Ukraine’s local budgets received 4.9 billion UAH in taxes on real estate other than land plots from January through April 2026, a 14.5% increase compared to the same period last year, according to the State Tax Service (STS).
The largest amounts of revenue were recorded in Kyiv (UAH 1.05 billion), Kyiv (UAH 547.3 million), Dnipropetrovsk (UAH 490 million), and Lviv regions (UAH 487 million). The agency noted that this tax is levied only on the area exceeding the tax-exempt thresholds: over 60 square meters for apartments, over 120 square meters for houses, and over 180 square meters for various types of housing. The tax rate is set by local authorities but cannot exceed 1.5% of the minimum wage per square meter above the threshold.
At the same time, land tax revenues for the first four months of this year increased by 14.3% compared to the same period in 2025—reaching 15.8 billion UAH. The additional revenue for local communities from this payment amounted to nearly UAH 2 billion. The leaders in land tax payments were Dnipropetrovsk Oblast (UAH 3 billion), Kyiv (UAH 2.3 billion), Odesa (UAH 1.4 billion), and Lviv (UAH 1.2 billion) Oblasts.
Land tax is a mandatory local payment made by owners of land plots, land shares, and permanent land users. For individuals, assessments are made by tax authorities, and payment must be made within 60 days of receiving the tax notice-decision. Legal entities calculate the tax themselves and file returns annually by February 20.
Land tax exemptions are available for senior citizens, individuals with disabilities of Groups I and II, war veterans, large families, and individuals affected by the Chernobyl disaster. The exemption applies within the established limits on plot size. The State Tax Service notes that the obligation to pay the tax remains with the owner even if no notice is received, and the status of payments can be checked through the taxpayer’s electronic account.
Industrial production in Germany fell by 0.7% in March compared to the previous month, according to the country’s statistics office. Analysts had expected industrial production to rise by 0.5% on average, according to Trading Economics.
According to revised data, the figure fell by 0.5% in February, whereas a 0.3% decline had previously been reported.
Output of consumer goods fell by 1.9% in March, while output of capital goods declined by 1.6%. Meanwhile, production of intermediate goods rose by 0.8%.
Production in the machinery sector decreased by 2.7%, and the energy sector saw a 4% decline. Meanwhile, construction output increased by 1.9%, and automotive production also rose by 1.9%.
On an annual basis, industrial production in Germany fell by 2.8% in March, following a 0.2% decline the previous month.
In April 2026, foreign citizens purchased 1,516 residential properties in Turkey, which is 1.1% less than in the same month last year, according to data from the Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat).
Foreign buyers accounted for 1.2% of total housing sales in Turkey. Meanwhile, the country’s overall housing market grew in April: according to TÜİK, 126,808 homes and apartments were sold in Turkey, a 2.6% increase compared to April 2025. From January to April 2026, total housing sales amounted to 476,204 units, an increase of 0.5% year-over-year.
Against this backdrop, foreign demand remains weaker than the domestic market. In the first four months of 2026, foreigners purchased 5,681 properties in Turkey, which is 11.6% less than in January–April 2025. Russian citizens remained the largest foreign buyers of Turkish real estate in April. They purchased 263 properties, which is nearly 15% more than in March. However, on an annual basis, their demand is still lower: in April 2025, Russian citizens purchased 276 properties.
Chinese citizens took second place among foreign buyers in April with 110 transactions, while Iranian citizens took third with 100 transactions. These three countries made up the official top three largest buyers according to TÜİK data.
The demand structure reflects a shift in the foreign segment. Russian buyers remain in first place, but their activity is already significantly lower than the peaks of 2022–2023, when demand was fueled by relocation, sanctions, currency risks, and interest in obtaining residency permits through real estate.
At the same time, buyers from Asia, primarily China, are becoming more prominent in the statistics, which may reflect broader investment interest in the Turkish market.
Ukrainian citizens did not rank among the top three largest foreign buyers in April 2026, so their specific numbers are not listed in the TÜİK brief release. For comparison, in April 2025, Ukrainians ranked third among foreign buyers and purchased 120 residential properties in Turkey.
In 2025, Ukrainians remained one of the most significant groups of foreign buyers of Turkish real estate. At the end of the year, citizens of Russia, Iran, and Ukraine were named among the three largest groups of home buyers in Turkey.
For Ukrainian buyers, Turkey remains an important real estate market for residential purposes, relocation, rental, and investment. However, the overall decline in foreign buyer activity indicates that the factors driving demand in previous years—residence permits, citizenship by investment, currency hedging, and relocation demand—no longer have the same impact.
In Turkey’s domestic market in April, activity was driven primarily by local buyers. Sales of new homes rose by 9.6% to 40,306 units, while sales of existing homes fell slightly—by 0.3%—to 86,502 units.
Thus, the Turkish real estate market showed two distinct trends in April: domestic sales are growing, while foreign demand continues to decline. Russians remain the largest group of foreign buyers, but their activity no longer appears frenzied. Ukrainians, who were previously among the leaders, did not make it into the top 3 in April 2026, which may indicate more cautious buyer behavior or a shift in demand toward other markets.
According to the Interfax-Ukraine Culture project, the Embassy of the Republic of Cyprus in Ukraine has donated a selection of books in Greek and English to Mariupol State University to replenish its library collection, reports a journalist from the “Culture” department of the Interfax-Ukraine agency from the scene.
“After relocating from Mariupol to Kyiv, the support of the Republic of Cyprus and the Cypriot Embassy has become even more important to us. Today, this is no longer just assistance, but a real contribution to preserving Mariupol State University as an important institution not only for the Donetsk region, but for all of Ukraine and Europe,” said Tetyana Marena, acting rector of Mariupol State University.
According to her, prior to the full-scale war, Mariupol State University housed the Konstantinos Levendis Library of Hellenistic Studies, which contained approximately 17,000 volumes and was one of the largest collections of Hellenistic literature in the former CIS.
Part of the library’s collection was destroyed as a result of Russian shelling of Mariupol, while a significant portion of the unique collection remained in the occupied territory and is currently under the control of the occupiers.
“We are proud to be a center for the preservation of the Greek language, culture, and history in Ukraine,” Marena emphasized.
Michalis Firillas, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Cyprus to Ukraine, noted that supporting Mariupol University became one of the first areas of cooperation after he became acquainted with the institution.
“We immediately felt that Mariupol University’s struggle was very close to our hearts. One of the first ideas was to donate Greek-language books to the library to restore what had been lost,” he said.
According to the ambassador, most of the donated publications are devoted to the history, culture, architecture, and literature of Cyprus and Greece and cover the period from antiquity to the present day.
The event was also attended by the Deputy Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine and former rector of Mariupol State University, Mykola Trofimenko.
“It was one of the largest Hellenistic libraries in the world. And it is very important that today we are continuing this story—a story of success,” noted Trofimenko.
“Mariupol University, located in the city of Mariupol, housed one of the largest collections of Hellenistic publications in the former CIS—about 20,000 books. It was the center of Hellenistic studies, the most prominent in Ukraine, and it remains so to this day. Unfortunately, due to the occupation, a significant portion of this collection is now in the hands of the occupiers. We hope that the collection has been preserved,” said the ambassador’s assistant, Iryna Chalova.
According to her, after Mariupol State University relocated to Kyiv, the university began building a new library of Hellenistic publications.
“A new collection is currently being formed at the university’s Kyiv library, and thanks to a donation from the Embassy of Cyprus, it has already been supplemented with new books. We hope that we will be able to restore the library to the scale that Mariupol University had before the war,” Chalova noted.
She also emphasized that Cyprus’s support has taken on special significance following the university’s relocation.
“After Mariupol University moved to Kyiv, the support from Cyprus and the Cypriot Embassy has become even more important. This is a tangible contribution to preserving the university as a vital institution not only for the Donetsk region but for all of Ukraine and Europe,” she added.
After the official part, participants were invited to mingle during a reception and were also offered a short tour of the campus and a visit to the newly established Museum of Greek Cultural Heritage, located on the first floor of the academic building.
Separately, Firillas, responding to students’ questions, noted that for future specialists in international relations, it is no longer enough today to be an expert in just one field.
“In international relations, language skills are obviously necessary. But, in addition to this, you need to develop expertise in other areas. A foundation in economics or finance, even if it is not a full-fledged program of study, is an important complement,” the ambassador said.
He also emphasized the importance of cultural understanding in diplomacy.
“I have always considered it very important to have a certain cultural connection—to understand history, the origins of language, and its roots. It is these things that shape the identity of modern people and modern humanity,” noted Firillas.
According to him, young Ukrainian graduates should be given more opportunities for internships and training within the European Union, particularly in Brussels, in legal or business institutions.
“There is a certain way of doing things, a certain language, and a certain ethos of approach to the common compromise known as the European Union. We all have national interests, but we all share a common goal, so we must make some concessions. For Ukrainians who want to work in international relations, such an experience would be a wonderful addition,” the ambassador said.
After the occupation of Mariupol, Mariupol State University was relocated to Kyiv and continues to operate as a Ukrainian institution of higher education.
https://interfax.com.ua/news/culture/1167746.html
Jiji, a Ukrainian IT company and spin-off of the Genesis holding group—which is the largest owner of classifieds platforms (similar to OLX) in Africa—has announced the acquisition of Bikroy, the largest such platform in Bangladesh.
“We are continuing our work—with the acquisition of the largest classifieds platform in Bangladesh, a country with a population of 175 million, we have every chance of becoming the largest classifieds platform in emerging markets,” said company co-founder Volodymyr Mnoholetniy on Facebook.
According to him, the company previously acquired the OLX and Cars45 businesses in Africa, as well as the company Tonaton.
The product-focused IT company Jiji was founded jointly with entrepreneur Anton Volyansky in 2014 as part of the Genesis ecosystem. By 2023, the marketplace had become profitable, and in 2025, the company paid out its first dividends.
“This shows that it is possible and necessary to invest in valuable long-term stories over a horizon of many years—and that’s normal,” the company’s co-founder emphasized.
According to him, Jiji is now the leader in markets with a combined population of over 500 million people. Among other things, it is Africa’s largest classifieds platform for cars, real estate, and electronics.
“Millions of people use Jiji every month. More than 50% of the population in the countries where we operate are familiar with the Jiji brand,” Mnozheletny noted.
The Bikroy marketplace was founded in 2012. The platform specializes in a wide range of classified ads—from cars, real estate, electronics, clothing, and home goods to job listings and services.
