In a number of large-scale studies, regular ice cream consumption was unexpectedly found to be associated with a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes; however, scientists caution that this is a statistical association rather than a proven protective effect of the product, according to SciTechDaily, citing research on dairy products and metabolic health.
Ice cream is not typically considered a disease-preventive food due to its sugar, saturated fat, and calorie content. Nevertheless, in several large observational studies of dairy products, researchers discovered an unexpected finding: in certain groups, people who ate ice cream more frequently were less likely to develop type 2 diabetes.
One of the earliest indications emerged from the Health Professionals Follow-up Study, which included more than 41,000 men. The published study focused primarily on the association between low-fat dairy products and the risk of diabetes; however, in the data on individual products, ice cream also showed an unexpected inverse association with the disease.
Later, in a 2014 study published in BMC Medicine, researchers analyzed three large U.S. cohorts: 41,436 men from the Health Professionals Follow-up Study, 67,138 women from the Nurses’ Health Study, and 85,884 women from the Nurses’ Health Study II. Over nearly 4 million person-years of follow-up, 15,156 cases of type 2 diabetes were recorded.
The main conclusion of this study was more conservative: total dairy intake was not significantly associated with the risk of diabetes, whereas yogurt showed a consistent inverse association. In a meta-analysis of 14 prospective cohorts with 459,790 participants and 35,863 cases of diabetes, a daily serving of yogurt was associated with an approximately 18% reduction in the risk of diabetes.
Furthermore, in a subgroup analysis of individual dairy products, ice cream also demonstrated a statistically significant inverse association with the risk of diabetes.
The researchers emphasize that these findings should not be interpreted as a recommendation to eat ice cream to prevent diabetes. The most likely explanation is reverse causality: people with early signs of metabolic problems, excess weight, or high cholesterol may, on the advice of doctors, cut back on sweets, including ice cream. As a result, there may be more relatively healthy people among those who continue to eat ice cream.
Another possible explanation is errors in dietary questionnaires. Observational studies are often based on self-reports, and people may inaccurately report their consumption of foods considered “unhealthy.” This can distort the statistical association between diet and disease.
Some researchers also suggest that part of the effect may be related to the characteristics of milk fats and proteins, ice cream’s lower glycemic index compared to some other carbohydrate-rich foods, and the structure of milk fat. However, these hypotheses do not yet provide grounds for considering ice cream a protective food.
For the food industry and the dairy market, such studies are important not as an endorsement of ice cream, but as a reminder of the complexity of evaluating food products. The same product can have different effects depending on its composition, portion size, frequency of consumption, overall diet, body weight, level of physical activity, and an individual’s health status.
Nutrition experts continue to recommend limiting foods high in added sugars and saturated fats. Ice cream can remain part of a healthy diet as a dessert in moderate amounts, but the available data do not prove that consuming it reduces the risk of diabetes or cardiovascular disease.
Thus, the scientific debate surrounding ice cream remains unresolved.
On June 19, PJSC “Khmelnytskoblenergo” announced a tender for compulsory motor third-party liability insurance for owners of land vehicles, according to the Prozorro electronic public procurement system.
The estimated cost of the services is 4.657 million UAH. Documents for participation in the tender will be accepted until June 29. As previously reported, VUSO Insurance Company won a similar tender a year earlier.
Ivan Kupala is one of the most ancient and best-known folk holidays in Ukraine, combining pagan traditions, folk rituals, and Ukrainian folklore. Despite the passage of time, Kupala night, with wreaths, bonfires, songs, and legends about the fern flower, continues to gather thousands of people across the country.
This year, dozens of themed events are planned in Kyiv and Kyiv region — from authentic folk festivities and folklore festivals to concerts, lectures, creative workshops, and modern cultural events.
Journalists of the culture department of the Interfax-Ukraine News Agency have prepared a selection of the most interesting events dedicated to the Ivan Kupala holiday, which will take place in the capital and Kyiv region in the coming days.
June 20–21 — Kupala in Vytachiv, Kyiv region
A two-day celebration with folk songs, dances, and wreath weaving will take place in the village of Vytachiv. The organizers have also prepared traditional Kupala rituals.
Admission is free.
June 20 — DanceCulture, VDNG, KYT Pavilion
The event is dedicated to traditional Ukrainian music and dances. The program includes folk dances, live music, and an introduction to Ukrainian cultural heritage.
Ticket price: from UAH 200 to UAH 800.
June 20 — cultural and music festival “Zahrava”
Concerts, dance workshops, and performances by music bands will take place at the Kyiv space Kultmotyv.
Ticket price: UAH 1,300.
June 20–21 — Esoteric Fest, VDNG
The festival will combine live music, a fair, workshops, lectures, and charitable activities.
Ticket price: UAH 300–500.
June 21 — Kupala at the Open-Air Museum
The National Museum of Folk Architecture and Life of Ukraine in Pyrohiv will hold a celebration with workshops, a fair, folklore performances, and the recreation of traditional rituals.
Ticket price: UAH 200.
June 21 — lecture “Bawdy Folklore: Mavkas, Vampires, and Ivan Kupala”
The lecture is dedicated to Ukrainian demonology, folk beliefs, and the traditions of Kupala night.
Participation is for a voluntary donation.
June 23 — workshop on weaving Kupala wreaths
At the Mama Manana space, participants will be taught how to create traditional Kupala wreaths.
Participation fee: UAH 1,500.
June 23 — Kupailo at Mamayeva Sloboda
The program includes a fair, performances by folklore groups, and evening festive activities.
Ticket price: UAH 500 for adults and UAH 100 for children.
June 23 — “Find Yourself” event
The organizers have combined Kupala traditions with yoga, ethno music, brunch, and self-discovery practices.
Ticket price: UAH 900.
June 23 — concert by the band FOLKULAKA
A thematic concert dedicated to Ivan Kupala will take place at Pepper’s Club.
Ticket price: UAH 390–890.
June 27 — Ivan Kupala on Trukhaniv Island
Guests can expect wreath weaving, folk traditions, and an evening by the bonfire.
Admission — donation of UAH 200.
June 28 — Kupala at the Ukrainian Village Ethno Complex
A folklore program featuring the YasnoKrasno band will take place in the village of Buzova.
Admission is free.
June 28 — Ivan Kupala from students of Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute
The program includes a quest, workshops, wreath weaving, and traditional gatherings by the bonfire.
Participation is for a donation.
A detailed list of cultural events in Kyiv is also available on the ty_kyiv
ty_kyiv is the official information partner of the Open4Business website.
PJSC “A/T Tobacco Company ‘V.A.T. – Pryluky’” (Chernihiv Oblast), a subsidiary of the international British American Tobacco (BAT), will pay 54 million hryvnias in dividends to its shareholder between June 18 and 30 of this year.
According to the company’s filing with the disclosure system of the National Securities and Stock Market Commission (NSSMC), the shareholder approved the decision on June 18.
“The entire dividend amount will be paid in full in June 2026; if it is not possible to make the full payment during that period, the payment deadline will be extended in accordance with the sole shareholder’s decision,” the statement reads.
Dividends will be paid in U.S. dollars directly to the shareholder via bank transfer. According to the NSSMC, 100% of the company’s shares are owned by Precis (1814) Limited.
According to information in the disclosure system, the company continues its regular practice of paying dividends. Specifically, on May 19, 2026, the shareholder decided to pay 52 million UAH in dividends from May 19 to May 31; on April 9, to pay the same amount of dividends from April 9 to April 30; in March, the same amount from March 17 to March 31; and similarly in February and January. At the same time, the total amount of dividends to be paid this year has not been specified.
As previously reported, the National Bank of Ukraine has limited the transfer of dividends abroad to no more than EUR1 million per month.
According to the company, “V.A.T. Pryluky” is one of the largest manufacturers and exporters of tobacco products in Ukraine, producing cigarettes under international brands and the national brand “Pryluky,” as well as TVEN.
According to the company’s annual report filed with the National Securities and Stock Market Commission (NSSMC), in 2025 it saw its net profit decline by 37.3% compared to 2024—to 413.6 million UAH—amid an 11.8% decrease in net revenue to 5.04 billion UAH. Retained earnings amounted to 4.9 billion UAH.
The company produced more than 8 billion filtered cigarettes worth 2.95 billion UAH, 729 million TVEN units worth 422 million UAH, and nearly 3 billion filters worth 742.5 million UAH.
Average selling prices were 423.71 UAH per 1,000 cigarettes and 652.4 UAH per 1,000 TVEN units. Export volume totaled 0.95 billion UAH, or approximately 1.84 billion cigarettes. The main customer is “BAT Sales and Marketing Ukraine.”
The Ukrainian BALEX Group of Companies is investing over $15 million in the construction of a new production and logistics complex, which will be located within the Bila Tserkva Industrial Park; the groundbreaking ceremony took place on June 18 as part of the “Industrial Evolution: Manufacturing Drives the Economy” forum.
The BALEX Group of Companies is a technology partner to the food industry and Ukraine’s largest integrated manufacturer of compressed yeast, fillers, dry mixes, improvers, confectionery glazes and fillings, plant-based ingredients, and craft beer.
As Stanislav Haidai, CEO of the BALEX Group of Companies, explained at the forum, even during the war, in 2023, the company acquired an unfinished facility and launched production of plant-based cream there. “In the suburbs of Kharkiv, we established one of the most successful enterprises producing this product. And now here (at FOP ‘Bila Tserkva’), we are building new facilities covering 11,000 square meters. There will be three production lines, logistics… We will be the first in Ukraine to produce plant-based cream for export,” he said.
He emphasized that production capacity is also continuing to expand in Kharkiv, and an R&D center has already been launched this year. “Our main driving force—and this may sound cliché—is responsibility, first and foremost, for ourselves, for our people, and for our teams. And it is precisely this that drives business forward, develops the economy, and creates such incredible industrial parks,” said Haidai.
Construction of the BALEX production complex will take place on a 7.8-hectare site within the Bila Tserkva Industrial Park. The project envisages three development phases between 2026 and 2030.
The first phase will include the production of fillings, glazes, and confectionery mixtures, plant-based products, as well as supply chain infrastructure facilities. The total built-up area of the first phase will be 11,378 square meters.
Representatives of state authorities, local government, the business community, and project partners took part in the time capsule ceremony. Among the event’s participants were Mykola Kalashnyk, head of the Kyiv Regional State Administration; Volodymyr Vovkotrub, secretary of the Bila Tserkva City Council and acting mayor; and Vasyl Khmelnytskyi, founder of UNIT. City and the Bila Tserkva Industrial Park, Vasyl Khmelnytskyi; founder of the BALEX Group of Companies, Oleksandr Bandurka; and co-founder and CEO of the BALEX Group of Companies, Stanislav Haidai.
BALEX Company LLC was founded in 1994; its authorized capital is 50.6 million UAH, and its ultimate beneficiaries are Oleksandr Bandurka (49.85%), Iryna Bandurka (28.25%), and Stanislav Haidai (19.73%). BALEX Company’s headquarters and production facilities are located in Kharkiv. The company also has representative offices in Kyiv, Lviv, and Kropyvnytskyi and exports its products to more than 20 countries worldwide.
According to OpenDataBot, the company reported 169.7 million UAH in revenue for 2025, a 27.7% decrease from 2024, with net profit totaling 117.88 million UAH compared to 134.4 million in 2024.
The projects of entrepreneur Vasyl Khmelnytskyi’s holding company UFuture—FOP “Bila Tserkva” and “Bila Tserkva 2”—were included in the Register of Industrial Parks in 2018. The total area of the parks is 70.3 hectares; the area of industrial and warehouse buildings will total 235.4 thousand square meters, with plans to construct 30 facilities. As of 2026, 19 tenants are operating in the park, including both Ukrainian and international companies.
The project is being implemented by the UFuture holding company, with Astrobild LLC serving as the developer. The development strategy calls for attracting over $250 million in investments by 2030.
Farmers in the Odesa region were the first in Ukraine to begin the harvest; specifically, the harvest of winter barley and peas has begun, according to Oleg Kipper, head of the Odesa Regional Military Administration.
“The initial results of the harvest indicate good yields. This allows us to view the prospects for this year’s harvest campaign with optimism,” Kipper noted.
According to his data, farmers in the Odesa region are expected to harvest grains and legumes from nearly 770 thousand hectares this year. As is traditional, winter and spring wheat account for the largest share of the crops—over 522,000 hectares. Barley covers nearly 176,000 hectares, peas—about 74,400 hectares, and rapeseed—over 175,000 hectares.
As previously reported, a total of about 11.3 million hectares were sown with winter and spring grains and legumes in Ukraine this year, while total oilseed crops covered more than 20 million hectares.
