The National Bank of Ukraine does not currently see any potential buyers for the local units of Russia-based Vnesheconombank and PAO Sberbank of Russia, Interfax Ukraine reported May 15, citing Kateryna Rozhkova, deputy governor at the central bank.
Rozhkova told reporters in Kiev that international financial institutions were showing no interest in purchasing the Russian lenders' Ukrainian units, as they were under sanctions, while the central bank cannot find any individual investors who can acquire and develop any of the banks.
The central bank had also decided not to issue permits to some potential investors interested in Vnesheconombank's PSC Prominvestbank and Sberbank's Sberbank JSC, she said.
The central bank believes that curtailing the activities of banks with Russian capital is the only "civilized way" for them to leave the Ukrainian market, Rozhkova reportedly said.
