Page 96 - UKRRptFeb24

Ukrtransgaz will invest ₴416M to develop gas storage this year. The company’s gas storage development plan for 2024-2033 foresees the investment of ₴415.98M in the development of underground gas storage and ₴472.35M for the operation of gas facilities in 2024.
9.2.2 Automotive corporate news
Eleven official automobile dealerships in nine regions of Ukraine began selling the first model of the KG Mobility vehicle brand (the new name of the Korean brand SsangYong) from the beginning of 2024 – the KGM Musso pickup-class SUV and its extended version Musso Grand, the press service of the distribution company Universal Motors Group, part of the UkrAVTO corporation, reported. According to the report, the retail price of KGM Musso (mid-size frame pickup) as of January 1, 2024 is UAH 1.374mn with VAT ($35,700), and KGM Musso Grand is UAH 1.709mn UAH ($44,400).
9.2.3 Transport corporate news
UZ reached the pre-war indicator for passenger transportation and increased international transportation to a record level. Ukrainian Railways (UZ) transported 25 million passengers in long-distance trains last year. Also, 2.1 million passengers were transported to EU countries. According to UZ, in terms of the volume of transported passengers, the company reached indicators seen before the large-scale invasion. Chairman of the Board of JSC Ukrainian Railways Yevhen Lyashchenko noted that a record number of passengers were transported to EU countries last year, and demand remains high. He added that the company is working on expanding its international routes and increasing seats on existing ones. In 2023, 110% more passengers were transported to EU countries than in 2022. In 2023, almost 450,000 passengers were transported, a significant part of which were children from families affected by the war, children from internally displaced families, and passengers from other socially vulnerable categories.
Ukrainian Railways (UZ) increased container transportation by 34% over the year. The company transported 201,260 containers during the year (+34% compared to 2022), which corresponds to the indicators of 2019 of the pre-war year. Before the start of the war, container shipping grew by 11%-22% for four consecutive years, but in 2022 it fell by 46%. The rapid recovery of container transportation in 2023 occurred due to the blockade of Ukrainian seaports.
Poland is interested in the construction of a toll highway in Ukraine. Poland's Ministry of Infrastructure will prepare a preliminary opinion on the possibility of Polish companies participating in the construction of the Kraków-Lviv-Brody-Rivne turnpike, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said. He noted that there is a proposal from the government of Ukraine that Polish companies undertake the construction of this route. According to him, part of the project’s financing has been confirmed by international financial institutions. The highway is included in plans to reconstruct Ukraine’s infrastructure after the war's end. The Cabinet of Ministers previously announced that, with the turnpike, the time it will take drivers to complete the route is expected to decrease from 4 hours 20 minutes to 2 hours 30 minutes. The road is designed for a speed of 130 km/h. According to law, concession roads must run parallel to the existing ones, so drivers have the right to choose: to drive on a toll road or without a fee
96 UKRAINE Country Report February 2024 www.intellinews.com