Collage: Daryna Dmytrenko, LIGA.net

This week, the focus of government policy is on record-breaking funding and support: Naftogaz received the largest loan in the bank's history from the EBRD, amounting to €500 million; Norway allocated another billion kroner for gas purchases; and Ukrainians have already received 2.6 billion hryvnias in state cashback in six months. The Cabinet of Ministers launched a large-scale program to support communities in ten frontline regions.

The corporate sector also underwent transformations. Afina Group privatized Vinnytsia Pobutkhim for over 608 million hryvnias, BGV Group, owned by Butkevych, acquired the department store in Zhytomyr, and the NBU saw a change in leadership – Rozhkov was replaced by Nikolaychuk.

Ten key events that will shape the business agenda in the coming months — read the digest. LIGA.netSome of them open up new opportunities, others force us to rethink familiar approaches, and some are simply impossible to ignore.

Bitcoin has set a new all-time high – exceeding $124,000.

Bitcoin August 14 updated reached a historical high, exceeding $124,210 per coin, as investors began to invest more actively in risky assets.

For data According to Bloomberg, on Wednesday evening, August 13, in New York, the first cryptocurrency surpassed the $123,500 mark, exceeding its previous record. established on July 14.

On the morning of August 14, Bitcoin exceeded $124,000 after the S&P 500 index closed at a record high for the second day in a row.

Analysts attribute the growth to more favorable legislation in the US during the presidency of Donald Trump and active purchases of cryptocurrency by public companies. The rise was also fueled by stable inflation figures in the US and expectations that the Federal Reserve would lower the rate as early as September.

Bitcoin's market capitalization has reached approximately $2.5 trillion, while Ethereum's is nearly $575 billion. Together, they account for about 70% of all cryptocurrency transactions.

The plant "Vinnytsia Household Chemicals" is being privatized by its former manager.

Earwig (Photo – Afina Group)

Afina Group, owned by Ruslana Shostak and Valerii Kiptyk, which owns the trademarks "Vuhastik", iFresh, Polar Shin, Sarmix and other brands, won / defeated / triumph in the bidding for the privatization of Vinnytsia Household Chemicals.

The electronic auction on the Prozorro platform, with a starting price of 301.4 million UAH, took place on August 13. Besides LLC "Atina-Group," the company "Ukr Steel Group" also competed for the lot. Their bid in the closed auction was half the amount: almost 304.52 million UAH versus over 608.13 million UAH from Atina-Group.

The future owner is obliged to maintain the main activity of the enterprise and pay off debts. He is also obliged not to transfer assets to individuals connected with Russia.

The Vinnytsia Household Chemicals Plant previously belonged to the Russian company Nevskaya Kosmetika (owner – Vladimir Plesovskikh). After the start of the full-scale Russian aggression, the enterprise were arrested first, and then, through ARMA, it was transferred to the management of the company "Kraitex-Service" from the Afina group. The new manager Ukrainianized the main brand of the company, renaming it from "Big-eared nanny" to "Big-eared one".

EBRD's largest deal in Ukraine: Naftogaz raised €500 million for gas procurement.

Naftogaz (Photo: Depositphotos)

PJSC "Naftogaz of Ukraine" and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development signed an agreement for a revolving credit facility of 500 million euros. The funds will be used to finance the purchase of natural gas.

This is the largest project the EBRD has ever signed in Ukraine, and one of the largest in the bank's history. For the first time, the loan is provided under the guarantee of the European Union under the UIF Hi-Bar program, which will not require a state guarantee from Ukraine.

This is the fourth financing package provided by the EBRD to Naftogaz since the start of the full-scale war. As a result, the total amount of financing provided to Naftogaz by the bank has reached €1.6 billion, including €1.27 billion in EBRD loans and €330 million (NOK 3.63 billion) in grants provided by Norway through the EBRD.

Naftogaz Group will purchase gas on a competitive basis from more than 30 pre-qualified suppliers based on contracts concluded in accordance with the standards of the European Federation of Energy Traders, which unites more than 120 European companies.

Large-scale searches are being conducted in Bulgaria at the request of the NABU (National Anti-Corruption Bureau): the case is related to arms procurement.

Bulgarian law enforcement officers on August 12 were conducted or were held or took place a large-scale operation at the request of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine.

According to the acting Secretary General of the Bulgarian Ministry of Interior, Miroslav Rashkov, searches are taking place across the country in connection with a corruption case involving arms procurement. No arrests have been made yet.

Rashkov clarified that the operation is being conducted in several regions under the control of the National Investigative Service. The searches involve officers from the Main Directorate for Combating Organized Crime of the Bulgarian Ministry of Interior, as well as the Main Directorate of Gendarmerie, Special Operations, and Counter-Terrorism.

Earlier, the Bulgarian Supreme Court Prosecutor's Office stated that it was monitoring searches and seizures of arms dealers at the request of Kyiv, related to an investigation into corruption during the sale of weapons at inflated prices.

European military factories are expanding three times faster than before the war.

Depositphotos_ammunition

European military factories expanding production is three times faster than it was before the full-scale Russian-Ukrainian war. Journalists Financial Times They came to this conclusion after analyzing over 1,000 satellite images of 150 facilities belonging to 37 companies in Europe.

Analysis showed that about a third of the inspected sites showed signs of expansion or construction work. While in peacetime (2020-2021), construction activity was recorded on an area of 790,000 sq. m, in 2024-2025 this figure increased to 2.8 million sq. m.

A key, but not the only, catalyst was the EU's ASAP (Act in Support of Ammunition Production) program with a budget of €500 million, aimed at overcoming bottlenecks in the production of ammunition and missiles. Companies that received this funding expanded much faster than others.

Among the largest projects is the joint plant of German Rheinmetall and Hungarian N7 Holding in Várpalota (Hungary), which produces 155 mm artillery shells. BAE Systems is increasing its production capacity of 155 mm shells 16-fold at its plant in Wales. MBDA is expanding its German plant for the production of Patriot missiles under a NATO contract worth $5.6 billion.

Ukrainians received 2.6 billion UAH in cashback in six months.

In the first six months of 2025, Ukrainians received approximately 2.6 billion hryvnias within the framework of the state program "National Cashback". This was reported by the Ministry of Economy, Environment and Agriculture of Ukraine in response to a request. LIGA.net.

Payments since the beginning of the year were distributed as follows: in January, Ukrainians received 342 million hryvnias, in February – 384 million hryvnias, in March – 443 million hryvnias, in April – 445 million hryvnias, in May – 490 million hryvnias, and in June – 490 million hryvnias.

Cashback funds are credited to the same accounts as payments under the "Winter e-Support" program, so it is technically impossible to separate spending specifically within the cashback program. At the same time, it is known that from January to July 2025, Ukrainians spent a total of about 10.8 billion UAH of funds received under the two programs.

This refers only to funds received by citizens through applications in Diia and through partner banks (i.e., the total amount does not include payments through Ukrposhta).

The most popular expense categories are: utilities – 4.9 billion UAH (45.4%); telecommunications (mobile communications, etc.) – 3.6 billion UAH (33%); food and beverage establishments – 606 million UAH (5.6%).

Rozhkova left the National Bank. Nikolaychuk was appointed in her place.

First Deputy Governor of the National Bank Kateryna Rozhkova August 15th left / went away / departed from the position due to the expiration of her seven-year term. Serhiy Nikolaychuk, who previously served as Deputy Governor of the NBU, was appointed in her place.

Rozhkova held the position of First Deputy Chairman of the National Bank of Ukraine since June 2018, and was a member of the board. since January 2016.

During this time, the NBU has had four different governors: Valeriia Gontareva, Yakov Smoliy, Kyrylo Shevchenko, and Andriy Pishnyi.

Together with Rozhkov's team, she participated in the rehabilitation of the banking system in 2015–2017, the transformation of the non-bank financial sector, and strategic projects on the implementation of EU standards in the regulation of the financial sector of Ukraine, etc.

Serhiy Nikolaychuk held the position of Deputy Chairman of the NBU. since July 2021, curating the "Monetary Stability" block. Now he will also be responsible for the work of the "Financial Stability" block.

Norway allocates another billion kroner to Ukraine for the purchase of gas to get through the winter.

Norway highlights / emphasizes / emphasizes/highlights Ukraine has received another 1 billion Norwegian crowns (over $98 million) to purchase natural gas for the upcoming heating season.

According to Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy requested assistance in securing electricity and heating for Ukraine before the onset of winter. This new support is in addition to the previously allocated 1 billion Norwegian kroner for gas purchases. in March 2025.

The funds will be channeled through the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development for PJSC "Naftogaz of Ukraine" for the purchase of gas from Western suppliers.

The total amount of support from Norway in 2025 is expected to ensure gas supply, and therefore heat and electricity supply, for about a million families during the 2025-2026 heating season.

This support is part of the Norwegian program for Ukraine. Since 2022, Norway has provided Ukraine with a total of 4.6 billion Norwegian kroner (approximately $448 million) for gas purchases.

ATB co-owner Butkevych bought the department store in Zhytomyr.

Department store in Zhytomyr. Photo by BGV Group Management.

BGV Group Management Gennady Butkevych purchased the premises of the Central Department Store in Zhytomyr.

At the beginning of July 2025, Power Place LLC, which is part of BGV Group, received permission authorization license permit The company received approval from the Antimonopoly Committee, and in August it concluded an agreement to acquire LLC "Zhytomyr Investments," which owned the building of the Central Department Store in Zhytomyr.

The Zhytomyr Central Department Store is located in the city center. The four-story building with a basement was built in 1961 according to a typical Soviet-era project. The total usable area is 4572 sq. m.

The building requires significant capital investment, as major repairs have not been carried out here for decades, BGV Group Management noted. Inspection and assessment of the department store's technical condition confirmed the need for restoration work.

The new owner plans to repair the roof, replace all internal engineering networks, insulate the building, restore the interior decoration, etc. The company is currently developing potential investment scenarios.

The Cabinet of Ministers has launched a support program for frontline regions: what it includes.

Yulia Svyrydenko (Photo – press service of the Cabinet of Ministers)

The Cabinet of Ministers at its meeting on August 13 approved the first part of the program to support people and businesses in frontline regions. It will cover 238 communities in ten regions. Another aid package is being prepared in parallel.

The first package included:

  • compensation of 70% of the initial down payment for a mortgage under the "e-House" program and 70% of payments in the first year for internally displaced persons and residents of frontline territories, plus 40,000 UAH to cover all fees associated with obtaining a mortgage;
  • 19,400 UAH for solid fuel for each household and compensation for 100 kWh of electricity per person per month;
  • increasing the payment for community service by 33%;
  • abolition of administrative fees and state duties for business and property registration;
  • free meals for students of all grades in schools located in frontline areas;
  • a subsidy of 1000 UAH per hectare for farmers in combat zones;
  • grants of up to UAH 400,000/ha for orchards and greenhouses, with compensation for up to 80% of the costs;
  • reservation of up to 100% of military-obligated employees at critical enterprises;
  • A 20% surcharge for medical facilities in rural and remote communities for primary care, and increased payment rates for emergency medical care.

The second package will include special business operating modes with coverage of war risks, expansion of the housing restoration program, priority supply of medicines and equipment to medical facilities, salary and pension increases, and support programs for vulnerable groups of the population.