Functioning of the insurance market of Ukraine: new challenges and threats

Вітчизняний страховий ринок можна охарактеризувати як складну систему взаємозв’язків між суб’єктами страхування. Сучасні події породжують нові виклики та загрози щодо функціонування та розвитку страхового ринку України. Тому, не зважаючи на наявність низки публікацій у сфері функціонування страхового ринку, дослідження даного питання повинно бути систематичним, оскільки збалансована робота ринку страхування має вагомий вплив на всю економічну систему держави в цілому. В процесі дослідження розглянуто трактування науковців і практиків щодо визначення сутності поняття «страховий ринок». Систематизовано визначення науковців і сформовано наукові підходи. Також запропоновано власне бачення сутності категорії «страховий ринок». Для розуміння сучасного стану страхового ринку України, здійснено аналіз статистичних даних, що якнайкраще характеризують функціонування ринку. Аналіз показав, що на тлі скорочення кількості страхових компаній та коливання динаміки валових страхових премій і виплат за аналізований період страховики зуміли наростити активи та збільшити обсяги сформованих страхових резервів. Не зважаючи на кризу, спричинену пандемією коронавірусу, а також екстремальними умовами воєнного стану, страховики змогли встояти перед викликами і далі продовжувати свою діяльність. Рівень страхових виплат на українському ринку є нижчим від загальноприйнятої світової практики більш як на 17%. Даний показник свідчить про низький рівень культури страхування в Україні. Структура страхового портфеля українського ринку представлена загалом ОСЦВ, страхуванням життя, безперервним страхуванням здоров’я, страхуванням від нещасних випадків та майновим страхуванням. Останніми роками питома вага безперервного страхування здоров’я невпинно зменшується у зв’язку із низькою платоспроможністю, а також еміграцією населення за кордон внаслідок воєнних дій. Один з головних показників, який ілюструє рівень розвитку страхового ринку, рівень проникнення страхування є надзвичайно низьким у порівнянні з такими країнами, як США, Італія, Франція, Велика Британія та Нідерланди. Розглянуто сучасні страхові продукти, що розроблені для захисту від воєнних ризиків. Запропоновано низку заходів, впровадження яких дозволить вдосконалити функціонування страхового ринку України та підвищити рівень його розвитку.The domestic insurance market can be described as a complex system of interconnections between insurance entities. Modern events give rise to new challenges and threats to the functioning and development of the insurance market of Ukraine. Therefore, despite the existence of a number of publications in the sphere of functioning of the insurance market, the study of this issue should be systematic, since the balanced operation of the insurance market has a significant impact on the entire economic system of the state as a whole. In the research process, the authors considered the interpretation of scientists and practitioners to determine the essence of the concept of «insurance market». The authors systematized the definition of scientists and formed scientific approaches. The insurance market category was also proposed. In order to understand the current state of the insurance market of Ukraine, statistics were analyzed, which best characterize the functioning of the market. The analysis showed that against the background of reducing the number of insurance companies, and fluctuations in the dynamics of gross insurance premiums and payments for the analyzed period, the insurers were able to increase assets and increase the volumes of the formed insurance reserves. Despite the crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic, as well as the extreme conditions of martial law, the insurers were able to resist the challenges and continue to continue their activities. The level of insurance payments in the Ukrainian market is lower than the generally accepted world practice by more than 17%. This indicator indicates a low level of insurance culture in Ukraine. The structure of the insurance portfolio of the Ukrainian market is represented in general CICL, life insurance, continuous health insurance, accident insurance and property insurance. In recent years, the proportion of continuous health insurance has been constantly reduced due to low solvency as well as the emigration of the population abroad due to hostilities. One of the main indicators that illustrates the level of insurance market development, the level of insurance penetration is extremely low compared to countries such as the United States, Italy, France, the United Kingdom, and the Netherlands. Modern insurance products designed to protect against military risks are considered. The authors propose a few measures, the implementation of which will improve the functioning of the insurance market of Ukraine and increase its level of development

Modern trends of development of the world economy and financial competitiveness of enterprises

The article considers modern trends in the development of the global economy, the dynamics of the activity of the domestic economy. The statistical data of the share of loss-making enterprises on the domestic market are analyzed. The importance of competitiveness and financial stability of enterprises in modern conditions is considered, the relationship between competitiveness and financial stability is indicated. The notion of financial competitiveness is formulated. Financial competitiveness is analyzed from the point of view of enterprise management and on the parameters for assessing the financial stability of enterprises. Methods for assessing the financial competitiveness of enterprises have been identified. The primary calculation of financial competitiveness indicators for PJSC “SF Almaz” was carried out based on the selected methods. The analysis of the obtained calculation results is carried out. Methods are proposed to ensure financial competitiveness of Russian companies

Modern trends of development of the world economy and financial competitiveness of enterprises

The article considers modern trends in the development of the global economy, the dynamics of the activity of the domestic economy. The statistical data of the share of loss-making enterprises on the domestic market are analyzed. The importance of competitiveness and financial stability of enterprises in modern conditions is considered, the relationship between competitiveness and financial stability is indicated. The notion of financial competitiveness is formulated. Financial competitiveness is analyzed from the point of view of enterprise management and on the parameters for assessing the financial stability of enterprises. Methods for assessing the financial competitiveness of enterprises have been identified. The primary calculation of financial competitiveness indicators for PJSC “SF Almaz” was carried out based on the selected methods. The analysis of the obtained calculation results is carried out. Methods are proposed to ensure financial competitiveness of Russian companies

Effectiveness of Leaf Rust Resistance Genes in the Adult and Juvenile Stages in Southern Russia in 2011–2020

Puccinia triticina Erikss. is a causative agent of wheat leaf rust spread worldwide. Wheat rust is a major disease on wheat in southern regions of Russia, which are leaders in grain production and have favorable conditions for pathogen development. In this paper we studied the effectiveness of 52 NILs of cv. Thatcher with Lr genes in field trials and 41 NILs—in the juvenile phase in a greenhouse during 2011–2020. We conclude that the lines with Lr9, Lr42 and Lr43+24 genes remained immune in the adult phase during ten years of research. Lines with Lr genes: 19, 24, 29, 36, 37, 38, 43, 45, 47, 50 showed efficiency in field tests (1–5 R on the CIMMYT scale). No immune lines to Puccinia triticina were registered in the juvenile phase during 2011–2020. The line with the Lr9 gene remained immune up to 2020; Lr19 and Lr41—up to 2015; Lr42—up to 2018, and Lr50—up to 2019. In 2020, there was an increase of P. triticina isolates with virulence to Thatcher lines with Lr: 9, 14a, 16, 19, 21, 28, 30, 33, 40, 45, W, 50. Additionally, we registered a change in infection types towards more susceptible in isogenic Lr gene lines: 1, 2a, 12, 14b, 15, 18, 20, 23, 25, 28, 29, 32, 35, 36, 37, 38, 40, 44, 45 in the field. A sharp increase in the frequencies of virulent isolates was recorded in 2018–2020 due to unfavorable weather in the growing seasons. This indicates the ability of a dangerous pathogen to rapidly evolve in response to biotic and abiotic stresses. Therefore, annual monitoring of the reaction of isogenic lines, selected released varieties and the study of the virulence of the phytopathogen are important measures necessary to prevent and control leaf rust in grain-producing regions of the world

Genetic Variations and Haplotypic Diversity in the Myostatin Gene of Different Cattle Breeds in Russia

The myostatin gene (MSTN) in cattle has a number of polymorphisms associated with increased muscle mass. The aim of the current study was to determine the haplotype frequencies of F94L and nt821(del11) MSTN polymorphisms among cattle bred for meat in Russia, using DNA analysis. Using the earlier created test systems based on the AS-PCR and PCR-RFLP methods, six populations of Aberdeen Angus (n = 684), two populations of Limousin (n = 54), one population of Simmental (n = 55), and one population of Belgian Blue (n = 137) belonging to Russian farms were genotyped on nt821(del11) and F94LMSTN polymorphisms. The animal carriers of the mutant allele of nt821(del11)MSTN associated with the double-muscling genetic defect were found in one Aberdeen Angus population at a frequency of 2.18%, but were not found in the Limousin and Simmental populations. However, 100% of the Belgian Blue population were heterozygous carriers of nt821(del11)MSTN. The frequencies of the A allele F94LMSTN desirable for productivity traits in the Limousin populations were the highest and accounted for 0.97 and 1 in populations one and two, while in the Aberdeen Angus, Simmental, and Belgian Blue populations, these figures were considerably lower at 0.04–0.08, depending on the population. The obtained data show the high genetic potential of Russian beef cattle, and facilitate an improvement in meat productivity by preserving the health of animals

Study of Genetic Diversity of Dagestan Mountain Cattle Based on STR-Markers

Cheap pasture fodder and a long grazing season are favorable for cattle breeding in the Dagestan Republic of Russia. However, specific natural and geographical conditions, including mountain terrain, hypoxia, and high humidity slow down the intensification of cattle breeding in this region. Thus, the maintenance of genetic diversity of local cattle breeds, which fits well into specific environments, is of special importance for mountain ethnic communities. Dagestan Mountain cattle have valuable biological traits, including strong hooves, stamina, and adaptability to extreme mountain conditions. This sample included 32 individuals of Dagestan Mountain cattle collected from private owners in the mountain villages of Dagestan during a scientific expedition. We observed a high level of genetic diversity in Dagestan Mountain cattle, as revealed by calculations of the mean number of alleles per locus (6.82 compared to 4.79–5.82 in other breeds) and observed heterozygosity indices (Ho = 0.73, which was higher compared to the other breeds (Ho = 0.69) excluding Simmentals and Brown Swiss (Ho = 0.74). Based on STRUCTURE results, the individuals with a low level of admixture with other breeds were found within Dagestan Mountain cattle, which can be considered as candidates for using conservation programs in germplasms

Weighted Single-Step Genomic Best Linear Unbiased Prediction Method Application for Assessing Pigs on Meat Productivity and Reproduction Traits

Changes in the accuracy of the genomic estimates obtained by the ssGBLUP and wssGBLUP methods were evaluated using different reference groups. The weighting procedure’s reasonableness of application Pwas considered to improve the accuracy of genomic predictions for meat, fattening and reproduction traits in pigs. Six reference groups were formed to assess the genomic data quantity impact on the accuracy of predicted values (groups of genotyped animals). The datasets included 62,927 records of meat and fattening productivity (fat thickness over 6–7 ribs (BF1, mm)), muscle depth (MD, mm) and precocity up to 100 kg (age, days) and 16,070 observations of reproductive qualities (the number of all born piglets (TNB) and the number of live-born piglets (NBA), according to the results of the first farrowing). The wssGBLUP method has an advantage over ssGBLUP in terms of estimation reliability. When using a small reference group, the difference in the accuracy of ssGBLUP over BLUP AM is from −1.9 to +7.3 percent points, while for wssGBLUP, the change in accuracy varies from +18.2 to +87.3 percent points. Furthermore, the superiority of the wssGBLUP is also maintained for the largest group of genotyped animals: from +4.7 to +15.9 percent points for ssGBLUP and from +21.1 to +90.5 percent points for wssGBLUP. However, for all analyzed traits, the number of markers explaining 5% of genetic variability varied from 71 to 108, and the number of such SNPs varied depending on the size of the reference group (79–88 for BF1, 72–81 for MD, 71–108 for age). The results of the genetic variation distribution have the greatest similarity between groups of about 1000 and about 1500 individuals. Thus, the size of the reference group of more than 1000 individuals gives more stable results for the estimation based on the wssGBLUP method, while using the reference group of 500 individuals can lead to distorted results of GEBV

Combination of Multiple Microsatellite Analysis and Genome-Wide SNP Genotyping Helps to Solve Wildlife Crime: A Case Study of Poaching of a Caucasian tur (Capra caucasica) in Russian Mountain National Park

Poaching is one of the major types of wildlife crime in Russia. Remnants of goats (presumably the wild endemic species, the Caucasian tur) were found in an area of the Caucasian mountains. The case study involves a suspected poacher whose vehicle was found to have two duffel bags containing pieces of a carcass, which he claimed was that of a goat from his flock. The aim of the forensic genetic analysis for this case was to (i) establish individual identity and (ii) perform species identification. DNA typing based on fourteen microsatellites revealed that STR-genotypes generated from pieces of evidence found at crime scene fully matched those obtained from the evidence seized from the suspect. The results of genome-wide SNP-genotyping, using Illumina Goat SNP50 BeadChip, provided evidence that the poached animal was a wild Caucasian tur (Capra caucasica). Thus, based on comprehensive molecular genetic analysis, evidence of poaching was obtained and sent to local authorities. To our knowledge, this case study is the first to attempt to use DNA chips in wildlife forensics of ungulates

Comparative Study of the Genetic Diversity of Local Steppe Cattle Breeds from Russia, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan by Microsatellite Analysis of Museum and Modern Samples

The comparative molecular genetic study of museum and modern representatives of cattle breeds can help to elucidate the origin and maintenance of historical genetic components in modern populations. We generated the consensus genotypes for 11 microsatellite loci for 24 museum samples of Kalmyk, Kyrgyz, and Kazakh cattle, dated from the first quarter of the 20th century, and compared them with those of modern Kalmyk, Kyrgyz, and Kazakh white-headed breeds. The level of genetic diversity of the modern Kalmyk and Kyrgyz cattle (uHe = 0.771–0.778) was similar to those observed in the museum samples (uHe = 0.772–0.776), while a visible decrease in genetic variability in the modern Kazakh white-headed breed compared to museum Kazakh cattle was detected (uHe = 0.726 and 0.767, respectively). The PCA plot, FST- and Jost’s D-based networks, and STRUCTURE clustering provided strong evidence of the maintenance of the historical genetic background in modern populations of Kalmyk and Kyrgyz cattle. In spite of the allele pool of Kazakh white-headed cattle having undergone great changes compared to the museum Kazakh cattle, several animals still carry the visible aspect of the historical genetic components. Our results can be used for the selection of individuals for the creation of gene banks and may significantly improve the efficiency of conservation programs aimed at preserving genetic diversity in the national genetic resources of cattle