Ukrgazvydobuvannya, part of the Naftogaz Group, plans to conduct 3D seismic surveys covering an area of 230 square kilometers in western Ukraine, according to Serhiy Koretsky, chairman of the board of Naftogaz Ukraine.
Serhiy Koretsky.
“We are starting a new phase of 3D seismic surveys in western Ukraine. We plan that this year Ukrgazvydobuvannya will cover 230 square kilometers,” Koretsky wrote on Facebook on Friday.
According to him, this region has not been in focus for a long time due to depleted reserves – compared to the eastern part of Ukraine, it was considered less promising. However, as Koretsky noted, modern seismic exploration opens up new opportunities: it allows for more accurate detection of gas where it was previously impossible.
“We expect that the results of new research will allow us to start drilling new wells as early as 2026-2027,” the head of Naftogaz shared his plans.
The Naftogaz press release states that between 2019 and 2023, the company has already processed approximately 1,600 square kilometers of 3D seismic data in the western region, which has allowed for the drilling of more than 10 new wells. Four of them yielded initial production rates of 80 to 270 thousand cubic meters of gas per day. These figures were described as significant for the region, where gas production began in 1912.
Over the past five years, Ukrgazvydobuvannya has increased reserves in the region by 2.4 billion cubic meters, according to the release.
Less than two weeks remain until the start of interviews for veterans, defenders, and their children who wish to obtain or continue higher education at Ukrainian universities. This year, as part of the Veterans Institute’s “Architecture of Resilience” initiative, additional opportunities for state-funded education have been opened, including part-time and distance learning.
“As long as part-time and distance learning options are available, this is a unique opportunity for our veterans and their families to get an education without interrupting their service, volunteer work, or employment. And just as important, there are still spots available for free tuition. We accompany everyone from the application stage to employment,” emphasized Artem Goncharenko, head of the Architecture of Resilience Veterans Institute.
– Education for veterans, defenders, and their children — at Ukrainian universities!
The Veterans Institute opens doors to over 30 specialties and over 100 educational programs:
– Free education*
– Retraining, courses, second higher education, master’s degree, postgraduate studies
– Psychological support and rehabilitation
– Participation in projects for the restoration of Ukraine
– Partnership programs with employers (Axor, Barks, Google, Microsoft, Cisco, etc.)
– Formats: full-time, part-time, online
– We work throughout Ukraine — in communities, universities, and rehabilitation centers
– Individual support from the moment of application to employment
– We invite everyone to online or offline meetings with our team. We will tell you:
▪ how to apply
▪ what benefits veterans and their children are entitled to
▪ how to receive compensation for education
▪ what educational programs are needed to rebuild the country
Program details: www.Veterano.info
Applications: center@uvc.in.net | veterano@knuba.edu.ua
Contact
+38 073 94 96 179
+38 050 22 35 182
+38 067 49 81 098
Head: Artem Goncharenko — +38 073 177 72 73
Partner universities:
Kyiv National University of Construction and Architecture
National University of Physical Education and Sports of Ukraine (NUPESU)
Western Ukrainian National University
National University “Poltava Polytechnic named after Yuri Kondratyuk”
Vasyl Stefanyk Precarpathian National University
National University of Life and Environmental Sciences of Ukraine
Drohobych National Pedagogical University
*Participation in state compensation programs, grants, scholarships, and support from businesses makes it possible to study free of charge.
It’s time to act. Decisions change the future. Start with education — right now.
Ukrainian marketplace for verified real estate DIM.RIA conducted a survey of its audience, in which more than 1,500 Ukrainians took part. The aim of the study was to find out the plans, priorities, and budgets of Ukrainians in the field of buying and renting housing. The results showed that in 2025, the average budget for purchasing real estate decreased, while tenants, on the contrary, are willing to spend more.
In 2025, most Ukrainians will continue to live in their hometowns. However, the proportion of those moving to safer regions and abroad has increased compared to 2024.
The two most common reasons for buying a home among the marketplace users surveyed were to move from rented accommodation to their own home (42%) and to change their place of residence (33%). Apartments on the secondary market are in the highest demand. Users are also considering private houses from owners. New buildings (both apartments and houses) rank third and fourth in popularity. Smart apartments are the least interesting.
The average budget that Ukrainians are willing to spend on buying a home in 2025 has either remained at the previous year’s level or decreased slightly. Currently, the largest share is those who plan to spend between $30,000 and $50,000. Over the past year, the number of people planning to buy a home for more than $50,000 has decreased.
The main reason for looking for rental housing is a change of city or neighborhood. Rental preferences coincide with purchase plans: apartments on the secondary market are the most popular. Next among the options are new buildings and smart apartments.
Most respondents are looking for housing costing up to $10,000 per month. However, a significant proportion have increased their rental budget to $15,000. At the same time, 67% of respondents say that it is difficult to find housing within their desired budget.
Among the priorities that Ukrainians consider when choosing a home to buy, the most important are affordable price, condition, size, and convenient location.
Willingness to work with real estate agents in 2025 has increased. This is especially true for home buyers, who are more likely to hire professionals to assist with the transaction. Tenants, on the other hand, tend to look for housing on their own.
DIM.RIA is a marketplace for buying and renting verified housing. It is a product of the Ukrainian IT company RIA.com. Currently, the marketplace has a website and apps for iOS and Android devices.
Over the past eight decades, the world has come a long way from the creation of the first nuclear warheads to the formation of a multi-level global deterrence system based on nuclear balance. According to an analysis conducted by the Experts Club information and analytical center based on statistics from the Federation of American Scientists (FAS), the most rapid growth in the number of nuclear weapons occurred between 1945 and 1986. After the first atomic bombs were tested in the US in 1945, the Soviet Union joined the race, and by the 1950s, an arms race had begun, in which the US had the upper hand in the early stages, with over 3,000 warheads.
This period was marked by global confrontation within the framework of the Cold War, an arms race, and the active expansion of the nuclear club.
In the 1960s, the USSR gradually caught up with the US in terms of numbers and eventually surpassed it. The race peaked in 1986, when the total number of nuclear warheads in the world reached a record high of almost 70,000, of which more than 40,000 belonged to the Soviet Union.
After the end of the Cold War in the 1990s, the US and Russia initiated a large-scale reduction of their arsenals, removing some of the warheads from combat duty or disposing of them in accordance with international agreements. By 2023, the total number of nuclear warheads in the world had decreased to approximately 12,500, of which about 9,600 are active, while the rest are in reserve or awaiting dismantlement.
Today, there are nine countries in the world that officially possess nuclear weapons. The largest arsenals are held by Russia (5,889 units) and the United States (5,244 units). China is actively building up its nuclear capabilities and already has about 410 warheads. France and the United Kingdom have 290 and 225 units, respectively. India and Pakistan have about 170 and 165 warheads, respectively, and Israel has an estimated 90. North Korea is estimated to have up to 30 warheads, but its potential is considered highly uncertain due to the country’s secrecy. South Africa is a special case, as it is the only country that voluntarily renounced nuclear weapons, completely dismantling its arsenal in the 1990s.
“The dynamics of change in nuclear capabilities demonstrate the extraordinary flexibility and, at the same time, vulnerability of the global security system. For many years, nuclear weapons have been not only an element of deterrence but also an instrument of political blackmail, allowing individual states to influence the international agenda. Today, we are seeing an alarming trend: despite the overall reduction in stockpiles in leading countries such as the US and Russia, certain countries — primarily China and North Korea — are demonstrating growing ambitions, indicating a potential return to the arms race. And if the international community fails to develop effective control and limitation mechanisms, we risk facing a new phase of nuclear confrontation, which will be even more dangerous due to the presence of unstable regimes, technological breakthroughs, and cyber threats,” comments Maxim Urakin, founder of the Experts Club analytical center.
In conclusion, it should be emphasized that the current nuclear security architecture needs to be revised. The conditions of the new geopolitical reality require not only maintaining parity, but also creating international mechanisms capable of preventing the proliferation of nuclear weapons and reducing the risk of their use in new types of conflicts. Without global dialogue, transparency, and trust, the future of global security will remain under threat.
For more information, visit the Experts Club YouTube channel.
Montenegro is one of the most affordable countries in Europe in terms of real estate prices and one of the easiest in terms of legal formalities for foreigners. In recent years, it has become particularly popular among citizens of the CIS and EU countries due to its mild climate, sea, prospects for price growth, and loyal tax policy. However, when buying an apartment or house, it is important to understand what taxes and fees you will have to pay.
Main taxes when buying real estate in Montenegro
Rate: 3% of the market value of the property as determined by the tax authorities (not always the same as the price in the contract).
The tax is paid once, within 15 days after the conclusion of the agreement and submission of documents to the tax office.
Rate: 21%, already included in the contract price.
In this case, the property transfer tax (3%) is not levied.
Property ownership tax
The rate is set by municipalities and usually ranges from 0.1% to 1% of the cadastral value (depending on the location, type, and condition of the property).
For example:
Apartment in Budva or Kotor — approximately 0.25–0.5%
Properties on the coast and in tourist areas are taxed at a higher rate
The tax is paid once a year, usually by the end of March.
Important: a penalty is charged for late payment.
Additional costs
Renting real estate: taxes for the owner
If the property is rented out, the owner is obliged to:
Obtain a short-term rental permit from the municipality.
Keep a register of guests and pay tax:
Fixed tax on rental income — 9%.
Plus tourist tax per guest — approximately €1 per night.
From 2024, compliance with these requirements will be actively monitored (introduction of electronic accounting systems).
Example
Apartment in Budva for €150,000, purchased from a private individual:
Property transfer tax: 3% = €4,500
Annual property tax (0.4%): €600
Notary + registration fees: ~€1,000
In case of rental: income tax — 9% of profit
Montenegro offers a relatively simple and predictable tax system for real estate. One-time tax on purchase — 3% or 21% (for new construction), annual tax — low. Rental income is taxed at a moderate rate but requires compliance with formalities.
Source: http://relocation.com.ua/property-taxes-in-montenegro-what-buyers-need-to-know/
The volume of passenger car imports into Ukraine, including cargo-passenger vans and racing cars (UKT VED code 8703), in January-May 2025 amounted to almost $2.052 billion in monetary terms, which is 5.3% more than in the same period last year ($1.947 billion).
According to statistics released by the State Customs Service (SCS) of Ukraine, in May this year, passenger cars worth $523.8 million were imported into Ukraine, which is 30% more than in May 2024.
The three largest suppliers of cars to Ukraine in January-May this year were Germany, the US, and Japan, while last year the US led the top three. In particular, car deliveries from Germany increased by 35% to $388.6 million, and their share in the structure of car imports amounted to almost 19% against 14.8% a year earlier.
The United States imported $336.2 million worth of cars to Ukraine (down 7.6%), while imports from Japan fell by 4.8% to $230 million.
Imports of passenger cars from other countries during the reporting period amounted to almost $1.1 billion, compared with $1.05 billion in January-May last year.
At the same time, in January-May this year, Ukraine exported only $2.7 million worth of such vehicles, in particular to the UAE (49.4% of exports), the Czech Republic, and Slovakia, while a year ago, during the same period, it supplied $7.18 million worth of such vehicles to foreign markets, mainly to Canada, the UAE, and the US.
According to the State Customs Service, passenger cars accounted for 6.56% of Ukraine’s total imports in January-May (7.07% last year) and 0.02% of exports (0.04%).
As reported, in 2024, passenger cars worth $4.385 billion were imported into Ukraine, 8% more than a year ago, and $10.1 million worth were exported (2.7 times less).
