials. He will also change customs codes and reduce the number of regional customs points.
  • Ukraine plans to overhaul its citizenship process in response to Russia’s attempt to fast track Ukrainian applications for Russian passports.
  • 74 Ukrainian towns will receive a total of Hr 41.3 million to implement “cultural ideas,” according to Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman.