The National Bank lowered the official hryvnia exchange rate, corresponding to the weighted average rate of transactions in interbank trading, set by it for March 23-25, by 0.07 kopecks to 7.9857 UAH/$. On the previous trading day, the NBU maintained the official hryvnia exchange rate, corresponding to the weighted average rate of transactions in interbank trading, set by it on March 22, at 7.9850 UAH/$. Based on materials from the Ukrainian News Agency

Fashion Week took place in Moscow on March 21-25. Traditionally, it opened with a show by Vyacheslav Zaitsev. In the year of the 50th anniversary of his creative activity, the fashion designer presented the nostalgic “Associations” collection.

Kogalymavia Airlines LLC (Kolavia, Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug) has leased four Airbus aircraft and intends to lease two more similar aircraft by the end of 2012, said company CEO Yuri Ermolaev. “In total, this year we are leasing six aircraft. Four Airbuses are already in Domodedovo, the fifth is at the plant. As for the sixth, the process for it is at the stage of protocols of intent, we hope to receive it by the summer of this year,” he clarified.

Delivered to the regional clinical hospital today, Anatoly Zak wrote a statement addressed to the head of pre-trial detention center No. 1 about declaring a hunger strike. According to Mr. Zak's lawyer, Pavel Yakovlev, the hunger strike will begin after the defendant is taken back to the pre-trial detention center. Mr. Yakovlev said that in this way Anatoly Zak is protesting against “judicial arbitrariness” and the decision to extend his detention.

Volga and Rostov reached the semi-finals of the Russian Cup All semi-finalists of the Russian Cup have been determined.

The operating company for the West Qurna-2 project in Iraq, LUKOIL Mid-East Ltd, has signed a number of large contracts for the development of the field in Iraq, the largest Russian private oil company OJSC LUKOIL said in a statement. Contracts were signed with South Korean Samsung Engineering, Turkish company ENKA Insaat and the Entrepose Projets/Rosco consortium (France-Jordan).

The President of Tatarstan expelled the head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs from his Cabinet of Ministers 4K 3 min. ... The head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs for Tatarstan, Asgat Safarov, was removed from the Cabinet of Ministers of the republic. The head of the region, Rustam Minnikhanov, signed a decree on this on the eve of the tragedy at the Dalniy police department.

Context Yesterday, co-chairman of the Kharkov human rights group Yevgeny Zakharov told Kommersant that he would no longer run for the post of Verkhovna Rada Commissioner for Human Rights. “Parliament will not elect me. I am a stranger to them, so there is no point in running for office anymore,” he added. As you know, on February 8, the five-year term of office of Ombudsman Nina Karpacheva ended, after which two candidates for this position were registered in the Rada.

The European Commission has sued Germany for excluding companies registered abroad but doing business in Germany from its favorable corporate tax scheme through its "fiscal union" regime, the EC said. According to German law, a company cannot be part of a fiscal union if it is registered outside that country, even if it is managed from Germany. This violates EU rules on the freedom to choose the place of registration and business of enterprises, the message clarifies.

Addresses where repair work will be carried out have been determined St. Petersburg State Institution "Directorate of Transport Construction", subordinate to the Committee for the Development of Transport Infrastructure (KRTI), announced 25 competitions for road repairs in all districts of the city. The total maximum cost of all tenders is 4.3 billion rubles. According to the preliminary targeted repair program, work will be carried out at 238 addresses.

Russia plans to unilaterally introduce a visa-free regime with EU countries during the Olympics in Sochi in 2014, Russian Plenipotentiary Representative to the European Union Vladimir Chizhov said on March 22. “This landmark is not artificial, but it is the most natural, the most logical. I meant the Olympic Games in Sochi. If we do not achieve a visa-free regime with the EU, then this regime will obviously be introduced on a temporary basis.

The military will try to sell two Italian, but badly worn out Iveco cars The Ministry of Defense put up for auction two Italian Iveco cars produced in 2010 with a total value of more than 3.4 million rubles. The military hopes to get rid of them as early as May 14 - an auction is scheduled for that day.

India resumes work at controversial nuclear power plant A turning point has occurred in the confrontation around the Kudankulam nuclear power plant, which is being built in India with Russian participation. Despite the protests of anti-nuclear activists, the Indian authorities, after a six-month break, decided to resume construction work and clear the territory of the nuclear power plant of dissenters.

It was proposed to the Rada to introduce a two-round system for mayoral elections Supporters of the leader of the UDAR party, Vitaliy Klitschko, registered in parliament a bill to amend the law on local elections, proposing to elect city mayors in two rounds. This could change the situation in the Kyiv mayoral elections, in which Mr. Klitschko intends to take part.

Public transport lanes will be open to private travelers on Saturday and Sunday As Kommersant learned, in early April, private transport drivers will be allowed to drive in lanes allocated for public transport. This will only be possible on weekends; for this purpose, the authorities are already putting up new road signs around the city.