The state-owned Ukrgasbank (Kyiv) has granted Zaporizhia a loan of UAH 300 million for the creation of distributed energy generation facilities and other energy-saving measures, according to a statement posted on its website on Monday.
The bank told the Interfax-Ukraine news agency that the loan is for a period of seven years.
According to a statement on the bank’s website, the funds will be used to build distributed energy generation facilities in the city and implement energy-saving measures at key critical infrastructure facilities.
It is also noted that the loan, which will be received by municipal enterprises and institutions of the city, will enable them to ensure their own electricity production for technological and domestic needs, to function stably during power outages, to power critical infrastructure facilities and social institutions, and to use the heat energy produced for the needs of residents within the created energy islands.
According to Boris Rozsokha, deputy director of the economic development department of the Zaporizhzhia City Council and head of the energy management and investment department, whose words are quoted in the report, the use of cogeneration plants will ensure more efficient use of fuel, reduce carbon and other harmful emissions into the atmosphere, and will also minimize losses inherent in traditional electricity generation.
As reported, state-owned Ukreximbank, Oschabank, and Ukrgasbank (all based in Kyiv) issued loans ranging from two to five years for approximately UAH 2.04 billion in the equivalent of five city councils at floating rates, including UAH 200 million to the Zaporizhzhia City Council.
Algeria has officially launched a national initiative to attract foreign students, opening the country to those who wish to pursue higher education in the North African state. In April 2025, the Algerian government launched the digital platform STUDY IN ALGERIA — studyinalgeria.dz, which is part of an ambitious strategy to modernize and internationalize higher education.
University system and infrastructure
As of 2025, there are over 130 public and private higher education institutions in Algeria, evenly distributed throughout the country. They offer:
Studies are available in Arabic, French, or English, depending on the field of study and the institution chosen.
The Algerian education system (LMD)
The Algerian higher education system is based on the European LMD model, which includes:
Social protection and living conditions
Foreign students are provided with:
Simplified visa application
Algeria guarantees flexible visa procedures for foreign students, allowing them to complete the admission process as quickly as possible.
The platform studyinalgeria.dz allows you to:
Reference: the state of Algeria
Algeria has clearly established itself as a new educational destination on the global map. The STUDY IN ALGERIA program is an attempt to combine affordable quality education, cultural diversity, and a strategic geographical location for the future generation of professionals from around the world.
ALGERIA, higher education institution, STUDY, UNIVERSITY, СТУДЕНТ
The total area of residential buildings for which construction permits were issued (new construction) in January-March 2025 increased by 53.4% compared to the same period in 2024, reaching 1 million 409.8 thousand square meters, according to the State Statistics Service (Gosstat).
According to the statistics agency, in January-March 2025, the total area of new construction of apartment buildings increased by 54% compared to last year, to 1 million 360.2 thousand square meters.
The number of apartments registered for construction in the first quarter of 2025 reached 22,700, which is 36% more than in the first quarter of 2024. Of these, the number of apartments registered in apartment buildings increased by 64.4% to 16,200.
According to State Statistics Service data, the Kyiv region led in terms of new housing construction in January-March 2025, with 594,600 square meters, which is 4.3 times higher than in January-March last year. At the same time, 7,700 apartments were registered in multi-apartment buildings in the capital, and 1,500 in single-family homes.
Significant volumes of new housing construction were also recorded in the Lviv region – 248,000 square meters (2,200 apartments in multi-apartment buildings and 848 in single-family homes), which is 15.8% higher than last year.
In Kyiv, in the first quarter of 2025, the total area of new housing construction increased by 17% to 145,300 square meters (a total of 1,700 apartments).
The State Statistics Service reminds that the figures do not include territories temporarily occupied by the Russian Federation and parts of territories where hostilities are ongoing (or have been ongoing).
As reported, the total area of new housing construction in Ukraine in 2024 decreased by 7.2% compared to 2023, to 3.9 million square meters, while in 2023 it amounted to 4.2 million square meters, in 2022 – 6.67 million square meters, and in 2021 – 12.7 million square meters.
In Ukraine, despite the difficult situation and general pressure on the market, the construction of new elevators and the expansion of existing capacities continues, and demand for construction is not decreasing, according to the press service of KMZ Industries (Karlivsky Machine-Building Plant, KMZ, Poltava region).
“Speaking about us, when comparing the beginning of June 2024 and 2025, the increase in orders is about 15-17%. Quite a large number of our potential customers already have design solutions, sites for construction or expansion of existing facilities, and ready estimates, but are waiting for the security situation to improve (in the northern and eastern regions) or at least for some stability,” said Alexander Nebesky, commercial director of the company.
According to him, the company currently has 173 small, medium, and large projects in the pipeline. Most of the customers are located in western Ukraine, but there are also a number of customers from the Kyiv, Cherkasy, and Kirovohrad regions.
Nebesky noted that over the past two seasons, there has been a trend toward investment in the construction of elevators by processors or farmers who want to enter the processing business. Grain storage facilities are being built for joint operation with processing enterprises, feed mills, and bioethanol plants.
At the same time, farmers continue to build their own elevator facilities. Whereas large agricultural holdings previously dominated construction, this trend is now gaining popularity among medium and small agricultural enterprises.
“The number of farmers building their own grain storage facilities is growing. This allows them to store their harvest at a more favorable price and reduce their dependence on third-party elevators. Some farmers also provide storage services to other farmers located nearby,” Nebesky concluded.
KMZ Industries is the largest manufacturer of elevator equipment in Ukraine and produces a full range of products, including silos, grain dryers, transport equipment, and separators, as well as providing automation and installation services.
According to the company, it has built more than 5,000 facilities. KMZ Industries silos with a total volume of more than 12.5 million cubic meters are currently in operation.
Ukrzaliznytsia (UZ) will revise prices for a number of goods sold on long-distance trains for the first time since 2018. The changes will take effect on June 18, 2025, the company said.
“In particular, the price of a cup of classic tea will increase from 10 UAH to 20 UAH, which, according to market price analysis, will still remain significantly below the average market price. However, this increase will allow the railway to at least cover the operating costs associated with the sale of these products,” the company said in a statement on its Facebook page on Tuesday.
As emphasized by Ukrzaliznytsia, this will be the first price increase since 2018, while the cost of raw materials, energy, logistics, and the inflation index (consumer prices) have shown steady growth throughout the period.
It is emphasized that the price revision will be up to 20 UAH and will affect carbonated and non-carbonated water, instant coffee and 3-in-1 coffee drinks, while boiling water will remain free of charge. Prices for all beverages on Intercity+ high-speed trains, as well as for hot meals as part of a pilot project on long-distance trains, remain unchanged.
“Important: Ukrzaliznytsia continues to keep ticket prices for the social segment of passenger transportation unchanged since the beginning of the full-scale invasion,” the company emphasized.
In comments to the post, passengers suggested automatically including the cost of drinks to maintain demand. In response to the suggestion, Ukrzaliznytsia noted that both bed linen and drinks are optional extras, and the company does not plan to force passengers to purchase goods. The company believes that: “passengers should have the choice to refuse or add services.”
In addition, one of the flights is testing the possibility of paying for additional services by card and hopes to quickly expand this option to other routes.
Ukrzaliznytsia reminded that three types of classic tea, three types of signature tea, capsule and drip coffee, as well as an updated range of snacks are currently available on trains. Passengers on international trains are offered a dessert menu, children’s carriages have a special children’s menu from restaurateur Yevgen Klopotenko, and four long-distance trains are testing full lunches: deruny, pilaf, potatoes with chicken, and syrniki.
The National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) forecasts that in 2025, the loan portfolio of banks will grow by 20–25%, which will allow balancing investments in government bonds, said First Deputy Governor of the NBU Kateryna Rozhkova.
“We expect that in 2025, the loan portfolio will grow at a rate of around 20-25%, which will balance investments in government bonds,” she said during the presentation of the financial stability report on Tuesday.
She noted that the share of the loan portfolio in the structure of bank balance sheets is growing, and the regulator hopes that this trend will continue.
“Based on an analysis of the real sector and corporate balance sheets, we see that in terms of business credit metrics, such as solvency, debt-to-revenue ratio, and debt service-to-income ratio, the vast majority of companies are in good shape,” Rozhkova said.
This indicates that businesses have managed to adapt and recover, thanks in part to support from government programs. As a result, most companies now look attractive to banks as potential borrowers, explained the first deputy head of the NBU.
At the same time, she noted that consumer demand is insufficient for rapid economic growth, and that the willingness of businesses to invest in production currently plays a key role. The state is also a significant source of effective demand, particularly through its defense needs, which fuel the economy and lending.
“Currently, all the conditions that exist in the market today and the banking sector, which can provide credit support, want to do so and have the resources to do so. According to a bank survey, demand for loans from businesses is at around 30% growth,” Rozhkova emphasized.
She noted that the regulator is observing an increase in the share of loans with maturities of one to three years in the loan portfolio of banks, which indicates an increase in the volume of longer-term financing, which is often of an investment nature, particularly with regard to new loans.
As reported, members of the NBU’s Monetary Policy Committee noted that interest rates on business loans have risen but remain at pre-crisis levels, and banks’ loan portfolios continue to grow steadily.
According to the NBU, in May, the volume of loans increased by 1.8%, or by UAH 21 billion, to UAH 1 trillion 186.3 billion, while deposits decreased by 0.4%, or by UAH 10.3 billion, to UAH 2 trillion 804.8 billion.
