Ukrzaliznytsia has asked holders of its Eurobonds due 2024 for $594.9 million at 8.25% and Eurobonds-2026 for $300 million at 7.875% to defer all payments on them for 24 months.
“Given the group’s projections for fiscal years 2022 and 2023 and the financial plan for 2023 prepared and subject to approval by the Ukrainian government, and in particular against the background of the recent intensification of infrastructure shelling by Russia, the group believes it is time to initiate a consent request to complete the process before interest payments in January 2023,” Ukrzaliznytsia said in the stock exchange filings.
The company indicated that it expects to generate a net loss from transportation activities in 2022 and 2023, which it expects to mostly be offset by subsidies from the state budget, using them to cover operating and capital expenses. During this period, capital expenditures are also expected to be partially covered by financing from international financial institutions.
“Ukrzaliznytsia recalls that despite unprecedented economic and operational uncertainty, with vital government assistance it was able to successfully and fully service the interest payments due on its Eurobond debt in July 2022.
The company also noted that Ukraine was able to achieve a similar two-year deferral of payments on its Eurobonds in the summer.
“Since then, the operating environment and economic conditions have continued to deteriorate, and it is unclear when the war will end,” Ukrzaliznytsia stated.
The company, unlike the government, offers a reward for agreeing to defer payments of 0.5% of par.
On the deferred coupon payments also accrue interest at current rates, which the issuer can either pay in full or in part in the specified two years, or capitalize.
Applications from holders of Eurobonds-2026 are accepted until December 16, inclusive, and from Eurobonds-2024 – until December 20. A meeting is scheduled for December 21 on Eurobonds-2026, and the results will be announced on the same day for both issues.
The maturity of Eurobonds-2024 is proposed to be postponed from July 9, 2024 to July 9, 2026, and Eurobonds-2026 from July 15, 2026 to July 15, 2028, with coupon payments for each issue being made semi-annually.
The documents also state that Ukrzaliznytsia intends to treat the holders of both bond issues equally, but reserves the right to waive the “cross condition” at any time before the announcement of the results.
“Ukrzaliznytsia” opens the sale on the flight №131/132 Lviv-Dnipro, which after a six-month break will provide rail service to northern Polesia and Volyn with Lviv, Kiev and Dnipro simultaneously.
As noted in a message on the telegram channel UZ on Friday, the train will depart from December 10 every other day on even-numbered days from Lviv at 18:08 through Chervonograd, Kovel, Sarny, Zhytomyr and other stations, arriving in the capital at 09:28. Arrival to Dnipro via Znamenka and Alexandria at 18:25.
Back every other day on even numbers from December 12 the trip will depart at 07:02, providing the residents of Dnipro with a comfortable morning connection to Kyiv. After the capital at 16:00 the train leaves for Zhytomyr and further, with arrival in Lviv at 06:55.
Ukrzaliznytsia continues to move with significant delays 81 trains out of 95.
“Not without difficulty, but the railroad continues to move. As of 9:00 a.m. 95 of our trains with all continue to move. Due to the de-energizing of much of the network, 81 of them have delays of more than an hour,” the company said in a message on its Telegram channel Thursday.
The most significant delays for trains:
– No. 711 Kramatorsk-Kiev (almost three hours);
– No. 749 Kiev-Uzhgorod with a group of cars Kiev-Vienna ( more than 11 hours);
– #17 Kharkov-Uzhgorod (over 11 hours);
– #119 Zaporizhzhya-Lviv (about 11 hours);
– #3 Zaporizhzhya-Uzhgorod (over 10 hours).
“Technically the most difficult delays are Intercity+, whose heating depends on the power grid. We equip with thermal blankets, but still have to carry passengers comfortably and warmly, so today two routes – to Kramatorsk (712) and to Dnipro (732) – were picked up by long-distance trains with autonomous heating systems”, – stressed in “Ukrzaliznytsia”.
About the changes in the schedule, the company informs all international partners in detail – they provide dedicated locomotives to provide connections, will help Ukrainians arriving at their stations.
Hubs with tea, coffee, hot meals from the World Central Kitchen, children’s rooms, recharging and rest areas are deployed at Ukrainian stations.
Passengers who missed their flights due to force majeure are put on the next flight of the same destination with the same ticket.
Ukrzaliznytsia JSC is resuming the Kiev-Mykolaiv passenger service on Tuesday and expects to resume passenger service to Kherson within 10 days after completing a track inspection and repair of damaged infrastructure, Infrastructure Minister Alexander Kubrakov said.
“Now that the Ukrainian military has pushed back the front line, we are launching a direct rail connection Kiev-Mykolaiv. The first train will leave already tonight,” Kubrakov wrote on his Facebook page on Monday.
He added that as of today, road companies have started clearing roads so that humanitarian aid, rescuers, messengers and mail could reach people as soon as possible.
Kubrakov noted that the enemy blew up 14 bridges while fleeing the territory of Kherson.
“The road services are coordinating with the military, and as soon as the security situation allows – we will dismantle the structures of the bridges,” wrote the minister.
Ukrzaliznytsia in cooperation with Czech carriers plans to launch a train from Prague to Chop.
As noted in the message in the telegram channel of Ukrzaliznytsia, the start date of this train will be announced additionally.
In addition, from December 11, 2022 will run trains: Vienna (Austria) – Chop and Kosice (Slovakia) – Chop.
In addition, the following trains run through the Chop station:
– No. 59/60 Kiev – Chop;
– No. 749 Kiev – Vienna;
– No. 4/3 Zaporizhzhya – Uzhgorod;
– No. 45/46 Uzhgorod – Kharkiv;
– No. 81/82 Kiev – Uzhgorod;
– No. 749/750 Kiev – Uzhgorod;
– No. 265/266 Kovel – Uzhgorod (newly appointed).
“Ukrzaliznytsia has increased cargo transportation by rail in October to 12.06 million tons, which is by 0.38 million tons, or 3.3%, more than in September, said deputy director of the department of commercial work “UZ” Valery Tkachev at a meeting with industry participants on Wednesday.
“In particular, 5.2 million tons (-0.137 million tons, or -0.3% compared to September 2022) were transported in export traffic. From March to October 2022, monthly rail freight volume increased from 8.299 million tons to 12.06 million tons per month (up +3.7 million tons per month or +45.3%). But this monthly volume of transportation, unfortunately, is much lower than the pre-war level,” Tkachev said on Facebook.
According to him, the transport of grain in October rose to 3.6 million tons (+197.8 thousand tons, or 5.8%), cement – up to 288.6 million tons (+21.9 thousand tons, or 8.2%), coal – up to 2.2 million tons (+18.7 thousand tons, or 0.8%), construction materials – up to 1.9 million tons (+85.6 thousand tons, or 4.6%).
At the same time, transportation of iron ore / manganese ore decreased to 1.4 million tons (-64.4 thousand tons, or 4.3%), and ferrous metals – up to 628.5 thousand tons (-63.8 thousand tons, or 9.2%), said the representative of UZ.
He also informed that in October railcar queue in the direction of western border crossing points has reduced by 1674 wagons, or 9%: from 18.2 thousand to 16.6 thousand at the beginning of November.
At the same time, according to Tkachev, the volume of orders at almost all border crossings significantly exceeds their capacity, so the Transport Logistics Center (TLC) is forced to apply reduction factors to match all orders received from exporters.
“Currently, all orders received from exporters before the 20th of the month preceding the transportation are processed by the CTL and partially agreed upon by foreign carriers and JSC “Ukrzaliznytsia”, – added Tkachev.
In addition, some foreign carriers temporarily suspended coordination of orders because of the large queue of loaded cars, said Deputy Director.
