In Uzbekistan, 2,141 positions in the executive branch will be cut by November 1, 2025, due to the introduction of artificial intelligence technologies. The corresponding decree was signed by the country’s president, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, and the document was published in the National Legislation Database.
According to the decree, the largest number of cuts will occur in the State Tax Committee (498 positions), the Ministry of Water Resources (224), the Ministry of Agriculture (200), the Ministry of Justice (197), the Ministry of Ecology (176), and the Ministry of Employment and Poverty Reduction (163).
In addition, the number of deputy heads in state committees, agencies, and inspectorates will be reduced: in some structures, the number of deputies will decrease from 11 to 7, from 12 to 6, and from 13 to 7, respectively.
The Ministry of Employment and the Federation of Trade Unions have been instructed to assist dismissed employees in finding employment and retraining.
The reform is part of a program to digitally transform public administration. In early 2025, President Mirziyoyev signed a law reforming the civil service system, which provides for the introduction of performance evaluations for civil servants and higher requirements for digital skills.
Earlier, Uzbekistan announced the creation of an Artificial Intelligence Development Alliance, which will coordinate the introduction of AI technologies in various industries and allocate funding for infrastructure development. About $100 million is planned to be allocated for these purposes.
The mass reduction of civil servants reflects the authorities’ policy of optimizing the bureaucratic apparatus and improving management efficiency through digitalization. At the same time, experts note that the success of the reform will depend on the quality of the technologies implemented and the state’s ability to provide social protection and retraining for the workers who are being laid off.
The IMC agricultural holding has completed the sunflower harvest from an area of 24.8 thousand hectares and collected over 81 thousand tons with a record yield of 3.3 t/ha, the agricultural holding’s press service reported on Facebook.
IMK cited data from the Ministry of Economy, Environment, and Agriculture, according to which, as of October 6, 2025, the average sunflower yield in Ukraine was 1.83 tons/ha.
“The sunflower harvest was not easy — the weather this year made its adjustments more than once. We exceeded the planned yield indicators, the average oil content reached a record 54%, and in some fields it reached an incredible 64%,” said IMC Chief Operating Officer Bohdan Kryvitsky.
IMK also completed the sowing of winter wheat for the 2026 harvest on an area of 21,000 hectares, which is 18% of the company’s total land bank.
“This year, due to problems with autopilot systems caused by the operation of electronic warfare equipment, we were forced to return to sowing with physical markers. Despite this, we worked in an organized manner and met the optimal deadlines,” Kryvitsky commented.
IMK Agroholding is an integrated group of companies operating in the Sumy, Poltava, and Chernihiv regions (northern and central Ukraine) in the segments of crop production, elevators, and warehouses. The land bank is 116,000 hectares, storage capacity is 554,000 tons, and the 2024 harvest is 864,000 tons.
IMK ended 2024 with a net profit of $54.54 million, compared to a net loss of $21.03 million in 2023. Revenue grew by 52% to $211.29 million, gross profit quadrupled to $109.10 million, and normalized EBITDA increased 25-fold to $86.11 million.
Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Kristalina Georgieva expressed concern about the growing amount of government debt during a speech on Wednesday ahead of the annual meeting of the IMF and the World Bank.
Global government debt is projected to exceed 100 percent of GDP by 2029 at the expense of both developed and emerging economies.
“Higher debt increases interest payments, puts pressure on borrowing costs, constrains other spending, and reduces the ability of governments to cushion shocks,” Georgieva said.
As a result, she said, aid from developed nations to the neediest countries unfortunately continues to decline.
The rate of increase in the global economy is expected to be around 3% in the medium term, down from 3.7% before the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Global growth patterns have changed over the years, with China’s rate of recovery in particular steadily slowing, while India is emerging as a key engine of growth,” the IMF chief notes.
“Sustained growth requires higher private sector productivity. To achieve this, governments must ensure and protect the essential elements of a free market, including property rights, rule of law, reliable data, effective bankruptcy codes, strong financial sector supervision, and independent but accountable institutions,” she said.
Georgieva said that in too many countries, private sector productivity is “entangled in red tape” and startups are not emerging or cannot grow. “Competition is key and regulation should not allow or create an unfair advantage,” she believes.
“So today I am calling on all our member countries to undertake a regulatory housecleaning to unleash entrepreneurial energy backed by strong institutions and governance. Now is not the time to harm ourselves: now is the time to clean up,” the IMF chief said.
She also called on “my beloved, native Europe” to act.
“Consider appointing a ‘single market czar’ with real powers to push reforms forward. Eliminate border frictions in the labor market, trade in goods and services, energy and finance. Create a single European financial system. Create an energy union. Finalize your project. And watch the dynamics of the US private sector,” Georgieva said.
According to her, “one picture can say more than a thousand words.” “Look at how seven US mega-companies, none of which existed 51 years ago, boast market capitalizations larger than their European counterparts,” the IMF chief said.
Video analysis of the ratio of government debt to GDP is available on the channel of the analytical center Experts Club – https://youtube.com/shorts/skgFqF0c4Gw?si=oJPXANSuNNpWxsmY.
Diplomatic Legal Hub, a permanent consulting and legal center for foreign diplomatic institutions, businesses, and citizens, has been presented in Kyiv. It was created on the initiative of Barristers LLC in cooperation with Ukrainian lawyers. The platform is designed to provide continuous legal support to foreigners in Ukraine and reduce the administrative burden on embassies and companies, particularly in matters related to migration, criminal, economic, tax, and martial law issues.
Oleksiy Shevchuk, partner at Barristers and spokesperson for the Ukrainian National Bar Association (UNBA), emphasized that the hub will function as a practical mechanism for providing immediate assistance.
“Today we are presenting a platform where any representative of an embassy, foreign business, or foreign citizen can report their problem online 24/7 and receive appropriate support. Our team will use, among other things, universal jurisdiction tools to protect against persecution,” he said at a press conference at the Interfax-Ukraine agency on Wednesday.
According to Shevchuk, foreign citizens often remain without adequate state protection in wartime, so the team’s task is to provide them with fast and high-quality legal support.
Elvira Lazarenko, a partner at Barristers, outlined the hub’s service model.
“We provide support throughout the entire cycle — from crossing the border and proper documentation to resolving disputes with the migration service, customs, and in court. For at least the next two years, assistance to foreign citizens will be provided pro bono,” she said.
Yaroslav Kuts, lawyer, deputy head of the UNAA Information Policy Committee, and partner at a2kat, emphasized Ukraine’s openness to foreigners and investments and explained that the hub was created not only to provide assistance during martial law, but also with a view to post-war recovery, when business activity and migration are expected to grow. “
”Despite the war, we remain a country that is open with all our heart and soul to foreigners and foreign investment. The hub was created not only for the present — it is working with an eye toward post-war recovery, when the activity of foreign citizens and businesses will increase,” he added.
In turn, Oleksandr Oliinyk, managing partner of VIDSICH Law Firm and chairman of the Criminal Law and Procedure Committee of the Kharkiv Regional Bar Association, drew attention to the risks for companies with a foreign element.
“During the period of full-scale war, according to our data, more than 500 criminal proceedings have been opened against enterprises and individuals with a foreign component; in some cases, the indictment materials have already been sent to court. Ukraine has an institution of criminal liability for legal entities — sanctions may apply not only to officials but also to companies as a whole,” Oliynyk noted.
During the event, it was emphasized that the platform will also assist with practical issues, from opening bank accounts to contractual support, and is designed to close the “service gap,” as foreigners are currently forced to seek comprehensive assistance mainly in the private sector.
The organizers announced the creation of a hub secretariat and the availability of an online form for inquiries. Olga Tanyushkina, who initiated the approach whereby lawyers devote part of their time to providing free legal assistance to foreigners helping Ukraine, is named as the program’s ideologist.
Diplomatic Legal Hub was initiated by Barristers LLC in cooperation with Ukrainian lawyers and with the support of the Interfax-Ukraine news agency. Key areas include migration law, criminal and commercial proceedings, tax disputes, investment and financial transaction support. The platform is positioned as a legal support tool for diplomatic institutions, businesses, and citizens, available 24/7.
Source: https://interfax.com.ua/news/press-conference/1110786.html
Barristers, Diplomatic Legal Hub, Kuts, Oliynyk, UNAA, Лазаренко, ШЕВЧУК
Global refined copper production will increase by around 3.4% to 28.3 million tons in 2025, forecasts the International Copper Study Group (ICSG).
This will be driven by the continued expansion of production capacity in China and the start-up of new plants in other countries, most notably the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), India and Indonesia.
In 2026, copper output is expected to grow by 0.9% to around 28.6 million tons.
Global copper consumption is forecast to rise about 3% to 28.1 million tons this year and 2.1% to 28.7 million tons in 2026, ICSG said.
Meanwhile, demand in China is projected to grow by about 3.3% in 2025 and 1% next year. The PRC accounts for about 58% of global copper consumption.
“Asia will continue to be the main driver of global growth, with demand in other key copper-consuming regions remaining weak, particularly in the EU and Japan,” the group’s experts believe.
“Overall, however, global consumption is expected to continue to be supported by increased production activity in some key sectors” that are major copper end-users, “continued demand due to energy transition, urbanization, digitalization (data centers),” the report said.
At the end of 2024, there was a global copper surplus of 71,000 tons. This year, the oversupply of the metal in the global market is expected to be about 178 thousand tons (slightly below the April forecast), while in 2026, a deficit of about 150 thousand tons is projected (in April, a surplus of 209 thousand tons was expected).
Making forecasts, ICSG realizes that the situation on the world market can change under the influence of numerous factors, the report says.
The International Copper Study Group, established in 1992, is an intergovernmental organization that serves as a vehicle for international discussion and cooperation on copper-related issues. ICSG is the only multilateral institution dealing with copper production, consumption and trade. The group comprises 25 nations, including Russia and Kazakhstan, as well as the European Union.
For a video analysis of the world’s largest copper producers from 1970 to 2024, please visit the Experts Club think tank channel – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_h8iU50z8C0.
Fixygen.ua – Ukraine remains one of the world’s most crypto-active nations — both in terms of adoption and innovation. Despite the ongoing war and economic challenges, the country has emerged as a regional leader in digital assets, combining high grassroots adoption with an increasingly structured regulatory framework.
Ukraine’s place in the global crypto ecosystem
According to the 2024 Chainalysis Global Crypto Adoption Index, Ukraine ranks 4th globally, behind India, Nigeria, and Vietnam — and ahead of most European and G7 countries. Over 6.5 million Ukrainians (around 15–17% of the adult population) are estimated to hold or use cryptocurrency.
Ukraine also consistently ranks among the top 10 countries by peer-to-peer crypto transaction volume, reflecting its highly digital-savvy population and widespread trust in blockchain-based tools.
Even before 2022, Ukraine was recognized by the Global Crypto Adoption Report as one of the fastest-growing crypto economies in Eastern Europe. Today, the war has only accelerated this transformation — digital currencies have become part of both humanitarian logistics and cross-border business operations.
Adoption and use cases
Remittances & payments: Cryptocurrencies serve as an alternative channel for remittances, reducing transfer costs and bypassing traditional banking restrictions.
Savings and investment: Amid inflation and banking risks, crypto assets are used as a store of value and a hedge against currency instability.
Charitable donations: Since 2022, Ukraine has received more than $250 million in crypto donations, becoming one of the first countries to officially accept digital assets for defense and humanitarian support.
Freelance economy: Ukrainian IT specialists and digital freelancers frequently use stablecoins (USDT, USDC) for cross-border settlements.
Regulatory framework and licensing
Ukraine is one of the first countries in Eastern Europe to create a comprehensive legal framework for the crypto industry.
The Law “On Virtual Assets” (adopted in 2022, updated in 2024) defines digital assets as property and introduces licensing for exchanges and custodial wallets.
In 2025, the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) and the National Securities and Stock Market Commission (NSSMC) began preparing secondary regulations aligned with the EU’s MiCA (Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation), paving the way for harmonization with European standards.
The Ukrainian Parliament is also considering taxation amendments that would introduce a 5% income tax rate for crypto-related profits for individuals and 10% for businesses, with simplified reporting rules.
Regulators emphasize that Ukraine aims to become “crypto-compliant, not crypto-restrictive,” ensuring transparency while supporting innovation and investment inflows.
Institutional and infrastructure developments
Ukraine has rapidly built a local crypto infrastructure ecosystem:
Over 25 licensed exchanges and brokers operate domestically or under partnership agreements with EU-registered entities.
Kyiv, Lviv, and Dnipro are emerging as regional blockchain hubs, hosting startups focused on Web3, DeFi, tokenization, and AI-integrated financial products.
The Ministry of Digital Transformation continues to cooperate with Binance, Kuna, and WhiteBIT on blockchain policy and public-sector digitalization.
In parallel, the National Bank of Ukraine is developing its own digital hryvnia (e-hryvnia) pilot with support from Stellar Development Foundation, aiming to test CBDC payments by 2026.
Trends and challenges
Rising institutionalization: Ukrainian crypto companies are shifting from purely retail models to regulated brokerage and fintech structures.
DeFi and tokenized assets: Local developers increasingly launch Web3 tools for global markets — particularly in DeFi, GameFi, and real-world asset tokenization.
Security & AML compliance: Integration with FATF standards remains a challenge, though Ukrainian regulators actively cooperate with the EU to strengthen anti-money laundering mechanisms.
Brain drain vs. global expansion: Thousands of Ukrainian blockchain professionals have relocated to the EU, Poland, and the Baltics, yet they continue to operate Ukrainian-origin projects and bring foreign investment into the ecosystem.
As of late 2025, Ukraine stands among the top 5 global leaders in crypto adoption, with a vibrant domestic ecosystem and growing regulatory maturity.
The ongoing implementation of EU-aligned standards, along with a high degree of digitalization and public acceptance, could make Ukraine a European hub for blockchain innovation and virtual asset regulation within the next two years.
