newsofukraine

Tuesday, August 25

Passenger transport is down 56.2% y-o-y Passenger transport is down 56.2% y-o-y, reports the State Statistics Service. Rail was down 58.2%. Motor transport was down by 44.3%.

There have been no combat losses in the eastern regions for the past 29 days There have been no combat losses in the eastern regions for the past 29 days, Zelenskiy said during his Independence Day speech. “A year ago, I talked about how every morning starts with an SMS messag...

The IMF has yet to set a date for the review of the Standby Agreement, a review that was to be in September. The IMF has yet to set a date for the review of the Standby Agreement, a review that was to be in September. IMF Ukraine representative Goesta Ljungman tells Hromadske that while “discussions on the i...

Ukraine received in June a first $2.1 billion tranche Ukraine received in June a first $2.1 billion tranche of what is to be a $5 billion loan program.

Prime Minister Shmygal says he expects Ukraine will receive the second tranche by the end of this year Prime Minister Shmygal says he expects Ukraine will receive the second tranche by the end of this year. Some economic analysts say the IMF switched to observation mode after President Zelenskiy unexpe...

Friday, August 21

Ukraine’s exports to South Korea grew by 89% to $252 million in the first half of 2020 Ukraine’s exports to South Korea grew by 89% to $252 million in the first half of 2020, reports the State Statistics Service.

The Cabinet of Ministers canceled a 1992 agreement with the Russia regarding mutual trade representatives The Cabinet of Ministers canceled a 1992 agreement with the Russia regarding mutual trade representatives, according to the government. “To stop the agreement between the government of Ukraine a...

Ukraine’s central bank has established “flexible” guidelines for the restructuring of debt assumed by green energy producers. Ukraine’s central bank has established “flexible” guidelines for the restructuring of debt assumed by green energy producers. The National Bank of Ukraine website writes: “The NBU has provided for a p...

The central bank simplifies the banking charter process. The central bank simplifies the banking charter process. The NBU website: “The regulator has reduced the number of documents that must be submitted by banks for approval by managers. Now the process o...

Monetary policy targets an annual inflation rate of 5% Monetary policy targets an annual inflation rate of 5%, reports Ukrinform, citing the NBU.

Oschadbank plans to auction off non-performing loan portfolios starting in autumn 2020 Oschadbank plans to auction off non-performing loan portfolios starting in autumn 2020, reports Interfax Ukraine. In the first half of this year this state bank wrote off $800 million in non performin...

Naftogaz will develop its assets in Egypt instead of selling them, Naftogaz will develop its assets in Egypt instead of selling them, reports the company’s press service. Last December, , the state company announced plans to sell off two oil and gas fields near Alam ...

NV magazine NV magazine publishes its top 100 “most influential” people in Ukraine. The top 5 in chronological order are: President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, tycoon Rinat Akhmetov, Interior Minister Arsen Avakov, Pres...

Kharkiv tries to poach IT specialists from Belarus by offering relocation perks Kharkiv tries to poach IT specialists from Belarus by offering relocation perks, reports Interfax-Ukraine. “Kharkiv IT-community sincerely empathizes with Belarussian colleagues who are forced to be i...

Epicenter K, a local home improvement chain, is introducing a new browsing format for shoppers Epicenter K, a local home improvement chain, is introducing a new browsing format for shoppers. “It is sometimes difficult for a buyer to imagine a complete picture of the future interior accord...

Unemployment is up 67% y-o-y since the beginning of quarantine measures Unemployment is up 67% y-o-y since the beginning of quarantine measures, reports UNIAN citing the State Employment Service. Between March and August 2020, about 432,000 more Ukrainians were officially...

Agricultural production in the first half of 2020 dipped 11.2% y-o-y Agricultural production in the first half of 2020 dipped 11.2% y-o-y, according to the State Statistics Service. Production by industrial scale-enterprises was down by 15.3% while small-scale producer...

The World Bank praised Ukraine’s coronavirus response, The World Bank praised Ukraine’s coronavirus response, says Deputy Health Minister Svitlana Shatalova. “On August 17, during a meeting between Health Minister Maksym Stepanov and World Bank Coun...

Qatar’s QTerminals yesterday signed the concession agreement for the Olvia port in Mykolaiv region, Qatar’s QTerminals yesterday signed the concession agreement for the Olvia port in Mykolaiv region, reports Interfax Ukraine. Infrastructure Minister Vladislav Krykliy announced: “QTerminals is to inv...

“The successful signing of pilot concessions for the ports of Olvia and Kherson proved that the public-private partnership model can effectively attract private investment in Ukrainian infrastructure,” “The successful signing of pilot concessions for the ports of Olvia and Kherson proved that the public-private partnership model can effectively attract private investment in Ukrainian infrastructure,...

China strengthens its position as Ukraine’s top trading partner, with $6.6 billion in bilateral trade in the first half of 2020 China strengthens its position as Ukraine’s top trading partner, with $6.6 billion in bilateral trade in the first half of 2020, according to the State Statistics Service. For perspective, bilateral t...

Thursday, August 20

A radical simplification of customs is the goal of legal package drawn up this summer by A radical simplification of customs is the goal of legal package drawn up this summer by Mikheil Saakashvili’s National Reforms Council. This fall, the Rada is expected to pass the changes, including ...

Highlights are: Highlights are:

Concorde Capital’s Concorde Capital’s Zenon Zawada writes: “Customs is notoriously difficult to deal with, having created enormous lines at border crossings for as long as can be remembered. Saakashvili’s customs propos...

Ukraine reported a record 1,967 new Covid-19 cases yesterday morning Ukraine reported a record 1,967 new Covid-19 cases yesterday morning, says Health Minister Maksym Stepanov. “Covid is gaining momentum,” warns the Minister. “We have seen this tendency for the last mo...

Concorde Capital’s Zenon Zawada writes: Concorde Capital’s Zenon Zawada writes: “The situation is getting worse, with the authorities remaining remarkably silent (out of concern for losing poll ratings ahead of the October elections). Hospi...

With the EU showing no sign of lowering its corona barriers to Ukrainians, UIA is cancelling its flights this fall to 11 EU cities and to Tbilisi, Georgia With the EU showing no sign of lowering its corona barriers to Ukrainians, UIA is cancelling its flights this fall to 11 EU cities and to Tbilisi, Georgia. The EU cities are: Budapest, Copenhagen, Fra...

SAS resumed flights yesterday between Oslo and Boryspil. SAS resumed flights yesterday between Oslo and Boryspil. Last October, flights resumed after an 8-year break. But this new service lasted only five months, until corona controls forced suspension of t...

Wizz started flights last weekend between Italy and Lviv Wizz started flights last weekend between Italy and Lviv. The discount airline now flies between Lviv and Rome Ciampino and between Lviv and Milan Malpensa.

SkyUp, Ukraine’s discount airline, starts flights Oct. 25 between Belgrade and Kyiv Boryspil. SkyUp, Ukraine’s discount airline, starts flights Oct. 25 between Belgrade and Kyiv Boryspil. In Southeast Europe, the carrier currently operates regular flights to Albania’s Tirana, and Bulgari...

The Cabinet of Ministers is allocating $4 million in an effort to finally complete the long overdue and long over budget Odesa runway project, The Cabinet of Ministers is allocating $4 million in an effort to finally complete the long overdue and long over budget Odesa runway project, Prime Minister Shmygal said yesterday. Separately, in a l...

Sweden’s Embracer Group is paying $36 million to acquire Ukraine’s 4A Games. Sweden’s Embracer Group is paying $36 million to acquire Ukraine’s 4A Games. Founded by three Ukrainian developers in Kyiv in 2006, 4A Games has grown to have 150 employees between Kyiv and the compan...

Norwegian and Austrian investors plan to invest $1 billion in Zaporizhia to build one of Europe’s largest data centers and a hydrogen production plant Norwegian and Austrian investors plan to invest $1 billion in Zaporizhia to build one of Europe’s largest data centers and a hydrogen production plant, next to the Dnipro hydroelectric power plant. H2...

How Ukrainian startups can attract investment from European venture capital firms How Ukrainian startups can attract investment from European venture capital firms will be the theme Sept. 2 of a webinar hosted on Zoom by Adam Smith Conferences. With the participation of leading Eur...

In Dnipropetrovsk region, River Wind Ukraine plans to build wind and solar power plants with a total capacity of 4 GW on Kakhovka Reservoir In Dnipropetrovsk region, River Wind Ukraine plans to build wind and solar power plants with a total capacity of 4 GW on Kakhovka Reservoir, the regional government reports. Billed as Ukraine’s ‘first...

Borys Paton, the Ukrainian engineer who chaired the National Academy of Sciences for 58 years, has died in Kyiv at 101. Borys Paton, the Ukrainian engineer who chaired the National Academy of Sciences for 58 years, has died in Kyiv at 101. Paton became director of the Yevhen Paton Institute of Electric Welding in 1953,...

Germany’s Nordex will supply 34 wind turbines for the first phase of the Franco-Norwegian wind farm on Lake Syvash Germany’s Nordex will supply 34 wind turbines for the first phase of the Franco-Norwegian wind farm on Lake Syvash, reports Novii Vizit, a regional Kherson news site. The turbine model — N131 / ...

Witkowitz, a Czech manufacturer of machine-building equipment, plans to invest €50 million in Dnipro’s in Yuzhny Machine Building Plant. Witkowitz, a Czech manufacturer of machine-building equipment, plans to invest €50 million in Dnipro’s in Yuzhny Machine Building Plant. Based in the coal and steel region of Moravia-Silesia, Witkowit...

In the government’s latest musical chairs, Andriy Pavlovsky is the new acting head of Customs – the third to hold the post in a year. In the government’s latest musical chairs, Andriy Pavlovsky is the new acting head of Customs – the third to hold the post in a year. The outgoing head of Customs, Igor Muratov, was fired for the same...

Wednesday, August 19

Watching “the sharp aggravation of the situation in the Republic of Belarus Watching “the sharp aggravation of the situation in the Republic of Belarus,” President Zelenskiy said after a security council meeting Monday night: “The events in this country could significantly af...

Pre-election populism at the Rada. Pre-election populism at the Rada. President Zelenskiy vetoed a bill that would extend through the end of next year the moratorium on foreclosures for foreign currency mortgage loans. Why? The way the...

Banda, a leading Ukrainian ad agency, is opening an office in California, Banda, a leading Ukrainian ad agency, is opening an office in California, its first office outside of Kyiv. Yaroslav Serdyuk, the agency’s co-founder and strategy director, writes on Facebook from Cal...

France’s MSL public relations company is opening an office in Kyiv, strengthening parent company Publicis Groupe’s presence in Ukraine France’s MSL public relations company is opening an office in Kyiv, strengthening parent company Publicis Groupe’s presence in Ukraine. The new office will be led by Olena Sukhanova, a 9-year veteran ...

The founders of Nova Poshta are investing in Fedoriv Agency’s Kooperativ co-working space The founders of Nova Poshta are investing in Fedoriv Agency’s Kooperativ co-working space at 23 Sichovykh Striltsiv, Kyiv. The investors, Viacheslav Klimov and Volodymyr Popereshniuk, plan to convert ...

With Ukraine reporting record levels of new Covid-19 infections – about 1,600 a day for the last week With Ukraine reporting record levels of new Covid-19 infections – about 1,600 a day for the last week – Kyiv is mildly tightening restrictions this week. Everyone is to carry an ID on the street. Mask...

Schools will open as scheduled Sept. 1, Health Minister Maksym Stepanov promises. Schools will open as scheduled Sept. 1, Health Minister Maksym Stepanov promises. Online learning will be mandatory only in the nation’s ‘Red Zones.’ Currently these are three towns and five districts...

With local elections coming in two months With local elections coming in two months, politicians have no appetite for a return to the severe lockdown of last spring. Concorde Capital’s Zenon Zawada writes: “The Zelenskiy administration has la...

Orthodox Jewish pilgrims are asked to refrain from visiting Uman next month to celebrate Rosh Hashanah Orthodox Jewish pilgrims are asked to refrain from visiting Uman next month to celebrate Rosh Hashanah, “due to the threatening epidemiological situation,” according to a joint statement by Israel and...

Returning to the air after coronavirus travel curbs, UIA had to “ Returning to the air after coronavirus travel curbs, UIA had to “start practically from scratch,” to rebuild business, airline president Yevgeny Dykhne writes on Facebook. From mid-June to mid-August,...

Marta Kolomayets, American director of the Fulbright Program in Ukraine for seven years, died Sunday Marta Kolomayets, American director of the Fulbright Program in Ukraine for seven years, died Sunday at the age of 61 after a long illness. As the local head of Fulbright, she helped more than 300 Ukr...