KYIV. Feb 9 (Interfax-Ukraine) – The Ukrainian state concern Ukroboronprom are satisfied with new agreements reached with Germany’s Deutz AG to supply engines for new Ukrainian armored vehicles: a batch of DEUTZ BF 4M 1013 FC 190 hp engines will be shipped by German partners to Ukraine at the special price, the press service of the concern reported on Monday.
According to the report, after complicated and long negotiations between Ukroboronprom and Deutz AG the sides reached an agreement to supply a batch of engines at the price that allows Ukraine to save around UAH 25 million (EUR 862,000, the official NBU’s exchange rate as of February 8 UAH 29.0277/EUR 1). Other details of the contract are not disclosed.
The press service said that these engines will be installed on BTR-3, BTR-4 and armored vehicles Dozor-B.
KYIV. Feb 8 (Interfax-Ukraine) – Ukraine’s Minister of Infrastructure Andriy Pyvovarsky expects that the full commercial operation of a new container train on the so-called New Silk Road will start in March, he said this in the parliament during “an hour of questions to the government.”
Pyvovarsky noted the train should come back to Ukraine by the end of February. Then “all logistically weak points” will be worked on, a relevant regulatory document will be signed, which will make it possible to run the train in commercial use.
“A final protocol will be signed in Baku somewhere on February 20, which will settle all the technical problems, bottlenecks, and we can say that from March the train will start running as usual,” the minister said.
According to him, the main operator of this route will be Lisky transport service center (part of PJSC Ukrzaliznytsia). The company must do everything possible to make the route commercially successful.
KYIV. Feb 8 (Interfax-Ukraine) – Public joint-stock company State Food-Grain Corporation in H1 2015/16 agricultural year (July 2015-June 2016) exported around 1.5 million tonnes of grain, the company’s press service has reported, referring to the director of the logistics department Dmytro Shmokarev.
“The result was achieved thanks to the centralized work of the foreign economic department and purchase and logistics department and thanks to new rules introduced,” he said.
Among key changes in logistics is the creation of the transport and shipping servicing department that allows both shipping products using own forces and provide services to bailors.
“In the period since November 2015 over 100,000 tonnes of grain has been shipped using this,” he said.
The electronic document turnover system is being introduced in the corporation.
Shmokarev’s division also worked to return dispatch bonuses worth over $500,000 for the previous periods.
In August 2010, the government decided to create the State Food and Grain Corporation of Ukraine. The corporation has a chain of branches, comprised of grain storage facilities, flourmills, fodder factories and a cereals factory. The 53 subdivisions of the corporation can store a total of 3.75 million tonnes of grain, which includes the grain handling capacities of Odesa and Mykolaiv ports of around 2.5 million tonnes of grain cargo per year.
KYIV. Feb 8 (Interfax-Ukraine) – Ukraine could resume electricity exports to Belarus and Moldova in March, Energy and Coal Industry Minister of Ukraine Volodymyr Demchyshyn has said.
“He held talks with Lithuania, Belarus and Moldova… I’m sure that it will resume electricity exports from April, maybe even from March,” he said at a meeting of the profile parliamentary committee.
Earlier Deputy Energy and Coal Industry Minister of Ukraine Oleksandr Svetelik said that Ukraine could resume exports of electricity to Belarus and Moldova from April 2016.
At present Ukrainian exports electricity only from the Burshtyn Energy Island.
KYIV. Feb 8 (Interfax-Ukraine) – Ukraine saw a 31.4% rise in imports of aluminum ore and concentrate (bauxites) in kind year-on-year in January 2016, to 444,329 tonnes.
According to customs statistics made public by the State Fiscal Service of Ukraine, during this period imports of bauxites in monetary terms increased by 39.8%, to $20.071 million.
Imports mainly originated from Guinea (52.91% of supply in terms of money), Guyana (32.6%) and Brazil (14.48%).
In January this year, Ukraine did not re-export aluminum ore and concentrate.
As reported, in 2015 Ukraine reduced imports of aluminum ore and concentrate in kind by 12.7%, to 4.338 million tonnes, in money terms – by 14.8%, to $181.075 million.
Imports mainly originated from Guinea (62.96% of supply in terms of money) and Guyana (30.37%).
In 2015, Ukraine decreased re-exports of aluminum ore and concentrate by 91.9%, to 463 tonnes and by 92.6% in money terms, to $79,000. The ore was mainly re-exported to Russia (64.1%), Germany (12.82%) and the Netherlands (8.97%).
Bauxite is aluminum ore used as raw material in the production of alumina and aluminum. It is also used as flux in ferrous metallurgy.
Ukraine’s Mykolaiv alumina plant, part of UC Russian Aluminum (RUSAL), imports bauxite to produce alumina.
UC RUSAL was founded in 2007 as a result of a merger of aluminum and alumina assets by OAO RUSAL, SUAL and Swiss-based trader Glencore. RUSAL’s assets in Ukraine include Mykolaiv alumina plant and a stake in Zaporizhia aluminum plant (ZAIK), which halted production of aluminum and alumina.
KYIV. Feb 8 (Interfax-Ukraine) – The worsening of the political situation in the country, delay in reforms and retaining corruption are a threat of further worsening of the economic situation and the loss of trust of international donors, according to the statements of the European Business Association (EBA) and the Ukrainian League of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs (ULIE) issued on Thursday in response to the resignation statement of Ukrainian Economic Development and Trade Minister Aivaras Abromavicius made on February 3.
“Investors consider this latest political drama as an appalling symptom, which is likely to have very negative repercussions,” the EBA said, pointing that business has lost trust to actions of authorities.
“We’re alarmed at a new portion of political statements around the government and parliament showing that there is no consolidated position in the top state management, a lack of trust between the different branches of power, the inability to work jointly on finding the way out of the social and economic crisis and further development of the Ukrainian economy,” the ULIE said in a statement.
The associations said that Ukraine urgently needs reforms, constructive and consolidated efforts of the president, parliament and cabinet.
“Ukraine’s economy is undergoing challenging and turbulent times… Failure to mount a comprehensive fight against corruption will further worsen Ukraine’s situation if the authorities once again fail to implement serious changes. With Ukraine being dependent on international support and financial aid, cooperation with the IMF is at risk unless the political leadership shows tangible commitment to fighting corruption,” the EBA said.
The association urges Ukraine’s leaders to take action, to transparently and independently investigate all accusations that are being voiced, to finally enforce a zero tolerance stance on corruption and carry out vital structural reforms and protect investor-friendly technocratic reform leaders with support of the business community.
“…a technocratic government is required that would work on the plan how to withdraw from the crisis, that would be responsible for achievement of concrete results in the set terms and that would give up the principles of personal party allegiancy… The modern government must be renewed and strengthened thanks to responsible and active professionals,” the ULIE said, citing its head Anatoliy Kinakh.
