KIEV, Feb. 19 – Fitch Ratings has downgraded the individual ratings of five foreign-owned Ukrainian banks: UkrSibbank, Ukrsotsbank and ProCredit Ukraine to 'D/E' from 'D' and Pravex Bank and VTB Ukraine to 'E' from 'D/E'.

KIEV, Feb. 20 – Ukrtelecom reported a UAH 1.526 billion net loss for 2008, while in 2007 the company saw UAH 267.2 million in net profit.

The net income of Ukrtelecom from sales goods, works and services last year dropped by 2.4%, to UAH 6.646 million, and its gross profits fell by 40.6%, to UAH 948.7 million.

KIEV, Feb. 20 – Donbas Fuel-Energy Company (DTEK) has bought two Ostroj-70/125 mining equipment complexes made by Czech company Ostroj worth EUR 20 million for the Pavlohradska and Ternivska mines, which are part of OJSC Pavlohradvuhillia.

KIEV, Feb. 23 – Ukrainian metals companies are working at 64% capacity, while in first 10 days of November – at the peak of the metals production fall – the facilities were working at 32% capacity, according to Industry Minister Volodymyr Novitsky.

KIEV, Feb. 23 – The provisional administration at Kiev-based Nadra Bank expects to receive UAH 1.2 billion of overdue debts within one year, the bank reported.

KIEV, Feb. 23 - Societe Generale, a French banking group, has been expanding on the market of leasing services in Ukraine after acquiring a small local company and setting up a subsidiary, Interfax-Ukraine reported.

KIEV, Feb. 23 ??“ Ukraine??™s information technology market, including sales of computer equipment, will probably expand 16% on the year to $1.74 bln in 2006, IDC, a computer analysis company, said Wednesday.

KIEV, Feb. 23 ??“ In 2004 the national communications operator Ukrtelecom set in operation nearly 4,000 km of fiber optic communications line, which approximately meets the level of 2003, the company told Interfax-Ukraine.

KIEV, Feb. 23 ??“ Zaporizhtransformator (ZTR), the world's largest manufacturer of power transformers, is planning to increase its commodity turnover to at least $150 million within the next two or three years. Viktor Choban, director general, said Wednesday at an investment conference in Kiev.

MOSCOW, Feb. 23 - The launch of the American XM -3 commercial digital radio broadcast satellite from a sea platform in the Pacific Ocean with the help of Zenit-3SL rocket carrier has been delayed due a breakdown in the rocket carrier, a source in the Russian tracking headquarters told Interfax on Monday.