Business news from Ukraine

Business news from Ukraine

32% OF UKRAINIANS READY TO RE-ELECT ZELENSKY AS PRESIDENT

If the presidential elections in Ukraine were held in the near future, then 32% of Ukrainians who will definitely go to the elections and have decided on their choice, would vote for incumbent President Volodymyr Zelensky, according to results of the all-Ukrainian sociological survey “Socio-Political Moods of Ukrainians: September 2021”, held by the Ukrainian Institute of the Future together with the sociological company New Image Marketing Group.
Zelensky’s rating rose 2% from June, the Institute said in a press release on Facebook on Monday, October 4.
“That is, 32% of those who have made up their minds and will go to the polls are now ready to vote for him. While the ratings of his closest competitors Poroshenko and Boiko dropped by 2% and 1%, respectively. Both have 12% among those who have made up their minds and will go to the polls. The fourth place is consistently occupied by Yulia Tymoshenko – 11% among those who have made up their minds and will go to the polls. At the same time, the rating of Groisman and Muraev increased to 7% among those who decided to go to the polls,” the release says.
It clarifies that young people under 24 years of age support Zelensky the most – 39% of respondents.
“Even in the East, Zelensky is ahead of Boiko – 27% to 16% respectively. Nevertheless, Donbas remains an openly problematic region for Zelensky – there he loses to Boiko unquestioningly – 16% to 29%.
Relatively little support in Donetsk and Luhansk regions correlates with low confidence in the incumbent head of state there and a greater proportion of those who support early presidential elections,” the release says.
In addition, if the elections to the Verkhovna Rada were held next Sunday, then 23% of those polled would vote for the Servant of the People party. The Opposition Platform is on the second and third place in terms of electoral preferences of 16% of citizens who decided to go to the polls, and the European Solidarity party – for 15% of those who decided to go to the polls.
Just like in the presidential rating, Yulia Tymoshenko’s Batkivschyna party ranks fourth – 14% among those who have made up their minds and will go to the polls. Ihor Smeshko’s “Strength and Honor” received fewer votes – 7% among those who decided to go to the polls.
“The Ukrainian Strategy of Groisman party and Yevhen Muraev’s Nashi Party did not overcome the 5% barrier in absolute terms, having received 4% each among those who decided to go to the elections. Also the party of Anatoliy Shariy and the party of Prytula got 3% each among those who decided to go to the polls. And the Holos party got 2% among those who decided to go to the polls,” the Institute reports.
They clarify that in comparison with the sentiments of respondents regarding participation in the presidential elections, the share of those wishing to vote for MPs is slightly lower – 70% declare their desire to vote in the parliamentary elections. However, 25% will not go to the parliamentary elections and will not vote. And another 5% of citizens were undecided.
All-Ukrainian sociological research “Socio-political moods of Ukrainians: September 2021” was conducted by the Ukrainian Institute of the Future together with the sociological company New Image Marketing Group among 2,400 respondents throughout Ukraine from September 18 to September 28, 2021. The margin of error is no more than 2%.

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PRESIDENT OF ISRAEL VISITS UKRAINE

President of Israel Isaac Herzog started an official visit to Ukraine.
“I just flew to Kyiv to start an official visit. The Jewish people here have a glorious past, but also a difficult and painful history. Tomorrow I will take part in the important opening ceremony of the Holocaust Remembrance Center in Kyiv, dedicated to the 80th anniversary of the Babyn Yar tragedy,” Herzog said on Twitter on Tuesday.
The official welcoming ceremony was held in Kyiv between President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky and President of Israel Isaac Herzog. Statements of the presidents of Ukraine and Israel for media representatives are expected.

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FM LOGISTIC TO INVEST $ 25-30 MLN IN CONSTRUCTION OF LOGISTICS COMPLEX

FM Logistic Ukraine will invest $ 25-30 million in the construction of the fifth phase of a logistics complex with an area of 20,000 square meters, CEO of FM Logistic Ukraine Sebastien Lardellier said in an interview with Interfax-Ukraine.
“The land site in Dudarkiv is ours, it allows us to build another 32,000 square meters of modern logistics real estate, of which we plan to build 20,000 square meters in the coming years. We hope that we will receive construction permits quickly enough. The construction of these buildings, plus their equipment, requires $ 25-30 million in investment,” he said.
The FM Logistic Ukraine complex (Dudarkiv village, Kyiv region) includes 60,000 square meters of A class warehouse space. About $ 50 million was invested in it.
According to the expert, out of 60,000 square meters, some 54,000 square meters have been commissioned.
“There is a preliminary agreement for another 2,000 square meters. Thus, 4,000 square meters are still free,” he said.
He said that the rate of expansion of the offer depends on the activity of the market.
“The question of expansion is in two cases: when our current client develops his business, it becomes cramped for him, and we continue to build according to his requests. The second option is to attract new clients. According to the estimated growth rates, we will complete and fill this site within four years,” he added.
FM Logistic Ukraine, operating since 1996, is included in the top five largest operators of the logistics market in Ukraine. It is part of the international group of companies FM Logistic.
FM Logistic is a family business that was founded in 1967 in the French region of Lorraine. The company owns 180 warehouses with a total area of 4 million square meters in 14 countries of the world.
FM Logistic Ukraine provides logistics operator services, including warehousing, e-commerce logistics, co-packing, customs clearance, domestic and international transportation, city transportation, and management of the entire supply chain.
Today the staff of FM Logistic Ukraine has 900 employees.

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SERHIY YERMAKOV: UKREXIMBANK FINDS NO TERRORIST FINANCING FACTS WHEN ISSUING LOAN FOR PURCHASE OF SKY MALL

JSC Ukreximbank did not find any facts of terrorist financing when issuing a loan of $60 million to companies whose beneficiary is a citizen of Ukraine with the status of an internally displaced person, Serhiy Briukhovetsky, acting chairman of the bank’s board Serhiy Yermakov said. “At the time the loan was issued, the borrower, Mr. Briukhovetsky, went through the proper KYC verification procedure, within which the bank did not reveal information that would indicate the existence of criminal cases and proceedings in connection with the fact of holding shares in the company, including registered in uncontrolled territories,” he said at a press briefing at the Interfax-Ukraine agency.
For clarification, the bank received the client’s consent to disclose information that may constitute banking secrecy, Yermakov added.
According to the bank, as part of the check of the borrower, it was revealed that Briukhovetsky owns the corporate rights of three companies registered in the territory not controlled by Ukraine: Gorspetslift (50%, Horlivka), Dikon LLC (24%, Bakhmut), Spetsremmash LLC (16.6%, Horlivka). He also owned 45% of Eastern Donbas LLC (Horlivka), which ceased operations in 2011.
According to Yermakov, in April 2021 Ukeximbank provided a loan of $60 million to the companies Wholesale Network 2011 LLC and Slavian LLC, the beneficiary of which is Briukhovetsky. The loan was issued for the acquisition of corporate rights and the completion of the transaction for the purchase of the Sky Mall trade center in Kyiv. The total sum of the purchase is $80 million.
Thus, $39 million of the loan was used to refinance the Wholesale Network 2011 loan obligations in two Ukrainian and one European banks. Another $21 million was used to complete the acquisition of Sky Mall. In addition, Briukhovetsky contributed $20 million at the expense of his own funds and the funds of a related company – Sky Finance LLC.
“At the request of the bank, the borrower provided the conclusions of professional lawyers, including the British, registered with the Solicitors Regulation Authority, on the settlement of corporate conflicts and lawsuits … The availability of an arbitration award in the case of Estonian businessman Teder Hillar did not jeopardize the borrowers’ ownership of Sky Mall,” Yermakov said.
According to him, the entire complex of structures and the parking space of the Sky Mall shopping center are pledged on the loan. In addition, the bank received a guarantee from Briukhovetsky.

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PRESIDENT OF UKRAINE URGES INTENSIFYING INFO CAMPAIGN ON IMPORTANCE OF VACCINATION

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky calls on the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Culture and Information Policy to intensify an information campaign on the importance of vaccinating citizens against coronavirus (COVID-19) disease.
According to the presidential press service, Zelensky made a statement during a conference call on countering the pandemic on Monday.
“All resources, available methods and sources must convey to various segments of the population about importance of protection against COVID-19. People who are vaccinated not only protect themselves from a severe course in case of illness, but they protect the environment, in particular their family members,” Zelensky said.
It is noted that during the meeting, the Health Ministry along with the Ministry of Culture and Information Policy was separately instructed to launch a campaign to vaccinate pensioners and also strengthen the information direction.
“Now in Ukraine, out of 11 million pensioners, about 25% are vaccinated. Volodymyr Zelensky suggested considering the possibility of involving business representatives to the aforementioned information campaign of Ukrposhta,” the press service said.
The special attention during the meeting was paid to the issue of combating the counterfeiting of certificates of negative PCR tests and certificates of vaccination. According to Chief of the National Police Ihor Klymenko, some 13 searches were carried out over the past week, some 12 criminal proceedings were initiated.
There is already the first court decision on the recovery of a fine in the amount of UAH 34,000 from a doctor from Pavlohrad, Dnipropetrovsk region and deprivation of the right to work in the specialty for one year.
In addition, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said the number of Ukrainians with COVID-19 continues to grow, in particular, some 64,606 COVID-19 cases were registered in the previous week, which is almost 20,000 more than a week earlier.
“To date, the dynamics of the development of the disease completely coincides with the previous peak of morbidity. Despite the fact that the growth of sick and hospitalized patients has slowed down somewhat, as of now, 22,500 beds are already occupied by people with confirmed COVID-19 and with suspicion,” the head of the government said.
He said that slightly less than 50% of the available places for COVID-19 patients are already occupied in Ukraine, but there are areas where the situation is of concern. According to the analysis of the Health Ministry, there are more infected in Kharkiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Lviv and Odesa regions. In total, there are 138,500 active patients in Ukraine today.
“The head of state has set the government the task of ensuring in the near future an increase in the number of beds in regions where there is a rapid increase in the incidence of coronavirus,” the office said.

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KYIVSTAR SWITCHES TO 4G AT 900 MHZ BAND IN 132 SETTLEMENTS IN SEPTEMBER

The mobile network operator Kyivstar in September activated 4G technology at 75 base stations, as a result, 83,000 more Ukrainian residents in 132 settlements are able to access the company’s high-speed mobile Internet.
The press service of the operator reported on Monday that in particular, the technology was activated in the following settlements: Verkhniy Luzhok, Yasenytsia-Zamkova, Khatky (Lviv region), Tochylove, Novoheorgiyivka, Topaly (Odesa region), Shevchenkove, Kiyliv, Somkova Dolyna (Kyiv region), Liubar, Stryzhivka, Ivankivtsi (Zhytomyr region).
The company said that in the second quarter of 2021, Kyivstar invested about UAH 1.5 billion in the development of new communication technologies, which made it possible to significantly expand the territory of the 4G network. Due to this, the number of subscribers who used high-speed mobile Internet increased during this period by 32.3%, and the consumption of megabytes per subscriber increased by 23.6%.
To date, 10.3 million people use 4G communication in the Kyivstar network.
LTE technology in the Kyivstar network has been activated at almost 18,000 base stations.
By 2022, the operator plans to cover 90% of the country’s population with 4G.

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