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Owning at least half of the nation's aviation market, Ukrainian billionaire Ihor Kolomoisky is now expanding his European holdings.

Owning at least half of the nation’s aviation market, Ukrainian billionaire Ihor Kolomoisky is now expanding his European holdings.

According to the Danish newspaper Borsen, Kolomoisky, whom they call the “mystery Ukrainian billionaire,” is buying Danish low-cost carrier Cimber Sterling.

The newspaper’s sources in the Danish government claim that the billionaire plans to join Cimber Sterling with another low-cost carrier, Swedish Skyways, which he bought in December.

Neither company is willing to confirm anything. “We are in negotiations with several investors… But we cannot disclose their names yet,” said Jacob Krogsgaard, CEO of Cimber Sterling.

We are in negotiations with several investors… But we cannot disclose their names yet.

– Jacob Krogsgaard, CEO of Cimber Sterling.

The Kyiv Post was not able to reach Ihor Kolomoisky. Despite the lack of official confirmation, stocks of Cimber Sterling are up recently.

In December, it was widely reported that Kolomoisky bought struggling Swedish low-cost carrier Skyways. The official new owner is Manswell Enterprises Limited, a Cyprus company which is said to be owned by Kolomoisky.

Lars-Ake Bertilsson, the CEO of Skyways, while not talking about Kolomoisky, said that the airline is expanding under new ownership.

“We are increasing our business with new routes to Norway and the Baltics and just recently we acquired another Swedish Operator, City Airline, that will complement our route network in a very good way,” Bertilsson said.

Bertilsson says the company has big expansion plans, but would not disclose details yet.

Kolomoisky already owns three carriers in Ukraine – Aerosvit, Dniproavia and Donbasaero. Together they constitute 48.5 percent of the Ukrainian market. He is also believed to own another Ukrainian carrier, Windrose, which he denies.

The company is owned by two Cyprus companies, two Kyiv companies and one from Dnipropetrovsk.

Kyiv Post staff writer Svitlana Tuchynska can be reached at [email protected]