American missionary and philanthropist Kim Kio Yok, who has been working in Ukraine for more than 30 years, said that probable fraud occurred during the purchase of a house in Kyiv for the activities of the charitable foundation and Grace church, as a result of which the organization lost the ability to fully provide assistance to internally displaced persons, pensioners and other vulnerable categories of the population.
As Oleksandr Keer, managing partner of the law firm Revealing Information, said during a press conference at the Interfax-Ukraine agency, in 2022 Kim Kio Yok agreed to purchase a building in Kyiv’s Darnytskyi district, but instead of the main sale and purchase agreement, an agreement on the intention to conclude such an agreement was signed. According to the lawyer, at the time the agreement was concluded, the real estate was pledged due to debts of the previous owner’s family, and the initial payment amounted to $30,000.
“In 2022, $30,000 was transferred as a deposit and confirmation of the genuine intention to purchase this property. From 2022 until today, the amount of funds received increased from $30,000 to $400,000; in fact, 21 agreements were concluded to postpone the deadlines for concluding the main sale and purchase agreement. The last two additional agreements were concluded when the party no longer even had the ability to sell the property because it did not own it,” Keer said at a press conference at the Interfax-Ukraine agency on Wednesday.
According to him, because of the outstanding previous obligations of the person who was supposed to sell the house, ownership of the real estate passed to creditors, making it impossible to fulfill the original agreements. At the same time, the lawyer claims that Kim Kio Yok effectively transferred almost the entire agreed value of the property but did not receive ownership of it.
Keer said that after the philanthropist approached them, the lawyers initially tried to resolve the situation through negotiations and mediation, but they were unable to reach an agreement with the other party. After that, submissions to the police and prosecutor’s office were prepared, as well as civil lawsuits concerning the disputed agreements and the return of the funds.
“When Mr. Kim approached us, the first thing we proposed was to hold negotiations and mediation in order to clarify the circumstances and try to reach an agreement. In response to repeated attempts to hold such a meeting, we were told that there were no grounds or purpose for it. After that, we prepared statements to the police and prosecutor’s office, as well as civil lawsuits regarding the return of the funds,” he added.
Keer noted that, according to the assessment of the injured party, the case has prospects in court because the transfer of funds and changes to the agreements were documented by signed agreements. He also said that for some time the philanthropist actually used the building, invested funds in improving it and purchased equipment, but now, according to his representatives, does not have access to this property.
He noted that the prosecutor’s office of the Darnytskyi district had opened criminal proceedings and that a pre-trial investigation was ongoing. The lawyer also positively assessed the court’s prompt response to the appeal by representatives of the injured party, but noted that since May the case has not yet resulted in a notice of suspicion or the submission of an indictment to the court.
For his part, Kim Kio Yok said that he came to Ukraine from California 33 years ago and during that time was engaged in religious, educational and charitable projects. After the start of the full-scale war, together with like-minded people, he helped people whose homes had been damaged, distributed food packages and firewood, and also organized free meals for internally displaced persons in Kyiv.
“We helped Ukrainians who suffered greatly during the full-scale war: we found damaged houses, helped rebuild them, provided people with food packages and firewood so that they could survive the winter. In the building in the Darnytskyi district, we served hot lunches to between 150 and 200 internally displaced persons. Because of this situation, in recent months people have been unable to receive the assistance that we provided before,” Kim Kio Yok said.
Kim Kio Yok, American missionary and philanthropist, injured party in the criminal proceedings
The missionary said that, as a U.S. citizen, he sent an official letter to the U.S. Embassy in Ukraine and contacted the U.S. consul.
“We sent an official letter to the U.S. Embassy. They responded and are showing interest in this case because I am a U.S. citizen. I also contacted the U.S. consul with a request to help me in this situation,” Kim Kio Yok said.
According to him, people who previously regularly received assistance continue to call representatives of the organization and ask when the free lunches and other programs will be resumed. The missionary stressed that he intends to remain in Ukraine and continue his charitable activities.
Kim Kio Yok noted that the organization operates not only in Kyiv. Over 33 years of its activities, centers have been established in various cities of Ukraine, including rehabilitation programs for people with drug and alcohol addiction. The Grace gymnasium, which includes a kindergarten and education through the 11th grade, also operates, while the building purchased in Kyiv was planned to be used, among other things, for educational projects.
“I am now 75 years old, and even during the war I want to help Ukrainians and serve them with love. We appeal to law enforcement agencies, the police and the prosecutor’s office: help us so that we can work again on the territory of Ukraine. We have dedicated our lives to serving Ukraine and the Ukrainian people,” he said.
For her part, Viktoriia Khliebnikova, a volunteer with the charitable foundation, noted that the consequences of the conflict surrounding the building concern not only the foundation itself, since professional kitchen equipment purchased specifically to provide free meals to people remained inside the premises.
“For us, this story is very painful because this is not a question of the house, the equipment or the money. The most painful thing is that we cannot help people to the full extent, as we did before. The professional equipment was purchased not for business and not to make a profit – it was purchased for charitable activities, to feed people,” Khliebnikova said.
She noted that during widespread electricity outages, such meals were of particular importance to people who were unable to cook food at home. At present, according to her, the team is seeking to regain access to its property and resume its work.
“People are waiting, they meet me on the street and every time ask when we will start helping again. We want to return to normal work, prepare lunches, help elderly people, children and families who have lost their defenders at the front,” the volunteer added.
For his part, Pastor Kim Shine, vice president of the international Grace mission, who joined the press conference from the United States, said that the American organization financially supported the activities of Kim Kio Yok and his family in Ukraine and helped with the purchase of the premises. According to him, after the start of the full-scale war, the mission offered the missionaries the opportunity to return to the United States for security reasons, but they decided to stay.
“When they said that they had found a building where they could support elderly people and prepare food for displaced persons, we decided to provide financial assistance for its purchase. Now we are appealing to the Ukrainian authorities so that this case is resolved in accordance with the law and the activities can continue,” Kim Shine emphasized.
CHARITY, fraud, INTERFAX-UKRAINE, KYIV, MISSIONARY, UNITED STATES
Risks in international trade often arise not with the direct counterparty but at subsequent levels of the supply chain. A company may have a reliable supplier that, in turn, depends on a single factory, logistics operator, technology owner, or subsupplier in another country.
That is why international risk management is gradually shifting from simple counterparty verification to the analysis of broader corporate and supplier relationships. This is particularly relevant for Ukrainian businesses because of the war, complicated logistics, sanctions regimes, and the high dependence of many industries on imported raw materials and equipment.
“A company may know its direct partner well and, at the same time, may not know on whom that partner’s operations critically depend. A single problematic subsupplier, a sanctions-related connection, or a production shutdown at the other end of the chain can disrupt a contract in Ukraine. Therefore, modern verification must answer not only the question ‘Who is our partner?’ but also ‘Who does our partner depend on?’” said Maksym Urakin, head of the D&B — Interfax-Ukraine business unit and Candidate of Economic Sciences.
Risk factors include the excessive concentration of procurement from a single supplier, dependence on a single region, opaque corporate relationships, sanctions risks, financial problems at a key company in the chain, or a sudden change of ownership.
For critical supplies, companies should develop a pool of alternative suppliers, determine minimum inventory levels, verify corporate groups, and reassess partners in the event of significant changes. This is particularly relevant to the energy sector, mechanical engineering, pharmaceuticals, the food industry, construction, and other sectors in which the disruption of a single component can block the entire production cycle.
D&B solutions in supplier intelligence and business risk management make it possible to work with global business data, corporate relationships, and risk signals. For Ukrainian companies, this information can provide a foundation for building more resilient supply chains.
In the long term, the verification of supplier relationships is becoming not a one-time procedure but part of a business’s operational resilience.
D&B — Interfax-Ukraine helps Ukrainian companies work with international business data and business identification tools.
Dun & Bradstreet is an international provider of business data and analytical solutions whose history began in 1841. D&B works with data on companies worldwide and provides tools for business identification, counterparty verification, credit and commercial risk assessment, compliance, and supply chain management.
The Interfax-Ukraine News Agency is the official representative of Dun & Bradstreet in Ukraine. The specialized D&B — Interfax-Ukraine division provides Ukrainian companies with access to international business data, helps them verify foreign counterparties, and assists them in working with D&B tools.
Questions can be submitted through the specialized D&B resource — dnb.ua, by email at Urakin@interfax.kyiv.ua, or by telephone at +38 (044) 270-65-74.
BUSINESS, D&B, INTERFAX-UKRAINE, RISK MANAGEMENT, SUPPLY CHAINS
The Interfax-Ukraine news agency has released the 1,000th anniversary issue of its German-language news digest Business Woche. This product allows users from Germany and other German-speaking countries to receive timely and objective information about the latest events in Ukraine, as well as analytical data and statistics on key sectors of the country’s economy.
Business Woche has become an important information bridge between Ukraine and the German-speaking world. The digest includes news on politics, economics, agriculture, energy, as well as information on construction, real estate, retail, and telecommunications. It also covers issues related to the development of transport infrastructure, metallurgy, mechanical engineering, and pharmaceuticals, which are important to an international audience.
The product provides readers with up-to-date information on the economic situation in Ukraine, including analysis of macroeconomic indicators such as GDP, inflation, and unemployment, making it an important tool for monitoring and analyzing the situation in Ukraine.
Interfax-Ukraine is actively developing its line of information products in different languages. The agency plans to expand its language diversity in the future in order to deliver news from Ukraine to an international audience even faster and more conveniently.
Interfax-Ukraine has ambitious plans for the further development of its information activities aimed at supporting global information exchange. According to Maxim Urakin, deputy director general of the agency and editor of Business Woche, this initiative reflects not only the growing interest in events in Ukraine on the international arena, but also the desire to be at the forefront of the information space.
“Our goal is to provide our readers and subscribers with the opportunity to receive information quickly, accurately, and in languages convenient for them, which will contribute to a better understanding and analysis of Ukrainian realities on the international arena,” Maxim Urakin emphasized.
Interfax-Ukraine is an independent Ukrainian news agency specializing in providing up-to-date information on events in the country and around the world. The company supplies its information products to many countries, helping to form an objective picture of events for an international audience. It has been operating in the Ukrainian political and economic information market since 1992 and has a reputation as the most authoritative and competent provider of up-to-date information.
The agency’s editorial office (head office) is located in Kyiv. Interfax-Ukraine is not part of any foreign media holding company. The founder of Interfax-Ukraine was Oleksandr Martynenko.
The Interfax-Ukraine news agency has announced the launch of a Ukrainian-language version of its monthly analytical publication Economic Monitoring, which covers key macroeconomic indicators for Ukraine and the global economy, foreign trade dynamics, inflation, trends in employment, fiscal policy, public debt, energy, transport, and agriculture.
The new Ukrainian-language publication was created to expand access for Ukrainian businesses, think tanks, government agencies, and the media to verified economic information prepared on the basis of official sources, including the State Statistics Service, the National Bank of Ukraine, the Ministry of Economy, and international financial institutions, such as the World Bank and the IMF.
“In the current turbulent economic situation, the country needs high-quality, structured analytics presented in the official language. The launch of Economic Monitoring in Ukrainian is an important step towards meeting the needs of a professional audience in Ukraine. We want this product to become a reliable tool for businesses, government officials, and journalists in their decision-making,” said Maxim Urakhin, Director of Development at Interfax-Ukraine.
The first issue is already available to subscribers of the agency. It contains:
The publication will be updated monthly in accordance with available official data, even if some statistical publications are partially suspended due to martial law.
You can order an electronic copy of Economic Monitoring by contacting us at:
Maksym Urakin
Email: urakin@interfax.kiev.ua
Tel.: +38-067-232-00- 42.
Source: https://en.interfax.com.ua/news/press-release/1073347.html
On November 15, 2024, the press center of the Interfax-Ukraine news agency hosted a press conference on “Social Responsibility Practices in Time of War” dedicated to the specifics of Ukrainian business during the war period. The event brought together representatives of leading companies and experts who shared their own cases, innovative practices and visions of the future.
Olena Plakhova, Director of Reputation Management and Marketing at Nova Poshta, emphasized that business in Ukraine is now performing much more than traditional functions and often takes on some of the responsibilities of the state.
“This happens not because of coercion, but because businesses realize their responsibility to society. It is important to rethink the social contract – we not only expect help from the state, but also actively engage in solving urgent problems. For example, the Humanitarian Mail of Ukraine program, which started in 2014, now supports more than 2,000 recipient foundations by providing free delivery of humanitarian aid,” she said.
“Not only did we quickly organize our work, but we also supported local communities and supplied military checkpoints. Our warehouse in Makariv was destroyed, but we found the resources to resume the supply of medicines. It was a unique experience when we had to negotiate logistics corridors and make decisions quickly. In the future, it is important for us to help the victims and participate in the restoration of medical infrastructure, as this is a key part of our mission,” said Yevheniia Piddubna, Corporate Communications Director, Farmak JSC.
In his turn, Oleksandr Sosis, beneficiary of Alliance Bank, noted that the war has changed the emphasis of the company’s social responsibility.
“Previously, our programs were mainly related to employee support, but now the focus has shifted to external initiatives. One example is our Good Deeds Forum, which has become a platform for supporting volunteers. Many of them have become leaders of public initiatives that are now working even more effectively than some government agencies,” he emphasized.
Sergiy Shevchenko, KSG Agro’s press service representative, spoke about the agricultural holding’s activities in the frontline region.
“We have adapted our operations to the war conditions, increased salaries for our employees and strengthened security at our facilities. One of the key areas was ensuring food safety: we increased the number of pigs at our complex in Kherson region from 500 to 20 thousand. This is an important contribution to the stability of the region and support for local communities,” said the farmer.
Maksym Urakin, Director of Development and Marketing at Interfax-Ukraine and founder of the Experts Club think tank, emphasized the importance of helping civilians and creating communication projects in times of war.
“Our project “Find Your Loved Ones” has become a lifesaver for many civilians who have lost contact with their families due to the war. We have combined the efforts of the media and volunteers to search for missing people and have achieved significant results. We also help volunteer initiatives by organizing press conferences, providing information support and supplying mobile hospitals for civilians,” he said.
According to the expert, the Ukrainian economy is showing significant growth despite the challenges.
“In the first nine months of 2024, Ukraine’s GDP grew by 4.5% year-on-year. The results of the metallurgical sector are particularly impressive, as it increased production of steel and rolled products by 22-28% during this period. The agricultural sector also showed a significant increase due to the early harvest of late crops,” said Maxim Urakin.
According to him, Ukrainian business continues to adapt to the war by moving production to safer regions or even abroad.
“Medium-sized businesses are forced to actively migrate across Ukraine and integrate into the European economy – more than 200 companies have opened production facilities in the EU,” Urakin added.
But there are also negative trends. The expert emphasized the need to improve trust in government institutions, as according to an April survey by Active Group and Experts Club, 57% of citizens do not trust government agencies, and 62% do not trust law enforcement agencies.
The event also featured the presentation of the book Unbreakable Business by Oleksandr Holizdra and Serhiy Shevchenko, which tells unique stories about the resilience of Ukrainian companies during the war period. The publication has become a symbol of the entrepreneurial spirit that inspires us to move towards victory.
BANK_ALLIANCE, BUSINESS, EXPERTS CLUB, FARMAK, INTERFAX-UKRAINE, KSG_AGRO, PLAKHOVA, URAKIN, ГОЛІЗДРА, НОВА_ПОШТА, ПІДДУБНА, СОСІС
Interfax-Ukraine news agency announces the completion of development and implementation of an updated version of the agency’s online news feed.
“This is a resource with enhanced functionality for information processing. The service is designed for users who need not only quick access to news streams, but also tools for structuring them, searching databases, consolidating news, etc.,” explained Yegor Boltryk, director of Interfax-Ukraine news agency.
The new version has improved navigation capabilities and changed the system’s configuration to make it more flexible and understandable. The design has been updated for the convenience of mobile gadget users.
“In line with global trends, we decided to simplify the interface as much as possible, making it easy, versatile and convenient to use from any device,” added Yegor Boltryk.
The updated version has improved the system for working with the news archive (Interfax-Ukraine databases).
“The new version of the search tools is more accurate, in particular, the ability to generate complex queries and reports has been updated. I am confident that our domestic and foreign clients from various sectors (banks, embassies, government agencies, media, etc.) will appreciate the new adaptability of the system and the new capabilities of the search engines,” explained Maxim Urakin, Development and Commercial Director of Interfax-Ukraine.
“Interfax-Ukraine is an independent Ukrainian news agency that has been operating in the Ukrainian political and economic information market since 1992. It produces more than 40 news products in four languages. The agency’s editorial office is located in Kyiv. “Interfax-Ukraine is not part of any foreign media holdings. The founder and owner of Interfax-Ukraine was Oleksandr Martynenko.
As reported at the end of 2023, Interfax-Ukraine news agency became the official representative of the international company Dun & Bradstreet (D&B) in the Ukrainian market.
The agency has been a member and official service provider of the American Chamber of Commerce in Ukraine since 2005. “Interfax-Ukraine provides up-to-date political, financial and economic information not only on Ukraine but also on a number of key countries for Ukraine (Europe, China, the United States, etc.).
