Ukrainian studies

Bulgaria's government dismissed the Ukrainian citizen Ivan Avramov from the position honorary consul of Bulgaria in eastern Ukraine over reports that he is involved in alcohol contraband.

The Ukrainian government has confirmed that thousands of Russian soldiers are withdrawing from the Russian territories bordering Ukraine.

Kiev has nevertheless warned Moscow is still allowing fighters to enter Ukraine and joint pro-Russian rebels who control parts of the Donbass region, the website Lenta.ru reports.

Up to twelve people could have died in the city of Donetsk in Ukraine's east since Saturday, according to various reports.

Donetsk's city council said in a statement on Sunday that four were killed and 11 left wounded after heavy fighting. A few hours later it announced the situation had deescalated.

Hungary's gas operator FGSZ suspended natural gas supplies to Ukraine for an indefinite period of time, Thursday.

Ukraine has been receiving gas from Hungary, Poland and Slovakia since Russia cut off supplies to Ukraine in June in a dispute over unpaid bills.

Ukraine's state-owned gas firm, Naftogaz, called the move "unexpected and unexplained", the BBC reports.

Russia and Ukraine are holding European Union-brokered talks on their long-running gas dispute as pressure mounts for a solution to head off a winter supply crisis in Ukraine and beyond

Ukraine's President Petro Poroshenko said he would present a broad plan of social and economic reforms which would allow the country to apply for membership of the EU in six years

Russia and Ukraine should urgently resolve their gas price dispute, German Chancellor Angela Merkel has said ahead of a new meeting between Kiev and Moscow.

Ukraine's President Petro Poroshenko announced Sunday he was initiating a fund for the restoration of the infrastructure in the war-torn eastern Ukraine.

Fearing a price dispute between Moscow and Kiev may lead to disruptions in Russian gas deliveries via Ukraine, Bulgaria is preparing to avert a gas crisis in winter months.

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Bulgaria on Wednesday welcomed the ratification of the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement which it expects will help Kiev build strong political and economic ties with the bloc.