Partners news

Wednesday, April 3

Israel’s Perion Network is buying Ukrainian startup Septa Communications for $3.75 million. Israel’s Perion Network is buying Ukrainian startup Septa Communications for $3.75 million. Better known as Captain Growth, Septa has developed ‘Value Unlock,’ a patented artificial intelligence platf...

A US-funded Business Incubator project launches across Ukraine this week with the goal of providing intensive business training to 60 to 90 Ukrainian startups a year. A US-funded Business Incubator project launches across Ukraine this week with the goal of providing intensive business training to 60 to 90 Ukrainian startups a year. Executives of selected startups a...

Turkey’s Turkey’s Özaltın Holding is in talks with Ukrhydroenergo on completing two Soviet-era hydroelectric projects on the Dnipro. Near Kaniv dam, in Cherkasy, there are plans to resume construction of a 2,5...

Norway’s AICE Hydro A.S. plans to bid in the first privatization of a small hydro plant in Ukraine Norway’s AICE Hydro A.S. plans to bid in the first privatization of a small hydro plant in Ukraine, the State Property Fund reports. Next week an appraiser is to be chosen for the 2 MW hydro plant acr...

In election news, many analysts write that Zelenskiy is favored to win the April 21 vote. In election news, many analysts write that Zelenskiy is favored to win the April 21 vote.

Timothy Ash, Timothy Ash, the senior sovereign analyst for Blue Bay Asset Management in London, writes: “Given a poll on second-round preferences from losing candidates, voters from all the above seem to favor Zel...

Dragon Capital writes: “ Dragon Capital writes: “Zelenskiy won in 19 out Ukraine’s 24 provinces and in the capital Kyiv, erasing the east-west divide that marked prior presidential polls and emerging, somewhat surprisingly, a...

“Zelenskiy is not saying that he’s an expert in all matters “Zelenskiy is not saying that he’s an expert in all matters,” Zelenskiy advisor and former Finance Minister Oleksandr Danylyuk said Monday night on a national TV political talk show. “But he’s saying ...

Yulia Tymoshenko conceded defeat Yulia Tymoshenko conceded defeat Tuesday. She accused President Poroshenko of using dirty tricks to push her into third place but said she would not file legal complaints. Tymoshenko said she would no...

Tuesday, April 2

President Poroshenko faces a tough fight to beat challenger Volodomyr Zelenskiy in the April 21 runoff presidential vote, President Poroshenko faces a tough fight to beat challenger Volodomyr Zelenskiy in the April 21 runoff presidential vote, analysts predict. Not only did Zelenskiy win nearly twice as many votes as the...

Grain exports should hit 49 million tons this marketing year, up by almost one quarter Grain exports should hit 49 million tons this marketing year, up by almost one quarter from the comparable July 2017/June 2018 period. So far grain exports have hit 37 million tons, up 23% from the sa...

With 96% of votes counted Monday night, the top five were: Zelenskiy – 30.2%; Poroshenko – 16%; Tymoshenko – 13.4%; Boyko –11.6%; Grytsenko – 7%. With 96% of votes counted Monday night, the top five were: Zelenskiy – 30.2%; Poroshenko – 16%; Tymoshenko – 13.4%; Boyko –11.6%; Grytsenko – 7%.

Dragon Capital writes: Dragon Capital writes: “Zelenskiy’s lead may not look unassailable, but will be very hard to overcome for the incumbent…The first round winner and runner-up’s results in the latest ballot were t...

Concorde Capital’s Zenon Zawada writes Concorde Capital’s Zenon Zawada writes: “Poroshenko has already revealed the essence of his campaign strategy for the next three weeks, sounding the cataclysmic themes in his March 31 remarks of an ap...

Timothy Ash cites the presence of two respected economic ministers: Timothy Ash cites the presence of two respected economic ministers: “For Western donors, and investors, the fact that Danylyuk and Abromavicius are part of the Z-team is critical… Zelenskiy̵...

Rates on Ukrainian sovereign bonds fell slightly Monday in reaction to Sunday’s election results Rates on Ukrainian sovereign bonds fell slightly Monday in reaction to Sunday’s election results. “The reason for such dynamics…is that it has finally become clear: Tymoshenko has no chanc...

Why was there no Zelenskiy market rally? Why was there no Zelenskiy market rally? ICU trader Vitaly Sivach tells Interfax-Ukraine: “Investors are afraid that he is not experienced enough to hold such a responsible post, and they don’t know w...

Zelenskiy, like many Ukrainians, puts more faith in real estate than in banks. Zelenskiy, like many Ukrainians, puts more faith in real estate than in banks. According to his mandatory public asset declaration, the show business entrepreneur owns four apartments in Kyiv, a dacha...

Real wages were up 11% y-o-y in February Real wages were up 11% y-o-y in February, reports the State Statistics Service. Nationwide, the average monthly nominal wage was UAH 9,429, or $350. The average wage in Kyiv city was 50% higher, or $5...

Horizon Capital, the U.S. private-equity firm specializing in Ukraine, is investing $10 million in Ajax Systems, a Kyiv-based producer of wireless security systems. Horizon Capital, the U.S. private-equity firm specializing in Ukraine, is investing $10 million in Ajax Systems, a Kyiv-based producer of wireless security systems. A competitor to Amazon’s Ring, anot...

The founders of Monobank, Ukraine’s mobile bank, are investing $1 million to bring a British version, Koto, to the UK market by September The founders of Monobank, Ukraine’s mobile bank, are investing $1 million to bring a British version, Koto, to the UK market by September, Dmytro Dubilet, one of the founders, tells Novoe Vremya magaz...

Ukrainians are among Europe’s fastest adopters of mobile device payment systems and other non-cash transactions, Ukrainians are among Europe’s fastest adopters of mobile device payment systems and other non-cash transactions, Maria Babenko, regional director for Visa Inc., tells Focus magazine. “Of course, if we...

Google Ukraine launches this week the Google Pay online payment service, Google Ukraine launches this week the Google Pay online payment service, a streamlined system that does away with re-entering payment card data with each online purchase. About 6,500 Ukraine-based onl...

The Ukraine offices of three international search firms — Odgers Berndtson, Pedersen & Partners and Ward Howell The Ukraine offices of three international search firms — Odgers Berndtson, Pedersen & Partners and Ward Howell – have won mandates to identify candidates for six independent board members o...

Saudi Arabia’s SALIC UK Ltd is investing $51 million this year in farm machinery to cultivate its 195,000 hectares of Western Ukraine farmland Saudi Arabia’s SALIC UK Ltd is investing $51 million this year in farm machinery to cultivate its 195,000 hectares of Western Ukraine farmland, split between two companies, MRIYA Agro Holding and Cont...

Corn was king according to the final breakdown of Ukraine’s record 2018 harvest of 70 million tons, 13% bigger than the year before Corn was king according to the final breakdown of Ukraine’s record 2018 harvest of 70 million tons, 13% bigger than the year before. The State Statistics Service reports: Corn – 35.8 million tons; Whe...

Monday, April 1

Volodymyr Zelenskiy and President Poroshenko will face each other in a second-round presidential vote on April 21 Volodymyr Zelenskiy and President Poroshenko will face each other in a second-round presidential vote on April 21, according to an exit poll by a consortium of polling groups. The poll gave Zelenskiy,...

Poroshenko kicked off the runoff campaign by challenging Zelenskiy to a televised debate. Poroshenko kicked off the runoff campaign by challenging Zelenskiy to a televised debate. Analysts predict that the Zelenskiy and Tymoshenko camps will negotiate an electoral alliance. They say Tymosh...

Poroshenko promises that if re-elected, he will make Ukraine self-sufficient in gas during his second term. Poroshenko promises that if re-elected, he will make Ukraine self-sufficient in gas during his second term. “If Ukraine’s energy diversification and independence program continues to be implemen...

Preparing for a cutoff of Russian gas through Ukraine next year, Naftogaz is expanding its storage reservoirs and looking for international financial aid to buy the gas to fill them Preparing for a cutoff of Russian gas through Ukraine next year, Naftogaz is expanding its storage reservoirs and looking for international financial aid to buy the gas to fill them, Andriy Kobolyev, ...

Arkad, an Arab-Italian consortium, submitted the lowest bid — €1.1 billion – to build a pipeline to take Russian gas across Bulgaria, from Turkey to Serbia, Arkad, an Arab-Italian consortium, submitted the lowest bid — €1.1 billion – to build a pipeline to take Russian gas across Bulgaria, from Turkey to Serbia, reports Novinite, a Sofia-based news ...

Hungary and Azerbaijan agreed Friday to work out a route for delivering Azeri gas to Hungary next year without going Ukraine Hungary and Azerbaijan agreed Friday to work out a route for delivering Azeri gas to Hungary next year without going Ukraine. Noting that the Russia-Ukraine gas transit contract expires at the end of ...

Racing a Dec. 31 expiry deadline for the green tariffs, Ukraine commissioned 861 MW of renewable energy facilities in Q1 – five times the amount during the same period last year. Racing a Dec. 31 expiry deadline for the green tariffs, Ukraine commissioned 861 MW of renewable energy facilities in Q1 – five times the amount during the same period last year. Of the total, 172 MW ...

Remittances by Ukrainian working abroad jumped by 17.5% last year to $11 billion Remittances by Ukrainian working abroad jumped by 17.5% last year to $11 billion, reports the National Bank of Ukraine. Russia traditionally the top destination for Ukrainian workers is fast being ecl...

To cut crowding at Kyiv Boryspil, the airport re-opened Terminal F yesterday for discount and charter passengers. To cut crowding at Kyiv Boryspil, the airport re-opened Terminal F yesterday for discount and charter passengers. Refurbished after five years and newly equipped with passport control booths, Terminal...

SkyUp, Ukraine’s new discount airline, is to receive three more Boeing 737s in April, part of a planned tripling of its all-Boeing fleet to 12 by the end of this year SkyUp, Ukraine’s new discount airline, is to receive three more Boeing 737s in April, part of a planned tripling of its all-Boeing fleet to 12 by the end of this year. Breaking with UIA’s Boryspil hub...

France will benefit from Ukaine’s low-cost air travel revolution France will benefit from Ukaine’s low-cost air travel revolution as SkyUp negotiates launch dates for Kharkiv’s first flights to Paris, for Kyiv’s first regular flights to Nice and for a Kyiv-Boryspil...

UIA, Ryanair and Wizz Air are being investigated for possible collusion over new UIA, Ryanair and Wizz Air are being investigated for possible collusion over new restrictions on carryon hand luggage, the Antimonopoly Committee tells the Kyiv Post. Wizz Air and Ryanair announced st...

Private passenger railroads are knocking-knocking on Ukraine’s western door Private passenger railroads are knocking-knocking on Ukraine’s western door. Czech’s RegioJet has “a great interest in going to Mukachevo,” Alexander Krasnoshtan, Ukrzalyznitsya’s director of long-dis...

Separately, LeoExpress, another Czech private train operator Separately, LeoExpress, another Czech private train operator, is applying to Polish Railway Transport Administration to run a train from Prague to Krakow to Medyka, on the Polish border. With Ukrainia...

Thursday, March 28

Gazprom’s $12 billion Russia-Germany gas pipeline will be completed on schedule, at the end this year Gazprom’s $12 billion Russia-Germany gas pipeline will be completed on schedule, at the end this year, the operators told reporters a foreign press tour Wednesday of the landing area, in Lubmin. As “h...

As the 1,225 km pipeline approaches Danish waters, Denmark’s official Energy Agency is requesting an environmental assessment of a third route, a process that “will take several months,” As the 1,225 km pipeline approaches Danish waters, Denmark’s official Energy Agency is requesting an environmental assessment of a third route, a process that “will take several months,” Agency spokes...

TV comedian Volodymyr Zelenskiy and President Poroshenko lead in a respected poll prior to Sunday’s vote, widely perceived as the first of two rounds. TV comedian Volodymyr Zelenskiy and President Poroshenko lead in a respected poll prior to Sunday’s vote, widely perceived as the first of two rounds. In the poll conducted by Razumkov Center, respond...

In an influential endorsement for young voters, Sviatoslav Vakarchuk, the intellectual rock star who dropped his presidential bid in December, posted an Instagram Wednesday: “Vote responsibly! Vote not as a joke!” Concorde Capital’s Zenon Zawada In an influential endorsement for young voters, Sviatoslav Vakarchuk, the intellectual rock star who dropped his presidential bid in December, posted an Instagram Wednesday: “Vote responsibly! Vote no...

The BBC apologized and agreed Wednesday to pay damages to Poroshenko for an erroneous report in June 2017 The BBC apologized and agreed Wednesday to pay damages to Poroshenko for an erroneous report in June 2017 that Ukraine’s president paid $400,000 to Michael Cohen to meet with President Trump at the Wh...

Separately, Separately, Poroshenko will “sue TV Channel 1+1 for systematic lies on a large scale, for spreading large amounts of disinformation that damage the honor and dignity of the presidential candidate and ...

“What would investors prefer?” “What would investors prefer?” Bloomberg asks about Ukraine’s presidential race. “Having watched emerging markets like Argentina and Turkey get clobbered last year, the most important thing for Ukrain...

Reuters writes of Sunday’s vote choice: Reuters writes of Sunday’s vote choice: “With Zelenskiy’s insurgent run for the presidency, Ukraine is surfing a wave of popular anger similar to the ones that brought the anti-establishment 5-Star Mo...

Part of Zelenskiy’s lead in opinion polls stems from a backlash against President Poroshenko’s Ukrainization policy Part of Zelenskiy’s lead in opinion polls stems from a backlash against President Poroshenko’s Ukrainization policy, Vijai Maheshwari writes from Moscow for Politico. “Poroshenko’s policy of “Ukrainiz...

Of good news to rural voters Of good news to rural voters, hundreds of thousands of hectares of state-owned farmland will be transferred this year 141 united territorial communities, reports that Government Portal. Last year, 1.5...