KHARKIV, Dec. 19 - Shell will begin drilling the first exploration well on the Yuzivska field in the first half of 2014, Ecology and Natural Resources Minister Oleh Proskuriakov said.

KIEV, Dec. 19 – The index of Ukraine's investment attractiveness, calculated by the European Business Association, after growing in the third quarter to 2.39 points thanks to the government's confident rhetoric of European integration, in the fourth quarter fell to its lowest level in the history of its measurement - to 1.81.

KIEV, Dec. 19 - Russia's provision of EUR 15 billion in financing and cheaper gas to Ukraine significantly cuts the risk of a Ukrainian sovereign liquidity crisis in 2014. However, longer-term political and economic risks to Ukraine's sovereign credit profile remain unaddressed, Fitch Ratings said.

KIEV, Dec. 20 – Ukraine plans to pump 19.079 million tons of oil in 2014 using its trunk pipelines, according to a revised draft law on the national budget for 2014.

KIEV, Dec. 20 – The Cabinet of Ministers plans to include UAH 151.9 billion of borrowing in the 2014 budget, which is UAH 22.49 billion or 17.4% more than the borrowing target for 2013, according to an explanatory note to the draft law on the national budget for 2014.

KIEV, Dec. 20 - Ukraine's gross external debt in January-September grew by 1.95%, or by $2.7 billion, to $137.7 billion, according to the National Bank of Ukraine.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 20 - Despite the Ukrainian authorities' efforts to maintain macroeconomic stability, the Ukrainian government's policy mix has generated large external and fiscal imbalances and has contributed to deepening the recession in the country, the International Monetary Fund said.

KIEV, Dec. 21 – Moody's Investors Service on Tuesday confirmed Ba2 long-term local currency deposit rating of OTP Bank (Ukraine), or OTBU, with negative outlook.

KIEV, Dec. 22 - Parliament on Thursday approved the 2012 budget based on a relatively high price of imported Russian gas after the government failed to secure a discount from Moscow that would have improved state finances.

SEOUL, Dec. 20 – Hyundai Corporation is studying the Ukrainian car market aimed at creating car production facilities in Ukraine, according to Vice Premier an Infrastructure Minister of Ukraine Borys Kolesnikov.