Samantha Power, Administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), has announced the delivery of seven autotransformers to Ukraine, which will help provide electricity to millions of people.
“Following Russia’s brutal attacks on Ukraine’s power grid, Ukraine needs critical assistance to keep electricity flowing to millions of Ukrainians across the country. USAID recently completed the delivery of seven autotransformers, a step toward expanding their energy capacity,” Power wrote on social media site X.
In January-April this year, Ukrainian companies increased exports of ferrous scrap by 54.9% year-on-year to 87,414 thousand tons from 56,449 thousand tons.
According to statistics released by the State Customs Service on Friday, 26.153 thousand tons were exported in April, 20.907 thousand tons in March, 23.194 thousand tons in February and 17.160 thousand tons in January.
In monetary terms, scrap metal exports increased by 68.8% to $28.155 million from $16.684 million.
In January-April, Ukraine exported scrap metal to Poland (83.81%), Greece (12.39%) and Germany (3.65%).
In the first four months of the year, the country imported 339 tons of scrap metal for $187 thousand. Imports were carried out from Slovakia (43.01% in monetary terms), Turkey (38.17%) and Poland (8.06%), while in January-April 2023, 176 tons of scrap metal were imported for $64 thousand (49.23% from Slovakia, 21.54% from Moldova and 15.38% from the Netherlands).
As reported, in 2023, the scrap collecting enterprise of Ukraine increased the export of scrap metal from the country by 3.4 times compared to the previous year – up to 182.485 thousand tons from 53.557 thousand tons. In monetary terms, exports increased 2.74 times to $52.723 million from $19.271 million.
Earlier, Ukrmetallurgprom President Oleksandr Kalenkov stated in a column on the Interfax-Ukraine website that scrap metal is exported through the European Union, which has a preferential export duty of EUR3 per ton, and from there the raw materials are redirected to real customers. He noted that exporting raw materials directly to customers would cost EUR180 in export duties, and the Ukrainian budget has already lost UAH 350 million.
The head of Ukrmetallurgprom called for a temporary ban on the export of ferrous scrap to provide steelmakers with strategically important raw materials in the face of the ongoing war. He also clarified that a ton of scrap metal processed into steel brings in 10 times more to the budget than the EU export duty, which is about $300 per ton.
In 2022, Ukraine reduced exports of ferrous scrap by 11.5 times compared to the previous year, to 53,557 thousand tons, and in monetary terms, it decreased by 12.4 times, to $19.271 million.
Net sale of dollars by the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) increased this week to $533.4m from $507.8m a week earlier, according to the regulator’s data.
According to them, the central bank sold $533.6m on the interbank market and bought back $0.15m.
The official hryvnia exchange rate weakened by 37 kopecks during the week, in particular, on Friday the national currency exchange rate fell by 17 kopecks to UAH 39.7206/$$. – to 39.7206 UAH/$1.
In the cash market, the dollar also rose in price during the week: by about 12 cents to UAH 39.95/$1. – up to UAH 39.95/$1, including on Friday – by 6 kopecks.
As evidenced by the data, which the NBU managed to publish for this period, from Monday to Wednesday, the negative balance between the volume of currency purchases and sales by the population increased from $30.2 million to $56.9 million.
Last Friday, May 3, the National Bank announced the largest package of easing of currency restrictions for businesses since the beginning of the full-scale war, which provides for the abolition of all currency restrictions on imports of works and services, provides the ability of businesses to repatriate “new” dividends, provides an opportunity to transfer funds abroad on leasing and rent.
In addition, the new steps of currency liberalization provide for the easing of restrictions in terms of repayment of new foreign loans and interest on “old” foreign loans, as well as easing restrictions for the transfer of foreign currency from representative offices in favor of their parent companies.
As reported, the NBU increased its net foreign exchange interventions on the interbank market in April by 27.7% to $2.283bn, compared to $1.370bn in the same period last year.
On April 24, Ukraine received the second tranche of transitional financing in the amount of EUR1.5 billion (UAH 63.32 billion in hryvnia equivalent) under the European Union’s Ukraine Facility instrument, and the country also received UAH 2.7 billion in grants from international partners last month.
Ukraine’s international reserves in April decreased by 3.1%, or $1.4 billion – to $42 billion 399.5 million. On April 25, the NBU raised their forecast for the end of this year to $43.4 billion from $40.4 billion and to $44.3 billion from $42.1 billion – at the end of next year.
Ukrainian boxer Vasyl Lomachenko held a championship fight for the IBF lightweight world championship belt, during which he defeated Australian boxer George Kambosos, reports Suspilne. Sport” on Sunday, May 12.
The fight took place in the Australian city of Perth. It is emphasized that in the 11th round, Lomachenko defeated Cambosos ahead of schedule: first he knocked him down, and then another, after which the fight was over.
Lomachenko is a former lightweight world champion, as noted, the 36-year-old boxer had a second opportunity to regain the world title, which he lost in October 2020 when he lost to Teofimo Lopez (lost the WBA, WBC and WBO belts).
Lomachenko lost his first chance to win the championship belts in his last fight against Devin Gainey. The fight for the title of absolute world champion ended in defeat for the Ukrainian by a unanimous decision of the judges.
Ukrainians with residence and work permits will be able to stay in Germany despite the Ukrainian state’s desire to return citizens living abroad to participate in the war against Russia, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said during a speech at an event of the RND newspaper group, according to Dw.
“The legal situation is such that residence here is not questioned. Employment also leads to security of residence,” he said.
The chancellor also called on Ukrainians in Germany to find employment.
“We hope that those who came from Ukraine will work as soon as they are able to work. It is worth saying that many are already doing so, but there are still several hundred thousand who are urgently needed in the labor market,” he emphasized.
Number of refugees from Ukraine in selected countries as of 31.03.2024
Source: Open4Business.com.ua and experts.news
