British luxury car maker Bentley has announced the opening of a dealership in Ukraine’s capital Kiev, calling it an important step towards strengthening its presence in Central Eastern Europe.

The showroom area covers 1760 m² and is located close to Kiev airport, offering customer sales and aftersales facilities. This includes the complete Bentley model range, consisting of the Bentayga, Flying Spur, Mulsanne and the all-new Continental GT range.

“This is true entrepreneurship in challenging times… We look forward to success in the high luxury car market in Ukraine with a superior model range and highly engaged people,” said Robert Engstler, Bentley’s Regional Director for Europe.

CEO and Owner of Winner Group Ukraine, which operates Bentley’s Kiev showroom, John Hynansky added: “It is truly an honor and a privilege to represent such an esteemed brand as Bentley in Ukraine…The opening of this state-of-the-art Bentley retailer demonstrates our commitment to a long-term presence in Ukraine and an equally long-term relationship with Bentley Motors.”

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While the British manufacturer has chosen Ukraine as its “biggest exclusive dealership in Europe,” the World Bank has rated the country as one of the poorest in Europe and Central Asia.

Economic growth in Ukraine has turned to a recovery pace since the crisis the nation passed through in 2014-2015, the bank said in a report. However, rates of growth reportedly remain low, with wages failing to reach income standards of neighboring states.

According to the country’s key creditor, it would take Ukraine more than 50 years to reach the income levels of today’s Poland.

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Ukrainians rank among the world’s poorest people, with the net wealth of citizens lagging behind Bangladesh and Cameroon.

Statistics show an average Ukrainian earns less than $300-a-month, with more than half that income (50.9 percent) spent on food. Few can afford to visit restaurants and hotels, where only 2.8 percent of an average budget is spent.

More than a million people in Ukraine are facing acute food insecurity, according to a report produced for the UN Security Council by representatives of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP).

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