Ukrainenews

Thursday, January 7

As part of the ‘Small Carpathian Circle,’ a mountain driving circuit through Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk and Zakarpattia regions As part of the ‘Small Carpathian Circle,’ a mountain driving circuit through Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk and Zakarpattia regions, Lviv region plans to rebuild 75 km of mountain roads this year, including up...

Ukraine ended the year with $29.1 billion in reserves, a 15% yoy increase Ukraine ended the year with $29.1 billion in reserves, a 15% yoy increase, the National Bank of Ukraine reported yesterday. The highest level in eight years, today’s reserves are enough to cover five ...

Alfa-Bank Ukraine’s Oleksiy Blinov wrote: “ Alfa-Bank Ukraine’s Oleksiy Blinov wrote: “This strong increase was delivered via massive FX debt placements by the Ministry of Finance. Overall, MinFin borrowed a net of $2.6 billion in December.”...

In the first government bond auction of the new year, the Finance Ministry raised the equivalent of $308 million — 37% of the amount raised the week before In the first government bond auction of the new year, the Finance Ministry raised the equivalent of $308 million — 37% of the amount raised the week before. Choosing among four hryvnia bonds – 3...

Concorde Capital’s Evgeniya Akhtyrko writes: Concorde Capital’s Evgeniya Akhtyrko writes: “The drop in auction receipts after the record-high results of December is not surprising. Nonetheless, UAH 9 billion in receipts is quite a strong result ...

Dragon Capital writes: Dragon Capital writes: “With the 2021 budget’s deficit target set at 5.5% of GDP, government borrowing needs will remain high this year, keeping it reliant on cooperation with the IMF.”

Tuesday, January 5

The government is heeding Health Minister Stepanov’s call to stick with the Friday shutdown The government is heeding Health Minister Stepanov’s call to stick with the Friday shutdown. “Many people ask whether we plan to postpone or cancel the quarantine, as the number of cases has been fall...

To prepare for economic pain from the coming lockdown To prepare for economic pain from the coming lockdown, the government has distributed $130 million in grants to almost half a million small business owners and their employees, Prime Minister Shmygal ...

Ukraine will only start to return to normal this spring Ukraine will only start to return to normal this spring, Viktor Lyashko, chief sanitary doctor, predicts in an interview with Ukraina 24 TV. “We will start out a step-by-step return to our usual rhyth...

The government is heeding Health Minister Stepanov’s call to stick with the Friday shutdown The government is heeding Health Minister Stepanov’s call to stick with the Friday shutdown. “Many people ask whether we plan to postpone or cancel the quarantine, as the number of cases has been fall...

In coming weeks, Ukraine hopes to receive almost 20 million doses of coronavirus vaccines, enough to vaccinate 10 million people, about one third of the adult population this year In coming weeks, Ukraine hopes to receive almost 20 million doses of coronavirus vaccines, enough to vaccinate 10 million people, about one third of the adult population this year. The Health Ministry...

Ukraine will only start to return to normal this spring Ukraine will only start to return to normal this spring, Viktor Lyashko, chief sanitary doctor, predicts in an interview with Ukraina 24 TV. “We will start out a step-by-step return to our usual rhyth...

China’s Sinovac Biotech China’s Sinovac Biotech: Last week Ukraine’s Health Ministry of Health signed a $34 million ProZorro contract for delivery of 1.9 million doses. Health Minister Maksym Stepanov predicts the first vacc...

In coming weeks, Ukraine hopes to receive almost 20 million doses of coronavirus vaccines, enough to vaccinate 10 million people, about one third of the adult population this year In coming weeks, Ukraine hopes to receive almost 20 million doses of coronavirus vaccines, enough to vaccinate 10 million people, about one third of the adult population this year. The Health Ministry...

COVAX COVAX – President Zelenskiy wrote Thursday on Telegram: “We are working to increase supply through COVAX [from 8 million] to 16 million doses.” COVAX is a multinational collaboration organize to ensur...

China’s Sinovac Biotech China’s Sinovac Biotech: Last week Ukraine’s Health Ministry of Health signed a $34 million ProZorro contract for delivery of 1.9 million doses. Health Minister Maksym Stepanov predicts the first vacc...

Poland has offered to transfer 1.5 million vaccine doses to Ukraine Poland has offered to transfer 1.5 million vaccine doses to Ukraine, Yevhen Enin, Ukraine’s deputy foreign minister, told Interfax-Ukraine.

COVAX COVAX – President Zelenskiy wrote Thursday on Telegram: “We are working to increase supply through COVAX [from 8 million] to 16 million doses.” COVAX is a multinational collaboration organize to ensur...

Russia’s Sputnik V Russia’s Sputnik V: Despite an announcement in Moscow that this vaccine will undergo ‘clinical trials’ in Ukraine, officials here say it will not be allowed. Arsen Zhumadilov, Head of Medical Procurem...

Poland has offered to transfer 1.5 million vaccine doses to Ukraine Poland has offered to transfer 1.5 million vaccine doses to Ukraine, Yevhen Enin, Ukraine’s deputy foreign minister, told Interfax-Ukraine.

The Covid economy accelerated Ukrainians’ flight from cash in 2020 The Covid economy accelerated Ukrainians’ flight from cash in 2020, indicate figures from PrivatBank, Ukraine’s largest bank. Last year, Ukrainians’ transactions with PrivatBank terminals increased by...

Russia’s Sputnik V Russia’s Sputnik V: Despite an announcement in Moscow that this vaccine will undergo ‘clinical trials’ in Ukraine, officials here say it will not be allowed. Arsen Zhumadilov, Head of Medical Procurem...

Surfing the net during lockdowns, Ukrainians boosted visits to Ukrainian Wikipedia last year by 21% yoy Surfing the net during lockdowns, Ukrainians boosted visits to Ukrainian Wikipedia last year by 21% yoy. In 2020, 855.1 million pages were visited, raising Ukrainian Wikipedia to the rank of 17th most...

The Covid economy accelerated Ukrainians’ flight from cash in 2020 The Covid economy accelerated Ukrainians’ flight from cash in 2020, indicate figures from PrivatBank, Ukraine’s largest bank. Last year, Ukrainians’ transactions with PrivatBank terminals increased by...

Official numbers indicate Official numbers indicate that Ukraine’s coronavirus epidemic has receded according to official numbers. Hospitalizations are down 20% from the early December level of 28,500, Prime Minister Shmyhal s...

The New Year’s holiday temperatures were some of the warmest on record, with the weather comparable to that of a normal mid-October The New Year’s holiday temperatures were some of the warmest on record, with the weather comparable to that of a normal mid-October, reported Central Geophysical Observatory. On Thursday and Friday, r...

Surfing the net during lockdowns, Ukrainians boosted visits to Ukrainian Wikipedia last year by 21% yoy Surfing the net during lockdowns, Ukrainians boosted visits to Ukrainian Wikipedia last year by 21% yoy. In 2020, 855.1 million pages were visited, raising Ukrainian Wikipedia to the rank of 17th most...

Today, only one third of the nation’s 77,000 Covid beds are occupied Today, only one third of the nation’s 77,000 Covid beds are occupied, Health Minister Maksym Stepanov reported yesterday. This is a sharp contrast to November when Covid hospitals in Kyiv were full an...

Official numbers indicate Official numbers indicate that Ukraine’s coronavirus epidemic has receded according to official numbers. Hospitalizations are down 20% from the early December level of 28,500, Prime Minister Shmyhal s...

The New Year’s holiday temperatures were some of the warmest on record, with the weather comparable to that of a normal mid-October The New Year’s holiday temperatures were some of the warmest on record, with the weather comparable to that of a normal mid-October, reported Central Geophysical Observatory. On Thursday and Friday, r...

Confirmed cases may have dropped because people with mild cases do not want to go through the bother and expense of being tested. Confirmed cases may have dropped because people with mild cases do not want to go through the bother and expense of being tested. In addition, over the last three months, 6% of Ukraine’s population fe...

Today, only one third of the nation’s 77,000 Covid beds are occupied Today, only one third of the nation’s 77,000 Covid beds are occupied, Health Minister Maksym Stepanov reported yesterday. This is a sharp contrast to November when Covid hospitals in Kyiv were full an...

“There is a probability that we actually have fewer people now being infected with this coronavirus “There is a probability that we actually have fewer people now being infected with this coronavirus, and it is possible that the first wave is coming to an end,” Serhiy Komistarenko, a member of Ukrai...

Confirmed cases may have dropped because people with mild cases do not want to go through the bother and expense of being tested. Confirmed cases may have dropped because people with mild cases do not want to go through the bother and expense of being tested. In addition, over the last three months, 6% of Ukraine’s population fe...

In face of falling infection numbers, business groups are pressuring the government to soften In face of falling infection numbers, business groups are pressuring the government to soften the lockdown that starts this Friday, the day after Orthodox Christmas, and runs through Sunday January 24...

“There is a probability that we actually have fewer people now being infected with this coronavirus “There is a probability that we actually have fewer people now being infected with this coronavirus, and it is possible that the first wave is coming to an end,” Serhiy Komistarenko, a member of Ukrai...

Starting at 12:01 am on Friday, mandatory closures cover: Starting at 12:01 am on Friday, mandatory closures cover: all restaurants, bars, schools, gyms, swimming and non-food stores. Allowed will be: food stores, pharmacies, medical clinics, sales of hygien...

In face of falling infection numbers, business groups are pressuring the government to soften In face of falling infection numbers, business groups are pressuring the government to soften the lockdown that starts this Friday, the day after Orthodox Christmas, and runs through Sunday January 24...

To prepare for economic pain from the coming lockdown To prepare for economic pain from the coming lockdown, the government has distributed $130 million in grants to almost half a million small business owners and their employees, Prime Minister Shmygal ...

Starting at 12:01 am on Friday, mandatory closures cover: Starting at 12:01 am on Friday, mandatory closures cover: all restaurants, bars, schools, gyms, swimming and non-food stores. Allowed will be: food stores, pharmacies, medical clinics, sales of hygien...

Monday, January 4

Russia cut its volume of gas pumped across Ukraine by 38% in 2020 Russia cut its volume of gas pumped across Ukraine by 38% in 2020, compared to the previous year. Although Gazprom pumped 55.8 billion cubic meters through Ukraine’s east-west pipeline system, Russia’...

In reverse In reverse, gas transportation from Europe to Ukraine hit almost 16 bcm last year, 12% more than in 2019 and 27% more than the annual average for 2016-18. About 10 bcm went into storage as 52 Ukrainia...

Serbian President Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić opened Friday Serbia’s 403 km extension of the Balkan Stream natural-gas pipeline, AP reports from Belgrade. Fuel for the line comes from Anapa, Russia, and then flo...

Pumped from the Tristar Ruby, a US cargo of LNG from Cove Point, Maryland inaugurated last weekend Croatia’s first liquefied natural gas landing terminal Pumped from the Tristar Ruby, a US cargo of LNG from Cove Point, Maryland inaugurated last weekend Croatia’s first liquefied natural gas landing terminal at Krk, an island in the northern Adriatic. PO...

Separately, Azeri gas has started moving through the new Separately, Azeri gas has started moving through the new Trans Adriatic Pipeline, Interfax-Azerbaijan reports from Baku, citing Azerbaijan’s Energy Ministry. This 878 km pipeline picks up Azeri gas fr...

Tomasz Fiala, CEO of Dragon Capital, and Ivan Svitek, former Chairman of Alfa Bank Ukraine, have signed an agreement to buy Unex Bank from Vadim Novinsky’s Smart Holding Tomasz Fiala, CEO of Dragon Capital, and Ivan Svitek, former Chairman of Alfa Bank Ukraine, have signed an agreement to buy Unex Bank from Vadim Novinsky’s Smart Holding. “The Antimonopoly Commi...

To prevent a strengthening of the hryvnia, the central bank bought a net $335.5 million on the interbank market in December. To prevent a strengthening of the hryvnia, the central bank bought a net $335.5 million on the interbank market in December. By contrast, during the whole year, the bank bought a net $1.1 billion, rep...

Ukraine’s minimum wage increased Friday by $35, $212 per month Ukraine’s minimum wage increased Friday by $35, $212 per month. On Dec. 1, it increases to $230. With the minimum wage largely used to calculate pensions, Ukraine’s average monthly wage is $480.

Real wages were up 8% yoy in November Real wages were up 8% yoy in November, reports the State Statistics Service. Nationally, the average nominal wage was $404. In Kyiv, the wage was 54% higher — $622. Nationwide, the biggest regio...

Despite the global economic recession, Ukraine’s trade deficit dropped in half last year Despite the global economic recession, Ukraine’s trade deficit dropped in half last year, from $10.22 billion to $4.9 billion in 2020, Taras Kachka, Ukraine’s Trade Representative, wrote on Facebook. ...