KIEV, Dec. 5 - Ukraine’s largest petrochemical company, KarpatNaftoKhim, which planned to resume operation in the spring, said last week the restart will be probably delayed until the end of 2009.

KarpatNaftoKhim, majority owned by Russian petrochemical company Lukoil-Neftekhim, is staying idle since early July as weak demand for petrochemical products, especially polyethylene, makes the company’s operation unprofitable, the company said in a statement.