Mobile operator lifecell, part of the DVL (Datagroup-Volia-lifecell) group of companies, attracted over 1,400 businesses that transferred their business numbers to it in July, according to a press release.
“As of July 2025, more than 1,400 companies have transferred thousands of business numbers to the lifecell network, choosing the operator’s tariffs and services. In 2025, lifecell recorded a twofold increase in the volume of corporate number transfers compared to the same period in 2024,” the lifecell press service said in a statement on Tuesday.
It is noted that the procedure for transferring business numbers consists of three stages and takes up to three working days.
Earlier it was reported that in January-June 2025, lifecell became the leader among operators in terms of the number of subscribers.
Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Sviridenko has linked the previously launched audit of government spending to deregulation and the moratorium on interference in business.
“In the economy, we have launched the implementation of the National Security and Defense Council’s decision on a moratorium on business inspections by law enforcement agencies. Business expects tangible steps from the government towards deregulation. Therefore, we are starting an audit of all government spending.
We plan to significantly reduce bureaucratic procedures,” Svyrydenko wrote on Facebook on Sunday morning.
She also said that she is currently meeting with each minister and working with them on specific plans that will be included in the government’s action program.
As reported, on July 23, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky signed a decree to reduce bureaucratic procedures and conduct an immediate audit of government spending. He expects the government to report back within a month so that maximum state resources can be directed toward defense. He also announced “tangible steps toward deregulation to give people more freedom.” The relevant decree No. 544/2025 was published on the president’s website.
On the same day, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine approved a plan to implement the decision of the National Security and Defense Council on a moratorium on unfounded inspections and interference in business, among other things, instructing
the State Regulatory Service and ministries to submit proposals for deregulation and reduction of unnecessary permits within a month. “From July 24, the tax and customs authorities will limit inspections for low-risk enterprises. The exception is high-risk industries, such as the turnover of excisable goods, where control is necessary,” Svyrydenko wrote on Telegram.
According to her, by October 21, law enforcement agencies must agree on measures to identify assets subject to sanctions and ensure their return to the budget for defense and recovery needs.
“The plans include the launch of a digital control system and a quarterly review of the effectiveness of decisions,” Svyrydenko added.
She also noted that the government will prepare amendments to the Criminal Procedure Code (CPC): only the prosecutor general or regional-level officials will be able to open new proceedings against businesses.
Italy intends to sign an intergovernmental agreement with Ukraine for EUR 50 million to purchase Italian goods and services for recovery and allocate EUR 100 million to the ERA (Economic Resilience Action) of the International Finance Corporation (IFC) of the World Bank Group to support the private sector, Italian Finance Minister Giancarlo Giorgetti said.
“I would like to emphasize that all these initiatives will be financed from new grant resources, with the clear intention of not placing an additional burden on Ukraine’s state budget,” he said at the URC2025 Ukraine Recovery Conference in Rome, according to a correspondent from the Interfax-Ukraine news agency.
The minister also announced an additional contribution of EUR 10 million for the implementation of an EBRD project in the agro-industrial sector, which aims to modernize Ukraine’s agro-industrial sector while promoting its integration into global value chains.
In addition, Giorgetti stressed the importance of technical cooperation as a basis for effective and sustainable reconstruction and announced his intention to allocate EUR 1.5 million to the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) initiative FIRST (Ukraine Facility for Infrastructure Reconstruction) to assist in the preparation of public investment projects for the reconstruction of infrastructure facilities in Ukraine.
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is providing the VARUS Group retail chain with a $25 million loan to expand its retail operations and improve business sustainability, according to the EBRD press service.
This food security project, with a total value of $53.1 million, will receive a 22% first loss risk coverage provided by the EU under the Investment Facility for Ukraine (UIF) through the Municipal, Infrastructure and Industrial Resilience (MIIR) program. To date, the EU has allocated EUR 207 million in guarantees and grants to Ukraine through the EBRD under the Ukraine Investment Facility (UIF), 87% of which has been provided to the private sector.
The guarantee for Varus plays a crucial role in mitigating the heightened macroeconomic and geopolitical risks associated with the investment. The support is provided in recognition of the project’s alignment with the bank’s Green Economy Transition (GET) approach through energy-efficient modernization, the installation of renewable energy sources, and the improvement of sustainable logistics. It includes the installation of solar panels, high-efficiency lighting, and reversible split air conditioning systems with low global warming potential.
VARUS Group is the fifth largest food retail chain in Ukraine. The chain consists of 114 stores, most of which are located in the eastern part of the country, employing around 7,500 people. Despite the closure of some retail outlets due to the war, the group has opened new stores and been able to return to its pre-war size. The EBRD loan will enable further expansion of the VARUS network, the refurbishment and modernization of equipment in existing stores, the lease of a new warehouse, and the installation of photovoltaic systems to reduce dependence on the electricity grid.
Cooperation with the EBRD will help preserve Ukraine’s human capital and the livelihoods of workers despite the ongoing challenges of wartime through technical cooperation. The project will also benefit from a co-investment grant to optimize warehouse logistics, improve energy efficiency, and address urgent human capital needs.
Technical support is funded by the EBRD’s Multilateral Donor Fund “Action for Equality and Gender Equality” (A4EG), while project preparation and the co-investment grant are funded by the Japan-EBRD Cooperation Fund.
The European Investment Bank (EIB) will provide two loans of EUR 50 million and EUR 70 million to state-owned Ukrgasbank (Kyiv) to finance energy independence projects for municipalities and support green growth of small and medium-sized businesses, as well as a new EU portfolio guarantee.
“Within the framework of the Ukraine Recovery Conference (URC) in Rome, UGB (Ukrgasbank) and the European Investment Bank (EIB) announced the signing of a multi-component financial package,” the bank said on Thursday.
It is noted that this will allow attracting additional financing for small and medium-sized businesses worth tens of millions of euros and has become one of the first significant results of the Ukraine Recovery Conference 2025 in Rome.
As part of the package, Ukrgasbank will allocate EUR 50 million to strengthen the energy independence of Ukrainian municipalities. The funds will be used to modernize the district heating infrastructure, develop decentralized heat generation, integrate renewable energy sources and improve energy efficiency of public buildings. The EU grant component will make this funding available to frontline communities.
Another EUR 70 million will be allocated to support the sustainability and green growth of small and medium-sized businesses. These funds will help businesses maintain operations, modernize and implement environmental solutions.
“This financing is further strengthened by a portfolio guarantee from the EU provided by the EIB, which will significantly increase Ukrgasbank’s ability to lend and raise critical capital for the private sector in the amount of more than EUR 31.25 million, even in wartime,” the bank added.
According to the National Bank of Ukraine, in April 2025, Ukrgasbank ranked fifth in terms of total assets (UAH 220.0 billion or 5.9%) among 60 banks operating in the country.
As reported, the European Investment Bank Group and the European Commission announced a new EU financing package of EUR 600 million at the Ukraine Recovery Conference.