KIEV, Jan. 24 - The Australian company Lugansk Gold plans to put some $50 million into the mining and refining of gold sulfide ores at the Bobrikovo deposit in Ukraine's Luhansk region, and has already spent roughly $2 million, the Perth-based company's Web site says, citing head of the Antratsyt regional administration Hennadiy Holovnenko.

KIEV, Jan. 24 – Gas stockpiles at the underground gas storage facilities of Ukrtransgaz currently stand at 14.8 billion cubic meters (bcm), which allows the orders of Ukrainian consumers to be met in full, the Ukrtransgaz, a subsidiary of Naftogaz Ukrayiny, said on Tuesday.

KHARKIV, Jan. 25 - About a hundred Chernobyl cleanup workers went on a protest at Freedom Square in central Kharkiv on Wednesday demanding that the provisions of the Ukrainian law on the status and social protection of citizens affected by the Chernobyl disaster be observed.

KIEV, Jan. 26 – All genetically modified organisms (GMO) in Ukraine are illegal, as no GMO has yet been registered, according to the director of Institute for Ecohygiene and Toxicology, Mykola Prodanchuk.

KIEV, Jan. 25 – The government permitted the import to Ukraine of 12 solar and one wind power station worth about EUR 705 million without the payment of customs duties and VAT, according to cabinet resolution No. 36 of January 24.

KIEV, Jan. 26 – Ukraine needs credits and investment from abroad to boost its GDP growth higher than 4.5% in 2011, Expert-Rating analysis agency forecast.

KIEV, Jan. 25 - Ukraine’s current account deficit may worsen to $3.8 billion or 2.5% of GDP in 2011 compared with $2.5 billion or 1.9% of GDP in 2010, a senior official at the National Bank of Ukraine said.

KIEV, Jan. 26 – Ukraine will support investment in strategic areas, such as development of offshore oil and gas fields, aircraft building, metallurgy, agricultural engineering and high-tech development, Prime Minister Mykola Azarov said.

LONDON, Jan. 26 - Moody's Investors Service has downgraded Ukrprombank's local and foreign currency deposit ratings to C from Caa3, and the National Scale Rating (NSR) to C.ua from Caa3.ua, the agency said in a statement. Ukrprombank's E Bank Financial Strength Rating (BFSR) remains unchanged.

KIEV, Jan. 26 – UkrNafta, Ukraine’s largest oil company, at a shareholder meeting on Tuesday voted to pay 5.08 billion hryvnias, or $635.8 million, in dividends for 2006-2008, an official said.