KIEV, June 13 - Ukraine's national oil and gas company Naftogaz Ukrayiny purchased 320-350 million cubic meters (mcm) of gas from Russian gas giant Gazprom last month, Energy and Coal Industry Minister Eduard Stavytsky told the press in Kiev.

KIEV, June 13 - Ukraine's balance of payments in 2013 is expected to shrink to 7% of GDP this year, from 8.4% of GDP last year, First Deputy Prime Minister Serhiy Arbuzov said.

KHARKIV, June 13 – The start of drilling of the Novo-Mechebylovska-100 wild cat (Kharkiv region) as a part of the agreement on cooperation between Shell and Ukrgazvydobuvannia is to be postponed by around two months, Deputy head of Kharkiv Regional Administration Yuriy Sapronov told reporters.

KIEV, June 14 – Strong buyer demand on the domestic loan market allows Ukraine to quietly wait for the formation of a favorable window on the foreign loan market, Finance Minister Yuriy Kolobov said at the ABC: Ukraine & Partners international conference.

KIEV, June 14 – The Energy and Coal Industry Ministry will additionally study the appropriateness of starting court proceedings with Westinghouse on four damaged fuel assemblies, Energy and Coal Industry Minister Eduard Stavytsky told reporters.

KIEV, June 15 – The deficit of Ukraine's foreign trade in goods January through April 2011 was estimated at $3.829 billion, which was 2.2 times up on the same period of 2010 (when the deficit was estimated at $1.763 billion), Ukraine's state statistics service reported.

KIEV, June 15 – Parliament has increased the revenues of the national budget for 2011 by UAH 14.047 billion or by 4.9%, to UAH 299.12 billion, and raised the spending target by UAH 11.449 billion or by 3.5%, to UAH 336.977 billion, while decreasing the budget deficit by 9%, or by UAH 3.5 billion, to UAH 35.343 billion.

KIEV, June 15 - Ukraine will use the proceeds from a placement of eurobonds to pay sovereign debt, Prime Minister Mykola Azarov said.

"We are borrowing exactly as much money as is needed to repay more expensive debt borrowed in previous years so that we don't burden our people with that today," Azarov said on UT-1 channel on Tuesday evening.

KIEV, June 16 – Kiev is among the worst Central and Eastern European capitals in terms of the supply of hotels per 1,000 residents, according to CB Richard Ellis (CBRE).

"The indicator for Kiev (2.9 rooms per 1,000 residents) takes into account the supply of all hotel rooms, most of which is considered a depreciated fund," said CB Richard Ellis strategic consulting and analytics director Maryna Krestinina.

KIEV, June 16 – Metinvest Group, the largest mining and metals holding in Ukraine, has confirmed that it is in talks with the leadership of OSJC Mariupol Illich Steel Mill (Donetsk region) on possible cooperation and merging of efforts to overcome the aftermath of the global recession.