JSC Taskombank is interested in acquiring the Ukrainian unit of Russia's VTB Bank PJSC, which was declared insolvent in November, Ukrainian newspaper Ekonomichna Pravda reported Dec. 11.

Taskombank, which is controlled by Ukrainian politician and businessman Serhii Tihipko, applied to participate in a tender organized by the Ukrainian Deposit Guarantee Fund to withdraw JSC VTB BANK from the market. An application to participate in the tender was also filed by local lender JSC Alfa-Bank, but it did not pay the required deposit, and Taskombank is now the only applicant in the tender.

In December 2017, Taskombank and its parent, Tas Group, acquired Ukrainian lender VS Bank from PAO Sberbank of Russia and its unit Sberbank Europe AG.

Russian state-controlled banks have been curbing their businesses in Ukraine due to strained relations between Kiev and Moscow.