KIEV, June 12 – Ukraine's Industry Ministry has drawn up a draft program on the development of the mining and metallurgical sectors for the period until 2012, according to Deputy Industry Minister Serhiy Hryschenko.

ZAPORIZHIA, June 13 – A joint design of the SPM-21 engine by Moscow-based Saliut engineering industrial company, Progress design bureau and Motor-Sich (both based in Zaporizhia) is to be submitted for a tender to select an engine for the next-generation MS-21 aircraft, according to director general of Volodymyr Klimov- Motor SICH joint venture, Anatoliy Sitnov.

ENERHODAR (Zaporizhia region), June 13 – From the moment of the launch of the waste nuclear fuel storage facility at the Zaporizhia Nuclear Power Plant until 2030 (the estimated term for its exploitation) savings will total UAH13.7 billion, Zaporizhia Director General Vyacheslav Tyshcenko, said during a meeting attended by Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko on Thursday.

KIEV, June 13 – Ukraine's Fuel and Energy Ministry is to allocate UAH100 million from a special fund of the 2008 national budget to finance the building of the Dnistrovska pump-storage plant, the ministry reported after a working visit of Fuel and Energy Minister Yuriy Prodan to the plant.

KIEV, June 13 – Raiffeisen Bank Aval plans to sell its mortgage portfolio worth up to $200 million, according to the Ekonomicheskiye Izvestia newspaper, referring to the head of the department for work with the bank’s existing credit portfolio, Yevhen Chernyshov.

KIEV, June 13 - Russia demanded on Friday that Ukraine halt oil exploration in parts of the Black Sea, saying the work was illegal because a territorial dispute over the area has not been resolved.

KIEV, June 12 – The European Commission reminded Ukraine that it needs to abide by the commitments the country undertook while joining the World Trade Organization and expressed concern at the proposed law on import tariffs, which does not reflect Ukraine's WTO commitments.

KIEV, June 14 ??“ The Asian-European Gas-Kazakhstan (AEGas-Kazakhstan) will start building a liquefied gas shipment terminal in Kerch (Crimea) in the summer, the company said on Tuesday.

KIEV, June 15 ??“ Kiev-based Ukragroinvest Holding Company is planning to start building three plants this autumn to process grain and sunflower seeds and produce confectionery.

KIEV, June 15 ??“ The UkrAuto Corporation is to set up production of passenger cars of a European manufacturer at the Polish-based FSO automobile plant, the corporation told Interfax-Ukraine.