MOSCOW, March 27 – Russia's Vnesheconombank faced political opposition while performing a deal to buy a controlling stake in Prominvestbank (Kyiv), said Sergei Glazyev, the deputy secretary general of EurAsEC and co-chairman of the Russian-Ukrainian forum.

KIEV, March 28 – Ukrzaliznytsia plans to buy over 3,500 passenger cars, 442 passenger electric locomotives, 125 diesel locomotives, 236 electric trains, 133 diesel trains and dozen of hundred other passenger machinery in the light of a comprehensive program on the upgrade of rolling stock by 2010 that was introduced on Thursday.

MOSCOW, March 28 - Arcelor Mittal has now obtained all the necessary regulatory approvals to buy Russia-based coal assets.

KIEV, March 28 - Greece's Alpha Bank expects to close the acquisition of 90% of Kiev-based Astra Bank in the second quarter, the Greek bank said in a press release.

Astra Bank's current shareholders will retain a 10% stake in the bank and remain in management, the release said.

KIEV, March 30 ??“ AeroSvit Ukrainian Airlines will start regular flights between Kiev and Naples, Italy as of April 9, Interfax-Ukraine reported citing a company official. The flights will be made on Boeing 737 four times a week.

KIEV, March 30 ??“ Ukraine will investigate why its largest oil company UkrNafta has suddenly started to sell crude oil at 33% discount thus lowering payments to the state budget, officials said Wednesday.

KIEV, March 30 ??“ Some 700,000 to 900,000 computers were produced in Ukraine last year, or one third more than in 2003, according to manufacturers questioned by Interfax-Ukraine.

KIEV, March 30 - Sales of new cars in Ukraine in 2005 are likely to fall by 10-15% against 2004 due to amendments to the budget canceling breaks given to domestic auto makers, Igor Sotulenko, the president of the Ukrainian Association of Car Importers and Dealers, said on Tuesday.

KIEV, March 30 ??“ Transport and Communications Minister Yevhen Chervonenko sees a good chance for establishing a joint project between Ukraine's Luhanskteplovoz and Malyshev Plant (Kharkiv) and Russia's Transmashholding and Severstal.

KIEV, March 30 - Oleksiy Ivchenko, the chairman of state energy company Naftogaz Ukrayiny, urged Russian Energy Minister Viktor Khristenko to boost supplies of Russian crude via the Brody-to-Odessa oil pipeline for export via the Black Sea, Naftogaz said Wednesday.