ukraineinformation

Thursday, August 13

The day after President Zelenkiy signed the law legalizing gambling, Parimatch, the largest betting company in Ukraine, announced that it will bid for hotel casino licenses in Ukraine. The day after President Zelenkiy signed the law legalizing gambling, Parimatch, the largest betting company in Ukraine, announced that it will bid for hotel casino licenses in Ukraine. Founded in Kyiv...

The Finance Ministry raised the equivalent of $366 million in its weekly government bond auction Tuesday – virtually the same amount as one week earlier. The Finance Ministry raised the equivalent of $366 million in its weekly government bond auction Tuesday – virtually the same amount as one week earlier. To keep, hryvnia rates from rising, the Minist...

Concorde Capital’s Evgeniya Akhtyrko concludes: Concorde Capital’s Evgeniya Akhtyrko concludes: “There is no improvement in the sentiments of the broader circle of market players regarding the risk level of UAH debt at the moment.”

Planes left Kyiv Sikorsky Airport half full last month Planes left Kyiv Sikorsky Airport half full last month. In July, Kyiv’s right bank airport handled 1,314 flights — 48% the number of flights of one year earlier. But the number of passengers was...

SkyUp Airlines returned in July to 50% of its pre-coronavirus traffic levels. SkyUp Airlines returned in July to 50% of its pre-coronavirus traffic levels. Operating 704 domestic and international flights from Kyiv Boryspil, the low cost airline carried 96,407 passengers in Jul...

Air Astana resumes flights between Almaty and Kyiv Boryspil next Wednesday Air Astana resumes flights between Almaty and Kyiv Boryspil next Wednesday. From Almaty, the Kazakh national carrier flies to 26 destinations, including Beijing and Delhi. Air Astana suspended flights...

The day after President Zelenskiy signed a law giving tax breaks to foreign film productions, Kyiv City officials announced a list of streets to be closed Aug. 12-25 for the filming of a Jean-Claude Van Damme film — ‘The Last Mercenary.’ The day after President Zelenskiy signed a law giving tax breaks to foreign film productions, Kyiv City officials announced a list of streets to be closed Aug. 12-25 for the filming of a Jean-Claude V...

Wednesday, August 12

The cross-Danube ferry linking Orlivka, Odesa oblast, and Isaccea, Romania started service this week. Operating hourly, from 8 am to 8 pm The cross-Danube ferry linking Orlivka, Odesa oblast, and Isaccea, Romania started service this week. Operating hourly, from 8 am to 8 pm, the ferry now carries only trucks. Passenger cars should star...

President Zelenskiy signed the gambling law yesterday, ending Ukraine’s decade-long ban on casinos and slot machines. President Zelenskiy signed the gambling law yesterday, ending Ukraine’s decade-long ban on casinos and slot machines. The law restricts casinos to five-star hotels in Kyiv, and to four- and five-star ...

Two days after the Rada passed the gambling law, on July 14, a nationwide poll found that 61% of the 2,000 respondents opposed legalizing gambling. Two days after the Rada passed the gambling law, on July 14, a nationwide poll found that 61% of the 2,000 respondents opposed legalizing gambling. Across the political spectrum, there was more suppor...

President Zelenskiy has signed a law dropping Ukraine’s 20% VAT from the production of videos, films, TV programs, cartoons and commercials for export President Zelenskiy has signed a law dropping Ukraine’s 20% VAT from the production of videos, films, TV programs, cartoons and commercials for export. Zelenskiy, who owns his own production company, ...

Twelve distilleries of Ukrspirt, the state alcohol producer, may be next in line for privatization, Twelve distilleries of Ukrspirt, the state alcohol producer, may be next in line for privatization, Dmytro Sennychenko, chairman of the State Property Fund, said yesterday at the opening in Kyiv of Ag...

Uniper, the Dusseldorf-based energy giant, says it may have to impair a loan to Nord Stream 2 if US sanctions kill the Russia to Germany Baltic gas pipeline. Uniper, the Dusseldorf-based energy giant, says it may have to impair a loan to Nord Stream 2 if US sanctions kill the Russia to Germany Baltic gas pipeline. “The worst case would be, of course, if (N...

Today, the third Chinese container train in three days is to arrive at Kyiv’s left bank Liski train depot Today, the third Chinese container train in three days is to arrive at Kyiv’s left bank Liski train depot. The trains take 15 days to travel 9,000 km from China, through Kazakhstan or Mongolia and Rus...

A record 1,232 China-Europe trains rolled in July, a 68% yoy jump A record 1,232 China-Europe trains rolled in July, a 68% yoy jump, reports Xinhua from Beijing, citing China State Railway Group. With 40 trains plying the route daily, cargo was up 73% yoy, to 113,00...

Poland issued 44% fewer visas to Ukrainians during the first half of the this year, Poland issued 44% fewer visas to Ukrainians during the first half of the this year, compared to the same January-June period last year, reports the Warsaw Business Journal. The drop to 270,000 visas i...

This fall, Ryanair plans to launch two more Poland-Ukraine flights This fall, Ryanair plans to launch two more Poland-Ukraine flights: from Lviv to Poznan and from Kharkiv to Warsaw. Ryanair, Europe’s largest carrier, also plans to increase frequencies out of Kyiv Bo...

Germany’s FlixBus, the Europe’s bus transport operator, is opening its fourth Ukraine-Poland route Germany’s FlixBus, the Europe’s bus transport operator, is opening its fourth Ukraine-Poland route: Kyiv-Warsaw, with stops in Zhytomyr, Rivne and Radom (Poland). Aimed at low budget tourists and migr...

Britain’s EasyJet, one of Europe’s largest low-cost airlines, may start flights between Italy and Ukraine by October. Britain’s EasyJet, one of Europe’s largest low-cost airlines, may start flights between Italy and Ukraine by October. In late July, shortly, after Italy and Ukraine fully liberalized air traffic, ENAC...

Ernest Airlines is to be reborn this fall as a regional Italian carrier. Ernest Airlines is to be reborn this fall as a regional Italian carrier. Until the Milan-based airline went bankrupt last January, it operated 13 routes between Italian and Ukrainian cities. Ukraine’s...

Austria, Georgia, Lithuania, Slovakia, and Canada have returned to Austria, Georgia, Lithuania, Slovakia, and Canada have returned to Ukraine Health Ministry’s “Green” list. Travelers arriving from these countries do not take Covid-19 tests or self-isolat...

Through Aug. 30, Ukraine has closed its two road checkpoints for entry into Russia-controlled Crimea, purportedly to control coronavirus. Through Aug. 30, Ukraine has closed its two road checkpoints for entry into Russia-controlled Crimea, purportedly to control coronavirus. Only Crimean residents with Ukrainian passports are allowed to...

Tuesday, August 11

For his part, For his part, Yaroslavsky denounces as “state raiding” the government pressure on the investors in Motor Sich. From his base in Kharkiv, Yaroslavsky refutes press reports that key parts of the factory...

Iran will not compensate UIA for its jet Tehran shot down Jan. 8 because the Boeing 737-800 was insured by European firms Iran will not compensate UIA for its jet Tehran shot down Jan. 8 because the Boeing 737-800 was insured by European firms, the head of Iran’s Central Insurance Organisation said Monday, Reuters report...

Ukrtelecom, the nation’s largest Internet service provider, plans to invest $110 million to lay 50,000 km of fiber optic cable to bring broad band to 2.6 million rural Ukrainians by the end of 2022. Ukrtelecom, the nation’s largest Internet service provider, plans to invest $110 million to lay 50,000 km of fiber optic cable to bring broad band to 2.6 million rural Ukrainians by the end of 2022. T...

Vodafone Ukraine says that within two years its LTE 4G network should reach 90% of Ukraine’s population Vodafone Ukraine says that within two years its LTE 4G network should reach 90% of Ukraine’s population. By the summer of 2024 Vodaphone high speed network should cover “roads of international and nat...

Kyivstar, plans to invest $180 million over the next two years to expand its 4G mobile Internet service to reach 90% of Ukraine’s population Kyivstar, plans to invest $180 million over the next two years to expand its 4G mobile Internet service to reach 90% of Ukraine’s population, says Kyivstar President Oleksandr Komarov. In the last six...

To promote the economic revival of government-controlled Donetsk and Luhansk To promote the economic revival of government-controlled Donetsk and Luhansk, the government is drawing up plans for a special status zone that would include major tax breaks and international arbitra...

A “Donbas Economic Development Road Map” is to be submitted next month to the Cabinet of Ministers, according to Oleksii Reznikov is deputy Prime Minister for the Reintegration of Temporarily Occupied Territories. A “Donbas Economic Development Road Map” is to be submitted next month to the Cabinet of Ministers, according to Oleksii Reznikov is deputy Prime Minister for the Reintegration of Temporarily Occupied...

the cost to rebuild the Donbas under Russian control would be $10 billion. the cost to rebuild the Donbas under Russian control would be $10 billion. Speaking to Radio Donbas.Realii, an RFE/RL unit, he said that this would include donor money. The UN has fell far short in re...

As rail freight volumes recover, Ukrzaliznytsia carried 25.2 million tons in July, only 3% less than the tonnage carried in July 2019, As rail freight volumes recover, Ukrzaliznytsia carried 25.2 million tons in July, only 3% less than the tonnage carried in July 2019, reports Rail.Insider news site. Volumes have increased steadily s...

Ukrainian farmers have harvested 33 million tons of grain and legumes, one third of this year’s forecast crop. Ukrainian farmers have harvested 33 million tons of grain and legumes, one third of this year’s forecast crop. Farmers have threshed 23 million tons of wheat, 87% of the forecast crop, and 8 million t...

Ukraine’s forecast bumper crop for corn may run into geopolitical barriers as the US makes record corn sales – totaling 3.7 million tons — to China Ukraine’s forecast bumper crop for corn may run into geopolitical barriers as the US makes record corn sales – totaling 3.7 million tons — to China, warns AgWeek, the Fargo, North Dakota-based n...

Charges of “high treason” and a Presidential investigation surround a Chinese company’s attempt to assert 75% ownership of a Ukrainian company Charges of “high treason” and a Presidential investigation surround a Chinese company’s attempt to assert 75% ownership of a Ukrainian company that once was the largest manufacturer of airplane engine...

In a double barreled response, In a double barreled response, Wang Jing, Board Chairman of Skyrizon, and Alexander Yaroslavsky, the owner president of DCH, issued statements denouncing the government interference in the transaction...

“ “We are partners and strive to keep Motor Sich on Ukrainian soil,” wrote Wang, whose company is based in Beijing. “It is Chinese investment that sustains the company’s prosperity, saving thousan...

Monday, August 10

Ukraine’s Commission recently joined the Sustainable Banking Network — a group of regulatory agencies and banking associations from 40 emerging markets committed to advancing sustainable finance. Ukraine’s Commission recently joined the Sustainable Banking Network — a group of regulatory agencies and banking associations from 40 emerging markets committed to advancing sustainable finance. The ...

UIA only plans to return to regularly scheduled flights to New York, Toronto and Delhi in April, UIA only plans to return to regularly scheduled flights to New York, Toronto and Delhi in April, according to Evgeny Dykhne, president of Ukraine’s largest airline. He says: “As governmental restricti...

Kyiv Boryspil passenger traffic was down 80% yoy in July, Kyiv Boryspil passenger traffic was down 80% yoy in July, to 328,667, from 1.6 million in July 2019. Hubbing, a key component of UIA’s model, was wiped out. Last month, the airport recorded 3,146 tran...

US criminal charges against Ihor Kolomoisky could follow last week’s civil forfeiture complaints by the US Department of Justice US criminal charges against Ihor Kolomoisky could follow last week’s civil forfeiture complaints by the US Department of Justice, speculate Concorde Capital and the Kyiv Post. “Given that they [Kolomo...

Ukrzaliznytsia is doubling the frequency of Kyiv’s ‘train-to-the-plane’, the Boryspil Express. Ukrzaliznytsia is doubling the frequency of Kyiv’s ‘train-to-the-plane’, the Boryspil Express. The train now travels 12 times a day between central Kyiv and Ukraine’s largest airport. The ride takes 4...

Igor Kolomoisky rejects Igor Kolomoisky rejects US Justice Department allegations that he and his partners bought office buildings and steel mills in the US property as part of a “conspiracy to launder money embezzled and fr...

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.