Ukrainenews

Monday, December 21

Foreign holdings of Ukrainian government hryvnia bonds increased by 6.8% last week Foreign holdings of Ukrainian government hryvnia bonds increased by 6.8% last week as foreigners joined the government record auction of $1.8 billion in equivalent of bonds on December 15. After nine ...

To keep the hryvnia from gaining value, the Central Bank bought $300 million last week To keep the hryvnia from gaining value, the Central Bank bought $300 million last week, the largest one-week purchase since June. With travel abroad difficult during the upcoming holiday season, deman...

Elena Bilan, Dragon Capital’s Chief Economist noted that the export price for Ukrainian steel has risen by 150% this year Elena Bilan, Dragon Capital’s Chief Economist noted that the export price for Ukrainian steel has risen by 150% this year, to almost $700/ton. She wrote: “Favorable prices for export goods and foreign...

Ukraine is selling less food, but making more money, calculates Alfa-Bank Ukraine. Ukraine is selling less food, but making more money, calculates Alfa-Bank Ukraine. “Decreased crops have been more than compensated by elevated prices for key commodities,” Oleskiy Blinov, Alfa’s head...

President Zelenskiy President Zelenskiy promises The New York Times to “reformat” the Constitutional Court as part of “global judicial reform in Ukraine, which we will start implementing next year.” In a video link inter...

Sales of electronics and home appliances during last month’s ‘Black Friday’ and ‘Cyber Monday’ were up 28% yoy to $235 million Sales of electronics and home appliances during last month’s ‘Black Friday’ and ‘Cyber Monday’ were up 28% yoy to $235 million, reports the Ukraine unit of GfK, Germany largest market research institu...

Ending a 9-month suspension, Qatar Airways resumed flights Friday between Doha and Kyiv Boryspil Ending a 9-month suspension, Qatar Airways resumed flights Friday between Doha and Kyiv Boryspil. Flights will be four times a week on Airbus A320 jets. From Doha, Qatar flies to 100 destinations, sai...

European development banks are providing €900 million to rebuild the southern half of the Kyiv-Odesa highway and a 24 km northern bypass around Lviv, European development banks are providing €900 million to rebuild the southern half of the Kyiv-Odesa highway and a 24 km northern bypass around Lviv, reported the Infrastructure Ministry. “This projec...

Thursday, December 17

Investment company Quarter Partners has launched an IT venture fund, promising to invest $100 million in Ukrainian startups Investment company Quarter Partners has launched an IT venture fund, promising to invest $100 million in Ukrainian startups or international ones with Ukrainian ties. Acting as an ‘angel investor,’ th...

Kyiv deepfake startup RefaceAI has raised $5.5 million from Silicon Valley investors, Kyiv deepfake startup RefaceAI has raised $5.5 million from Silicon Valley investors, Roman Mogylnyi, a co-founder, wrote on Facebook. Since launch last January, the face-swapping app has been downloa...

NASA has signed a $9.8 million contract with a Ukrainian-American aerospace company to launch small satellites for space research NASA has signed a $9.8 million contract with a Ukrainian-American aerospace company to launch small satellites for space research, reports the U.S. space agency. Firefly Black, a unit of Max Polyakov’...

Antonov Airlines has carried its largest satellite to date Antonov Airlines has carried its largest satellite to date – a 55-ton Space X communications satellite — from Toulouse, France to Titusville, Florida, home of the commercial airport serving the ...

Forty Belarusian tech companies and 2,000 IT workers have moved to Ukraine Forty Belarusian tech companies and 2,000 IT workers have moved to Ukraine in the four months since protests erupted after Alexander Lukashenko claimed to have won the Presidential Election. The Belar...

Turkey’s top military procurement official Ismail Demir has signed agreements in Kyiv for the technology transfer and joint production of attack drones and corvette warships Turkey’s top military procurement official Ismail Demir has signed agreements in Kyiv for the technology transfer and joint production of attack drones and corvette warships, Ukraine’s Defense Ministr...

Separately, Separately, Al-Monitor, another US-based new site, reported that in the second half of November Ukrainian forces tested Turkish-made Bayraktar TB2 combat drones over the Sea of Azov and around Kramato...

The new UK-Ukraine trade agreement has been ratified by both countries’ parliaments and will take effect on January 1, 2021 The new UK-Ukraine trade agreement has been ratified by both countries’ parliaments and will take effect on January 1, 2021 Taras Kachka, Ukraine’s Trade Representative, wrote on Facebook. The new pac...

Former US Envoy to Ukraine Kurt Volker is spearheading an ambitious project to open next September at the American University in Kyiv Former US Envoy to Ukraine Kurt Volker is spearheading an ambitious project to open next September at the American University in Kyiv. Announced this week, the new University aims to enroll 3,900 stud...

Betting on the revival of river cargo, the KPS Group is drawing up plans for a 5-year, $75 million project to build a multimodal port capable of doubling Kyiv’s river cargo volumes by 2027 Betting on the revival of river cargo, the KPS Group is drawing up plans for a 5-year, $75 million project to build a multimodal port capable of doubling Kyiv’s river cargo volumes by 2027. With rail ...

“Only 1 in 10 CEOs expect the investment climate to improve in 2021,” “Only 1 in 10 CEOs expect the investment climate to improve in 2021,” is the bleak headline on a survey of 101 managers in Ukraine conducted for European Business Association by Vasil Kisil & Part...

A dysfunctional judicial system and government corruption were cited as the top two investor turnoffs. A dysfunctional judicial system and government corruption were cited as the top two investor turnoffs. “94% of respondents believe that a weak judicial system is one of the reasons for Ukraine′s low i...

Thursday, December 10

Vaccines should arrive in Ukraine next month, Vaccines should arrive in Ukraine next month, says Ihor Kuzin, the Health Ministry’s Public Health Director. Under the COVAX global initiative, Ukraine is to initially receive 8 million doses of the t...

The EU and the European Investment Bank extended a total of €1.24 billion euros in aid and loans to Ukraine yesterday The EU and the European Investment Bank extended a total of €1.24 billion euros in aid and loans to Ukraine yesterday. Coming without a public signal from the IMF, the aid is seen as helping the Finan...

With Ukrainians reluctant to take mass transit during the coronavirus epidemic, first time registrations of imported used cars hit 313,300 through November, four times the number of new imported cars With Ukrainians reluctant to take mass transit during the coronavirus epidemic, first time registrations of imported used cars hit 313,300 through November, four times the number of new imported cars,...

In a surprise move, the EU disbursed yesterday €600 million in aid that originally had been approved in April In a surprise move, the EU disbursed yesterday €600 million in aid that originally had been approved in April. Billed as aid in the fight against coronavirus, the aid came the day after top EU officia...

For those who want to For those who want to ski in peace, UIA and SkyUp start flying this month from Ukraine to Turkey’s Anatolian mountains. UIA announced yesterday it will fly from Kyiv Boryspil, Kharkiv, Odesa and Zapor...

Prime Minister Shmygal, who has said the government could turn to the Eurobond market in coming days, welcomed the money Prime Minister Shmygal, who has said the government could turn to the Eurobond market in coming days, welcomed the money, saying: “This is an important signal from our European partners, because such ...

Concorde Capital’s Concorde Capital’s Alexander Paraschiy writes: “This is an unexpected move, taking into account that as recently as yesterday the EU officials criticized the Ukrainian government for the slow and insu...

The new law “has several deficiencies and does not produce the necessary deterrent and corruption prevention effect,” The new law “has several deficiencies and does not produce the necessary deterrent and corruption prevention effect,” is the EU press summary of comments made to Shmygal on Tuesday by EU High Represen...

Yesterday, in announcing the disbursement of the first €600 million tranche, the European Commission press office said: Yesterday, in announcing the disbursement of the first €600 million tranche, the European Commission press office said: “The disbursement of the second tranche will be conditional on fulfilling the ei...

Separately yesterday, the European Investment Bank signed three low interest loans totalling €640 million Separately yesterday, the European Investment Bank signed three low interest loans totalling €640 million with Prime Minister Shmyhal. About two thirds of the loans go to rebuild hospitals, schools, k...

Bank President Werner Hoyer said during the signing that the loans will help 13.7 million people living in southeast Ukraine Bank President Werner Hoyer said during the signing that the loans will help 13.7 million people living in southeast Ukraine. The loan package includes €200 million to improve urban transport across U...

The package is part of €1 billion in European Investment Bank aid extended to Ukraine this yea The package is part of €1 billion in European Investment Bank aid extended to Ukraine this year, Jean-Erik de Zagon, the Bank’s resident representative here, told reporters. Currently Ukraine accounts...

Some of the money is for reducing the isolation of the Azov Sea region Some of the money is for reducing the isolation of the Azov Sea region by improving road and rail connections to Mariupol and Berdyansk. In step in that direction, Ukrzaliznytsia starts on Sunday a da...

To brake the mid-winter spread of coronavirus, the government will impose a To brake the mid-winter spread of coronavirus, the government will impose a January 8-24 lockdown, essentially a 2-week extension to the Christmas and New Year holidays. At a Cabinet meeting yesterday...

Open will be Open will be: food stores, banks, pharmacies, hotels, post offices, kindergartens, restaurants for take out only, and barber shops and beauty salons by appointment only.

Closed will be Closed will be: shopping centers, schools, hostels, gyms, swimming pools, cinemas, theaters, art galleries, and museums.

Until the lockdown, several cities will have Christmas fairs and concerts. Until the lockdown, several cities will have Christmas fairs and concerts. Ski areas and churches are to operate unimpeded, Deputy Health Minister Viktor Lyashko said Sunday, before the lockdown was a...

The lockdown plan comes as daily new infections receded this week to the 12,000 range The lockdown plan comes as daily new infections receded this week to the 12,000 range, well below the average of 16,500 recorded 10 days ago. However, Kyiv is recording a peak of 1,700 new cases a day...

Friday, December 4

DTEK says that almost 3,000 of its 70,000 employees have disabilities DTEK says that almost 3,000 of its 70,000 employees have disabilities, “We are actively introducing the best services for our clients so that our services are as accessible as possible,” says DTEK CEO...

After 12 years of discussion, the Rada yesterday passed a river development bill designed to triple cargo carried on the Dnipro to 30 million tons by 2025. After 12 years of discussion, the Rada yesterday passed a river development bill designed to triple cargo carried on the Dnipro to 30 million tons by 2025. Ships will pass free through river’s six loc...

A revitalised working river will generate an extra $500 million in economic activity A revitalised working river will generate an extra $500 million in economic activity, Infrastructure Minister Vladyslav Krikliy said on his Telegram account. He added that for each 1 million tons of c...

“All over the world, river transportation is the cheapest and most environmentally friendly way of delivering goods “All over the world, river transportation is the cheapest and most environmentally friendly way of delivering goods,” Artem Kovalev, Rada member and chief author of the law, wrote on Facebook. “...

Renewal of the Dnipro is expected to revive two Soviet era economic activities: shipbuilding and river cruise tourism. Renewal of the Dnipro is expected to revive two Soviet era economic activities: shipbuilding and river cruise tourism. Due to global warming, the Dnipro’s ice-free shipping season seems to be expandin...

Ukraine wants to start free trade talks next year with a host of countries, led by its largest trading partner, China, Ukraine wants to start free trade talks next year with a host of countries, led by its largest trading partner, China, Taras Kachka, Ukraine’s Trade Representative, told Evropeiska Pravda. “Currently,...

Ukraine would like to reopen and liberalise the UK-Ukraine agreement that was signed two months ago Ukraine would like to reopen and liberalise the UK-Ukraine agreement that was signed two months ago in London, a rushed deal designed to beat the December 31 Brexit deadline. Also on the list are coun...

Even without a UK-Ukraine trade pact renegotiation, Ukrainian food exporters are showing “great interest” in the expanded duty-free access to the British market Even without a UK-Ukraine trade pact renegotiation, Ukrainian food exporters are showing “great interest” in the expanded duty-free access to the British market, Foreign Minister Dmitry Kuleba told In...

Helped by cheaper energy import prices, Ukraine’s trade deficit in goods is running at half the level of last year Helped by cheaper energy import prices, Ukraine’s trade deficit in goods is running at half the level of last year, reported the State Customs Service. Through November, the trade deficit was $3.93 bi...

Dragon Capital has acquired Lviv Industrial Park located on a 23.5-hectare land plot on the M10 highway, 60 km east of the Polish border. Dragon Capital has acquired Lviv Industrial Park located on a 23.5-hectare land plot on the M10 highway, 60 km east of the Polish border. Five years ago, CTP, the largest developer and operator of war...

The ban on shopping during three weekends in November cost Ukrainian shopping malls about $250 million The ban on shopping during three weekends in November cost Ukrainian shopping malls about $250 million, the Ukrainian Council of Shopping Centers told Interfax-Ukraine. The 30-40% drop in weekend sale...

“Business without Barriers” is a movement promoted by First Lady Olena Zelenska “Business without Barriers” is a movement promoted by First Lady Olena Zelenska to reduce the physical and psychological barriers that prevent people with disabilities from participating in the work f...