The largest Ukrainian mobile operators Kyivstar and VF Ukraine (Vodafone Ukraine) have completed the exchange of frequencies in the 2100 MHz spectrum, which made it possible to eliminate the problem of “torn” spectrum, said Olga Ustinova, CEO of the company.
“We have completed the exchange of frequencies,” Ustinova said on the sidelines of the ‘SuperHumans’ forum organized by Forbes.
“Vodafone Ukraine and Kyivstar started the exchange of frequencies in late January, with Dnipropetrovs’k region being the last to be exchanged. As a result, the companies were able to form continuous 2X20 MHz bands in the 2100 MHz band, which allowed them to reduce costs through more efficient use of the resource and speed up data transmission.
“Kyivstar acquired a license for the use of additional radio frequency spectrum in the 2100 MHz band (3G and 4G tech-neutral) at an auction held by the National Commission for the State Regulation of Electronic Communications, Radio Frequency Spectrum and Postal Services (NCCS) on November 19, 2024. The acquired frequency band was not adjacent to the company’s existing one, so the company initiated the exchange process.
At its meeting on January 15, the NCCIR approved the exchange of frequencies in the 2100 MHz spectrum between Kyivstar and Vodafone Ukraine.
State-owned Oschadbank (Kyiv) earned UAH 4.8 billion in net profit in the first quarter of 2025, keeping the result at the level of the previous year, while net interest income increased by 39%, according to a press release from the financial institution.
“The current profit is driven by operating activities and was achieved through the efforts of the bank’s team aimed at continuing business growth. In response to the challenges posed by rising inflation, Oschad is actively improving its cost control mechanisms,” Oschadbank Chairman of the Board Serhiy Naumov commented on the results.
It is noted that in the first quarter of 2025, net interest income amounted to about UAH 7.4 billion, which is 39% or UAH 2 billion more than in the first quarter of 2024, while Oschadbank’s operating profit for this period amounted to almost UAH 5 billion.
“Currently, Oschadbank has sufficient liquidity and capital. Thus, the regulatory capital adequacy ratio of Oschadbank as of April 1, 2025 is 13.10%, which is significantly higher than the current NBU regulatory value of 9.25%,” the bank said.
According to the National Bank of Ukraine, as of the beginning of 2025, Oschadbank ranked second in terms of total assets (UAH 963.39 billion, or 12.4%) among 61 banks in the country.
The bank’s net profit for 2024 amounted to UAH 7.9 billion, compared to UAH 6 billion in 2023, while operating profit increased by 20% to more than UAH 14 billion.
Forecast of unemployment rate in Ukraine according to methodology of International labor organization until 2025
The Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO) and the De Boomgaard Foundation are investing in the installation of 2,700 solar panels that will generate 1.6 million kWh of electricity annually for 23 Ukrainian hospitals in frontline regions.
According to a press release from the Dutch-Ukrainian charity LifeLine Ukraine, which is supporting the project on the Ukrainian side, the total cost of the project is €3.4 million.
The project is jointly supported by a consortium of partners from the Netherlands (Solarge) and Ukraine (Lifeline Ukraine and Energy Act Ukraine) and provides reliable and sustainable energy supplies to key healthcare facilities and, in the future, to educational institutions in the country.
Solar panels from Solarge have already been installed in two medical facilities in Mykolaiv, with plans to install them in 21 more hospitals.
In addition to solar panels, the hospitals will also receive batteries for storing electricity.
Stichting de Boomgaard intends to ask the EC to build 60 more hospitals along the front line after the completion of these 23 hospitals.
In April, the sociological company Active Group, in collaboration with the information and analytical center Experts Club, conducted a public opinion poll on Ukrainians’ international sympathies. The survey was conducted online among 800 respondents representative of their age, gender, and region. The aim of the survey was to find out which countries enjoy the greatest trust and sympathy in Ukrainian society.
“This survey confirms the general trend in public sentiment in Ukraine, which has intensified since the start of the large-scale war. Ukrainians clearly associate the support they have received, primarily from the European Union and the United Kingdom, with a positive attitude towards them,” said Alexander Pozniy, co-founder of Active Group, at a press conference at the Interfax-Ukraine agency on Thursday.
According to the survey, Ukrainians have the most positive opinion of the United Kingdom, with a total of 77.2% of respondents giving positive answers, followed by Canada (76.3%) and France (74%). It is particularly noteworthy that only 1.1% of respondents had a completely negative opinion of France. Germany currently has the support of 68.8% of Ukrainians. According to Oleksandr Pozniy, the high level of trust in this country is primarily determined by its long-term support for Ukrainian reforms and the defense industry, its policy towards Ukrainian refugees, and other initiatives.
Ukrainians have a rather moderately positive attitude toward the United States: 36.1% of respondents view the US positively, while another 31.2% hold a neutral position. On the other hand, almost a third (29.9%) have a negative view of the country. According to experts, these results indicate a deep polarization in the perception of the US within Ukraine, caused by changes in American policy after the new administration came to power.
“For many Ukrainians, the US is still a guarantor of support, but it is also a country with an ambivalent role in global conflicts, which can cause mixed reactions in society,” said Maxim Urakin, founder of the Experts Club.
Ukrainians are quite critical of Hungary (56% negative attitude) and Slovakia (34.6% negative).
“These results are not surprising — the official rhetoric of Budapest and Bratislava often diverges from Ukraine’s interests and is perceived as pro-Russian, which cannot but be reflected in public opinion,” commented Oleksandr Pozniy.
The situation with China is no better: 42.8% of Ukrainians have a negative opinion of this country, while only 19.6% view it positively. At the same time, 27.6% chose a neutral response.
“It is particularly interesting that even Ukraine’s economically important partners, such as China (its largest trading partner), receive low support ratings among Ukrainians. This indicates that Ukrainian society values moral support above real trade and does not recognize “neutrality” if it is not accompanied by humanitarian gestures,” said Maxim Urakin.
There is a high level of trust in Japan: 66% of respondents have a positive attitude, while only 3.6% have a negative attitude. Japan is perceived as a country with a high cultural reputation and technological leadership. South Korea also has a positive attitude from 49.7% of Ukrainians, although the level of negativity here is slightly higher at 14%.
Turkey, despite partnership projects (particularly in the field of drones), has a rather ambiguous perception: 46.4% of respondents have a positive attitude towards it, while 12% have a negative attitude.
Ukrainians have a favorable view of Brazil, with 33.3% positive and 9.3% negative, while their attitude toward other Latin American countries is mostly neutral. According to Oleksandr Pozniy, this indicates neutral interest rather than a clearly formed position.
As for Saudi Arabia, 25.2% of Ukrainians have a positive attitude, while 9.5% have a negative one. The remaining respondents either took a neutral position or did not answer.
“These countries inspire trust thanks to their efforts to achieve peace in Ukraine, in particular through prisoner exchanges, and they also act as a negotiating platform and are of interest in the economic sphere,” Urakin believes.
The findings of the study, as emphasized by Oleksandr Pozniy, are an indicator of international trust and potential for the development of bilateral relations between Ukraine and other countries.
Maksym Urakin added that the image of countries in the eyes of Ukrainians can be improved through support for projects aimed at rebuilding Ukraine (even without military involvement), establishing direct dialogue through embassies and public diplomacy projects, explaining their position through historical context, and not avoiding publicity.
The presentation is available here.
