EVENT

President Viktor Yanukovych of Ukraine has visited the Embassy of Japan in Ukraine and signed the Book of Condolences, in connection with the cataclysms that have recently hit Japan. The head of state told a press conference that Ukraine was aware, since the first minutes of the tragedy, that it was a different thing to sympathize through words and to take concrete measures in a situation when one is pressed for time. Yanukovych recalled in this context that Ukraine had gone through a similar situation after the Chornobyl nuclear power plant accident. “For this reason, we have formed a special detachment which is ready to fly to Japan, whenever the Japanese side deems it necessary to carry out this duty. These are experienced specialists capable of tackling special problems,” the president said, adding that the detachment is furnished with the necessary equipment. The president also said that a chartered plane would carry relief supplies, including special medicines and other items agreed upon with the Japanese side, to Japan on the same day. “This is a joint effort,” Yanukovych noted. “We have offered to receive 250 Japanese children to be rehabilitated and treated at our international children’s center Artek.” 

The largest Ukrainian car manufacturer Zaporizhia Automobile Plant (closed joint-stock company ZAZ), which is a part of the UKRAUTO corporation, is planning to start production of the new vehicles Sens and Lanos (for disabled persons) with manual control. They will replace the Slavuta model, removed from production in 2010. As the ZAZ website informs, the factory is now conducting preparations for the production of these cars. Vehicles adapted to the needs of the disabled without one leg will be released first, the preparation of cars for persons without two legs with two healthy arms is to begin by the end of this year. The modifications of cars for the disabled without one leg will be equipped with hand-operated brakes for the right arm, a hand-operated accelerator on the steering wheel and a clutch pedal for the healthy leg. Modifications of vehicles for the disabled without two legs will be quipped with the same hand-operated accelerator, brakes, automatic electrovacuum clutch gear, drive strength (ECG) and hand-operated clutch gear for the left hand as a backup ECG. The report reminds that ZAZ remains the only company that has mastered conveyer production of vehicles for the disabled. 

The new airplane AN-158, which recently passed certification, is equipped with modern multimedia systems and onboard video centers produced by the Odesa Scientific Research Institute of Television Technics, informs the press service of the Ministry of Agrarian Policy of Ukraine. The state enterprise supplies such informational and entertainment systems for Antonov ASTC, a Kharkiv aviation enterprise, other aviation companies as well as for VIP and special versions of the AN-74TK-300, AN-140 and AN-148. These systems enable passengers to watch movies or videos continuously during the flight and listen to the music of their choice. Besides, the onboard TV systems of the Odesa institute are used not only for the monitoring of passenger compartments, but also in transport airplanes to ensure cargo control and fire safety. A video observation system gives the ability to control the door area of the crew cabin visually, to monitor the situation in the passenger cabins and cargo compartments. The enterprise continues to modernize its products in order to expand their functional abilities and reduce their overall weight and size characteristics.