State-owned Oschadbank and Ukrgasbank, together with PUMB, issued a loan of UAH 2.8 billion to a defense industry enterprise in the fourth quarter of 2024 under the Program for Strengthening the State’s Defense Capabilities and Meeting the Urgent Needs of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, according to information on the website of the Ministry of Finance.
As clarified to the Interfax-Ukraine news agency by Oschadbank, the bank acted as the organizer of this consortium loan, which was the first loan to the domestic defense industry.
“As the coordinating bank for this agreement, Oschadbank has set itself the main task of creating a consortium not so much to diversify risks as to set a precedent for involving banks that do not have access to state secrets in the financing of defense industry enterprises,” commented Yuriy Katsion, deputy chairman of the board of Oschadbank, responsible for corporate business.
The shares of the participants in the consortium loan are not disclosed.
As reported, since the start of the full-scale war, Oschadbank has concluded loan agreements to support the defense industry worth over UAH 17.1 billion.
According to the Ministry of Finance, in 2024, the state-owned Oschadbank, Ukreximbank, Ukrgasbank, and PUMB provided 11 loans under state guarantees to defense industry enterprises under the above-mentioned program in the amount of UAH 21 billion. Excluding the consortium, Oschadbank issued six loans worth UAH 9.86 billion, and Ukreximbank issued four loans worth UAH 8.25 billion.
A year earlier, Oschadbank provided a loan worth UAH 6.09 billion under this program, and Ukreximbank provided a loan worth UAH 5.98 billion.
The international financial service NovaPay (TM NovaPay) issued UAH 1.7 billion in loans in 2024, the company’s press service reports.
“2024 was a period of active development of the lending business for NovaPay. During this time, the company launched new loan products – installment plans and loans for business, and the total amount of loans issued amounted to UAH 1.7 billion,” the press service of NovaPay said on Tuesday.
In particular, the amount of loans issued last year to small and medium-sized businesses amounted to UAH 281.4 million. Since the launch of the installment service in July 2024, 97 thousand loans for UAH 600 million have been issued. The average installment check amounted to UAH 6.2 thousand, the press service said.
Last year, 123 thousand transactions for UAH 746 million were executed as part of the Parcel on Credit service. The average check amounted to UAH 6 thousand.
“In 2025, NovaPay will expand lending opportunities by launching new loan products for Ukrainians and businesses, the company assured.
Earlier it was reported that the number of customers using the mobile application of the international financial service NovaPay (TM NovaPay) has reached half a million since its launch on December 13, 2023,
NovaPay was founded in 2001 as an international financial service that is part of the Nova group and provides online and offline financial services at Nova Poshta offices. The company provides online and offline payment services in more than 3.6 thousand Nova Poshta outlets across Ukraine. According to the National Bank of Ukraine, the company accounts for about 35% of the total volume of domestic money transfers.
In 2023, NovaPay was the first non-bank financial institution in Ukraine to receive an extended NBU license, which allowed it to open accounts and issue cards, and was the first non-bank to launch its own financial application with a wide range of financial services at the end of last year.
On December 20, 2024, the International Finance Corporation (IFC) of the World Bank Group signed documents to provide a $53.87 million loan to Concern Galnaftogaz to finance the construction of a 147 MW wind farm in Volyn region and technical support.
According to the IFC website, the total cost of the project is estimated at EUR261 million (including VAT), with a 16-year loan provided to the established project companies Wind Power G&I Volyn LLC and Wind Power G&I Volyn 3 LLC, controlled by GNG Retail Limited and its subsidiary Concern Galnaftogaz (together – GNG Group).
It is noted that the project involves the attraction of mixed financing, in particular from the UK-FCDO and EC-UIF, as well as the Clean Technology Fund.
Earlier, on December 4, participation in the project was also approved by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), which has also already signed documents to provide the above-mentioned LLCs with a long-term loan of EUR 60 million for the construction of a 147 MW wind farm in the Volyn region.
The wind farm is expected to produce about 380 GWh (380 million kWh) of renewable electricity with zero carbon emissions annually.
In February 2024, the Antimonopoly Committee of Ukraine (AMCU) allowed GNG Retail Limited (Cyprus) to buy more than 50% of the authorized capital of Wind Power G&I Volyn LLC and Wind Power G&I Volyn 3 LLC. According to open registers, GNG Retail Limited owns 89.5% of the two LLCs, and JSC ZNVKIF Rimini (in which Vitaliy Antonov owns 83.19%) owns 10.5%.
OKKO CEO Vasyl Danyliak announced the start of construction of a wind farm in Volyn region in the fall of 2024. He explained the group’s plans to work in the renewable energy sector by the need to diversify its business, as the fuel market no longer foresees growth.
“Galnaftogaz operates one of the largest networks of OKKO filling stations, which includes more than 400 complexes with a network of catering facilities. The group also includes other businesses.
Vitaly Antonov’s GNG Retail Limited owns 90.25% of Concern Galnaftogaz shares. In October 2024, Avalia Investments Limited (Cyprus) of the founder and chairman of Concorde Capital, Igor Mazepa, became the owner of another 7.35% of the shares.
State-owned Oschadbank (Kyiv) has entered into a 5-year loan agreement with the Lviv City Council for UAH 840 million, of which UAH 718 million will be used to complete the construction of a waste processing plant.
According to the bank’s press release, the rest of the funds will be used to implement four more projects: the construction of an alternative bridge on Kovcha Street, the arrangement of two centers for veterans, and the reconstruction of the power supply system of the Pivnichna shopping center (CHP-2).
“Despite the fact that Oschadbank’s share in financing municipalities is more than 60% of the market, this loan agreement is the first in our cooperation with the Lviv City Council during a full-scale war. As a conscious bank that adheres to ESG principles, we are pleased to participate in the implementation of such an important environmental project for one of the most European cities in the country,” said Yuriy Katsiyon, Deputy Chairman of the Board of the state-owned bank in charge of corporate business, as quoted in a press release on Friday.
In turn, the Lviv City Council’s website states that the volume of construction work at the facility has reached 70%.
According to the release, once launched, the municipal waste recycling facility will be able to process more than 250 thousand tons of waste per year using mechanical and biological methods. This volume is expected to fully meet the city’s solid waste disposal needs.
The Oschad press service added that the Lviv Waste Recycling Plant construction project is also being implemented with the financial support of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the Eastern European Energy Efficiency and Environment Partnership (E5P). The waste processing plant covers an area of 9.66 hectares.
The Lviv City Council website specifies that UAH 46.2 million of the total amount of approved funding will be used to build an alternative bridge on Omelyana Kovcha Street, and the remaining UAH 75.8 million will be used to equip two centers for veterans and reconstruct the power supply system of the Pivnichna shopping center (CHP-2).
According to the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU), as of November 1, 2024, Oschadbank ranked 2nd (UAH 340.77 billion) among 62 banks in the country in terms of total assets. The financial institution earned UAH 12.78 billion in net profit for 10 months of this year, compared to UAH 14.58 billion in the same period last year.
On Wednesday, the Board of Directors of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) approved a loan of up to EUR80 million to Ukrnafta under state guarantees for the construction of about 100 MW of small gas-fired distributed power plants and cogeneration facilities. According to the bank’s website, the loan will help solve the problem of electricity shortages and ensure uninterrupted power supply to households and businesses.
The total cost of the project will be EUR103.8 million, and it will also be financed by a grant of up to EUR22 million expected to be provided by the Netherlands, the United States and other donors through the EBRD’s Special Crisis Response Fund, as well as a technical support grant of EUR1.8 million from other donors.
“Ukrnafta is Ukraine’s largest oil producer and operator of the national network of filling stations. In March 2024, the company took over the management of Glusco’s assets and operates 547 filling stations – 462 owned and 85 managed.
The company is implementing a comprehensive program to restore operations and update the format of its filling stations. Since February 2023, the company has been issuing its own fuel coupons and NAFTAKarta cards, which are sold to legal entities and individuals through Ukrnafta-Postach LLC.
“Ukrnafta holds 92 special permits for commercial development of fields. It has 1832 oil and 154 gas production wells on its balance sheet.
Ukrnafta’s largest shareholder is Naftogaz of Ukraine with a 50%+1 share. In November 2022, the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine decided to transfer to the state a share of corporate rights of the company owned by private owners, which is now managed by the Ministry of Defense.
State-owned Ukrgasbank (UGB, Kyiv) has provided a UAH 226.6 million loan to Silpo supermarket chain to purchase more than 60 diesel generators, according to a press release from the financial institution.
“Uninterrupted power supply to supermarkets will contribute to their stable operation and, most importantly, guarantee the country’s food security,” the press service quoted Tetyana Parchevska, Director of Corporate Banking and Transaction Business at Ukrgasbank, as saying.
The state-owned bank did not disclose the rate at which the financing was provided or its term, citing the terms of the agreement.
According to the National Bank of Ukraine, as of October 1 this year, Ukrgasbank ranked 30th (UAH 199.05 billion) among 62 banks operating in the country in terms of total assets. The financial institution’s net profit for the first nine months of this year amounted to UAH 4.67 billion, while in the same period last year it was UAH 2.92 billion.
Silpo-Food LLC was established in early August 2016. According to Opendatabot, the founder of the company is PJSC Closed Non-Diversified Venture Corporate Investment Fund Retail Capital (100%, Kyiv), with Volodymyr Kostelman as the ultimate beneficiary. The chain’s total revenue in 2023 amounted to UAH 84.73 billion, which is 21% higher than in 2022.
According to its website, Silpo has 306 supermarkets in 60 cities of Ukraine and four Le Silpo delicatessens in Kyiv, Dnipro, Kharkiv and Odesa.
