Western Fuel and Energy Company (ZTEK) plans to unveil its own network of FENIX energy gas stations by the end of 2026, which is expected to consist of approximately 20 locations in the initial phase.
Oleg Chykida, CEO and co-owner of ZTEK, announced this in an exclusive interview with the news agency “Interfax-Ukraine.”
“Our initial target is up to 20 gas stations by the end of 2026. Of course, we have to take military realities into account—a shortage of contractors and personnel, as well as disruptions in the supply of materials (…) Therefore, our plan is for up to 20 stations, but the timeline also depends on external factors,” he said.
According to Chikida, less than a year ago, FENIX energy practically didn’t exist, and he, along with his business partner and ZTEK co-owner Kostyantyn Gavrilenko, worked independently on the concept, name, color scheme, and positioning of the network.
“I’m cautious about chasing quantity. We’re entering a highly competitive and long-established market, so first we need to offer a high-quality product (…), build a strong team, refine the model, and only then scale it up,” the CEO noted.
The network’s primary geographic focus will be western and central Ukraine. ZPEK does not plan to operate in Kyiv during the initial phase.
FENIX energy will be financed from several sources: its own funds, profits from the group’s operations, and bank loans.
“Our key banking partner is Ukrgasbank. Over the past three years, we’ve gone from an initial financing round of approximately $110,000 to a credit line of about $17 million. At the same time, we’re in talks with other banks regarding the FENIX energy project,” Chikida said.
As he explained, ZTEK distinguishes three main formats for gas stations. The estimated budget, depending on the facility, can range from $700,000 to $2.5 million, while certain flagship complexes will require even greater investments.
For the urban format, the company is targeting approximately $1–1.2 million. There will also be regional highway stations and complexes along major national highways.
“We don’t want to build a network that differs only in the color of the ceiling. The foundation of FENIX energy is fuel quality control from import to the pump, a uniform standard for all facilities, and comprehensive roadside service,” added the CEO.
ZTEK plans to present some of its solutions, particularly those related to self-service, separately.
For the construction of underground fuel storage facilities to become possible in Ukraine, a compromise must be reached between the government and the private sector regarding the streamlining of permitting procedures and the provision of affordable long-term financing.
Oleg Chikida, CEO and co-owner of the Western Fuel and Energy Company (ZTEK), expressed this view in an exclusive interview with the “Interfax-Ukraine” news agency.
“We need to bring the government and the business community to the negotiating table and find a compromise: to safeguard the country’s strategic interests and create realistic economic conditions for private companies to build up reserves. As of now, I don’t see such a compromise yet,” he said.
According to the CEO, from the government’s perspective, reserves of oil and petroleum products are clearly necessary, but the conditions for businesses to build the required storage facilities have not yet been established.
“The first problem is financial. Building reserves means that a company must effectively freeze a significant amount of working capital. For ZTEK, this could potentially amount to more than one million dollars,” Chikida noted.
As he explained, an underground storage facility with a capacity of approximately 10,000 metric tons could require an investment of 10 million dollars, and for a private company, this is a very significant amount; therefore, affordable long-term financing is necessary to implement such projects.
“Programs are being discussed through state-owned banks at an interest rate of approximately 12% per year in hryvnia for five years. This is a step in the right direction, but it will not meet the industry’s needs,” the CEO believes.
The second problem, he says, is infrastructure-related. Since a significant portion of the storage facility network was destroyed or damaged during the war, the question arises: where should this resource be stored, and who will bear the risk if the storage site becomes a target of attack again?
“Specifically, we have a site where we could build an underground storage facility. But obtaining all the permits could take about a year and a half, and the construction itself, according to our estimates, is roughly three times more expensive than an above-ground facility,” Chikida noted.
He added, however, that ZTEK is ready to invest even under such conditions.
“But if we start the permitting process in September 2026, we’ll be lucky to get the documents in 2027, and construction won’t be completed until 2028. How will market demand change by then, and how will we recoup these investments?” the CEO asked.
As previously reported, Ukraine is set to launch a pilot project for the underground storage of petroleum products from the minimum reserves of oil and petroleum products (MZNN) starting in early 2027, in accordance with Cabinet of Ministers Resolution No. 1037 dated August 13, 2026.
The full text of the interview with Oleg Chikida, CEO and co-owner of ZTEK, will be published on the websites of the agency “Interfax-Ukraine” and its energy project “Energoreforma.”
Perfect Group plans to expand its rental real estate business in Kyiv and transfer some of the apartments in its complexes to professional management by hotel operators.
As the company’s CEO, Oleksiy Koval, stated in an interview with Interfax-Ukraine on September 1, 2026, the first such project is being developed in the LA MANCHE residential complex at 46 Shchekavitska Street in Podil. Forty apartments have been allocated for this income-generating real estate project.
The operator will focus primarily on long-term rentals.
Another project is being developed as part of the Stanford residential complex at 35 Predslavinskaya Street. Here, a separate section is planned for short-term rentals, and Perfect Group is in negotiations with a major professional operator.
The developer also plans to extend some hotel services to the other residents of the residential complexes. These include concierge services, babysitting, children’s playrooms, dog-walking, and other additional services.
According to Koval, after a period of competition among developers based on price, architectural concept, and infrastructure, the next key factor in market competition will be service quality.
For comfort-class housing, the company intends to develop a similar approach through digitalization. Perfect Group is developing an app to facilitate communication between residents and the management company, process requests, and vote on additional services. Its launch is planned for before the end of 2026.
In addition to income-generating real estate projects in Kyiv, Perfect Group is building the VELMY aparthotel in Polyanytsia near Bukovel.
On September 10, 2026, the Switzerland-Ukraine Municipal Cooperation Forum was held in Basel, focusing on the development of partnerships between Ukrainian and Swiss cities and the implementation of joint projects to rebuild and strengthen the resilience of communities, according to the Embassy of Ukraine to the Swiss Confederation and the Principality of Liechtenstein.
The forum brought together representatives of central and local authorities from Ukraine and Switzerland, as well as relevant organizations from both countries. It was jointly organized by the Swiss government, the cities of Basel, Bern, and Zurich, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, the Embassy of Ukraine in Switzerland, the Ukrainian Association of Switzerland, and the Support and Recovery Platform.
Konradin Kramer, President of the Government of the Canton of Basel-Stadt; Iryna Venediktova, Ambassador of Ukraine to Switzerland; Vitaliy Bezgin, Minister of Community and Territorial Development of Ukraine; and Jacques Herber, the Swiss Federal Council’s delegate for Ukraine, delivered welcoming remarks to the participants.
Under the slogan “Building Partnerships. Achieving Results,” participants discussed the transition from inter-municipal contacts to specific investment and infrastructure projects. The main areas of cooperation identified were energy supply and energy efficiency, water infrastructure, local governance, and the development of public services.
The forum’s program included two panel discussions—one on the political foundations of municipal partnerships in reconstruction and the other on practical models for implementing such projects. Separate City Labs working sessions were held, during which representatives of Ukrainian and Swiss cities jointly developed specific proposals for further cooperation.
Municipal partnerships are one of the areas of Switzerland’s long-term support for Ukraine. The Swiss cooperation program with Ukraine for 2025–2028 specifically provides for support to local and regional authorities in the reconstruction and modernization of urban infrastructure and the provision of basic services, particularly in the areas of transportation, energy, water supply, healthcare, and education.
Swiss cities are already participating in practical projects in Ukraine. In particular, Basel is transferring up to 25 trams to Lviv as part of a program that Switzerland is funding with CHF 2.5 million from 2024 to 2028. Previously, Bern also donated trams to Ukraine.
Switzerland views the development of direct ties between cities as one of the mechanisms for Ukraine’s reconstruction. The country’s national program notes that Vinnytsia, Odesa, Sumy, and Kharkiv, among others, have previously expressed interest in partnerships with Swiss cities.
Holding the forum in Basel is intended to facilitate the transition from general agreements between communities to specific joint projects that can leverage Swiss technology, municipal expertise, and funding for the reconstruction of Ukraine’s infrastructure.
Ukrainian developers need access to project financing, and securing bank or international loans covering 20–30% of a project’s cost may be sufficient to begin construction, according to Alexei Koval, CEO of the Perfect Group.
As Koval stated in an interview with the Interfax-Ukraine news agency published on September 1, 2026, the financing model for residential construction in Ukraine has changed significantly since the start of the full-scale war. Whereas before 2022 a developer could invest about 10% of its own funds, receiving up to 90% of the resources from buyers, now self-financing at the initial stage can reach 60%.
According to him, Perfect Group is conducting negotiations through its representatives with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. European financial institutions are prepared to consider lending to the Ukrainian private sector at interest rates ranging from 6–8% in euros; however, for affordable housing projects, a rate of 3–4% would be more acceptable.
The company believes that loan financing amounting to 20–30% of the project estimate could make it possible to begin construction, after which mortgage programs, including “єОселя,” could be brought in to finance the project.
Koval also noted that the introduction of escrow accounts for homebuyers without the simultaneous creation of a project financing system for developers could lead to a shortage of resources for launching new projects.
According to his estimates, the profitability of development projects in Ukraine under normal conditions is comparable to that in Europe and stands at about 18–20%.
Perfect Group was founded in 1991. According to the company, over the course of its operations, the group has commissioned more than 110 buildings comprising over 20,000 apartments with a total area of more than 1.5 million square meters.
According to Fixygen, the German Ministry of Finance has drafted a proposal to reform the taxation of crypto assets, which would introduce a 25% tax rate on profits from the sale of Bitcoin, Ethereum, and other cryptocurrencies, regardless of the length of time the asset was held.
The corresponding draft bill is in the early stages of approval within the federal government, Handelsblatt reported on September 9, citing a document obtained by the publication. Germany currently remains one of the most attractive major European jurisdictions for long-term private investors in cryptocurrencies. Under current rules, profits from the sale of crypto assets held for more than one year are generally not subject to income tax. If an asset is sold within 12 months of purchase, the profit is classified as a private sale of property and taxed at the taxpayer’s individual rate. This procedure was confirmed by official clarifications from the German Ministry of Finance on March 6, 2025.
The new model is expected to fundamentally change this approach. It is proposed to reclassify crypto assets from the category of private property transactions to the category of capital gains and tax them similarly to profits from stock transactions. The base rate of the Abgeltungsteuer will be 25%. Taking into account the solidarity surcharge, the effective tax rate could reach 26.375%, excluding any potential church tax.
The proposed rules would apply only to cryptocurrency acquired after December 31, 2026. For Bitcoin, Ethereum, and other assets purchased earlier, the current tax regime is expected to remain in place.
The bill calls for the new rules to take effect on January 1, 2027. However, automatic tax withholding by German cryptocurrency service providers is planned to be introduced only on January 1, 2028, to give platforms time to restructure their accounting systems.
The Ministry of Finance estimates that the rule change will generate approximately EUR 160 million in additional tax revenue for the budget in 2028. In subsequent years, the amount is expected to increase and, according to the ministry’s calculations, reach approximately EUR 350 million in 2030.
The reform will effectively eliminate the main tax advantage of long-term cryptocurrency ownership in Germany. It will no longer be sufficient for an investor to hold Bitcoin or Ethereum for more than a year to fully exempt the profit from the sale from taxation.
However, a final decision has not yet been made. The Ministry of Finance’s draft is in the early stages of interagency coordination, after which the document must undergo further review by the government, the Bundestag, and the Bundesrat.
Separately, Germany is already increasing tax transparency for transactions involving digital assets. In November 2025, the Bundestag approved the implementation of the European DAC8 Directive, which requires crypto service providers to report information on certain customer transactions to tax authorities.
