Passenger traffic across Ukraine’s border in the fifth week of autumn, from September 27 to October 3, decreased by 5.2% to 561,000, according to data from the State Border Service.
According to the data, the number of arrivals in Ukraine during the week decreased from 286,000 to 278,000, while the decrease in the outbound flow was more significant – from 306,000 to 283,000, which is explained by the end of the Jewish New Year “Rosh Hashanah” celebrations last week and the departure of pilgrims from Ukraine.
At the same time, the number of vehicles that passed through checkpoints increased from 133,000 to 137,000, while the flow of vehicles carrying humanitarian cargo remained approximately the same – 481.
This Sunday, as of 6:00 p.m., according to the State Border Service, the longest queue of 50 passenger cars was at the Ustyluh checkpoint, another 15 cars were waiting to cross the border at the Uhryniv checkpoint, and 10 cars had accumulated at the Shehyni checkpoint.
At the border with Hungary, there were queues of 20 cars at the Tisa and Luzhanka checkpoints, another 15 cars were waiting at the Vilok checkpoint, while at the border with Slovakia, there were queues of 15 cars at the Uzhgorod and Maly Berezny checkpoints.
At the border with Romania, there was a queue of 20 cars only at the Porubne checkpoint, while at the border with Moldova, 15 cars were waiting at the Mamalyga checkpoint.
The total number of border crossings this week is only 3.7% higher than last year, because then pilgrims came to celebrate Rosh Hashanah mainly during this week. Therefore, the number of those who left the country was less than the number of those who entered – 256 versus 285, respectively. The flow of cars was also lower – 128,000.
Last year, passenger traffic remained at approximately this level until a small surge during the autumn school holidays, after which it fell by about 20% until the Christmas and New Year holidays.
As reported, from May 10, 2022, the outflow of refugees from Ukraine, which began with the start of the war, was replaced by an influx that lasted until September 23, 2022, and amounted to 409,000 people. However, since the end of 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 those leaving exceeded the number of those entering. In total, from the end of September 2022 to the first anniversary of the full-scale war, it reached 223,000 people.
During the second year of the full-scale war, the number of border crossings to leave Ukraine, according to the State Border Service, exceeded the number of crossings to enter by 25,000, during the third year by 187,000, and since the beginning of the fourth year by 180,000.
As Serhiy Sobolev, then Deputy Minister of Economy, noted in early March 2023, the return of every 100,000 Ukrainians home results in a 0.5% increase in GDP.
In its July inflation report, the National Bank worsened its migration forecast: while in April it expected a net inflow of 0.2 million people to Ukraine in 2026, it now forecasts a net outflow of 0.2 million, which corresponds to the estimate of the net outflow this year. “Net return will only begin in 2027 (about 0.1 million people, compared to 0.5 million in the previous forecast),” the NBU added. In absolute terms, the National
Bank estimates the number of migrants currently remaining abroad at about 5.8 million.
According to updated data from the UNHCR, the number of Ukrainian refugees in Europe as of October 3, 2025, was estimated at 5.192 million (as of September 2 – 5.138 million), and globally – at 5.753 million (5.696 million).
In Ukraine itself, according to the latest UN data for July this year, there are 3.340 million internally displaced persons (IDPs), compared to 3.757 million in April.
According to the annual report published on the WSE, the Kernel agricultural holding reduced its capital investments in the 2025 financial year by almost half — to $73 million compared to $143 million a year earlier.
According to Andriy Verevsky, 2025F was one of the most difficult periods: due to poor harvests and reduced stocks, farmers held back their products in anticipation of price increases.
“The EBITDA margin fell from $121 to $66 per tonne as a result of aggressive behaviour by producers who speculated on future prices,” he said.
Kernel is Ukraine’s largest exporter of agricultural products, controlling about 10% of the global sunflower oil market and 27% of Ukrainian exports. Its main assets are terminals in the Black Sea basin, oilseed processing plants, and a logistics network across the country.
As reported by the Serbian Economist, Vučić said: “We can hold presidential and parliamentary elections together” already in 2026.
Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić announced that he will not run for another presidential term and also allowed the possibility of holding early elections as soon as 2026.
“I officially have about a year and a half left until the end of my mandate. But it will probably last shorter — we can hold presidential and parliamentary elections together,” Vučić said.
He emphasizes that he does not intend to change the Constitution to extend his rule.
Vučić’s current presidential term officially ends in 2027, but he allows that elections could be scheduled as early as December 2026 or even earlier.
In part of his statements, he criticized the opposition, saying its representatives are “immature and irresponsible” and “do not learn from their own mistakes.”
Aleksandar Vučić has held key state positions in Serbia since the early 2010s. In particular:
• He became President of Serbia on June 1, 2017.
• Before that, he led the government (as Prime Minister) and was the leader of the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) for many years.
Source: https://t.me/relocationrs/1522
Ferrexpo plc, a mining company with its main assets in Ukraine, produced 2 million 808,594 thousand tons of pellets in January-September this year, which is 38.5% less than in the same period last year (4 million 567,168 thousand tons).
According to the company’s press release on Monday, total production of commercial products (pellets and iron ore concentrate) for the first nine months of 2025 increased by 0.9% to 5 million 67,888 thousand tons. In particular, the output of commercial concentrate amounted to 2 million 259,294 thousand tons against 457,264 thousand tons, respectively. The company also produced 81,787 thousand tons of DR pellets (326,168 thousand tons in the first nine months of 2024) and 2 million 726,807 thousand tons of premium pellets (a decrease of 35.7%).
The press release notes that due to the ongoing suspension of VAT refunds, the total amount of VAT withheld currently stands at $47 million. Due to the resulting reduction in financial liquidity, the group was forced to reduce production to a single rolling mill line, but was able to increase production of low-alumina Fe67% concentrate to meet demand from Chinese customers.
As a result, total commercial production for the quarter reached 1.51 million tons, up 3% from 1.46 million tons in the second quarter and down 29% from 2.1 million tons in the first quarter.
It is also noted that the group continued to work actively to reduce overall cash expenditures. This included reducing working hours for employees, continuously reducing purchases of goods and services, and suspending all non-essential capital expenditures, overhead costs, and corporate social responsibility (CSR) expenses.
Commenting on the group’s performance, interim CEO Lucio Genovese noted that the third quarter of 2025 was the first quarter in which the company fully felt the impact of the Ukrainian tax authorities’ decision to suspend VAT refunds to Ukrainian subsidiaries.
“Despite the further reduction of pelletizing capacity to one line, we achieved a total production volume of 1.5 million tons for the quarter. Production for the first nine months of 2025 was comparable to the same period last year, totaling 5.1 million tons. High demand from Chinese customers for our high-quality low-alumina concentrates allowed us to increase production by 36% compared to the previous quarter and almost four times since the beginning of the year compared to the same period last year,” the top manager said.
At the same time, he pointed out that the tax authorities’ refusal to refund VAT remains the most important problem for the business. He recalled that the group had received official notifications from the tax authorities about the suspension of VAT refunds from March 2025 for the period beginning in January 2025. Similar notifications were received every month until July, and the total amount of unrecovered VAT for this period is $47 million. If VAT refunds are also suspended for August and September, the estimated total amount of unrecovered VAT will be $58 million.
At the same time, cost-cutting measures introduced in the second quarter continued in the third quarter. At the end of September, approximately 20% of employees were on leave or had reduced working hours.
During the third quarter, VAT issues were exacerbated by Russia’s intensified air attacks on Ukraine’s railway network and domestic energy infrastructure. These issues create additional challenges in managing operations and logistics.
Ferrexpo produced 2 million 169,631 thousand tons of rolled products in the first half of 2025, which is 34.2% less than in January-June 2024 (3 million 297,441 thousand tons). Total production of commercial products in the first half of 2025 decreased by 9% compared to the first half of 2024, to 3 million 393,135 thousand tons. In particular, the output of commercial concentrate amounted to 1 million 223,504 thousand tons against 429,865 thousand tons, respectively. The company also produced 81,787 thousand tons of DR pellets (in the first half of 2024 – 162,645 thousand tons) and 2 million 87,844 thousand tons of premium pellets (a decrease of 33.4%).
In Q1 2025, Ferrexpo produced 1 million 347,749 thousand tons of pellets, which is 26% less than in January-March last year (1 million 813,973 thousand tons). At the same time, total production of commercial products (pellets and iron ore concentrate) in Q1 2025 increased by 3% compared to Q1 2024, reaching 2 million 125,467 thousand tons. In particular, the output of commercial concentrate amounted to 777,718 thousand tons, compared to 240,516 thousand tons in Q1 2024. The company also produced 81,879 thousand tons of DR pellets (not produced in Q1 2024), 1 million 105,049 thousand tons of premium pellets (a decrease of 36%), and 160,913 thousand tons of other pellets (an increase of 95%).
In 2024, Ferrexpo increased its production of pellets by 58% compared to 2023, from 3 million 845,325 thousand tons to 6 million 70,541 thousand tons.
Ferrexpo owns 100% of Yeristovsky GOK LLC, 99.9% of Bilanovsky GOK LLC, and 100% of Poltavsky GOK PJSC.
The AVK confectionery factory (Dnipro) was sold on September 15 through the OpenMarket electronic trading system – SETAM for debts, and its owner became the Kyiv-based Ilaris LLC, according to the auction website.
According to the SETAM website, the auction included the factory premises with an area of 37,847 thousand square meters worth UAH 92 million, two diesel locomotives with three cars, and 14 loaders. The starting price was UAH 1,262,639,922.64.
Eight participants took part in the auction. Four bids were rejected at the start due to non-payment of the guarantee deposit.
Ilaris LLC won the auction with a bid of UAH 50.004 million for the lot.
Ilaris was registered on August 4, 2025. It specializes in the rental of real estate. Its authorized capital is UAH 50. The company employs one person. The ultimate beneficiary is Marina Rytska. She also owns 18 companies specializing in the rental and operation of owned or leased real estate.
As reported, the decision in case No. 905/2852/16 on the bankruptcy of PJSC “AVK,” adopted on July 8 by the Commercial Court of Donetsk Region, was published in the Unified State Register of Court Decisions on July 12, 2021. The regional commercial court, composed of Judge Maxim Leiba, considered in open court the case materials on the application of the creditor LLC “Rustok” (Donetsk) to the debtor – PJSC ‘AVK’ with the participation of representatives of creditors JSC “Oschadbank”, Prominvestbank PJSC, and Raiffeisen Bank Aval JSC.
Based on the results of an analysis of the financial and economic condition of the enterprise conducted in 2020, the court established that the level of solvency loss of AVK over the past three years excludes the possibility of applying the reorganization procedure to the debtor. The debtor’s financial and economic condition is characterized by supercritical insolvency, and therefore, creditors’ claims can only be satisfied through liquidation proceedings.
The Commercial Court then clarified that the ruling would take effect on July 8, 2021, and could be appealed in the Eastern Commercial Court of Appeal through the Commercial Court of Donetsk Region by filing an appeal.
By a decision dated October 20, 2016, the Commercial Court of Donetsk Region opened bankruptcy proceedings against AVK at the request of Rustok LLC (Donetsk) and initiated the procedure for disposing of the debtor’s property for a period of 115 calendar days.
After the announcement of bankruptcy was published in October 2016, the following entities filed monetary claims with the court for a total amount of UAH 2.2 billion: PIB – UAH 1.9 billion, VBR – UAH 638.8 million, Raiffeisen Bank Aval – UAH 521.9 million, and Oschadbank – UAH 5.1 thousand.
The Commercial Court of Donetsk Region repeatedly postponed the consideration of the AVK bankruptcy case, in particular due to economic expert examinations, and also closed the case in connection with the filing of appeals by AVK and Oschadbank to the Higher Commercial Court, which were rejected in May 2017 and July 2018, respectively.
AVK is one of the largest confectionery manufacturers in Ukraine, founded in 1991. AVK is owned by Volodymyr Avramenko and Valery Kravets. It includes a confectionery factory in Dnipro. It also owned factories in Donetsk and Luhansk, control over which has been lost.
AVK produces a wide range of products: chocolate, caramel products, cookies, waffles, croissants, and salty snacks. The company exports its products to more than 60 countries around the world.
The ultimate owners of AVK are Valery Kravets and Vladimir Avramenko, who currently reside in the Kyiv region. Avramenko was a member of the Ukrainian parliament from the Donetsk region from 2002 to 2006. Kravets served as Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea from November 2010 to April 2013. The co-owners of AVK Confectionery are Volodymyr Avramenko and members of his family.
Prominvestbank belonged to the Russian state-owned company VEB.RF (formerly Vnesheconombank). In 2022, Prominvestbank in Ukraine was nationalized and removed from the market. Accordingly, the proceeds from the sale of property in Dnipro will be received by the Deposit Guarantee Fund (DGF), which manages the bank in liquidation. The funds will be used to settle with the creditors of Prominvestbank, which was operating at a loss.
Number of unemployed in Ukraine and job opportunities, 2024-2025
Source: Open4Business.com.ua
