Kyivstar mobile operator has switched on 266 new 4G base stations, improving communications in 1,260 settlements in 18 regions of Ukraine, where 632,000 people live.
According to the press service of the operator, in particular, 4G coverage in Zhytomyr region extended by 382 settlements, in Khmelnytsky region by 245, in Vinnytsia region by 236, Lviv region by 170, and in Chernihiv region by 51.
Kyivstar notes that the increase in the 4G coverage area has become possible as a result of the use of frequencies in the 900 MHz range, which allows mobile operators to quickly reach sparsely populated areas with communications. To this end, in June 2020, mobile operators began to exchange radio frequencies in the 900 MHz range.
The company plans to provide access to 4G for 90% of the Ukrainian population in two years.
Ukraine in January-August 2020 increased imports of natural gas by 30% (by 2.9 billion cubic meters) compared to the same period in 2019, to 12.5 billion cubic meters.
According to Gas Transmission System Operator of Ukraine (GTSOU), some 8 billion cubic meters were received from Slovakia for the eight months (more by 35% compared to January-August 2019), Hungary delivered 3.2 billion cubic meters (20% more), Poland some 1.3 billion cubic meters (34% more). At the same time, 2.3 billion cubic meters, 1.6 billion cubic meters and 800 million cubic meters of gas were imported from Hungary, Slovakia and Poland respectively through backhaul, which became available from the beginning of 2020.
According to GTSOU, 8.2 billion cubic meters of imported volumes since the beginning of the year were sent to UGS facilities for storage in the “customs warehouse” mode, of which 4.9 billion cubic meters came in the shorthaul mode (preferential tariff for certain points) and 3.3 billion cubic meters in the “border-customs warehouse” mode.
In August 2020, imports amounted to 3.4 billion cubic meters of gas, which is 1.7 times (1.4 billion cubic meters) more than in August 2019.
In general, 72 traders ordered gas transportation from the EU to Ukraine in January-August, of which 45 were Ukrainian and 27 foreign companies, and more than 50 customers took advantage of the services of shorthaul and “customs warehouse.”
PrJSC Euroins Ukraine Insurance Company for the seven months of 2020 attracted UAH 197.9 million of insurance premiums, which is 32% more than in the same period of 2019, according to a press release from the insurer.
The most popular types of insurance are KASKO with UAH 37.1 million, OSAGO with UAH 91.7 million, voluntary medical insurance with UAH 14.7 million.
In addition, it increased the volume of premiums for insurance against fire risks, accidents, property insurance and insurance of liability to third parties.
The volume of insurance payments by Euroins Ukraine from January to July 2020 amounted to UAH 62.6 million, in particular, UAH 20.5 million were paid under KASKO agreements, UAH 35 million for OSAGO, and UAH 5.4 million for voluntary medical insurance.
As of June 30, 2020, the company’s insurance reserves amounted to UAH 175.003 million, assets UAH 380.359 million.
According to data from chairman of the board Yanko Nikolov, which are given in a press release, in 2020 the company, following legal requirements, plans to increase insurance premiums to UAH 320 million.
The consolidated profit of the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) in January-June 2020 amounted to almost UAH 80 billion, which is 12.5 times more than in the same period of 2019 (UAH 6.4 billion).
According to a report on the central bank’s website, the profit was formed due to the revaluation of financial instruments for more than UAH 76 billion and interest income in the amount of more than UAH 15 billion.
“Consolidated profit is not profit to be transferred to the state budget. Obligations to transfer NBU profit to the state budget in 2021 will be formed at the end of 2020 and announced in the spring of 2021,” the press service said.
The report indicates that the NBU’s assets for the six months increased by 13%, to UAH 1.199 trillion due to the growth of international reserves by 12.6% in dollar terms and their revaluation in hryvnias due to the change in the exchange rate of the national currency to foreign currencies, while the rise in debts on refinancing loans that were issued to banks was insignificant.
In terms of NBU liabilities for the first half of the year, the volume of balances on accounts of government and other institutions increased by 3.4 times, and the amount of deposit certificates and banks’ funds declined by 31% and 35.5%, respectively, the release says.
It is specified that the consolidated financial statements of the NBU for the first half of the year were signed on August 31.
The Business Activity Expectations Index, calculated by the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU), in August increased by 1 point (p.), to 47.9 after growing in July and June by 1.5 points and 9.6 points respectively, however, remains below the neutral value of 50 points and signals the prevalence of pessimistic business expectations.
“Business is cautiously assessing the results of its activities against the background of the prolongation of the adaptive quarantine. Expectations of enterprises for the fourth month in a row are below the equilibrium values,” the central bank said on its website.
According to the report, in August trade enterprises significantly improved their expectations: the index increased by 4.3 points, to 52.3. The National Bank clarified that the optimistic expectations of respondents in this area are associated with the softening of quarantine and an increase in consumer demand.
It is indicated that representatives of the trade sector are optimistic about the increase in trade (the index increased to 51.5 from 48.9 a month earlier) and the volume of purchases of goods for sale (the index increased to 57.6 from 45.5).
In addition, retailers expect a significant increase in the cost of goods purchased for sale (the index rose to 74.2 from 61.4 in July) due to high purchase prices.
According to the report, despite a slight increase in the index of industry respondents – by 0.8 points – to 48.3, their expectations remain pessimistic. Representatives of this industry downgraded their estimates of stocks of raw materials and supplies (to 42.9 from 52.7 in July), at the same time they strengthened expectations for an increase in prices for their own production (to 63.3 from 59.1 in July).
Ukraine in January-August 2020 reduced electricity exports by 26.1% (by 1.052 billion kWh) compared to the same period in 2019, to 2.981 billion kWh, according to data from Ukrenergo.
According to the calculations of the Interfax-Ukraine agency, the supply of electricity from the Burshtyn TPP energy island in the direction of Hungary, Slovakia and Romania decreased by 33.6% (by 911 million kWh), to 1.802 billion kWh.
Electricity supplies to Poland increased by 15.9% (by 137.1 million kWh), to 1.002 billion kWh.
Electricity supplies to Moldova amounted to 130.3 million kWh, which is 71.4% (325 million kWh) less than in January-August 2019.
Export to Belarus resumed in July, since the beginning of the year it amounted to 46.9 million kWh.
Ukrainian electricity was not exported to Russia.
At the same time, Ukraine imported 1.817 billion kWh of electricity in the eight months, in particular 1.062 billion kWh were supplied from Slovakia, 463.8 million kWh from Hungary, 152.3 million kWh from Belarus, 85.8 million kWh from Romania, 53.4 million kWh from the Russian Federation.
