For the first time since the start of the full-scale war, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has provided the Kernel agricultural holding with $45 million in financing for a renewable energy project. The decision was approved by the bank’s Board of Directors and signed during the Ukraine-EU Business Summit in Brussels.
According to a statement from Kernel’s Communications, PR, and GR Department, the total cost of the project is estimated at $86 million. In addition to the EBRD, negotiations are ongoing with other international lenders, and Kernel will finance the remaining investment. The European Union will provide partial coverage of the first-loss risk under the Investment Facility for Ukraine (UIF).
The project involves the construction of a 106 MW solar power plant (SPP) in southern Ukraine and the installation of energy storage systems. The facility is expected to generate approximately 141 GWh of electricity from renewable sources annually and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 82,500 tons. Once the transmission line is completed, the plant will be integrated into Ukraine’s Unified Energy System (UES) and will supply “green” electricity to the domestic market.
“The development of ‘green’ energy is one of Kernel’s key investment priorities. Today, Ukraine is acutely feeling a shortage of power generation, as large facilities remain vulnerable to attacks. Our response to these challenges is the development of distributed generation, particularly solar and wind power, as well as the implementation of energy storage systems. Connecting new capacity to the power grid is Kernel’s contribution to the stability and energy security of the entire country,” said Kernel CEO Yevgen Osipov.
Overall, Kernel’s strategy involves building a portfolio of green energy projects with a total capacity of up to 600 MW. The expected investment in this area is approximately $400 million.
The Ukraine Investment Framework (UIF) is an investment mechanism under the EU’s €50 billion Ukraine Facility program, aimed at rebuilding and modernizing Ukraine’s economy. Under the UIF, EBRD financing is backed by EU guarantees through the HI-BAR program, which reduces risks for investors and helps attract funding for renewable energy and climate technology projects.
Kernel Agri-Holding is the world’s largest producer and exporter of sunflower oil, Ukraine’s largest grain exporter, an operator of an extensive network of logistics assets, and a leading producer of grains and oilseeds in Ukraine. It is one of the largest producers and sellers of bottled oil in Ukraine. It is engaged in the cultivation and sale of agricultural products.
The Optima hotel chain is opening its fourth hotel in Zhytomyr, according to the operator’s press service.
It is specified that the “Zhytomyr by Optima” hotel will begin operations on June 1, 2026. It is located on the fifth through eighth floors of the renovated “Zhytomyr” business center at 6 Pobedy Square. The hotel has 105 rooms.
The four lower floors of the business center are designated for offices, with a total area of 4,000 square meters. In addition to offices ranging from 17 to 36 square meters, the complex includes conference spaces with a total area of over 500 square meters.
The Optima Hotels & Resorts chain comprises more than 60 hotels in Ukraine. Until 2023, the chain operated under the Reikartz Hotels & Resorts brand; since 2020, with the help of Turkish shareholders, it has also opened hotels in Kazakhstan, Georgia, and Uzbekistan. In the summer of 2023, Turkish shareholders acquired the Reikartz brand from the Ukrainian company to develop it in Turkey and Central Asia. In Ukraine, the hotel chain was rebranded in 2023 under the new name Optima Hotels & Resorts.
Optima Hotel Management LLC was established in 2008. According to Opendatabot, the company’s shareholders are Vladimir Kashutin (Lviv, 99.9%) and Andrey Dema (Kyiv, 0.1%). Kashutin is listed as the ultimate beneficiary. However, until 2019, the beneficiaries were listed as Russian citizens Yuri Vasin, Leonid Lavrentiev, and Timur Rodionov.
According to the financial results for 2025, the company’s net loss amounted to 40,097,000 UAH, compared to a net loss of 847,000 UAH in 2024. Meanwhile, revenue grew by 55.45% to 809.36 million UAH.
According to a survey conducted in March 2026 by the research firm Active Group in collaboration with the Experts Club information and analytical center, perceptions of Thailand within Ukrainian society are characterized by a high degree of neutrality and a moderately positive overall balance. The share of positive assessments stands at 29.2%, forming the basis of a cautiously favorable attitude; however, the dominant category is neutral responses—62.7%.
The structure of positive perceptions demonstrates that emotional engagement with Thailand is limited. Only 9.6% of respondents expressed a “completely positive” attitude, while 19.6% chose the “mostly positive” option. This indicates the presence of a generally positive backdrop, which, however, lacks a deep or lasting emotional foundation.
The key feature is the dominance of neutrality. The 62.7% figure means that for most Ukrainians, Thailand remains a country without a clearly formed image. This situation is typically associated with limited information exchange, a lack of active political or economic interaction, and the country’s weak presence in the Ukrainian media landscape.
Negative assessments are minimal—only 4.2% overall. Of these, 3.3% represent a “mostly negative” attitude and 0.9% a “completely negative” one. This indicates the absence of systemic factors shaping a negative image of the country and confirms the generally neutral-positive nature of perceptions.
Another 4.0% of respondents were undecided. Combined with the high proportion of neutral responses, this creates a significant segment of the audience that is sensitive to informational influences and potentially open to a change in attitude.
In summary, Thailand appears in the perception of Ukrainians as a country without a clearly defined emotional profile: with a low level of negativity, moderate positivity, and a dominant neutrality. This means that the country’s image in Ukraine is more of a “blank slate” that can change depending on the intensity of communication, cultural presence, and the development of bilateral contacts.
According to a study conducted by the Experts Club information and analytical center based on data from the State Customs Service, Thailand ranks 47th in total trade volume with Ukraine, which amounts to $368.4 million. At the same time, imports from Thailand exceed exports of Ukrainian goods by more than five times, resulting in a negative bilateral trade balance of $250.6 million.
The study was presented at the Interfax-Ukraine press center; the video can be viewed on the agency’s YouTube channel. The full version of the study can be found at this link on the Experts Club analytical center’s website.
ACTIVE GROUP, EXPERTS CLUB, Pozniy, SOCIOLOGY, SURVEY, THAILAND, UKRAINE, URAKIN
The first Ukrainian patients have begun treatment for prostate cancer with an innovative Bayer drug, which was approved in September 2025.
As the company told the “Interfax-Ukraine” news agency, the drug is currently available to patients. Its efficacy and safety profile have been confirmed by international clinical trials.
Prostate cancer remains one of the most common cancers among men.
As reported, Bayer forecasts growth in its pharmaceutical business starting in 2027, with an increase in operating margin to 30% by 2030. Additionally, the company plans to develop five key therapeutic areas, including cardiology—specifically secondary stroke prevention—comprehensive treatment of chronic kidney disease, oncology—including treatment of metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer—women’s health, and menopause symptom management.
The international company Bayer operates in the healthcare and agriculture sectors. In fiscal year 2025, the Bayer Group employed over 88,000 people, and sales exceeded EUR 45.6 billion. R&D expenditures, excluding special items, reached over EUR 5.8 billion.
Bayer Ukraine is part of the global Bayer AG group, headquartered in Leverkusen, Germany. The company has been operating in Ukraine since 1992. It is represented by the following divisions: Pharmaceuticals, Consumer Health, and Agriculture.
According to a survey conducted in March 2026 by the research firm Active Group in collaboration with the Experts Club information and analytical center, perceptions of Slovenia within Ukrainian society are distinctly balanced but reserved. The overall share of positive assessments stands at 40.6%, forming the basis of a generally favorable, though not dominant, image of the country. At the same time, nearly half of the respondents—48.0%—adopted a neutral stance, which is a key characteristic of this profile.
The structure of positive attitudes indicates a moderate level of emotional engagement. Only 10.5% of Ukrainians reported a “completely positive” attitude toward Slovenia, while the majority in this segment—30.1%—lean toward the “mostly positive” option. This means that the positive sentiment is more rational and general than deeply emotional.
Neutrality, which accounts for nearly half of the respondents, is the defining factor in the perception of the country. Such a figure typically indicates a limited informational presence of the state in the Ukrainian media landscape or the absence of a clearly formed image among the general public. In this context, Slovenia evokes neither strong sympathy nor significant rejection.
Negative assessments remain relatively low—7.0% overall. Of these, 5.8% represent a “mostly negative” attitude and only 1.2% a “completely negative” one. This indicates that critical perceptions of the country are marginal and not systemic in nature.
It is worth noting the share of those who were undecided—4.4%. Together with the neutral group, this forms a significant segment of the audience that is potentially open to changing its attitude depending on the informational context and the intensity of contacts between the countries.
In summary, Slovenia is perceived by Ukrainians as a country with a positive, though not dominant, image. The high level of neutrality indicates room for strengthening the bilateral image, while the low level of negativity creates a favorable foundation for further development of perceptions in a more positive direction.
According to a study conducted by the Experts Club information and analytical center based on data from the State Customs Service, Slovenia ranks 46th in total trade volume of goods with Ukraine, with a figure of $368.7 million. At the same time, imports from Slovenia are more than three times higher than Ukrainian exports, resulting in a trade deficit of $205.8 million.
The study was presented at the Interfax-Ukraine press center; the video can be viewed on the agency’s YouTube channel. The full version of the study can be found at this link on the Experts Club analytical center’s website.
ACTIVE GROUP, EXPERTS CLUB, Pozniy, SLOVENIA, SOCIOLOGY, SURVEY, UKRAINE, URAKIN
The Antimonopoly Committee of Ukraine (AMCU) has granted approval to Olimp LLC to acquire control over the assets of ADM Ukraine LLC in the form of a single property complex (grain elevator), the agency announced on Facebook.
According to the regulator, the facility in question provides grain storage services.
According to market participants, the subject of the deal is the “Kam’yansky” grain elevator in the Cherkasy region. The facility has a storage capacity of 64,000 tons in metal silos and floor storage facilities.
Once the deal is finalized, ADM Ukraine will effectively have no remaining grain storage assets in Ukraine. The company previously lost control of the “Tavriysky” elevator due to Russia’s military aggression.
Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) is an American agribusiness corporation headquartered in Chicago, operating in 200 countries. The company specializes in the production of food ingredients, animal feed, and biofuels, as well as in the processing, storage, and logistics of agricultural products. Its product portfolio includes grains, oilseeds, flour, starches, vegetable fats, and logistics services through its ADM Logistics division. In Ukraine, the corporation is represented by ADM Ukraine LLC.
OLIMP LLC is a Ukrainian agribusiness company with a land bank of 36,000 hectares in the Zhytomyr, Kirovohrad, and Cherkasy regions. It specializes in crop production (corn, wheat, soybeans, sunflowers), livestock farming, processing, and trading. Its asset portfolio includes six processing facilities (mills, bakeries, canning plants), the “Olimp” and “Olimp-Agro” grain elevators, as well as the Kamyansky Machine-Building Plant. According to data from the YouControl analytical system, the company’s beneficial owners are Volodymyr Hetsko and Yuriy Moskalyk.
