Dynamics of import of goods in January-November 2024 by the most important items in relation to the same period of 2023, %
The Kyiv School of Economics (KSE) plans to invest $10 million in the internal renovation of the Golf Club in Obolon, Kyiv, which it recently acquired for $18 million, so that the campus created on its premises meets the requirements of leading world universities, KSE President Timofey Milovanov said.
“About $10 million will go toward internal renovation, not external. Everything there needs to be demolished, and laboratories, amphitheaters, and makerspaces need to be built. … Filling the campus itself with high-quality, modern educational facilities, such as those found in top universities, will cost $10 million,” he said in an interview with Interfax-Ukraine.
According to Milovanov, KSE sent a team to MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) to see what a makerspace is.
“This is where students have access to all modern robots, lasers, machine tools with software control — everything they need to make a prototype if they have an idea. All the equipment must be there, from projectors to lecture halls, and there must be access to software that costs money even for universities,” explained the KSE president.
He added that there are plans to open these makerspaces for students from other universities as well.
Milovanov recalled that the first KSE building in Kyiv, located at 3 Shpaka Street, cost $2.5 million, with another $2.5 million spent on renovations: shelter, sleeping capsules, library shelves, AI cameras that allow hybrid lectures, a security system, fire safety, modern ventilation, batteries, and generators in case of blackouts.
Some of this is already in place at the Golf Club, but it was designed for a small number of people, not the several thousand students who will be working here, added the KSE president. Among other things, he pointed to the building’s well-insulated basements, which can be used as shelters for all students and teachers.
He emphasized that he was very pleased with the purchase because the Golf Club was built to a very high standard, so the price of the deal was very attractive considering the location—$18 million for 14,500 square meters of space plus 5 hectares of land on lease.
“Even if you don’t count the land and the location near the Dnieper, that’s $1,200 per square meter! (…) But now there are no buyers. If people have $20 million, they will buy a hotel in Indonesia, not invest in Ukraine. I think this is simply a factor of the war, and we are very lucky—without the war, it would have been many times more expensive,” Milovanov believes.
According to him, in theory, the first students could use the renovated building as early as January next year, although in practice it may take longer, partly because of the existing tenants, with whom KSE would like to resolve the issue without any disputes.
“But there are two buildings at the Golf Club. One of them is empty—there are no tenants. So we are already starting demolition this week, and it may be ready sooner. That is where we will build makerspaces, amphitheaters, and other significant renovations,” said the KSE president.
He emphasized that the university will maintain the land’s sporting purpose, as stipulated in the lease agreement.
“We will do everything completely according to the law, so we will leave the golf course. Some good businessmen are already writing to us about how this can be improved. So maybe there is something in this direction,” Milovanov said.
At the same time, he said that in the future, KSE would like to expand the purpose of the land plot so that it fully corresponds to the university, so it will submit all the documents to the Kyiv City Council.
“I think it will take 5-7 years. But we have no other way, because we are an American company. Although local developers tell me: Timofey, why are you doing this? Do what you have to do, and you’ll figure it out later. But we don’t do that, we are an American company. We don’t know how to decide things like that,” he emphasized.
KSE is a private university and research center founded in 1996. It operates as a non-profit organization registered in the United States. Since 2022, KSE donors have contributed more than $150 million to humanitarian, defense, and educational projects, including the development of university infrastructure.
GOLF CLUB, INVESTMENT, KYIV SCHOOL OF ECONOMICS, RECONSTRUCTION
The first stage of major repairs to a city polyclinic damaged during the Russian occupation of 2022 has been completed in Irpin, Kyiv region. The reconstruction was carried out with financial support from the State Oil Company of the Republic of Azerbaijan (SOCAR). The Azerbaijani Embassy in Ukraine also contributed to the restoration.
The first stage included major repairs and insulation of the facades and roof, replacement of windows, and renovation of the entrance areas. The SOCAR Blago Charitable Foundation allocated 60 million hryvnias for this work.
The second stage of the clinic’s restoration, also financed by SOCAR, involves the construction of a shelter, the installation of a fire alarm system, and ventilation. The overhaul of the clinic is scheduled to be completed by the end of this year.
Earlier it was reported that the city of Irpin had already been 80% restored after the destruction caused by hostilities in the spring of 2022.
Azerbaijani-Ukrainian diplomatic relations were officially established on February 6, 1992, after Azerbaijan recognized Ukraine’s independence. During Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in March 2022, the Azerbaijani embassy in Kyiv temporarily suspended its work, but resumed operations on April 30, 2022.
SOCAR (State Oil Company of the Azerbaijan Republic) is Azerbaijan’s state-owned oil and gas company, founded in 1992. Its headquarters are located in Baku. SOCAR extracts oil and natural gas onshore and offshore in the Caspian Sea, operates the country’s only oil refinery and gas processing plant, and operates several export oil and gas pipelines.
SOCAR began operations in Ukraine in 2009. Today, the SOCAR network in Ukraine has more than 60 gas stations in various regions of the country, including Kyiv, Lviv, Odesa, Kharkiv, Dnipro, and other cities.
https://interfax.com.ua/news/diplomats/1068732.html
Dynamics of export of goods in january-november 2024 by the most important items in relation to the same period of 2023, %
A Digital Sovereignty Alliance has been created in Ukraine, bringing together leading domestic cloud providers: GigaCloud, De Novo, and the PARKOVY data center. This was announced in an author’s column on Interfax-Ukraine by Vladimir Belov, director of GigaCloud in Ukraine.
The initiative came together after De Novo CEO Maxim Ageev publicly highlighted the risks of storing critical data abroad. “We decided to create a platform for professional dialogue and collaboration,” Belov explained.
According to him, digital sovereignty today is not only a matter of security, but also the foundation of economic independence. The Alliance’s key goal is to ensure that state registries, medical, and financial data are stored within Ukrainian jurisdiction. Other tasks include developing common standards and conditions for data centers and cloud services, participating in the development of a regulatory framework, and creating a sustainable digital architecture.
The column pays particular attention to the idea of creating digital embassies (Data Embassies) — data centers abroad that are subject to Ukrainian law. GigaCloud already uses European hosting platforms, retaining control over customer data.
“Digital sovereignty is about independence, but not isolation. We are ready to cooperate with European associations on an equal footing,” Belov concluded, calling on market participants to join the Alliance.
Source: Author’s column by Vladimir Belov, GigaCloud Country Director in Ukraine, published on the Interfax-Ukraine website
Alliance Novobud has won the prestigious Ukrainian Business Award for the third year in a row, receiving the title of BUSINESS OF THE YEAR 2025. This recognition is a testament to the stability and professionalism of the developer’s team, which continues to implement large-scale projects even in the face of war and economic instability.
Since resuming operations in April 2022, Alliance Novobud has been actively working on all of its construction sites. In particular, over the past year, the company has completed its first project in the capital, the Illinsky House club house, commissioned a residential complex in Brovary, Lavandovy, and is continuing preparatory work for the start of sales of a new building in the legendary Lisovy Kvartal project.
The Ukrainian Business Award is an annual award presented to successful companies and business leaders in Ukraine for achievements in various fields, such as finance, investment, marketing, development, innovation, and more. UBA has a significant impact on the development of the business environment in Ukraine and contributes to increasing the level of competition and quality of business in the country.
Alliance Novobud is a reliable developer of progressive formation, which has been operating in the construction market of Kyiv and the region for over 18 years. The company designs and builds meaningful spaces for living, recreation, and self-realization.
Receiving the BUSINESS OF THE YEAR 2025 award is confirmation of the high level of professionalism of the Alliance Novobud team and its ability to achieve high results despite all challenges. The company continues to bring to life the dream of every Ukrainian — the dream of owning a high-quality home.
Alliance Novobud, Illinsky House, Lavender, Ukrainian Business Award
