You're reading: Ukraine Digest: Wednesday, Feb. 26

Zelensky promises not to trade Crimea for peace in Donbas

President Volodymyr Zelensky also pledged further support for residents of the Crimean peninsula with help from Azerbaijan and Turkey.

Ukraine’s MetInvest pays fine for Mariupol pollution

Ecological regulators are finally delivering results, issuing more than $500,000 in fines against the company.

Deloitte Ukraine CEO talks Naftogaz, auditor’s growth, mistakes

Sergiy Kulyk spoke to the Kyiv Post about curbing widespread base erosion and profit sharing.

Video: Award-winning teacher wants to transform Ukraine’s education system

Oleksandr Cherkas is one of Ukraine’s best teachers — and he has the awards to prove it.

FROM THE ARCHIVES

President Volodymyr Zelensky renewed pledge to protect Crimea this week, allaying fears that Ukraine might trade the peninsula in exchange for Russian concessions in occupied Donbas.

Crimean Tatars are undoubtedly the most at-risk population on the peninsula. Since Russia’s occupation began in 2014, the Crimean Tatar parliament has been branded a terrorist organization and kidnappings, arrests and bogus criminal cases have become the new routine, the Kyiv Post wrote in 2016.

The population has continued to speak out (see our reporting from 2017) despite persecution that continues today. Support from Ukraine’s government is essential.