KIEV, July 11 - Ukrainian banks saw a profit of UAH 3.1 billion in the first half of the year, which is 1.7 times more than the same period last year, the National Bank of Ukraine said on its website.

Compared to the previous period, bank incomes grew by 57.9% or by UAH10.4 billion, to UAH28.4 billion, while expenditures rose by 56.3% or by UAH9.1 billion, to UAH25.3 billion.

KIEV, July 11 - Ukraine's transit of Russian natural gas, mostly to markets in the European Union, decreased by 7.1% on the month to 8.81 billion cubic meters in June, down from 9.48 Bcm shipped in May, the energy and fuel ministry reported Wednesday.

BUDAPEST, July 10 - Ukraine and Hungary have begun talks on a one billion cubic meter gas storage facility for Hungary on Ukrainian territory, The Associated Press reported, citing Hungarian Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsany.

KIEV, July 10 - Cardinal Resources Plc (Britain) has completed the construction of a gas collection station at the Bilousivka-Chornukhyne field,, the company reported.

KIEV, July 11 - Tatar stockholders in UkrTatNafta transnational financial and industrial oil company (the Kremenchuk oil refinery in Poltava region) and representatives of the Ukrainian government have discussed bilateral cooperation in the company.

KIEV, July 11 - Zaporizhia-based Motor Sich has reached preliminary agreement on a large credit in foreign currency from one of its new foreign stockholders with 6.5% interest, Motor Sich Director General Vyacheslav Bohuslayev has told Interfax-Ukraine.

KIEV, July 10 ??“ Ukraine??™s Motor-Sich, the largest aircraft engine manufacturer in the CIS, is ready to consider the proposal on participation in new Russian machine building holding, a company official said.

SIMFEROPOL, July 11 ??“ Koktebel Winery in Crimea, Ukraine's large wine and cognac producer, is planning to increase wine sales by 21% on the year to 420,000 decaliters, Koktebel Winery Deputy CEO Natalia Vorozheikina said.

KIEV, July 11 - TNK-BP Ukraine, a subsidiary of Russia??™s oil major TNK-BP in Ukraine, appointed the company??™s first deputy president Sergey Lizunov as the president of the company, TNK-BP Ukraine said in a statement Tuesday.

WARSAW. July 8 ??“ Ukraine's Industrial Union of Donbas (IUD) is almost certain to acquire Polish steel mill Huta Czestochowa after signing a conditional sales agreement with mill-owner Silesia Investment Fund in Czestochowa on Friday, according to a report by the Polish state news agency PAP.