International Aid to Ukraine, Attacks on Oil Refineries, and the Supreme Anti-Corruption Court’s Ruling: This Week’s News from Volodymyr Orlov
Ukraine is securing new financial agreements worth billions of euros for reconstruction, while international partners continue to expand their support for the economy and infrastructure. At the same time, the war continues, potential negotiations are being discussed, and strikes on Russian energy infrastructure are intensifying. Ukrainians are being warned of a difficult period for the power grid this summer due to the heat and repairs at nuclear power plants.
According to Volodymyr Orlov, the main outcome of the International Conference on Ukraine’s Recovery in Gdańsk was the signing of 160 agreements totaling more than 10 billion euros. These include a €3.2 billion tranche from the EU, a $3.4 billion agreement with the World Bank, and agreements with the European Investment Bank on rebuilding infrastructure in frontline regions.
He also emphasizes that international partners are increasingly shifting from traditional aid to investments in the Ukrainian economy. The report highlights that the private sector is viewed as a key driver of recovery. “International financial institutions, governments, and business associations are ready to continue supporting Ukrainian private business,” Volodymyr Orlov quotes from the conference’s concluding statements.
The issue then discusses international politics. According to Volodymyr Orlov, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the possibility of negotiations in Minsk, but at the same time outlined military objectives regarding Donbas and so-called “Novorossiya.”
Orlov notes that the Office of the President of Ukraine dismissed these statements as having no real significance, recalling the start of a full-scale invasion from Belarusian territory in 2022. The Ukrainian side emphasizes that there are no preconditions for dialogue under the current circumstances. A separate section addresses the situation on the front lines and strikes on Russian territory. Volodymyr Orlov reports that Ukrainian forces struck two oil refineries on Russian territory, resulting in economic consequences.
According to him, Russia is already seeing rising fuel prices and localized supply disruptions. “In some places, there is no fuel at all; in others, gasoline prices have risen by 30% and diesel by 40%,” Orlov says, citing data from public reports. Since the beginning of the year, the host notes, Ukraine has significantly increased the intensity of its strikes on Russian oil refining infrastructure, resulting in substantial economic losses for Russia.
In the anti-corruption news segment, Volodymyr Orlov reports that the High Anti-Corruption Court (VAKS) has approved a plea agreement with the former State Secretary of the Ministry of Internal Affairs in a case involving the procurement of video surveillance systems at inflated prices. According to the investigation, the state suffered losses of approximately 16 million hryvnias. He also draws attention to the issue of transparency in such processes, as some of the materials and terms of the agreements are not publicly available.
It is separately noted that the court left the pretrial measure for former Head of the President’s Office Andriy Yermak unchanged. It is also reported that bail in the amount of 150 million hryvnias was posted for former Minister of Energy Herman Halushchenko.
In the energy sector, Volodymyr Orlov warns of a difficult period in July and August. According to him, rolling blackouts have already resumed in a number of regions, and the causes of future risks include the heat wave and maintenance work at nuclear power plants. “If there are no new large-scale attacks, we’ll get through it just fine. If there are, more severe power outages are possible,” Orlov quotes energy officials as saying.
At the end of the broadcast, he urged Ukrainians to reduce their electricity consumption during the evening peak hours from 6:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. He made these remarks in the final segment of UA News.
Russia is considering several scenarios for new offensive operations against Ukraine. According to Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrskyi, one of the most likely targets could be the Chernihiv region, where the occupiers may attempt to break through from the Bryansk region of the Russian Federation.
