Quotes of interbank currency market of Ukraine (UAH for €1, IN 04.01.2021-29.01.2021).
NBU
The deficit of Ukraine’s foreign trade in goods in 2020 decreased by 54.6% compared to 2019 and amounted to $4.878 billion (in 2019 some $10.746 billion), the State Statistics Service has reported.
In 2020, export of goods compared to 2019 decreased by 1.7% (by $847 million), amounting to $49.213 billion, import by 11% (by $6.692 billion), to $54.091 billion.
The coverage of imports by exports was 0.91 (in 2019 some 0.82).
The seasonally adjusted exports of goods in December 2020 compared to November increased by 3.3%, imports – by 3.7%. The seasonally adjusted foreign trade balance in December 2020 was negative and amounted to $499 million. In November 2020, it was also negative at $465 million.
The State Statistics Service specified that foreign trade operations were carried out with partners from 234 countries of the world.
Ukraine and the United Arab Emirates have signed memorandums and contracts worth $3 billion or more, the presidential press service said. “As part of the official visit of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to the United Arab Emirates, the Ukrainian delegation signed a number of memorandums and contracts totaling $3 billion or more,” the press service said in the statement.
In particular, memorandums of understanding were signed between the State Property Fund of Ukraine and the Mubadala investment company. They are aimed at deepening cooperation in the development of promising investment projects and the participation of the Emirate side in the program of privatization of state-owned property in Ukraine.
“At all international meetings, I urge to invest in Ukraine. Our state has enormous potential: geopolitical position, natural resources, people of knowledge. Right now is the time to understand this potential and create a strong economy,” Zelensky said.
He said that attracting investment is the key to Ukraine’s economic growth. “The signing of a memorandum with the Mubadala investment company of the government of Abu Dhabi on intentions to invest in Ukraine is a very important step in opening the way for major investments in Ukraine from Western Asia,” Zelensky said.
In addition, the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine signed a memorandum with INTELMAX Management Consulting, which provides for cooperation on the creation of a platform for the exchange of intellectual property based on the Fantom blockchain, which will provide increased security and transparency. It is also planned to introduce blockchain technologies into government processes and services.
The sides also signed documents in the defense sector, discussing the possibility of constructing joint factories outside Ukraine.
As the President’s Office said, the possibility of opening a Ukrainian sovereign fund for joint investments is also being considered.
“Along with this, some 18 Ukrainian private companies, including Interpipe, Dragon Capital, DTEK, Unit City, EastOne, UMG, Ufuture, Fortior, signed memorandums with the Mubadala state investment fund,” the President’s Office said.
The Filatov Institute of Eye Diseases and Tissue Therapy of the National Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine (Odesa) for the first time in the world conducted a unique operation to remove a large intraocular hemangioma of the choroid.
According to a press release of the institute, the operation was performed at the end of 2020 on a 21-year-old patient due to the impossibility of using non-surgical methods of treatment because of the large tumor size (12.2 mm x 16.1 mm, bulging into the vitreous humor – 6 mm), which continued to grow.
“Understanding what the loss of an eye would mean for a young active girl, both from a cosmetic and psychological point of view, the doctors of the Filatov Institute offered the patient an operation,” the press release said.
To reduce the risk of bleeding, the specialists of the institute used their unique development – the method of high-frequency welding of biological tissues in ophthalmology, developed jointly with the Paton Institute of Electric Welding of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine. They also developed the tools necessary for the interventions.
The operation was carried out by one of the authors of the method, Doctor of Medical Sciences Mykola Umanets. During the operation, which lasted several hours, each dissected vessel was “welded” to prevent bleeding.
“When the patient came for a check-up a month later, the doctors were not only convinced that they had managed to save the eye, but also revealed the appearance of her “silhouette vision,” which was not there before the operation,” the press release said.
At present, the institute’s specialists are preparing publications for world-famous ophthalmological editions. The video filming made during the operation will allow presenting a unique achievement at the world conferences and congresses.
Hemangioma is benign neoplasms that affect the blood vessels of a person in various parts of the body. In the case of formation in the choroid of the eye, they do not threaten the patient’s life, however, they are accompanied by a significant decrease in vision and can cause the development of serious complications, such as retinal detachment, hemorrhage into the eye cavity, increased intraocular pressure (glaucoma).
Currently, there are a number of treatment methods for this pathology, aimed at stopping the growth and destruction of the tumor and are effective in the case of small formations. The only attempt to surgically remove an intraocular hemangioma recorded by the world ophthalmological community is an operation performed in 2019 by Italian ophthalmologist Barbara Parolini. In that case, the tumor was small. In the case of a large lesion and/or its unsuccessful location, surgical removal of intraocular hemangiomas is not performed due to a very high risk of bleeding and a lack of effective methods to stop it. Most often, the only way to solve the problem is to remove the eye.
Gazprom is booking extra capacities for gas transit through Ukraine for March at the same additional reservation volume as for February, according to the results of the monthly Regional Booking Platform (RBP) auction.
Gazprom has a long-term reservation of Ukrainian capacities in the volume of 40 billion cubic meters for 2021, which is equal to 110 million cubic meters per day.
The Russian gas company booked extra transit capacities for March via RBP on Monday. It requested 14.2 mcm per day of the offered 15 mcm per day. The auction result was the same for February.
From February 1 to 13, Gazprom pumped an average of 119.1 mcm per day through Ukraine, with a minimum amount of 115.4 mcm and a maximum of 121 mcm.
In January 2021, the company transported 124.51 mcm per day on average through Ukraine, and in December – 182.63 mcm per day.
The Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine and Intelmax have signed documents for opening a representative office of Intelmax Management Consulting (Abu Dhabi, the UAE) in Ukraine and cooperation on creating a platform for intellectual property exchange.
“Intelmax Management Consulting plans to open a representative office in Ukraine. A memorandum was signed between the Ministry of Digital Development and Intelmax during the visit of the president of Ukraine to the United Arab Emirates,” Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Digital Transformation of Ukraine Mykhailo Fedorov wrote on Facebook.
According to him, the document also provides for the introduction of blockchain technologies into government processes and services.
“Ukraine is moving forward, making a digital revolution in all government institutions. Therefore, the implementation of blockchain-based solutions is an important stage in development,” Intelmax said.
It notes that within the framework of cooperation, the parties will also consider the possibility of introducing a national Ukrainian stablecoin based on the Fantom blockchain with targeting and distribution of social and business benefits.
Intelmax IP Exchange is an online platform for the quick sale and purchase of intellectual property assets. The platform is based on the Fantom blockchain, which provides increased levels of security, efficiency and transparency.
