KIEV, Dec. 23 – The large volume of bad credits, bad financial state of borrowers and the low level of legal protection of creditors would hinder the development of the Ukrainian banking system in 2011, according to heads of the largest banking associations of the country.

KIEV, Dec. 24 – Britain's Regal Petroleum plc with assets in Ukraine could be deprived of its licenses to develop the Mekhediviska-Golotvshinska (MEX-GOL) and Svyrydivske (SV) gas and condensate fields in Poltava region.

KIEV, Dec. 24 - The Industrial Union of Donbass is finishing talks with international creditors on the restructuring of its debt and hopes to sign the agreement in January-February 2011, said ISD Vice President Oleksandr Pylypenko.

KIEV, Dec. 24 - Amendments to the law on tender state purchases, which should be made as soon as possible, could improve medical services for the public, Volodymyr Symonenko, a member of the advisory council following the parliamentary committee for healthcare, said at a roundtable in Kiev.

KIEV, Dec. 25 - Western Union, effective Dec. 17, has cut tariffs on money transfers from Ukraine to Russia and the CIS countries by 30% on average, according to company spokesman Mykhailo Babirenko.

KIEV, Dec. 25 - Krasnodonvuhillia in Luhansk region has started industrial tests of a container gas-utilizing plant at the Molodohvardiyska mine.

The company said that tests are conducted in the light of a project on degassing and utilization of methane at the Molodohvardiyska mine, which Krasnodonvuhillia is realizing jointly with Ukrainian-German Kyiv-based Eko-Alliance Ltd.

KIEV, Dec. 25 - The International Finance Corporation will lend $100 million to the Industrial Union of Donbas (IUD) and arrange a syndicated loan worth $250 million for modernization, improvement in competitiveness and implementation of environmental programs at the group's enterprises.

Kyiv, Dec. 25 -Average annual inflation in Ukraine in 2008 could be 14-15%, according to Director of the Institute for Economic Research and Policy Consulting Ihor Burakovsky.

KIEV, Dec. 25 ??“ AeroSvit-Ukrainian Airlines will begin regular direct flights from Kiev to Shanghai of China from June 2007, the company's press service reported.

KIEV, Dec. 25 ??“ National telecoms operator Ukrtelekom is to raise $200 million in the first quarter of 2007 for the construction of a 3G (UMTS/WCDMA) network, Ukrtelecom CEO Heorgiy Dzekon said in an interview with Biznes weekly, published on Monday.