CEE Legal Matters In-depth coverage of the news and newsmakers that shape Europe's emerging markets 
In 2020, Ukraine’s government awarded the first two concessions in the history of Ukraine – 35-year concessions of the assets of Kherson and Olvia, two significant ports on the Black Sea. Building on this success, in October 2020, the government made a media splash by releasing a roadmap for further public private partnership (PPP) projects and held various promotion events since then.
Sayenko Kharenko has advised joint lead managers J.P. Morgan and Dragon Capital on the USD 300 million eurobond issuance by Ukrainian Railways, the exclusive state-owned provider of rail transportation services in Ukraine.
The COVID-19 pandemic has triggered substantial social changes and a seemingly never-ending rollercoaster of legislative amendments and re-adoptions. Both social and legislative changes occurred in the Employment Sector, inevitably including the sphere of Personal Data Protection (PDP).
While mineral extraction in Ukraine has a high potential for development and attracting investment, it always entails ecological risks which must be properly mitigated. Recently adopted laws, as well as legislation currently considered by Parliament, are aimed at balancing economic development and environmental protection.
According to Arzinger Managing Partner Timur Bondaryev, competition investigations, investment disputes, and white-collar crime matters have been keeping his team particularly busy these last few months. CEE Legal Matters sat down with him to learn more about the driving forces behind these areas in Ukraine.
Like the rest of the world, the Ukrainian M&A market was dramatically hit by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Indeed, the number of M&A deals decreased in 2020, for the first time since 2014. However, the fourth quarter of 2020 saw a positive surge in the number of M&A deals, and although most of those deals started before the pandemic, the fact that they still happened sent a clear signal: investors are ready to buy in the new reality.
The Ukrainian legal services market has been buzzing with work in the first half of 2021. CEE Legal Matters hosted a round table conversation in which Partners at Asters, Avellum, Integrites, Kinstellar, and Sayenko Kharenko discussed the driving forces behind the workload and their outlook for the months to come.
The pandemic has been devastating for Ukraine, with underfunded health services struggling to contain COVID-19 contagion. Scenes of hospitals overwhelmed with patients and lacking staff, equipment, and medication will haunt us even as cases drop and vaccinations rise. It has been a traumatic time for our team at the Kyiv Dentons office. We have been working hard to support and guide each other towards the glimmer of light at the end of this long and, at times scary, tunnel.
Ilyashev & Partners has advised Ukraine's Zavalivskiy Graphite Group on its sale of a 70% stake to Australia's Volt Resources Limited. Avellum advised the buyer on the transaction.
While the Dealer’s Choice Conference in London could not be organized this year in a safe manner due to current events, on July 20, 2021, CEE Legal Matters sat down with several of the event’s sponsors to take a closer look at the Deals of the Year award winners this year.
CMS has advised the Export-Import Bank of Korea on a USD 36 million financing extension deal with Grain Terminal Holdings.
On 1 June 2021, the Ukrainian Parliament adopted at its first reading the draft law improving Ukrainian mining laws (No. 4187). The draft law is aimed at, among other things, attracting and simplifying investments by improving the current laws.
On May 17, 2021, CEE Legal Matters reported that Asters had advised Elementum Energy Ltd. on the acquisition of a majority stake in the Dnistrovska wind park in the Odessa region of Ukraine. CEE In-House Matters spoke with Victoria Pysmenna, Head of Legal at Elementum Energy to learn more about the deal.
Kinstellar’s Kyiv office has advised Vienna-based Raiffeisen Bank International AG on the matters of enforceability under Ukrainian law of netting derivative transactions with Vodafone Ukraine.
On June 1, 2021, CEE Legal Matters reported that Vasil Kisil and Partners has successfully represented commercial audio content provider PressCom and its clients in a lawsuit brought against them by the Ukrainian League of Copyright and Related Rights for lost profits allegedly arising from their use of PressCom sourced music in their restaurants. CEE In-House Matters spoke with Denys Kukharenko Co-Founder and CEO of PressCom to learn more about the matter.
EY Law’s Bogdan Malniev Interviews the Head of the PPP Unit of the Ministry of Infrastructure of Ukraine, Taras Boichuk, on the 2020 Deal of the Year in Ukraine.
Asters has appointed Counsel Anzhelika Livitska to head the Environmental Protection and Sustainable Development practice.
Golaw has successfully represented international cosmetics manufacturer Evyap Trading Ukraine in a tax dispute worth UAH 4 million.
AVELLUM is a leading Ukrainian full service law firm with a key focus on Finance, Corporate, Dispute Resolution, Tax, and Antitrust.
Our aim is to be the firm of choice for large businesses and financial institutions in respect of their most important and challenging transactions.
We build lasting relationships with our clients and make them feel secure in new uncertain economic and legal realities.
We incorporate the most advanced Western legal techniques and practices into our work. By adding our first-hand knowledge, broad industry experience, and unparalleled level of service we deliver the best results to our clients in their business endeavours. Our partners are taking an active role in every transaction and ensure smooth teamwork.
AVELLUM is recognised as one of the leading law firms in Ukraine by various international and Ukrainian legal editions (Chambers, The Legal500, IFLR1000, The Ukrainian Law Firms, and others).
Firm's website: www.avellum.com
