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Looking for wild mushrooms? Look to Ukraine. The country is a hotbed for wild mushrooms and foraging them to eat and sell is something of a national pastime.

This year, a bumper crop of mushrooms is rewarding locals with plenty to eat and sell to restaurants, which is helping some families navigate an economic downturn during the pandemic.

Related: How did tourism become so popular?

But because of the virus, other mushroom-loving Ukrainians are hurting namely, tour guides who lead mushroom-foraging trips.

Andriy Gnytka is the founder of Green Ukraine, a company that designs tours for visitors to western Ukraines Carpathian Mountains. But although hes a native Ukrainian, he didnt always love mushrooms.

Related:'Travel bubbles': Whos in and whos out of the plan to save global tourism

It all started from one of my guests [who] was from Germany. And he said, my wife would like to come to Ukraine to pick up mushrooms. And I said, who would go to another country to pick up mushrooms?

It all started from one of my guests [who] was from Germany, Gnytka said. And he said, My wife would like to come to Ukraine to pick up mushrooms. And I said, who would go to another country to pick up mushrooms?

Gnytka hadnt realized that foraging for mushrooms in his home region which is rural and virtually untouched by modern industry would appeal to visitors.

Slowly, slowly, I had to learn something about mushrooms. How they grow, how to cook them, he said. And this is how we love each other, me and mushrooms.

But this year, that love was unrequited. Even with a glut of mushrooms (porcini, chanterelleand morels are most common to the region), Gnytka didnt have anyone to teach the joys of mushroom foraging.

In an average year, Gnytkas company, which also leads horseback and Jeep tours, would see a steady stream of tourists from March to November.

This year, I only had guests three times [because of the pandemic], he said. So, it's a really big problem for me.

Related:Tourism in Tunisia reopens with precautions

While Gnytka relies on tourists to pick mushrooms, some locals rely on the mushrooms themselves picking them to sell to restaurants brings money in for those who have lost jobs during the pandemic.

Most of the people, they pick up mushrooms and then they can earn some extra money by selling them, Gnytka said.

But he said he doesnt know anyone personally whose sole income comes from picking mushrooms most of the foragers he knows who sell have some sort of additional income stream.

Gnytka does, too. In addition to Green Ukraine, he also runs a transport company. And while in quarantine, he developed a program that helps people find out if theyre being scammed by internet dating websites. That venture, he says, is doing well.

You have to be flexible in this life, said Gnytka, who has two young daughters.

When tourism is zero, you have to think about what to do next.

Excerpt from:
Ukraine is wild about mushrooms even during the pandemic - The World

Rostislav Solod, 19, is the youngest lawmaker in the city of Kramatorsk, Ukraine. Hes also a crypto millionaire.

Solod is the son of two national parliament members, Yuri Solod and Natalia Korolevska. He entered politics this autumn, fresh out of school. In his obligatory property declaration, he said he owned 185,000 monero, or $24.5 million worth of the cryptocurrency.

This was, in fact, the only piece of property the young lawmaker owned himself. Everything else in his declaration, including real estate, cars and trademarks, belongs to his parents.

Solod told CoinDesk during a recent interview that he started watching crypto when he was at school, around 2014. Bitcoin did not attract him. Monero (XMR), on the other hand, seemed like a more viable cryptocurrency due to its anonymity and constant demand by the dark market, Solod said.

He accumulated monero through 2015 on exchanges, he said, using his savings and some money his parents gave him for a business project that never happened. Solod never really liked school, he said, so he spent a lot of time studying financial markets and learning about crypto.

Ukraine, which was rated by Chainalysis as the country with the highest crypto adoption level in the world, is now in the process of passing its first legislation regulating crypto. Solod admits that, at first, he was not crazy about this.

For me, as an entrepreneur and a young guy, this is bad: I used to see crypto as an island in the ocean, untouched by a sinful hand. An absolutely free zone where everyone can do anything. But as a politician, I understand that this law will bring money into the [countrys] budget, Solod said.

Moneros privacy feature no longer applies to Solod. He must report all his property as a public official, thanks to a law intended to prevent corruption and illegal enrichment in the countrys echelons of power. Going forward, the young politician might liquidate the crypto and reinvest the money into a new business project, he said.

Solod is thinking about getting into crypto mining (no decision on what coin so far) and buying some tokens from the freshly launched Efforce project supported by Apple co-founder Steve Wozlniak. But his favorite crypto-related plan is launching his own token, Solod said.

Elections and the political career distracted me from these plans for a while, he said.

They distract him from his studies as well. Solod said hes currently pursuing an economy major at the Royal Holloway University in London. Hes studying remotely due to the coronavirus quarantine, he said, although its sometimes hard to find time for both work and school.

Asked why he decided to go into politics, Solod referred to his family, saying that he was born in it.

I was interested to figure out why the country isnt developing, Solod said. I really want to change the situation with the corruption. The old methods to prevent it arent working anymore.

More here:
Meet the Teenage Ukrainian Lawmaker With Millions in Monero - CoinDesk - Coindesk

The European Investment Bank (EIB) and the Government of Ukraine today signed three loans totalling 640 million to foster the sustainable growth of Ukraine and the prosperity of its people. The operations are in line with the priorities of the Government of Ukraine and the European Union to support the long-term social and economic development of eastern Ukraine and integration of the conflict-affected regions as well as the development of sustainable municipal transport and the modernisation of the transport infrastructure in the country.

EIB President Werner Hoyer said:The EIB is proud of our continuing contribution to the social and economic development of Ukraine in support of European Union policy in the country. Today, we are investing 640 million to overhaul and modernise infrastructure in conflict-affected eastern Ukraine, to improve the quality and reliability of public transport in up to 20 cities in the country, and to modernise 183km of roads in eastern Ukraines Luhansk Region. Thismeans the people of Ukraine will benefit from modern, safe and fast connections and the new business opportunities they bring. Refurbished schools, hospitals and public services will also help the country to recover faster from the pandemic and to increase its economic resilience. Together with our fellow EU institutions, the EIB looks forward to supporting Ukraine with projects like these and helping the country grow and develop faster and more sustainably as it progresses towards the EU.

EIB Vice-President Teresa Czerwiska, who is responsible for operations in Ukraine, added:With the projects signed today on infrastructure rehabilitation, better public transport and improved roads, the European Investment Bank reaffirms its commitment to helping Ukraine grow, develop and become an ever better place for living and doing business. Our support will reach parts of Ukraine affected by the armed conflicts, and assist in their recovery. Rehabilitated schools, hospitals, kindergartens and other public buildings in eastern Ukraine, as well as improved roads in the Luhansk region, will make life easier for 13.7 million people, help boost economic growth, connect people and increase trade. Ukraine will also benefit from modern, efficient and green public transport, which is key to successful climate action, increasing the countrys contribution to global climate action. As the EU bank, we are happy to support the Government of Ukraine, and directly translate the EU-Ukraine partnership into concrete investments.

The Ambassador of the European Union to Ukraine Matti Maasikas said: The European Union is proud to continue investing, together with the EIB, into two key areas support for conflict-affected regions of eastern Ukraine and sustainable, green infrastructure. Renovating infrastructure to have better schools, hospitals, community centres and housing has been a key component of the EUs support for social and economic recovery in the conflict-affected east. Improved and modern infrastructure is a major investment in the future of communities in eastern Ukraine. Road rehabilitation projects in the Luhansk region will have a direct impact on the economic and social recovery in eastern Ukraine. High-quality roads will bring tangible benefits to people, improving transportation links in the region and boosting the development of the agricultural sector. Urban mobility and sustainable, green public transport are high on the agenda of the European Union and among the priorities of Ukraines National Transport Strategy. By promoting a shift to more efficient and more environmentally friendly public transport, our investments will help local governments in selected cities to upgrade public transport and provide quality transport services to citizens.

The Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal remarked:I would like to sincerely thank the European Investment Bank for years of successful cooperation, for supporting Ukraine during its most volatile times, and the European Union for the complementary grant towards these operations. The loans signed today and the EU-funded technical assistance will help Ukraine to develop economy and resilient society, including in the regions most affected by the conflict. Restored infrastructure facilities in Eastern Ukraine, reconstruction and advancement of roads in Luhansk Oblast, and sustainable public transport will offer economic, environmental and social benefits for Ukrainians for many years to come. We are grateful to the European Union for its continued support, which has not faltered, but rather intensified during the coronavirus crisis. We are proud that Ukraine and the EU are moving forward together in these difficult times.

340million to boost infrastructure resilience in Ukraine

The 340million loan will support infrastructure rehabilitation and improve living and business conditions in conflict-affected regions of eastern Ukraine including oblasts that host a significant number of internally displaced persons (IDPs). Several hundred small to medium-sized projects will be financed at the municipal level to restore social infrastructure, improve public utility services and repair damaged administrative buildings and other key social infrastructure, including hospitals, schools, kindergartens, post offices, street lighting, sewerage systems, municipal transport and relevant transport infrastructure. The loan will benefit some 13.7million people, boost regional development and promote faster economic growth in Ukraine.

Under the 340million loan, the Ukrainian-controlled areas in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, as well as the neighbouring Kharkiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Kherson and Zaporizhia regions and city councils in other regions of Ukraine that are accommodating significant influxes of internally displaced persons (IDPs) will receive hands-on support to mitigate the effects of the conflict.

This operation follows theUkraine Early Recovery Programme,a 200million long-term investment in critical infrastructure facilities that supported 246 local and small-scale projects. From 2014 to 2020, the programme improved living conditions for more than 5.4million residents of Ukraine, including nearly 700000 IDPs and other vulnerable social groups.

15.2million in EU grants will support the EIB loan with technical assistance in project preparation and management.In particular, a 7million grant from the EU Neighbourhood Investment Platform (NIP) will support the programmes preparation and implementation. An additional 8.2million grant from the EU Delegation to Ukraine will support advocacy, help raise awareness among final beneficiaries, and assist them in preparing tenders and monitoring construction works, etc.

200 million to improve public transport for Ukraine

Up to 20 medium-sized and large cities in Ukraine will improve public transport as the EIB loans 200 million to the Ministry of Infrastructure. The loan from the EU bank will improve the connection between the cities in the region of Azov Sea in eastern Ukraine with the rest of the country, increasing the standard of living for some 10 million people.

Benefiting from the loan, Ukrainian cities will modernise their electric public transport rolling stock (trams, trolleybuses, metro coaches and electric buses), rehabilitate and construct new public transport infrastructure (e.g. tram lines, trolleybus lanes, sub-stations and depots). Safer, more comfortable and environmentally friendly vehicles will improve the service level and increase the attractiveness of public transport.The operation will also help reduce congestion and promote public transport as an effective and comfortable alternative for commuters.

The EIB loan comes with up to 4 million in grants for technical assistance in project implementation from the EUs Neighbourhood Investment Platform (NIP). In addition, the Eastern Partnership Technical Assistance Trust Fund (EPTATF) will grant 490000 to support project preparation in the early development stages.

100 million to improve road connections in eastern Ukraine

The EIB is investing 100 million to modernise 183km of roads in eastern Ukraines Luhansk Region. Citizens and businesses in the region will benefit from a modern road network along the Troitske-Severodonetsk-Starobilsk route.

Investment from the EU bank will improve connections with eastern Ukraines Luhansk Oblast, home to some 2 million people. The people of Ukraine will benefit from reduced travelling times and vehicle maintenance costs, and improved road safety. The World Bank will provide $100 million in a parallel financingloanto support the Eastern Ukraine: Reconnect, Recover, Revitalize (3R) project.

The EIB will finance the rebuilding of road infrastructure, installation of intelligent transportation system (ITS) equipment, such as weigh-in-motion stations, and investment in other road safety measures. Investment will also enhance conditions for living and doing business in eastern Ukraine by better integrating the regional agriculture sector into the national supply chain.

SOURCE: EIB

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Ukraine: The EIB invests 640 million to improve infrastructure resilience, public transport and road connections - Automotive World

INTRODUCTION

Entering its 7th year, the armed conflict in Eastern Ukraine is still active with 3.4 million people in need of humanitarian assistance. The COVID-19 pandemic has further compounded the ongoing crisis; as of December 8th the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 had surpassed 800,000 in the country. Actors including the World Health Organization (WHO) and oblast administrations expect that this is an underrepresentation of the situation, with levels of testing roughly equivalent to one confirmed case for every 14 tests completed, substantially higher than the WHO-recommended 5% positive samples. The population in Ukraine is particularly vulnerable to the COVID-19 outbreak, due to both an ageing population and high rates of chronic illness such as multidrug-resistant tuberculosis, heart disease, diabetes5 . Between the Government and Non-Government Controlled Areas (GCA and NGCA) of Donetsk and Luhansk Oblasts, elderly individuals account for almost one third (32%) of people in need the highest proportion among humanitarian crises worldwide.

With the fastest-growing domestic number of COVID-19 cases during the month of November, community engagement in infection prevention and control (IPC) practices is essential to stemming the spread of the virus. To inform humanitarian partners responding to the COVID-19 outbreak, the Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices Assessment (KAPA) was launched to evaluate the degree to which populations have access to and use information on COVID-19 and the recommended actions for reducing the risk of infection and transmission. It also seeks to understand household attitudes towards COVID-19 messaging, uptake of recommended preventative practices, as well as access to essential healthcare services and water and hygiene materials required to observe IPC measures. This third round focused on GCA residents, and data collection and analysis were completed in partnership with the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS) between 16 October and 1 November 2020. A total of 1.601 household surveys were completed via Computer-Assisted Telephone Interviews (CATI) using stratified simple random sampling of non-comprehensive resident lists. Findings are therefore representative with a 95% confidence level and a 5% margin of error, but may not be generalisable to all households in Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts in GCA. Settlements for the randomly selected respondents can be seen on the assessment coverage map on page 2. Findings presented in this factsheet may not include answers such as "Don't know" or "Decline to answer" and total percentages may therefore not sum to 100%. The full activity terms of reference can be accessed at this link.

Throughout this factsheet, findings for round 1 (July-August 2020) are displayed for comparison purposes (advisory only). Round 2 of the KAPA (September-October 2020) was conducted in NGCA and can be accessed on the REACH Resource Centre or following the clickable link.

KEY FINDINGS

TRENDS IN COVID-19 KNOWLEDGE

The perception of epidemiological trends in COVID-19 in Ukraine has changed considerably, with the majority of respondents in GCA now believing that COVID-19 is increasing in Ukraine (76% compared to 36% in round 1).

The proportion of respondents who suspect someone they know to have contracted COVID-19 is also on the rise (from 3% to 19%). This may be in line with the slight increase in the proportion of respondents who believe that COVID-19 is a contagious disease (from 79% to 84%).

Reported knowledge on other COVID-19 transmission dynamics remained similar across rounds, with the only exception being a shift towards shorter reported time periods (2-10 days) before an infected individual would begin showing symptoms.

TRENDS IN COVID-19 ATTITUDES

Despite the acknowledgement of increasing COVID-19 cases nationwide, the degree to which COVID-19 is perceived as an important issue has significantly reduced. From 46% of respondends who considered it to be either "very" or "extremely important" in July-August 2020, only 7% still think so. Instead, almost half (48%) of respondents now consider COVID-19 to be "not important at all".Similarly, there is a noticeable shift from a "more" fearful perception of COVID-19 in round 1 towards a "less" fearful one in round 3.

However, respondents have also increasingly reported greater levels of likelihood of developing the disease as compared with round 1. Particularly, the proportion of respondents who believe it is "very" or "extremely likely" to contract COVID-19 has nearly doubled from 12% to 23%.

CHANGES IN PRACTICES

A net downtrend can be observed for all reportedly adopted preventative measures against COVID-19, with in particular handwashing and avoiding crowded areas with the largest drop in values. This suggests that, on average, respondents were reporting fewer of these measures.

The mandatory wearing of masks in public is the sole public health measure implemented by the Government of Ukraine which achieves growing support, from 53% to 67% of respondents. All other measures did not experience any change in the reported level of support / opposition they had previously received.

Also, an overall decrease in the level of confidence granted to formal sources of information (local and national authorities, healthcare workers) can be noted between the two rounds.

Other notable trends include a general decrease in the proportion of respondents who have reportedly seen or heard public health advertisements between the two rounds, which could coincide with the slight rise in the share of respondents who have never sought out information on COVID-19 in the two weeks prior to the assessment (from 43% to 49%). Generally speaking, respondents have reported to be seeking out information less regularly than during round 1.

Eventually, a net decline in the proportion of respondents who can recall measures implemented by the Government can be observed, with the main change for quarantine (from 54% to 20%).

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Ukraine: COVID-19 Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices Assessment - Non-Government Controlled Areas of Donetsk and Luhansk, Round 3: November 2020 -...

Thankyou Mr Chair. We share the concerns expressed today by the EU and other international partners on Russias continued violation of OSCE principles and commitments in illegally annexed Crimea and in eastern Ukraine. Following the anniversary yesterday of the Normandy Four leaders Summit held in Paris, my statement will focus on two key commitments made at the summit: prisoner exchanges and the opening of new Entry Exit Checkpoints.

However, I would like to start by thanking the Albanian chairpersonship for rightly keeping a high focus on the conflict instigated and fuelled by Russia at this years Ministerial Council. The UK welcomed the opportunity to join international partners for a discussion, hosted by Ukrainian Foreign Minister Kuleba, on Russias illegal annexation of Crimea. We were also proud to join 34 other co-sponsors in putting forward a draft decision on strengthening OSCE monitoring at the uncontrolled segment of the Ukraine-Russia border; we regret that Russia refused to engage constructively on the text.

The UK continues to welcome the significant reduction of violence since the strengthened ceasefire came into effect on the 27 July, which was a key commitment of the Paris Summit. However, we were concerned to see that the SMMs weekly report of 8th December registered a two-fold increase in the weekly total of ceasefire violations, compared with the previous week, and more than a three-fold increase in the number of explosions. We were also saddened to read in the SMMs recent reporting, for the first time since the 27 July, of two civilians who have sustained injuries due to shelling, as well as of the first damage to civilian property recorded by the Mission. We must not be complacent.

Less progress has been made on other key commitments. As the holiday season approaches, we cannot forget those who remain in detention, separated from their families. At the Paris Summit, all sides agreed to promote the release and exchange of detained persons associated with the conflict. The prisoner exchanges in December 2019 and in April of this year clearly demonstrated what is possible when there is political will; however, there have been no further exchanges since and progress appears stalled. We remind Russia of its commitment and urgently call on it to match the political will Ukraine has shown on this issue.

We would also like to highlight the urgent need to make progress on another key Paris Summit commitment to open new Entry Exit Checkpoints. EECPs are essential for Ukrainian civilians to access jobs, education, pensions, medical care and to see their families. It is entirely unacceptable that a month after the agreed opening date, the Russia-backed armed formations are blocking the opening of the two new checkpoints at Shchastia and Zolote. We call again on Russia to use its influence to ensure that there is a simultaneous and coordinated opening without any further delay.

We are also deeply concerned by reporting of international organisations that the majority of entry-exit checkpoints remain closed on the non-government controlled side under the pretext of COVID-19 measures. As a result, the number of people crossing the line of contact continues to fall, with only around 21,000 crossings recorded by the UNHCR in October, compared to over 1.4m crossing during the same period last year. While reasonable precautions should be taken to prevent the spread of COVID-19, the pandemic should not be used as a pretext for unnecessary limitations on freedom of movement.

The UK reiterates our support for the Minsk agreements and our firm commitment to see the peaceful resolution of the conflict in full respect of Ukraines sovereignty and territorial integrity. We welcome the work of the Normandy Four and the Trilateral Contact Group in this regard, and we thank Ambassador Grau and her team for their efforts to make progress on the issues I have addressed today.We call on Russia to engage productively,and match the political will demonstrated by Ukraine,so that real progress can be made.

We repeat our call on Russia to withdraw its military personnel and weapons from the territory of Ukraine; to cease its support for the armed formations it backs; to stop access restrictions and intimidation of the SMM in areas held by Russia-backed armed formations and to reverse all unilateral measures that undermine the Minsk agreements.

The UK strongly supports Ukraines sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders, including its territorial waters. We do not and will not recognise Russiasillegal annexation of Crimea.The UK has consistently stood with Ukraine in opposing all instances of Russian aggression towards Ukraine and we will continue to do so, including through sanctionswith ourinternational partners.

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Russia's ongoing aggression against Ukraine and illegal annexation of Crimea: UK statement - GOV.UK