As of May 1, 2025, in Ukraine, the number of cattle in the household and industrial sectors increased by 2% to 2.179 million head, including cows — by 0.3% to 1.153 million, However, this figure is 8% lower than in the same period last year for both cattle and cows, according to the press service of the Association of Milk Producers (AVM).
The industry association noted that about 42% of animals are kept on industrial farms and 58% on private farms. The industrial sector has 921,500 head of cattle, which is 5,000 head (+0.5%) more than on April 1, 2025. The number of cows is 382,400, an increase of 5,200 (+1.4%) over the last month. Over the last year, the number of cattle on farms has grown by 3,800 (+0.4%), and the number of cows by 3,200 (+0.8%).
There are 1 million 258.3 thousand head of cattle in the private sector, which is 37 thousand head (+3%) more than on April 1, 2025. As of May 1, 2025, the number of cows in private households was 770,900, which is 2,000 (-0.2%) less than a month ago. Over the past year, the number of cattle in private households has decreased by 186 thousand heads (-13%), and the number of cows by 107 thousand heads (-12%).
AVM analyst Georgy Kukhaleishvili pointed out that the reduction in cattle numbers has been occurring in Ukraine for many years due to the lack of an effective state program to support dairy farming. The decline accelerated after the start of the full-scale Russian invasion. A typical situation in the frontline regions is the death of cattle as a result of shelling. Many farmers left their cows in the occupied territories. These animals are not registered or have been confiscated by Russian occupiers and sold for meat. Farmers send injured cows to slaughter, which also contributes to the decline in livestock numbers.
“As of now, there are prerequisites for the relocation of farms from the Dnipropetrovsk and Sumy regions to other regions of Ukraine amid intensified Russian missile and bomb strikes on border and frontline settlements. Farmers will only be able to transport part of their livestock, as most farms in Ukraine were built in the 1970s and 1980s and no longer meet the requirements for keeping animals. The lack of premises suitable for keeping cows creates conditions for a further reduction in livestock numbers,” the AVM emphasized.
In addition to the frontline regions, cattle numbers have declined on farms in Zakarpattia and Chernivtsi regions, which is likely due to the fact that they are working to improve their efficiency and are selling unproductive cows. An outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in Hungary and Slovakia poses a potential risk of increased culling if the disease spreads to western Ukraine.
Many farmers are not investing in increasing their cow herds during the war and are experiencing a shortage of working capital. According to the study “Ukraine: The Impact of War on Agricultural Profitability” conducted by the UACB, the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food with the support of GFDRR, farmers’ production costs are rising faster than prices for finished products due to higher feed and electricity prices, the devaluation of the hryvnia, and a decline in the purchasing power of the population.
“There is cautious optimism about an increase in the number of dairy farms in relatively safe regions of Ukraine, which, despite the war, are modernizing existing facilities, building new ones, and increasing their high-yielding cow herds,” the industry association concluded, adding that as of May, at least 40 farms are investing in these measures.
As of May 26, Ukraine has exported 37.722 million tons of grain and leguminous crops since the beginning of the 2024/25 marketing year (MY), of which 2.454 million tons were shipped this month, according to the press service of the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food, citing data from the State Customs Service of Ukraine.
According to the report, as of May 29 last year, total shipments amounted to 46.353 million tons, including 4.947 million tons in May.
At the same time, in terms of crops, since the beginning of the current season, 14.635 million tons of wheat (732,000 tons in May), 2.293 million tons of barley (26,000 tons), 10,800 tons of rye (0), corn – 20.234 million tons (1.685 million tons).
Total exports of Ukrainian flour since the beginning of the season as of May 26 are estimated at 63.7 thousand tons (in May – 5.1 thousand tons), including wheat flour – 59.4 thousand tons (5 thousand tons).
According to the OpenDataBot rating, the Fora chain has become the largest employer in the Kyiv region, with 9,100 employees.
The chain was founded in 2002 and is part of the Fozzy Group (owned by Vladimir Kostelman, Oleg Sotnikov, and Arkady Geller).
The company actively develops its corporate culture, employing veterans, young people, and people with disabilities.
Sweden is allocating 4.8 billion Swedish kronor to strengthen Ukraine’s defense capabilities. This support is part of the 19th aid package presented this year.
According to the Swedish Ministry of Defense, on May 22, the government decided to instruct the Swedish Armed Forces to make financial contributions to multilateral funds and initiatives aimed at strengthening Ukraine’s defense capabilities. The total amount of donations is approximately 4.8 billion Swedish kronor. The international community has established a number of multilateral funds and initiatives aimed at purchasing materials and equipment to strengthen Ukraine’s defense capabilities. Sweden is contributing to several of them.
“These payments will make the Ukrainian Armed Forces and defense industry stronger in their defense against Russia,” said Defense Minister Paul Jonson.
In particular, these are contributions to several capability coalitions within the Contact Group on Defense for Ukraine:
Demining Coalition: SEK 100 million. Sweden’s assistance will help finance the purchase of demining equipment.
Drone Coalition: SEK 300 million. Sweden will help finance the purchase of various types of unmanned aerial vehicles.
Maritime Security Coalition: SEK 50 million. Sweden’s contribution will help finance the training of Ukrainian Navy personnel as part of Operation Interchange.
Security and IT Management Coalition: SEK 30 million. Sweden’s contribution will help finance the purchase of equipment for the creation of Ukraine’s Delta management system.
Sweden has also agreed to further contribute to the “Danish model” of arms procurement. The government has now decided to allocate an additional SEK 1 billion.
In addition, the government has decided to allocate SEK 418 million for the purchase of equipment to support the build-up of Ukraine’s ground combat capabilities, such as armored vehicles. Denmark is leading the procurement. Ukraine has asked the countries of Northern and Baltic Europe for support in developing the country’s mechanized ground combat capabilities. Sweden has therefore initiated cooperation with the countries of Northern and Baltic Europe for this purpose. Thanks to cooperation between the countries of Northern and Baltic Europe, there are opportunities to develop joint solutions and coordinate support from different countries in order to achieve a greater effect for Ukraine.
As a supplement to Sweden’s national procurement of ammunition for Ukraine, the government has decided to support two multilateral initiatives for the procurement of ammunition. The Czech Republic has taken the initiative to procure large quantities of ammunition with short delivery times on the global market. This includes artillery ammunition, which Ukraine is in great need of. Sweden has previously contributed to this initiative, and the government has now decided to allocate an additional SEK 550 million.
Estonia has taken a similar initiative, which also aims to co-finance the purchase of ammunition. The government has decided to allocate just over SEK 546 million to the Estonian initiative.
It is noted that Sweden’s contribution in the field of ammunition is an important part of achieving the EU’s goal of providing Ukraine with at least 2 million artillery shells by 2025.
The government is also allocating more than SEK 1 billion for the purchase of both air defense systems and long-range drones to combat targets deep in the battlefield as part of multilateral cooperation.
The development company Alterra Group will build the Formation.Vinnytsia industrial park (IP) based on the Quadruple Helix model, with total investment in the project estimated at UAH 6 billion, the company’s press service told Interfax-Ukraine.
“The Formation.Vinnytsia industrial park is the second project in our Formation series of parks. The first one, which we are implementing in Lviv, has already proven the effectiveness of our model — a full-fledged ecosystem for manufacturers with the integration of the Quadruple Helix Model,” said Alterra Group CEO Dmytro Kovalchuk during the project presentation in Vinnytsia.
As reported, in early 2025, investor Boris Shestopalov of Volia Agri-food Park Vinnytsia (Vinnytsia Industrial Park) brought commercial real estate developer Alterra Group on board as a strategic partner for the construction of the industrial park. According to the OpenDataBot service, Yuparks LLC sold 75% of the authorized capital of Alterra Group LLC.
UPARKS began construction of the industrial park in August 2023. The Volia Agri-Food Park Vinnytsia project received approximately UAH 116 million in state support in 2024.
According to Alterra Group, as of May 2025, roads and sewage systems have already been connected to the industrial park, and a wide highway is currently being laid there. The total investment in the project, which is scheduled for completion by 2029, is estimated at UAH 6 billion.
The area of “Formation.Vinnytsia” will cover 175,000 square meters, where about 50 companies can be located. The Quadruple Helix model provides for cooperation between education, business, government, and society to create innovations. According to this concept, there are plans to create an innovation and technology development center, which will include a prototyping laboratory with professional equipment for creating prototypes, an R&D center for developing new products, and a business incubator for manufacturing startups. The IP is expected to create about 3,500 jobs, and cooperation with universities will allow educational programs to be adapted to the real needs of business.
“We are particularly interested in the development of food processing, the automotive engineering and components sector, and related areas. At the same time, we are open to other industries if their activities fit harmoniously into the overall ecosystem of the park and contribute to mutually beneficial coexistence,” Alterra Group said.
Another feature of the project is that the management company will help residents to export their products thanks to its membership in European chambers of commerce and industry, promising preferential terms for participation in international exhibitions and communication with potential foreign partners. As specified to Interfax-Ukraine, this service will be available to park residents by the end of this year.
The future infrastructure of the ID includes facilities aimed not only at residents but also at the community as a whole. An apart-hotel, a canteen, a gym, a supermarket, a sports ground, a customer center, and a shelter are planned.
Alterra Group LLC was established in 2016 with a statutory fund of UAH 5 million. The ultimate beneficiary is Dmytro Kovalchuk. The company’s portfolio includes nine projects, of which 107,868 square meters have already been commissioned, and 108,900 square meters will be ready in 2025. According to OpenDataBot, in 2024, the company received UAH 236,969,700 in revenue, which is twice as much as in 2023, and reduced its net loss by 1.7 times to UAH 699,300.
Agroholding TAS Agro has completed its spring sowing campaign for 2025, during which it sowed about 40,000 hectares with spring crops, the company’s press service reported on Facebook.
According to the agricultural holding, 16,000 hectares of the production area are allocated to sunflowers, 15,000 hectares to soybeans, 7,000 hectares to corn, and 160 hectares to industrial hemp. The company noted that this year it reduced corn sowing, abandoned sugar beet cultivation, but began growing industrial hemp on a trial basis.
“The 2025 sowing season is significantly different from previous ones, primarily due to abnormal weather conditions and constant air raid alerts, which hampered the work of machinery. Snow cover in April and frosts in the first ten days of May slowed down the sowing campaign somewhat, but we adjusted the work of the production units and managed to complete it on time. This year’s sowing season has shown that we have chosen the right strategy of renewing our technical fleet and involving our own staff, who worked cohesively and responsibly despite all the above-mentioned difficulties. In particular, on some days we managed to sow 2.3 thousand hectares per productive day,” said Oleg Zapletnyuk, CEO of TAS Agro LLC.
He added that the agricultural holding has already received high-quality spring crops and is focused on protecting them from diseases and pests. Personnel not involved in current work are preparing for the harvest, which, according to preliminary forecasts, will start in a month.
TAS Agro was established in 2014. Its land bank includes 88,000 hectares in the Chernihiv, Sumy, Kyiv, Vinnytsia, Kirovohrad, and Mykolaiv regions. It specializes in crop production, with the agricultural holding’s elevator capacity amounting to about 250,000 tons. The livestock business is represented by a herd of 5,500 head of cattle, of which 2,500 are dairy cattle.
The agricultural holding is part of the TAS group, founded in 1998. Its business interests include the financial sector (banking and insurance segments) and pharmacies, as well as industry, real estate, and venture projects.
The founder of TAS and beneficiary of the TAS Agro agricultural holding is Serhiy Tihipko.
