Partners news

Friday, November 27

Ukrzaliznytsia has approved a framework agreement to allow private locomotives to operate on UZ tracks. Ukrzaliznytsia has approved a framework agreement to allow private locomotives to operate on UZ tracks. The signing of the first contract with a company, Ukrainian Locomotive Construction Company LLC,...

The Digital Transformation Ministry has set these targets for extending high speed mobile internet across the country: The Digital Transformation Ministry has set these targets for extending high speed mobile internet across the country: accessible to 90% of the population by July 1, 2021; all international highways b...

For rail travel, Vodaphone Ukraine is conducting a pilot project with the 35 km Boryspil Airport Express to determine cost for high speed internet coverage on Ukraine’s main rail lines. For rail travel, Vodaphone Ukraine is conducting a pilot project with the 35 km Boryspil Airport Express to determine cost for high speed internet coverage on Ukraine’s main rail lines. With about 10,...

With domestic tourism the trend, Ukrzaliznytsia seeks to win at least half of all tourists, luring them out of cars and buses. With domestic tourism the trend, Ukrzaliznytsia seeks to win at least half of all tourists, luring them out of cars and buses. To attract riders, the state railroad has reduced prices of first class t...

Thursday, November 26

“Joe Biden Is Unlikely to Save Angela Merkel’s Pet Project,” headlines a Bloomberg article yesterday about the $11 billion, 1,239 km Russia-German Baltic Sea gas line. “Joe Biden Is Unlikely to Save Angela Merkel’s Pet Project,” headlines a Bloomberg article yesterday about the $11 billion, 1,239 km Russia-German Baltic Sea gas line. “U.S. opposition is likely to re...

Democrats should not go wobbly on Nord Stream 2, The Wall Street Journal warns in an editorial: Democrats should not go wobbly on Nord Stream 2, The Wall Street Journal warns in an editorial: “Congress shouldn’t back off Russia sanctions in the annual defense bill.” “The incoming Democratic Admi...

The US Congress is targeting insurance companies in the latest strategy to stop the pipeline The US Congress is targeting insurance companies in the latest strategy to stop the pipeline, Bloomberg reports from Washington. “House and Senate negotiators agreed to target insurers and technical c...

In advance of passage, US officials already are contacting companies to warn they may face sanctions In advance of passage, US officials already are contacting companies to warn they may face sanctions, DPA reports from Washington. “We’re in the process of calling a number of these companies to make ...

Rozetka.ua Rozetka.ua, Ukraine’s largest online store is seeing record number of visitors to their site – 5.6 million on Tuesday. With the retailer’s ‘Black Friday’ sales going on all week, Vladyslav Chechotkin,...

The American Chamber of Commerce in Ukraine has presented its annual Thanksgiving Awards to Mykhailo Fedorov, Digital Transformation Minister, and to Paul Niland, founder of Lifeline Ukraine The American Chamber of Commerce in Ukraine has presented its annual Thanksgiving Awards to Mykhailo Fedorov, Digital Transformation Minister, and to Paul Niland, founder of Lifeline Ukraine, a nation...

The government yesterday granted Naftogaz the right to develop a massive Black Sea gas block without a tender. The government yesterday granted Naftogaz the right to develop a massive Black Sea gas block without a tender. The Dolphin block, near Ukraine’s portion of the Danube river delta, is believed to hold ...

Seismic work could involve $40 million of investments in the first year, Seismic work could involve $40 million of investments in the first year, Naftogaz said on Facebook. “This means the possibility of attracting international investors, and at the same time – on t...

Last year, an American company, Trident Acquisitions, won a competitive tender to develop the offshore block Last year, an American company, Trident Acquisitions, won a competitive tender to develop the offshore block. The incoming Zelenskiy government refused to accept the results of this ‘Poroshenko tender...

Ukraine has become a key player in the EU natural gas market, storing 10 billion cubic meters of gas this fall for gas traders. Ukraine has become a key player in the EU natural gas market, storing 10 billion cubic meters of gas this fall for gas traders. With the European heating starting last month, Ukraine, for the first ti...

Europe’s Green Deal commitment to renewables, hydrogen and decarbonizing energy sources “means that between 2030 and 2040 Europe’s Green Deal commitment to renewables, hydrogen and decarbonizing energy sources “means that between 2030 and 2040, Europe may see a radical drop in demand for natural gas,” Andrian Prokip, wro...

The EU ‘Hydrogen Strategy’ calls for dividing EU hydrogen production between the EU and its eastern neighbors. The EU ‘Hydrogen Strategy’ calls for dividing EU hydrogen production between the EU and its eastern neighbors. “This strategy stipulates that ‘the Eastern Neighborhood, in particular Ukraine, and the ...

In reaction, Gazprom and Rosatom, the nuclear corporation, recently signed a deal to hydrogen production in 2024 In reaction, Gazprom and Rosatom, the nuclear corporation, recently signed a deal to hydrogen production in 2024. Uniper, the German energy giant, says Nord Stream 2 could be repurposed to carry a ble...

Wednesday, November 25

The companies of Serhiy Tigipko’s TAS Group plan to issue about $70 million worth of bonds next year, about 95% in hryvnia, The companies of Serhiy Tigipko’s TAS Group plan to issue about $70 million worth of bonds next year, about 95% in hryvnia, Roman Gorokhovskikh, the Group’s international projects director, told the U...

Capital investment dropped 29% yoy, to $9.5 billion Capital investment dropped 29% yoy, to $9.5 billion, for the first three quarters of this year, reports the State Statistics Service. Self-financing by companies accounted for 69% of total capital inv...

The Israel-Ukraine Free Trade Agreement starts Jan.1 The Israel-Ukraine Free Trade Agreement starts Jan.1, President Zelenskiy tweeted yesterday. “The ‘green light’ to the growth of Ukrainian exports, closer cooperation in the fields of high-tech, engin...

Ernst & Young, is to prepare a tender for the concession to a private operator of the rail-ferry complex at Chornomorsk port Ernst & Young, is to prepare a tender for the concession to a private operator of the rail-ferry complex at Chornomorsk port, Infrastructure Minister Vladislav Krykliy announced yesterday. The ten...

Concession projects also are planned for parts of these ports: Concession projects also are planned for parts of these ports: Odesa on the Black Sea; Berdyansk and Mariupol on the Sea of Azov; and Izmail and Reni on the Danube. Three small, state-owned ports are ...

Over the next three years, the government plans to oversee investments in upgrades at 14 regional airports: Over the next three years, the government plans to oversee investments in upgrades at 14 regional airports: Cherkasy, Chernivtsi, Dnipro, Ivano-Frankivsk, Kherson, Kryvy Rih, Mykolaiv, Odesa, Poltava,...

Looking beyond coronavirus, a new Ukrainian airline, Bees Airline, plans to start service next month Looking beyond coronavirus, a new Ukrainian airline, Bees Airline, plans to start service next month, offering charter flights between Kyiv Sikorsky and Egypt’s coastal resort cities. Managed by Yevge...

SkyUp Airlines plans to start flights from Kyiv Boryspil next spring to Berlin Brandenburg Airport SkyUp Airlines plans to start flights from Kyiv Boryspil next spring to Berlin Brandenburg Airport. Opened one month ago, this new airport replaces Schönefeld, Tegel and Tempelhorf airports. On Dec. 2...

Poland has agreed to allocate 5,000 additional permits for Ukrainian trucks, Poland has agreed to allocate 5,000 additional permits for Ukrainian trucks, Minister Krikliy announced on his Telegram channel. Good through January 31, the offer comes after Ukraine charged that by ...

Ukraine will not receive any additional tranches of IMF low interest loans this year Ukraine will not receive any additional tranches of IMF low interest loans this year, Tymofiy Mylovanov, former Economy Minister and newly appointed advisor to the President’s office said Monday night...

Last summer’s purge of the Central Bank leadership and the court rulings that undermined Ukraine’s anti-corruption agencies apparently turned off the IMF. Last summer’s purge of the Central Bank leadership and the court rulings that undermined Ukraine’s anti-corruption agencies apparently turned off the IMF. Last month, the head of Britain’s M-I6 intell...

While the IMF awaits a positive resolution of the Constitutional Court standoff, Mylovanov said Ukraine could get an IMF “staff-level agreement.” While the IMF awaits a positive resolution of the Constitutional Court standoff, Mylovanov said Ukraine could get an IMF “staff-level agreement.” This could unlock billions in EU and World Bank aid as...

Adamant Capital wrote last night: “Key requirements seem to be some kind of progress on resurrecting the [National Anti-Corruption Bureau’s] powers and a balanced 2021 budget (deficit, in all probability, needs to be lower than the cu...

The The Finance Ministry jacked up interest rates yesterday and increase its sales of hryvnia bonds 30-fold, compared to the week earlier. By raising yields by one percentage point, to 10%, the Ministry s...

Tuesday, November 24

“The opening of new stores is due to the dynamic growth of retail after the lockdown,” “The opening of new stores is due to the dynamic growth of retail after the lockdown,” NAI tells Interfax Ukraine. “[Because] Ukrainians visited foreign countries less, about $ 3.8 billion remained in...

The Fora supermarket chain expects to double deliveries in 2021 through delivery services, compared to this year, The Fora supermarket chain expects to double deliveries in 2021 through delivery services, compared to this year, Yevhen Trishyn, Fora’s digital technologies director, told reporters recently. He said...

Due to the spring coronavirus lockdown, Glovo grew in Ukraine 40-50% faster than its plan for 2020, Due to the spring coronavirus lockdown, Glovo grew in Ukraine 40-50% faster than its plan for 2020, says Dmytro Rasnovsky, Ukraine general manager for the delivery service. Known for its trademark yel...

During the first weekend quarantine of November, sales volumes fell by 45% compared to the previous weekend During the first weekend quarantine of November, sales volumes fell by 45% compared to the previous weekend, Ukrainian Processing Center tells Interfax-Ukraine about use of 7.8 million cards of its 19...

To avoid ‘Black Friday’ shopping mob scenes To avoid ‘Black Friday’ shopping mob scenes, many Ukrainian shopping center are opting for social distancing alternatives. Kyiv’s Gulliver shopping center has replaced its planned Friday-Saturday-Sund...

With new infections increasing late last week by 14,500 a day With new infections increasing late last week by 14,500 a day, Ukraine’s government adopted a system of ‘Priority Hours,” for people over 65 years of age to go shopping. The shopping window of 10 am t...

While waiting to see if the weekend quarantines brake the infection rate, the government is polling mayors and religious groups for suggestions for tougher quarantine While waiting to see if the weekend quarantines brake the infection rate, the government is polling mayors and religious groups for suggestions for tougher quarantine that would cause less economic da...

Ivano-Frankivsk Mayor Ruslan Martsinkiv said after an online meeting with the Prime Minister on Thursday Ivano-Frankivsk Mayor Ruslan Martsinkiv said after an online meeting with the Prime Minister on Thursday: “If, God forbid, this lockdown is introduced, it will be a disaster for the economy, especiall...

President Zelenskiy and his chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, tested negative for coronavirus yesterday and were released from Kyiv’s elite Feofania Hospital President Zelenskiy and his chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, tested negative for coronavirus yesterday and were released from Kyiv’s elite Feofania Hospital, ending two weeks of treatment. “I finally ha...

Coronavirus is cutting deeper into Ukraine’s political elite. Coronavirus is cutting deeper into Ukraine’s political elite. The newly elected mayors of three cities – Boryspil, Konotop and Novgorod-Siversky — died from COVID-19 after the Oct. 25 local elections....

One roadbuilding season made a difference One roadbuilding season made a difference. Ukraine in 2020 climbed 20 notches in “Quality of Roads” Ukravtodor says, citing The Legatum Prosperity Index. Out of 167 countries, Ukraine rose to 126th pl...

Despite the spring coronavirus lockdown, retail sales for the first 10 months of this year are up almost 8% yoy in real terms Despite the spring coronavirus lockdown, retail sales for the first 10 months of this year are up almost 8% yoy in real terms, reports the State Statistics Service. In Kyiv, the nation’s biggest marke...

Concorde Capital’s Evgeniya Akhtyrko writes Concorde Capital’s Evgeniya Akhtyrko writes: “Retail sales in Ukraine are surging, backed by fast growth of wages. The strong household consumption is helping the economy to offset the fall in investm...

During the first half of this year During the first half of this year, more than 300 new grocery supermarkets opened in Ukraine, a record figure for the last decade, reports NAI Ukraine, the commercial real estate consulting company. I...

For household goods For household goods, Danish chain Jysk opened 13 new stores in the first half. Epicenter opened seven and Leroy Merlin opened two. Chains specializing in cosmetics, electronics and clothing also expan...

Monday, November 23

A fluent English speaker, Markarova has participated in numerous negotiations with the IMF, World Bank and other foreign financial institutions. A fluent English speaker, Markarova has participated in numerous negotiations with the IMF, World Bank and other foreign financial institutions. Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba reacted to press specula...

Tymofiy Mylovanov, the former Economy Minister, has been appointed as a “non-staff” adviser to Andriy Yermak, Zelensky’s chief of staff. Tymofiy Mylovanov, the former Economy Minister, has been appointed as a “non-staff” adviser to Andriy Yermak, Zelensky’s chief of staff. After resigning from the Cabinet in March, Mylovanov has served...

Mylovanov, a University of Wisconsin-Madison graduate, is known for advocating forceful, generally free market policies. Mylovanov, a University of Wisconsin-Madison graduate, is known for advocating forceful, generally free market policies. Two weeks ago on the Svoboda Slova program he advocated a hard lockdown to slow...

In another personnel change, the Cabinet fired on Friday Olha Buslavets, the acting Energy Minister, replacing her with Yuriy Boyko, her deputy at the Ministry In another personnel change, the Cabinet fired on Friday Olha Buslavets, the acting Energy Minister, replacing her with Yuriy Boyko, her deputy at the Ministry. Buslavets had served as acting minister...