Schneider Electric, a leader in digital transformation for energy management and automation, announces an important step towards sustainability with the launch of its new PanelSeT brand.
Following the recent launch of PanelSeT SFN, the first decarbonized steel* enclosure that reduces CO₂ emissions by 34%, Schneider Electric continues its transition to more environmentally friendly solutions for electrical switchgear. The company has created a single brand for all its universal enclosures, complementing it with new sustainable values and increased flexibility, reliability, and efficiency.
For more than 60 years, Spacial and Thalassa enclosures have protected automation and electrical equipment, ensuring process reliability and personnel safety under all operating conditions.
From June 2024, Spacial steel and stainless steel enclosures and Thalassa insulated enclosures will gradually be given a new identity: PanelSeT.
PanelSeT will become the single brand for all universal floor-standing and wall-mounted enclosures specially designed for harsh industrial environments for both indoor and outdoor use.
PanelSeT products will be fully integrated into the premium SeT Series, Schneider Electric’s flagship portfolio for power distribution and motor control.
The new branding is in line with Schneider Electric’s commitment to:
PanelSeT is designed to simplify and improve customer interaction with a simple and understandable name. This new strategy helps critical infrastructure achieve its sustainability goals and ensure a long-lasting impact.
For more information about PanelSeT, visit se.com/enclosures.
About Schneider Electric
Schneider’s purpose is to make an impact by empowering everyone to make the most of our energy and resources, enabling progress and sustainability for all. We call this Life Is On.
Our mission is to be a trusted partner in sustainability and efficiency.
We are a global industry technology leader, bringing global expertise in electrification, automation and digitalization to smart industries, reliable infrastructure, high-performance data centers, intelligent buildings and intuitive homes. Drawing on our deep industry expertise, we provide integrated, end-to-end IoT solutions powered by artificial intelligence with connected products, automation, software, and services, creating digital twins to enable profitable growth for our customers.
Our company’s main resource is our 150,000 employees and over a million partners working in more than 100 countries around the world to ensure proximity to our customers and stakeholders. We support diversity and inclusion in everything we do, guided by our meaningful purpose of a sustainable future for all.
Source: https://interfax.com.ua/news/press-release/1073265.html
The administration of US President Donald Trump intends to use US foreign aid accounts to return migrants to countries affected by conflict, including Ukraine, The Washington Post reported on Tuesday.
“The Trump administration has developed plans to spend up to $250 million in foreign aid to fund the evacuation and return of people from areas of active conflict, including 700,000 Ukrainian and Haitian migrants who fled to the United States amid ongoing extreme violence in their home countries,” the report said.
According to the publication, the proposal, which had not been previously reported, was in the works even before the US Department of Homeland Security announced on May 5 that immigrants who voluntarily “self-deport” to their countries would be eligible for a $1,000 grant from the US government.
While previous administrations have supported the use of taxpayer funds for the voluntary repatriation of migrants, the proposal developed under Trump is unusual in that it includes people who have fled some of the most dangerous parts of the world and appears to be aimed at bypassing the International Organization for Migration (IOM), a UN-affiliated organization which typically helps return migrants to their homes. It also coincides with the administration’s polarizing attempt to drastically cut foreign aid, in particular by eliminating the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and ending 80% of its programs, including those that worked in Ukraine, Haiti, and other troubled countries.
In addition to Ukrainians and Haitians, the draft documents also mention Afghans, Palestinians, Libyans, Sudanese, Syrians, and Yemenis, stating that they may also be targeted by the voluntary deportation program. The IOM does not support the return of people to any of these countries, according to the draft documents.
In April, Active Group, in collaboration with Experts Club, conducted an online survey of 800 Ukrainians regarding their attitudes toward various countries. The goal was to determine their level of trust and sympathy.
Ukrainians have the most positive views of the United Kingdom (77.2%), Canada (76.3%), and France (74%). Germany has 68.8% support. Attitudes toward the US are divided: 36.1% are positive, 31.2% are neutral, and almost 30% are negative.
Negative attitudes prevail towards Hungary (56%) and Slovakia (34.6%), which is related to their official position on the war. Despite economic ties, China has only 19.6% support, with 42.8% negative.
Japan enjoys high trust (66%), South Korea 49.7%. Turkey receives mixed assessments: 46.4% positive, 12% negative. Brazil and Saudi Arabia are viewed as moderately positive or neutral.
Experts note that Ukrainians value moral support, not just economic ties, and do not recognize “neutrality” without concrete assistance.
“We conduct this important research on an ongoing basis and will continue to do so on a quarterly basis,” commented Oleksandr Pozniy.
” The image of countries in the perception of Ukrainians can be improved through support for projects aimed at rebuilding Ukraine, establishing direct dialogue through embassies and public diplomacy projects, explaining their position through historical context, and not avoiding publicity,” added Maxim Urakin, director of development and marketing at Interfax-Ukraine and founder of the Experts Club analytical center.
The presentation of the study in English is available at link.
The European Union has approved a 17th package of sanctions against Russia, aimed at increasing pressure on the Russian economy and limiting opportunities to circumvent previously imposed restrictions. A key element of the new package is the introduction of sanctions against Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet” — a network of ships used to circumvent sanctions and export oil.
Sanctions against the “shadow fleet”
As part of the new sanctions package, the EU has imposed restrictions on around 200 vessels linked to Russia’s “shadow fleet.” These vessels, often old and poorly insured, are used to transport Russian oil in circumvention of the restrictions in place, including a price cap of $60 per barrel.
Sanctions against companies and individuals
The new sanctions package also includes:
31 companies involved in arms supplies and sanctions evasion.
75 individuals linked to the Russian military-industrial complex, including judges involved in cases against opposition figures.
Financial institutions supporting Russia’s military actions.
Protection of critical infrastructure
The EU has also imposed sanctions on organizations and individuals involved in cyberattacks, human rights violations, and sabotage of critical infrastructure, including submarine cables and energy facilities.
Outlook
Despite the introduction of the 17th package of sanctions, additional measures are being discussed, including the possible introduction of 500% tariffs on Russian oil imports to countries that continue to purchase it. Restrictions on imports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Russia are also being considered.
According to the results of the first quarter of 2025, JSC “NAEK ‘Energoatom’ received UAH 12.15 billion in net profit, said the head of the Temporary Investigation Commission (TIC) of the Verkhovna Rada on violations in the tariff policy in the energy sector, People’s Deputy Oleksiy Kucherenko, referring to the company’s financial statements on Facebook.
“In addition, the amount of depreciation accrued for the first quarter of 2025 amounted to UAH 5.7 billion. Thus, a total of almost UAH 18 billion was allocated for distribution in the first quarter,” he wrote.
According to Kucherenko, of the UAH 18 billion, about UAH 3-4 billion was allocated for capital investments, and the remaining UAH 14 billion requires separate justification for its distribution.
“That is, for the first quarter of 2025 alone, UAH 14 billion already requires justification for its further distribution,” he said.
As the head of the TSC recalled, at the end of 2024, Energoatom recorded a net profit of 1.3 billion hryvnia.
“The result of the TSC’s work (requests sent, working hearings held, meetings) was that, already during the commission’s work, the management of energy companies began to realize the risks of manipulating financial reporting indicators,” Kucherenko said.
As reported with reference to the report of the Temporary Investigation Commission headed by him, the current electricity tariff for the population of 4.32 UAH/kWh provides Energoatom with additional undistributed profit and depreciation in the amount of 0.99 UAH/kWh, which is about 49 billion UAH per year.
Members of the Temporary Investigation Commission believe that the price of electricity for the population set by the Cabinet of Ministers as of May 2024 is fully in line with economically justified levels.
On May 14, the Verkhovna Rada took note of the TSC’s report on the investigation of possible violations of Ukrainian legislation in the formation and implementation of pricing and tariff policy in the energy and utilities sectors during its six months of operation.
By a corresponding resolution, the Rada extended the work of the Temporary Commission for the period specified by parliament (one year from the date of its establishment) and decided to hear its report on the work done at a plenary session by October 30, 2025. This Temporary Commission was established by a resolution of the Verkhovna Rada on October 30, 2024.
In 2024, Energoatom paid UAH 145.35 billion for PSO services (provisions on the imposition of special obligations – IF-U), allocating 58% of its net income to this purpose. The company’s net profit for the past year amounted to UAH 1.3 billion.
During the war, the OKKO gas station network has reconstructed about a third of its gas stations, investing $350-400 thousand in each modernization, said Vasyl Danylyak, CEO of OKKO GROUP and co-founder of GORO Mountain Resort.
“In three years of war, OKKO has updated a third of its network. I believe this is the highest figure among all networks operating in Ukraine today,” Danylyak said in the company’s YouTube project DIALOGI.
As Danylyak explained, the decision to modernize the gas stations was linked to the desire to maintain market leadership amid a decline and fierce competition. He noted that the war has significantly changed the distribution of gas station chains in the market, with OKKO increasing its share from approximately 15% at the start of the war to 22% by the end of 2022. Thus, according to him, OKKO took first place, although before the war it was held by the Privat group, which also had a 22-24% share.
“But we understood that we needed to consolidate our position on the market. And we decided to carry out a massive rebranding and reconstruction of our first-generation filling stations,” said the CEO of OKKO.
He added that the modernization began in mid-2022 and became widespread in 2023. According to him, approximately 60 gas stations were modernized in 2023 and 2024.
“On average, the reconstruction of one gas station – interior and exterior – cost approximately $350,000 in 2023. Today, due to slight price increases, it is about $400,000,” Danilyak said.
According to the OKKO CEO, the network has lost approximately $120 million since the beginning of 2022 due to the destruction of its oil depots as a result of Russian sanctions.
OKKO Group unites more than 10 diverse businesses in the fields of manufacturing, trade, construction, insurance, services, and other services. The group’s flagship company is Galnaftogaz, which operates one of the largest gas station chains in Ukraine under the OKKO brand, with about 400 gas stations.
The founder and ultimate beneficiary of the group is Vitaliy Antonov.
