Companies@UA: База компаний Украины

Kyiv, July 28 (Interfax-Ukraine) – Arma and National Credit banks (both based in Kyiv) could be sold to domestic investors, the director of the department for banking regulation and surveillance at the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU), Vasyl Pasichnyk, has said.

"Recently, we decided to sell two banks – Arma and National Credit – to domestic investors. They would capitalize the bank, while NBU would help with the refinancing credits. In addition, work on another two banks is being done," he said in an interview with the Business weekly.

He said that part of troubled banks would be liquidated.

As reported, NBU introduced temporary administration to National Credit Bank on December 19, 2008, while to Arma Bank – on April 17, 2009.

According to unofficial information, Andriy and Serhiy Kiuev, who are junior beneficiaries of Kyiv-based Prominvestbank would buy National Credit Bank for UAH 2 million. The bank has confirmed the fact of the deal, but it does not disclose the details of the deal. It is expected that new investors would invest UAH 120-150 million to restore the bank's solvency.

In May 2009 Arma Bank said that it is seeking an investor, who would invest around UAH 80 million in the financial and credit institution.

Bank National Credit was founded in 1996. As of April 1, 2009, its largest shareholders were Prominvestbank (34.7481%), Veksel (31.5106%) and Pavlo Matvienko (10.9996%).

Arma Bank was established in 2003. As of April 1, 2009 among largest participants in Arma was Stakhanov-based Almazniansky foundry and mechanical plant with 99.72%.

As of April 1, 2009 National Credit bank ranked 123rd (UAH 448 million) and Arma Bank ranked 113th (UAH 535 million) in terms of total assets among 182 operating Ukrainian banks.