Passenger traffic across Ukraine’s western border during the week of July 4–10 increased by another 1.2%—to 734,000—following a 6.0% increase the previous week, with inbound and outbound flows nearly balancing out, according to daily statistics from the State Border Guard Service monitored by the Interfax-Ukraine news agency.
According to this data, while the number of outbound border crossings rose to 365,000 from 348,000 the previous week, the number of inbound crossings fell to 369,000 from 377,000.
The number of vehicles passing through border checkpoints also rose this week—to 139,000 from 138,000 the previous week—while the number of vehicles carrying humanitarian cargo fell to 371 from 434.
According to the State Border Guard Service, as of 9:00 a.m. on Sunday, the largest number of passenger cars—40—were waiting to cross the border with Poland at the “Krakovets” checkpoint. Smaller lines were observed at the “Ustyluh” checkpoint (35 vehicles), the “Hrushev” checkpoint (20 vehicles), the “Nyzhankovychi” checkpoint (15 vehicles), and the “Shehyni” checkpoint (10 vehicles).
At the border with Hungary, 30 vehicles were waiting to cross at the “Luzhanka” checkpoint, while 25 were waiting at the “Kosyno” checkpoint, 20 at the “Tisa” checkpoint, and 15 at the “Dzvinkovo” checkpoint.
At the border with Slovakia, there was a line of 15 vehicles at the “Uzhhorod” checkpoint and 5 at the “Malyi Berezny” checkpoint.
At the border with Romania, 50 vehicles were lined up at the “Porubne” checkpoint, while there were no lines at other checkpoints, nor at the border with Moldova.
Last year, passenger traffic across the border during this week was slightly lower—718,000—and the outbound and inbound flows were nearly equal—360,000 and 358,000, respectively. The number of vehicles last year was also lower—133,000. Last year, passenger traffic remained at this level or slightly higher until early September.
As reported, starting May 10, 2022, the outflow of refugees from Ukraine—which began with the start of the war—turned into an inflow that lasted until September 23, 2022, totaling 409,000 people. However, starting in late September—possibly influenced by news of mobilization in Russia and “pseudo-referendums” in the occupied territories, followed by massive shelling of energy infrastructure—the number of people leaving exceeded the number of those entering. In total, from the end of September 2022 until the first anniversary of the full-scale war, this figure reached 223,000 people.
In the second year of the full-scale war, the number of border crossings out of Ukraine, according to the State Border Guard Service, exceeded the number of crossings into the country by 25,000; in the third year, by 187,000; in the fourth year, by 221,000; and by 157,000 since the start of the fifth year—144,000 of which occurred since the beginning of summer.
In its April inflation report, the National Bank maintained its estimate of last year’s migration from Ukraine at 0.2 million due to the deterioration of the security situation at the end of the year and the easing of exit rules for young people, but noted that in 2024 this figure will be less than 0.5 million. The NBU continues to forecast a net outflow of 0.2 million in 2026, while net returns, according to its forecast, will begin in 2027 and amount to about 0.1 million people, increasing to 0.5 million people in 2028.
According to UNHCR data, the number of Ukrainian refugees in Europe as of April 30, 2026, stood at 5.213 million, and globally at 5.762 million, compared to 5.375 million and 5.924 million, respectively, as of February 19.
In Ukraine itself, according to the latest UN data for January 2026, there are 3.70 million internally displaced persons (IDPs), compared to 3.34 million in July and 3.76 million in April 2025.
Data: State Border Guard Service
A group of 50 young athletes from the Sumy and Kherson regions of Ukraine has arrived in Serbia. The delegation comprises pupils from the ‘Barsa’ Regional Sports Lyceum and the Novovorontsov Children’s and Youth Sports School, according to the Telegram channel ‘Serbian Economist’.
During their stay in Serbia, the children will take part in training sessions, sports competitions and joint activities with their Serbian peers.
The organisation of the camp was made possible thanks to the support of the Government of Serbia, the Ministry of Sports and the Football Association of Serbia. Similar programmes have been held for several years and are aimed at the rehabilitation and recreation of Ukrainian children affected by the consequences of the war.
In recent months, humanitarian and public cooperation between Serbia and Ukraine has also noticeably intensified, facilitated by the work of the new Ukrainian ambassador in Belgrade.
“Nova Poshta,” Ukraine’s leading express delivery service, has consolidated its digital and offline channels into a single platform, Nova Media, and claims to offer advertisers access to over 35,000 advertising spaces with monthly omnichannel reach to an audience of more than 10 million users.
“Today, Nova Media already has over 475 clients—ranging from major national brands to small and medium-sized businesses. The repeat business rate exceeds 60%,” said Ivan Bilokonny, head of the new product development department at Nova Poshta, in a company statement released on Wednesday.
It is noted that access to the platform is provided through a personal account, where users can independently configure and launch flexible advertising campaigns tailored to their own budget, using a variety of engagement formats: from notifications in the mobile app to screens in branches, branded packaging, parcel lockers, and corporate vehicles.
“Nova Poshta” clarified that it currently generates approximately 600 million ad impressions and over 180 million offline customer interactions each month.
The company added that it plans to continue expanding Nova Media’s capabilities and launching new engagement formats and technological solutions.
As previously reported, in 2025, Nova Poshta increased its revenue by 21.6% compared to 2024—to 54.2 billion UAH—and its net profit by 4.4%, to 2.6 billion UAH.
The number of parcels and shipments delivered last year rose by 7.4%—from 486 million to 522 million—including international shipments, which increased by 52.6%, from 19 million to 29 million.
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is considering providing Kyiv with a loan of up to EUR 50 million to support the liquidity of the municipal utility “Kyivteploenergo” and ensure the uninterrupted provision of critical municipal services amid the war.
According to the bank’s materials, the project is scheduled to be approved on July 22, 2026.
The loan is intended to cover Kyivteploenergo’s critical liquidity needs, including operating and maintenance costs, as well as to offset temporary revenue losses and additional expenses caused by the war.
Due to war-related risks, the loan will be partially covered by a European Union (EU) guarantee for first-loss coverage under the Municipal, Infrastructure, and Industrial Resilience (MIIR) Program as part of the Investment Program for Ukraine (UIF).
The financing is intended to ensure uninterrupted heat supply to schools, kindergartens, hospitals, residential buildings, and businesses, as well as electricity generation for the city and the power grid.
The EBRD notes that the additional strain on Kyiv’s district heating system is linked, in particular, to the significant number of internally displaced persons.
The project is part of the EBRD’s “Resilience and Livelihoods” (RLF) program. It is also intended to support the development and expansion of municipal services for veterans and their families.
As previously reported, in June, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko stated that the Kyiv City Council must approve a EUR50 million EBRD loan for “Kyivteploenergo” to implement measures under the Capital’s Resilience Plan. He estimated the cost of Kyiv’s priority energy resilience measures at approximately 30 billion hryvnia.
The Embassy of the Argentine Republic in Ukraine hosted a gala reception in Kyiv to mark the 210th anniversary of Argentina’s declaration of independence. The event took place at the “Sofia Kyivska” National Reserve and brought together representatives of the Ukrainian government, the diplomatic corps, the business community, religious organizations, and the Ukrainian-Argentine community.
In her opening remarks, Argentine Ambassador to Ukraine Elena Leticia Mikusinski noted that Independence Day is not only a memorable historical date for Argentines but also a symbol of their commitment to freedom, sovereignty, and the right of peoples to determine their own future.
According to the diplomat, holding the celebrations at St. Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv has special symbolic significance, as this monument is the cradle of Ukrainian statehood and national identity. She emphasized that, despite the differences in the historical paths of Argentina and Ukraine, both countries are united by a desire to defend freedom, independence, and national sovereignty.
The ambassador emphasized that Argentina continues to support Ukraine on the international stage. In particular, the country participates in the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children, is a member of the Ramstein-format Contact Group on Ukraine’s Defense, and consistently supports most UN General Assembly resolutions concerning Russian aggression against Ukraine. According to her, this position reflects Argentina’s unwavering commitment to the principles of international law, respect for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and the achievement of a just and sustainable peace.
A special highlight of the evening was the presentation of an award to Elena Leticia Mikusinski, Argentina’s Ambassador to Ukraine. The Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra National Reserve awarded her the title of “First Ambassador of Lavra” in recognition of her contribution to the development of Ukrainian-Argentine relations, her support for Ukrainian cultural heritage, and her efforts to strengthen international cooperation.
In her speech, she paid special attention to the historical ties between the two nations. The ambassador recalled Nobel laureate César Milstein, the son of Ukrainian emigrants who made an outstanding contribution to world science, as well as Spanish language teacher Olga Anechkina-Shafran, who was born in Argentina and worked for many years in Kryvyi Rih. According to the diplomat, it is precisely such people who have been strengthening friendship and mutual understanding between the two countries for decades.
The head of the diplomatic mission also noted that modern Argentina is known not only for soccer, tango, and Malbec wine, but also for significant achievements in science and high technology. She recalled that the country is among those that independently develop and operate satellites, as well as build research nuclear reactors and develop technologies for nuclear medicine.
During the gala evening, guests were entertained by Ukrainian composer and pianist Yevhen Khmara, opera singer and defender of Ukraine Yuriy Ivaskievych, and guitarist Oleksandr Alekseenko. Guests were also treated to Argentine wines and traditional dishes.
Argentina recognized Ukraine’s independence on January 5, 1992, and diplomatic relations between the two countries were established on January 6, 1992. The Argentine Embassy in Kyiv began operations in 1993, and the Ukrainian Embassy in Buenos Aires has been in operation since 1993.
ARGENTINA, DIPLOMACY, EMBASSY, Saint Sophia of Kyiv, Мікусінські
Initial registrations of new and imported used buses (including minibuses) in Ukraine in June 2026 rose by 19% compared to the same month in 2025—to 183 units, according to a report by Ukravtoprom on its Telegram channel.
At the same time, compared to May of this year, demand for buses fell by 16%.
According to Ukravtoprom, the share of new vehicles in total bus sales in June continued to decline, reaching only 28%, compared to 48% last year and 31% in May of this year.
Last month, the most frequently registered new buses were Ataman models from the Cherkasy Bus plant (12 units), Ford (12 units), and ZAZ (11 units).
Among used buses, the top three were Mercedes-Benz (66 units), Volkswagen (12 units), and Van Hool (11 units).
In total, during the first half of 2026, Ukraine’s bus fleet was expanded by 1,230 buses (+4% compared to the same period in 2025). Of these: new buses – 500 units (-6%); used buses – 730 units (+12%).
As reported, citing data from “Ukravtoprom,” Ukraine’s bus fleet was expanded by 2,700 buses in 2025—21% more than in 2024—including 1,343 new buses (+4%) and 1,364 imported used buses (+44%).
