Author’s articles
In Kyiv, on Independence Square, Ukrposhta presented a special stamp issue entitled “Bringing Life Back: Demining Heroes”, dedicated to Ukrainian bomb disposal experts. During the special cancellation ceremony outside the Main Post Office, the DOK-ING MV-10 demining vehicle was also displayed to the public for the first time; following a one-day exhibition, it will return to active service in the field.
Switzerland has temporarily suspended the approval of new export licences for the supply of arms and ammunition to the US, citing its neutrality in the context of the war with Iran. Officials in Bern have stated that, due to the United States’ involvement in an international armed conflict in the Middle East, such supplies cannot currently be authorised.
On 20 March, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine approved a decision to allocate over 12.8 billion hryvnias from the state budget’s reserve fund to protect critical infrastructure and implement regional and municipal resilience plans. The funds will be directed towards facilities in the fuel and energy sector, the transport system—in particular the railway infrastructure—as well as life-support systems.
A draft law has been drawn up in Russia that would allow the use of the armed forces to ‘protect’ citizens facing arrest or prosecution abroad. This applies, in particular, to cases before foreign courts and international tribunals whose jurisdiction Moscow does not recognise.
The Experts Club think tank has published a video analysis of the trends in global public debt as a percentage of GDP between 1950 and 2025. According to the international methodology used in the study, in 2025 Ukraine was among the 20 countries with the highest debt burden, with its ratio exceeding 100% of GDP.
Russian oil giant Lukoil has written off its investments in overseas assets in full after falling foul of US sanctions. At the end of 2025, the company recognised an impairment loss of 1.67 trillion roubles, or $19.8 billion, and instead of a profit, reported a net loss of 1.06 trillion roubles.
In Ukraine, gas prices for households may be revised in 2026 due to losses in domestic production following Russian attacks and a sharp rise in gas prices across Europe. According to financial analyst Andriy Shevchyshyn, Naftogaz will need to find tens of billions of hryvnias to cover the shortfall.
The Ministry of Finance has presented a single tax bill that brings together Ukraine’s commitments to the IMF. The document provides for the mandatory registration of certain sole traders as VAT payers, new rules for taxing income from digital platforms, changes regarding parcels, and a new approach to the military levy.
Pablo Picasso’s 1927 painting *The Artist and His Model*, considered one of the artist’s most important works, has been housed in Tehran for decades. Against the backdrop of the threat of war hanging over the city, the question of the fate of one of the artist’s most valuable and least accessible works has once again come to the fore.
Apple is likely to unveil its first foldable iPhone this year, though it may go on sale later than the main iPhone 18 Pro range. According to Barclays analyst Tim Long, the iPhone Fold is expected to launch in December 2026.
The Ukrainian Ministry of Defence has announced temporary disruptions to the “Reserve+” app due to scheduled maintenance work on the “Oberig” registry. During the night of 20–21 March, users will be unable to access the app’s services or update their Reserve ID.
After a hiatus of almost four years, BTS are returning with a new album, *Arirang*, a live event on Netflix and the biggest tour of their career. In an exclusive interview, the band members spoke about how they have changed since completing their military service, why they have embraced their Korean identity, and the challenges they have faced in a music industry that has changed dramatically during this time.
