Business news from Ukraine

Business news from Ukraine

Insurance company Nadina significantly reduced premiums and payments in first half of year

In January-June 2025, Nadina Insurance Company (Kyiv) collected gross insurance premiums totaling UAH 18.938 million, which is 41.8% less than in the same period last year, according to data from Standard-Rating on the update of the company’s credit rating/financial stability (reliability) rating at the level of CAA+ on the national scale.

It should be noted that premiums from individuals amounted to UAH 362,000, while premiums from reinsurers were absent.

Insurance payments sent to reinsurers in the first half of 2025 decreased by 96.49% to UAH 379,000 compared to the same period in 2024, and the reinsurers’ share in insurance premiums decreased by 31.21 percentage points to 2%.

The insurer’s net premiums for the first half of 2025 decreased by 14.62% to UAH 18.559 million compared to the first half of 2024, and net earned premiums decreased by 9.48% to UAH 18.981 million.

The volume of insurance payments and indemnities made by IC “Nadyina” in the first half of 2025 compared to the same period in 2024 increased by 1.28% to UAH 6.394 million, and the level of payments rose by 14.36 p.p. to 33.76%.

The company’s operating profit increased to UAH 10.346 million, and net profit to UAH 10.577 million.

As of July 1, 2025, the insurer’s assets increased by 6.20% to UAH 86.949 million, equity increased by 16.20% to UAH 73.555 million, liabilities decreased by 27.90% to UAH 13.394 million, cash and cash equivalents increased by 7.56% to UAH 61.414 million.

As of the reporting date, the company also formed a portfolio of current financial investments in the amount of UAH 10.600 million, which consisted of government bonds.

According to the company’s website, it was registered in the Unified State Register of Legal Entities and Individual Entrepreneurs in 2006. Its authorized capital is UAH 15 million.

Its main shareholder is Agroholding 2012 LLC, which owns 90.5% of the insurer’s shares.

https://interfax.com.ua/

 

Railway workers are on strike in Montenegro

In Montenegro, a group of employees of Željeznička infrastruktura Crne Gore (ŽICG) — more than 80 station attendants and dispatchers — announced a work stoppage, which led to the suspension of several trains at the Podgorica, Bar, and Bijelo Polje, according to the Serbian Economist Telegram channel.

According to the publication, a train traveling from Belgrade to Bar has already been stopped, and a train from Bijelo Polje has not continued its route; some passengers are being transported to their destinations by bus.

A representative of the group of workers, Andrej Kaludjerovic, said that the stoppage was linked to a demand that ŽICG management begin negotiations on raising wages and equalizing pay rates with other railway companies in the country.

According to him, the labor action will continue until management invites employee representatives to the negotiating table with the participation of two representative trade unions, the Ministry of Transport, and the chairman of the company’s board of directors.

Source: Serbian Economist.

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China, Poland, and Germany remain Ukraine’s largest trading partners in 2025 – analysis by Experts Club

The Experts Club Information and Analytical Center analyzed updated data on Ukraine’s foreign trade volumes for the first half of 2025, published by the State Statistics Service of Ukraine. The analysis is based on official customs statistics and covers 49 of Ukraine’s main trading partners from all continents. The study revealed key trends in foreign economic relations that demonstrate the depth of the country’s international integration.

China remains Ukraine’s largest trading partner, with a total trade volume of nearly US$9 billion. This is more than three times higher than the figures for any individual European country. Poland ranks second with a result of over US$6 billion, demonstrating its stable role as the main European hub for Ukrainian exports and imports. Germany ranks third with a volume of US$4.28 billion.

Turkey ($4.25 billion) and the US ($2.86 billion) also made it into the top five, reflecting the broad geography of Ukraine’s trade relations.

European countries traditionally play a leading role in Ukraine’s foreign trade. Among them, in addition to Poland and Germany, Italy, the Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Hungary, and Romania are worth noting — all of them are among the top 10 partners. High indicators testify not only to the volume of trade, but also to the stability of logistics and production chains in the region.

This also confirms the gradual reformatting of Ukraine’s foreign trade orientation towards EU markets, particularly after the introduction of a duty-free regime, accession to the single customs space, and reorientation from traditional post-Soviet markets.

Among Asian countries, China remains the undisputed leader, retaining its strategic importance as a market for raw materials and a source of industrial imports. Turkey, although part of the Eurasian space, is actively strengthening its position in trade thanks to its flexible policy and developed logistics through the Black Sea.

Among other Asian players, the Republic of Korea, Japan, and India are notable for their presence, gradually increasing trade volumes with Ukraine, especially in the high-tech and pharmaceutical segments.

The United States remains Ukraine’s most important partner in the Western Hemisphere. Despite its geographical distance, the US is among the top five trading partners with a volume of over $2.85 billion. This testifies to deep economic interaction that complements political and defense partnerships.

Brazil and Mexico are also represented in the overall ranking, demonstrating growth in trade volumes, primarily in the agricultural and industrial goods segments.

They are increasingly appearing in Ukraine’s trade balance. In particular, Algeria, Egypt, Tunisia, and Libya show stable demand for Ukrainian grain, metallurgical products, and machine-building products. At the same time, the potential of African markets for Ukrainian exports remains significant and can be realized under conditions of expanded logistics routes and political stability.

Top 10 trading partners of Ukraine in January–June 2025
No. Country Trade volume (USD million)
1 China 8,996
2 Poland 6,043
3 Germany 4,279
4 Turkey 4,249
5 United States 2,859
6 Italy 2,384
7 Czech Republic 1,641
8 Bulgaria 1,539
9 Hungary 1,526
10 Romania 1,499

“The latest foreign trade data demonstrate not only the geographical diversification of Ukraine’s partners, but also a clear focus on integration into the European and global markets. Despite the difficult security situation, Ukrainian business continues to expand into international economic chains, especially in the fields of agricultural products, metallurgy, and machine building. Significant growth in trade with EU countries and the US, as well as strong cooperation with China and Turkey, show that Ukraine has not lost its ability to be an active player in the global market,” says Maxim Urakin, founder of Experts Club and candidate of economic sciences.

Data for the first half of 2025 indicate that Ukraine’s foreign economic relations remain geographically diverse. The EU remains a reliable economic partner, China retains its position as the No. 1 global player, and North American and Asian countries are strengthening their roles. Africa is a promising direction that requires strategic attention.

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Dmytro Dubilet’s Fintech Farm launches neobank in Uzbekistan

Ukrainian fintech startup Fintech Farm (co-founded by former PrivatBank top manager Dmytro Dubilet) has entered the Uzbekistan market with a new digital bank, Tezbank, created in partnership with local Hamkorbank.

This is the company’s fifth market, according to AIN.UA.

According to local media reports, Tezbank operates entirely online (without branches), offering mobile banking, cashback, and credit products; Hamkorbank is its licensing and back-office partner.

Context. Prior to Uzbekistan, Fintech Farm launched neobanks in Azerbaijan (Leobank), Kyrgyzstan (Simbank), India (Roarbank), and Vietnam (Liobank); the company previously closed a project in Nigeria. The startup declares plans to enter 2-3 new markets each year, considering Southeast and Central Asia and Morocco.

Fintech Farm was founded in 2020 by Dmitry Dubilet, Alexander Vityaz, and Nikolay Bezkrovny as a “serial producer” of neobanks on a single technology platform. In 2024, the company raised $32 million in investments (a round involving Bank of Georgia) for international expansion.

According to AIN.UA, Fintech Farm’s total customer base exceeds 2.5 million users; the company’s value at the beginning of 2024 is $100+ million.

 

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In Ukraine, there is growing demand among home buyers for financial programs offered by developers with extended installment plans

Installment plans with extended repayment terms offered by developers are in high demand among home buyers and are an alternative to state mortgage programs, Ukrainian developers told Interfax-Ukraine.

“In 2024-2025, we are seeing an increase in the share of customers who choose long-term interest-free installments from KAN Development. This is due to increased buyer confidence in the future, especially given the improved security situation in Kyiv. The ‘єОселя’ and ”єВідновлення” programs have had a limited impact on our sales so far. Most customers choose other financial solutions, in particular, our own programs,” said the press service of KAN Development.

In recent years, there has been a growing demand for longer installment plans, noted Irina Mikhalova, CMO of Alliance Novobud. In addition, developers are offering programs with reduced down payments.

“At the start of construction, we can offer longer installment terms—12, 24, or 36 months. This is because, as a rule, installments are provided until the project is commissioned. We also frequently receive requests from buyers to reduce the down payment, which can be either 10% or 50%,” the expert said.

The Kovalskaya Group’s internal installment plans offer a fixed price per square meter for up to five years with a down payment of 30% of the cost of the home. According to the company, an individual approach to the buyer’s needs is practiced.

“Installment plans have become more flexible: if a customer realizes that they will not be able to make monthly payments, we are open to dialogue and ready to work together to find a convenient solution. It is possible to agree on an individual schedule, for example, to increase the installment period, temporarily reduce the amount of payments with a subsequent return to standard payments, carry out restructuring, exchange an apartment for another area or in another construction project,” explained the developer.

The company “RIEL” in the second launch complex of the capital’s Brother project offers buyers to purchase housing in installments until the facility is put into operation in the second quarter of 2028, said Alla Chipak, coordinator of the sales departments of “RIEL” in Lviv. In addition, in some residential complexes, the down payment has been reduced to 10% of the apartment’s cost.

Given the popularity of the developer’s renovation option, Intergal-Bud also offers the possibility of paying for renovations in installments along with the apartment, said Anatoliy Kovrizhenko, sales director at Intergal-Bud.

According to the DIM group of companies, developer lending programs with extended installment terms are an alternative to state mortgage programs with loan amount limits. The company has its own financial programs, under which the down payment is 30% of the cost of the property, and the installment term is up to five years.

In addition, DIM offers a long-term installment program of up to 10 years.

“In early June, we launched a long-term installment program in hryvnia for a term of 10 years, with the possibility of early repayment, a fixed price in hryvnia, a fixed price per square meter in the contract, without reference to the exchange rate or market price increases, with a fixed interest rate of 10% per annum in hryvnia and a down payment of 30%. It was planned to launch as a pilot project for two months, to test it in large complexes of quarterly development such as Metropolis, Lucky Land, and Park Lake City. However, we received quite a few inquiries from buyers, which turned into real deals, so we continued the program until the end of the summer,” said DIM managing partner Alexander Nasikovsky.

 

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National Police plans to purchase 15 Ataman buses for ₴68 mln

Cherkasy Bus JSC may supply the National Police of Ukraine with 15 specialized Ataman D09216 buses for a total of ₴67.95 million, or ₴4.53 million per bus.

According to information in the Prozorro electronic public procurement system, the company was the only participant in the tender, offering buses at the expected purchase price.

The delivery date is December 15 of this year. Full payment is due within 90 banking days. The buses will be manufactured in 2025.

The contract is currently awaiting signature.

Cherkasy Bus is a regular supplier of such special buses to the National Police. In particular, in July last year, a contract was signed for the supply of 30 buses for UAH 124.07 million (or UAH 4.24 million per bus).

The Ataman D09216 special-purpose bus, built on Japanese Isuzu chassis, is 8.2 m long, equipped with a Euro 5 diesel engine, has 30 seats (plus the driver’s seat), and air conditioning in the driver’s and passenger compartments.

The bus is designed to transport National Police personnel without combat equipment (weapons, body armor, etc.).

Cherkasy Bus guarantees the readiness and availability of bus maintenance and repair services and has 35 service centers throughout Ukraine.

Founded in 1994, the Cherkasy Bus factory manufactures small and medium-sized Ataman buses, as well as other wheeled vehicles based on Japanese Isuzu components.

According to the company’s financial report on its website, in 2024, it reduced its net profit by a third to UAH 122.1 million, while its net income increased by 2.6% to UAH 1 billion 771 million.

 

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