Ambassador Shri Harsh Kumar Jain handed over the 15th consignment of humanitarian aid from the Government and people of India, comprising ten 30 KVA generators, to Ms. Nataliya Lipska, Director of the “Kryla Nadiyi” Charitable Fund, in the presence of H.E. Mr. Maksym Kozytskyy, Head of the Lviv Regional State Administration, at the Lviv State Lyceum, on 19 January 2024.
The aid was provided at the request of Lviv Regional State Administration. Mr. Kozytskyy thanked the Government and people of India, on behalf of the people of the region, for responding to his request. He informed that the generators will be provided to eight educational institutions in the region to support their educational process.
Speaking on the occasion, Ambassador stated that India accords high priority to providing humanitarian assistance to the people of Ukraine, during this difficult time, keeping in line with the human centric approach of the Government of India, a central tenet of India’s national beliefs and values, which perceive the whole world as one family.
He reiterated Government of India’s commitment to continue to provide humanitarian support to the people of Ukraine as conveyed by India’s Prime Minister H.E. Shri Narendra Modi to President of Ukraine H.E. Mr. Volodymyr Zelenskyy during their meeting in Hiroshima in May 2023.
Government of India has previously provided 14 consignments of humanitarian aid to Ukraine and its neighboring countries as well as financial assistance to Kyiv Gymnasium of Oriental Language No. 1 for its project of reconstruction, remodeling and refurbishment of some of the rooms and Ukraine-India Association for its program aimed at restoration of psychological health of youth and children.
PJSC Ukrnafta has increased its reserves by 330 thousand tons of oil and 618 million cubic meters of gas by expanding the boundaries of two existing special permits, the company’s press service reports.
According to the company, the reason for expanding the boundaries of the special permits is to bring their size to the contours of the field’s productive deposits.
The subsoil area of the first special permit now amounts to 18.33 square kilometers, which is 23.1% more than the previously granted area. Total reserves increased by 217 thousand tons of oil and condensate and 232 million cubic meters of gas.
The area of the second license increased by 16.3% to 41.75 square kilometers. Total reserves increased by 113 thousand tons of condensate and 386 million cubic meters of gas.
“By 2023, the company has expanded the boundaries of special permits only twice. I thank the company’s employees who prepared and submitted the necessary applications and packages of documents to the State Service of Geology and Subsoil of Ukraine, after which the relevant orders were received, thus increasing the opportunities for resource extraction,” said Sergiy Koretsky, CEO of Ukrnafta.
As reported, in 2023, Ukrnafta increased oil and condensate production by 3% (by 39.9 thousand tons) compared to 2022 – up to 1 million 409.9 thousand tons, gas production by 5.8% (by 60.4 million cubic meters), up to 1 billion 97.4 million cubic meters.
“Ukrnafta’s strategic goal is to double its oil and natural gas production to 3 million tons and 2 billion cubic meters by 2027, respectively.
“Ukrnafta is Ukraine’s largest oil producer and operator of a national network of 537 filling stations, of which 456 are in operation.
Ukrnafta’s largest shareholder is Naftogaz of Ukraine with a 50%+1 share. On November 5, 2022, the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine decided to transfer the corporate rights of the company owned by private owners, which is now managed by the Ministry of Defense, to the state.
Net sales of dollars by the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) this week dropped to $530.9 million from $673.3 million a week earlier, according to data on the regulator’s website on Friday.
According to the data, in the first half of this week, for which the central bank has already published data, purchases of foreign currency by bank clients increased from $205.3 million on Monday to $239.6 million on Wednesday.
The official hryvnia exchange rate weakened by only 9 kopecks over the first two days to 37.9247 UAH/$1 on Tuesday, after which it began to strengthen: by 3 kopecks on Wednesday, and then by 19 kopecks and 18 kopecks on Thursday and Friday, respectively. As a result, the official hryvnia exchange rate at the end of the week amounted to 37.5268 UAH/$1.
According to Raiffeisen Bank’s chief dealer Serhiy Zarytsky, the maximum hryvnia appreciation recorded on Friday on the interbank market was 37.5050 UAH/$1, while the dollar peaked at 37.68 UAH/$1.
The banker noted that the trading volume on Bloomberg on Friday increased slightly compared to Thursday: $159 million versus $130 million.
“The NBU, as always, controls the situation and continues to meet the needs of buyers. At present, the NBU’s interventions do not exceed the established volumes of structural demand,” Zarytsky emphasized.
According to his personal estimates, the regulator sold an amount ranging from $120 million to $150 million at the auction.
On Friday, the reference value of the exchange rate set by the National Bank at 12:00 increased by 23 kopecks to 37.5399 UAH/$1.
Since Monday, the hryvnia has strengthened by 0.8%, or 31 kopecks, and by 1.3%, or about 48 kopecks, compared to the exchange rate at the beginning of this year. Its weakening since the National Bank switched to managed flexibility on October 3, 2023, has decreased to 2.6%, or 92 kopecks.
On the cash market on Friday, the hryvnia strengthened by 0.4% to 38.25 UAH/$1, and by 1.6% or 61 kopecks since Monday.
According to the NBU’s monthly surveys, exchange rate expectations for the next year have deteriorated slightly. In particular, in October 2023, banks expected the exchange rate to be 41.16 UAH/$1 in the next 12 months, while the updated January forecast indicates that the hryvnia is expected to devalue by 0.4% to 41.31 UAH/$1. For their part, financial analysts have revised their forecast a little more significantly: they expect the hryvnia to depreciate by 0.5% to 40.29 UAH/$1 in December 2023, compared to their previous forecast.
As reported, in December, the NBU’s net sales increased to about $3.57 billion from $2.46 billion in November, $3.34 billion in October, and $2.69 billion in September. Last month, the Ministry of Finance attracted $5 billion in external financing, which increased international reserves by 4.4% in December to $40 billion 507.9 million, the second highest level in history after July 2023.
The meeting between Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal and Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico will take place on Wednesday, January 24, in Uzhhorod, Slovak media outlet Denník N reported on Saturday.
“…on Wednesday morning, I am in Ukraine with Shmyhal,” Fico said, speaking about his work plans for the coming week.
The publication reports that “Fico will meet with the Prime Minister of Ukraine in Uzhhorod.”
As noted, in early December, Fico already had a telephone conversation with his Ukrainian counterpart. He summarized the content of the phone call in his Facebook status, saying that he “makes it impossible to supply weapons” but “supports the European perspective of Ukraine and Moldova, but together with the countries of the Western Balkans.” Fico also stated that Slovakia is interested in “helping Ukraine in the humanitarian and civilian sphere.”
Fico also reportedly noted the reluctance of the Ukrainian side to hold a press conference.
Last week, it was reported that Ukrainian Prime Minister Shmyhal also announced a meeting with Slovak Prime Minister Fico in the coming weeks to “discuss all the pressing issues and remove possible obstacles to the implementation of the Ukraine Facility.”
Forecast of dynamics of changes in Ukrainian GDP in % for 2022-2025 in relation to previous period
Source: Open4Business.com.ua and experts.news
In 2023, Ukrainian companies increased imports of copper and copper products by 2.2 times in value compared to 2022, to $140.795 million.
According to customs statistics released by the State Customs Service of Ukraine, exports of copper and copper products decreased by 20.1% to $72.078 million during this period.
In December, the company imported copper worth $20.856 million and exported $6.906 million.
In addition, in 2023, Ukraine reduced imports of nickel and products by 74.2% compared to 2022, to $15.391 million ($1.025 million in December), and increased imports of aluminum and aluminum products by 7.7%, to $366.463 million ($31.951 million).
At the same time, it reduced imports of lead and lead products by 65.2% to $989 thousand ($70 thousand), imports of tin and tin products by 23% to $2.728 million ($310 thousand), but increased imports of zinc and zinc products by 18.8% to $45.966 million ($3.665 million).
Exports of aluminum and aluminum products last year increased by 0.7% compared to 2022 to $97.616 million ($8.433 million in December), lead and lead products increased by 23.5% to $14.778 million ($704 thousand), nickel and nickel products amounted to $532 thousand ($24 thousand), while in 2022 it was $1.268 million.
Zinc was exported abroad in 2023 for $130 thousand ($13 thousand in December) against $1.331 million in 2022. Exports of tin and tin products amounted to $159 thousand (up $79 thousand in December) against $424 thousand in 2022.
As reported, in 2022, Ukrainian enterprises reduced imports of copper and copper products in value terms by 64.3% compared to the previous year to $65.370 million, while their exports decreased by 56.3% to $90.245 million.
In addition, in 2022, Ukraine reduced imports of nickel and nickel products by 49.9% compared to 2021, to $59.754 million, and aluminum and aluminum products by 33.4%, to $340.398 million. At the same time, it reduced imports of lead and lead products by 66.6%, to $2.839 million.
Imports of tin and tin products fell by 33.5% to $3.312 million, and imports of zinc and zinc products decreased by 58.7% to $38.690 million.
In 2022, exports of aluminum and aluminum products decreased by 42.7% compared to 2021, to $96.972 million, lead and lead products – by 68.7%, to $11.970 million, and nickel and nickel products – by 73.9%, to $1.268 million.
Zinc exports in 2022 amounted to $1.331 million, while in 2021 they amounted to $550 thousand. Exports of tin and products in 2022 amounted to $424 thousand, compared to $346 thousand in the previous year.
