Former Ukrainian politician Andriy Portnov was shot dead near an American school in Madrid, Reuters reports, citing a source close to the investigation.
“An unknown armed man or men shot and killed former Ukrainian politician Andriy Portnov on Wednesday morning at the gates of an American school in the affluent Madrid neighborhood of Posuello,” Reuters reported on its website on Wednesday.
According to the report, police received information about the shooting at 9:15 a.m. (7:15 a.m. GMT) local time. At the same time, Madrid police did not name the victim.
Reuters also writes that radio station Cadena SER reported that the man was taking his children to school when he was shot.
Politician and lawyer Andriy Portnov (born 1973) was a member of the Ukrainian parliament in the 5th and 6th convocations (2006-2007, 2007-2010). From April 2010 to February 2014, he was head of the Main Department for Judicial Reform of the Presidential Administration of Viktor Yanukovych and deputy (from January 24, 2014, first deputy) head of the Presidential Administration of Ukraine.
Since December 2021, Portnov has been under US sanctions for influencing the courts. According to journalists from the Schemes program, Portnov left Ukraine in June 2022.
In January-March 2025, ARX Insurance Company (ARX, Kyiv) collected gross insurance premiums in the amount of UAH 1.313 billion, which is 38.67% more than a year earlier, and net premiums in the amount of UAH 1.261 billion (37.11%).
These statistics are provided on the website of RA Standard-Rating regarding the update of the company’s credit rating/financial stability (reliability) rating at the level of “uaААА” on the national scale based on the results of the first quarter of 2025.
Revenues from individuals increased by 40.33% to UAH 711.167 million, while revenues from reinsurers decreased by 44.65% to UAH 2.967 million. Thus, at the end of the first quarter of 2025, individuals accounted for 54.18% of the insurer’s gross premiums, while reinsurers accounted for 0.23%.
Insurance payments sent to reinsurers in January-March 2025 increased by 91.63% compared to the same period in 2024, to UAH 51.912 million. The share of reinsurance companies in insurance premiums increased to 3.96%.
The volume of insurance payments made by the insurer in the first quarter of 2025 increased by 13.92% compared to the first quarter of 2024, to UAH 491.205 million. Given the higher growth rate of gross premiums compared to insurance payments, the level of payments decreased by 8.14 percentage points, to 37.42%. to 37.42%.
As of April 1, 2025, the company’s assets grew by 6.41% to UAH 5.555 billion, equity increased by 1.99% to UAH 2.686 billion, liabilities increased by 10.90% to UAH 2.869 billion, cash and cash equivalents grew by 41.96% to UAH 1.161 billion.
According to the results of the first three months of 2025, the operating loss amounted to UAH 30.5 million, and net profit amounted to UAH 52.513 million.
The information also reports that as of the beginning of the second quarter of 2025, the insurer made financial investments in the amount of UAH 2.664 billion, consisting of government bonds (73.83% of the investment portfolio) and deposits in banks with an investment credit rating (26.17% of the portfolio). Thus, as of the reporting date, the liquid assets exceeded the liabilities of ARX Insurance Company by 1.33 times.
ARX Insurance Company was established in 1994 and is part of the international insurance holding company Fairfax Financial Holdings Ltd. ARX Insurance Company is one of the five leading insurance companies in Ukraine in terms of premiums collected and payments made. It has been the leader in the CASCO segment of the Ukrainian market for 16 years.
The housing price index in Ukraine for January-March 2025 stands at 111.2%, while for the same period in 2024, the figure was 116%, according to the State Statistics Service (Derzhstat).
According to its data, in the primary market, housing prices slowed to 14.8% in the first quarter of 2025, compared to 17.6% in the first quarter of last year. Two-room apartments saw the highest increase in prices, at 15.1%. Prices for one- and three-room apartments rose by 14.4%.
In the secondary market, prices slowed to 9.3% in January-March 2025, compared to 15.3% in the same period of 2024. Thus, prices for one-room apartments rose by 9%, two-room apartments by 9.7%, and three-room apartments by 9.4%.
According to the State Statistics Service, compared to the previous quarter, housing prices rose by 3.9%, with a 4.3% increase in the primary market and a 3.6% increase in the secondary market.
According to the State Statistics Service, in the first quarter of 2025, prices in the primary market rose by 4.4% for one-room apartments compared to the fourth quarter of 2024, and by 4.2% for two-room and three-room apartments. In the secondary market, prices rose by 3.7%, 3.5%, and 3.7%, respectively.
As reported, according to the State Statistics Service, housing prices in 2024 rose by 12.7%.
The State Statistics Service noted that the figures do not include temporarily occupied territories and parts of territories where hostilities are (were) ongoing.
Zaporizhzhya Heavy Crane Building Plant (Zaporizhzhya Heavy Cranes), part of Finnish company Konecranes, ended 2024 with a loss of UAH 17.04 million, which is 5.7 times less than in 2023.
“The company’s net loss for the year decreased to UAH 17,044 thousand (2023 – UAH 97,192 thousand), which the company’s management intends to cover after the end of martial law and the full resumption of the company’s operations,” the financial report published on the company’s website says.
The uncovered loss of Zaporizhkrán JSC as of the beginning of this year amounted to UAH 178.1 million.
The company incurred a loss of UAH 1.24 million from operating activities (in 2023 – UAH 75.8 million), while gross profit increased by 67% to UAH 76.04 million.
According to the report, Zaporizhkrans net income grew by 17% to UAH 190.5 million.
Current liabilities for the past year decreased by 11% to UAH 466.4 million, while long-term liabilities increased by 40.6% to UAH 7.4 million.
Zaporizhkrans was founded in 1928. Since 2005, its main shareholder has been Konecranes, a leading global manufacturer of cranes and lifting equipment based in Finland. The parent company is Zaporizhzhya Crane Holding.
The average number of employees at the plant in 2024 was 298 (8 fewer than a year earlier).
The company specializes in the production of bridge, gantry, and special-purpose cranes and components for them, as well as metal structures. Over 95% of its products are exported.
“The company has adapted its business processes to the conditions of martial law and continues to operate in the territory controlled by Ukraine, with its assets located at a relatively safe distance from areas of active combat operations,” the report said.
As reported, in 2023, Zaporizhkrán reduced its losses by 20% compared to the previous year, to UAH 97.2 million, with a 47.3% decrease in revenue, to UAH 162.55 million.
The housing price index in Ukraine for January-March 2025 was 111.2%, while for the same period in 2024, the figure was 116%, according to the State Statistics Service (Gosstat). According to its data, in the primary market, housing prices slowed to 14.8% in the first quarter of 2025, compared to 17.6% in the first quarter of last year. Two-room apartments rose the most in price, by 15.1%. Prices for one-room and three-room apartments rose by 14.4%.
In the secondary market, prices slowed to 9.3% in January-March 2025, compared to 15.3% in the same period of 2024. Thus, prices for one-room apartments rose by 9%, two-room apartments by 9.7%, and three-room apartments by 9.4%.
According to the statistics agency, compared to the previous quarter, housing prices rose by 3.9%, with a 4.3% increase in the primary market and a 3.6% increase in the secondary market.
According to the State Statistics Service, in the first quarter of 2025, prices in the primary market rose by 4.4% for one-room apartments compared to the fourth quarter of 2024, and by 4.2% for two-room and three-room apartments. In the secondary market, prices rose by 3.7%, 3.5%, and 3.7%, respectively.
As reported, according to the State Statistics Service, housing prices rose by 12.7% in 2024.
The State Statistics Service noted that the figures do not include temporarily occupied territories and parts of territories where hostilities are (were) ongoing.
