According to SERBIAN ECONOMIST, in April 2025, French company Eviden, part of the Atos group, signed a €50 million contract with the Serbian Ministry of Information Technology and Electronic Governance to establish a National Artificial Intelligence Factory (AI). This project aims to accelerate the development of AI in the country and strengthen technological autonomy using European technologies.
A comprehensive approach to AI development
The National AI Factory will consist of a Center of Excellence and a supercomputing platform designed to support innovation in key sectors such as healthcare, energy, transportation, and public administration. The project will provide access to these resources for government agencies, academic organizations, and businesses.
Technical infrastructure
The project will install a BullSequana XH3000 supercomputer, designed and manufactured at Eviden’s flagship factory in France. The system has a computing power of up to 25 petaflops, includes 300 graphics processors and 2.5 petabytes of data storage. This supercomputer will form the basis of the Center of Excellence, providing the necessary computing power for the development and implementation of innovative AI solutions.
Eviden
In addition, the BullSequana AI software platform will be deployed to accelerate the development of AI applications. The software layer will integrate Mistral AI technology, which provides cutting-edge European generative AI models to support breakthrough solutions.
– International cooperation and training
The project will involve AI experts from Eviden teams in France, the Czech Republic, and Serbia. These experts will ensure the effective application of AI in Serbia’s strategic sectors and will also participate in the recruitment and training of engineers and academic staff across the country, helping to transform the Center of Excellence into a self-sufficient innovation hub.
– Statements from officials
Mihailo Jovanovic, Director of the Information Technology and E-Government Directorate of Serbia, said:
EdTech Innovation Hub
“This partnership with Eviden, a leading European player in supercomputing and AI, is a historic moment for the digital future of our country, demonstrating the spirit of Franco-Serbian cooperation. It is not just a technological leap forward, but also a statement of our commitment to stimulating innovation, developing our economy, and strengthening our position as a regional leader in AI.”
Source: https://t.me/relocationrs/959
Mobile teams from the V.P. Filatov Institute of Eye Diseases and Tissue Therapy of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine have made more than 600 visits to hospitals and perinatal centers over the past four years to diagnose and treat premature newborns, according to Filatova. Filatov Institute of Eye Diseases and Tissue Therapy of the National Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine have made more than 600 visits to hospitals and perinatal centers to diagnose and treat premature newborns, according to Oleg Zadorozhny, senior researcher at the Filatov Institute of Eye Diseases and Tissue Therapy of the National Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine.
“Our specialists have gained a lot of experience by traveling with the appropriate equipment to regional hospitals and perinatal centers to diagnose and treat severely premature babies. Over the past four years, more than 600 visits to hospitals have been made, more than 1,500 premature newborns have been screened, and about 200 telemedicine consultations have been conducted,” he said in an interview with the Interfax-Ukraine news agency.
Zadorozhny noted that helping premature newborns with retinopathy in the southern region of Ukraine has become the goal of a joint project with the charity “I Want to See. Southern Region,” under which the Institute has created a Center for the Prevention of Childhood Blindness due to Retinopathy of Prematurity and purchased expensive scientific and clinical equipment.
He added that the Institute’s scientists represent Ukraine in global research on the evaluation of the results of treatment of retinopathy of prematurity in Europe and worldwide as part of international research groups (FIREFLEYE next Study Group and European ROP registry), which are engaged in the study, diagnosis, and development of modern effective methods for the treatment of retinopathy of prematurity.
Source: https://interfax.com.ua/news/interview/1071616.html?utm_source=telegram
Ukrainian company Avtomagistral-Pivden will participate for the first time in a large-scale construction project for new infrastructure in the EU, namely 33.7 km of the Oradea-Arad expressway, with a contract value of EUR460 million, the company’s press service told Interfax-Ukraine. According to the report, the contract was signed on May 15 in Bucharest by Cristian Pistol, director of Romania’s National Road Infrastructure Management Company, Veniamin Rus, head of the Precon Transilvania SLR association (Romania), and Nikolai Timofeev, CEO of Avtomagistral-Pivden.
Romanian Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Sorin Grindeanu, who attended the signing ceremony, said that his country’s government welcomes the cooperation between the local contractor and the foreign company.
For his part, Cristian Pistol noted that the new Oradea-Arad expressway is part of the strategic European corridor Via Carpathia, which will provide road links between the Baltic, Black and Mediterranean seas.
“The signing of the contract is truly a historic event. This is the first time a Ukrainian company has participated in a large-scale project to build new infrastructure in EU countries. Ukraine will supply the European market not with raw materials or cheap labor, but with high-tech services, the foreign exchange earnings from which will compensate for the losses of traditional Ukrainian raw material exports,” said Nikolai Timofeev.
According to him, Avtomagistral-Pivden’s victory also opens up opportunities for other Ukrainian companies that supply construction materials or offer services in the construction sector: the contract will have a significant multiplier effect, boosting demand for Ukrainian products. Avtomagistral-Pivden’s entry into the market for new EU projects will also strengthen economic integration and economic cooperation between Ukraine and Romania as a whole, and will promote the exchange of technologies and experience and the implementation of joint investment projects.
Timofeev emphasized that the prerequisite for winning the tender was Avtomagistral-Pivden’s successful implementation of large-scale projects in Moldova and several initial projects in Romania (repair of a highway in Transylvania and reconstruction of the Satu Mare airport).
“The company has proven itself to be a reliable partner. It has proven its ability to work according to international standards, fulfill its obligations, and ensure high quality and timely completion of contracts,” he said.
As reported, the Oradea-Arad expressway construction project (120.5 km) consists of several sections, for each of which the customer is holding a separate tender. In February 2025, Avtomagistral-Pivden and its partners won the tender for lot No. 1 (33.7 km). This is currently the first contract signed for the construction of Oradea-Arad. Under the terms of the contract, worth a total of EUR 460 million, it must be completed within 24 months.
The first section of the project includes the construction of 32 bridges, interchanges, and overpasses, including a 727-meter overpass over the railway, as well as two parking lots for charging electric vehicles.
Last year, Avtomagistral-Pivden opened an office in Romania, where preparations for the start of work are already underway. At the same time, the company continues to compete for other contracts in the Romanian market.
Avtomagistral-Pivden LLC has been operating since 2004. It designs and builds expressways, bridges, interchanges, airfield complexes, and hydraulic structures. According to Opendatabot, the owner of the company is Alexander Boiko. According to the financial results for 2024, the company’s net profit amounted to UAH 1.363 billion, and its revenue was UAH 13.197 billion.
Ukrainian company Avtomagistral-Pivden will participate for the first time in a large-scale construction project for new infrastructure in the EU, namely 33.7 km of the Oradea-Arad expressway, with a contract value of EUR460 million, the company’s press service told Interfax-Ukraine. According to the report, the contract was signed on May 15 in Bucharest by Cristian Pistol, director of Romania’s National Road Infrastructure Management Company, Veniamin Rus, head of the Precon Transilvania SLR association (Romania), and Nikolai Timofeev, CEO of Avtomagistral-Pivden.
Romanian Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Sorin Grindeanu, who attended the signing ceremony, said that his country’s government welcomes the cooperation between the local contractor and the foreign company.
For his part, Cristian Pistol noted that the new Oradea-Arad expressway is part of the strategic European corridor Via Carpathia, which will provide road links between the Baltic, Black and Mediterranean seas.
“The signing of the contract is truly a historic event. This is the first time a Ukrainian company has participated in a large-scale project to build new infrastructure in EU countries. Ukraine will supply the European market not with raw materials or cheap labor, but with high-tech services, the foreign exchange earnings from which will compensate for the losses of traditional Ukrainian raw material exports,” said Nikolai Timofeev.
According to him, Avtomagistral-Pivden’s victory also opens up opportunities for other Ukrainian companies that supply construction materials or offer services in the construction sector: the contract will have a significant multiplier effect, boosting demand for Ukrainian products. Avtomagistral-Pivden’s entry into the market for new EU projects will also strengthen economic integration and economic cooperation between Ukraine and Romania as a whole, and will promote the exchange of technologies and experience and the implementation of joint investment projects.
Timofeev emphasized that the prerequisite for winning the tender was Avtomagistral-Pivden’s successful implementation of large-scale projects in Moldova and several initial projects in Romania (repair of a highway in Transylvania and reconstruction of the Satu Mare airport).
“The company has proven itself to be a reliable partner. It has proven its ability to work according to international standards, fulfill its obligations, and ensure high quality and timely completion of contracts,” he said.
As reported, the Oradea-Arad expressway construction project (120.5 km) consists of several sections, for each of which the customer is holding a separate tender. In February 2025, Avtomagistral-Pivden and its partners won the tender for lot No. 1 (33.7 km). This is currently the first contract signed for the construction of Oradea-Arad. Under the terms of the contract, worth a total of EUR 460 million, it must be completed within 24 months.
The first section of the project includes the construction of 32 bridges, interchanges, and overpasses, including a 727-meter overpass over the railway, as well as two parking lots for charging electric vehicles.
Last year, Avtomagistral-Pivden opened an office in Romania, where preparations for the start of work are already underway. At the same time, the company continues to compete for other contracts in the Romanian market.
Avtomagistral-Pivden LLC has been operating since 2004. It designs and builds expressways, bridges, interchanges, airfield complexes, and hydraulic structures. According to Opendatabot, the owner of the company is Alexander Boiko. According to the financial results for 2024, the company’s net profit amounted to UAH 1.363 billion, and its revenue was UAH 13.197 billion.
The state-owned Ukrgasbank (Kyiv) has granted two loans to Kryvyi Rih totaling UAH 105.5 million for a term of seven years with a grace period of 12 months, according to information on the website of the Ministry of Finance.
According to the information, the interest rate on the loan of UAH 87.6 million is 14.5% per annum in the first year and, from the second year, a variable UIRD 12M +3% with annual review, but not exceeding 23%.
The second loan of 17.9 million is issued at a rate of 16% per annum for the first year, which from the second year is UIRD 12M + 3.62% with annual review, but also not more than 23%. It is explained that 3.62% is 16% minus the current UIRD 12M at 12.38%.
According to the National Bank of Ukraine, as of March 1, 2025, Ukrgasbank ranked fifth (UAH 217.52 billion) among 60 banks operating in the country in terms of total assets.
As reported, at the end of November last year, Ukrgasbank issued a five-year loan to the city of Dnipro for UAH 100 million with a 12-month grace period at 13.5% in the first year and UIRD 12M +3%, but not more than 23% in subsequent years.
Agrotrade agricultural holding has completed the sowing of industrial hemp, allocating 330 hectares in the Chernihiv region, which is 100 hectares more than a year earlier, the holding’s press service reported on Facebook on Wednesday.
The expansion of production areas in the agricultural holding was explained by the higher profitability of industrial hemp compared to other crops.
Agrotrade also drew attention to the agronomic specifics of hemp: it is sown later than the main crops, and the cultivation technology requires careful preparation.
“The company has been growing industrial hemp for three years in a row as part of a pilot project. This season is the final one. After the harvest, a decision will be made on the future of this line of business. Over the past three years, we have collected enough data to make an informed decision based on economic justification — whether to scale up this direction or close it,” explained Alexander Ovsyannik, director of the agro-industrial department at Agrotrade.
Agrotrade is a vertically integrated holding company with a full agricultural cycle (production, processing, storage, and trade of agricultural products). It cultivates over 70,000 hectares of land in the Chernihiv, Sumy, Poltava, and Kharkiv regions. Its main crops are sunflower, corn, winter wheat, soybeans, and rapeseed. It has its own network of elevators with a total storage capacity of 570,000 tons.
The group also produces hybrid seeds of corn, sunflower, barley, and winter wheat. In 2014, a seed plant with a capacity of 20,000 tons of seeds per year was built on the basis of the Kolos seed farm (Kharkiv region). In 2018, Agrotrade launched its own brand, Agroseeds.
The founder of Agrotrade is Vsevolod Kozhemyako.
