Aiming to create a Ukraine-focused energy corporation

Aiming to create a Ukraine-focused energy corporation, U.S. Trident Acquisitions Corp recently raised $201 million through an IPO on New York’s NASDAQ stock exchange. About 300 investors participated in the IPO, where each unit sold for $10. The largest shareholder will be Ilya Ponomarev, who bought 35%. Better known as a Russia Duma member in exile in Ukraine, Ponomarev worked from 1995 to 2001, alternately for Yukos, the now defunct Russian oil company, and for Schlumberger Ltd., the oil field services company. Ed Verona, Trident chairman, told UBN on a recent visit to Kyiv that Trident is looking to acquire energy assets in Ukraine, focusing on oil and gas.