Chinese New Year (Spring Festival) in 2026 will fall on February 17. The holiday marks the beginning of the Year of the Horse according to the Chinese zodiac.
According to estimates, the holiday period is traditionally accompanied by the world’s largest seasonal migration: billions of trips are expected in China as part of “chunyun” — peak travel before and after the New Year according to the lunar calendar.
The symbolism of the holiday is largely associated with the theme of good luck and protection. Red is the predominant color in the decorations – it is used in ornaments and lanterns, as well as in paired New Year’s inscriptions on doors. Gifts are often presented in red envelopes (hongbao) with money. The program of celebrations includes a family dinner on New Year’s Eve, visits to relatives, and street performances, including lion and dragon dances.
According to the calendar tradition, the celebration lasts until the 15th day and ends with the Lantern Festival, which falls on March 3 in 2026.
The State Agency for Control over Gambling and Lotteries of Ukraine (PlayCity) has decided to fine FC Dynamo (Kyiv) for violating the requirements of the legislation on advertising in the field of organization and conduct of gambling for the amount of UAH 5.2m. According to the regulator’s document dated January 26, the violation was recorded on January 16.
At the same time, the soccer club has the right to appeal the decision in court within three months, the document says.
In December, it was reported that PlayCity has decided to block more than 2,500 illegal online casino sites in the six months since the start of operations, and the amount of fines imposed on bloggers and media for illegal promotion of gambling exceeded UAH 52 million.
In addition, more than 280 pages in social networks were deleted for posting illegal gambling advertisements.
In late December, in an interview with Interfax-Ukraine, PlayCity head Gennadiy Novikov noted that in the future it is planned to differentiate fines for violations in the field of gambling advertising by the degree of public risk, in particular, the fine for advertising illegal business will be higher.
The state agency fined 4.8 million UAH for illegal gambling advertising by the Telegram channel Truha Ukraine, Ukrainian sports media Tribuna.com (registered as Sport Segodnya LLC) and online media dev.ua (Dev Ukraine LLC). The media, in their turn, announced their intention to appeal this decision. There are no court rulings on these cases yet.
Since February 2025, the state policy in the field of gambling is formed and coordinated by the Ministry of Finance. On March 21, 2025, the Cabinet of Ministers decided to create a new central executive body – PlayCity agency (PlayCity), which is officially subordinate to the Mincifra and replaced the previous regulator – the Commission for the Regulation of Gambling and Lotteries (CRAIL) from April 1.
State Enterprise “Forests of Ukraine” has proposed increasing its investment plan for 2026 to UAH 4.1 billion, of which more than UAH 2.1 billion is planned to be spent on Ukrainian-made goods and services. The updated investment program will be focused on supporting the state policy “Made in Ukraine,” according to a Facebook post by the state-owned enterprise’s CEO, Yuriy Bolokhovets.
He noted that UAH 380 million has been allocated for the purchase of firefighting equipment in the investment program of the State Forestry Agency of Ukraine. He emphasized that 95% of these funds can be received by Ukrainian enterprises that manufacture fire trucks, modules, video surveillance masts, special clothing, and equipment.
UAH 80 million has been allocated for forest restoration equipment (disc harrows, mulchers, seeders). The company is ready to allocate another UAH 100 million for the purchase of Ukrainian-made trailers, semi-trailers, and trawls.
At the same time, the CEO of Lisiv Ukrainy noted that modern logging equipment (harvesters, forwarders) is not yet produced in Ukraine, so they plan to purchase it directly from European manufacturers.
Among other investment areas, Bolokhovets mentioned the construction of forest roads, for which UAH 621 million has been allocated. The work will be carried out by the company itself or by Ukrainian contractors using local materials. In addition, the development of forest seed centers will continue, for which the state-owned enterprise has allocated UAH 270 million, 90% of which will be spent on Ukrainian goods and services.
Bolochovets added that next month, the procurement department of the state-owned enterprise “Forests of Ukraine” plans to hold a “Supplier Day.” Businesses will be presented with investment programs and procurement plans for 2026-2027 to obtain feedback on technical specifications and the level of competition.
The CEO of “Forests of Ukraine” recalled that in 2025, 72,000 enterprises took advantage of the “Made in Ukraine” state support programs.
The Franco-Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCIFU) has formed a new board of directors following the results of the general assembly and voting, the chamber announced.
The chamber noted that in the current difficult period, the energy, expertise, and goodwill of its members are particularly important for supporting its activities.
The new CCIFU board of directors includes: Ruslan Akimov (Stellantis), Bertrand Barrière (Jeantet), Mikhail Bubnov (Schneider Electric), Tatyana Chevroley (Global Distribution Ukraine), Grégoire Datte (Forvis Mazars), Laurent Dupuis (Ukrsibbank BNP Paribas Group), Marta Trush (Auchan Ukraine), and Anna Zaptalova (Yves Rocher Ukraine).
The Franco-Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce and Industry was founded in 1994 as the Association of French Business in Ukraine, and in 2011 it joined the international network of French chambers of commerce and industry.
Today, the chamber brings together more than 120 French and Ukrainian companies and positions its mission as revitalizing the French business community and supporting companies that plan to export, develop, or locate in Ukraine.
Key areas of focus include business services and project support for members, partnership development, and reconstruction initiatives. The director of CCIFU is Maud Joseph.
According to Fixygen, Ukrainian Fire Insurance Company, PJSC (UFIC) plans to hold an extraordinary general meeting of shareholders on February 6, 2026, in a remote format (poll), according to the issuer’s announcement. According to the document, voting by ballot will take place from 11:00 a.m. on January 27 to 6:00 p.m. on February 6, and the date for compiling the list of shareholders eligible to participate is February 3, 2026.
The agenda includes one item: the nomination of a candidate for the position of supervisory board member (independent director) for approval by the National Bank of Ukraine. The draft decision provides for the nomination of Oleksandr Hryshko as a candidate and instructs the chairman of the board to ensure that the approval procedure is carried out in accordance with the requirements of the NBU.
According to OpenDataBot, PJSC Ukrainian Fire Insurance Company (EDRPOU code 20602681) was registered on June 22, 1993, with a registered capital of UAH 100 million. Its main activity is other types of insurance, except life insurance. The company’s CEO is Natalia Vorobey.
Mikhail Bubnov, CEO of Schneider Electric in Ukraine, has joined the Board of Directors of the Franco-Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCIFU).
“Thank you for your trust and the opportunity to join the CCIFU Board of Directors. The Chamber plays an important role in strengthening cooperation between French and Ukrainian businesses. I hope that its activities will continue to promote dialogue between business and the state and attract international partners to the reconstruction of Ukraine,” said Mikhail Bubnov.
Among the key areas of development of the Chamber that Mykhailo Bubnov plans to focus on are strengthening cooperation with government authorities and developing a systematic public dialogue, facilitating the attraction of international financing for Chamber members, and increasing the visibility of French businesses in Ukraine.
He plans to pay particular attention to strengthening the CCIFU’s sectoral committees, which bring together representatives from the energy, agricultural, IT, construction, and other sectors. According to Bubnov, these committees should become a platform for exchanging experience, preparing proposals for government authorities, and coordinating business initiatives within the framework of Ukraine’s recovery.
The Chamber’s priorities also include developing energy resilience and sustainability, promoting the reconstruction of critical infrastructure, supporting digital and technological innovation, and integrating Ukraine into the European economic and energy space.
“I am convinced that through joint efforts we will be able to contribute to a sustainable, modern, and energy-efficient future for Ukraine,” emphasized Mykhailo Bubnov.
Mykhailo Bubnov has headed Schneider Electric in Ukraine since 2016. Prior to that, he held management positions at Primetals Ukraine and Siemens Ukraine. He graduated from the Kyiv Polytechnic Institute and holds an Executive MBA from Heriot Watt University Edinburgh Business School.
The Franco-Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCIFU) brings together more than 200 companies representing French and Ukrainian businesses. Its mission is to promote bilateral cooperation, attract investment, restore the Ukrainian economy, and integrate Ukraine into the European market.
About Schneider Electric
Schneider Electric is a global leader in energy technology, delivering efficiency and sustainability through electrification, automation, and digitalization of industry, business, and homes. Its technologies enable buildings, data centers, factories, infrastructure, and energy networks to operate as open, interconnected ecosystems, increasing productivity, sustainability, and environmental performance. The company’s portfolio includes smart devices, software-driven architectures, artificial intelligence-based systems, digital services, and expert consulting. With 160,000 employees and 1 million partners in more than 100 countries, Schneider Electric is consistently ranked among the world’s most sustainable companies.
