Scientists from the Kyiv National University of Construction and Architecture (KNUCA), together with partners, have launched an international project to create new concrete mixtures using waste, in particular, destroyed structures, for construction using 3D printing and traditional methods, according to the KNUCA press service.
The release states that as part of the project “Development of new approaches and construction materials for the restoration of Ukraine’s damaged infrastructure with consideration for environmental sustainability,” researchers are developing a concrete mixture with the addition of materials resulting from the destruction of buildings and other industrial and agricultural waste.
The restoration of housing in Ukraine requires the introduction of universal technologies for rapid construction that allow for the construction of sustainable and affordable buildings even in conditions of limited resources. Due to the war, many buildings in Ukraine have been destroyed. The remains of concrete structures can be effectively recycled and used for the construction of new housing. Compared to traditional construction methods, 3D printing of buildings can ensure faster construction rates, significantly reduce human resource use, and save materials and energy.
The project is co-funded by the US Office of Naval Research and the US National Science Foundation (NSF). The research is being conducted as part of the multilateral partnership initiative “International Multilateral Partnership for Ensuring the Sustainability of the Education and Science System in Ukraine (IMPRESS-U), launched by the Office of International Science and Engineering (OISE) of the US National Science Foundation with the participation of researchers from Stony Brook University in the US and the Jan and Jędrzej Sniadecki University of Technology in Bydgoszcz, Poland.
The project will last two years.
At KNUBA, the implementation of this project has been entrusted to lecturers, postgraduate students, and students of the Faculty of Construction and Technology, in particular, the Department of Building Materials and the Department of Building Structures and Products Technology.
Growth in capital investment in Ukraine in January-March 2025 compared to the same period in 2024 slowed to 32.5% from 48.1% in the fourth quarter of 2024, according to the State Statistics Service.
According to the State Statistics Service, UAH 123.8 billion in capital investments were disbursed in the first quarter of this year.
The main source of financing for capital investments in January-March 2025 remains the own funds of enterprises and organizations, which accounted for 77.1% of the total volume.
The State Statistics Service specifies that the share of the state budget was 3.5%, the population’s funds for housing construction – 6.5%, local budgets – 2.7%, bank and other borrowed funds – 4.7%, and foreign investors’ funds – only 0.3%.
A significant share of capital investments was spent on machinery and equipment (36.8%), engineering structures (18.2%), and transport vehicles (10.7%) of all investments.
According to the State Statistics Service, capital investments grew the most during the period in question in the transport, warehousing, postal, and courier services sectors, increasing 2.4 times to UAH 15.7 billion, in agriculture, increasing 46.9% to UAH 13.6 billion, and in industry, increasing 25% to UAH 48.7 billion.
In wholesale and retail trade, capital investment grew by 55.8% to UAH 11.3 billion, in legal and accounting activities – by 46.1% to UAH 0.46 billion, in information and telecommunications – by 42% to UAH 5.5 billion, in real estate transactions – 2.4 times, to UAH 3.7 billion.
It is noted that in the field of professional, scientific, and technical activities, growth amounted to 16.3%, to UAH 1.1 billion, in financial and insurance activities – 79.4%, to UAH 4.5 billion, in construction – 14%, to 10.5 billion UAH, in state administration and defense – 31.4%, to 61 billion UAH, in education – 97.8%, to 0.2 billion UAH, in healthcare – 52.4%, to 2.6 billion UAH.
According to the statistics office, capital investments in Ukraine in 2024 increased by 35.1% compared to 2023 and amounted to UAH 534.4 billion.
The Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, together with the Belt and Road Trade and Investment Promotion Center in Ukraine, organized a bilateral business event.
The event, held on May 22, 2025, brought together hundreds of representatives of Ukrainian and Chinese companies interested in establishing direct cooperation at the Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
“China remains Ukraine’s main trading partner. Despite the distance, complex logistics, and tensions, cooperation between companies continues. This is because many sectors of the Ukrainian economy need affordable Chinese imports. And the Chinese market needs Ukrainian products. I hope that the business dialogue will be a prelude to deeper mutual understanding at all levels,” said Gennady Chizhikov, President of the Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, during the opening of the forum.
The Chinese delegation included representatives of 11 Chinese companies. Among them were manufacturers of building materials and thermal insulation solutions; packaging and food equipment; consumer electronics and household goods; pharmaceutical products, electric vehicles, rehabilitation equipment, and prosthetics; companies providing logistics, tourism, consulting services, green energy, and agricultural technology.
Business representatives took part in B2B negotiations with potential partners. Chinese entrepreneurs expressed interest in investment activities in most sectors of Ukraine’s economy.
Interfax-Ukraine is the information partner of the forum.
The Velta Group, which has assets for the extraction of titanium-bearing ores in Novomyrhorod (Kirovohrad region), has received its third patent from the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) for its innovative Velta Ti Process technology.
According to a press release on Monday, the new patent confirms the possibility of obtaining high-quality titanium dioxide (TiO₂), a key material for the further production of titanium powder using the Velta Ti Process technology, as well as commercial products based on titanium, iron, calcium, and nitrogen.
It should be noted that Velta Holding US Inc. has obtained three Ukrainian and three US patents since 2020.
Velta Holding US Inc. is a group of companies engaged in the full cycle of titanium production, from the extraction of titanium raw materials through innovation to the manufacture of final metal products.
Velta LLC is a Ukrainian company that is part of the group and is a manufacturer of titanium raw materials and the only private Ukrainian company that has built a titanium mining complex from scratch in the Kirovohrad region. With over 15 years of experience in the mining sector, the company holds 2% of the global titanium market and has partners and customers in Europe and the US.
Velta Holding also includes the Velta RD Titan research and development center and Velta Medical, a manufacturer of custom titanium implants.
Velta Holding LLC is wholly owned by VKF Velta LLC. The ultimate beneficiaries are three individuals: Andriy Brodsky (60%), Vadym Moskalenko (20%), and Vitaliy Malakhov (20%).
Velta, patent, USA, technology, titanium, processing
IDS Ukraine, one of the largest producers of bottled water and beverages in Ukraine, has commissioned a 1.4 MW solar power plant at the Mirgorod Mineral Water Plant, the company’s press service reported.
IDS Ukraine noted that from the first day of operation, the solar power plant began to supply the enterprise with energy, generating up to 600 kW/h even in cloudy weather.
“This project is not just an element of energy efficiency, it is our contribution to the sustainability of the country and our production and logistics infrastructure in the face of infrastructure challenges.
Our strategy is based on strong brands and strong production facilities that are capable of being reliable and predictable manufacturers and suppliers even in turbulent conditions,” emphasized IDS Ukraine CEO Marko Tkachuk.
The launch of the solar power plant at the Mirgorod Mineral Water Plant is part of a long-term strategy to develop our own electricity generation based on the principles of rapid response and strategic sustainability.
According to the strategy, IDS Ukraine will invest EUR530,000 excluding VAT in the construction of its own energy facilities in 2024–2025. The company has already invested EUR 460,000 in the purchase of a diesel generator for the Mirgorod plant to provide an operational reserve and has formed a total generation capacity of 1.6 MW to ensure the uninterrupted operation of critical production and logistics hubs and processes.
“Our team has been planning the transition to a partially autonomous energy supply model for a long time. Having our own solar power plant and energy means reliable production and predictability. We are reducing our dependence on infrastructure risks,” commented Konstantin Kryazhev, CEO of the Mirgorod mineral water plant IDS Ukraine.
The plant’s own solar power generation in Mirgorod will reduce electricity costs by EUR 150,000–200,000 per year, depending on the level of solar activity and current energy prices.
The expected return on investment is about three years, depending on the level of solar activity. The total annual electricity demand of the entire IDS Ukraine group is 28 MW, of which 5 MW is in Mirgorod and 23 MW is consumed by the company’s largest production and logistics facility, the Oskar Morshyn Mineral Water Plant.
In 2026, IDS Ukraine plans to launch another solar power plant with a nominal capacity of 1.6 MW at the Morshyn Mineral Water Plant “Oscar.”
The project of its own solar power plant is part of IDS Ukraine’s ecosystem approach to technological modernization and responsible production, which is the company’s response to current energy and climate challenges, the company emphasized.
IDS Ukraine is a Ukrainian group of companies founded in 1996 and the largest national producer of bottled water. The holding includes the Morshyn mineral water plant “Oscar,” the Mirgorod mineral water plant, the distribution company “IDS,” and the water delivery operator “IDS Aqua Service.”
The group of companies owns the Morshynska, Myrhorodska, Alaska, and Aqua Life trademarks.
As reported, Cyprus-based International Distribution Systems Limited, owner of Ukraine’s largest mineral water producer IDS Ukraine, was subject to Ukrainian sanctions in November 2023 in the form of asset freezing, prevention of capital withdrawal abroad, and a ban on increasing the authorized capital of Ukrainian companies associated, in particular, with Russian oligarch Mikhail Fridman and other co-owners of Alfa Group.
The process of nationalizing IDS Ukraine is currently ongoing.
Cattle slaughter in April 2025 in Ukraine amounted to 16.8 thousand tons, which is 3% less than in March and 16% less than in April last year, according to the Milk Producers Association (MPA) citing data from the Ministry of Agrarian Policy.
The industry association noted that in January-April 2025, cattle slaughter in Ukraine amounted to 60.9 thousand tons, which is 10% less than in the same period of 2024.
At the same time, the largest share (62%) was sold for slaughter at agricultural enterprises in Vinnytsia (219.9 thousand tons), Cherkasy (146.6 thousand tons), Dnipropetrovsk (124.5 thousand tons), Lviv (72.2 thousand tons), and Kyiv (63.8 thousand tons) regions.
