And here's another story that was filed by RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service late last night:
Former Ukrainian Foreign Minister Kozhara Detained On Murder Charge
Ukrainian police have detained a former foreign minister on a murder charge related to the fatal shooting of the ex-head of the country's most popular pro-Russian television network.
Leonid Kozhara, 57, who served as foreign minister for two years under Kremlin-friendly former President Viktor Yanukovych, was on March 25 immediately taken to court for a custody hearing, Deputy Interior Minister Anton Herashchenko said on Facebook.
He is accused of killing Serhiy Starytskiy, a 56-year-old advertising magnate who directed the Inter TV network.
Starytsky was found dead inside Kozhara's suburban Kyiv home on February 22.
He was fatally wounded by a bullet from a gun belonging to the former minister, police said.
Kozhara and his wife, who were both at home during the incident, have said Starytskiy committed suicide in a separate room.
However, "investigators and prosecutors reviewed the circumstances of the death...and have concluded that he [Starytskiy] could not have shot himself," Herashchenko said.
Separately, the National Police said that based on forensic, ballistics, and molecular genetic tests, they had enough evidence to charge Kozhara.
During the evening of the shooting, according to police, alcohol was being consumed and an argument erupted between the two men, which escalated into a fight.
"Subsequently, the owner of the house went to the bedroom, picked up a gun and, returning to the kitchen, shot his friend," police said.
Kozhara, who served as foreign minister between 2012 and 2014, faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted.
With reporting by Interfax, Hromadske, and AFP
Good morning. We'll get the live blog started today with the most recent coronavirus update from last night, courtesy of RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service:
Ukraine's government has declared a state of emergency to cope with the spread of the coronavirus as it seeks to unlock billions of dollars from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
The 30-day measure was approved on March 25 at a cabinet meeting broadcast live on television.
At the meeting, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said the new measures would not hinder individual constitutional rights and only “consolidate efforts to overcome the threat” of the coronavirus.
He also proposed a border closure plan to ban all passenger traffic in and out of the country that would apply to Ukrainian nationals as well.
"This is an urgent need, because, in recent weeks, we have seen that the only source of coronavirus penetration into Ukraine has been the flow of citizens from abroad, and this flow continues," Shmyhal said.
Previously, only Kyiv and some regions of Ukraine had declared states of emergency.
The cabinet on March 25 also extended quarantine measures -- basically stay-at-home orders -- until at least April 24. The order, in place since March 12, originally was to be in effect through April 3.
Ukraine confirmed 32 new cases on March 25, bringing the nationwide total to 145 in 13 regions and Kyiv, according to the Center for Public Health.
Four lawmakers are among those who have tested positive.
Five deaths have been attributed to COVID-19. The patients' ages ranged from 33 to 71 years.
Interior Minister Arsen Avakov said that after March 27 no more flights will be allowed to land in or depart from the country, while calling on Ukrainians to come home or risk remaining stranded indefinitely.
“There are two days. Gather yourselves and come home, my dear fellows. And after that, you will remain sitting somewhere in Sri Lanka in a luxurious hut. Well, sit there more, since you decided to do so. Because two weeks have passed from the moment when we got into this situation,” Avakov said.
He added that Ukrainians will still be able to enter Ukraine by foot or in a vehicle.
Parliament, meanwhile, has pushed back a scheduled extraordinary session from March 26 to March 28 to address the coronavirus outbreak and pass bills required by the IMF.
The legislation would enable sessions and committee meetings via video conferencing for at least two months. It also includes measures to cope with the coronavirus, improve social and economic conditions, and amend the budget.
Among the laws required to unlock a $5.5 billion IMF loan is a change of bank regulations to prevent tycoons from regaining control of financial institutions which were nationalized during a period of insolvency from 2014 to 2016.
Kyiv is reportedly seeking a second package worth about $5 billion related to the negative economic effects of the coronavirus outbreak.
Meanwhile, police are investigating an unnamed private medical clinic in Kyiv for possible violations of sanitation rules related to the prevention of infectious diseases and widespread poisoning, local media reported.
Investigators are following up on reports that the clinic may have failed to inform the Health Ministry’s Center for Public Health regarding positive test results for coronavirus.
This ends our live blogging for March 25. Be sure to check back tomorrow for our continuing coverage.
Former foreign minister detained on murder charge:
By RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service
Ukrainian police have detained a former foreign minister on a murder charge related to the fatal shooting of the ex-head of the country's most popular pro-Russian television network.
Leonid Kozhara, 57, who served as foreign minister for two years under Kremlin-friendly former President Viktor Yanukovych, was on March 25 immediately taken to court for a custody hearing, Deputy Interior Minister Anton Herashchenko said on Facebook.
He is accused of killing Serhiy Starytskiy, a 56-year-old advertising magnate who directed the Inter TV network.
Starytsky was found dead inside Kozhara's suburban Kyiv home on February 22.
He was fatally wounded by a bullet from a gun belonging to the former minister, police said.
Kozohara and his wife, who were both at home during the incident, have said Starytskiy committed suicide in a separate room.
However, "investigators and prosecutors reviewed the circumstances of the death...and have concluded that he [Starytskiy] could not have shot himself," Herashchenko said.
Separately, the National Police said that based on forensic, ballistics, and molecular genetic tests, they had enough evidence to charge Kozhara.
During the evening of the shooting, according to police, alcohol was being consumed and an argument erupted between the two men, which escalated into a fight.
"Subsequently, the owner of the house went to the bedroom, picked up a gun and, returning to the kitchen, shot his friend," police said.
Kozhara, who served as foreign minister between 2012 and 2014, faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted. (w/Interfax, Hromadske, and AFP)