German unmanned aerial vehicle manufacturer Quantum-Systems has begun supplying Ukraine with 100 Trinity drones of various models, according to the website of German aid to Ukraine, Germany Aid Ukraine, on Sunday.
“The supply of drones was announced in September 2023 during a meeting between Quantum-Systems CEO Florian Seibel and Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko at the Stern Stewart Institute Summit. The company, which is particularly active in Ukraine’s defense campaign, is actually donating the drones. Quantum-Systems is also supplying hundreds of Vector UAVs to Ukraine on behalf of the German government,” the statement said.
As noted in the report, Ukrainian operators have completed training for Trinity operators and operator trainers, and now will not depend on foreign training, and the first delivery of drones will take place in January. The Kyiv city administration will decide how and where the 100 Trinity drones will be deployed.
The report describes the characteristics of the mapping modification of the Trimity Pro drone and notes that they are suitable for assessing military destruction. “This means that they are used to accurately map damage to infrastructure, buildings, roads or bridges, for example, after Russian attacks… However, there is also a chance that Trinity will be seen on the battlefield. As we have already mentioned, the German company supplies Ukraine with a mixture of all Trinity models,” the statement said.
In particular, the Trinity Tactical model can be used, for example, to provide real-time imagery to special forces operating in enemy territory or in isolated areas.
“In just one flight, a single drone can cover an area of 700 hectares or a linear corridor of 90 km. Regardless of where and how the Ukrainians deploy the drones later, we can be sure that they will serve well both on the battlefield and in cities, and will actively support the fight against Russian occupiers or civilian reconstruction,” the website says.
Voting in the presidential election in Finland ended on Sunday, with a voter turnout of 74.9%. Since none of the candidates received more than half of the votes, a second round of voting will be held on February 11 with the participation of Alexander Stubb and Pekka Haavisto, the Finnish edition of Yle reported on Sunday.
After counting 100% of the votes, former Prime Minister Aleksandra Stubb received 27.2% of the vote, and former Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto 25.8%.
According to the country’s legislation, the president is elected for 6 years for no more than two consecutive terms, so Finnish President Sauli Niinistö will no longer be able to claim a third term in office, and a new, thirteenth head of state will come to power, whose term of office will begin on March 1, 2024.
Earlier, the Experts Club information and analytical project analyzed all the major elections scheduled for 2024, and you can learn more about the 2024 global elections in the video here: https://youtu.be/73DB0GbJy4M?si=rAMBZvZ4ozNmSr4v
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Benchmark oil prices are rising on Monday morning on the news of the deaths of US military personnel in Jordan as a result of drone attacks.
The price of March futures for Brent on the London ICE Futures exchange at 7:07 a.m. is $83.97 per barrel, which is $0.42 (0.5%) higher than at the close of the previous session. Last Friday, these contracts rose in price by $1.12 (1.4%) to $83.55 per barrel.
Quotations for March futures for WTI in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange (NYMEX) by this time increased by $0.36 (0.46%) to $78.37 per barrel. At the end of the previous session, they rose by $0.65 (0.8%) to $78.01 per barrel.
Last week, the price of Brent rose by 6.4%, a record pace since mid-October, and WTI by 6.5%, the highest since early September.
Oil prices were supported last week by data showing a drop in US oil reserves and production last week, said Colin Czeszynski, an analyst at SIA Wealth Management. An additional positive factor was the expectation of new incentives in China.
Meanwhile, the US military reported a drone attack on an American base in northeastern Jordan near the border with Syria. Three soldiers were killed and 34 others were injured. US President Joe Biden said on Sunday that Iranian-backed militias were responsible for the attack.
Much will now depend on the US response and the actions of Iran, which could close the Strait of Hormuz, Tariq Zaheer of Tyche Capital Advisors told MarketWatch. “We are on the verge of escalation, which could seriously affect oil flows,” he added.
Data from the oilfield services company Baker Hughes showed that over the past week, the number of operating oil rigs in the United States increased by two to 499 units. Meanwhile, the number of gas rigs decreased by one to 119.
In December 2023, Ukrainian steelmakers increased steel production by 4.9 times compared to the same period in 2022 – up to 520 thousand tons from 106 thousand tons, but decreased by 4.8% compared to the previous month, when 546 thousand tons were smelted.
At the same time, Ukraine retained its 21st place in the ranking of 71 countries that are global producers of these products compiled by the World Steel Association (Worldsteel).
According to Worldsteel, in December 2023, steel production increased compared to December 2022 in most of the top ten countries, except for China and Germany.
The top ten steel producing countries in December are as follows: China (67.440 million tons, down 14.9% by December 2022), India (12.141 million tons, + 9.5%), Japan (6.980 million tons, + 1.1%), the United States (6.813 million tons, + 7.6%), the Russian Federation (6 million tons, + 4.3%), South Korea (5.375 million tons, +2.7%), Turkey (3.224 million tons, +21.2%), Iran (2.872 million tons, +12.1%), Germany (2.631 million tons, -2.3%) and Brazil (2.523 million tons, +0.9%).
Overall, in December 2023, steel production decreased by 5.3% compared to the same period in 2022 to 135.666 million tons.
In 2023, the top ten steel-producing countries are as follows: China (1 billion 19.080 million tons at the level of the previous year), India (140.171 million tons, +11.8%), Japan (86.996 million tons, -2.5%), the United States (80.664 million tons, +0.2%), the Russian Federation (75.8 million tons, +5, 6%), South Korea (66.676 million tons, +1.3%), Germany (35.438 million tons, -3.9%), Turkey (33.714 million tons, -4%), Brazil (31.869 million tons, -6.5%) and Iran (31.139 million tons, +1.8%).
In total, 71 countries produced 1 billion 849.734 million tons of steel in 2023, which is 0.1% less than in 2022.
At the same time, Ukraine produced 6.228 million tons of steel in 2023, which is 0.6% lower than in 2022. The country was ranked 22nd in 2023.
As reported, in 2022, the top ten steel-producing countries were as follows: China (1.013 billion tons, -2.1%), India (124.720 million tons, +5.5%), Japan (89.235 million tons, -7.4%), the United States (80.715 million tons, -5.9%), the Russian Federation (71.5 million tons, -7.2%), South Korea (65, 865 million tons, -6.5%), Germany (36.849 million tons, -8.4%), Turkey (35.134 million tons, -12.9%), Brazil (33.972 million tons, -5.8%) and Iran (30.593 million tons, +8%).
Ukraine ranked 23rd in 2022 with 6.263 million tons of steel produced (-70.7%).
In total, 64 countries produced 1 billion 831.467 million tons of steel in 2022, which is 4.3% less than in 2021.
Quotes of interbank currency market of Ukraine (UAH for $1, in 01.10.2023-31.10.2023)
Source: Open4Business.com.ua and experts.news
The housing price index in Ukraine in July-September 2023 amounted to 116.2%, while in the same period of 2022 the figure was 114.2%, the State Statistics Service (Ukrstat) reported.
According to it, in the primary market, housing prices in the third quarter of 2023 accelerated growth to 14.6% compared to 11.9% in the third quarter of the previous year. Three-bedroom apartments rose in price the most – by 16%. The price increase for one-bedroom apartments was 15.6%, and for two-bedroom apartments – 12.8%.
In the secondary market, prices accelerated growth to 17.1% in the third quarter of 2023, up from 15.6% in the same period of 2022. Thus, the growth in prices for three-room apartments amounted to 18.5%, two-room apartments – 17.9%, one-room apartments – 14.1%.
Overall, in the first nine months of 2023, housing prices increased by 13.9% compared to the same period in 2022. In the primary market, the growth was 12.2%, in the secondary market – 15.1%.
According to the statistics agency, compared to the previous quarter, housing prices in July-September 2023 increased by 6%, with a 4.5% increase in the primary market and a 6.9% increase in the secondary market.
According to the State Statistics Service, in the third quarter, prices for primary housing increased by 3.6% for one-bedroom apartments compared to the second quarter, by 4.9% for two-bedroom apartments, and by 6% for three-bedroom apartments. On the secondary market, prices rose by 5.1%, 7.5% and 7.6%, respectively.
The State Statistics Service noted that the figures exclude the temporarily occupied territories and part of the territories where military operations are ongoing (or have been ongoing).
