KIEV, Dec. 29 – If the pace of growth in employment and fall in unemployment continue, Ukraine could reach the pre-crisis level of employment of the population in 2.5 years, according to the International Labor Organization.

IVANO-FRANKIVSK, Dec. 29 – The chairman of the Ivano-Frankivsk province state administration, Mykola Paliychuk, said that the state tax policy could force companies with foreign investment could stop operating and move outside Ukraine.

BRUSSELS, Dec. 29 - The European Commission has called on Russia and Ukraine to ensure smooth oil supplies to European Union countries.

Russian leaders activated an early warning mechanism to warn the EU of possible disruptions in oil supplies, the EC said in a statement.

KIEV, Dec. 29 – Ukraine will hike tariffs for transit of Russian crude oil to the European Union by 30% in 2010 and will switch to charging euros, not U.S. dollars, for the service.

KIEV, Dec. 26 – The average monthly salary in Ukraine in November fell by 4.9% to UAH1,823, down from UAH1,917 in October and UAH1,916 in September, according to the State Statistics Committee.

KIEV, Dec. 29 ??“ Ukraine's largest assets management company System Capital Management (SCM) has decided not to bid for Pakistan Steel Mills Corporation (PSMC), the company said Wednesday.

KIEV, Dec. 29 ??“ Ukrainian Radio Systems, a small cell phone company that was recently purchased by VimpelCom of Russia, plans to attract $500 million investment within five years for rapid expansion, a company official said.

KIEV, Dec. 28 ??“ By Dec. 27, the state-owned ChornomorNaftoGaz had produced 1.120 billion cubic meters of natural gas, which was 1% up on the annual target, and 7.6% up on 2003.

KIEV, Dec. 28 ??“ Russian and Ukrainian space-flight managers are busy trying to rectify a situation which caused Sich-1M and Micron 1 satellites, launched on Dec. 24 atop a Tsyklon-3 rocket, to fail to attain their planned orbit.