As part of preparations for the next, 20th package of sanctions against Russia, the European Commission has proposed a complete ban on cryptocurrency transactions related to Russia in order to block channels for circumventing restrictions through digital assets, the Financial Times reported, citing an internal European Commission document.
According to the publication, the idea is to move from targeted measures against individual Russian crypto platforms to a broader approach—banning interaction with crypto services linked to Russia. The document also mentions initiatives to restrict transactions related to the digital ruble and measures against certain payment instruments that, according to Brussels, could be used to circumvent sanctions.
Earlier, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, presenting the parameters of the new package, announced her intention to tighten restrictions in the financial sector and take measures against cryptocurrencies and platforms that could be used to circumvent the sanctions regime. Reuters also reported that the package includes additional measures against crypto companies that help Russia circumvent restrictions.
The European Commission’s proposals must be unanimously agreed upon by EU member states. EU countries planned to begin discussing the new sanctions package in the coming days, with a target date of February 23.
Imports of electric telephone or telegraph apparatus and videophones (HS 8517) to Ukraine in January 2026 increased by 49.2% compared to the same month in 2025, reaching $177.8 million, according to statistics from the State Customs Service.
According to statistics, the largest volume of these products was imported from China (58.1%, or $103.3 million), they were also imported from the UK (9.2%, $16.3 million) and the US (8.8%, $15.6 million), while last year it was China ($65 million), Vietnam ($21 million), and Taiwan ($13.6 million).
At the same time, exports of these products from Ukraine in January amounted to $10.4 million (in January 2025 – $10.5 million). Supplies were mainly to Hungary (65%), Poland (22%), and Taiwan (6.8%). In the same month last year, products were exported mainly to Hungary (67%), Poland (27%), and Spain (2.9%).
According to the State Customs Service, in 2025, telephone or telegraph apparatus and videophones worth almost $1.634 billion were imported into Ukraine, which is 29.5% more than in 2024, including $907.9 million from China.
In January 2026, Ukraine reduced imports of zinc and zinc products by 26.3% to $1.986 million (in December — $4.392 million).
Zinc exports last month reached $81,000 (in December — $68,000), while in January 2025 they were $137,000.
In 2025, imports of zinc and zinc products decreased by 9.6% to $52.982 million.
Zinc exports last year reached $1.234 million, while in 2024 they amounted to $563,000.
In 2024, Ukraine increased imports of zinc and zinc products by 27.5% to $58.610 million.
Zinc exports in 2024 amounted to $563,000, while in 2023 they amounted to $130,000.
In 2023, the country increased imports of zinc and zinc products to $45.966 million (+18.8%).
Zinc exports in 2023 amounted to $130 thousand, compared to $1.331 million in 2022.
Pure zinc metal is used to recover precious metals, protect steel from corrosion, and for other purposes.
According to Fixygen, Ukrainian Energy Saving Service Company JSC (UkrESKO JSC, Kyiv) will hold an extraordinary general meeting of shareholders on February 20, 2026, in a remote format (poll), according to a report in the SMIDA information disclosure system.
According to the document, the date for compiling the list of shareholders eligible to participate is set for February 17, 2026 (as of 23:00). Ballot voting will take place from 11:00 on February 10 to 18:00 on February 20.
The agenda includes issues related to changes to the company’s information in the Unified State Register, including adjustments to shareholder data, the exclusion of Vasyl Bohatyr from the list of signatories, and the exclusion of the Ministry of Energy of Ukraine as the body managing the state’s corporate rights, since, as stated in the draft decision, the state does not own any shares in the company. It is also planned to consider compensation to JSC Ukrainian Distribution Networks for the costs of organizing and holding the meeting.
The announcement states that the initiator of the meeting is JSC Ukrainian Distribution Networks, which owns 4,378 voting ordinary registered shares of JSC UkrESKO, or 99.65% of their total number.
JSC Ukrainian Energy Saving Service Company (EDRPOU 20077482) was registered on April 23, 1998. Its authorized capital is UAH 43.93 million, and its director is Dmytro Spivak. According to OpenDataBot, its main activity is research and experimental development in other natural and technical sciences.
The volume of tractor imports to Ukraine in January 2026 amounted to $33.3 million, which is 24.2% less than in the same month of 2025 ($43.9 million), according to statistics from the State Customs Service.
According to the published statistics, tractor imports decreased by 2.5 times compared to December last year.
Last month, tractors were imported mainly from China (31.2% of total imports of this equipment, or $10.4 million), the United States (13.3%, or $4.4 million), and Germany (11.8%, or $3.9 million), while last year China was also the leader ($9.34 million), Germany was second ($5.5 million), and the United States was third ($3.7 million).
According to statistics from the State Customs Service, last month $0.4 million worth of tractors were exported, mainly to Belgium (31.8%), while last year exports amounted to $0.56 million, with most supplies going to Zambia (41.4%).
As reported, the volume of tractor imports to Ukraine in 2025 reached $845.7 million, exceeding the 2024 figure by 7.9%. The main suppliers were the United States ($179.7 million), Germany ($145 million), and China ($142.8 million). Exports amounted to $6.6 million, compared to $5.4 million in 2024, and were mainly to Romania, Belgium, and Germany.
On February 10, 2026, Transparency International published the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) 2025—an annual ranking of perceptions of corruption in the public sector. In the new release, Ukraine received 36 points out of 100 and ranked 104th out of 182 countries and territories.
Ukraine’s score increased by 1 point compared to the previous edition of the index. In CPI 2024, Ukraine had 35 points and ranked 105th (that edition assessed 180 countries and territories).
The TI report notes that Ukraine belongs to the group of countries that are gradually “moving from the bottom of the ranking toward the middle” thanks to long-term efforts to build an anti-corruption infrastructure. At the same time, the document describes 2025 as difficult for Ukraine—against the backdrop of high-profile scandals in procurement and the defense sector, but with an important emphasis: the exposure of violations and bringing cases to verdicts indicates that the new anti-corruption architecture “is delivering results.”
Overall, CPI 2025 records a further deterioration of the global picture: the world average score fell to 42 points, and more than two thirds of countries scored below 50 points. Denmark once again received the highest score (89), and at the bottom of the list are Somalia and South Sudan (9 each).
The CPI measures not “actual corruption,” but perceptions of the level of corruption in the public sector, aggregating data from expert assessments and business surveys on a 0–100 scale.
