EBRD to grant Ukrainian postal operator Ukrposhta 4.5 mln euros to boost Internet access nationwide

MOSCOW. Dec 16 (Interfax) - The Board of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has approved a 4.5-million-euro grant to expand Internet access in Ukraine through its national postal operator Ukrposhta.

The grant, which is to be drawn from the EBRD's Shareholder Special Fund, will finance the procurement of satellite Internet devices and power generators to keep people even in remote rural areas of Ukraine connected, Ukrainian media reported citing the EBRD website on Friday.

The grant proceeds will cover 1,700 post offices in more than 450 cities and towns.

Ukrposhta is supposed to top up the EBRD's financing with an additional 1.5 million euros of its own funds to buy more equipment, including heating stoves, Wi-Fi routers, and lighting equipment, it said.

As reported earlier, the EBRD provided over 1 billion euros in financing to Ukraine and mobilized over 1.4 billion euros more in donor support as of the end of November 2022.

While speaking in an interview with Ukrainian media in Kiev in October, EBRD President Odile Renaud-Basso reiterated the bank's intention to commit up to 3 billion euros over 2022-2023, which is 50% more than it did before the crisis.