The Verkhovna Rada has appointed Serhiy Koretsky, chairman of the board of NAK “Naftogaz of Ukraine,” as Prime Minister of Ukraine.
His nomination, put forward by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, was approved by 289 members of parliament during a session on Thursday.
As prime minister, Koretskyi replaced the former head of the Ukrainian government, Yulia Svyrydenko, who had held the position for exactly one year, beginning on July 17, 2025.
Koretsky was born on March 14, 1978, in Lutsk. He received his higher education at Lutsk Technical University, majoring in “Mechanical Engineering” and “Business Economics,” as well as at the Ivano-Frankivsk National Technical University of Oil and Gas, where he majored in “Oil and Gas Production.”
He rose through the ranks from junior analyst at the Continuum Group of Companies (since 1999) to CEO of Continuum (since 2007).
From 2013 through the end of 2018, he developed the WOG gas station chain as CEO.
He then began working on his own projects. He was a co-founder and chairman of the board of the energy trader Centurion Group SA (Switzerland).
From November 9, 2022, he served as director of PJSC “Ukrnafta” and PJSC “Ukrtatnafta.” Since May 14, 2025, he has been chairman of the board of NJSC “Naftogaz of Ukraine.”
According to the “Chesno” movement, from 2002 to 2006 and from 2012 to 2014, he served as a volunteer assistant to Ihor Yeremeyev, a member of the Verkhovna Rada of the 4th and 7th convocations.
In 2006, he ran for the Volyn Regional Council of the 5th convocation as a candidate for the Lytvyn People’s Bloc, and also for the Verkhovna Rada of the 5th convocation as a candidate for the same bloc.
From 2007 to 2012, he served as a volunteer assistant to Kateryna Vashchuk, a member of the Verkhovna Rada of the 6th convocation elected from the Lytvyn Bloc.
Koretsky declared 32.3 million hryvnias in income for 2025, land plots with a total area of 261,600 square meters in the Donetsk Oblast, and six watches from the brands Rolex, Patek Philippe, Breguet, OPUS, and Ulysse Nardin, among others.
GOVERNMENT, Koretsky, NAFTOGAZ, PRIME MINISTER, VERKHOVNA RADA
In January–June of this year, Ukraine increased its exports of processed pig iron by 11.1% in volume terms compared to the same period last year—to 981,461 thousand metric tons from 883,174 thousand metric tons.
According to statistics released by the State Customs Service (SCS), 183,780 thousand metric tons of pig iron were exported in June, 159,378 thousand metric tons in May, in April—181,670 thousand metric tons, in March—168,493 thousand metric tons, in February—194,345 thousand metric tons, and in January—93,795 thousand metric tons.
From January through June 2026, pig iron exports in monetary terms increased by 11.3% to $388,890 million. Exports were primarily directed to the United States (86.25% of shipments in monetary terms), Turkey (9.16%), and Italy (2.33%).
In the first six months of this year, the country imported 15 metric tons of pig iron from Germany worth $35,000, compared to 29 metric tons worth $55,000 during the same period last year.
As previously reported, in 2025 Ukraine increased its pig iron exports by 53.5% in volume terms compared to 2024—to 1,980,620 metric tons—and by 51.9% in revenue, to $759,882 million. Exports were primarily shipped to the United States (68.25% of shipments by value), Italy (20.26%), and Turkey (3.63%).
Last year, the country imported 39 thousand metric tons of pig iron worth $78 thousand from Germany (51.95%) and Brazil (48.05%), while in January–December 2024, 38 metric tons worth $90 thousand were imported.
Starting March 12, 2025, the United States, pursuant to a decision by President Donald Trump, began imposing a 25% tariff on imports of Ukrainian steel products, excluding pig iron.
The Experts Club Information and Analytical Center recently released a video analysis of the top 20 steel-producing countries – https://youtube.com/shorts/j7Yev2HCS4o?si=lfmGJ5jrx8036z1U
In January–June of this year, Ukrainian companies increased their consumption of rolled metal products by 3.64% compared to the same period last year—to 2 million 9.3 thousand metric tons.
According to a press release from the “Ukrmetallurgprom” association, 880.3 thousand metric tons were imported during this period, accounting for 43.81% of the domestic rolled steel consumption market.
According to “Ukrmetallurgprom,” in January–June 2026, Ukrainian steel companies produced 2.940 million metric tons of rolled steel (95.8% of the figure for the same period in 2025), of which, according to the State Customs Service of Ukraine, approximately 1.811 million metric tons—or 61.6%—were exported. In January–June 2025, the share of exports was 60.2% (1.848 million metric tons out of a total rolled steel production of 3.070 million metric tons).
The share of semi-finished products in export shipments in January–June 2026 was 42.85%, which is significantly higher than the figure for the same period in 2025 (30.90%). The share of flat products in exports in January–June 2026 was slightly lower than in January–June 2025 (43.90% and 46.81%, respectively). The share of long products, however, was noticeably lower than in January–June 2025 (13.35% in 2026 versus 22.29% in 2025).
The structure of imports in January–June 2026 is characterized by a marked dominance of flat-rolled products over structural steel (64.38% and 27.99%, respectively), however, in January–June 2025, the dominance of flat-rolled products over long products was significantly greater (77.30% and 20.96%, respectively).
“In January–June 2026, the domestic market capacity was 2,009.3 thousand metric tons of rolled steel, of which 880.3 thousand metric tons, or 43.81%, consisted of imports. In January–June 2025, the domestic market capacity was 1,938.7 thousand metric tons, of which 716.7 thousand metric tons, or 36.97%, were imported. “Thus, in January–June 2026, the domestic market capacity increased by 3.64% compared to January–June 2025, with a simultaneous 6.84% rise in the share of imports,” the press release states.
According to the State Customs Service, the main export markets for Ukrainian rolled metal in January–June 2026 were EU countries (80.0%), other European countries (10.6%), and the CIS (7.0%).
Among importers of rolled metal products in the first half of 2026, other European countries ranked first (48.5%), followed by Asian countries (25.8%), and EU-27 countries (16.4%).
As previously reported, Ukraine’s rolled metal market grew by 21.73% in 2025 compared to 2024, reaching 4 million 1.6 thousand metric tons. Imports totaled 1 million 603.6 thousand metric tons, accounting for 40.07% of domestic rolled metal consumption.
Ukraine’s rolled steel market in 2024 shrank by 6.26% compared to the previous year—to 3,288.4 thousand metric tons, while in 2023 it increased 2.19 times compared to 2022—to 3,505.6 thousand metric tons.
CONSUMPTION, EXPORTS, IMPORTS, ROLLED STEEL, UKRMETALLURGPROM
At a meeting on Wednesday, the Cabinet of Ministers approved the terms for the privatization of the Odesa Port Plant (OPP), as well as the sale of two sanctioned assets—Demurinsky Mining and Processing Plant (GZK) LLC and Motordetal-Konotop LLC, Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko announced; her resignation from this post had been approved by the Verkhovna Rada the day before.
“The state’s stake in OPZ will be put up for an open electronic auction with a starting price of over 4.3 billion hryvnias. The goal is to attract a strategic investor who will restore full-scale operations at one of Ukraine’s largest chemical complexes,” she wrote on Telegram.
Svyrydenko noted that among the key conditions for the buyer are investing at least 500 million hryvnias in modernization and improving the energy efficiency of production, as well as preserving the company’s core business activities.
According to her, the starting price for the sale of “Demurynskyi GZK” has been set at 1.82 billion hryvnias, and for “Motordetal-Konotop” at 415.5 million hryvnias.
All three assets will be sold through open online auctions on the Prozorro.Sales platform, and the proceeds will go to the Fund for the Elimination of the Consequences of Armed Aggression and will be used for Ukraine’s recovery, the prime minister clarified.
In another post, Svyrydenko referred to this meeting as the final meeting of the current government.
asset, CABINET OF MINISTERS, PRIVATIZATION, PROZORRO.SALES, ОПЗ
According to Serbian Economist, the Ukrainian company “Kaspit Trade” has tripled its shipments of mineral fertilizers from the Serbian chemical holding company Elixir Group to the Ukrainian market over the course of two years of cooperation. In 2026, the importer plans to ship approximately 90,000 metric tons of products to Ukrainian farmers, the company reported.
The information was released following the fourth partnership visit by Ukrainian agricultural producers to Elixir Group’s facilities in Serbia. Representatives of agricultural companies visited the Elixir Zorka plant in Šabac and the Elixir Prahovo production complex, where they familiarized themselves with fertilizer production, quality control, and logistics infrastructure.
According to the importer, compound NPK and NP fertilizers with added sulfur and micronutrients are in the highest demand in Ukraine. They are used for primary and starter fertilization of grain, oilseed, and industrial crops.
The Elixir Zorka product line includes over 30 compound fertilizer formulations.
The importer cites river logistics as one of the advantages of Serbian products. Fertilizers are loaded onto barges in Serbia and transported down the Danube to the port of Izmail. According to the company’s estimates, the shipment takes about six days. Elixir Group’s production sites have access to port, rail, and road infrastructure.
The growth in shipments of Serbian fertilizers is occurring against the backdrop of the Ukrainian market’s overall increasing dependence on imports. In the first half of 2025, Ukraine imported 1.563 million metric tons of mineral fertilizers, which was 25% higher than the figure for the same period in 2024. Imports of compound NPK fertilizers totaled approximately 379 thousand metric tons.
Elixir Group describes itself as the largest producer of compound mineral fertilizers in Southeast Europe. The company’s production facilities are located in Šabac and Prahovo. The total production capacity for mineral fertilizers is approximately 1 million metric tons per year, with over 70% of the output exported to more than 85 countries.
https://t.me/relocationrs/3238
The U.S. Mint plans to begin minting a dollar coin featuring the country’s current president, Donald Trump.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent unveiled sketches of the new “gold coin” on Wednesday, one side of which features a profile of Trump alongside the phrase “In God We Trust.”
“To commemorate the 250th anniversary of American independence, the U.S. Mint will begin minting this new $1 gold coin to honor the enduring legacy of freedom and the enduring symbol of patriotism,” Bessent wrote on social media.
The Treasury Department and the Mint did not respond to inquiries from The Wall Street Journal regarding the mintage and release date of these coins, as well as the material from which they will be made and where they will be available.
The publication notes that it is rare for a sitting president to be depicted on U.S. commemorative coins. In the U.S., coins bearing the image of the head of state are usually issued posthumously. The only exception was a 50-cent coin issued in 1926 to mark the 150th anniversary of U.S. independence. Its obverse features the profiles of the first U.S. president, George Washington, and the then-sitting president, Calvin Coolidge, while the reverse depicts the Liberty Bell.
