KIEV, Dec. 22 – Ukraine’s exports of weapons and military equipment rose to more than $1.5 billion in 2009, bolstering its position as one of the world’s biggest arms exporters, President Viktor Yushchenko said Tuesday.

KIEV, Dec. 19 - Commerzbank Auslandsbanken Holding AG (Germany) is planning to buy an additional 15% of Bank Forum (Kiev) within three years, according to Wilhelm Nuese, the deputy supervisory council chairman of the Ukrainian bank.

KIEV, Dec. 19 – Kiev-based Astarta Ukrainian Agricultural Holding is planning to organize bioethanol production at Yareskivsky sugar plant (Poltava region), Viktor Ivanchyk, the director general of the holding, told journalists in Kiev.

KIEV, Dec. 19 – National insurance company Oranta has launched the Regulation S Global Depository Receipt (Res S GDR) program aiming at raising the liquidity of the securities and enlarging the shareholders base.

KIEV, Dec. 22 – The Ukrainian economy will continue falling in H1, and the trend may stop only in Q4 thanks to the lower comparative base of 2008, according to the head of Dragon Capital Investment Company, Tomas Fiala.

KIEV, Dec. 22 - Naftogaz Ukrayiny, the national oil and gas company, will hike by 11% the price it charges industrial consumers for natural gas starting Jan 1, according to the government??™s energy sector regulating body.

BERLIN, Dec. 22 ??“ The Ukrainian Association of Metal Traders is interested in large world producers to come on the Ukrainian metal market, expecting the active participation of world's second steel producer Arcelor SA (Luxemburg).

KIEV, Dec. 22 ??“ Swiss investment company B&K Management AG has purchased 99% of Kniazhy Grad Ltd. production and distribution company (Kiev), a large Ukrainian alcohol producer.

KIEV, Dec. 22 ??“ The Kiev-based operator of the CDMA digital cellular communications International Telecommunication Company Ltd. ("CDMA Ukraine" trademark) has started the pilot project implementation on construction of the first Ukrainian mobile communications network of the 3G standard.

KIEV, Dec. 21 ??“ The well-connected Ukrainians who bought their country??™s largest steel maker, Kryvorizhstal, in June, may have to cough up some extra money for the assets if an investigation proves the company had been undervalued, Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych said Tuesday.