Kernel, one of Ukraine’s largest agricultural holdings, sold 499,000 tons of grain and oilseeds in July-September 2026 (FY, July 2025-June 2026), sold 499,000 tons of grain and oilseeds, with wheat accounting for 89% of the volume, the agricultural holding reported in its quarterly report.
“Profitability was further supported by favorable price conditions on the grain market, which helped to compensate for uneven yields in different regions,” the agricultural holding noted.
The agricultural holding named unfavorable weather conditions, which shifted the development phases of both grain and oilseeds, among the main features of the 2025 season. Two late spring frosts affected the growth of winter and early spring crops. A prolonged cool spring and summer with sharp fluctuations in day and night temperatures slowed plant growth in the northern regions. In the central regions, a constant shortage of soil moisture and limited rainfall hampered crop development and contributed to their premature wilting and early ripening.
According to published statistics, Kernel allocated 172,000 hectares to corn in the 2025 season, which is 98% more than last year. and thanks to a yield of 9.2 t/ha compared to 8.4 t/ha a year earlier, a gross harvest of 1,584 thousand tons was obtained, which is 18% more than last year.
In 2025, 94,000 hectares were planted with wheat (+1% compared to 2024), with a yield of 5.9 tons/hectare (-3%), resulting in 552,000 tons (-1%). The agricultural holding allocated 46 thousand hectares (-31%) for sunflowers, with a yield of 2.7 t/ha (-4%) and a gross harvest of 124 thousand tons (-33%). The area under soybeans was reduced by 44% to 22,000 hectares this year, while the yield increased by 7% compared to last year and amounted to 2.3 tons/hectare, which allowed for a gross yield of 54,000 tons (-65%). In 2025, the agricultural holding allocated 22,000 hectares for the cultivation of rapeseed, other secondary crops, and fallow land, which is 44% less than last year’s volumes.
As of the end of September, Kernel had completed the harvesting of wheat, sunflower, and soybeans on 100% of its production areas, while corn was harvested from 87% of the areas.
At the same time, the agricultural holding completed the sowing of winter crops for the 2026 harvest and sowed winter wheat on 84,000 hectares and winter rapeseed on 38,000 hectares.
Before the war, Kernel was the world’s leading producer of sunflower oil (about 7% of global production) and its exporter (about 12%). It is one of the largest producers and sellers of bottled oil in Ukraine. In addition, it is engaged in the cultivation and sale of agricultural products.
PJSC Kryukiv Railway Car Building Works (KVBZ, Poltava region) ended January-September 2025 with a consolidated loss of UAH 76.1 million, while for the same period in 2024, net profit amounted to UAH 48.4 million.
According to the company’s interim consolidated financial statements published on its website, consolidated net income increased slightly to UAH 2.293 billion.
The uncovered loss amounted to UAH 138.8 million, compared to UAH 62.7 million a year earlier.
During the reporting period, the plant received UAH 106.6 million in consolidated losses from operating activities, twice as much as a year earlier, while gross profit decreased by 5% to UAH 119.8 million.
The KVBZ Group includes PJSC Kryukiv Railway Car Building Works, as well as wholly-owned subsidiaries LLC Instrumental Plant (production of equipment, spare parts, tools) and LLC V.N.V. (rental services, sale of railway cars).
According to the report, in January-September, revenue from the sale of railway cars increased by 4.2% to UAH 2.101 billion, with freight cars decreasing by 56.7% to UAH 873.2 million and passenger cars amounting to UAH 1.228 billion (there were no sales last year).
The cars were delivered to Ukrainian customers, in particular, 45 compartment passenger sleeping cars were shipped under a contract with Ukrzaliznytsia, four of which are equipped for the transportation of passengers with disabilities.
The group also reduced its revenue from the sale of spare parts by 46% to UAH 89.3 million, while revenue from the provision of services amounted to UAH 102.3 million (down 18%).
In Ukraine, products worth UAH 2.07 billion were sold (almost equal to last year’s figure), products worth UAH 207.9 million were delivered to European countries (almost three times more), and products worth UAH 10.5 million were delivered to Asia and the Middle East (12.5 times less).
According to KVBZ’s unconsolidated financial statements, the plant incurred a loss of UAH 76.7 million in January-September, compared to a net profit of UAH 40.7 million in the same period last year. Net income decreased slightly to UAH 2 billion 271 million.
KVZ notes that, given the significant surplus of freight cars on the Ukrainian market, low rental rates, and insufficient cargo base for the existing fleet of cars, only 5 freight cars were sold in the third quarter (121 in the first quarter and none in the second).
According to the company, in July-August 2025 (no information available for September), domestic competitors sold 316 freight cars under previously concluded contracts, and KVBZ’s share among private car manufacturers in Ukraine during this period was 12.7% (125 cars).
KVBZ manufactures passenger and freight cars, regional diesel trains, high-speed interregional locomotive-hauled trains, spare parts and bogies for freight cars, and escalators.
The average number of employees at the plant is 3,337 (last year – 3,611).
In 2024, the plant sold 1,096 freight cars, which is almost 10% more than sales in pre-war 2021. The first 15 passenger cars were also delivered to Ukrzaliznytsia under contracts for 66 units. Net profit amounted to UAH 81.08 million, compared to a loss of UAH 143.76 million in 2023.
The Interfax-Ukraine news agency has released the 1,000th anniversary issue of its German-language news digest Business Woche. This product allows users from Germany and other German-speaking countries to receive timely and objective information about the latest events in Ukraine, as well as analytical data and statistics on key sectors of the country’s economy.
Business Woche has become an important information bridge between Ukraine and the German-speaking world. The digest includes news on politics, economics, agriculture, energy, as well as information on construction, real estate, retail, and telecommunications. It also covers issues related to the development of transport infrastructure, metallurgy, mechanical engineering, and pharmaceuticals, which are important to an international audience.
The product provides readers with up-to-date information on the economic situation in Ukraine, including analysis of macroeconomic indicators such as GDP, inflation, and unemployment, making it an important tool for monitoring and analyzing the situation in Ukraine.
Interfax-Ukraine is actively developing its line of information products in different languages. The agency plans to expand its language diversity in the future in order to deliver news from Ukraine to an international audience even faster and more conveniently.
Interfax-Ukraine has ambitious plans for the further development of its information activities aimed at supporting global information exchange. According to Maxim Urakin, deputy director general of the agency and editor of Business Woche, this initiative reflects not only the growing interest in events in Ukraine on the international arena, but also the desire to be at the forefront of the information space.
“Our goal is to provide our readers and subscribers with the opportunity to receive information quickly, accurately, and in languages convenient for them, which will contribute to a better understanding and analysis of Ukrainian realities on the international arena,” Maxim Urakin emphasized.
Interfax-Ukraine is an independent Ukrainian news agency specializing in providing up-to-date information on events in the country and around the world. The company supplies its information products to many countries, helping to form an objective picture of events for an international audience. It has been operating in the Ukrainian political and economic information market since 1992 and has a reputation as the most authoritative and competent provider of up-to-date information.
The agency’s editorial office (head office) is located in Kyiv. Interfax-Ukraine is not part of any foreign media holding company. The founder of Interfax-Ukraine was Oleksandr Martynenko.
In recent years, Albania has transformed from a “hidden beach destination” into one of the most dynamic real estate markets in the Mediterranean. In 2024, foreigners invested around €380 million in Albanian real estate — 17% more than in 2023. This is the third consecutive year that real estate has ranked first in terms of attracting foreign investment, accounting for around 24% of total FDI inflows.
According to a study by the Experts Club information and analytical center, in recent years, foreigners have accounted for about a quarter of all home purchase and sale transactions in Albania. Most of the interest is concentrated on the coast — Saranda, Ksamil, Vlora, Durres, and the vicinity of Tirana. Below is an informal top 10 list of countries whose citizens are most actively investing in real estate in Albania: Italians — their “own” Riviera at half the price. Italians were among the first to discover Saranda and Ksamil. Demand from Italy has doubled in recent years, especially for apartments by the sea.
Poles, Czechs, and Slovaks — investors focused on profitability. These buyers account for up to 90% of demand in some resort areas, investing in small apartments for daily rent with an expected ROI of 10-16%.
Germans and Swiss are looking for stability and quality. They prefer the “quiet” segment on the coast and in Tirana, with good infrastructure and stable rental income.
Scandinavians appreciate Albania’s climate and nature.
Norway, Sweden, and Finland are also actively buying real estate, choosing high standards of living at moderate prices.
The French and British are “latecomers” but active. Interest in Albania from these countries is growing, attracting them with relatively low prices compared to southern France and Spain.
Americans are betting on “early entry.” Albania remains a “new” destination for Americans, with growing interest in villas and large apartments.
Ukrainians are a growing but niche segment. After 2022, interest from Ukraine has grown significantly, and Ukrainians prefer the coast for relocation and obtaining a residence permit.
Russians and other post-Soviet investors — due to sanctions pressure, their share has decreased, but interest still remains, especially through companies and relatives.
Citizens of Kazakhstan and Belarus continue to invest actively, especially on the coast and in large cities.
Other EU countries are actively buying on the south coast, especially during the high tourist season.
Why Albania attracts foreign investors:
Free access to housing. Foreigners can freely buy apartments, houses, and commercial real estate, with the exception of agricultural land.
High profitability and price growth. Annual rental yields on the coast can reach 7% and above, and in peak tourist locations — up to double digits.
Strong investment flow. In 2024, foreign investment in real estate amounted to approximately €380 million, and in the second quarter of 2025, this figure reached a record €149 million.
Residence permit and “life package.” Laws on foreigners allow you to obtain a residence permit based on investment in housing.
Risks and prospects: The sharp influx of foreign investors is already leading to higher housing prices for the local population. However, Albania remains an EU candidate country with large-scale infrastructure projects (a new airport in Vlora, reconstruction of the port in Durres), which supports long-term demand for housing.
Despite growing competition in the market, Albania retains its potential as “Europe’s last affordable Riviera,” making it attractive to investors, but professional legal due diligence and an understanding of real returns are required to enter the market.
Republican Senator Bernie Moreno (Ohio) has announced his intention to introduce the Exclusive Citizenship Act of 2025 to Congress, which effectively abolishes dual citizenship for US citizens. The bill stipulates that Americans will not be able to hold US citizenship and the citizenship of any other country at the same time.
According to specialized media reports, the bill contains two key provisions. First, any person who applies for foreign citizenship after the law comes into force will automatically be considered to have renounced their US citizenship. Second, current dual citizens will be given a one-year transition period during which they must either renounce their foreign passport or notify the authorities in writing of their renunciation of US citizenship. Failure to do so will result in the loss of US citizenship.
Enforcement of the law will be entrusted to the State Department and the Department of Homeland Security, which will be required to create systems for registering individuals who have lost their citizenship and mechanisms for monitoring compliance with the new rules. The initiative has already sparked debate in the media, particularly because it could affect well-known public figures who hold dual citizenship.
Experts note that the bill will face challenges from both a political and legal standpoint. The US Supreme Court, in a series of decisions, including Afroyim v. Rusk (1967) and Vance v. Terrazas (1980), has clearly established that a citizen cannot be deprived of citizenship without voluntarily renouncing it, and that the mere existence of dual citizenship cannot automatically be interpreted as grounds for its loss.
Given these precedents, as well as the political situation in Congress (resistance from Democrats and likely reservations from some Republicans), the chances of the bill being passed in its current form appear slim. Most likely, the initiative will become part of the domestic political debate on immigration and citizen loyalty.
In January-September 2025, Insurance Guarantees of Ukraine (IGU, Kyiv) collected UAH 1.3 million in gross premiums, which is 1.88% less than in the same period of 2024, according to data from the rating agency Expert-Rating confirming the insurer’s financial stability rating for the first nine months of 2025 at “uaAA” on the national scale.
The information notes that the company did not make any insurance payments during this period in 2025.
It is also noted that the equity capital of SSU PJSC for the period ending September 30, 2025, decreased by 10.23% to UAH 49.52 million, while gross liabilities increased by 36.39% to UAH 1.31 million.
The amount of cash and cash equivalents in the company’s accounts as of the reporting date decreased by 11.48% and amounted to UAH 45.46 million.
For the first nine months of this year, the company received UAH 2,570 in net profit, which is 4.7 times less than a year earlier.
SGU PJSC was registered in November 2005. It has licenses to carry out 15 types of insurance activities: four for compulsory insurance and 11 for voluntary insurance.
