Germany has transferred the ninth IRIS-T air defense missile system to Ukraine, according to the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense.
“IRIS-T is a modern air defense missile system. It is manufactured by the German company Diehl Defense. The system is designed to destroy aircraft, helicopters, drones, and cruise missiles,” the ministry’s press service said in a statement.
It is noted that the high-tech IRIS-T missiles can maneuver quickly, hit targets both on head-on courses and during pursuit, and have highly sensitive infrared homing heads. They are capable of hitting modern aircraft, overcoming their defense systems, and distinguishing real targets from false ones.
Currently, two types of IRIS-T systems are in use: SLS – short range, range up to 12 km, altitude up to 8 km, and SLM – medium range, range up to 40 km, altitude up to 20 km.
The IRIS-T system can be integrated into Ukraine’s unified air defense system, where it works in conjunction with other air defense and missile defense systems.
The corn market is currently the most active segment of Ukrainian grain exports, ensuring stable port loading and constant demand from importers, according to the analytical cooperative “Pusk,” created within the framework of the All-Ukrainian Agrarian Council (VAR).
“Corn currently remains the only relatively active market segment. As of December 22, exports amounted to almost 1.5 million tons. Although these volumes are not record-breaking, shipments are stable, and it is corn that keeps most ports operating today,” analysts said.
According to their information, demand for corn on the world market remains high. Ukrainian corn remains in demand in EU countries, particularly in Spain and Italy, which are among the key buyers, as well as in Turkey.
At the same time, importers are closely monitoring the security situation in Ukraine.
“Importers are aware that the war is not expected to end quickly in the coming months and that risks to port infrastructure will remain. If exports from Ukraine are halted or significantly reduced, it will be difficult for the global market to quickly cover the possible deficit. American corn has already been contracted for January and almost entirely for February, so there are virtually no alternatives to Ukraine for supplies during this period,” experts said.
At the end of the week, spot corn prices rose to $207–208 per ton, while domestic contract prices rose to 9,800–9,850 UAH/ton.
“Further price dynamics will largely depend on the growth rate of logistics costs and security risks,” Pusk said.
According to Serbian Economist, Ukrainian berry producers and processors conducted a technological business tour to Serbia in December 2025, where they studied practices of growing and industrial freezing of berries, primarily raspberries, according to the Berry Growers Association of Ukraine (BGAU).
The trip was organized by the association with the support of the SIPPO program in Ukraine. Five Ukrainian companies and representatives of the association took part in the tour, visiting Serbian berry growing and freezing enterprises and familiarizing themselves with the cold processing chain – from small refrigerators to facilities capable of freezing up to 30% of the national raspberry harvest.
The UBA noted that despite competition between Ukraine and Serbia on the global raspberry market, the Serbian side demonstrated a willingness to share practical experience and technological solutions. The second day of the visit was devoted to professional training at the Institute of Horticulture in Čačak.
Serbian experience also revealed a number of problems that are also characteristic of Ukraine: the industry’s dependence on manual harvesting, labor shortages, and pressure from weather factors. In Serbia, almost all raspberries are harvested by hand, and the average wage for harvesters in the 2025 season was around €50 per day; small farms with an average area of about 0.1 hectares remain the main suppliers of raw materials for processing.
Context: the role of Serbia and Ukraine in raspberries and exports
Serbia maintains its position as the largest exporter of frozen raspberries and related berry crops in world trade: in 2024, it became the top exporter for commodity item HS 081120 (frozen raspberries, blackberries, etc.) – $313.2 million and 99.0 thousand tons. In 2024, Ukraine ranked 4th among exporters under the same heading – $115.4 million and 61.3 thousand tons.
The main destinations for Ukraine’s exports under HS 081120 in 2024 were Poland and Germany (followed by the Czech Republic, France, and Italy), reflecting the orientation of Ukrainian frozen products towards the EU market and the processing chains of Central Europe.
The ElectronMash plant (Lviv), which is part of the Electron corporation, and the Rivne NPP branch of the Energoatom National Nuclear Energy Company have signed a contract for the supply of five new large city buses for an estimated UAH 75.375 million (excluding VAT).
According to information in Prozorro, the agreement was signed on December 24 after ElectronMash was declared the winner of the relevant tender, in which it was the only participant.
According to the contract, with a total value of UAH 90.45 million (including VAT), the buses will be delivered within 245 calendar days from the date of receipt of the advance payment. A 30% advance payment (UAH 27.135 million) is provided for within 30 calendar days from the date of signing.
As reported, ElectronMash offered 12-meter low-floor Electron A18501 buses at a price of UAH 15.075 million (excluding VAT) each.
The buses were manufactured this year. They are equipped with a Cummins diesel engine that meets the Euro 6 environmental standard, a ZF automatic transmission, and an EBS system. Each bus is designed to carry more than 100 passengers (at least 30 seated), equipped with a folding ramp and seat belts in the passenger compartment to secure wheelchairs.
The Electron A18501 buses were first introduced by the manufacturer in 2016 and are currently in operation in Lviv and Uzhhorod.
The Rivne Nuclear Power Plant announced a tender for the purchase of five large buses on October 17 this year, with a delivery date of November 30, 2026. The auction was scheduled for October 28, but the customer postponed the deadline for submitting bids and its date several times.
As reported, the large Ukrainian bus manufacturer Etalon Corporation considered the tender conditions to be discriminatory, as they were written for the Turkish Temsa LF 12 bus, and also noted that for the announced price, it could offer seven Etalon buses instead of five. However, the customer did not change the tender conditions proposed by Etalon.
ElektronMash Plant LLC, in which Concern-Elektron JSC owns a 55% stake, specializes in the design and manufacture of trams, trolleybuses, electric buses, and city passenger buses, as well as aggregates and spare parts.
In 2024, the plant increased its net income by 87.7% compared to the previous year, to UAH 244 million, with a net profit of UAH 0.06 million, compared to UAH 0.9 million in 2023.
TAS Dniprovagonmash (DVM, Kamyanske, Dnipropetrovsk region), controlled by the TAS financial and industrial group of businessman Serhiy Tigipko, shipped the first two 60-foot Sgns flatcars for 1435 mm gauge, manufactured at its own facilities.
“As part of a partnership with Austrian colleagues, TransAnt, and based on its design developments, TAS Dniprovagonmash has manufactured and shipped the first 1,435 mm flatcars. Also, for the first time, the complete assembly and equipping of the cars took place at our enterprise’s facilities,” the plant reported on Facebook.
TAS Dniprovagonmash specifies that two intermodal flatcars have currently been submitted for technical acceptance, the conceptual advantage of which is the principle of lightweight construction using high-strength steel and, accordingly, its increased load capacity.
“Having chosen a course not only to search for new opportunities in the domestic market of 1520 mm gauge freight car manufacturing, but also to master European traditions, TAS Dniprovagonmash continues its persistent work in the areas of engineering, consulting, technological assessment, and the actual manufacture of finished products for the 1435 mm gauge railway market,” the company emphasizes.
As reported, in early 2023, the TAS group became a strategic investor in the TransAnt GmbH railcar manufacturing joint venture between Austria’s voestalpine and ÖBB Rail Cargo with a 40% stake, and in the spring of 2024, it became the majority shareholder in TransAnt, increasing its stake to 61%.
In December 2024, the plant launched the first long-distance 80-foot flatcars for large-tonnage containers.
The Sgns flatcar is a four-axle intermodal flatcar of European standard (1435 mm) with a load capacity of 73 tons, designed for transporting large containers.
TAS Dniprovagonmash, which has the capacity to produce 9,000 cars per year, increased its production of freight cars by 19% in January-September compared to the same period in 2024, to 542 units.
The plant ended January-September 2025 with a loss of UAH 23.7 million, while in the same period of 2024, net profit amounted to UAH 53.9 million, with net income growing by 16.3% to UAH 1 billion 486.5 million.
Fixed rental rates for shopping mall stores with an area of 50-200 square meters per year have increased by 1.3% to $22.4 in 2025 from $22.1 in 2024, the UTG press service told Interfax-Ukraine.
“Next year, we can expect a slight increase in rent of 2 to 5%, depending on the region. Further growth in shopping center maintenance costs (OPEX) and mandatory additional costs for uninterrupted power supply will undoubtedly increase the tenant’s overall costs. Currently, there are more significant factors that may influence further increases in rent payments. These include: growing demand among tenants to open stores for network development, a decrease in the supply of high-quality space, and the entry of new operators into Ukraine,” commented UTG Director Yevgeniya Loktionova.
She specified that among the factors stimulating the growth of rates, first of all, is the steady increase in demand for high-quality space from retailers.
According to UTG’s research, as of December 2025, the highest fixed rental rates were for kiosks (1-10 sq. m) – from $70 to $250 per sq. m/month (excluding VAT and EP), for fashion galleries – up to $32, fashion department stores – up to $18, grocery supermarkets, cafes, and restaurants – up to $15. (excluding VAT and EP), fashion galleries – up to $32, fashion department stores – up to $18, grocery supermarkets, cafes, restaurants – up to $15, electronics supermarkets – $8, children’s entertainment centers – $6, movie theaters – up to $6 per sq. m per month.
Overall, the market shows cautiously optimistic trends at the end of 2025. Average daily attendance is growing, although pre-war figures have not yet been restored. For example, the regional format is 680 people per 1,000 sq m GLA in 2025, compared to 660 in 2024 and 760 in 2021. The regional format is 318 in 2025, 308 in 2024, and 407 people per 1,000 sq m GLA in 2021.
As of December 2025, 12.8% of space in the capital’s shopping centers was vacant, compared to 13.1% in 2024 and a de facto vacancy rate of 21.4% at the end of 2022. According to UTG estimates, the temporary closure of the Gulliver shopping center had a minor short-term negative effect, with a de facto vacancy rate of 13%.
In terms of formats, the highest vacancy rate was in regional shopping centers – 14.9%, in district shopping centers – 13.9% of space was vacant, in specialized shopping centers – 10.1%, and in district shopping centers – 6.5%.
UTG was founded in 2001. It has developed over 1,300 real estate concepts. Over the years, the company has leased 4.7 million square meters of commercial space in Ukraine.
