MorningNewsUkraine

Monday, August 10

The US moves seem to come partly in response to last month’s purge of bank reformers from the National Bank of Ukraine The US moves seem to come partly in response to last month’s purge of bank reformers from the National Bank of Ukraine. In 2016, faced with a $5.5 billion hole at Kolomoisky’s bank, PrivatBank, the Ce...

Zawada writes: Zawada writes: “These accusations offer added insurance that Kolomoisky will not regain control over Privatbank. We believe they mark the peak of Kolomoisky’s influence in Ukraine, which will wane onc...

Timothy Ash writes from London: Timothy Ash writes from London: “With recent moves against the reform team at the NBU, the US Government might have reached the conclusion that if they don’t move now, then the risk is the whole domes...

Oleksiy Shaban has been named a Deputy Governor of the National Bank of Ukraine Oleksiy Shaban has been named a Deputy Governor of the National Bank of Ukraine, giving Kyrylo Shevchenko, the new Governor, a majority on the central bank board. Shaban worked as director of the bank...

Timothy Ash writes from London: Timothy Ash writes from London: “The new Governor Shevchenko is now fully in charge at the NBU…The IMF is signaling they will want to take some time to assess the changes at the NBU and give She...

The use of payment cards jumped 17% yoy during the first half of this year in Ukraine, The use of payment cards jumped 17% yoy during the first half of this year in Ukraine, to 2.74 billion transactions, reports the National Bank of Ukraine. The size of the average transaction edged up ...

As Ukrainians shifted rapidly to cashless transactions, As Ukrainians shifted rapidly to cashless transactions, the number of cash transactions with cards – largely withdrawals from ATM machines – dropped by 12% during the first half of this year.

During the first half, the number of point of sale terminal increased by 5%. During the first half, the number of point of sale terminal increased by 5%. The number of issued cards also increased by 5%, to 71.7 million, or two for every Ukrainian.

Increasingly popular are contactless and tokenized cards Increasingly popular are contactless and tokenized cards. In June, almost 10 million contactless cards were used, up 25.6% since January. In June, 2.7 million tokenized cards were in use, up 22.5% fro...

Ukraine is moving to introduce green finance standards in the country, with a focus on green bonds. Ukraine is moving to introduce green finance standards in the country, with a focus on green bonds. The World Bank’s IFC signed a cooperation agreement on green finance Friday with Ukraine’s National ...

Tuesday, March 10

The schedule for ‘big privatization’ tenders – over $10 million – is The schedule for ‘big privatization’ tenders – over $10 million – is: Dnipro Hotel and United Mining and Chemical – May; Odesa Port-Side Chemical Plant – August; President Hotel – October; Electrotyaz...

One million additional cars may hit Ukraine’s roads this year, if current registration figures hold up. One million additional cars may hit Ukraine’s roads this year, if current registration figures hold up. In January and February, 61,000 used imports and 14,000 new imports were registered, reports Ukr...

Ukraine’s first concrete highway – a 160 km road used by Poltava grain trucks going to Dnipro – must be completed by the end of this year Ukraine’s first concrete highway – a 160 km road used by Poltava grain trucks going to Dnipro – must be completed by the end of this year, President Zelenskiy vowed Thursday on a site visit. The north...

Short term, Monday’s oil price crash will help Ukraine, a net energy importer. Short term, Monday’s oil price crash will help Ukraine, a net energy importer. Oil and gas, Ukraine’s top import category, account for one quarter of Ukraine’s imports. In 2018, this import bill was $...

4G mobile service could be in all 52 stations of the Kyiv Metro by this time next year — if the Kyiv City Council sets tariffs as a meeting on Thursday 4G mobile service could be in all 52 stations of the Kyiv Metro by this time next year — if the Kyiv City Council sets tariffs as a meeting on Thursday, Alexander Komarov, Kyivstar CEO, said at ...

Long term, a world recession could drag down prices for Ukraine’s main commodity exports – food and metals. Long term, a world recession could drag down prices for Ukraine’s main commodity exports – food and metals. A recession could come about from an economy battered by spreading coronavirus restrictions ...

Global investors’ flight to safety is returning Ukrainian securities to the levels of last summer. Global investors’ flight to safety is returning Ukrainian securities to the levels of last summer. On Monday, the yield on Ukraine’s dollar bond due 2028 hit 8.31%, the highest since June and an incre...

This financial hurricane catches Ukraine without an Economy Minister or an Energy Minister. This financial hurricane catches Ukraine without an Economy Minister or an Energy Minister. After last week’s Cabinet purge President Zelenskiy has yet to find replacements. Timothy Ash writes from Lo...

The collapse in oil prices will weaken Russia, Ukraine’s geopolitical adversary. The collapse in oil prices will weaken Russia, Ukraine’s geopolitical adversary. When Moscow trading starts today after the March 9 holiday, the ruble is expected to weaken beyond Monday’s 4% fall. In...

Viktor Avdiyenko writes in Viktor Avdiyenko writes in Apostrophe: “Monday can be called ‘black’ with full confidence. But Russia is most likely waiting for ‘Black Tuesday, when stock markets open there. Russian and foreign anal...

Meanwhile back in Ukraine’s bricks and mortar economy: Meanwhile back in Ukraine’s bricks and mortar economy:

Ukraine resumes poultry exports to the EU this week Ukraine resumes poultry exports to the EU this week, ending a 6-week suspension due to the discovery of an avian flu case in Vinnytsia Region in mid-January. After imposing a blanket ban on poultry im...

Last year, Ukraine increased its poultry meat exports by 26%, to a record, 414,000 tons Last year, Ukraine increased its poultry meat exports by 26%, to a record, 414,000 tons, for $579 million, reports Ukraine’s Institute of Agricultural Economics. About one third of exports – 134,262 t...

Chickens represent Ukraine’s animal husbandry bright spot, increasing by 2% y-o-y, to 211.5 million head on Feb. 1 Chickens represent Ukraine’s animal husbandry bright spot, increasing by 2% y-o-y, to 211.5 million head on Feb. 1, reports the State Statistical Service. By contrast, the national cattle herd – milk ...

With demand for new office space strong in Kyiv, a record 255,000 square meters are to go on the market this year, more than double last year’s amount With demand for new office space strong in Kyiv, a record 255,000 square meters are to go on the market this year, more than double last year’s amount, according to a new Kyiv office research report b...

IT accounted for 44% of the new office space take up in Kyiv last year IT accounted for 44% of the new office space take up in Kyiv last year. This was followed by industry and energy with 25% and by co-working and temporary offices at 12%. With IT growing at 20% a year ...

Residential housing increased by 27% last year y-o-y, to 11 million square meters Residential housing increased by 27% last year y-o-y, to 11 million square meters. Newly commissioned housing was almost evenly split between single family houses – 53% — and apartments – 47%. O...

Monday, February 24

Ukraine’s import price of gas may drop in half this summer – to $80 per 1,000 cubic meters Ukraine’s import price of gas may drop in half this summer – to $80 per 1,000 cubic meters – predicts Oleksiy Orzhel, Energy and Environmental Protection Minister. In January, Ukraine’s average price ...

The government plans to close most of Ukraine’s coal mines during this decade The government plans to close most of Ukraine’s coal mines during this decade, Minister Orzhel said Friday at a presentation of a revised draft Concept for a Green Energy Transition To 2050. The cutof...

Russian health officials took a Chinese woman with symptoms of a respiratory illness off a Kyiv-Moscow train in Bryansk Russian health officials took a Chinese woman with symptoms of a respiratory illness off a Kyiv-Moscow train in Bryansk, Russia. The woman was hospitalized in quarantine. She and five Ukrainian passen...

Thanks to Ukraine’s mild winter, highway workers fired up their bulldozers last week and started work on 34 projects in 14 regions Thanks to Ukraine’s mild winter, highway workers fired up their bulldozers last week and started work on 34 projects in 14 regions, reports the press service of Ukravtodor. “A record early start was c...

Turkish construction company Onur submitted a winning $488 million bid to complete the long unfinished bridge across the Dnipro at Zaporizhia Turkish construction company Onur submitted a winning $488 million bid to complete the long unfinished bridge across the Dnipro at Zaporizhia, Ukravtodor reports on Facebook. The ProZorro tender calle...

Turkish construction company Cengiz has signed a memorandum of cooperation to upgrade the M14 road between Mariupol and Nova Kakhkova to the level of an international highway Turkish construction company Cengiz has signed a memorandum of cooperation to upgrade the M14 road between Mariupol and Nova Kakhkova to the level of an international highway. Planner see upgrading th...

Russia has detained 2,249 ships since Kerch Strait naval clash of November 2018, Andriy Klimenko, editor in chief of the BlackSeaNews portal. Russia has detained 2,249 ships since Kerch Strait naval clash of November 2018, Andriy Klimenko, editor in chief of the BlackSeaNews portal. With each detention for ‘inspections’ lasting an average o...

Confounding stereotypes, the Kyiv metro area has 50% more ‘high quality retail space’ per capita than the Moscow metro area Confounding stereotypes, the Kyiv metro area has 50% more ‘high quality retail space’ per capita than the Moscow metro area, according to new statistics by UTG, the Ukraine real estate consultancy. Ky...

With Russia’s economy stagnant, the gap may grow With Russia’s economy stagnant, the gap may grow. Without counting 21 Kyiv region malls in ‘concept’ stage, Kyiv is to add 550,000 new square meters – a 30% increase from today’s levels — by the...

In Kyiv, 241,000 square meters of new retail space went on the market last year In Kyiv, 241,000 square meters of new retail space went on the market last year. This is 50% more than the 159,000 square meters of gross leasable area that went on the market in 2018. With the new su...

Ukraine’s retail sales are expected to grow by 10% this year, matching last’s growth Ukraine’s retail sales are expected to grow by 10% this year, matching last’s growth. Growing three times as fast as GDP growth, retail is fueled by $1 billion a month in remittances from workers outs...

Supermarket chain Novus plans to open 10 new stores in Kyiv Supermarket chain Novus plans to open 10 new stores in Kyiv by the end of 2021, Ihor Landa, CEO of BT Invest Ukraine, the company that runs Novus, tells Interfax-Ukraine. He says the chain plans to ex...

For the first time, Ukrainian regional real estate projects will have their own stand at MIPIM For the first time, Ukrainian regional real estate projects will have their own stand at MIPIM, the leading European investment exhibition for the international real estate market. On show will be Iva...

Ukraine should aim to triple IT workers, to 650,000, and nearly triple IT export revenue, to $13 billion a year Ukraine should aim to triple IT workers, to 650,000, and nearly triple IT export revenue, to $13 billion a year, Kira Rudik, a leader of the Rada’s Digital Transformation Committee, said in Zaporizhia...

With talks over the green tariffs adrift for the last six months With talks over the green tariffs adrift for the last six months, Prime Minister Alexei Goncharuk said Friday: “We anticipate serious problems for our energy sector to serve such high obligations̷...