Business of Kyiv Region and Ukraine

Business

Lviv outpaced Kyiv in new construction prices: $1,500 per meter

# Lviv Outpaces Kyiv in New Construction Prices for the First Time Since War Began — But Surprisingly, Vinnytsia Shows the Largest Growth

Business

GM Does Not Trust Google Gemini With Its Own Car — and Is Building Its Own AI Assistant

General Motors acknowledged that a universal chatbot cannot fully control a vehicle. Therefore, the already integrated Gemini will be supplemented with proprietary AI that will have access to telemetry and OnStar.

Business

Russia, world's third oil producer, buys gasoline from Morocco

A country that for years exported fuel throughout the post-Soviet space is now importing gasoline by tanker from Africa — and this is the best indicator of the effectiveness of Ukrainian drone strikes on refineries.

Business

UEFA Issues FIFA Ultimatum: World Cup Boycott if Tournament Sold to Private Investors

55 European national federations unanimously refused to play in FIFA tournaments until the federation president withdraws his plan to sell 20% of World Cup rights for $20 billion.

Business

Lviv Developer Wants to Finance Shopping Center Through REIT — and That Says More About the Market Than It Seems

WR Group plans to attract depositors' funds into a fund for the construction of retail parks in the suburbs of Lviv. This is an attempt to find a new source of capital as bank financing for construction during the war remains limited.

Business

Rhine Shallows to 25 Centimeters: German Chemical Industry Braces for Crisis

A ton of cargo from Rotterdam has become more expensive, reaching 150 euros instead of the usual 20 — and this is even before BASF, Covestro, and Evonik started talking about a possible shortage of products.

Business

Copywriting Pays Off, Metaverse Doesn't: Why the Market Believed Microsoft and Doubted Meta

# Both companies spend billions on artificial intelligence, but only one can show who exactly is paying for it and how much. The difference of 30 million Copilot subscribers versus Meta's 91% drop in cash flow — that's where the line of investor trust lies.

Business

Russia Extended Fuel Export Ban for Another Six Months Until End of January

Russia's government has extended its embargo on gasoline and diesel exports until January 31, 2027 — following fresh strikes on oil refineries in Perm and Ryazan. This signals an acknowledgment that the fuel crisis is systemic rather than temporary.

Business

Soboliev Returns to Presidential Office: Third Economic Position in a Year and "Post-War" Plans

Former Economics Minister to head economic direction in Presidential Office and coordinate development of Ukraine's recovery plan — for business this means another change of contact person in government within 12 months.

Business

European Union to Build Seven AI "Gigafactories" to Reduce Dependence on US and China

The European Commission is allocating 10 billion euros for computing capacity for startups and scientists — but the first results will not appear before 2028, when the technological advantage of the United States and China could become even greater.

Business

Ukraine's Harvest Will Be Better Than Expected: Ports Needed to Export It

Ukraine will have 52 million tons of grain and oilseed crops for export this year. If they are not exported, it could deal a severe blow to the economy.

Business

Why Your New Laptop or Phone Will Soon Cost More — and Artificial Intelligence Is to Blame

Samsung's record profit of $60.9 billion is not just a figure in a report, but a signal: the memory chip shortage that feeds AI data centers will soon hit prices on ordinary consumer electronics.

Business

Fake Seafood and 295 Million: Ex-Head of UAF Pavelko Detained in Bratislava

Andriy Pavelko, who headed the Ukrainian Football Federation for nine years and fled abroad with a forged disability certificate, has been detained in Slovakia's capital. The Office of the Prosecutor General has initiated extradition proceedings.

Business

"The Law Exists, but the Capital Doesn't: Japan Adopts a Framework Without an Address"

Japan's Parliament has enshrined the concept of a backup capital in case of disaster in Tokyo—but the specific city is not mentioned in the law. Osaka has the best chances, as it negotiated this law as the price for its coalition support.

Business

Zero Growth and Record Budget Deficit: Russia's Central Bank Admits Military Economy is Exhausting Itself

On July 24, Russia's central bank lowered its GDP growth forecast to 0–1% and recorded a budget deficit of 2% of GDP — the largest since the pandemic. Behind these figures lies a structural reckoning from four years of war.

Business

Kamianské Updates Trams with EIB Funds: 17 Wagons for €17 Million, 70% of Passengers Are Beneficiaries

The first of 17 new Tatra-Yug trams has completed technical testing in Kamyanske. Under the financing scheme, 80% of funds come from European sources and 20% from the city budget, but the city itself maintains the fleet, where most rides are free of charge.

Business

Uber Cuts Staff Twice in Two Months — Both Times Due to AI. What It Means for the Service

In June, Uber cut a quarter of its HR team, followed by a 10% reduction in customer support in July. The company is replacing people with algorithms, but Gartner warns that half of companies taking similar steps will come to regret it.

Business

France Bans Social Media for Children Under 15: 279 Votes in Favor and Open Questions About Enforcement

The French parliament has passed the EU's strictest law on social media for minors — but the real test for Macron's initiative will begin on September 1, when platforms must verify the age of every user.

Business

5G in Kyiv — but you can't connect. What operators are actually testing

Fifth-generation network has appeared in the center of the capital, but without an auction on frequencies and permission from the General Staff, this is not a commercial launch, but a rehearsal.

Business

"Tariffs Frozen Until 2027: What Ukraine Promised to the IMF — and Why This Has Happened Before"

The IMF memorandum stipulates commitments to raise prices for gas, heat, and electricity to cost-recovery levels. However, Ukraine has signed similar agreements twice before — and backed away both times.

Business

Powder as a Bottleneck: Rheinmetall Invests €350 Million in Plant Without Which Shells Are Just Scrap Metal

The expansion of the Nitrochemie plant in Schaan-am-Inn to 4,200 tons of powder per year is not news about production, but rather an acknowledgment of where the ammunition supply chain for Ukraine is actually breaking down.

Business

Ukraine imports 100% of potato starch — a Cherkasy plant is set to change this by 2026

A potato processing plant, the first of its kind in Ukraine, is being built in Cherkasy region: flour production first, then fries. The investment totals 960 million hryvnia and represents an attempt to close the market gap that has so far been completely dependent on imports.

Business

Trump invoked 1930 law to impose 50% tariff on Canada — this is the third wave of duties

Washington has escalated the situation to a new level by resorting to Depression-era tactics: tariffs on wine, cement, hockey sticks, and furniture effectively nullify the USMCA — an agreement that the United States itself signed.

Business

Water at 89 hryvnias per cubic meter: why the tariff in Kyiv hasn't been reviewed for three years — and what's behind the numbers

Kyivvodokanal submitted calculations showing water prices nearly tripling. This is not greed from utilities — it's a bill that has been deferred since 2022.

Business

Naftogaz reached agreement with 90% of creditors: €1.2 billion debt postponed — this is already the second restructuring in three years

The company avoided default by stretching payments until 2032–2033 and raising the rate to 8.95%. More expensive for investors. For Naftogaz — time enough for two heating seasons.

Business

De Beers sold to consortium led by former company CEO — and Botswana's parliament learned about it first, not financial media

Anglo American has selected a buyer for an 85% stake in De Beers: the Global Diamond Consortium led by Gareth Penny, a man who previously managed the company. Botswana has not yet decided whether to join the deal as a partner or exercise its right of first refusal to purchase independently.

Business

Varus absorbs "Kolo": what's behind it and why it matters for Kyiv retail

Dnipro-based Varus network acquires Kyiv's "Kolo" chain — the deal reshapes the balance of power in the capital's grocery retail. But the real question isn't about who acquired whom, but whether consumers can withstand another round of market consolidation.

Business

Kiev Becomes More Expensive Despite War: Premium Housing Sets Records

# Square Meter in Capital's Premium Segment Rising Again. Kyiv Second Only to Lviv — and It's No Accident.

Business

Performer Dead, Video Restored: Case of Assassination Attempt on Yermolayev in Monaco Takes Shape of Criminal Hierarchy

The SBU recovered footage from a "reverse" camera that the perpetrators themselves installed to confirm the order — and it now serves as evidence against them. Over three weeks, the case unfolded like a chain of events: explosion in Monaco → Interpol search → murder of a suspect near Kyiv → arrest of an active GUR officer.

Business

EU Expands Carbon Market to Flights to Dubai and Istanbul — Airlines Say 'Mistake,' Data Says 'No'

Starting from 2029, the European Emissions Trading System will cover international flights within a 5,000 km radius from the center of Europe. The aviation industry warns of ticket price increases, while independent researchers claim the opposite — and the figures support their argument.