KIEV, April 10 ??“ Ukrgasbank has given a mandate to Standard Bank and West LB to organize a syndicated loan of $20 million, a representative of the Ukrainian bank reported on Tuesday.

KIEV, April 10 ??“ AVK, a major Ukrainian confectionery producer, is to invest about $20 million in the modernization of its chocolate production facilities in 2007.

KIEV, April 10 - The transit of natural gas via Ukraine to Europe fell 16.8% to 26.9 billion cubic meters in the first quarter of 2007 compared to the same period of 2006, Ukrtransgaz, the operator of the Ukrainian gas transportation system, said in a press release.

KIEV, April 10 ??“ Khreschatyk Bank has won a tender called by the Finance Ministry for a bank to service the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development's $20 million UkrESCO II project, Khreschatyk Bank said in a press release.

KIEV, April 10 ??“ Khartsyzsk pipe plant, owned by Rinat Akhmetov, the wealthiest Ukrainian, said Tuesday it will pay UAH 373.5 million from its UAH 383.2 million net profit as dividends for 2006.

KIEV, April 10 ??“ A barrage of lawsuits recently filed against UkrSotsBank was part of a secret plan by a rival bank to prevent its acquisition by Italian banking group Banca Intesa, UkrSotsBank said Monday.

KIEV, April 7 ??“ UkrGaz-Energo, a joint venture involving controversial gas trader RosUkrEnergo, plans to supply 1.4 billion cubic meters of natural gas to industrial consumers in April, an official said.

KIEV, April 10 ??“ Capital investments in Ukraine??™s telecommunications sector rose 23% on the year to 1.5 billion hryvnias in January through March, according to a preliminary report by the Transportation and Communications Ministry.

KIEV, April 10 - Ukraine??™s Environment Protection Ministry will hold an auction on May 23 to sell a number of licenses for extraction of crude oil, gas and coal throughout the country, the ministry said Monday.

KIEV, April 8 ??“ As of April 1, Russian carmakers supplied to Ukraine 2,141 cars with engine capacities of 1,000-1,500 cubic centimeters, having used 10.28% of their annual quota (from Dec. 9, 2004 to Dec. 8, 2005), the Economic and European Integration Ministry reported.