ukrrainenews

Wednesday, August 26

The Rada authorizes the Ministry of Finance to issue more domestic local currency bonds (OVDPs) for the additional capitalization of the State Mortgage Agency to expand mortgage lending The Rada authorizes the Ministry of Finance to issue more domestic local currency bonds (OVDPs) for the additional capitalization of the State Mortgage Agency to expand mortgage lending, reports Liga....

The central bank plans to regulate the debt collection market The central bank plans to regulate the debt collection market, the bank reports on Facebook. The National Bank of Ukraine says it received hundreds of complaints about shady debt collectors using unet...

Yulia Tymoshenko, leader of Ukraine’s Fatherland party, is in serious condition after being hospitalized for Covid-19 Yulia Tymoshenko, leader of Ukraine’s Fatherland party, is in serious condition after being hospitalized for Covid-19, r her press secretary Marina Soroka writes on Facebook. “Unfortunately, there is ...

The Cabinet of Ministers calls for some quarantine measures to be extended until November 1 The Cabinet of Ministers calls for some quarantine measures to be extended until November 1, according to the office of the president. Over 108,000 people in Ukraine are known to be infected with Covi...

The Rada ratifies a memorandum of understanding between Ukraine and the EU for €1.2 billion of pandemic-related financial assistance The Rada ratifies a memorandum of understanding between Ukraine and the EU for €1.2 billion of pandemic-related financial assistance, according to the results of yesterday’s extraordinary session. The...

“But quarantine must remain adaptive and un-burdensome for entrepreneurs “But quarantine must remain adaptive and un-burdensome for entrepreneurs,” Zelenskiy stressed. “Small and medium-sized businesses should be able to properly maneuver in the new conditions.”...

The money is conditioned on the government’s pledge to ensure competitive selections for key positions, including the heads of Ukraine’s tax and customs agencies The money is conditioned on the government’s pledge to ensure competitive selections for key positions, including the heads of Ukraine’s tax and customs agencies. Other conditions include dissolving t...

The government is in the process of developing regulations to ban citizens from “red zone” countries from entering Ukraine for 30 days The government is in the process of developing regulations to ban citizens from “red zone” countries from entering Ukraine for 30 days, said the president. Globally, nearly 25 million people are confi...

The exact terms of the pandemic-relief loan have not yet been revealed The exact terms of the pandemic-relief loan have not yet been revealed, but previous EU liquidity programs were offered at 2% annual interest or lower to European Neighborhood Policy countries.

Zelenskiy suggests Ukraine should open up for Belarusians, given the increasing instability and continuing protests against President Lukashenko. Zelenskiy suggests Ukraine should open up for Belarusians, given the increasing instability and continuing protests against President Lukashenko. “How can we ban Belarusians from entering, espec...

Back in May, the European Parliament and Council decided to extend macro-financial credit assistance to European Neighborhood Policy countries. Back in May, the European Parliament and Council decided to extend macro-financial credit assistance to European Neighborhood Policy countries. The ENP countries are Algeria, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bela...

UIA will operate two Kyiv-New York-Kyiv flights – one next Monday and the other on Sept. 9 UIA will operate two Kyiv-New York-Kyiv flights – one next Monday and the other on Sept. 9. The jets leave Kyiv Boryspil in the morning, turnaround at New York’s JFK, and then take off again for Ukrai...

The Rada signs off on a European Investment Bank program worth €450 million to help Ukraine’s big road building program The Rada signs off on a European Investment Bank program worth €450 million to help Ukraine’s big road building program, according to the government. The Bank says: “The financing will increase safety...

From the Editor: From the Editor: Alert reader Petro Rondiak, Board Manager of Winner Group, the new car importer, points out that that the latest numbers on car imports show that new car imports were up 15.9% yoy in ...

The €450 million in EIB financing covers The €450 million in EIB financing covers:

Construction of a new northern motorway bypass in Lviv region Construction of a new northern motorway bypass in Lviv region. The bypass is expected to serve 20,000 vehicles a day and will connect Kyiv’s Chop international highway and the Lviv – Lutsk national ro...

Upgrade of a 314 km section of the M05 highway on the Kyiv-Odessa route Upgrade of a 314 km section of the M05 highway on the Kyiv-Odessa route. This is the main connection between Kyiv and the Black Sea ports and serves 10,000 to 25,000 vehicles daily.

Ukreximbank signed an agreement with the State Roads Agency to purchase local currency bonds worth UAH 2.87 billion at 9.99% Ukreximbank signed an agreement with the State Roads Agency to purchase local currency bonds worth UAH 2.87 billion at 9.99%, the press service of the bank reports on Facebook. The state-owned bank ra...

Ukreximbank combined three instruments at once – a refinancing loan, an interest rate swap and purchase of securities. Ukreximbank combined three instruments at once – a refinancing loan, an interest rate swap and purchase of securities. Metzger said: “This is the first market transaction of this magnitude.”

Friday, August 21

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...

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 ...

Thursday, August 20

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...

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...