Sayenko Kharenko, working with lead counsel Latham & Watkins, has successfully represented the State of Ukraine in a USD 6.1 billion investment treaty dispute with Littop Enterprises Limited, Bridgemont Ventures Limited, and Bordo Management Limited, the minority shareholders of Ukraine’s oil and gas producer PJSC Ukrnafta. The dispute was heard by the Arbitration Institute of the Stockholm Chamber of Commerce.

Former Mriya Agroholding Chief Legal Counsel Sergiy Ignatovsky has joined Redcliffe Partners as a Partner within the firm’s Litigation and Restructuring practices.

Sayenko Kharenko has successfully represented claimant Ukrainian agricultural holding PJSC MHP at the International Commercial Arbitration Court at the Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, as well as in Ukrainian courts, in connection with the unsuccessful attempt of the unidentified respondent in the case to set aside the ICAC's award.

Avellum has successfully defended the interests of PJSC A/T B.A.T.-Prilucky Tobacco Company — the Ukrainian subsidiary of British American Tobacco — in a dispute against the Antimonopoly Committee of Ukraine. The case was brought before the Northern Commercial Court of Appeal in Kyiv.

The consequences of the pandemic are also leaving their mark on Ukraine. Ukraine’s GDP declined by 4.6% in 2020, compared to expected growth of 3.7% before the pandemic. However, unemployment has (officially) only risen from 9.0% to 9.9%, which may be related to the fact that a large proportion of the workers affected by redundancies were in the informal sector, i.e. not officially employed.

Longtime CMS Local Partner Maria Orlyk has succeeded Johannes Trenkwalder as Managing Partner of CMS Reich-Rohrwig Hainze's Kyiv office.

Avellum has helped Ukrainian supermarket chain Furshet obtain merger control clearance from the Antimonopoly Committee of Ukraine for the acquisition by the Fozzy Group of control over Furshet’s retail assets.

Good corporate governance contributes significantly to increasing company value and strengthening the confidence of investors. It has been promoted in Ukraine, as across the world, in the past few decades, and in March 2020, the Core Code of Corporate Governance, which was based on the work of over 50 Ukrainian and international experts, was adopted by the National Securities and Stock Market Commission of Ukraine (NSSMC).

January is a perfect time to look back and plan for the future. To reconsider our accomplishments and learn our lessons. To think what could have been done better, more efficiently, or just in a different way. To set our expectations, make commitments, and dream big.

Sayenko Kharenko has advised the European Fund for Southeast Europe on its provision of a loan in the Ukrainian hryvnia equivalent of EUR 5 million to Bank Lviv.

One of the most notable recent changes to Ukrainian law, according to Svitlana Gurieieva, Partner at Sayenko Kharenko, involves the Cabinet of Ministers' approval of new resolutions aimed at starting town-planning reform.

Aequo has helped Ukrainian agro-industrial group Rostok-Holding obtain merger clearance from the Antimonopoly Committee of Ukraine for the acquisition of Novgorod-Seversky Elevator, Novgorod-Seversky Agrarian Investments, and Demor.

CMS has advised a syndicate of banks led by mandated lead arranger ING Bank N.V. in relation to the extension of a pre-export facility for Ukraine’s Kernel Group.

Asters has helped Intreprinderea Mixta Zernoff S.R.L., an Eastern European manufacturer of spirits and strong alcoholic beverages, obtain approval from Ukraine's competition authority for its acquisition of Ukrspyrt's assets.

The Ukrainian Government continues to develop and adopt the gaming laws which are necessary to relaunch the Ukrainian gaming market.

Sayenko Kharenko has successfully represented Zhejiang Baokang Wheel Manufacture Co., Ltd. in an anti-dumping investigation related to imports into Ukraine of aluminum wheel disks originating in China and Russia.

At the beginning of 2021, the Government of Ukraine published its decision No. 1581-p, dated 16 December 2020, on approval of the list of 102 investment projects prioritised by the State for 2021 – 2023 in such fields as culture and tourism, industry and manufacturing, energy, healthcare, transport, and sports. 76 out of 102 projects may be financed by investors, 47 of which – using a public-private partnership, including the concession framework.

Avellum has helped Samoran Investments Limited, a company affiliated with Yakov Gribov, a beneficiary of the Nemiroff Group, obtain merger control clearance from the Antimonopoly Committee of Ukraine for the acquisition of shares in Rostok Agroinvest Limited.