According to the Ukrainian portal Delo.ua, Uzbekistan has become one of the largest foreign buyers of Ukrainian sugar based on the results of the first three quarters of the current marketing year. During this period, Ukraine exported 504,000 tons of sugar, with the Uzbek market accounting for 12% of all shipments.
According to information from Ukrtsukor, the main importers of Ukrainian sugar also include Lebanon (21%), European Union countries (18%), and Syria (14%). In total, about half of the exported product was sent to countries in the Middle East.
Experts note that the increase in shipments to Uzbekistan indicates the strengthening of the republic’s role as one of the key markets for Ukrainian sugar in Central Asia. The rise in demand is attributed, in particular, to changes in logistics routes and a reduction in sugar shipments from the United Arab Emirates to countries in the region.
At the same time, Uzbekistan remains one of the leading buyers of other Ukrainian agricultural products. According to data from the State Customs Service of Ukraine, in January–April 2026, the republic ranked second among importers of Ukrainian frozen beef. Uzbekistan accounted for 28.1% of total exports of this product, trailing only Azerbaijan (39.1%) and ahead of China (11.2%).
In May, 2,652 electric vehicles (new and used) were added to Ukraine’s vehicle fleet, which is 57% less than in May 2025 and 12% less than in April of this year, Ukravtoprom reported on its Telegram channel.
As previously reported, in April of this year, initial registrations of electric vehicles showed a 49% increase compared to March 2026, although compared to April 2025, they fell by 48%—to 3,007 units.
According to Ukravtoprom, in May, passenger cars traditionally accounted for the majority of registered electric vehicles—2,495 units (of which 466 were new and 2,029 were used), while only ten of the 157 commercial electric vehicles were new.
The most popular new electric vehicles in May were the BYD Sea Lion 06—64 units (73 units in April of this year), the BYD Leopard 3—57 units (96 units), the Zeekr 7X – 39 units, the Toyota bZ4X – 30 units (neither of which made the top five in April), and the Volkswagen ID.UNYX – 24 units (36 units).
Among used vehicles, the most frequently registered for the first time were the Nissan Leaf – 310 units (345 units in April of this year); the Tesla Model Y – 262 units (283 units); the Tesla Model 3 – 199 units (265 units); Chevrolet Bolt – 100 units (117 units) and KIA Niro EV – 89 units.
As reported, following a slump at the beginning of this year, demand for electric vehicles began to gradually recover over the previous two months, and the rate of decline slowed compared to the same periods last year, particularly against the backdrop of rising fuel prices (gasoline and diesel) at gas stations; however, the trend shifted somewhat in May.
Ukraine’s vehicle fleet was expanded by 110,200 electric vehicles in 2025—twice as many as the previous year. The share of new vehicles was 20% compared to 24% in 2024.
In particular, in December—the last month of VAT-free customs clearance for electric vehicles—demand for them increased 8.6-fold compared to December 2024, reaching 32,800 units.
Ukrainian steelmakers reduced steel production by 6.12% in January–May of this year compared to the same period last year, down to 2.875 million tons.
According to data from the Ukrmetallurgprom association, 629,400 tons of steel were produced in May, 517,300 tons in April, 702,300 tons in March, in February—515,000 tons, and in January—511,100 tons.
As reported, Ukraine’s steel companies reduced steel production by 2.2% in 2025—to 7.409 million tons.
In 2024, Ukraine increased steel production by 21.6% compared to 2023—to 7.575 million tons. In 2023, steel production decreased by 0.6% to 6.228 million tons, and in 2022, by 70.7% to 6.263 million tons.
In 2021, before the war, 21.366 million tons of steel were produced, or 103.6% of the 2020 level.
Men who have children, on average, perform better on certain cognitive tests and have a lower estimated brain age compared to childless men, according to a study published in *Scientific Reports*.
The study authors analyzed data from 303,196 participants in the UK Biobank of European descent who had no brain or nervous system diseases. The researchers compared results from tests of reaction time and visual memory, and separately examined MRI data from 13,584 individuals to assess what is known as relative brain age.
According to the study, having children was associated with faster reaction times and fewer errors on visual memory tests in both women and men. The most pronounced difference was observed in participants with two or three children compared to those without children.
For men with two children, the estimated brain age was on average 0.6 years younger than that of childless men, and for men with three children, it was 0.7 years younger. For women with two children, the brain appeared on average 0.5 years younger, and for those with three children, 0.7 years younger.
The researchers emphasize that this is an association, not a proven cause-and-effect relationship. In their assessment, the results may be influenced not only by parenting responsibilities themselves but also by lifestyle factors associated with having children: social activity, daily cognitive load, emotional support, routine, reduced alcohol or tobacco use, and other variables.
The authors also note that the effect did not increase linearly with the number of children. In men, the relationship was U-shaped: the most pronounced differences were observed among fathers of two or three children, whereas with more children, the effect was less clear-cut.
Additional research in this area suggests that caring for others may be associated with a younger brain age. Specifically, a study published in 2025 in Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience showed a lower estimated brain age among grandmothers and caregivers of people with dementia compared to a control group.
Scientists see a possible explanation in the fact that caring for a child or another person requires constant shifting of attention, planning, memory, emotional control, and social interaction. Such a workload may serve as a kind of training for the brain, although further research is needed to confirm a causal effect.
Data from the Harvard Study of Adult Development also point to the importance of social connections for health and longevity.
The project’s researchers noted that people with warmer and more stable relationships live longer on average and maintain better health, while social isolation is associated with higher risks to physical and mental well-being.
Thus, parenthood may be one of the factors associated with a more active social and cognitive life. However, the researchers do not claim that having children in and of itself guarantees healthier brain aging. The study shows a statistical association that must be considered alongside lifestyle, health, stress levels, income, education, and the quality of social relationships.
The European publication EU Reporter has retracted a previously published article about the alleged supply of aviation equipment to Russia and apologized to the companies mentioned in the article, specifically to the Emirati firm Aeroparts AOG LTD.
The article in question, dated April 30, 2026, was titled “Sanctions spotlight: Kyrgyzstan, UAE networks, and the global supply chain of aircraft equipment to Russia.” Following a request from representatives of Aerospace Technical Services Co. Ltd. (ATS), Aeroparts AOG, Royal Aircraft Maintenance Company (RAMC), and their affiliates, the EU Reporter editorial team conducted an internal review of the materials used in preparing the publication.
Based on the results of the review, EU Reporter concluded that some of the information and supporting materials provided to the editorial team were unreliable and inauthentic. Consequently, the article was removed from the website.
EU Reporter acknowledged that the material should not have been published in its original form, and that the claims regarding ATS, Aeroparts AOG, RAMC, Golden Falcon Aviation, Casper Aviation, and their affiliates were not properly verified or balanced.
The publication also acknowledged the statements by the aforementioned parties regarding their non-involvement in illegal, sanctioned, or improper activities.
“To the extent that the article may have caused harm, led to misunderstandings, or resulted in reputational damage to the parties concerned, EU Reporter regrets this outcome and apologizes to the affected parties,” the publication noted in its clarification.
In a comment to the news portal “Ukraine in Arabic,” Imad El Eddin, a representative of Aeroparts AOG LTD, stated that the company views the retraction of the EU Reporter article as a first step toward restoring its business reputation. According to him, Aeroparts AOG LTD insists on further refuting the inaccurate information on other resources that reprinted or disseminated the allegations based on the retracted article.
He also emphasized that Aeroparts AOG LTD did not provide support or cooperate with companies involved in military conflicts, particularly against Ukraine.
According to monitoring by “Ukraine in Arabic,” as of June 4, 2026, there was no information on the official web portal of the State Sanctions Register of Ukraine regarding the application of restrictive measures against Aeroparts AOG LTD or its representative Imad El Eddin.
The company believes that the dissemination of false information may be linked to the actions of unscrupulous competitors. Aeroparts AOG LTD reported that it had provided the editorial staff of “Ukraine in Arabic” with documents which, according to the company, confirm the forgery of stamps and signatures in contracts that were circulated online as purported company documents.
EU Reporter stated in its clarification that following this incident, it reviewed its internal editorial procedures for verifying information.
Source: EU Reporter, “Ukraine in Arabic”.
